US2020380A - Thrashing machine - Google Patents

Description

l2, 1935. F. SCHLAYER Z,@2U,38U

THRASHING MACHINE Filed NOV. 5, 1931 sNvENT-oQ;

Felix ,fcfilqyer H, mm

Patented Nov. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application November 3, 1931, Serial No. 572,793 In Austria. November 6, 1930 11 Claims.

The invention relates to axial thrashing machines or axial thrashing and straw reducing machines, wherein the materials under treatment, introduced at one end of the casing, While being propelled towards the outlet end of the machine by means of beaters helically mounted on the thrashing shaft, are thrashed, softened and reduced by the co-operation of the heaters with the casing wall or with stationary abutments on the inner structure of the casing.

More particularly the invention relates to rotor elements for machines of this character.

Machines generally of this type embody, in the inlet portion of the machine, an annular gap surrounding the rotor beaters and decreasing towards the outlet end of the machine and with, according to the degree of fineness desired in the reduction of the straw, a more or less deep interengagement of the stationary abutments when employed with the rotary heaters, which increase in length and are axially more closely spaced towards the outlet end of the machine.

The rotor elements hitherto proposed for this class of machines are difficult to manufacture, wanting in structural solidity and expensive to manufacture, as the stick or rod-shaped heaters pertaining to each row of heaters are either secured by directly passing through the round shaft or secured by screws or the like to separate bosslike members attached and screwed fast on the round shaft.

The object of the invention is to provide, for machines of the type described, a rotor element adapted to effectively resist even the heaviest stresses, which is easy to assemble, the simple structure rendering it readily adaptable to varying working conditions, and also inexpensive in production. The required strength and durability are particularly obtained by the use of heaters in the individual beater rows which are formed, together with a central part surrounding the shaft, each into an independent unit in the shape of a plate member, forming disc-like beater arms disposed edgewise in the plane of rotation, the free ends of said beater arms carrying separate tools specially attached to them. The said beater arms can be provided in each row in any desired number, and can be cheaply manufactured being practically safe against fractures, on their free length as well as at their particularly wide fairing into the central disc disposed in the same plane.

The beater arms are easily placed on and attache-d to the shaft with the aid of their central disc, requiring no direct screw connection. The disc is clamped between sleeves, which are nonrotatably threaded on a shaft element of prismatic cross-section. The sleeves are interengaging by means of projections or bosses and corresponding depressions or recesses receiving the same, the projections entering corresponding apertures in v the central disc and effectively supporting the latter in radial and circumferential direction, with a wide bearing surface.

In addition the sleeves are devised to produce the required helical position of the heaters. To this end the projections or bosses at the one end of the sleeves are displaced by the helix of the heaters against the depressions or bosses at the other end of the sleeves, so that the beater arms are helically positioned by the simple action of alternately threading the sleeves and beater discs on the shaft. It is, therefore, easy to obtain a variation of the helical pitch or an irregular helix along the shaft by using sleeves with differently displaced projections and depressions. 2

The assembly facilities and advantages render the machine readily adaptable to different kinds of grains, with an inexpensive and individually fitting thrashing shaft.

A further object of the invention is the axial spacing of the beater rows by means of the sleeves so that the desired number of beater rows can be provided in the thrashing and straw reducing part of the machine, by the simple act of threadingthe sleeves which are of different length as required.

The sleeves reinforce the relatively small central shaft element so that a long, thick, vibration free working shaft of the required strength is obtained, affording a maximum of economy as regards utilization of the structural materials.

Further objects of the invention relate to the structure of the leading edge (in the direction of rotation) of the beater arms, which is laterally bent over. The said bend serves as reinforcing member, tool-carrier, transporting device and blower wing.

It has been proposed to mount and clamp band cutting knives between spacing sleeves threaded on the shaft and for balancing purposes to have these knives circumferentially distributed. Usually the knife part surrounding the shaft either has a radial aperture or consists of two dovetailed disconnectible interlocking parts whereby these knives, when they are to be sharpened, may 50,

be transversely removed by an axial separation of the sleeves and usually the knives are non-rotatably supported either immediately on the shaft or between the sleeves, but the sleeves are not mounted or adapted to transmit the torsional stresses onto the shaft, only one end-sleeve being devised to transmit the torsional stresses to the shaft. These proposed cutter structures are not adapted to function as thrashing machine rotor elements wherein the rotor is subject to very high stresses. In the applicants rotor the beater discs are supported on a very large surface in radial and circumferential direction, and the high forces produced in the beater arm are directly transmitted through the non-rotatably mounted sleevelike members onto the shaft element which is reinforced by said sleeves.

By way of example, the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side view of the thrashing shaft with the working members partly indicated; Fig. 2, a section on the line II-II; Fig. 3, a side view of the arms carrying reducing fingers; Fig. 4, a top view of a working member according to Fig. 3; Figs. 5 and 6 are side views of two different bosses; Fig. 7, a

section on the line VII-VII, of Fig. 5, in connection with attached working members and additional bosses; and Fig. 8, a view of a three-armed working member.

Referring to the drawing: I is a shaft portion having a square cross section and extending at its ends over the thread 2 into the journals 3. Over this shaft portion the longer sleeve- like members 4, 5 and shorter sleeve-like members 6, 'I are pushed between which the beater-like arms 8 are arranged in the form of fiat bodies set on edge in the direction of rotation.

The sleeve-like members and the arms are pressed firmly together by the plates 9 screwed into the thread 2. Instead of bolting a wedge arrangement may be provided and a. fixed collar at each shaft end. Except for their difference in length, the members 4 coincide with the members 6, and the members 5 with the members I.

The members 4 are provided on one front at opposite corners of the square opening I corresponding to the shape of the shaft portion I with the externally tapering projections or bosses II rounded off at their vertex, and on the other side, above straight edges of the opening I 0, the depressions or recesses l2 which correspond exactly to the projections, and these are arranged so that both in the upper and lower half of the sleeve-like member the projection and depression are staggered 45. In the members and I conditions are reversed and the projections II disposed over straight edges while the depressions or recesses I2, are arranged above the corners of the opening Ill. The arms 8 fit well with a relatively large bearing surface on the projections II which enter into the recesses I3 of the arms closely adapted to them. These clearances or recesses I3 start from a central round hole I 4 whose diameter is slightly greater than the largest diameter of the square shaft I. V

Assumed that the sleeve-like member 4 shown in Fig. 5 and also in Fig. 1 is placed first on the square shaft I, the depressions I2 of the left front side will be disposed vertically above and below the shaft. Corresponding to the position of the projections, the double-armed beater 8, which is to be pushed from the right over the shaft and attached to the projections II of the member 4, will incline on top 45 to the rear and below to the same extent to the front. The member 5 thereafter attached from the right to the shaft comprises the projections II of the member 4, which enter the depressions I2 of the member- 5.

The projections I I of the member 5 and the arm 8 to be attached thereto will then occupy a horizontal position and, together with the pair of arms mentioned, form a part of a beater screw having a pitch of 45 and continuing up to the threads 2 after additional sleeve-like members 5 and arms have been put on from the right and left. The members 4, 5 or 6, I are firmly held in engagement with one another by the projections I I and the depressions I 2, and the arms 8 clamped between them are well supported both radially 10 and in their direction of rotation by the projections which extend through the arms into the depressions.

The flat bodies acting as working members may have any number ,of arms. In small machines, two arms will suffice, as a rule. In Fig. 8 a threearmed working member is shown. In Fig. 3, dots and dashes indicate an additional pair of arms to form a four-armed beater. The central portion I5 of the arms consists of a sort of disc whose diameter is preferably somewhat larger than that of the sleeve-like members. The arms taper slightly towards their broad free ends, and their front edge proceeds tangentially from the circumference of the disc I5 and has a reinforcing bend I6 increasing towards the free end of the arm and disclosing an inclined position for conveying the Working material towards the outlet end. The bent portion of the arm acting also a blower is found in arms arranged in the same plane of rotation alternately on the right-hand and left side of the arm whereby the conveying effect is applied to a larger area.

The arms on the left shaft portion separated by the longer members 4, 5 carry the thrashing plates I! which are secured to the bends I6 disposed in zigzag fashion and which cooperate with stationary counter-members, not shown, on the inner circumference of the machine casing.

Owing to the employment of the shorter members 6, I, the arms on the right-hand end of the shaft are spaced relatively smaller. Their tools are the reducing fingers I8 which, in multi-armed fiat bodies, are alternately secured to different arm sides within the bends I6 and in engagement with stationary reducing members. By providing only one reducing finger at each arm overstraining of the tool and its carrier is prevented. Near its right-hand end, the shaft carries a circular disc I9 supported by sleeve-like members.

-20 are two rakes serving as straw removers and carried by arms;

The arms 8 are all of the same shape and length. Greater radial length of the working members, as required for instance in the reducing portion of the machine, can be attained by means of tools having a corresponding length.

The sleeve-like members and the rotary working members can be produced of course in the form of single bodies and the central portion of the working members made as independent units may possess projections and depressions so as to cause the working members themselves to participate in an engagement which is firm against rotation. Instead of fiat bodies, angular or U-shaped arms may be used, and the profiled shaft portion may have a cross section disclosing three or five or more corners. The prismatic form can be avoided by choosing a round shaft provided with a helical slot. The pitch of the screw may have another angle than that of 45. If some tools are to stand off laterally from the arms in order to let them move in other planes in view of counter-bodies cooperating with them, they are secured to the arms by means of washers. It (6 is further not necessary to divide theworking members intolarms and tools or to provide them with a special tool.

I claim:

7 1. In an axial thrashing machine a rotor comprising an integral central shaft element, a plurality of separate juxtaposed sleeve-like members individually secured to the integral element in driving relation therewith, said sleeve-like members having driving and torque transmitting projections on one end thereof for beaters and beater carrying members having central portions of disc-like form clamped between said sleeve-like members and having recesses receiving said driving and torque transmitting projections, the latter being circumferentially staggered progressively along the axis of the rotor to determine the pitch of the beater members, and the central disc-like portions of the beater carrying members being extended radially outward into edgewise carrying arms with the end edges thereof bent to form carrying surfaces for working tools and to reinforce the comparatively thin beater carrying members, with the bends forming a progressive helix.

2. In an axial thrashing machine a rotor comprising an integral central shaft element, a plurality of separate juxtaposed sleeve-like members individually secured to the integral element in driving relation therewith, said sleeve-like members having driving and torque transmitting projections on one end thereof for beaters and beater carrying members having central portions of disc-like form clamped between said sleeve-like members and having recesses receiving said driving and torque transmitting projections, and the central disc-like portions of the beater carrying members being extended radially outward into edgewise carrying arms with the end edges thereof bent to form carrying surfaces for working tools and to reinforce the comparatively thin beater carrying members, with the bends forming a progressive helix.

3. In an axial thrashing or axial thrashing and straw reducing machine, a rotor comprising an untwisted shaft of prismatic crosssection, sleeves non-rotatably threaded thereon and rows of helically arranged beaters, the beaters of the individual beater rows forming, together with a center part which surrounds the shaft, a plate-member disposed edge- Wise in the direction of rotation, the leading edge (in the direction of rotation) of the disclike arms pertaining to a row of beaters being alternately and laterally bent over to opposite sides, so as to face the outlet end of the axial machine, a separate disc-shaped thrashing tool secured to the bent over portion of the leading edge of the beater arms of some individual rows of beaters, a finger-shaped reducing tool separately attached behind the bent over portion to thebeater arms of other rows of beaters, the sleeves having at one end two opposite projections, at the other end two corresponding depressions displaced by the helix of the beater arms, the central disc of the arm-like plate member having corresponding apertures adapted to receive and make a snug fit with the said two projections, the projections of each one sleeve entering the depressions of the adjacent sleeve through the corresponding apertures in the central disc and adapted to support said disc in radial and circumferential direction, any two adjacent sleeves clamping a central disc between them.

4. In an axial thrashing or axial thrashing and straw reducing machine, a rotor comprising a shaft of prismatic cross-section, sleeves non-rotatably threaded thereon, and rows of helically arranged beatersclamped between said sleeves, the beaters of the individual beater rows being 5 shaped, together with their clamping part, as a plate member, and forming disc-likebeater arms disposed edgewise in the direction of rotation, the leading edge (in the direction of rotation) of the beater arms pertaining to a row of beaters being 10 alternately and laterally bent over to opposite sides, a separate'disc-shaped thrashing tool secured to the bent over portion of the leading edge of the beater arms of certain individual rows of beaters, a finger-shaped reducing tool separa ely 15 attached to the beater arms of other rows of beaters behind the bend, the sleeves having at one end two opposite projections, at the other end corresponding depressions displaced by the helix of the beater arms, the central disc of the arm- 20 like plate member having corresponding apertures adapted to receive and make a snug fit with the said two projections, the projections of each one sleeve entering the depressions of the adjacent sleeve through the corresponding apertures 25 'in the central disc.

helically arranged beaters clamped between said sleeves. the beaters of the individual beater-rows being shaped, together with their clamping structure. as a plate member, and forming disc-like beater arms disposed edgewise in the direction of 35 rotation, the leading edge (in the direction of rotation) of said arms being bent over laterally, separate working tools secured to the free ends of the beater arms, the sleeves having on one side projections, and on the other side corresponding 40 depressions displaced by the helix of the beater arms, the central disc of the arm-like plate member having corresponding apertures adapted to receive and make a snug fit with the said two projections, the projections of one sleeve entering the depressions of the adjacent sleeve through corresponding apertures in the central disc.

6. In an axial thrashing and straw reducing machine, a rotor comprising a shaft of prismatic cross-section, sleeves non-rotatably threaded and locked thereon between grips of the shaft, said sleeves carrying and clamping between them rows of helically arranged beaters, the beaters of the individual beater rows being shaped, together with a clamping and supporting part which surrounds the shaft, as a single plate member, and forming fiat beater arms disposed edgewise in the plane of rotation, all arms being of equal radial length, the arms of the beater rows in the thrashing portion of the machine having separate thrashinggo tools secured to them, the arms of the beater rows in the straw reducing portion of the machine having separate reducing tools of greater length attached to them, the sleeves between the beater rows in the reducing machine being shorter than the sleeves between the beater rows in the thrashing machine.

'7. In an axial thrashing or axial thrashing a d straw reducing machine, a rotor comprising a, shaft element, sleeves individually non-rotatably threaded and locked thereon between grips of the element, said sleeves carrying and clamping between them rows of beaters, the beaters of a row being shaped, together with a clamping part which completely surrounds the shaft, as a single disc member and forming fiat beater arms radially extending from the central disc and disposed edgewise in the plane of rotation, the diameter of the central disc being substantially equal to the diameter of the sleeves, the beater arms tapering towards their free ends, their leading edges,(in the direction of rotation) lying tangentially with the central disc, the free ends of the beater arms carrying separate beater members in the form of attached tools.

8. In an axial thrashing machine a rotor comprising a shaft element, sleeves non-rotatably threaded thereon and clamped between points of the element, said sleeves carrying beater carrying members helically arranged and disposed in rows along the shaft, the beater carrying members of at least several individual beater rows being shaped, each together with a central disc which completely surrounds the element, as disc-like metal plate members and forming arms disposed edgewise in the direction of rotation, said sleeves clamping the central discs of the plate members between them, and forming the complete shaft andcomprising means to give the required helix to the beater arms in the successive rows of beaters, and beaters carried by said arms and adapted to co-operate with a stationary casing to beat and convey the materials helically and longitudinally of the machine, said helically arranged beaters having their working faces arranged to impart to the material a helical movement through the machine.

9. Thrashing shaft as claimed in claim 8, the sleeves having at their one end two opposite projections, at their other end two corresponding depressions displaced by the helix of the beater 1 arms, the central disc of the arm-like metal plate member having apertures corresponding tothe 'gether with a centraldisc which surrounds the said projections, the projections of one sleeve engaging the depressions of the adjacent sleeve through the apertures of the central disc.

10. In an axial thrashing or axial thrashing and straw reducing machine, a rotor comprising a shaft element, sleeves individually non-rotatably mounted and locked thereon, said sleeves carrying and clamping between them rows of beaters helically arranged and disposed along the shaft, the beaters of the beater rows being shaped, to- 10 shaft element as a single plate member, and forming disc-like arms extending from the central disc and disposed edgewise in the plane of rotation, the leading edge (in the direction of 15 rotation) of said arms being bent over laterally to reinforce the single plate members and to form fastening surfaces for beater elements at the desired inclination to impart a helical movement to the material through the machine. 20

11. In an axial thrashing or axial thrashing and straw reducing machine, a rotor comprising a shaft element, sleeves non-rotatably threaded and locked thereon, said sleeves carrying and clamping between them rows of beaters helically arranged and disposed along the shaft, the beaters of the beater rows being shaped, together with a central disc which surrounds the shaft element as a single plate member, and forming disc-like arms extending from the central disc '0 and disposed edgewise in the plane of rotation, the leading edge (in the direction of rotation) of said arms being bent over laterally, the leading edge (in the direction of rotation) of the beater arms pertaining to a row of beaters being bent over alternately to opposite sides.

FELIX SCI-ILAYER.

CERTIFICATE OF GORREGTEQN. v

Eatent No. 2,020,380.

FELIX SCHLAYER.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows; Page 1, second column, line 13, for "bosses" read recesses; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of December, A. 1935.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

November 12, 1935.

Images