Harvesters – Cutting – Cutter members
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-28
2001-06-26
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)
Harvesters
Cutting
Cutter members
C056S307000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250057
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is based upon and claims priority to German Patent Application 198 50 261.3 filed Oct. 31, 1998, which is herein expressly incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a mowing assembly having a mowing finger and a holding-down element. A plurality of mowing fingers and holding down-elements are arranged at the back bar and guide a mowing cutter which moves to and fro.
DE 29 02 887 A1 describes an assembly with a plurality of mowing fingers and holding-down elements distributed along the back bar. The holding-down elements have a pitch which corresponds to the integral multiple of the pitch of the mowing fingers. The holding-down elements are each associated with a mowing finger. The mowing bar fingers are each secured by a stud bolt to the back bar. The holding-down elements have a supporting portion which rests on the cutter. Also, the holding-down elements have an end portion which is angled relative to the supporting portion towards the back bar. The holding-down element is supported by the angled end on the back bar. At a distance therefrom, towards the supporting portion, a bore is provided to receive the stud bolt. A nut is threaded onto the projecting end of the stud to tension the holding-down element relative to the cutter. Two further apertures are at a distance from the stud bolt. Screw heads of hexagon socket screws pass through the apertures to fix the two directly adjoining mowing fingers. This prevents the holding-down element from pivoting to and fro while the cutter is moving to and fro. The holding-down element has to be sufficiently wide and heavy.
DE 296 13 925 U1 describes an assembly where a part of the mowing fingers is associated with the back bar with bolts which project into the blade gap. The bolts press into the cutter face by means of balls inserted into their end faces. The resulting point load leads to rapid wear at the balls and at the cutter surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an assembly with a mowing finger and a holding-down element, where the holding-down element is of light-weight design. The hold-down element features little wear and is securely held against displacement caused by the forces acting on it as a result of the to-and fro-movements of the cutter.
In accordance with the invention, an assembly includes a mowing finger with a bottom part, a top part and a blade gap formed therebetween. The bottom part has a support for the blade of a cutter received in the blade gap. The rear attaching end of the bottom part and the rear attaching end of the top part include a fixing bolt. The fixing bolt jointly secures to a back bar. The bottom part and the top part are connected to one another at their front ends. The front ends are positioned in front of the blade gap. The holding-down element includes a rear fixing portion and a front supporting portion. A supporting face as well as holding means are form-fittingly held at the top part of the mowing finger in the two directions of movement of the cutter. The fixing portion serves to fix the holding-down element jointly with the bottom part and the top part of the mowing finger to the back bar. The supporting portion is arranged in the blade gap. The supporting portion supports, in a planar way, the blade to prevent the blade from escaping away from the support.
An advantage of this solution is that only a minimum amount of wear occurs as a result of the planar contact between the holding-down element and the cutter. Furthermore, since the holding-down element is held at the top part of the mowing finger in a form-fitting way and threaded fasteners are used to fix the mowing finger to the back bar, a light-weight holding-down element is provided. The holding-down element has a high degree of horizontal stability relative to the to- and fro-moving cutter. Thus, advantageous support is provided for the cutting forces of the cutter. This is especially advantageous if the material to be harvested is damp and difficult to cut.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the supporting portion of the holding-down element is pre-tensioned to support the cutter. As a result, a constant supporting force is applied to the cutter when fixed to the back bar. However, as in a number of different applications, a permanently acting spring force pressing the holding-down element and thus the cutter against the support can be disadvantageous. However, it is possible in principle, not to provide a pre-tension, but to load the supporting portion of the holding-down element by a setting element which is held at the top part of the mowing finger. Thus, the supporting portion is adjustable relative to the support of the bottom part. To ensure that the holding-down element and the supporting portion return into their original position, the supporting portion, in the mounted condition, is pre-tensioned away from the support.
In a preferred embodiment, the setting element is a setting screw which engages a threaded bore in the top part. One advantage is that, as compared to the embodiment with permanent pre-tension, the upper side of the blade is not subjected to permanent pressure. The blade is merely prevented from escaping upwardly during the cutting operation. Any wear at the cutter or at the blades of the cutter and at the holding-down element can easily be compensated for by re-setting the setting screw. The setting screw is provided with a guard to prevent, during mowing, any harvested material from getting caught on the screw projecting from the top part of the finger. The guard has two arms arranged on either side of the setting screw.
A particularly advantageous embodiment includes webs to delimit a rectangular aperture in the holding-down element. The aperture is between the rear fixing portion and the front supporting portion. The webs connect the front supporting portion to the rear fixing portion. The webs form-fittingly hold the holding-down elements to prevent any lateral displacement of elements at the top part of the cutter. A portion of the length of the top part of the mowing finger projects form-fittingly into the aperture. The aperture is adapted to the width dimension of the top part in this region.
In a form-fitting condition, the fixing portion, in the mounted condition, rests on the rear attaching end of the top part of the mowing finger. Together with the rear attaching end and the bottom part, the fixing portion is secured to the back bar by one single connecting bolt. The back bar is accommodated between the top part and the bottom part.
From the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings and subjoined claims, other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.
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Schumacher Friedrich-Wilhelm
Schumacher Gustav
Gebr. Schumacher Gerätebaugesellschaft GmbH
Harness & Dickey & Pierce P.L.C.
Kovács Arpád Fáb
Pezzuto Robert E.
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