GB2286513A

GB2286513A - Flange mounting for harvester tine shaft

Info

Publication number: GB2286513A
Application number: GB9501342A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerd Spruegel
Original assignee: Claas KGaA mbH
Current assignee: Claas KGaA mbH
Priority date: 1994-02-04
Filing date: 1995-01-24
Publication date: 1995-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 2015-01-24
Also published as: FR2715977A1; BE1008520A6; GB2286513B; DE4403957A1; FR2715977B3; GB9501342D0

Description

- 1..1 Flange momting 2286513 The invention concerns a flange mounting for

the tine shafts of the reel or the pick-up drum of a harvester or another agricultural machine which is fitted with a reel or a pick-up d rum,.

The mountings for the tine shafts in the reel of a harvester or other agricultural machine are not among the components and structural groups which are subject to a high rate of wear. Under normal operating conditions therefore the tine shaft mountings really seldom suffer from faults and defects. In spite of that fact however the endeavour is to provide such design configurations as to ensure rapid mounting of the entire completed tine shaft in the course of manufacture and, in the event of an operational defect, quick and easy replacement of individual components of the tine shaft and the tine shaft mounting. Numerous solutions have already been proposed for achieving that aim, which in term of their design and arrangement are extensively determined by the structural configuration of the star-like spider members used in the reel.

In a known reel for a harvester with reel spider members of a hexagonal configuration, the corners of each reel spider member are provided with Ushaped cutouts for receiving the tine shaft mountings.

The mountings, which are generally plastics mountings, are fixed axially by a securing ring and a securing pin and radially by a mounting flange. 'he mounting flange is releasably connected to the spider member of the reel by fixing screws. That construction ensures fast assembly and dismantling of the entire tine shaft which is pre-fitted with the tines.

If necessary, the replacement of individual mountings is only possible at considerable cost and requires the complete tine shaft to be dismantled. The arrangement of the securing ring and the securing pin contribute to crop material being wound on the tine shafts, which is a disadvantage phencmenon and which has an adverse effect on the mode of 2 operation and proper functioning of the reel.

A divided mounting for tine Shafts, which is retained in a reel spider member by mounting flanges, is known from US patent specifications Nos 5 007 235 and 3 698 166. These mounting arrangements also permit individual mountings to be replaced and renewed without ccoplete dismantling of the entire tine shaft. The disadvantage thereof is that the mounting or the two mounting halves do not have any rotation- preventing means and in the event of possible loosening of the mounting flanges which are fixed by screws, there is the risk of the mounting halves also rotating and thus being subjected to m increased amount of wear.

M patent specifications Nos 213 821 and 60 171, US patent specification No 4 016 710 and German utility model No 77 02 807 disclose further mounting arrangements for the tine shafts in the reel spider marbers, using divided mountings. These design configurations, which permit both rapid and simple fitting and dismantling of the completed tine shaft and also replacement and renewal of individual tine shaft mountings of a fitted reel for repair and maintenance purposes, do however presuppose a specifit- qtructural configuration for the reel spider members or the arm on the spider members, wherein the rmunting halves, which a provided separately, for the tine shaft mounting arrangement disclosed in LTS No 4 016 710 or the means for axially and radially arresting the mounting halves as disclosed in DD No 213 821 cooperate with the U-shaped arms of the reel spider members. Those structures cannot be used for reel spider members of a simple design configuration. In addition the construction disclosed in DD No 60 171 requires tine shafts which are provided separately and which, for axial fixing thereof in the mounting, must be provided with a ring which is force-lockingly arranged on the tine shaft. Axial fixing of the tine shaft rmunting disclosed in German utility n-edel No 77 02 807 is effected by separate mounting bodies which are provided with an outer 3 annular bead, but that arrangement does not have any securing means to prevent rotation of the mounting bodies.

Finally DE 1 582 165 discloses a reel for forage harvesters, the tine carriers of which are rotatably arranged in a plastics mounting provided with web portions. The web portions serve for axis-parallel aligned arrangement and fixing of the tine shafts on the reel spider maTbers while the mounting itself is a closed body. In regard to repair and replacement of individual worn tine shaft mountings of a fitted reel, that construction suffers frcrn the same disadvantages as those set 10 forth in the opening part of this specification.

The invention is therefore based m the problem of developing a flange mounting which is further krproved and which, while involving very low production costs. permits both fast and sinple fitting and dismantling of the pre-assernbled tine t and also the replacement of 15 individual worn mountings in repair and maintenance operations.

In accordance with the invention, a flange mounting is provided which has a mounting body which is split at one side. Two more specific aspects of the invention are set forth in claims 1 and 5 respectively. Further advantageous configurations of the subject-matter of the invention are set 20 forth in appendant claims 2 to 4 and 6 to 9.

In repair and maintenance operations on the mountings of the tine shafts of a pre-assembled reel or on a pick-up drum, the mounting body (bearing sleeve) which preferably comprises a plastics material and which can be inexpensively produced by an injection moulding process can be removed without difficulty, involving minimum time and cost, after unscrewing of the mounting flanges securing the mounting body to the reel spider member or other carrier member, and if required replaced by a new mounting body. The mounting body which is divided at one side and the mounting halves of which are elastically connected together by a film hinge is opened up to such a degree that it can be f itted over the tine shaft and then, after having been pressed together again, can be fitted into the L.ULVUL 4 in the reel spider fferber for receiving the tine shaft mounting. In that situation the cylindrical central portion on the outer peripheral surface of the mounting body and the web portion which is formed radially on the mounting body ensure that the mounting body is received in positively locking and accurately positioned relationship in the cutout provided for same in the reel spider ffember. The web portion which is formed radially on the mounting body serves at the same time as a securing element, to cover the situation where the mounting is no longer radially and axially secured in position, due to loosened mounting flanges.

Central arresting of the mounting body in an accurate position in the mounting flanges which are fitted fran both sides onto the mounting body and screwed to the reel spider niwber is guaranteed by the portions which extend frcrn the cylindrical central portion of the outer peripheral surface of the mounting body and which are bevelled in a taper configuration towards the ends. In addition those bevelled portions assist with fast and easy fitting and dismantling of the tine shaft mounting according to the invention.

Besides the advantages already mentioned above, the fact that the two mounting halves of the mounting body are joined by the film hinge pe=ts easier and ea ily manageable storage and provision of the replacement parts.

The recess atjoir&x7 the film hinge makes it easier for the two mounting halves to be pivoted open, thereby counteracting deformation at the mounting surfaces when fitting the mounting bodies. In addition the provision of that recess pe=dts the mounting body to be made frcm a harder plastics material which is more resistant to wear, and further guarantees the elastic connection between the two mounting halves by way of the film hinge.

The invention will now be described in greater detail by means of an embodiment. In the accanpanying drawings:

J1 A Figure 1 shows an improved mounting body for a flange mounting according to the invention, Fig= 2 shows i:he view in section A-A in Figure 1, Figure 3 shows the mounting body fitted into a mounting flange, Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view Of the Mounting arrangement on a reel spider mmte= with acc=modated tine shaft in section on B-B, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the mounting arrangement shown in Figure 4.

The mounting (rotary bearing) body 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2, comprising a resistant plastics material, is divided by the slot 9 into two mounting halves 2 and 3 which are elastically connected together by a flexible weakened portion or film hinge 5. A projection in the form of a web portion 4 is radially formed on the side of the mounting body 1, which is split by the slot 9. The web portion 4 extends beyond the Outside diarneter of the mounting body and is preferably of such a dimension that it terminates with the outside edge of the cutout in the reel spider member 1 3 into which the mounting body 1 is to be fitted for mounting the tine shaft.

The fact that the web portion 4 terminates with the outside edge of the cutout in the reel spider mmter at the same time ensures that Impurities cannot became deposited at those joins and crop material ja in, which ultimately results in crop material being undesirably wrapped around the reel.

The outer peripheral surface of the mounting body 1 is provided with a cylindrical central portion 7 and with two frustoconical bevelled portions 8 which adjoin the central portion 7 at both sides thereof and which Permit the mounting body 1 to be fitted and accannodated in an accurate position in the cutout provided for mounting the tine shaft 12 in the reel spider nr 13 and in the receiving bore in the mounting flange 10, see Figure 3.

Fig= 4 is a diagrannatic view of the tine shaft mounting assembly. In order for example to replace a worn mounting of the tine 6 shaft mounting assembly in a fully assembled reel, after dismantling of the defective mounting the mounting body 1 is pivoted open by means of the film hinge 5 and the recess 6 adjoining the film hinge, to such an extent that it can be fitted over the tine shaft 12. The two mounting halves 2, 3 are then pressed together again and fitted into the prepared cutout m the reel spider member 13. In that situation theweb portion 4 and the cylindrical portion 7 m the outer peripheral surface of the mounting body 1 assist with fitting the mounting in the accurate position required. The mounting flanges 10, 11 with apertures corresponding to the mounting body 1, are then fitted from both ends of the mounting body onto the bevelled portions 8 of the outer peripheral surface of the mounting body 1 and, after the insertion of fixing screws (not shown) into the screw bores 14. the two mounting flanges 10, 11, together with the mounting body and the reel spider member 13, are tightened to each other. As will be seen from Fig. 4, the mounting flanges 10, 11 have frustoconical projections which match and engage with the bevelled portions 8 to firmly locate the mounting halves 2 and 3.

7

Claims

1. A flange mounting for the tine shafts of the reel of a harvester or another agricultural machine having a reel or a pick-up drum, comprising a divided mounting body which is fitted into prepared cutouts in a reel spider member for accommodating the tine shaft and mounting flanges which axially and radially fix the mounting body and are releasably connected by screws to the reel spider member, wherein the mounting body is split open; its outer peripheral surface has a cylindrical central portion which is adjoined at both sides by taperingly bevelled portions and has a web portion, wherein the mounting halves of the mounting body are elastically connected together by a film hinge and a recess is provided adjoining the film hinge.

2. A flange mounting according to claim 1, wherein the web portion is radially and centrally formed on the outer peripheral surface of the mounting body and extends beyond its outside diameter.

3. A flange mounting according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the web portion is also divided.

4. A f lange mounting according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mounting body is made from plastics material.

5. A flange mounting e.g. for the tine shafts of the reel of a harvester or another agricultural machine having a reel or a pick-up drum, comprising a bearing sleeve for mounting in a carrier member such as a reel spider member, the sleeve being split and having a flexible weakened portion such that the two parts can be opened out for placing around a shaft, the sleeve also having a projection or other means to lock it against rotation in the carrier member, the mounting also comprising a flange member with an aperture corresponding to the sleeve and provision for securing it to the carrier member to axially retain the sleeve therein.

8 6. A flange mounting according to claim 5, wherein there are two such flange members, one for each side of the carrier member.

7. A flange mounting according to claim 5 or 6, wherein opposing surfaces of the sleeve and/or the flange member are bevelled to facilitate retention of the sleeve.

F 8. A flange mounting according to claim 5 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

9. A harvester reel comprising tine shaft mountings according to any preceding claim.