Abstract:
An oversleeve for preventing crop material from wrapping around an agricultural implement shaft. The oversleeve is disposed over the implement shaft and affixed to a stripper pan so it does not rotate with the shaft. The oversleeve is preferably made of a polymer composite material. Removal of dirt between the shaft and oversleeve is effected by a helical groove arranged so the dirt is driven to the ends of the oversleeve.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to an improvement for an agricultural implement. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device to minimize or eliminate the wrapping of crop or crop residue on an implement shaft. 
         [0004]    2. Background Art 
         [0005]    Some agricultural implements, notably balers, encounter long fragments of crop or crop residue that may wrap around turning shafts. Crop wrapping has long been a recognized problem. Existing Mowers employ “hats” placed around driveshafts to deflect crop material from the shaft. Balers have bearing protectors. Implement bearing seals have hard covers to prevent seal damage. 
         [0006]    The rotor of a modern baler is designed to help move forage material into the baler. The rotor commonly comprises a shaft and a plurality of rotor plates spaced along the shaft. The location and function of the rotor shaft is such that crop wrapping is common and problematic. Wrapped crop material inhibits the function of the rotor while adding to the friction of rotation. 
         [0007]    There is, therefore, a need for a method and apparatus for preventing wrapping of crop material on rotating shafts in agricultural implements. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for resisting the wrapping of crop material around a rotating shaft. 
         [0009]    On a baler rotor shaft are mounted a plurality of rotor plates, spaced evenly and rigidly affixed to the rotor shaft—so the rotor plates rotate with the rotor shaft. To protect the rotor shaft between the rotor plates from crop material wrapping, oversleeves are provided over the rotor shaft between the rotor plates. Each oversleeve comprises a sheet of composite material wrapped in a teardrop shape over the rotor shaft. The oversleeve is kept from turning with the rotor shaft by an attachment to a pan rearward of the rotor shaft. 
         [0010]    An additional object is to provide an effective method for the elimination of dirt from between the rotating shaft and the oversleeves used in the anti-wrapping device. A shallow helical groove is machined on the outer surface of the rotor shaft. The helical groove wraps left beginning at the center of the space between adjacent rotor plates to one end of the oversleeve, and right from the center of the same space to the other end of the oversleeve. The direction of the helix serves to collect dirt, then drive the dirt outboard from the rotor shaft and oversleeve interface. 
         [0011]    The stripper pan to which the oversleeves are affixed may provide an additional advantage. When configured with a rod windguard, the aft leg of the rod windguard rods may be passed through an elongated slot in the pan segment. This allows the rod windguard to function independently of the rotor assembly—that is, not affixed to the rotor. Hence, the rod windguard is permitted to move upwardly with increased crop infeed, and downwardly as crop thins out. 
         [0012]    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. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a baler rotor assembly; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2   a  is a detail of the baler rotor assembly; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2   b  is a detail of the baler rotor assembly with the rod windguard removed for clarity; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a first perspective view of a large round baler; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a second perspective view of the large round baler; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a first side elevation view of the baler rotor assembly; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a second side elevation view of the baler rotor assembly; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a first side elevation view of the large round baler; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a second side elevation view of the large round baler; 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a baler rod windguard; 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a side elevation view of a shaft having two helical grooves formed therein; 
           [0024]      FIG. 11  is a phantom view of an anti-wrap oversleeve including helical grooves formed on its inner surface; 
           [0025]      FIG. 12  is a cutaway view of the anti-wrap oversleeve including helical grooves formed on its inner surface; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the anti-wrap oversleeve including helical grooves formed on its inner surface. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals correspond to the same or similar parts throughout the drawings, the present invention is shown as part of a large round baler  200  in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  7 , and  8 . The application of this invention is not limited to a large round baler, however. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a rotor assembly  110  is illustrated comprising a plurality of rotor plates  120  (all rotor plates are not numbered) with anti-wrap oversleeves  100  disposed between all the rotor plates  120 , and a rod windguard  130 . A rotor shaft  210 , upon which the rotor plates are affixed, is not seen in  FIG. 1 , but may be viewed in  FIG. 2 . The forward direction  140  is shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  7 , and  8 , and is defined for the purposes of this document, including the claims, as the usual operating direction of the implement, in this case, a large round baler  300 . Likewise, the front of the implement  300  is the leading portion of the implement  300  when traveling in the forward direction. The rear of the implement is opposite the front. 
         [0029]    Another view of one of the anti-wrap oversleeves  100  is shown in  FIG. 2   a . The rotor shaft  210  may also be a spacer sleeve disposed over and concentric with the rotor shaft  210 ; the spacer sleeves being for the purpose of spacing the rotor plates  120  on the rotor shaft  210 . Either way, the anti-wrap oversleeves  100  are disposed over the rotor shaft  210  or spacer sleeves, and affixed to a stripper pan  220 , preferably by bolting with the bolt assembly  230 , comprising a bolt, a nut, and a lock washer. However, the present invention is not limited to any particular fastener system  230 : alternatives comprise rivets, welding, brazing, and adhesive. 
         [0030]    The rotor, comprising the rotor plates  120  and the rotor shaft  210  may be hydraulically driven, or it may driven by the flow of crop material over or under the rotor. 
         [0031]    The anti-wrap oversleeves  100  are preferably fabricated from polymeric material, and further preferable, a composite. By using a polymer, any friction occurring due to the relative motion between the rotor shaft  210  and the anti wrap oversleeves  100  will wear on the easily replaceable anti-wrap oversleeves  100 . This invention, however, is not limited to a particular material used for the anti-wrap oversleeves  100 . 
         [0032]    In  FIG. 2   b , the rod windguard  130  has been removed for clarity. As the rotor assembly is rotated downward, a point  250  gets closer to the bottom of a tube  260 . When the point  250  contacts the bottom of the tube  260 , rotation ceases. In the preferred embodiment, as the rotor assembly rotates upward, the point  250  contacts the bottom of a plate on the baler frame to limit upward rotation. In alternate embodiments, this plate may be mounted on the non-rotating portion of the windguard  130 , or there could be a point similar to  250  on the opposite side of the tube  260  to contact the top of the tube  260  to limit rotation. 
         [0033]    The rotor assembly  110  is shown installed on a large round baler  300  in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The rotor, comprising the rotor plates  120  and the rotor shaft  210  (not shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ), is shown in a lowered position in  FIG. 3 , whereas the rotor is shown in a raised position in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0034]    In  FIGS. 5 and 6 , detail views of the rotor assembly  110  are shown corresponding to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , respectively. In  FIG. 5 , the rotor, comprising the rotor plates  120  and the rotor shaft  210  is shown in a lowered position. In  FIG. 6 , the rotor is shown in a raised position. Comparing  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 6 , note that the stripper pan  220  is raised and lowered simultaneously with the rotor shaft  210 . Hence, the anti-wrap oversleeves  100  remain disposed in the same orientation relative to the rotor shaft  210  irrespective of position of the rotor. 
         [0035]    Crop fins  240  are disposed at both ends of the rotor. Only one crop fin  240  is shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  5 , and  6 . The crop fins  240  are intended to help guide crop material into the rotor assembly  110 . The crop fins  240  can also function to move the rotor assembly  110  fore and aft. 
         [0036]    The rotor assembly  110  is permitted to move fore and aft, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The rotor assembly  110  is placed in the forward position, when the pickup header  710  is in a raised position as shown in  FIG. 7 . When the pickup header  710  is in a lowered position, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the rotor assembly  110  is placed in the aft or rearward position. 
         [0037]    A view of the rod windguard  130  alone is shown in  FIG. 9 . The stripper pan  220  is preferably configured with the rod windguard  130 . The rear portion of the individual rods of the rod windguard  130  pass through an elongated aperture in the stripper pan  220 . The rods, then, function independently of the rotor, that is, not fixed to the rotor. The rod windguard  130  is, therefore, permitted to rise with increased crop infeed, then drop as the crop thins out. The rear portion of the rods of the rod windguard  130  and/or the stripper teardrop-shaped anti-wrap oversleeves  100  serve to guide the crop as well. In an additional embodiment, the rod windguard  130  pivots only upon moving the rotor slide frame. The rods of the rod windguard  130  are not engaged with the stripper pan  220  in this embodiment. 
         [0038]    A shallow helical groove is shown in  FIG. 10  and is machined on the outer surface of the rotor shaft  210  or outer surface of the spacer sleeves. A left-hand helical groove  1010  wraps in a left-hand direction beginning at the center of the space between adjacent rotor plates  120  to one end of the anti-wrap oversleeve  100 , and a right-hand helical groove  1020  wraps in the right-hand direction from the center of the same space to the other end of the oversleeve  100 . The direction of the helixes serve to collect dirt, then drive the dirt outboard from the rotor shaft  210  and oversleeve  100  interface. 
         [0039]    An alternative embodiment to the shallow helical groove  1010 ,  1020  formed in the outer surface of the rotor shaft  210  shown in  FIG. 10  is the shallow helical groove  1110 ,  1120  formed in the anti-wrap oversleeve  100 , as shown in  FIGS. 11-13 . The anti-wrap oversleeve  100  is in the form of a hollow, right circular cylinder in this case. A left-hand helical groove  1110  wraps in a left-hand direction beginning at the center of the space between adjacent rotor plates  120  to one end of the anti-wrap oversleeve  100 , and a right-hand helical groove  1120  wraps in the right-hand direction from the center of the same space to the other end of the oversleeve  100 . The direction of the helixes serve to collect dirt, then drive the dirt outboard from the rotor shaft  210  and oversleeve  100  interface. 
         [0040]    The above embodiments are the preferred embodiments, but this invention is not limited thereto. It is, therefore, apparent that many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.