Harvesters – Motorized harvester – Having driven means for handling or treating crop
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-03
2001-04-24
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)
Harvesters
Motorized harvester
Having driven means for handling or treating crop
C056S014100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220007
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to mower-conditioners and more particularly to a timing system for the rollers of a mower-conditioner to prevent interference of lugs from one roller to another.
2. Description of the Related Art
The rollers of mower-conditioners allow hay or other forage to pass between an upper and a lower roller to be crimped just before it is formed into a windrow so that it will dry more quickly. These rollers typically have intermeshing lugs thereon, for example as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,302 to Rosenbahn et al. It is important that the lugs of the upper roller fit in the depressions of the lower roller and vice versa when these rollers are close together so that the lugs of one roller do not interfere with the lugs of an adjacent roller. To solve this problem, timing gears have been devised as in the aforementioned patent to Rosenbalm et al. It has been determined however that if a large item passes between the rollers, on the gear end, the gear end of the rollers separate to allow the item to pass, and the opposite end stays together. As the separation of the rollers begins, the gear located on the upper roller proceeds to pass over the adjacent gear, this causes the upper roller to rotate with respect to the lower roller i.e. the upper roller timing gear “Walks” with respect to another. This ruins the timing and makes the intermeshing lugs on the roller's far side collide, possibly damaging the rollers, the gears, etc.
Accordingly, there is a need to solve the aforementioned problem in the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides timing of two mower-conditioner lugged rollers. These intermeshing rollers rotate and crimp hay after it is cut. The timing of the rollers is achieved by a four-gear timing system which allows the rollers to separate for a substantial distance while still maintaining the timing, thereby allowing a large particle or item, such as a stone, to pass therethrough and still maintain proper timing of the rollers to prevent collision of the lugs of one roller with the lugs of an adjacent roller. This invention, however, is broad enough to cover interference of any two rollers with lugs and is not just limited to conditioner rollers for mower conditioners.
The apparatus includes a first conditioner roller having lugs thereon, the first conditioner roller being rotatably attached about a first substantially horizontal axis to the frame. A second roller, having lugs thereon, is rotatably disposed above the first conditioner roller. A first timing gear having teeth thereon is operably attached to the first conditioner roller and is rotatable with the first conditioner roller. A second timing gear has teeth meshing with the teeth of the first timing gear. The second timing gear is rotatable about a second horizontal axis and the second timing gear is also mounted to a first member pivotally disposed above the first substantially horizontal axis whereby the second substantial horizontal axis is movable with respect to the first substantially horizontal axis.
A third timing gear having teeth thereon meshes with the second timing gear and is rotatable about a third substantial horizontal axis. A second member is pivotally attached about a fourth substantially horizontal axis. The third timing gear is rotatably and operably attached to the second member. A third member is pivotally attached to the first member and to the second member at both of the second and third substantially horizontal axes.
A fourth tiling gear, having teeth thereon, meshes with the teeth of the third timing gear. A fourth timing gear is rotatably attached to the second member about a fifth substantially horizontal axis and is rotatable with the second conditioner roller. The second conditioner roller is also operably and rotatably attached about the fifth substantially horizontal axis whereby as the first and second conditioner rollers move toward or away from each other when something is disposed between the first and second conditioner rollers, the first, second, third and fourth timing gears maintain relative clearance of the lugs of the first conditioner roller with respect to the lugs of the second conditioner roller.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved timing gear system so as to prevent interference of lugs on adjacent rollers.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3555791 (1971-01-01), McCarty et al.
patent: 3820311 (1974-06-01), Sawyer et al.
patent: 4472927 (1984-09-01), Vogt
patent: 4896483 (1990-01-01), O'Halloran
patent: 4910947 (1990-03-01), Seymour
patent: 4972661 (1990-11-01), Roden
patent: 5022219 (1991-06-01), Knurr
patent: 5056302 (1991-10-01), Rosenbalm
patent: 5357737 (1994-10-01), Ermacora
patent: 464374B1 (1991-05-01), None
Doerr Paul A.
Egging Philip J.
Henderson & Sturm LLP
Kovács Arpád Fáb
Pezzuto Robert E.
Vermeer Manufacturing Company
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