GB2046066A - Harvester reel - Google Patents

Abstract

A reel has tines on carriers 8 with crank arms 10 pivotally connected by pins 12 to arms 20 of a control spider which controls the tine attitude. In order to hold the arms 20 on the pins 12, resiliently expandable annular stops 16 are snapped into grooves 14 by pushing axially over the free ends of the pins. The stops are circumferentially uninterrupted and not so liable to fail or be pulled off by straw as circlips used hitherto. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Harvester reel This invention relates to a harvester reel with tines on carriers having crank arms, and a control device pivotally connected to the crank arms by way of pivot pins on the crank arms. The control devices controls the attitude of the tines in well known manner. It is known to secure the control device on the pins by circlips engaging in grooves in the ends of the pins.

In the demanding conditions experienced by agricultural machinery, exposed circlips are liable to be broken by shock forces, are liable to fatigue failure and can be pulled off by straw winding on to the pivot pins.

With a view to overcoming these problems, the present invention provides a harvester reel with tines on carriers having crank arms, and a control device pivotally connected to the crank arms by way of pivot pins on the crank arms, the ends of the pins having annular grooves and the control device being secured on the pins by circumferentially uninterrupted, radially expandable annular stops snapped over the ends of the pins into the grooves.

Thus, when an annular stop is pushed on to the free end of a pin, the hole in the stop enlarges radially all around until the stop is pushed into the groove, whereupon the hole shrinks radially and the stop snaps into the groove. since the stop is circumferentially uninterrupted, there is no danger of the stop being pulled off by straw and it is not sensitive to shock loads. It is advantageous for the free end of each pin to be formed conically. The stop can be made of a yielding material, for example rubber or plastics material. By virtue of the conical form of the free end of the pin, damage to the inner peripheral region of the stop is avoided when pushing on the stop. By the use of a suitable plastics material it is easy to ensure that the bore enlarges uniformly radially so that the stop element can easily be pushed on to the pin.

Furthermore it is advantageous for a bearing part to be provided between the annular stop and the part of the control device pivoted on the pin. The provision of the bearing part counteracts shearing off of the stop.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of one side of a reel of a reaper, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the pivoted connection of one crank arm.

In Fig. 1, a reel comprises two reel spiders spaced apart on a shaft 3 and receiving reel tine carriers 8. The reel tine carriers 8 are provided at one end with crank arms 10, each of which has a pin 12. The pin 12 has a groove 14 (Fig 2) in which is engageable an annular stop 1 6. Between the outer flank side 18 of the crank arm 10 and the inner side of the stop 1 6 an arm 20 of a control spider 22 for controlling the tines of the reel 2 is mounted on the pin 12. The arm 20 can be arranged on a bush 24 as in Fig. 2.

The free end 26 of the pin 12 is coned so that the stop 16, whose inner bore 28 is essentially smaller than the maximum diameter of the free end 26 of the conical part of the pin 12, can be pushed over the conical part, whereby the bore 28 radially enlarges uniformly until the stop 1 6 engages in the groove 14. To this end the stop element is formed as an elastic body, for example of hard rubber or an elastic plastics material, so that the pushing on of the stop element 1 6 involves no damage to the stop element.

In order that the arm 20 does not press too hard against the outer edge of the stop, a bearing element or washer, not shown in the drawing, can be provided between the stop and the arm 20 and the bush 24, being either axially or radially pushed on to the pin 12. The washer can advantageously be firmly united with the stop 16, so that it is pushed axially on to the pin 12 with the stop.

1. A harvester reel with tines on carriers having crank arms, and a control device pivotally connected to the crank arms by way of pivot pins on the crank arms, the ends of the pins having annular grooves and the control device being secured on the pins by circumferentially uninterrupted, radially expandable annular stops snapped over the ends of the pins into the grooves.

2. A harvester reel according to claim 1, wherein the free end of each pin is formed conically.

3. A harvester reel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the annular stop is formed of yielding material, such as rubber or a plastics material.

4. A harvester reel according to claim 1,2 or 4, wherein the bearing part is provided between the stop and the part of the control device pivoted on each pin.

5. A harvester reel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Harvester reel This invention relates to a harvester reel with tines on carriers having crank arms, and a control device pivotally connected to the crank arms by way of pivot pins on the crank arms. The control devices controls the attitude of the tines in well known manner. It is known to secure the control device on the pins by circlips engaging in grooves in the ends of the pins. In the demanding conditions experienced by agricultural machinery, exposed circlips are liable to be broken by shock forces, are liable to fatigue failure and can be pulled off by straw winding on to the pivot pins. With a view to overcoming these problems, the present invention provides a harvester reel with tines on carriers having crank arms, and a control device pivotally connected to the crank arms by way of pivot pins on the crank arms, the ends of the pins having annular grooves and the control device being secured on the pins by circumferentially uninterrupted, radially expandable annular stops snapped over the ends of the pins into the grooves. Thus, when an annular stop is pushed on to the free end of a pin, the hole in the stop enlarges radially all around until the stop is pushed into the groove, whereupon the hole shrinks radially and the stop snaps into the groove. since the stop is circumferentially uninterrupted, there is no danger of the stop being pulled off by straw and it is not sensitive to shock loads. It is advantageous for the free end of each pin to be formed conically. The stop can be made of a yielding material, for example rubber or plastics material. By virtue of the conical form of the free end of the pin, damage to the inner peripheral region of the stop is avoided when pushing on the stop. By the use of a suitable plastics material it is easy to ensure that the bore enlarges uniformly radially so that the stop element can easily be pushed on to the pin. Furthermore it is advantageous for a bearing part to be provided between the annular stop and the part of the control device pivoted on the pin. The provision of the bearing part counteracts shearing off of the stop. An embodiment of the invention will be explained with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of one side of a reel of a reaper, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the pivoted connection of one crank arm. In Fig. 1, a reel comprises two reel spiders spaced apart on a shaft 3 and receiving reel tine carriers 8. The reel tine carriers 8 are provided at one end with crank arms 10, each of which has a pin 12. The pin 12 has a groove 14 (Fig 2) in which is engageable an annular stop 1 6. Between the outer flank side 18 of the crank arm 10 and the inner side of the stop 1 6 an arm 20 of a control spider 22 for controlling the tines of the reel 2 is mounted on the pin 12. The arm 20 can be arranged on a bush 24 as in Fig. 2. The free end 26 of the pin 12 is coned so that the stop 16, whose inner bore 28 is essentially smaller than the maximum diameter of the free end 26 of the conical part of the pin 12, can be pushed over the conical part, whereby the bore 28 radially enlarges uniformly until the stop 1 6 engages in the groove 14. To this end the stop element is formed as an elastic body, for example of hard rubber or an elastic plastics material, so that the pushing on of the stop element 1 6 involves no damage to the stop element. In order that the arm 20 does not press too hard against the outer edge of the stop, a bearing element or washer, not shown in the drawing, can be provided between the stop and the arm 20 and the bush 24, being either axially or radially pushed on to the pin 12. The washer can advantageously be firmly united with the stop 16, so that it is pushed axially on to the pin 12 with the stop. CLAIMS

1. A harvester reel with tines on carriers having crank arms, and a control device pivotally connected to the crank arms by way of pivot pins on the crank arms, the ends of the pins having annular grooves and the control device being secured on the pins by circumferentially uninterrupted, radially expandable annular stops snapped over the ends of the pins into the grooves.

2. A harvester reel according to claim 1, wherein the free end of each pin is formed conically.

3. A harvester reel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the annular stop is formed of yielding material, such as rubber or a plastics material.

4. A harvester reel according to claim 1,2 or 4, wherein the bearing part is provided between the stop and the part of the control device pivoted on each pin.

5. A harvester reel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.