Chopper assembly for a harvester with an automatic blade reset mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10010028-B1
Application number	US-201715642546-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 6, 2017
Priority date	Jul 6, 2017
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A chopper assembly for a harvester may include a blade reset assembly having an automatic blade reset mechanism configured to apply a force that urges the assembly to pivot about a pivot axis such a blade element supported by the blade reset assembly is biased towards an extended position. In addition, blade reset assembly may be configured to pivot against the force applied by the blade reset mechanism when the blade element is subjected to a sufficient counterfbrce force such that the blade element is moved towards a retracted position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chopper assembly for a harvester, the chopper assembly comprising:
a rotary chopper element;
a chopper grate assembly spaced apart from the rotary chopper element to form a passageway therebetween for receipt of crop material;
a blade bank including a plurality of blade elements, the blade bank being movable relative to the chopper grate assembly between an extended position at which the plurality of blade elements at least partially extend into the passageway and a retracted position at which the plurality of blade elements are at least partially retracted relative to the passageway;
a bank support member configured to support the blade bank relative to the chopper grate assembly;
a pivot support member non-rotatably coupled to the bank support member;
a blade support body pivotally coupled to the pivot support member at a pivot axis defined between the pivot support member and the blade support member, the blade support body configured to be secured to at least one blade element of the plurality of blade elements of the blade bank; and
a blade reset mechanism coupled to the blade support body at a first mounting location, the blade reset mechanism configured to apply a force against the blade support body that urges the blade support body to pivot about the pivot axis such that the at least one blade element is biased towards the extended position,
wherein the pivot axis defined between the pivot support member and the blade support body is located further away from the chopper grate assembly than the first mounting location.

2. The chopper assembly of claim 1 , wherein the blade reset mechanism is coupled between the blade support body and a fixed support arm, the blade reset mechanism being coupled to the fixed support arm at a second mounting location.

3. The chopper assembly of claim 2 , wherein the fixed support arm extends outwardly relative to the bank support member such that the second mounting location is spaced apart laterally from the pivot axis a greater distance than the first mounting location.

4. The chopper assembly of claim 3 , wherein the second mounting location is located further away from the chopper grate assembly than the first mounting location.

5. The chopper assembly of claim 1 , wherein the blade reset mechanism comprises a spring-loaded mechanism.

6. The chopper assembly of claim 1 , wherein the blade reset mechanism comprises an active-force device.

7. The chopper assembly of claim 1 , wherein the blade support body is configured to pivot relative to the pivot support member against the force applied by the blade reset mechanism when the at least one blade element is subjected to a sufficient counterforce force such that the at least one blade element is moved towards the retracted position.

8. The chopper assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an actuating mechanism configured to move the plurality of blade elements between the extended and retracted positions independent of the operation of the blade reset mechanism.

9. A chopper assembly for a harvester, the chopper assembly comprising:
a rotary chopper element;
a chopper grate assembly spaced apart from the rotary chopper element to form a passageway therebetween for receipt of crop material;
a blade bank including a plurality of blade elements, the blade bank being movable relative to the chopper grate assembly between an extended position at which the plurality of blade elements at least partially extend into the passageway and a retracted position at which the plurality of blade elements are at least partially retracted relative to the passageway;
a bank support member configured to support the blade bank relative to the chopper grate assembly;
a pivot support member non-rotatably coupled to the bank support member;
a blade support body pivotally coupled to the pivot support member at a pivot axis defined between the pivot support member and the blade support member, the blade support body configured to be secured to at least one blade element of the plurality of blade elements of the blade bank; and
a blade reset mechanism coupled directly between the pivot support member and the blade support body, the blade reset mechanism being coupled to the blade support body at a first mounting location and to the pivot support member at a second mounting location, the blade reset mechanism configured to apply a force against the blade support body that urges the blade support body to pivot about the pivot axis such that the at least one blade element is biased towards the extended position.

10. The chopper assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first mounting location is located further away from the chopper grate assembly than the pivot axis defined between the pivot support member and the blade support body.

11. The chopper assembly of claim 9 , wherein the pivot support member extends between a first end positioned adjacent to the chopper grate assembly and a second end spaced apart from the first end, the pivot axis being defined adjacent to the first end of the pivot support member and the second mounting location being defined adjacent to the second end of the pivot support member.

12. The chopper assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first mounting location is located closer to the chopper grate assembly than the second mounting location.

13. The chopper assembly of claim 9 , wherein the pivot support member defines a first stop surface and the blade support body defines a second stop surface, the first and second stop surfaces contacting each other when the at least one blade element is moved to the extended position.

14. The chopper assembly of claim 9 , wherein the blade reset mechanism is coupled between the blade support body and a fixed support arm of the pivot support member, the blade reset mechanism being coupled to the fixed support arm at the second mounting location.

15. The chopper assembly of claim 14 , wherein the fixed support arm extends outwardly relative to the bank support member such that the second mounting location is spaced apart laterally from the pivot point a greater distance that the first mounting location.

16. The chopper assembly of claim 15 , wherein the second mounting location is located further away from the chopper grate assembly than the first mounting location.

17. The chopper assembly of claim 9 , wherein the blade reset mechanism comprises a spring-loaded mechanism.

18. The chopper assembly of claim 9 , wherein the blade reset mechanism comprises an active-force device.

19. The chopper assembly of claim 9 , wherein the blade support body is configured to pivot relative to the pivot support member against the three applied by the blade reset mechanism when the at least one blade element is subjected to a sufficient counterforce force such that the at least one blade element is moved towards the retracted position.

20. The chopper assembly of claim 9 , further comprising an actuating mechanism configured to move the plurality of blade elements between the extended and retracted positions independent of the operation of the blade reset mechanism.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc
• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Dilts Mark D
• Isaac Nathan E
• Linde Cooper Wilhelm

Classifications

• A01F29/095 Primary

  Mounting or adjusting of knives · CPC title

• A01F12/40 Primary

  Arrangements of straw crushers or cutters · CPC title

• A01F29/06

  having rotating knives with their cutting edges on a cylinder surface, e.g. of the helical-type · CPC title

• A01D41/00

  Combines, i.e. harvesters or mowers combined with threshing devices · CPC title

• A01F7/06

  with axles in line with the feeding direction {; Axial threshing machines} · CPC title