Patent Publication Number: US-2007095431-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for a cutting tooth

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to rotating brush grinding equipment and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to methods and an apparatus for registering a tooth element onto an engagement plate, such that the tooth element registers in an attack position.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      In the areas of brush clearing and brush reducing, it is often desirable to engage a brush, shred the brush, and discharge the shredded brush onto the ground directly beneath an engagement portion of a brush-reducing device. The ability to discharge the shredded portions onto the ground essentially eliminates the necessity to remove the cleared brush from the work site, as well as any disposal costs normally associated with removal of the brush.  
      On a current design of a brush-reducing device, a drum including holder supports is rotated, and raised to engage the brush. Each holder support engages and restrains a single tooth holder housing cutting teeth. The tooth holders each include two legs, and each leg includes a restraint aperture. On assembly, the legs straddle the holder supports upon alignment of the apertures in the legs with an aperture in the holder support. A fastener is then passed through the aligned apertures to restrain the tooth holder in a rotatable position. The fastener is then secured with a nut to restrain the tooth holder in the rotatable position.  
      While the design of the holder support does include a stop for the rotating tooth at an attack position, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that rotation of loose fitting components may be problematic, as high-speed machinery can produce significant inertial forces, and subsequent increased impact loading. The brush-reducing devices routinely impact hidden objects, including discarded railroad rails, pipes, and fencing, thereby providing varying loads and impact forces on the brush-reducing device.  
      Rotation of the tooth holder may be eliminated by tightening the fastener and nut to compress the legs of the tooth holder against the holder support. However, the compressing of cast iron legs more than a slight distance is not a routine operation, and therefore, requires excessive torques, at least two operators, and a leverage pipe. One of ordinary skill in the art will further recognize that operators in a brush reducing crew work in remote sites, and are often alone. Should one operator be required to change a tooth holder immediately, at least two operators are forced to address the problem.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with the present invention, a brush reducing system includes a power source and a brush reducing device. The power source may include hydraulic power system, a mechanical power takeoff, or the like, and may be coupled to the brush reducing device. The power source may further include a means for raising and lowering the brush reducing device, and a means for adjusting the angle of the brush reducing device.  
      The brush reducing system includes a hydraulically powered or mechanically driven rotating drum assembly that contains at least one engagement plate disposed on an outer periphery of a rotating drum. The engagement plate is permanently affixed to the rotating drum, and includes a cutout bounded by a radial engagement face and a horizontal engagement face. The radial engagement face is substantially perpendicular to the horizontal engagement face, such that they engage and support a tooth element. The engagement plate further includes a restraint aperture.  
      The tooth element includes a body having a first engagement face, a second engagement face, a first leg, a second leg, and protrusions representing teeth. The first and second engagement faces are substantially perpendicular to each other, and are complementary to the relationship between the radial engagement face and the horizontal engagement face of the engagement plate. The first leg and the second leg each include a restraint aperture complementary in size and location to the restraint aperture of the engagement plate.  
      Further described is a method for installing the tooth element including the first engagement face and the second engagement face, wherein the first engagement face interfaces with the radial engagement face of the engagement plate, and the second engagement face interfaces with the horizontal engagement face of the engagement plate. Upon correct registration, the restraint apertures of the legs and the engagement plate align, and a restraint pin may be inserted into the aligned restraint apertures, thereby restraining the tooth element in an attack position. A method for utilizing the brush reducing system is further disclosed.  
      It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a brush reducing system including a brush reducing device utilizing tooth element being registered by a first engagement face and a second engagement face.  
      It is a further object of the present invention to provide a brush reducing device utilizing a tooth element that is registered and supported with a first engagement face and a second engagement face.  
      It is still further an object of the present invention to provide a tooth element including a first engagement face and a second engagement face for registration with an engagement plate.  
      Still other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the following. Also, it should be understood that the scope of this invention is intended to be broad, and any combination of any subset of the features, elements, or steps described herein is part of the intended scope of the invention.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1   a  provides an isometric view of a brush reducing system according to a first embodiment.  
       FIG. 1   b  provides an isometric view of a brush reducing device according to the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 1   c  provides an isometric view of a drum assembly according to the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 2  provides a side view of an engagement plate according to the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 3   a  provides a side view of a tooth element according to the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 3   b  provides a front view of the tooth element according to the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 3   c  provides a section view of the tooth element according to the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 4  provides a flowchart illustrating a method for installing a tooth holder element onto an engagement plate according to the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 5   a  provides an isometric view of the tooth element installed and restrained in an attack position according to the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 5   b  provides a frontal view of the tooth element in the registered position according to the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 5   c  provides section view of a tooth element installed onto an engagement plate in an attack position according to the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 6  provides a flowchart illustrating the method steps for utilizing the brush reducing system according to the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 7   a  provides a side view of a tooth element including a channel according to a second embodiment.  
       FIG. 7   b  provides a side view of a tooth element with teeth disposed within the channel according to the second embodiment.  
       FIG. 7   c  provides an isometric view of a tooth according to the second embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is further to be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components or steps.  
      A brush reducing system  100  includes a power source  105 , and a brush reducing device  102 . In this embodiment, the power source  105  is mobile, such that the brush reducing device  102  may be transported to an area having brush. The power source  105  may be any form of service vehicle including, tractors, bulldozers, and the like, that is capable of articulating the brush reducing device  102  on an articulating framework. Typically, a brush reducing device  102  is mounted to a tractor designed for the forestry industry, wherein the tractor includes a vertical articulation, and a rotation articulation. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that most mobile power sources  105  include a power take off or a hydraulic power system to power connectable devices. In this embodiment, the power source  105  is a tractor having a hydraulic power system  114 , a vertical articulation framework  107 , and attack angle articulation arms  106 . The vertical articulation framework  107  may be any form of mechanical extension suitable for raising and lowering components, and includes a first end  112  connectable to the hydraulic power system  114 , and a second end  113  having lower connection points  117  suitable for attachment to tools, including the brush reducing device  102 . In this embodiment, the vertical articulation framework  107  is constructed from steel for high loading capability.  
      The attack angle articulating arms  106  include a first end  123  connectable to the hydraulic power system  114 , and a second end  124  including upper connection points  118 . The second ends  113  may be connected to a device through the use of hinge pins, bolts, shafts, and the like, such that the connected device rotates about the lower connection points  117 . The attack angle articulation arms  106  may extend and retract due to hydraulic power, thereby rotating a connected device about the lower connection points  117  at the second ends  113  of the vertical articulation framework  107 .  
      The brush reducing device  102  includes a frame assembly  171  and a drum assembly  110 . The frame assembly  171  includes a several horizontal members, an upper support  177 , a first endplate  173 , and a second endplate  174 . The horizontal members are parallel to each other, and are disposed between the first endplate  173  and the second endplate  174 . The endplates  173  and  174  are planar in shape, and of a same shape and thickness. The endplates  173  and  174  are further aligned with each other. The first end plate  173  includes a first shaft aperture  192  and a second shaft aperture  193 . The second end plate  174  includes at least one shaft aperture  195  that lies in alignment with the first shaft aperture  192  of the first end plate  173 . The horizontal members and the end plates  173  and  174  may be constructed from steel for increased strength. The frame assembly  171  may be a welded structure, such that the frame assembly  171  has a uniform strength. The upper support  177  includes a pair of upper attachment points  178  for connection to control components. The upper support  177 , likewise, is constructed from a steel, and is welded to the horizontal members of the frame assembly  171 . The frame assembly  171  further includes lower attachment points  176  for connection to control components.  
      The brush reducing device  102  may further include a driver  180  coupled to the first end plate  173 . In this embodiment, the driver  180  is a hydraulic motor that includes a shaft  189  that passes through the second aperture  193  of the first end plate  173  to engage a drive pulley  181 . The drive pulley  181  includes a belt groove  201 , and an aperture  198  complementary to an outer diameter of the motor shaft  189 , such that the pulley  181  rotates with the shaft  189  when the driver  180  is powered. The drum assembly  110  includes a drum  111  disposed about a shaft  131 . The drum assembly  110  is disposed between the endplates  173  and  174 , such that the shaft  131  extends through the first shaft aperture  192  of the first end plate  173 , and the shaft aperture  195  of the second end plate  174 . The brush reducing device  102  further includes a driven pulley  182  including a shaft aperture  199  and a belt groove  202 . The shaft aperture  199  of the driven pulley  182  is of a size complementary to an outer diameter of the shaft  131 . The shaft aperture  199  of the driven pulley  182  is secured onto the shaft  131  of the drum assembly  110 , such that the driven pulley  182  rotates with the shaft  131 . The brush reducing device  102  further includes a belt  186  that fits into the grooves  201  and  202  of the pulleys  181  and  182 , such that the pulleys  181  and  182  rotate together.  
      The brush reducing device  102  further includes a shroud  175  disposed onto a top side  187  and a rear portion  188  of the brush reducing device  102  to close out the engagement area. In this first embodiment, the brush reducing device  102  includes a hydraulic supply hose  183  and a return hose  184  for coupling to the power source  105 .  
      The drum assembly  110  includes the cylindrically shaped drum  111  and the shaft  131 . The drum assembly  110  further includes at least one engagement plate  115  disposed on an outer periphery  128  of the drum  111 . The at least one engagement plate  115  is permanently affixed to the drum  111  using any suitable means, including welding, mechanical fasteners, and the like. The engagement plates  115  include a planar body  116 , a fixed end  145 , a radial end  146 , a cutout  147 , a leading end  142 , and a trailing end  143 . The fixed end  145  is the end that is attached to the outer periphery  128  of the drum  111 , and includes a portion complementary in shape to the curved outer periphery  128 . The radial end  146  of the engagement plate  115  stands furthest away from the outer periphery  128  of the drum  111  when the engagement plate  115  is attached to the drum  111 . The cutout  147  is bounded by a horizontal engagement face  141  and a radial engagement face  140 . The leading end  142  is nearest the open end of the cutout  147 , and the engagement plate  115  is oriented such that the leading end  142  points toward a direction of rotation of the drum assembly  110 . The trailing end  143  lies opposite of the leading end  142 , and therefore, follows the leading end  142  during rotation of the drum assembly  110  during use.  
      The engagement plate  115  includes a restraint aperture  144  that is disposed perpendicular to the planar body  116 , and at a prescribed distance from the horizontal engagement face  141 . Illustratively, a center of the restraint aperture  144  is approximately two inches from the fixed end  141 . The horizontal engagement face  141  passes through a plane perpendicular to the planar body  116 , and is located at a prescribed distance from the center of the restraint aperture  144 . In this embodiment, the horizontal engagement face  141  is approximately one and a quarter inches from the center of the restraint aperture  144 . The radial engagement face  140  is disposed substantially perpendicular to the horizontal engagement face  141 , and at a prescribed distance from the center of the restraint aperture  144 . In this embodiment, the radial engagement face  140  is approximately an inch and a half from the center of the restraint aperture  144 . The engagement plates  115  are then positioned onto the outer periphery  128  of the drum  111  with the planar body  116  lying perpendicular to the drum  111 , and the leading end  142  pointing in the rotation direction. Multiple engagement plates  115  may then be fabricated to the same design, and affixed to the drum  111 , thereby fully outfitting the drum  111 . The at least one engagement plate  115  may be constructed from any material suitable to withstand high loading during operation, and the hostile environment experienced by all outdoor equipment. Illustratively, the drum  111  and any engagement plates  115  may be constructed from steels, or other high strength material. The drum  111  and the at least one engagement plate  115  may be treated to minimize corrosion.  
      The drum assembly  110  further includes a tooth element  121  disposed on each respective engagement plate  115 . The tooth element  121  includes a body  150 , a first leg  151 , a second leg  152 , a first engagement face  155 , and a second engagement face  156 . The body  150  is of a rectangular shape and of a width greater than the width of the engagement plates  115 . The first leg  151  is of a disk shape, and includes a first restraint aperture  153 , substantially central to the disk shape of the first leg  151 . The diameter of the disk is sized such that a first engagement face  155  is tangentially aligned with diameter of the disk. The second leg  152  is symmetrical to the first leg  151 , and includes a second restraint aperture  154 . The second leg  152  is disposed at a prescribed distance from the first leg  151 , such that a cavity  157  is created between the first leg  151  and the second leg  152 . The cavity  157  is slightly wider than the engagement plate  115 , such that the engagement plate  115  fits between the first leg  151  and the second leg  152 . The cavity  157  is further centrally located to the body  150 , such that the tooth element  121  is substantially symmetrical through a midplane, as shown in  FIG. 3   b.    
      The first engagement face  155  is disposed on a trailing edge of the body  150 , such that the body  150  may be supported at the first engagement face  155 . The second engagement face  156  is disposed in the cavity  157 , and is substantially perpendicular to the first engagement face  155 . The tooth element  121  may further include a relief  158 . The relief  158  may be any form of relief, including a chamfer, groove, step, or the like, such that the first engagement face  155  and the second engagement face  156  are not required to meet within a tight tolerance window. The body  150  further includes protrusions  125  representative of teeth. The body  150  is of a thickness slightly larger than the width of an engagement plate  115 .  
      The drum assembly  110  may further include a restraint pin  108  and a restraint lock  109 . The restraint pin  108  may be any form of restraint device that can withstand the high loads associated with the operation of the brush reducing device  102 . The restraint lock  109  may be any form of locking device that may be utilized to hold an object in place, including wire restraints, nuts for threaded pins, or spring pins. In this embodiment, the restraint pin  108  is a pin including a head  211  and a lock aperture  210 . The restraint lock  109  is a complementary cotter pin. The restraint pin  108  and the restraint lock  109  are utilized to hold the tooth element  121  onto the engagement plate  115  in an attack position.  
      On assembly of the brush reducing device  102 , the engagement plates  115  are secured onto the outer periphery  128  of the drum assembly  110 . The tooth element  121  may then be placed onto the engagement plate  115  such that the horizontal engagement face  141  of the engagement plate  115  enters the cavity  157 , and the protrusion  125  is facing toward the leading edge  142  of the engagement plate  115 . After straddling, the first engagement face  155  of the tooth element  121  is mated to the radial engagement face  140  of the engagement plate  115 . Once mated, the tooth element  121  may be moved downward along the radial engagement face  140  until the second engagement face  156  of the tooth element  121  contacts the horizontal engagement face  141  of the engagement plate  115 . Once the first and second engagement faces  155  and  156  are properly registered, the first and second restraint apertures  153  and  154  are aligned with the restraint aperture  144  of the engagement plate  115 , and the restraint pin  108  may then be inserted through the first restraint aperture  153  of the first leg  151 , the restraint aperture  144  of the engagement plate  115 , and the second restraint aperture  154  of the second leg  152  to secure the tooth element  121  in the attack position. Once inserted, the restraint lock  109  may be installed to prevent the possibility of components becoming free during operation.  
      The mating of the first engagement face  155  with the radial engagement face  140 , and the second engagement face  156  with the horizontal engagement face  141  of the engagement plate  115  provides two substantially perpendicular points of engagement, and further locates the restraint apertures  153 ,  154 , and  144 . After insertion of the restraint pin  108 , the tooth element  121  is supported at two different points, and is held in place by the restraint pin  108 , and therefore, is unable to rotate about the restraint pin  108 . Use of the self-locating tooth element  121  thereby eliminates the need to compress the legs  151  and  152  to contact the engagement plate  115 , as the tooth element  121  is properly located in a ready-for-use position when the first and second engagement faces  155  and  156  are properly mated.  
      As shown in the method flowchart of  FIG. 4 , the process of installing a tooth element  121  onto an engagement plate  115  commences with step  10 , wherein the tooth element  121  is lowered to the engagement plate  115 , such that the first and second legs  151  and  152  straddle the horizontal engagement face  141 . The process continues with the mating of the first engagement face  155  of the tooth element  121  to the radial engagement face  140  of the engagement plate  115 , step  12 . Step  14  provides mating the second engagement face  156  of the tooth element  121  to the horizontal engagement face  141  of the engagement plate  115 . Once both engagement faces  155  and  156  are registered onto the engagement faces of the engagement plate  115 , the restraint apertures  153  and  154  are aligned with the restraint aperture  144 . The restraint pin  108  may then be inserted into through the restraint apertures  153 ,  144 , and  154 , such that the tooth element  121  is restrained in the attack position, as shown in step  16 . While this embodiment has been shown with the steps of mating a first engagement face  155  and a second engagement face  156 , one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various alternatives may exist for accomplishing the mating of a first face and a second face. Illustratively, a first face may be mated to a prescribed contact face, and a second point of registration may contact a second prescribed contact face, thereby creating two suitable points of registration.  
      Once at least one tooth element  121  has been installed onto the at least one engagement plate  115 , the brush reducing device  102  is ready for connection to a power source. As shown in  FIG. 6 , a method of using the brush reducing system  100  commences with step  20 , wherein the power source  105  is connected to the brush reducing device  102  by attaching the lower connection points  117  of the vertical articulation framework  107  to the lower attachment points  176  of the brush reducing device  102 . Next, the upper connection points  118  of the attack angle articulation arms  106  are connected to the upper attachment points  178  of the brush reducing device  102 . The hydraulic supply hose  183  must also be connected to the hydraulic output hose  166 , and the hydraulic return hose  184  must be connected to the hydraulic input hose  167 . Once connected, an operator may direct the power source  105  to raise the vertical articulation framework  107 , thereby raising the brush reducing device  102  off of the ground, step  22 . Once raised, the operator may direct the power source  105  to extend or retract the attack angle articulation arms  106 , thereby forcing the brush reducing device  102  to rotate about the lower connection points  117 , as shown in step  24 . The operator may then transport the brush reducing device  102  to a brush reduction location, step  26 . Upon arrival at the brush reduction location, the operator may deliver the power from the hydraulic power system  114  to the driver  180 , thereby commencing the rotation of the hydraulic motor output shaft  189  and the drive pulley  181 . The rotation of the drive pulley  181  forces the belt  186  to turn the driven pulley  182 , and the shaft  131  of the drum assembly  110 , step  28 . The rotation of the drum assembly  110  causes the tooth element  121  to move with the drum assembly  110 . The operator may then engage a brush in the path of the rotating tooth element  121  by moving the brush reduction device  102  upwards or downwards, as well as by rotating the attack angle of the brush reducing device  102 , step  30 . Upon completion of the desired brush reduction, the operator may cease the rotation of the drum assembly  110  by ceasing the flow of hydraulic fluid to the driver  180 , step  32 .  
      A second embodiment includes a tooth element  221  that is substantially identical to the tooth element  121 , and accordingly, like parts have been numbered with like numerals. The tooth element  221  may be utilized in the brush reducing device  102  and the brush reducing system  100  in lieu of the tooth element  121 . The tooth element  221  includes a channel  159  housing teeth  225  disposed at a leading end  260  of the tooth element  221 . The channel  159  passes through the body  150  of the tooth element  221  in a direction parallel to the first restraint aperture  153 , and is of a width complementary to a thickness of the teeth  225 . The width of the body  150  is complementary to a width of two teeth  225 .  
      The tooth  225  includes a rectangular body  126  having a first angled face  129  and a second angled face  130 . The angled faces  129  and  130  are disposed at approximately one hundred and twenty degrees apart, and create an angled face leading edge  135 . The tooth  225  further includes a rounded crown  127 . A crown leading edge  136  is created where the angled faces  129  and  130  meet the rounded crown  127 . The angled faces  129  and  130 , and the crown leading edge  136  are the contact points for the tooth  225 . The tooth  225  is disposed within the channel  159 , such that the crown  127  of the tooth  225  extends slightly beyond the leading edge  260  of the tooth element  221 . The teeth  225  are secured in the channel  159  with a silver solder filler. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other means of restraint may be utilized to restrain the teeth  225 , including mechanical restraints. In this embodiment the teeth  225  are constructed from carbide for increased strength.  
      On assembly, a pair of teeth  225  are oriented in the channel  159 , such that the crown  127  protrudes from the tooth element  221 , and the angled face leading edge  135  lies in a position substantially parallel to the first engagement face  155 . Once soldered in place, the teeth  225  are continuously in an attack position, and require no further adjustment. As the teeth  225  are virtually never removed from the tooth element  221 , the installation and removal of the tooth elements  121  and  221  are identical. All other aspects of the brush reducing device  200  are also identical to the brush reducing device  100 , and therefore, will not further be disclosed.  
      Although the present invention has been described in terms of the foregoing preferred embodiment, such description has been for exemplary purposes only and, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, many alternatives, equivalents, and variations of varying degrees will fall within the scope of the present invention. That scope, accordingly, is not to be limited in any respect by the foregoing detailed description; rather, it is defined only by the claims that follow.