Solid material comminution or disintegration – Apparatus – Combined or convertible
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-15
2003-01-14
Rosenbaum, Mark (Department: 3725)
Solid material comminution or disintegration
Apparatus
Combined or convertible
C241S101800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06505786
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a silage cutter having improved efficiency and reliability characteristics.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the device disclosed in European Patent No. EP 0 506 158 A, the distance between the cutter hinge axle and the part of the gripping devices which is most remote from the hinge axle corresponds to the distance between the hinge axle and the knife. The two cylinders, which are driven for bringing together first and second frame members for a silage cutting operation, are hydraulically controlled via a directional control valve in such a way that, if one cylinder is in advance, the application of pressure to the cylinder will be throttled or interrupted until both cylinders move in synchronism. For this purpose, sensors are provided on both sides of the first frame member, which are connected to the rerouting sides of the directional control valve. An adaptation of the cylinder movements is only effected after a preceding deviation in the movements of the two cylinders; this causes deformations or transverse displacements at the frame members which have to be eliminated afterwards. Further, this adaptation influences the cutting result and causes undesirable high loads in the device. Also, due to the dimensions of the distance, the knife will not neatly cooperate with the gripping devices towards the end of the cutting operation, but instead an undefined cutting condition will occur. The frame members of the disclosed device must be extremely robust, which entails further disadvantages. According to a further embodiment disclosed therein, at least one knife is provided which is adapted to be moved to and fro during the cutting operation and which carries out a sawing movement. However, this knife requires inexpedient dimensions transversely to the cutting direction.
Additional prior art is contained in DE 297 19 753 U, EP 0 779 027 A and in EP 359 482 A.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to provide a silage cutter of the type disclosed above which includes a stationary knife that is forced through the silage and can nevertheless utilize a comparatively light frame. This object is achieved by the silage cutter disclosed and claimed herein.
Since it is guaranteed that the two frame members provided on the two sides of the device will approach each other at exactly the same speed and independently of the reaction force occurring, strong cutting forces can be produced by the present device without any disadvantageous deformation of the frame. Hence, stationary knives which are very flat and thin and which will easily cut through the silage can be used with the present device. Due to the relative distance defined between the pivot axle and the knife on the one hand and between the pivot axle and the most remote point of the gripping device on the other, a defined cutting condition is obtained at the end of the cutting operation. The defined cutting condition is also supported by the cylinders, which are configured to move exactly in synchronism.
When the cylinders of the present invention are connected in series, there will always be a fixed relation between the amount of pressure medium supplied to one cylinder and the amount of pressure medium supplied to the other cylinder. The diameter of one of the cylinders should be smaller than the diameter of the other cylinder so that the pressure medium which is displaced by the piston of one cylinder and which acts on the piston-rod side of the piston of the other cylinder produces identical speeds of the two cylinders.
When the cylinders are connected in parallel, hydraulic means guarantee that the cylinders move in synchronism; thus the cylinders can be dimensioned identically.
It will be expedient to provide hydraulic devices which limit the maximum pressure in each cylinder or the pressure difference between the two cylinders to a set value. This will additionally protect the frame against excessive deformation.
Advantageous kinematic conditions, which are important for high cutting forces and distortion-free cutting, are obtained when the distance between the hinge axle and the articulation point of the cylinders on the first frame member is larger than half the distance between the hinge axle and the knife. It will be expedient when this distance is even larger than two thirds, or even larger than three quarters of the distance between the hinge axle and the knife. The distance between the hinge axle and the articulation point of each cylinder on the first frame member corresponds almost precisely to the distance between the hinge axle and the knife, minus the desired silage cutting depth, i.e. the thickness of a slice of “silage” cut out by the knife.
Advantageous kinematic conditions will also be obtained on the second frame member if the distance between the hinge axle and the articulation point of the cylinders on the second frame member is larger then half the distance between the hinge axle and the gripping devices. This distance could even be larger than two thirds, and, if necessary, it could even be larger than three quarters of the distance between the hinge axle and the gripping devices.
The cutting quality will be improved when the first frame member has provided thereon at least one lateral knife which is fixedly attached to the frame member and which extends almost at right angles to the transversely extending main knife and is oriented almost radially to the hinge axle. In this instance, the knife and the two lateral knives are arranged such that they define a U-shape. The lateral knife may have a curved cutting surface.
The cutting edge of the knife and/or of each lateral knife may be straight or it may have a curved shape. Preferably, the cutting edge may have individual parts which extend at a certain angle relative to one another and which define e.g. a knurled or a wavy cutting edge. Good cutting results can be achieved by knives and lateral knives, respectively, in the case of which the distance between forwardly extending portions of the cutting edge is smaller than 8 cm, or even smaller than 6 cm, or, even better, smaller than 4 cm.
The knife may be a metal plate on which the cutting edge is defined by an edge-side bevel of the plate. The bevel should be located on the side facing away from the hinge axle so as to achieve a good cutting quality.
The second frame member is provided with one or with a plurality of cutting devices which are intended to cooperate with the knife and/or the lateral knives of the first frame member. When the cutting edge of each knife moves against or almost against one of these cutting devices at the end of the cutting operation, the silage will be cut neatly.
At one edge of the cutting device, the cutting edge of the knife or of the lateral knife will move in such a way that a scissorlike cutting movement or a drawing cut will be obtained. The cutting device may be provided with an immersion groove for the cutting edge of the knife and of the lateral knives, respectively; the cutting edges need not touch the bottom of the groove, since a good cut is already effected at the edges. The gripping devices define a kind of loading flap and have a platelike member provided with a sharp edge or teeth which is/are adapted to be pressed into the silage block. It will be expedient to implement the platelike member such that it does not have any openings so that the cut-out silage will drop on the platelike member for being then transferred in its entirety to a mixing chamber of the silage cutter.
When the differential distance mentioned at the beginning is at least 5 cm, or even better 15 cm, a substantial part of the gripping device will still be located in the uncut silage when the cutting operation has almost been finished. In addition, the knife and the later knives cooperate very effectively with the gripping devices.
Even if comparatively strong cutting forces are generated by the hydraulic cylinders, the guide mechanisms will assist in the formation of a neat cut because the frame members are
Flynn ,Thiel, Boutell & Tanis, P.C.
Rosenbaum Mark
Trioliet Mullos B.V.
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