Joint for rotary cutterbar

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10412883-B2
Application number	US-201715402460-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2017
Priority date	Mar 4, 2016
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

A modular cutterbar assembly capable of moving in a direction of travel may include a first module forming a first surface, a second surface, a front edge, and a rear edge. The assembly may also include a second module coupled to the first module such that the second module forms a first surface, a second surface, a front edge, and a rear edge. A joint is defined between first and second module and defining a joint plane. A first coupler is defined through the joint of the first and second modules at each respective front edge and defining a first coupler axis, and a second coupler is defined through the joint of the first and second modules at each respective rear edge and defining a second coupler axis. The joint plane is angled relative to the direction of travel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A modular cutterbar assembly configured to move in a direction of travel along an underlying surface, comprising:
a first module forming a first surface, a second surface, a front edge, and a rear edge;
a second module coupled to the first module, the second module forming a first surface, a second surface, a front edge, and a rear edge;
a cutterbar axis defined through the first module and the second module, the cutterbar axis being substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel,
a joint defined between first and second module and defining a joint plane;
a first coupler defined through the joint of the first and second modules at each respective front edge and defining a first coupler axis; and
a second coupler defined through the joint of the first and second modules at each respective rear edge and defining a second coupler axis;
wherein, the joint plane is angled relative to the cutterbar axis;
further wherein, the first coupler axis and the second coupler axis do not intersect the second surface of either the first module or the second module.

2. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second couplers are positioned between a first plane defined along the first surfaces and a second plane defined along the second surfaces.

3. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second coupler axes are perpendicular to the joint plane.

4. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the joint plane is not perpendicular to the cutterbar axis in the force-aft direction.

5. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second couplers each define a head portion, a shoulder portion, and a threaded portion;
wherein the threaded section of the first coupler is defined in the first module and the threaded section of the second coupler is defined in the second module.

6. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second couplers are shoulder bolts that couple the first module to the second module, the shoulder bolt of the second coupler being disposed substantially 180 degrees opposite of the shoulder bolt of the first coupler.

7. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first coupler axis passes between fifteen and thirty-five millimeters from an outer radius of a pinion gear.

8. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the joint plane is not perpendicular to either first surface.

9. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first internal cavity defined in the first module and a second internal cavity defined in the second module;
a drive transfer mechanism disposed within each of the first and second internal cavities;
a drive hub assembly mechanically coupled to the drive transfer mechanism and extending out of each internal cavity; and
a cutting disk coupled to the drive hub of each of the first and second modules.

10. A modular cutterbar assembly configured to move in a direction of travel, comprising:
a plurality of modules coupled to one another along a cutterbar axis, the plurality of modules including a first end cap disposed at one end of the plurality of modules and a second end cap disposed at an opposite end thereof;
a first module of the plurality of modules forming a first surface, a second surface, a front edge, and a rear edge;
a second module of the plurality of modules being coupled to the first module, the second module forming a first surface, a second surface, a front edge, and a rear edge;
a joint defined between first and second module and defining a joint plane;
a first coupler mount defined along the front edge of the first and second module at the joint; and
a second coupler mount defined along the rear edge of the first and second module at the joint;
wherein, the joint plane is not perpendicular to the cutterbar axis in the fore-aft direction;
further wherein, the first coupler mount is oriented to receive a first coupler in a first direction and the second coupler mount is oriented to receive a second coupler in a second direction, the second direction being substantially opposite the first direction.

11. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 10 , further comprising:
a first coupler axis defined through the joint of the first and second modules by the first coupler mount; and
a second coupler axis defined through the joint of the first and second modules by the second coupler mount.

12. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first and second coupler axes are defined between a first plane defined along the first surfaces and a second plane defined along the second surfaces.

13. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first and second coupler axes are perpendicular to the joint plane.

14. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first and second couplers each define a head portion, a shoulder portion, and a threaded portion;
wherein the threaded section of the first coupler is defined in the first module and the threaded section of the second coupler is defined in the second module.

15. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first and second coupler mounts are configured to receive a shoulder bolt therein to couple the first module to the second module, the shoulder bolt of the second coupler being disposed substantially 180 degrees opposite of the shoulder bolt of the first coupler.

16. A work machine, comprising:
a chassis;
at least one ground engaging mechanism coupled to the chassis and adapted to propel the machine in a direction of travel;
a prime mover coupled to the chassis and adapted to power the at least one ground engaging mechanism;
a cutterbar assembly coupled to the chassis for performing a work function, the cutterbar assembly comprising:
a plurality of modules coupled to one another along a cutterbar axis, the plurality of modules including a first end cap disposed at one end of the plurality of modules and a second end cap disposed at an opposite end thereof;
a first module of the plurality of modules forming a first surface, a second surface, a front edge, and a rear edge;
a second module of the plurality of modules being coupled to the first module, the second module forming a first surface, a second surface, a front edge, and a rear edge; and
a joint defined between first and second module and defining a joint plane;
a first coupler mount defining a first coupler axis;
a second coupler mount defining a second coupler axis;
a third coupler mount defining a third coupler axis;

wherein, the joint plane is not perpendicular to the cutterbar axis in the fore-aft direction;
further wherein, the first and second coupler axes are defined along a coupler plane and the third coupler axis is offset from the coupler plane.

17. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 16 , further comprising:
a first coupler defined through the joint of the first and second modules at each respective front edge along the first coupler axis;
a second coupler defined through the joint of the first and second modules at each respective rear edge along the second coupler axis; and
a third coupler defined through the joint of the first and second modules along the third coupler axis.

18. The modular cutterbar assembly of claim 17 , wherein the first and second couplers are positioned between a first plane defined along the first surfaces and a second plane defined along the second surfaces.

19. The modular cutterbar assembly of

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Stephenson Roger
• Aeschliman Todd
• Nichols Thomas

Classifications

• A01D34/665 Primary

  modular · CPC title

• A01D34/76

  Driving mechanisms for the cutters · CPC title

• A01D2101/00

  Lawn-mowers · CPC title

• A01D34/664 Primary

  Disc cutter bars · CPC title