Harvester having a feed roller driven by a hydraulic motor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10701864-B2
Application number	US-201815883469-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2018
Priority date	Jan 30, 2018
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

A sugarcane harvester including a base cutter configured to cut sugarcane from a field and a feed roller chassis, disposed adjacently to the base cutter, configured to receive the cut sugarcane. A plurality of feed roller assemblies are supported by the feed roller chassis, wherein each of the plurality of feed roller assemblies includes a roller body defining a roller body cavity, a motor support located within the roller body cavity, the motor support defining a support cavity, and a bearingless hydraulic motor disposed within the support cavity. The bearingless hydraulic motor includes a spindle extending from the motor and through the support cavity. A spindle adapter is releasably coupled to the spindle and fixedly coupled to the roller body. A roller bearing, disposed within the support cavity, includes an inner surface in contact with the spindle adapter, wherein rotation of the spindle rotates the roller body while the bearingless motor remains stationary with respect to the motor support.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A feed roller assembly for a sugarcane harvester comprising:
a roller body including a cylinder defining a cylinder cavity, and a first support plate located with the cylinder cavity;
a motor support located within the cylinder cavity, the motor support defining a support cavity;
a bearingless motor disposed within the support cavity, the bearingless motor including a spindle extending from the motor and through the support cavity, wherein the bearingless motor is driven in response to and lubricated by a hydraulic fluid;
a spindle adapter releasably coupled to the spindle and fixedly coupled to the first support plate, the spindle adapter including a chamber in which the spindle is located; and
a roller bearing disposed within the support cavity, the roller bearing having an inner surface in contact with the spindle adapter, wherein rotation of the spindle rotates the roller body while the bearingless motor remains stationary with respect to the motor support, wherein the hydraulic fluid is located in the support cavity and the chamber to lubricate the roller bearing and the spindle.

2. The feed roller assembly of claim 1 wherein the cavity of the motor support includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the spindle extends from the motor to the second portion.

3. The feed roller assembly of claim 2 wherein the roller bearing is disposed in the second portion and the spindle and the spindle adapter are disposed within the roller bearing.

4. The feed roller assembly of claim 3 further comprising a sealing ring disposed within the second portion and around the spindle adapter, wherein the sealing ring provides a seal between the spindle adapter and the second portion of the support.

5. The feed roller assembly of claim 4 wherein the motor support defines a debris cavity, wherein the debris cavity is a portion of the cylinder cavity, and the seal provided by the sealing ring substantially prevents contaminants from entering the second portion of the support cavity.

6. The feed roller assembly of claim 5 further comprising a snap ring disposed adjacently to the sealing ring.

7. The feed roller assembly of claim 6 further comprising a radial lip seal disposed between the sealing ring and the roller bearing.

8. The feed roller assembly of claim 1 further comprising a second support plate located within the cylinder cavity, a roller support extending into the cylinder cavity, a bearing disposed within the roller support, a mount disposed within the bearing and fixedly coupled to the second support plate.

9. The feed roller assembly of claim 8 wherein the motor support includes a flange adapted to be fixed to one of a frame side plate or a cradle support, and the roller support includes a flange adapted to be fixed, to one of a frame side plate or a cradle support.

10. A sugarcane harvester comprising:
a base cutter configured to cut sugarcane from a field;
a feed roller chassis, disposed adjacently to the base cutter, configured to receive the cut sugarcane;
a plurality of feed roller assemblies supported by the feed roller chassis, each of the plurality of feed roller assemblies including a roller body defining a roller body cavity, a motor support located within the roller body cavity, the motor support defining a support cavity, a bearingless hydraulic motor disposed within the support cavity and driven by a hydraulic fluid, the bearingless hydraulic motor including a spindle extending from the motor and through the support cavity, a spindle adapter including a chamber, wherein the spindle adapter is releasably coupled to the spindle and fixedly coupled to the roller body, and a roller bearing disposed within the support cavity, the roller bearing having an inner surface in contact with the spindle adapter, wherein rotation of the spindle rotates the roller body while the bearingless motor remains stationary with respect to the motor support and the hydraulic fluid is located, in the support cavity and the chamber to lubricate the roller bearing and the spindle.

11. The sugarcane harvester of claim 10 wherein the cavity of the motor support includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the spindle extends from the motor to the second portion.

12. The sugarcane harvester of claim 11 wherein the roller bearing is disposed in the second portion and the spindle adapter is disposed within the roller bearing.

13. The sugarcane harvester of claim 12 further comprising a sealing ring disposed within the second portion and around the spindle adapter, wherein the sealing ring provides a seal between the spindle adapter and the second portion of the support.

14. The sugarcane harvester of claim 12 wherein the motor support defines a debris cavity, wherein the debris cavity is a portion of the cylinder cavity, and the seal provided by the sealing ring substantially prevents contaminants from entering the second portion of the support cavity.

15. The sugarcane harvester of claim 14 further comprising a snap ring disposed adjacently to the sealing ring.

16. The sugarcane harvester of claim 15 further comprising a radial lip seal disposed between the sealing ring and the roller bearing.

17. The sugarcane harvester of claim 10 further comprising a roller support extending into the roller body cavity, a bearing disposed within the roller support, and a mount disposed within the bearing and coupled to the roller body.

18. The sugarcane harvester of claim 17 wherein the motor support includes a flange adapted to be fixed to one of a first frame side or a first cradle support, and the roller support includes a flange adapted to be fixed to one of the first frame side or a second cradle support.

19. A teed roller assembly for a sugarcane harvester comprising:
a roller body defining a roller body cavity;
a motor support located within the roller body cavity, the motor support defining a support cavity;
a motor disposed within the support cavity, the motor being driven by a hydraulic fluid and including a spindle extending from the motor and through the support cavity;
a spindle adapter including a chamber, wherein the spindle adapter is releasably coupled to the spindle and fixedly coupled to the roller body; and
a roller bearing disposed within the support cavity, the roller bearing having an inner surface in contact with the spindle adapter, wherein rotation of the spindle rotates the roller body while the motor remains stationary with respect to the motor support and the hydraulic fluid is located in the support cavity and the chamber to lubricate the roller bearing and the spindle.

20. The feed roller assembly of claim 19 further comprising a roller support extending into the roller body cavity, a bearing disposed within the roller support, and a mount disposed within the bearing and coupled to the roller body, wherein the motor support rotatably supports the roller body at a first end and the roller support rotatably supports the roller body at a second end.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Burch Guy
• Hummel Iv Emmett J

Classifications

• A01D45/10 Primary

  of sugar cane {(for digging sugar cane A01D31/00)} · CPC title

• A01D51/00

  Apparatus for gathering together crops spread on the soil, e.g. apples, beets, nuts, potatoes {, cotton, cane sugar} · CPC title

• A01D61/006 Primary

  with rollers, e.g. adjustable · CPC title

• A01D57/00

  Delivering mechanisms for harvesters or mowers · CPC title