Harvesting machine chain piler having forwardly curved profile

A sugar cane chain piler includes a plurality of endless roller chains that are supported so as to define a forwardly curved profile. A head shaft supports a plurality of transversely spaced sprockets at top region of the piler which are aligned with a plurality of sprockets carried by a tail shaft located at a lower region of the piler. Each endless chain includes a plurality of conveyor tines that project outwardly from the chain. The head shaft is driven so that the tines engage cane stalks by rolling the stalks backwards into a pile being created as the loader vehicle carrying the piler is driven forward.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a sugar cane piler, and more specifically relates to a chain piler.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are several types of pilers used in the sugar cane industry to produce a pile of cane that can then be placed into a transport unit by a sugar cane loader, which carries the piler and a boom supported grab assembly. The push piler is the cheapest and simplest of the pilers and comprises at least two forwardly facing, generally C-shaped structures which are spaced laterally from each other so as to define a piler pocket between them into which a loader grab tine may pass during loading cane stalks piled by the piler. A variation of a simple push piler of this type is a star or football piler and incorporates rotating elements along with the push piler. An example of this can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,318. Another piler variation is known as a chain piler. An example of a chain piler is the Model SP2254 manufactured by Cameco. All of these pilers attempt to build a large bundle of cane stalks and to dislodge soil from the piled cane stalks by rolling the stalks backwards into the pile being formed.

The present invention concerns chain type pilers. The aforementioned Cameco Model SP 2254 chain piler consists of a frame shaped to define an upwardly and rearwardly extending inclined plane. A plurality of vertically disposed, endless roller chains are spaced across, and envelope, the frame, and are looped about respective first sprockets carried by a horizontal head shaft located at an upper region of the frame and respective second sprockets carried by a horizontal tail shaft located at a lower region of the frame. The chains are each equipped with a plurality of conveyor tines, with individual tines engaging the cane stalks at locations adjacent the tail shaft and carrying the cane stalks upwardly during forward movement of the piler until the individual tines move around the head shaft. At this point, the cane stalks are disengaged from the individual tines by forwardly curved deflector plates. As no direct force is being exerted by the chains on the cane stalks at this point, the deflector plates act similar to a push piler. The cane stalks tend to snow ball at the head shaft with little tumbling back onto the pile. If a sufficient amount of cane stalks pile up at the head shaft, cane stalks can top the forwardly curved deflector plates and bridge the piler pocket. This results in the pocket being obstructed, resulting in the rear grab tines having difficulty entering the pocket. In addition, the chain conveyor teeth become somewhat bound into the pile of cane stalks, which can result in the possible damage to the cane stalks and/or to the chain when the grab is closed about a load and lifted.

The problem to be addressed by the present invention is that of providing a chain piler that does not have the operating disadvantages attendant with the above-described prior art chain piler.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided an improved chain piler structure.

An object of the invention is to provide a chain piler structure which operates so as to prevent cane stalks from accumulating so as to cause blockage of the piler pocket when the piler is operating to create a pile of cane stalks.

The noted object of the invention is accomplished by a chain piler having a frame structured so as to guide the various endless chains of the piler so that a forward run of the chain has an upper region which undergoes a forward component of movement whereby the engaged cane stalks are powered backward onto the forming pile, resulting in a larger and more uniform bundle of cane stalks. More specifically, the invention is accomplished by providing individual chain support structures which each support a chain so that its forward run has a forwardly curved profile.

The noted object and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the ensuing description together with the appended drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now toFIG. 1, there is shown a sugar cane loader10including a loader boom arrangement30and a chain piler arrangement70.

The sugar cane loader includes a main frame12supported on front and rear pairs of drive wheels14and16, respectively, with the rear wheels16being steerable, in a well known manner (not shown). Power for driving the wheels and for operating the various hydraulic functions of the loader10is supplied by an internal combustion engine18supported on a rear region of the frame12. Provided on a forward region of the frame12is an operator's cab20containing a seat22located within reach of various manually operated controls, of which only a steering wheel24is shown.

The loader boom arrangement30is mounted at a central region of the main frame12, just to the rear of the cab20. The loader boom arrangement30includes an upright mast32mounted to a pedestal34for being selectively rotated about a vertical axis, in a manner well known in the art. An inner boom36has a first end pivotally coupled, by a horizontal pivot arrangement38, to an upper end of the mast32for being swung vertically by a first extensible and retractable hydraulic boom cylinder40. The inner boom36has a second end pivotally coupled, by a horizontal pivot arrangement42, to a first end of an outer boom44, and a second extensible and retractable hydraulic boom cylinder46is coupled between the inner and outer booms36and44for pivoting the outer boom44about the pivot arrangement42. Pivotally mounted to a second end of the outer boom46, by a horizontal pivot arrangement48, is a grab assembly50including, as viewed in the drawings, a curved rear grab tine52and an angled, opposing front grab tine54. A first cylinder mounting bracket56is carried on the rear grab tine52adjacent the pivot arrangement48. Mounted between the cylinder mounting bracket56and an second cylinder mounting bracket57projecting upwardly from the front grab tine54at a location, approximately halfway along its length, is an extensible and retractable hydraulic grab tine cylinder58. The grab tine cylinder58is selectively operated so as to open the grab assembly50, when the cylinder is retracted, as shown inFIG. 1, for example, and to close the grab assembly50, when the cylinder58is extended. The front grab tine54includes opposite sides which terminate in a pair of spaced apart tine end sections60located for straddling a pair of tine end sections62of the rear grab tine46when the grab tine assembly50is completely closed.

Coupled to a back side of the rear grapple tine52in a region which constitutes approximately the lower third of a length dimension of the tine is an abutment assembly including a first roller64extending between an upper region of the tine end sections62, as viewed inFIG. 1, and a lower pair of rollers66, mounted one to a lower region of each tine end section62. The first roller64is mounted for rotation about a shaft68having its opposite ends respectively fixed to the pair of end sections62. The lower pair of rollers66are respectively mounted to a pair of shafts69that are respectively fixed to rear locations of the pair of end sections62of the rear grab tine46. Thus, the first roller64is located to move in a path which is inward of separate paths followed by the lower rollers66.

Referring now also toFIGS. 2-5, it can be seen that the piler arrangement70includes a frame assembly72including a pair of transversely spaced arms74joined at their forward ends to a cross beam76and having rear ends pivotally mounted to a lower front region of the main frame12for swinging vertically about a horizontal axis defined by respective horizontal pivot assemblies78. A pair of upstanding brackets80are respectively joined to the pair of arms74, and coupled between each bracket80and one of a pair of brackets82joined to the main frame12, is an extensible and retractable, hydraulic piler lift cylinder84. Formed at a lower end of each of the brackets82is a chain mounting bracket86containing a key hole shaped opening receiving a chain88having an end fixed to the cross beam76of the piler frame72, with a selected link of the chain being placed in the smaller section of the key hole shaped opening, whereby the chain88serves as a down stop for preventing the piler arrangement70from being lowered to the extent that it digs into the soil.

The cross beam76of the frame assembly72includes a main beam member90, of square cross section. Fixed to and projecting vertically upward from an upper front corner of the beam member90is an upper mounting strip92extending an entire length of the beam. Similarly, fixed to and projecting vertically downward from a lower front corner of the beam90is a lower mounting strip94. Each of the mounting strips92and94contains a plurality of horizontally spaced mounting holes96.

With reference especially toFIGS. 3 and 5, it can be seen that a middle cane stalk push lifter98is mounted to the upper and lower mounting strips92and94at a location centered between right- and left-hand cane stalk push lifters100and102, respectively, mounted to opposite ends of the strips. The spacing between the middle push lifter98and the end cane stalk push lifters100and102is selected to be equal to the spacing between adjacent cane stalk rows104, with the lifters98,100,102being adapted for operating centrally between adjacent cane rows104. The push lifters98,100,102each comprise a central, vertical plate structure106having a stepped, upwardly and rearwardly inclined leading edge having an upper end joined to a rear edge defined by a vertical edge section to which is joined a downwardly and forwardly inclined edge section, which is, in turn, joined to a horizontal bottom edge. Welded to the vertical edge section is a vertical mounting plate108that extends beyond opposite sides of the plate structure106and has a top and a bottom respectively located at a height above the upper mounting strip92, and at a height below the lower mounting strip94. The mounting plate108of each push lifter98,100and102contains upper and lower sets of holes which register with selected ones of the holes98provided in the mounting strips92and94, with bolt fasteners109being provided at the aligned holes for securing the push lifters98,100and102to cross beam76. Welded to, and extending beyond opposite sides of the inclined rear edge section, and all but a small forward region of the horizontal bottom edge section of the respective plate structures106of the push lifters98,100, and102is a plate defining a skid shoe110having a forward end section that is bifurcated and inclined upwardly and forwardly at opposite sides of the plate structure106. This inclined forward end section of the skid shoe110presents a surface which tends to prevent the push lifters from digging into the ground. The inclined, has a covering strip assembly114welded thereto. Welded to a lower inclined section of the covered leading edge is a wear resistant rod116having an upper end that terminates at a lower step of the covered leading edge.

Concerning only the middle push lifter98, that portion of the strip assembly114, not engaged by the rod116, forms a guide rail118, which includes upper and lower horizontal sections joined by an upwardly and rearwardly inclined middle section. Also relating only to the middle push lifter98, are right- and left-hand guide rails120and122that are joined to opposite sides of the vertical plate structure106of the push lifter98so as to be behind the guide rail118. The guide rails120and122each have a relatively short upper end section124which parallels the middle section of the guide rail118, a relatively short middle section126, which extends substantially parallel to the mounting plate108, and a relatively long, downwardly and forwardly curved lower end section128having a lower end which terminates vertically below the lower horizontal section of the middle guide rail118. The purpose of the guide rails118,120and122is to properly position the grab assembly50, as explained in further detail below, during the operation of grabbing a load of cane stalks that have been piled by the chain piler assembly70.

The inclined rods116and the relatively narrow strip assemblies114at the forward edges of the push lifters98,100and102operate during forward movement of the piler assembly70to lift sugar cane stalks, lying in windrows on the ground, upwardly into engagement with a plurality of chain piler units including a right-hand pair of outer and inner chain piler units130and132, and a left-hand pair of outer and inner chain piler units134and136, with the inner and outer units being mirror images of each other. The right-hand pair of chain piler units130and132are mounted to the upper and lower mounting strips92and94so as to be centered between the middle and right-hand push lifter units98and100, and are spaced from each other so as to be centered above a respective cane row104. Similarly, the left-hand pair of chain piler units134and136are mounted to the mounting strips92and94so as to be centered between the middle and left-hand push lifters98and102, and are spaced from each other so as to be centered above another one of the cane rows104. A piler pocket138(FIG. 3) is defined between the inner chain piler units132and136into which the rear loader grab tine52may be inserted for picking up a pile of cane produced by the chain piler assembly70, as is described in further detail below.

Each of the chain piler units130,132,134, and136includes a vertical chain support structure140having a vertical rear edge to which is welded a vertical mounting plate142containing upper and lower sets of mounting holes144that are respectively brought into register with selected ones of the mounting holes96provided in the upper and lower mounting strips92and94. Bolt fasteners (not shown, but like the fasteners109) are inserted through the registered holes so as to secure the chain piler units to the cross beam76. The chain support structures140each include a horizontal bottom edge146which terminates at a height spaced above the ground, which is slightly less that the height at which upper ends of the rods116of the push lifters98,100and102terminate.

Extending between, and having opposite ends secured to an upper region of the chain support structures140of each of the right-hand pair of piler chain units130and132is a telescopic cross brace148which is fixed at an adjusted length by a plurality of fasteners149inserted through aligned holes provided in the telescoping sections of the brace148. A similar brace148is provided between an upper region of each of the chain support structures140of the left-hand pair of piler chain units134and136. The chain support structures140each include a forwardly opening, generally C-shaped from surface150which extends between a forward end of the bottom edge146and a front of a curved top edge152, the latter having a rear end which terminates at, and is joined to an upper end of, a rear edge154which inclines downwardly to an upper end of the vertical mounting plate142.

Fixed to an upper region of the inner surface of the chain support structure140of each of the piler chain units130and134, and to an upper region of the outer surface of the chain support structure140of each of the piler chain units132and136, are respective head shaft guide assemblies156, which each include a pair of angle members158arranged parallel to each other and having first sides respectively fixed at opposite sides of an upwardly and forwardly inclined oval opening160. Vertical sides of the angle members158each have a guide bar162fixed along its length. A hydraulic motor164includes an output shaft (not visible) defining a head shaft which projects through the opening160and mounted to the head shaft, so as to be on an opposite side of the chain support structure140from the motor164, is a chain sprocket166. A guide plate assembly168is fixed to the motor164and is mounted for sliding along the guide bars162. An extensible and retractable hydraulic actuator170has a rod end coupled to a bracket carried by the motor164and a cylinder coupled to a bracket fixed to the chain support structure140, with the actuator170being operable for selectively effecting up or down movement of the motor164, and, hence, the head shaft, within the oval opening160, for a purpose explained below.

Located in a lower region of each of the chain support structures140of the chain piler units130,132,134and136so as to be substantially vertically below the oval openings160, are respective horizontally aligned openings. Received in the openings provided in the right-hand pair of chain piler units130and132is a firs shaft172, and received in the openings provided in the left-hand pair of chain piler units134and136is a second shaft172. The shafts172are supported in bearing assemblies174fixed to confronting surfaces of the support structures140of the piler units130and132, and in confronting surfaces of the support structures140of the piler units134and136. Mounted to opposite ends of the shafts172are respective chain sprockets176. An endless roller chain178(seeFIG. 2) is trained about each set of sprockets166and176, and fixed to an outer side of each of the chains178, relative to the support structure140, by link pins passing through the chain rollers, is a plurality of triangular, flat cane conveyor teeth180. The path traveled by the chain178is determined by a chain guide arrangement182including an outer, generally kidney-shaped guide member184having upper and lower ends extending about the sprockets166and176. A forward side of the guide member184is spaced behind and extends substantially parallel to the front edge150of the chain support structure140. The height of the guide member184from the chain support structure140is such that the conveyor teeth180project beyond the guide member184, with the teeth180being sufficiently long that as they travel adjacent a forward side of the guide member184they project forwardly beyond the front edge150of the chain support structure140. Each chain guide arrangement182further includes front and rear guide members186and188which extend between the sprockets166and177and are disposed substantially parallel to each other and to a forward side of the outer guide member184.

While the forwardly curved leading edge of the support structures140and the corresponding shape of the chain guide assembly are the preferred shapes, other shapes would also result in beneficial operation. For example, the support structures140could have a leading edge that defines a forwardly opening V with the chain associated with the each support structure being guided so that its forward run parallels the upper side of the V so that during operation the conveyor teeth would have a forward component of movement that would cause the cane stalks to be rolled forward onto the pile being formed.

The operation of the chain piler assembly70is briefly as follows. Once the sugar cane loader10is driven to a sugar cane field where the cane has been cut and windrowed so as to extend generally crosswise to the cane rows104. With the size of loader10and chain piler assembly70being that shown in the drawings, the loader10is oriented so that the middle push lifter98is centered between a first pair of adjacent rows104, while the right- and left-hand push lifters100and102, respectively, are each centered between a different one of the first pair of rows104and the next adjacent row104. The chain piler assembly70is lowered until the skid shoes110come into ground contact. The motors164are then actuated to cause the chains178to be driven counterclockwise, as viewed inFIG. 2. The loader10is then driven forward with the push lifters98,100, and102causing the windrowed cane to be elevated into contact with the curved front edges150of the chain support structures140of the chain piler units130,132,134, and136. Once the cane stalks are elevated to the extent that they are within reach of the conveyor teeth180, the stalks are carried upward, then rolled forward onto the building pile of cane stalks, as shown at190inFIG. 1. This action of the piler chains178is important in that it results in more soil being dislodged from the cane stalks than is possible with a conventional push piler and avoids the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art chain piler wherein the chains are disposed on a rearward incline and have no forward component of movement.

Once a cane stalk pile190is formed, it may be loaded onto an adjacent container of a transport trailer, or the like, by manipulating the grab assembly50so that, with the grab tines52and54opened, the rear grab tine52is lowered into the piler pocket138(seeFIG. 3). The grab tines52and54and then closed about the piled cane, with the encircled load of cane then being lifted and deposited into the transport container. The piling and loading functions are then repeated.