Planting – Drilling – Furrow closer
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-12
2001-10-02
Batson, Victor (Department: 3671)
Planting
Drilling
Furrow closer
C172S519000, C301S064600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295939
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to an improved press-wheel assembly of the kind used with seed-planting machines for covering deposited seed from the machine with soil.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known for seeders to employ a plurality of trailing arms each of which is provided with a press-wheel for pressing the soil displaced in creating a seed receiving furrow. It is common practice for press-wheels to be fitted with a protective hub cap which covers the end of the stub-axle on which the wheel is rotatably mounted for the purpose of preventing the ingress of dirt, grit etc into the hub of the wheel and in turn the wheel bearings. It is not uncommon for these caps to be dislodged when the machine is in operation. Once dislodged, the journalled end of the stub-axle and the bearings are exposed to contamination and subsequent bearing damage over a period of time. To address this problem, one known press-wheel construction incorporates a central bolt-on over cap which is secured to the outer face of the press-wheel, in the spoke region thereof, by means of a series of bolts. The over cap completely covers the journalled end of the press-wheel axle. The fitment of such an over-cap is very labour intensive and hence uneconomical from a manufacturing point of view.
It is also well known for press-wheels to be fitted with a separate hub and stub-axle arrangement, with the hub flange being fastened directly to the inner side of the press-wheel. The weight of such an assembly, due to the heavy-duty construction of the separate hub, is quite heavy and in situations where a seeder is fitted with a large number of such press-wheels, the additional overall weight of the machine is quite significant. It is desirable therefore for the weight of the press-wheel to be reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the main object of the present invention therefore to provide an improved press-wheel assembly which is designed to protect its protective hub end-cap from being dislodged during use.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved press-wheel assembly which is of lightweight construction and avoids the use of a heavy separate hub member attached to the wheel.
Broadly, according to this invention, a press-wheel assembly comprises a press-wheel rotatable on an axle or shaft and which is formed by a pair of mating diametral inner and outer wheel halves which are securable together, the inner wheel half having an integrally formed hub, said hub having an open-ended axial outer hub portion which extends axially outwards from the central diametral plane of the wheel and projects through a central bore formed in the outer wheel half, the projecting hub portion being shaped and dimensioned so as to permit the fitment of a protective end-cap within its open outer end so that the cap, when thus fitted, has its peripheral wall surrounded by said projecting hub portion and is protected thereby, said hub portion having opening means formed therein to allow the insertion of a cap removal tool for manually removing the end-cap from the wheel hub.
Preferably, said opening means comprises at least one slot which extends axially inwards from the open outer end of the outer hub portion.
Desirably each of the diametral wheel halves is formed of cast aluminum, each having a centre hub region, a flanged outer rim and a solid web interconnecting the hub region and the rim. The two halves are normally fastened together by means of a plurality of securing bolts which pass through aligned holes formed in the solid webs of the two halves.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the projecting hub portion on the inner wheel half is of frustoconical shape and terminates in a pair of opposed arcuate lugs which, together, extend around a major portion of the outer periphery of the end-cap and protect it from being accidentally dislodged. The free-ends of the arcuate lugs are spaced apart so as to form the slot-like openings which are diametrically aligned. The openings allow the end-cap to be removed by the use of a hand lever tool, and also permit the insertion of a cotter-pin into the end of the shaft or axle in order to secure same against axial displacement which respect to the hub.
Preferably the end-cap is removably fastened to the inside of the outer hub portion by means of an interference fit. Generally this will require the assistance of a hand tool in order to knock the cap into position.
Preferably the outer wheel half is formed with an integrally formed outwardly projecting circular boss or skirt dimensioned so that when the two halves are fitted together, the outer end face of the boss or skirt approximately aligns with the base of the lugs on the projecting hub portion.
Generally, sealed bearings are fitted for journalling the wheel on the stub-axle; however, a non-sealed bearing arrangement could also be employed.
The feature of having an integrally formed hub on one of the wheel halves (rather than a separate hub attachment fitted to a one-piece wheel) with each half being formed of cast aluminum, enables the assembled press-wheel to be of a light-weight construction while the protective shroud formed by the projecting hub portion on the inner wheel half serves to protect the end-cap and minimise the likelihood of it being accidentally dislodged, eg when it is struck by an object or obstacle when the seeder is in use.
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patent: 2152957 (1939-04-01), Fortney et al.
patent: 2731900 (1956-01-01), Oehler
patent: 4273057 (1981-06-01), Pollard
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patent: 4537449 (1985-08-01), Hayashi
patent: 4986606 (1991-01-01), Thomas
patent: 5533793 (1996-07-01), Walker
patent: 5676429 (1997-10-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 583446 (1946-12-01), None
Batson Victor
Brown Martin Haller & McClain LLP
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