Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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REEL FOR A CROP HARVESTING DEVICE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to a reel for a crop harvesting device and
specifically to links and
mounting elements used to assemble a reel without a center tube.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Reels are used in crop harvesting devices, particularly on cutting mechanisms,
in order to deliver
the standing crop to a cutter bar and a screw conveyor. They include a
plurality of tine carriers
(usually five or six) that extend across the width of the crop harvesting
device.
US Patent 3,145,520 describes a reel that includes tine carrier tubes with
tines mounted thereon.
The tine carrier tubes are supported on spiders that are arranged on the
respective tube ends and
distributed over the width of the reel. The tine carrier tubes are rotatably
supported on the
spiders and turned by eccentric drive mechanisms in order to achieve the
desired orientation of
the tines. A central tube for providing the reel with the required stability
extends across the
central axis of the reel. This structure is a disadvantage because the central
tube increases the
weight of the reel and limits the operator's view of the cutting mechanism
elements, particularly
the cutter bar and regions located in front of the cutter bar.
US Patent 3,902,305 describes a mowing device with a flexible cutting belt for
cutting standing
crop. A reel located above the cutting belt delivers the crop to the cutting
belt and consists of
spiders at each end and tine carrier tubes extending between. A central tube
can be eliminated in
this device because the working width of the mowing device is relatively
small. However, the
lack of support between the ends of the tine carrier tubes makes this reel
unsuitable for larger
working widths.
In reels that are equipped with a central support tube and in which the tine
carriers are supported
between their ends by links connected to the support tube, such as US
3,145,520 above, it is not
required to make special provisions for fixing the links on the tine carriers
in the axial direction,
because the links are fixed on the support tube. If a reel according to US
3,145,520 were not
provided with a center support tube, axial guidance of the links would not be
provided.
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US Patent 6,397,573 describes a reel assembly in which the tine carriers are
divided into tubular
segments in the axial direction. The segments are fixed to one another by
solid connecting shafts
that are inserted into the ends of the segments and fixed therein with bolts
or screws. The
connecting shafts include a section of reduced diameter that serves to
accommodate a support.
This support is mounted on the outer ends of the arms, namely on the spiders
of the reel that are
connected to the central support tube. This reel assembly also contains a
central support tube
that has the disadvantage of high weight and a restricted field of vision.
A reel without a central support tube is described in republished DE 10 2004
001 383 A. In this
reel, the tine carriers are connected to one another by links that form a
supporting framework.
The links form a hexagon, in the corners of which the tine carriers are
rotatably supported.
In republished DE 10 2004 022 196 A, the links on the tine carrier are
supported by carriers that
are composed of bearing halves. The bearing halves are fixed to one another by
the link that is
pushed onto a link-carrying section located on the ends of the bearing halves.
The bearing
halves are axially fixed by annular holding elements that are respectively
mounted on the tine
carrier together with an adjacent tine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A reel in the form of a framework is constructed of tine carriers and links
that simply connect
respectively adjacent tine carriers to one another, but are not connected to a
central support tube.
Since this framework provides sufficient support, support elements extending
over the length of
the reel can be eliminated between the tine carriers. This reel then has
relatively low weight and
does not restrict the operator's view of the crop harvesting device.
Since the central support tube is eliminated, it is necessary to fix the link
carriers axially to the
tine carriers. In the invention, mounting elements are provided and have two
functions: (1) they
fix the short segments of the tine carriers to one another, and (2) they form
a radial and axial
support for the link carrier.
According to one embodiment, each link extends between a link carrier and an
adjacent link.
The end of the other link faces the link carrier. Alternatively, the
respective links extend
between two link carriers that accommodate one or two links.
The axial guidance of the link carrier in the longitudinal direction of the
tine carrier is provided
by surfaces that extend radially relative to the longitudinal axis of the
mounting element. This
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longitudinal axis extends coaxially to the axis of the tine carrier segments.
These surfaces are
provided by a corresponding depression in the mounting element. Preferably
rings are arranged
on the mounting element. In this embodiment, a cylindrical mounting element
can be
inexpensively manufactured. Alternatively, the mounting element can be
provided with a
cylindrical outside surface and utilize the tine carriers for axially securing
the link carrier.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 shows a combine-harvester with a crop harvesting attachment that
includes a reel
according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a reel according to the present invention;
and
Figure 3 is a perspective view of two tine carrier sections with a connecting
element that fixes
the tine carrier sections to one another, and with a bearing half for
attaching a link ring that is
arranged on the connecting element.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The combine-harvester 10 shown in Figure 1 is supported on driven front wheels
and steerable
rear wheels 12 and 14, respectively. An operator's cab 16 is provided from
which the
combine-harvester can be operated by a driver. A grain tank 18, located to the
rear of the
driver's cab 16, can discharge the harvested grain introduced therein to
another container via a
unloading auger 20. The grain tank 18 is supported on a frame 22. The
harvested crop is
separated into its large and small fractions as it is conveyed through a
threshing drum 24, a
threshing basket 26 and a turning drum 28. The harvested crop is additionally
separated on
downstream straw shaker 30, as well as on a preparation tray 32 and screens
34. The threshed
grain is ultimately transported into the grain tank 18, while the large crop
fractions are dropped
onto the ground by the straw shaker 30. The lightweight fractions are blown
off the screens 34
and onto the ground by a blower 36. The crop lying or standing on the ground
is picked up by the
crop harvesting device 38 and delivered to the threshing drum 24 via a feed
channel 40 having an
inclined conveyor and a rock catcher 42.
In the embodiment shown, the crop harvesting device 38 includes a cutting
mechanism having a
reciprocating cutter bar 44 on the front edge. The frame 46 of the crop
harvesting device 38 also
carries a screw conveyor 48 with flights 50 that rotate about a central tube.
A ree152 for
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delivering the standing crop to the cutter bar 44 and the screw conveyor 48 is
located above and
in front of the screw conveyor 48. The reel 52 is connected to the frame 46 at
both ends by reel
support arms 54 and is driven about its longitudinal axis by a mechanical or
hydraulic drive. The
reel turns in the counterclockwise direction as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 2 shows a perspective representation of the ree152. The reel 52
includes two spiders 58
on the lateral ends and six parallel tine carriers 60. The tine carriers are
cylindrical tubes with
constant external cross sections over their lengths. The reel also includes
hexagonally arranged
links 62 supporting the tine carriers 60 in a hexagonal array. Tines 64 are
mounted on the tine
carriers 60. The spiders 58 are arranged on each end of the reel 52. Each
spider includes six
arms 68 that extend radially outward from a hub 66. The tine carriers 60
extend across the entire
width of the reel 52 between the outer ends of the arms 68 of the spiders 58.
The tine carriers are
composed of short individual tube elements that extend over a portion of the
length and are
mechanically connected to one another. The tine carriers 60 are rotatably
supported on the arms
68 and can also be turned relative to the links 62.
When the crop harvesting device is operating, the hubs 66 and consequently the
arms 68 of the
spiders 58 are rotated by a motor. An eccentric drive mechanism is provided
for rotating the tine
carriers 60 relative to the arms 68 as the reel 52 rotates, so that the tines
64 are oriented
approximately downward during a complete revolution of the ree152, as shown in
Figure 2.
Thus, harvested crop is delivered to the cutter bar 44 and the screw conveyor
48 by the ree152.
The eccentric drive mechanism may be of any conventional design well known to
those skilled
in this art and need not be described or illustrated in detail. As an example,
it may comprise a
plate cam 56 arranged adjacent to the spider 58 on the right side of the reel
52. The axis of
rotation of this plate cam is eccentric to the axis of the hubs 66 of the
spiders 58 and in
conventional manner, the tine carriers 60 are connected to the plate cam by
control levers or
other conventional means (not shown) that function as pivoting drives for the
tine carriers 60.
The interior of the reel 52 does not contain any supporting elements that
extend over the length
of the reel between the tine carriers 60. Thus, the hubs 66 of the spiders 58
are not connected by
a center support tube that extends across the width of the reel 52. No
supporting elements extend
over a corresponding width, such as for example, thin links. The resulting
open space reduces
the weight of the reel 52 in comparison to embodiments provided with a center
support tube.
The view of the crop harvesting device 38 is not blocked by a center support
tube. Thus, the
operator in the cab 16 has an unobstructed view of the cutter bar 44 and the
region located in
front of the crop harvesting device 38.
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The reel 52 is equipped with links 62 to provide support for the reel that may
have a width of 6
m or more (e.g., 9 m). The links 62 form hexagonal rings. The links 62 and the
spiders 58 are
the only elements that support the tine carriers 60. The links 62 and the tine
carriers 60 form a
framework. The connection between the links 62 and the tine carriers 60 allow
the tine carriers
60 to rotate about their longitudinal axis while all other direction of
movement are restricted.
Links 62 are positioned at suitable distances across the width of the reel 52.
Figures 2 and 3 show that the first end of each link 62 is connected to a tine
carrier 60 by a link
carrier 76. On the opposite or second end, the link is rigidly connected
(preferably by a weld) to
the next adjacent link 62, in the immediate vicinity of the first end of that
next link 62. The next
link 62 is in turn supported on the tine carrier 60 at its first end, by a
link carrier 76. The link
carriers 76 enable the tine carriers 60 to rotate as described above.
In Figure 3, the tine carriers 60 include short tube segments 78 that
respectively extend between
the spiders 58 and the hexagon rings formed by the links 62. The segments 78
include short
cylindrical tubes and are fixed to one another by mounting elements 80. The
mounting elements
80 are also constructed as cylindrical tubes and have an outside diameter that
corresponds to the
inside diameter of the tube segments 78 of the tine carriers 60. Two rings 82
are positioned and
fixed on the respective mounting elements 80.
In the assembled state, the regions of the mounting elements 80 that lie
outside the rings 82
extend into the interior of the segments 78 so that the tube segments 80 abut
the outside surfaces
of the rings 82. The mounting elements 80 and the segments 78 are fixed to one
another by bolts
or screws 84 that respectively extend through radial bores in the segments 78
and the mounting
elements 80.
The mounting elements 80 form cylindrical support surfaces for the link
carrier 76 arranged
between the rings 82. The rings 82 fix the link carrier 76 in the longitudinal
direction of the tine
carriers 60.
A link carrier 76 is illustrated in Figure 3. Each link carrier 76 includes a
first bearing half 86
and a second bearing half 88 that hold one end of the link 62 in the assembled
state. The two
bearing halves 86, 88 are fixed to one another by a hinge pin 90.
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Each bearing half 86, 88 includes a support section 92 with an inner
semicircular support surface
and opposite parallel ends. Five hinge projections 94 radially extend from the
semicircular
support surface on one side of the support section 92. Bores arranged in the
hinge projections 94
extend coaxially to one another and are parallel to the longitudinal axis of
the support surface.
The hinge pin 90 extends through these bores. A link carrier section 96
extending radially to the
semicircular support surface lies on the opposite side of the support section
92. The link carrier
section 96 contains a rectangular flange 98. The respective bearing halves 86,
88 preferably
consist of a hard, shock-proof material that also ensures an extended support
service life without
lubrication. A polyamide, such as Zytel ST 801, proved successful in practical
applications.
The offset of the hinge projections 94 and the arrangement of the bores for
the hinge pin 90 are
designed so that the support surfaces lie opposite one another and face one
another when the two
respective bearing halves 86, 88 are assembled. The two bearing halves 86, 88
are pressed
against one another and the hinge pin 90 is inserted into the bore so that the
bearing halves 86, 88
are pivotally connected to one another by the hinge, formed by the hinge
projections 94 and the
hinge pin 90. The assembled support surfaces define an approximately
cylindrical opening for
the mounting element 80. Other coupling elements other than the hinge pin 90
are known for
pivotably coupling the two bearing halves 86, 88 to one another. For example,
it is possible to
cast the two bearing halves 86, 88 in the form of a single component with an
integral hinge.
The hinged connection between the two bearing halves 86, 88 can be opened,
positioned on the
mounting element 80 and then closed. Pins 100 on the link carrier section 96
of one bearing half
86 then penetrate into complementary openings 102 in the link carrier section
96 of the other
bearing half 88 in order to secure the link carrier sections 96 to one
another.
Once the hinged connection between the bearing halves 86, 88 is closed, the
link carrier sections
96 form a base of rectangular cross-section. The base is then enclosed by the
first end of the
hollow link 62 that also has a rectangular cross section. The first end of the
links 62 abuts the
flange 98. The bearing halves 86, 88 are fixed to one another so that the link
62 encloses the link
carrier sections 96. The adjacent tine carriers 60 are connected to one
another by the link 62 and
prevent the link 62 from sliding off the link carrier sections 96. At least
one additional
mechanism for mounting the link carrier sections 96 to the link 62 is
provided. For example, a
pin (not shown) can be provided that extends through suitable bores in the
link 62 and in the link
carrier sections 96. Alternatively, a flexible element in one or both link
carrier sections 96 is
pre-stressed toward the outside and is arranged on the side wall of an opening
in the link 62 in
the assembled state.
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The inside and outside cross sections of the link 62 are rectangular or
square. The link carrier
sections 96 also have a rectangular cross section. Undesirable torsions and
rotational movements
between the link carrier 76 and the link 62 can be prevented with this
structure.
Figures 2 and 3 show that the length of the link carrier 76 in the axial
direction of the tine carrier
60 is significantly greater than that of the link 62 measured in the same
direction. This results in
a relatively long lever arm for supporting the tine carrier 60 by the links 62
and limits distortions
of the tine carrier 60 or the entire reel 52. This relatively long axial
dimension of the link carrier
76 reduces the mounting arrangement for a tine 64. In order to reduce crop
conveying problems,
the link carrier sections 96 of the link carriers 76 are not arranged
centrally on the link carriers 76
(relative to the axial direction of the tine carriers 60), but rather
positioned adjacent to one axial
end of the link carrier 76. An arrangement in which only every second tine 64
is located
adjacent to the link carrier 76 is eliminated by choosing the alternating
orientation of the link
carriers 76 shown, in which successive link carrier sections 76 are
alternately positioned on the
left and the right side of the link carrier 76 relative to the rotating
direction of the reel 52 (see
Figure 2).
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