GB2109213A

GB2109213A - Feed drive arrangement in forage harvesters

Info

Publication number: GB2109213A
Application number: GB08232205A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karl Moosbrucker
Original assignee: Claas Saulgau GmbH
Current assignee: Claas Saulgau GmbH
Priority date: 1981-11-12
Filing date: 1982-11-11
Publication date: 1983-06-02
Also published as: FR2515927A1; GB2109213B; FR2515927B1; DK155902B; DK155902C; DK503282A; DE3144917A1; DD205597A5; AT378667B; DE3144917C2; ATA341782A

Abstract

The feed apparatus in a forage harvester comprises two upper feed rollers 6 and 7 which are arranged in front of a chopping apparatus and which are mounted on the feed housing in such a way that they can deflect upwardly, relative to lower feed rollers 3, 4 and 5, against the force of a spring. The upper feed rollers are driven by transmission 19 via shaft 20, roller chain 26 and shaft 29 which bridges over the entire width of the upper feed rollers and which is associated at each of its ends with universal joints so that drive can be maintained to these rollers during their upward movement. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Feed apparatus for chopping machines such as forage harvesters The invention relates to a feed apparatus for chopping machines and the like, particularly machines for chopping agricultural crop materials such as forage harvesters and chaff cutters.

In a previously proposed feed apparatus, as can be seen for example from a prospectus issued by Claas on the 'Jaguar 80 SF', there is at least one upper feed roller which is mounted in such a way that it can deflect upwardly against a spring force relative to a lower conveyor means and can be driven by a transmission at one end of its shaft. However, the pivoting transmission arrangement which is disposed on the shafts of the upper feed rollers is of such a design that the universal-joint shaft connected thereto projects laterally from the feed housing. This means that the transmission arrangement for driving the universal-joint shaft must also be provided at a large lateral spacing from the feed housing. However, such a construction requires space which is not really available, particularly in self-propelled forage harvesters with large driven front wheels.In addition, the lateral area of the feed housing is so obstructed that the drive units required for the further working members of the machine can only be reached with very great difficulty and complication.

It was accordingly desirable to provide a construc tion, of simple design, wherein the lateral region beside the feed housing remains as free as possible of drive components for the feed members.

According to the invention, there is provided a feed apparatus for chopping machines, having at least one upper feed roller which is mounted in such a way that it can deflect upwardly against a spring force relative to a lower conveyor means, and can be driven by way of a transmission at one end of its shaft wherein the transmission is connected at the drive end thereof to a universal-joint shaft which bridges over the length of the feed roller(s) and which is coupled at its other end to a stationarily means. Desirably, the transmission is a spur gear or chain wheel or V-belt transmission and the univer sal-joint shaft passes over the upper feed roller(s).

In one form of the invention, the drive means for the universal-joint shaft is connected to a drive shaft which is carried buy a sidewall of the feed housing in the region of the lower conveyor means. Preferably the drive shaft extends over the width of the lower conveyor means and is arranged to be driven at its end which is remote from the connection to the drive means. This is particularly convenient if the drive shaft is the shaft of a conveyor roller which provides part of the lower conveyor means.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the diagrammatic drawing in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of the feed housing of a crop chopping machine such as a forage harvester, and Figure 2 shows a view taken along line A-A in Figure 1.

The machine of which part is illustrated is of basically known kind in regard to its design and function, and will not be described in greater detail herein.

The feed apparatus which is arranged in front of the chopping apparatus 1. has three lower feed rollers 3,4 and 5 and two upper feed rollers 6 and 7.

The lower feed rollers 3,4 and 5 are mounted rotatably in the side walls 8 and 9 of the feed housing 2. The upper feed rollers 6 and 7 are pivotally mounted by way of a transmission housing 12 at their left-hand side as viewing in the direction of travel of the machine, and by way of a carrier 13 at their right-hand side. The shaft 10 of the upper feed roller 7 is mounted at both sides in levers 14 and 15 which are pivotally connected to the side walls 9 and 8 of the feed housing 2 at points 16 and 17. By virtue of this arrangement, the feed rollers 6 and 7 can be deflected upwardly against the force of a spring 18 which is connected to the transmission housing 12 or the carrier 13, and to the sidewall 8 or the side wall 9.

The drive arrangement for the feed rollers 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 is as follows: The shaft 20 of the lower feed roller 4 is driven by a transmission 19 which receives its drive from a power source of the machine. Sprockets 23, 24, 25 are fixed on the shaft 20, on the end remote from the transmission 19. The lower feed rollers 5 and 3 are driven by the sprockets 23 and 24, by way of roller chains 21 and 22. The sprocket 25 is connected by way of a roller chain 26 to a sprocket 27 which is connected to drive means in the form of an intermediate shaft 28 mounted in the side wall 9 of the feed housing 2 above the feed rollers 6 and 7. A shaft 29 is connected, by a universal joint, to the free end of the intermediate shaft 28 which extends into the feed housing 2.At its other end, the shaft 29 is coupled, by a further universal joint, to an intermediate shaft 30 which also extends into the feed housing 2. The intermediate shaft 30 is mounted in the transmission housing 12 and is connected to a spur gear 31. From the spur gear 31, the drive goes by way of further spur gears 32, 33, 34 and 35 mounted in the transmission housing 12, to the upper feed rollers 6 and 7 which are connected to the lastmentioned spur gears 34 and 35. Suitable slots are provided in the side walls 8 and 9 of the housing 2, for pivotal movement of the shafts 10 and 11 of the upper feed rollers 7 and 6 and of the intermediate shaft 30, in an upward direction.

1. A feed apparatus for chopping machines, having at least one upper feed roller which is mounted in such a way that it can deflect upwardly against a spring force relative to a lower conveyor means, and can be driven by way of a transmission at one end of its shaft, wherein the transmission is connected at the drive end thereof to a universaljoint shaft which bridges over the length of the feed roller(s) and which is coupled at its other end to a

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Feed apparatus for chopping machines such as forage harvesters The invention relates to a feed apparatus for chopping machines and the like, particularly machines for chopping agricultural crop materials such as forage harvesters and chaff cutters. In a previously proposed feed apparatus, as can be seen for example from a prospectus issued by Claas on the 'Jaguar 80 SF', there is at least one upper feed roller which is mounted in such a way that it can deflect upwardly against a spring force relative to a lower conveyor means and can be driven by a transmission at one end of its shaft. However, the pivoting transmission arrangement which is disposed on the shafts of the upper feed rollers is of such a design that the universal-joint shaft connected thereto projects laterally from the feed housing. This means that the transmission arrangement for driving the universal-joint shaft must also be provided at a large lateral spacing from the feed housing. However, such a construction requires space which is not really available, particularly in self-propelled forage harvesters with large driven front wheels.In addition, the lateral area of the feed housing is so obstructed that the drive units required for the further working members of the machine can only be reached with very great difficulty and complication. It was accordingly desirable to provide a construc tion, of simple design, wherein the lateral region beside the feed housing remains as free as possible of drive components for the feed members. According to the invention, there is provided a feed apparatus for chopping machines, having at least one upper feed roller which is mounted in such a way that it can deflect upwardly against a spring force relative to a lower conveyor means, and can be driven by way of a transmission at one end of its shaft wherein the transmission is connected at the drive end thereof to a universal-joint shaft which bridges over the length of the feed roller(s) and which is coupled at its other end to a stationarily means. Desirably, the transmission is a spur gear or chain wheel or V-belt transmission and the univer sal-joint shaft passes over the upper feed roller(s). In one form of the invention, the drive means for the universal-joint shaft is connected to a drive shaft which is carried buy a sidewall of the feed housing in the region of the lower conveyor means. Preferably the drive shaft extends over the width of the lower conveyor means and is arranged to be driven at its end which is remote from the connection to the drive means. This is particularly convenient if the drive shaft is the shaft of a conveyor roller which provides part of the lower conveyor means. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the diagrammatic drawing in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of the feed housing of a crop chopping machine such as a forage harvester, and Figure 2 shows a view taken along line A-A in Figure 1. The machine of which part is illustrated is of basically known kind in regard to its design and function, and will not be described in greater detail herein. The feed apparatus which is arranged in front of the chopping apparatus 1. has three lower feed rollers 3,4 and 5 and two upper feed rollers 6 and 7. The lower feed rollers 3,4 and 5 are mounted rotatably in the side walls 8 and 9 of the feed housing 2. The upper feed rollers 6 and 7 are pivotally mounted by way of a transmission housing 12 at their left-hand side as viewing in the direction of travel of the machine, and by way of a carrier 13 at their right-hand side. The shaft 10 of the upper feed roller 7 is mounted at both sides in levers 14 and 15 which are pivotally connected to the side walls 9 and 8 of the feed housing 2 at points 16 and 17. By virtue of this arrangement, the feed rollers 6 and 7 can be deflected upwardly against the force of a spring 18 which is connected to the transmission housing 12 or the carrier 13, and to the sidewall 8 or the side wall 9. The drive arrangement for the feed rollers 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 is as follows: The shaft 20 of the lower feed roller 4 is driven by a transmission 19 which receives its drive from a power source of the machine. Sprockets 23, 24, 25 are fixed on the shaft 20, on the end remote from the transmission 19. The lower feed rollers 5 and 3 are driven by the sprockets 23 and 24, by way of roller chains 21 and 22. The sprocket 25 is connected by way of a roller chain 26 to a sprocket 27 which is connected to drive means in the form of an intermediate shaft 28 mounted in the side wall 9 of the feed housing 2 above the feed rollers 6 and 7. A shaft 29 is connected, by a universal joint, to the free end of the intermediate shaft 28 which extends into the feed housing 2.At its other end, the shaft 29 is coupled, by a further universal joint, to an intermediate shaft 30 which also extends into the feed housing 2. The intermediate shaft 30 is mounted in the transmission housing 12 and is connected to a spur gear 31. From the spur gear 31, the drive goes by way of further spur gears 32, 33, 34 and 35 mounted in the transmission housing 12, to the upper feed rollers 6 and 7 which are connected to the lastmentioned spur gears 34 and 35. Suitable slots are provided in the side walls 8 and 9 of the housing 2, for pivotal movement of the shafts 10 and 11 of the upper feed rollers 7 and 6 and of the intermediate shaft 30, in an upward direction. CLAIMS

1. A feed apparatus for chopping machines, having at least one upper feed roller which is mounted in such a way that it can deflect upwardly against a spring force relative to a lower conveyor means, and can be driven by way of a transmission at one end of its shaft, wherein the transmission is connected at the drive end thereof to a universaljoint shaft which bridges over the length of the feed roller(s) and which is coupled at its other end to a stationarily mounted drive means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the transmission is a spur gear or chain wheel or V-belt transmission.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the universal-joint shaft passes overthe upper feed roller(s).

4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the drive means for the universal-joint shaft is connected to a drive shaft which is carried by a sidewall of the feed housing in the region of the lower conveyor means.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4wherein the drive shaft extends over the width of the lower conveyor means and is arranged to be driven at its end which is remote from the connection to the drive means.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the drive shaft is the shaft of a conveyor roller which provides part of the lower conveyor means.

7. Afeed apparatus for chopping machines su b- stantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawing.

8. A crop chopping machine comprising apparatus according to any preceding claim.

9. Aforage harvester comprising apparatus according to any one of claims 1-7.