Patent ID: 7973654
Filing Date: 2011-07-05
Classification: A01D,B60Q

Abstract:
1. A system for detecting impending failure of a component of a disc cutterhead of a cutterbar of a plant cutting machine, comprising: a controller operable for outputting signals to a warning device; a cutterbar including a plurality of disc cutterheads connected in commonly driven relation, each of the cutterheads having components including at least one shaft supported by bearings, and at least one set of enmeshed gears, the components being connected in driving relation to a disc cutter of the cutterhead carrying at least one cutting blade and rotatable by rotation of the components, and wherein at least one of the components will generate at least one indicator of an impending failure thereof during the impending failure; a plurality of sensors distributed among the cutterheads, each of the sensors being configured and operable for sensing at least one of the indicators of impending failure and outputting signals representative thereof to the controller; the controller being automatically operable for processing the signals outputted by the sensors, to identify a location of the impending failure among the cutterheads, and outputting a signal representative thereof to the warning device; and the signals outputted by the sensors will have values corresponding to proximity of the sensors to the indicators of impending failure, respectively, and wherein the controller is automatically operable to compare are the values of the signals for identifying the location of the impending failure and wherein the controller is configured to differentiate signals and their respective thresholds based on their location on the cutterbar.