Deblocking apparatus for a work machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10344839-B2
Application number	US-201715630525-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2017
Priority date	Jun 22, 2016
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus for actuating a rocking motion of a movable component including an adjustable length actuator, a lever whose angular position is controlled by the actuator, and a force transfer element attached to the movable component. The lever comprises a pair of oppositely placed pawls shaped so as to interact with the force transfer element for respectively actuating movement of the component in one of two opposite directions, when the lever exits a neutral positional range in which range any interaction between both pawls and the force transfer element is prohibited. The neutral range may be defined by a support plate positioned, shaped, and dimensioned so as to prohibit interaction between the pawls and the force transfer element. The displacement of the component in one direction may be larger than in the opposite direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for actuating a rocking motion, the apparatus comprising:
an actuator comprising a movable component;
a lever configured to be subjected by the actuator to an angular displacement in two opposite directions with respect to a neutral positional range;
a force transfer element attached to the movable component, wherein the lever is provided with first and second oppositely placed pawls shaped so as to engage with the force transfer element so that:
both the first and second pawls are prohibited from engaging with the force transfer element when the lever is within the neutral positional range;
the force transfer element and the movable component are displaced in a first direction of the two opposite directions by the first pawl engaging with the force transfer element, when the lever exits the neutral positional range in the first direction; and
the force transfer element and the movable component are displaced in a second of the two opposite directions by the second pawl engaging with the force transfer element, when the lever exits the neutral positional range in the second direction;
wherein a range of the displacement of the movable component in the first direction is different from a range of the displacement of the movable component in the second direction.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the angular displacement of the lever takes place about an axis that is stationary with respect to the lever.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a movable part configured to effectuate a linear motion between two stationary points, and wherein the angular displacement of the lever takes place with respect to a plate connected to the movable part of the actuator while said plate is linearly movable with respect to the movable part of the actuator, and wherein the first and second pawls are attached to the lever at a distal end while the lever is connected at a proximal end to the movable part of the actuator in a manner so as to be able to pivot as well as undergo a translation with respect to a point of the movable part.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the force transfer element comprises a single part provided with gear teeth, and wherein one of the first and second pawls is configured to engage with gear teeth for moving the movable component in one direction, and another of the first and second pawls is configured to engage with the gear teeth for moving the movable component in the opposite direction.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the force transfer element comprises a uniform set of two ratchets, and wherein one of the first and second pawls is configured to engage with one ratchet of the two ratchets for moving the movable component in one direction, and the other of the first and second pawls is configured to engage with the other of the two ratchets for moving the movable component in an opposite direction.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensor for determining whether the lever is within the neutral positional range.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movable component of the actuator is a rotatable component, and wherein the displacement of the movable component is an angular displacement.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein a rocking motion of the rotatable component is actuated with motion in a reverse rotation direction of the rotatable component being larger than the motion in the forward direction.

9. An apparatus for actuating a rocking motion, the apparatus comprising:
an actuator comprising a movable component;
a lever configured to be subjected by the actuator to an angular displacement in two opposite directions with respect to a neutral positional range;
a force transfer element attached to the movable component, wherein the lever is provided with first and second oppositely placed pawls shaped so as to engage with the force transfer element so that:
both the first and second pawls are prohibited from engaging with the force transfer element when the lever is within the neutral positional range;
the force transfer element and the movable component are displaced in a first direction of the two opposite directions by the first pawl engaging with the force transfer element, when the lever exits the neutral positional range in the first direction; and
the force transfer element and the movable component are displaced in a second of the two opposite directions by the second pawl engaging with the force transfer element, when the lever exits the neutral positional range in the second direction;
wherein the first and second pawls are pivotable with respect to the lever, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a support plate that is stationary with respect to the lever and configured so that when the first pawl is not actuating a motion of the force transfer element approaches the plate, the first pawl is forced by the plate to pivot away from the force transfer element so that any interaction between the first and second pawls and the force transfer element is prohibited.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first and second pawls have respective laterally extending rods, wherein the support plate is positioned adjacent to the force transfer element, wherein the support plate comprises a rim portion configured to force the laterally extending rods and the first and second pawls into a position wherein any interaction with the force transfer element is prohibited.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the support plate is mounted between the force transfer element and the first and second pawls, so that when one of the first and second pawls that is not actuating a motion of the force transfer element approaches the plate, that pawl is forced away from the force transfer element by direct contact between that pawl and the plate.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first and second pawls are at opposite ends of a single piece that is pivotable with respect to the lever, and wherein an inverted T-shaped piece is pivotably connected to the lever, the T-shaped piece comprising a vertical leg and horizontal legs, the T-shaped piece being itself pivotably connected at an end of the vertical leg to the actuator, wherein the horizontal legs of the T-shaped piece are connected respectively to the opposite ends of the single piece via a pair of springs, and wherein rotation of the T-shaped piece with respect to the lever is limited by a pair of stops placed on the lever on either side of the T-shaped piece.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a spring attached to the lever for exerting a spring force onto the first and second pawls for maintaining contact between (1) the first and second pawls and (2) the plate or the force transfer element.

14. A combine harvester comprising:
a dynamic feed roll; and
an apparatus mounted on the dynamic feed roll for actuating a rocking motion, the apparatus comprising:
an actuator comprising a movable component;
a lever configured to be subjected by the actuator to an angular displacement in two opposite directions with respect to a neutral positional range;
a force transfer element attached to the movable component, wherein the lever is provided with oppositely placed first and second pawls which are shaped so as to engage with the force transfer element so that:
both pawls are prohibited from engaging with the force transfer element when the lever is within the neutral positional range;
the force transfer element and the movable component are di

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• De Lathauwer Tom A
• Vandendriessche Jean-Pierre

Classifications

• F16H21/44 Primary

  for conveying or interconverting oscillating or reciprocating motions · CPC title

• A01D69/00

  Driving mechanisms or parts thereof for harvesters or mowers (driving mechanisms for the cutters of mowers or harvesters A01D34/00) · CPC title

• A01F12/56 Primary

  Driving mechanisms for the threshing parts · CPC title

• A01D61/008

  for longitudinal conveying, especially for combines · CPC title