Patent Publication Number: US-6991401-B1

Title: Compactor wheel with trash exclusion properties

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to the construction of land fill compactor wheels wherein wire, cable, refuse and debris entrainment around the landfill compactor&#39;s wheel axles can be a persistent operational and maintenance problem. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART 
   Landfill compactors are configured with wheels especially adapted to operate in sanitary land fills or refuse dumps. In that environment the first priority for such equipment is to obtain maximum compaction density of the materials deposited in the landfill thereby maximizing the capacity of the landfill. Typically a landfill compactor vehicle is self propelled and equipped with four large steel wheels. These wheels are each provided with an array of cleats that extend radially from a cylindrical wheel drum. By reason of the high compactor vehicle weight, sometimes amounting to 120,000 pounds (about 54,431 kg), the cleats mounted on the wheel drum apply localized forces to crush, grind and generally aggressively knead the refuse into the landfill mass. 
   The number of cleats mounted on a given wheel drum has a direct effect upon the aggressiveness of the compaction action and the resultant compaction density in the landfill. Hence a smaller number of cleats on a wheel drum of a given circumference, say 28 to 30 cleats on a 65 inch (1.65 meter) diameter drum, will result in less compaction density than the configuration wherein the wheel drum is equipped with a larger number of cleats, say 45 to 58 cleats. Clearly a larger number of cleats is desirable to achieve higher compaction densities., the compactor wheel sizes being otherwise equal or equivalent. The efficiency gain is apparent from actual observations of the equipment in use on land fill sites. 
   In an endeavor to minimize entrainment of debris in the region of the compactor vehicle wheel axle assembly, a troublesome problem at land fill sites, the prior art has shown that leaving a cleat free zone or large cleat offset adjacent the inner edge of the compactor wheel, such as by eliminating an entire circumferential row of cleats from the wheel, is generally effective. That arrangement provides about 25% fewer cleats available for aggressive compaction action. Also taught was a trash barrier comprising a circumferential solid or fluted flange mounted at the inner edge of the compactor wheel. This was intended to act as a barrier to reduce wire, cable and trash buildup around the compactor axles. Not uncommonly, the circumferential flange received higher wear that the nearby cleats and needed replacement long before the cleats needed replacement. The foregoing structures are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,799 issued Nov. 18, 1997 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,507 issued Jun. 23, 1998. 
   Common to both the &#39;799 and &#39;507 patents is that the cleats welded to the wheel drums were all of the same configuration, basically traction affording cleats. Thus, reducing the number of cleats available for trash compaction purposes proportionately reduced the cleats available for traction purposes. The tradeoff for attacking the trash entrainment problem on the wheel axles, as taught by the prior art, was to diminish the traction efficiency of the entire compactor vehicle. The compactor therefore was required to make many more passes over the landfill materials to achieve the intended compaction density. Consequently, higher fuel and operational wear costs were an undesirable result of leaving cleat free zones or a large offset of a cleat row on the compactor wheels. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND OBJECTS 
   In summary the invention resides in a compactor wheel with trash exclusion properties. The wheel is constructed for mounting on an axle of a compaction vehicle and includes an outer cylindrical rotatable drum having an inner peripheral edge adapted to be disposed adjacent to the compaction vehicle with the outer peripheral edge disposed away from the compaction vehicle. A plurality of upstanding compaction cleats are circumferentially spaced across the face of said drum and rigidly mounted thereto. The cleats are of two types, a contour cleat with a base generally elongated in the rolling direction and with a trapezoidal profile in the axial direction. The second type of compaction cleat is generally a wedge shaped form with the broad wedge faces disposed in the rolling direction so as to transmit traction forces into the landfill. A continuous row of cleats of the first type is rigidly fixed adjacent to the inner peripheral edge of the drum. And, rows of cleats of both the first and second types are disposed on the drum outwardly of the first mention row of cleats. From the inner peripheral edge to the outer peripheral edge there is no cleat free zone. 
   An object of the invention is to provide a compactor wheel with trash exclusion properties that serves to apply high crushing, grinding and compaction forces to a sanitary landfill without minimizing the number of compaction cleats mounted upon the wheel. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide an efficient and effective trash compactor wheel that maintains the customary application of forces needed for maximum compaction while minimizing, if not entirely eliminating, the attraction of wire, cable, rope and the like trash into the compactor wheel axle areas. 
   Yet another object of the invention is to provide on a compactor wheel a variety of patterns of compaction cleats in two types arranged on a wheel drum that do not invite snagging of cable, wire or the like materials and is so constructed to afford relatively uniform wear of the entire set of cleats to enable replacement of a complete set of worn cleats all at the same time without the need for interim rebuilding of fabricate wire barriers of the prior art. 
   Still another object of the invention is to provide a compactor wheel that enables efficient operation of the compactor vehicle with concomitant savings of fuel and vehicle operational wear and maintenance, materially reducing the need for trash removal about the vehicle&#39;s axles, a safety hazard that can be eliminated. 
   Additional objects and features of the invention will be readily understood and appear below in the drawings and description of the preferred embodiments of my invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a compactor wheel made in accordance with the principles of the present invention, the view prominently showing the inner disposed side of the wheel, the side adjacent the associated tractor vehicle wherein the inner row of cleats are disposed closely adjacent the wheel rim edge; 
       FIG. 2  is an elevation view of the wheel of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view like  FIG. 1  but showing another embodiment of the invention with the inner row of cleats set back a minor distance, less than the width of an individual cleat, from the wheel rim edge; 
       FIG. 4  is an elevation view of the wheel of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view like  FIGS. 1 and 3  but showing yet another embodiment of the invention with the inner row of cleats disposed “heel to toe” in a continuous row along the wheel circumferential edge; 
       FIG. 6  is an elevation view of the wheel of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view like  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  5  but showing still another embodiment of the invention with the inner row of cleats disposed set back a minor distance from the wheel rim edge; 
       FIG. 8  is an elevation view of the wheel of  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a plan view from above of a contour cleat; 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  are exploded perspective views of the contour cleat of  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 12  is a plan view from above of a traction cleat; 
       FIGS. 13 and 14  are exploded perspective views of the traction cleat of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIGS. 15 and 16  are “unrolled” views of cleat rows showing two of several possible cleat patterns embraced by the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED FORMS OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the drawings  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a first preferred embodiment, compactor wheel  10 , that carries out the principles of the present invention. The wheel  10  is adapted to be operatively mounted on an axle of a compactor vehicle (not shown) it being understood that each of the four axles of the vehicle is equipped with one such wheel or the like. To effect mounting of the wheel  10  upon the vehicle axle a mounting ring  11  is provided with a plurality of holes  12  for receiving the wheel mounting studs of the associated vehicle axle (not shown) to be secured thereto with lug nuts (not shown) in the customary manner. The perspective view of  FIG. 1  shows most prominently the inner face of the wheel, the face or side disposed closest to the compactor vehicle when the wheel  10  is mounted on the vehicle axle. 
   The wheel  10  further includes an outer drum  13 , an inner drum  14  to which the mounting ring  11  is attached. A conically formed web member  16  rigidly secures the inner drum  14  to the outer drum  13 . Radially extending stiffening ribs  17  are fixed upon the web member  16  at circumferentially spaced intervals so as to render the wheel  10  a rugged structure operable over a long effective service life. The inner peripheral edge  18  of the outer drum  13  is shown in  FIGS. 1–2  and is the circumferential element disposed closest to the compactor vehicle when the wheel  10  is operatively mounted. 
   Compaction cleats having two distinctive configurations  21 – 22  extend radially outwardly from the outer drum  13  and serve the highly desirable functions of crushing, grinding and kneading the refuse and the like into the landfill mass. Cleats of these configurations are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,682,262 granted Jan. 27, 2004 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,566 granted Apr. 29, 1990, both assigned to Caron Compactor Company, Inc. of Escalon, Calif. and both are incorporated herein by reference and are hereby made a part of this disclosure. 
   More specifically, as shown in  FIG. 2  the cleats  21 – 22  are rigidly mounted on the drum  13  in a plurality of circumferentially extending rows, the rows being transversely spaced across the face of the drum and are arranged in a generally staggered, non-aligned pattern so as to provide space between the rows for passage of debris during the compaction operations. Except for the inner row of cleats  23  those in rows  24 – 27  may be all of the same type, either contour or traction, or mixed as alternately traction and contour as the application dictates. Cleats  21  have been characterized and described in the &#39;262 and &#39;566 patents and in other literature as “contour cleats” having a shape suggestive of an US Army “overseas cap” namely: elongated in one direction and with tapered ends and being trapezoidal in profile. Here the cleats  21  are secured on the drum with the long dimension extending in the direction of drum or wheel rotation as clearly shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . A circumferential row  23  of cleats  21  is mounted adjacent to the inner edge  18  of the drum  13  so that there is no substantial cleat free zone between the inner cleat row  23  and the inner edge  18 . In the prior art the cleat free zone at the inner edge of the wheel was believed to be very important in reducing debris entrainment about the vehicle&#39;s axles. The subject cleats  23 , shown in detail clearly in  FIGS. 9–11 , are arranged as disclosed in the drawings to create the trash exclusion properties for the wheel  10  while achieving high compaction forces attributable to the larger number of cleats mounted on the wheel  10  than in the prior art referred to above. As clearly illustrated in  FIGS. 9–11 , the contour cleats  21  are elongated in plan and taper at each end. In side elevation, as indicated in  FIGS. 10–11 , the cleats  21  are generally trapezoidal and each has fore and aft compaction faces  15  which extend downwardly from the top face  29  to the base or adapter  19 . The construction of the adapter or base  19  which is welded to the outer drum  13  and the components that enable its coupling to the wear cap  20  are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,682,262, granted Jan. 27, 2004 and as shown herein are self evident in function and arrangement and are not further described. The traction cleats  22  are shown in detail in  FIGS. 12–14  and each includes a generally wedge shaped wear cap  31  coupled to a rectangular base  32  which itself is welded to the outer drum  13 . The traction cleat  22  at its wear cap  31  presents broad compaction faces  33  on either side of the wedge shaped cleat. A blunt end or land  34  supplies enormous crushing action to the ground as the wheel  10  rotates. The components that enable the connection between the wedge shaped wear cap  31  and the rectangular base  32  are apparent in  FIGS. 13 and 14  and are also well described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,682,262 granted Jan. 27, 2004 and will not be further described herein. As evident from  FIGS. 1–8 , the contour cleats  21  are mounted on the outer drum  13  with their tapered ends pointing in the direction of roll. The traction cleats  22  are mounted on the outer drum  13  with their broad wedge faces disposed axially of the compactor wheel and facing the direction of roll thereby enabling tractive forces to be applied from the wheel to the landfill mass. 
   Five cleat rows  23 – 27  are transversely spaced across the drum  12  substantially from the inner edge  18  to the outer edge  28  leaving no substantial space adjacent the inner wheel edge without a cleat  21 . 
   It has been found desirable to arrange the traction cleats  22  in rows  24 ,  25  and  27 , all outwardly of the inner row  23 , so as to achieve the aggressive action forces on the landfill materials. A second row  26  of contour cleats  21  may be disposed among the rows of traction cleats  22  as shown in  FIG. 2 . Thus the wheel  10  has several circumferential rows of cleats of first and second types transversely spaced across the drum  13  substantially from edge  18  to edge  28  in a configuration found to exclude trash entrainment about the compactor vehicle&#39;s axles. 
   Referring to the drawings  FIGS. 3 and 4 , there is shown a second preferred embodiment, the compactor wheel  30 , that carries out the principles of the present invention. For the reason that similar elements from the embodiment of  FIGS. 1–2  and  9 – 13  exist in this embodiment the designator numerals will be carried over except where a different function is referred to. Thus, designator numerals  11 – 14 ,  16 – 17 ,  21 – 28  as well as those used in  FIGS. 9–13  refer to the elements and functions described above and will not be described further. 
   A visual comparison of  FIG. 4  with  FIG. 2  reveals that generally the entire set of cleats in rows  23 – 27  are shifted towards the outer circumferential rim or edge  28  a minor distance less than the width of the traction cleat  22 . After a period of testing on landfill materials this pattern was found to effectively exclude trash buildup in the region of the compactor&#39;s axles. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , there is illustrated a third preferred embodiment of the invention, the compactor wheel  40 . Like elements from the embodiments of  FIGS. 1–4  and  9 – 13  exist in this embodiment and for that reason the designator numerals will be carried over as mentioned in paragraph [0032] above. A prime (′) to the designator numeral is shown to emphasize a noteworthy distinction. 
   A visual comparison of  FIGS. 5 and 6  with  FIGS. 1 and 2  reveals that the inner row  23 ′ of contour cleats  21  is fixed to the outer drum  13  closely adjacent to the inner circumferential wheel edge  18 . The cleats are welded to the drum in a “heel-to-toe” cleat to cleat relationship so much so that the cleat ends virtually touch, as shown clearly in  FIG. 5 . This pattern has been tested and found to effectively exclude trash buildup in the region of the compactor&#39;s axles. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , there is shown a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention, the compactor wheel  50 . Like elements from previously mention embodiments being again used the designator numerals are carried over as mentioned in paragraph [0032] above. A double prime {″} to the designator numeral is shown to emphasize a noteworthy distinction. 
   A visual comparison of  FIGS. 7 and 8  with  FIGS. 5 and 6  reveals that the inner circumferential row of cleats  23 ″ is welded to the drum  13  adjacent to the inner drum edge  18  such that a short offset is present between the row of contour cleats and the drum edge  18 . The offset is less than the width of a traction cleat  22  as is apparent. As in  FIG. 5 , the contour cleats  21  in row  23 ″ of  FIGS. 7 and 8  are arranged in “heel-to-toe” continuously around the entire outer drum  13 . This pattern has been field tested and found to effectively exclude trash buildup in the region of the compactor&#39;s axles with substantial savings of operator maintenance effort and with a corresponding savings of operator risk from having to manually remove trash buildup as in the past. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 15 and 16 , shown there are two “unrolled” views or flat patterns of cleat rows showing two of several possible cleat patterns embraced by the present invention. The inner row  23 ″ of contour cleats  21  as illustrated in  FIG. 15  is positioned on the drum  13  as depicted in  FIG. 8 , “heel-to-toe”. The cleat rows outward of row  23 ″ are each of alternating traction  22  and contour cleats  21 . 
   The inner row  23  of contour cleats  21  shown in  FIG. 16  is positioned on the drum  13  as illustrated in  FIG. 4  with space between consecutive cleats in the inner row and with an offset as described above. The cleats in rows arranged outward of row  23  are in the alternating pattern of traction cleat  22  followed by a contour cleat  21 . 
   While several configurations of compactor wheels with contour cleats and traction cleats have been disclosed for effectively excluding trash buildup, I do not intend to the practice of the invention to the particular configurations shown herein, but on the contrary it is intended to cover the various alternatives, modifications and equivalent configurations as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.