AU2019101268A4 - A stump grinding machine - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A stump grinding machine is disclosed that comprises a cabin portion including a cabin for receiving an operator, and a movement imparting portion arranged to enable the 5 stump grinding machine to move relative to land on which the stump grinding machine is disposed. The machine also comprises a rotary coupling disposed between the cabin portion and the movement imparting portion, the rotary coupling arranged to enable the cabin portion to rotate relative to the movement imparting portion, a rotatable grinding member arranged to cut and/or grind material when the grinding 10 member contacts the material and the grinding member rotates, and a non-articulated support arm extending between the cabin portion and the grinding member, a first end of the support arm remote from the rotatable grinding member connected to the cabin portion at a pivot connection. The machine also includes an arm lifting device disposed between the cabin portion and the grinding member, the arm lifting device 15 being controllable so as to raise and lower the grinding member relative to the land, and a drive arrangement disposed between the cabin portion and the grinding member, the drive arrangement arranged to facilitate transfer of drive power to the grinding member so as to cause the grinding member to rotate. 11794662_1 (GHMatters) P112252.AU 18/10/19 CU) Lor oco 0' N

Description

A STUMP GRINDING MACHINE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a stump grinding machine.

Background of the Invention

Stump grinding machines are used to remove vegetation, in particular tree stumps, io quickly and efficiently from land, for example in order to prepare the land for agricultural use, or to clear previous vegetation from existing agricultural land.

Typical stump grinders include a rotatable grinding member, such as a disc or drum, provided with grinding teeth that cut and/or grind vegetation as the disc/drum rotates.

However, conventional stump grinding machines are cumbersome to manoeuvre, in particular in order to position the grinding disc/drum at the desired grinding location, and for situations wherein material is desired to be cleared in several rows, because the machine must be turned around at the end of each row. Turning a stump grinding machine around at the end of a row can also cause significant soil disruption.

Summary of Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stump grinding 25 machine comprising:

a cabin portion including a cabin for receiving an operator; a movement imparting portion arranged to enable the stump grinding machine to move relative to land on which the stump grinding machine is disposed;

a rotary coupling disposed between the cabin portion and the movement imparting portion, the rotary coupling arranged to enable the cabin portion to rotate relative to the movement imparting portion;

a rotatable grinding member arranged to cut and/or grind material when the grinding member contacts the material and the grinding member rotates;

a non-articulated support arm extending between the cabin portion and the 35 grinding member, a first end of the support arm remote from the rotatable grinding member connected to the cabin portion at a pivot connection;

an arm lifting device disposed between the cabin portion and the grinding

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-22019101268 18 Oct 2019 member, the arm lifting device being controllable so as to raise and lower the grinding member relative to the land; and a drive arrangement disposed between the cabin portion and the grinding member, the drive arrangement arranged to facilitate transfer of drive power to the grinding member so as to cause the grinding member to rotate.

In an embodiment, the grinding member comprises a grinding drum or grinding disc.

In an embodiment, the rotary coupling comprises a slewing bearing.

io

In an embodiment, the movement imparting portion comprises at least one track.

In an embodiment, the arm lifting device comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder.

In an embodiment, the stump grinding machine comprising a radiator and at least one fan disposed adjacent the radiator, wherein the fan is controllable such that the direction of rotation of the fan is reversible to change the direction of air flow through the radiator.

In an embodiment, the drive arrangement includes a shaft-type driveline. The driveline may include:

at least one flexible shaft; at least one non-flexible shaft; a fluid coupling; and/or a drop box arranged to transfer power from a first shaft disposed at a first vertical location and a second shaft disposed at a second lower vertical location.

Brief Description of Drawings

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a stump grinding machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the stump grinding machine shown in Figure 1 with features of the stump grinding machine removed to show an internally disposed drive arrangement, and a grinding drum of the stump grinding machine shown in a lowered position;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the stump grinding machine shown in Figure 2 with

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-32019101268 18 Oct 2019 the grinding drum of the stump grinding machine shown in a raised position; and

Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating functional components of the stump grinding machine shown in Figures 1 to 3.

Description of an Embodiment of the Invention

Referring to the Figure 1, a stump grinding machine 10 is shown. The stump grinding machine includes a cabin portion 12, in this example includes a cabin 13 for receiving io an operator and that includes machine controls for the operator, and an engine compartment 14.

The cabin portion 12 is mounted on a movement imparting portion arranged to enable the stump grinding machine to move relative to land on which the stump grinding machine is disposed. In this example, the movement imparting portion includes tracks 15, although it will be understood that any suitable arrangement for controllably moving the stump grinding machine 10 across the land is envisaged. In order to facilitate rotation of the cabin portion 12 relative to the tracks 15, a rotary coupling is disposed between the cabin portion 12 and the tracks 15. In this example, the rotary coupling is a slewing bearing 16, although it will be understood that any suitable rotary coupling capable of enabling rotation of the cabin portion 12 relative to the tracks 15 is envisaged.

The stump grinding machine 10 also includes a rotatable grinding member arranged to cut and/or grind material when the grinding member contacts the material and the grinding member rotates. In this example, the grinding member is a rotatable grinding drum 18 provided with a plurality of teeth 20, although it will be understood that alternatives are possible. For example, the grinding member may be a rotatable grinding disc.

In this example, the grinding member 18 is rotatably mounted in a drum shroud 22 that serves to perform a material containing function and in particular to minimise movement of ground material towards the stump grinding machine 10, in particular towards the cabin 13 of the stump grinding machine 10.

The grinding member 18 is connected to the cabin portion 12 using a support arm 24 that in this example extends from the drum shroud 22 to the cabin portion 12. A first

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-42019101268 18 Oct 2019 end of the support arm 24 is rotatably connected to the cabin portion 12 at a pivot connection 26, and in this example a second opposite end of the support arm 24 is fixedly connected to the drum shroud 22, for example by welding.

An arm lifting device 28 is disposed between the cabin portion 12 and the grinding member 18, the arm lifting device being controllably extendable and contractible so as to control raising and lowering of the grinding member relative to the land. In this example, the arm lifting device includes at least one hydraulic cylinder 28 that is connected to the drum shroud 22, with the hydraulic cylinder 28 connected to a io suitable hydraulic arrangement that enables an operator to controllably increase or decrease hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic cylinder 28 in order to raise or lower the support arm 24.

The stump grinding machine 10 also includes at least one fan 25 provided on the cabin portion 12 adjacent a radiator 27 of the machine 10. In this example, the fan 25 is disposed behind the radiator 27. The fan 25 is controllable by an operator in the cabin 13 such that the direction of rotation of the fan 25 is reversible and the direction of air flow from the fan(s) can be selected by the operator to best compensate for the current wind direction and minimise movement of material, particularly dust, into the radiator

27 during use.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the stump grinding machine 10 also includes a drive arrangement that includes an engine 30 and a driveline extending between the engine 30 and the rotatable grinding member 18 to transfer power for rotation of the grinding member 18 from the engine 30 to the grinding member 18. Figures 2 and 3 include a cut out portion 29 so that functional components of the drive arrangement inside the cabin portion 12 can be seen. For clarity, the representations in Figures 2 and 3 also omit the shroud 22, the support arm 24 and the hydraulic cylinder 28.

The driveline in this example is a shaft-based driveline that includes: a first flexible shaft 32 connected to the engine 30;

a first non-flexible shaft 34 connected to the first flexible shaft 32 and mounted relative to the engine compartment 14 using first support bearings 36, in this example first pillow block bearings;

a fluid coupling 38 connected to the first non-flexible shaft 32 and arranged to transfer power whilst minimising shock loading;

a second non-flexible shaft 40 connected to the fluid coupling 38 and mounted

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2019101268 18 Oct 2019

- 5relative to the engine compartment 14 using second support bearings 42, in this example second pillow block bearings;

a second flexible shaft 44 connected to the second non-flexible shaft 40; and a drop box 46 arranged to transfer power from the second flexible shaft 44 disposed at a first vertical location to a tail shaft 48 disposed at a second lower vertical location.

In this example, the engine 30 is a diesel engine, although it will be understood that other types of engine are envisaged.

io

In this example, the first flexible shaft 32 includes a universal joint 52 at each longitudinal end of the shaft 32 and a spline joint 54 between the longitudinal ends of the shaft 32, although it will be understood that any suitable flexible shaft is envisaged.

Similarly, in this example, the second flexible shaft 44 includes a universal joint 56 at each longitudinal end of the shaft 32 and a spline joint 58 between the longitudinal ends of the shaft 32, although it will be understood that any suitable flexible shaft is envisaged.

In this example, the tail shaft 48 is flexibly connected to the drop box 46 such that the tail shaft is able to pivot sufficiently to raise or lower the grinding member 18 whilst still transferring power for rotation of the grinding member 18.

The grinding member 18 is shown in a lowered position in Figure 2 and a raised position in Figure 3.

Afunctional diagram 60 illustrating functional components of the stump grinding machine 10 is shown in Figure 4.

As shown in Figure 4, the engine 30 provides power to effect rotation of the grinding member 18 through the driveline 62. In this example, the engine 30 also provides power to a hydraulic pump 64 connected to the hydraulic cylinder 28 to effect raising of the drum shroud 22 and the grinding drum 18 mounted in the shroud 22. In this example, the engine 30 also provides power to effect rotation of the cabin portion 12 relative to the tracks 15.

It will be understood that since the driveline 62 is mounted on, in this example in, the

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-62019101268 18 Oct 2019 cabin portion 12, and the rotatable grinding member 18 is also mounted directly to the cabin portion 12 through the tail shaft 48, the location of the grinding member 18 is readily adjustable during use by rotating the cabin portion 12. By facilitating rotation of the grinding member 18 relative to the tracks 15, it becomes possible to more easily position the grinding disc/drum at the desired grinding location and, for situations wherein material is desired to be cleared in several rows, the need to rotate the machine at ends of rows and the consequent disruption to soil is avoided.

It will also be understood that since the grinding member 18 is mounted to the cabin io portion 12 using a single non-articulated support arm 24 that is rotatably connected to a pivot connection 26 at the cabin portion 12, a simple cost effective mechanism is provided for raising and lowering the grinding member 18 that can be controlled using a single hydraulic cylinder 28, without the need for multiple articulations and multiple hydraulic cylinders.

It will also be understood that since the grinding member 18 is mounted to the cabin portion using a single non-articulated support arm 24, it is possible to use a relatively short support arm 24 for the grinding member 18 that facilitates easier weight balancing of the stump grinding machine 10.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various disclosed embodiments.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

Claims (8)

1. A stump grinding machine comprising:

a cabin portion including a cabin for receiving an operator;

5 a movement imparting portion arranged to enable the stump grinding machine to move relative to land on which the stump grinding machine is disposed;

a rotary coupling disposed between the cabin portion and the movement imparting portion, the rotary coupling arranged to enable the cabin portion to rotate relative to the movement imparting portion;

io a rotatable grinding member arranged to cut and/or grind material when the grinding member contacts the material and the grinding member rotates;

a non-articulated support arm extending between the cabin portion and the grinding member, a first end of the support arm remote from the rotatable grinding member connected to the cabin portion at a pivot connection;

15 an arm lifting device disposed between the cabin portion and the grinding member, the arm lifting device being controllable so as to raise and lower the grinding member relative to the land; and a drive arrangement disposed between the cabin portion and the grinding member, the drive arrangement arranged to facilitate transfer of drive power to the

20 grinding member so as to cause the grinding member to rotate.

2. A stump grinding machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grinding member comprises a grinding drum or grinding disc.

25

3. A stump grinding machine as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the rotary coupling comprises a slewing bearing.

4. A stump grinding machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the movement imparting portion comprises at least one track.

5. A stump grinding machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arm lifting device comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder.

6. A stump grinding machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims,

35 comprising a radiator and at least one fan disposed adjacent the radiator, wherein the fan is controllable such that the direction of rotation of the fan is reversible to change the direction of airflow through the radiator.

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-82019101268 18 Oct 2019

7. A stump grinding machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive arrangement includes a shaft-type driveline.

8. A stump grinding machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the driveline includes:

5 at least one flexible shaft;

at least one non-flexible shaft; a fluid coupling; and/or a drop box arranged to transfer power from a first shaft disposed at a first vertical location and a second shaft disposed at a second lower vertical location.