Feed conveyor belt and coupler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10458514-B2
Application number	US-201916291040-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2019
Priority date	May 31, 2017
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A belt and coupler arrangement for a conveyor includes an elongate belt having an elongate web with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are thicker than the elongate web; and a coupler having a first elongate recess to receive and enclose the first end, and a second elongate recess to receive and enclose the second end. The belt has a first hole at the first end and a second hole at the second end and the coupler comprises a first pin extending through the first hole and a second pin extending through the second hole when the belt ends are coupled by the coupler.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A belt and coupler arrangement for a feederhouse feed conveyor of an agricultural harvester, the arrangement comprising:
an elongate belt having an elongate web with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are thicker than the elongate web; and
a coupler comprising:
a first elongate recess to receive and enclose the first end, wherein the first elongate recess has a first elongate gap defined by first and second lips that are opposed;
a second elongate recess to receive and enclose the second end, wherein the second elongate recess has a second elongate gap defined by third and fourth lips that are opposed, the second elongate gap being separate from the first elongate gap;
a first plate having the first and third lips;
a second plate having the second and fourth lips;
a first pin positioned in the first elongate gap for maintaining the first end of the elongate belt in the first elongate gap; and
a second pin positioned in the second elongate gap for maintaining the second end of the elongate belt in the second elongate gap.

2. The belt and coupler arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first end defines a first upper lobe that extends upward above the web and a first lower lobe that extends downward below the web.

3. The belt and coupler arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the second end defines a second upper lobe that extends upward above the web and a second lower lobe that extends downward below the web.

4. The belt and coupler arrangement of claim 3 , wherein the first upper lobe and the second upper lobe are disposed in a first central recess, and wherein the first lower lobe and the second lower lobe are disposed in a second central recess.

5. The belt and coupler arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first pin and the second pin are disposed on the first and third lips.

6. The belt and coupler arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the web comprises a first fiber layer extending substantially the entire length of the web, and wherein the first end comprises a first retaining rod wrapped by the first fiber layer.

7. The belt and coupler arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the web comprises a second fiber layer extending substantially the entire length of the web, and wherein the first end comprises a second retaining rod wrapped by the second fiber layer.

8. The belt and coupler arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the first retaining rod and the second retaining rod are disposed inside the first elongate recess.

9. The belt and coupler arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the first retaining rod and the second retaining rod have a height greater than the first elongate gap.

10. A conveyor comprising the belt and coupler arrangement of claim 1 .

11. A feederhouse for a combine harvester comprising a conveyor according to claim 10 .

12. The belt and coupler arrangement of claim 1 , wherein a hole is disposed in the second plate between the first elongated gap and the second elongated gap for receiving a fastener usable to affix the second plate to the first plate, the fastener being different than the first pin and the second pin.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Puryk Corwin M
• Peters David W
• Fuchs Volker
• Van Wolde Harm-Jan
• Adrichem Johan

Classifications

• A01D61/02

  Endless belts · CPC title

• F16G3/06

  with outwardly-bent, mutually-connected belt ends · CPC title

• B62D55/20 Primary

  of articulated type, e.g. chains {(with lubrication means B62D55/092)} · CPC title

• F16G3/08 Primary

  consisting of plates and screw-bolts or rivets (F16G3/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65G2201/0202

  Agricultural and processed food products · CPC title