Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DRIVE BELT CONNECTION FOR AN AGRICULTURAL
PICKUP DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to pickup devices for agricultural
equipment, and the like, wherein a conveyor belt includes material-engaging
elements or pickup fingers for picking up hay or grain stalks from the
ground.
Pickup devices have been used on agricultural equipment, both on
windrowers wherein the pickup device is used to pick up mown hay from the
ground, and on combines wherein the pickup device is used to pick up
unthreshed grain from windrows on the ground. These pickup devices have
included a pair of spaced-apart rollers, an endless conveyor apron circum-
ferentially disposed around the rollers, and a plurality of pickup fingers
that are attached to the apron and that project outwardly therefrom.
In U.S. Patent 2,253,797, issued to Melroe, the pickup fingers, which
are formed from wire, have a shape which causes the fingers to project
outwardly from the conveyor apron as respective ones of the fingers pro-
gress around the smaller one of the rollers. The outward movement of the
fingers is provided by the shape of the fingers, by the point of attachment
of the fingers, and by localized flexing of the belt as the belt wraps
around the smaller one of the rollers.
In U.S. Patent 2,38~,829, Melroe discloses an improved pickup device
in which the rollers each include a V-belt sheave. A V-belt is placed in
driving engagement with the sheaves and the conveyor apron is draped circum-
ferentially around both a V-belt and the spaced-apart rollers. Driving
engagement between the V-belt and the apron is provided by a plurality of
circumferentially spaced-apart rivets which extend from the outer surface
of the apron through the inner surface of the V-belt.
This second patent to Melroe also teaches a method for actuating the
pickup fingers outwardly. A portion of each finger extends inwardly
through respective ones of openings in the apron. Actuation of the fingers
outwardly from the apron, when the fingers are proximal to one of the
rollers, is achieved by engagement of these inner portions of the fingers
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with the roller; actuation of the fingers outwardly, when the fingers are
intermediate of the rollers, is provided by a metallic structure that is
inserted intermediate of the rollers; and actuation of the fingers out-
wardly, when the fingers pass around another of the rollers, is prevented
by providing a plurality of grooves in this second roller for receiving the
inner portions of the fingers without actuation thereof outwardly.
In a third patent issued to Melroe, U.S. Patent 2,570,065, a pair of
spaced-apart rollers, each including a V-belt shape, are provided as noted
in the prior art above. Also, a V-belt is circumferentially disposed -
around the sheaves as was noted for the previous prior art. The distinc-
tive portion of this reference includes a plurality of narrow and spaced-
apart flat belts or conveyor apron portions which are disposed around the
rollers and on opposite sides of the V-belt. A plurality of transversely
disposed metal slats are then riveted to individual ones of the flat belts -~
and to the V-belt to transmit motion from the V-belt to the individual flat
belts. The pickup fingers are secured to respective ones of the metal
slats.
In accordance with the broader aspects of this invention, there is
provided a conveyor apparatus or pickup device which comprises a pair of
roller units that are mounted on spaced-apart and substantially co-planar
and parallel axes and that each include a sheave. A drive belt is
wrapped around the sheaves in driving engagement thereto and includes a
plurality of drive lugs that are circumferentially spaced around the outer
surface of the drive belt and that project therefrom.
An endless conveyor apron includes a plurality of circumferentially -
spaced-apart drive lug receiving openings and is circumferentially disposed
over the drive belt with respective ones of the drive lugs projecting
through respective ones of the lug receiving openings.
A transverse aperture is provided in each of the drive belt lugs and a
transverse bore is provided in each raised portion of each transverse row
of raised portions in the apron. An opening in the apron is provided for
each drive lug wh;ch extends therethrough. Each lug opening is inter-
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mediate respective raised portions of the apron in each transverse row ofraised portions.
A plurality of pins are each inserted into respective ones of the
apertures in the drive lugs and the respective coaxial bores in the apron,
thereby drivingly securing the apron to the drive belt.
A plurality of material-engaging elements, such as pickup fingers,
each include a coiled portion, and the pickup fingers are secured to the
apron by being inserted into respective ones of finger-receiving openings
in the apron and by the coiled portion of respective ones of the fingers
encircling portions of respective ones of the pins.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide a conveyor
apparatus that includes a drive belt that is drivingly wrapped over a pair
of spaced-apart roller units, an apron that is wrapped around the drive
belt and the spaced-apart roller units, and novel means for drivingly
attaching the apron to the drive belt.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a conveyor
apparatus that includes a pair of spaced-apart roller units that each
include a sheave, a drive belt that is wrapped around and drivingly engages
the sheaves, an apron that is wrapped around the drive belt and the roller
units, and a plurality of transverse pins that drivingly secure the apron
to the drive belt.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide a pickup
device that includes a drive belt, an apron that is disposed circumfer
entially around the drive belt, a plurality of fingers each having a
coiled portion, and a plurality of transverse pins that secure the fingers
to the apron by being inserted through respective ones of the coiled
portions and that secure the apron to the drive belt by being inserted
through coaxial hole portions in the apron and drive belt.
These and other advantages and objects of the present invention will
be readily apparent when referring to the following detailed description
wherein:
FIGURE l is an end view of a pair of spaced-apart roller units and a
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drive belt of the present invention;
FIGURE 2 is a top view, taken substantially as shown by view line 2-2,
showing the roller units of FIG. 1, a portion of the drive belt of FIG. 1,
two portions of an endless conveyor apron disposed over the drive belt, and
pickup fingers attached to the aproni -
FIGURE 3 is a partial and enlarged cross-sectional view of the drive
belt and conveyor apron of FIGS. 1 and 2, taken substantially as shown by
section line 3-3 of FIG. 2;
FIGURE 4 is a partial and enlarged cross-sectional view of the con-
veyor apron of FIG. 2, taken substantially as shown by section line 4-4 of
FIG. 2;
FIGURE 5 is a partial and enlarged cross-sectional view, taken sub-
stantially as shown by section line 5-5, and showing a pickup finger and -
the attachment thereof to the conveyor apron; and
FIGURE 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the drive belt of
FIGS. 1 and 2, taken substantially as shown by section line 6-6 of
FIG. 1.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conveyor apparatus or pickup device
10 is provided which is of the same general construction as depicted in
U.S. Patents 2,385,829 and 2,570,065 which are incorporated in the present
description by reference herein thereto.
Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the conveyor apparatus or pickup
device 10 includes a roller unit 12 that is journalled in a pair of frame
members 14a and 14b for rotation about an axis 16, a roller unit 18 which
is journalled in the frame members 14a and 14b for rotation about an axis 20
that is planar to the axis 16 and which is parallel thereto, a drive belt
22, and a conveyor apron 24. ;
The roller unit 12 includes a V-belt sheave 26 which is intermediate :-
of roller portions 28a and 28b; and the roller unit 18 includes a V-belt
sheave 30 which is intermediate of roller portions 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e, --
and 32f.
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 3, and 6, the drive belt 22 includes an
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elongated and circumferential inner surface 31 that is interrupted by a
plurality of transverse notches 33, a plurality of outer surface portions
34, a plurality of lug portions or drive lugs 36 that are interposed inter-
mediate of the outer surface portions 34 and that extend outwardly there-
from, and edges 35a and 35b. Each of the lug portions 36 includes a
transverse aperture 38.
Referring now to FIGS. 2-5, the apron 24 includes ends 40 and 42 which
are interconnected by belt lacing 44; so that the apron 24 is essentially
endless as is the drive belt 22. The apron 24 includes a plurality of
thinner portions 46, and a plurality of raised thicker portions or lug
portions 48 that are arranged in transverse rows, that are interposed
intermediate of the thinner portions 46, that extend outwardly from respec-
tive ones of outer surface portions 50 to outwardly thickened surface
portions 52, and that extend transversely from an edge 47a to an edge 47b
except as intercepted by a plurality of openings in the apron which will be
subsequently numbered and described.
The apron 24 further includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced
and transverse bores 54. Each of the bores 54 is divided into a plurality
of transverse bore portions 56a-56f by a drive lug receiving opening 57,
and by a plurality of material-engaging element openings or pickup finger-
receiving openings 60.
Each of the lug receiving openings 57 extends outwardly from the inner
surface 58 to allow respective ones of the lug portions 36 to be received
therein and to allow respective ones of the apertures 38 to be coaxially
positioned with respective ones of the bores 54. The lug receiving openings
57 are spaced intermediate respective rows of the outwardly raised thickened
surface portions 52. The finger receiving openings 60 extend inwardly from
respective outwardly raised and thickened surface portions 52; and preferably,
the finger receiving openings 60 extend inwardly through the inner surface
58 of the apron 24 intermediate respective outwardly raised and thickened
surface portions 52.
Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, the drive belt 22 is disposed around and
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in driving engagement with the sheaves 26 and 30; and the apron 24 is
circumferentially disposed over the drive belt 22 and wrappingly engages
the roller units 12 and 18. The apron 24 is circumferentially and trans-
versely positioned with respect to the drive belt 22 so that respective
ones of the lugs 36 are positioned in the lug receiving openings 57, and so
that respective apertures 38 are coaxial with respective bores 54.
A plurality of material-engaging elements or pickup fingers 66 each
includes a helically coiled portion 68, a finger portion 70, and an actu-
ator portion 72. Each of the pickup fingers 66 is positioned in a respec-
tive one of the finger receiving recesses 60 with the coiled portion 68
substantially coaxial with a respective one of the bores 54, with the
finger portion 70 extending outwardly of the apron 24, and with the actuator
portion 72 extending inwardly of the apron 24.
A plurality of pins 74 are inserted into respective ones of the bores
54, through respective ones of the coiled portions 68, and through respec-
tive ones of the apertures 38; and so the pins 74 serve both to drivingly
connect the apron 24 to the drive belt 22 and to operatively connect the
fingers 66 to the apron 24.
The method of assembly includes placing the drive belt 22 in driving
relationship around the sheaves 26 and 30, wrapping the apron 24 around the
drive belt 22 and the roller units 12 and 18, connecting the ends 40 and 42
of the apron 24 with the belt lacing 44, and inserting a transverse pin 74
through a first bore portion 56a in the apron 24, through a coiled portion 68
of a pickup finger 66, through a second bore portion 56b in the apron 24,
through an aperture 38 in the drive belt 22, through a third bore portion
56d of the apron 24, through a coiled portion 68 of a second pickup finger 66,
and through a fourth bore portion 56e in the apron 24. ~ :
The invention that has been herein described provides improved driving
force from the roller unit 18 to the drive belt 22 over that which can be
achieved by the use of a flat belt by virtue of a V-shaped cross section 76
of the drive belt 22 wedging into the V-belt sheaves 26 and 30; and the use
of the V-belt sheaves 26 and 30 provides transverse alignment not only for
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the drive belt 22 but also for the apron 24 thereby preventing the edges
47a and 47b from rubbing against respective ones of the frame members 14a
and 14b. The driving attachment of the apron 24 to the drive belt 22 by
the pins 74 provides a simple and easy method for assembling and disassembl-
ing the apron 24 to the drive belt 22 and also allows the drive belt 22 and
the apron 24 to act independently of one another as they bend over the
roller units 12 and 18 at different pitch radii. This independent action
assures long life to both the drive belt 22 and the apron 24.
The present invention further provides for mounting of the pickup
fingers 66 around the same transverse pins 74 which are utilized to drivingly
connect the apron 24 to the drive belt 22, thereby providing an inexpensive
method of attaching the fingers 66 to the apron 24.
In operation, the roller unit 18 is actuated in the direction of an
arrow 78 by a power source (not shown and not a part of the present in-
vention). As the drive belt 22 and the apron 24 move around the roller
unit 12 in the direction of the arrow 78, the actuator portions 72 of the
pickup fingers 66 are swung rearwardly with respect to the movement of the
apron 24, and outwardly, by engagement with respective ones of the roller
portions 28a and 28b, thereby rotating the coiled portions 68, and swinging
the finger portions 66 outwardly to engage the material to be picked up
(not shown).
A plurality of U-shaped incisions 80 through the apron 24 allow
localized flexing of the apron 24 as the actuator portions 72 are pressed
between the apron 24 and the roller portions 28a and 28b without over-
stressing the material of the apron 24, thereby increasing the service life
of the apron 24.
However, when the pickup fingers 66 proceed around the roller unit 18,
the finger portions 70 are not actuated outwardly, because the roller
unit 18 is provided with a plurality of circumferential grooves 82 that
allow the pickup fingers 66 to pass without contacting the actuator portions .
72 thereof. Since the finger portions 70 do not extend outwardly as they
proceed around the roller unit 18, a receiving element (not shown) can be
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placed closer to the roller unit 18 than would otherwise be possible.
In the prior art, as exemplified by U.S. Patent 2,385,829, a metallic
structure intermediate of the roller units 12 and 18 is used to actuate the
finger portions 70 outwardly during at least a portion of the time while
the fingers 66 are traveling intermediate of the roller units 12 and 18.
However, in the present invention, it is preferred to actuate the finger
portions 70 outwardly only while the fingers 66 are encircling the roller
unit 12; because, in modern high speed pickup apparatus, the fingers 66
tend to throw the material if the fingers 66 are extended other than while
passing around the roller unit 12.
In summary, a pickup apparatus has been provided in which a drive belt
with a V-shaped cross-section provides good power transfer from a sheave,
the V-belt sheaves provide transverse centering both for the drive belt and
the apron, a plurality of transverse pins provide for both easy connection -
of the apron to the drive belt and easy replacement of the drive belt, the
transverse pins additionally serve both to operatively secure the pickup
fingers to the apron and to provide ease of replacement for broken fingers,
the method of attaching the apron to the drive belt allows individual
flexing of these two elements as they wrap around the roller units thereby
increasing the service life of both the drive belt and the apron, and a
plurality of U-shaped slots reduce stressing of the apron as the actuator
portions of the fingers are pressed outwardly by one of the roller units so
that the service life of the apron is further increased.
While only a single embodiment of the present invention has been
described in detail, it will be understood that the detailed descriptions
are intended to be illustrative only and that various modifications and
changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
present invention. Therefore the limits of the present invention should be
determined from the attached claims.
