Composite stalk roll

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11032971-B2
Application number	US-201916381182-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2019
Priority date	Apr 11, 2019
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A stalk roll for a corn harvester has a first portion including a first material having a first material density, and a second portion including a second material having a second material density. The first density is at least fifty percent greater than the second density, or the first tensile strength is at least fifty percent greater than the second tensile strength. The first portion includes a support portion that engages a drive shaft, a first radial portion extending radially outward from the support portion, a first blade connected to the first radial portion, a second radial portion extending radially outward from the support portion opposite the first radial portion, and a second blade connected to the second radial portion. The first and second blade portions engage a corn stalk. The second portion is positioned between the first radial portion and the second radial portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stalk roll for a corn harvester having a drive shaft configured to rotate the stalk roll, the stalk roll comprising:
a first portion including a first material having a first density, the first portion including
a support portion configured to engage the drive shaft,
a first radial portion having a first end coupled to the support portion and a second end positioned radially outward from the support portion,
a first blade directly coupled to the second end of the first radial portion, the first blade configured to engage a corn stalk,
a second radial portion having a first end coupled to the support portion opposite the first radial portion and a second end positioned radially outward from the support portion, and
a second blade directly coupled to the second end of the second radial portion, the second blade configured to engage a corn stalk; and

a second portion including a second material having a second density, the second portion positioned between the first blade and the second blade,
wherein the first density is at least fifty percent greater than the second density.

2. The stalk roll of claim 1 , wherein the first radial portion includes a first flange extending from the support portion to a first location on the first blade and a second flange extending from the support portion to a second location on the first blade.

3. The stalk roll of claim 2 , wherein the second radial portion includes a third flange extending from the support portion to a third location on the second blade and a fourth flange extending from the support portion to a fourth location on the second blade.

4. The stalk roll of claim 3 , wherein the support portion is a first support portion and further comprising a second support portion spaced from the first support portion, the second support portion configured to engage a gear case mounting point.

5. The stalk roll of claim 4 , wherein the first radial portion further includes a fifth flange extending between the first blade and the second support portion.

6. The stalk roll of claim 5 , wherein the second radial portion further includes a sixth flange extending between the second blade and the second support portion.

7. The stalk roll of claim 6 , further comprising a first auger blade coupled to the fifth flange of the first radial portion, and a second auger blade coupled to the sixth flange of the second radial portion.

8. The stalk roll of claim 1 , wherein the first material has a first hardness and the second material has a second hardness, the first material hardness being at least fifty percent greater than the second material hardness.

9. The stalk roll of claim 1 , wherein the first material is metallic and the second material is non-metallic, and wherein the first blade is integrally formed with the first radial portion and wherein the second blade is integrally formed with the second radial portion.

10. A corn harvester comprising:
a work vehicle configured to move along a ground surface;
a crop divider configured to separate adjacent rows of corn stalks;
a drive shaft configured to rotate in response to operation of the work vehicle;
a first stalk roll portion including a first material having a first tensile strength, the first stalk roll portion including
a first support portion configured to engage the drive shaft,
a first radial portion having a first end coupled to the support portion and a second end positioned radially outward from the support portion,
a first blade coupled to the second end of the first radial portion, the first blade configured to engage a corn stalk,
a second radial portion having a first end coupled to the support portion spaced from the first radial portion to define a space between the first radial portion and the second radial portion, and a second end positioned radially outward from the support portion, and
a second blade coupled to the second end of the second radial portion, the second blade configured to engage a corn stalk; and

a second stalk roll portion including a second material having a second tensile strength, the second stalk roll portion positioned between the first blade and the second blade,
wherein the first tensile strength is at least fifty percent greater than the second tensile strength.

11. The corn harvester of claim 10 , wherein the first radial portion includes a first flange extending from the support portion to a first location on the first blade and a second flange extending from the support portion to a second location on the first blade.

12. The corn harvester of claim 11 , wherein the second radial portion includes a third flange extending from the support portion to a third location on the second blade and a fourth flange extending from the support portion to a fourth location on the second blade.

13. The corn harvester of claim 12 , wherein the support portion is a first support portion and further comprising a second support portion spaced from the first support portion, the second support portion configured to engage a gear case mounting point.

14. The corn harvester of claim 13 , wherein the first radial portion further includes a fifth flange extending between the first blade and the second support portion.

15. The corn harvester of claim 14 , wherein the second radial portion further includes a sixth flange extending between the second blade and the second support portion.

16. The corn harvester of claim 15 , further comprising an auger blade coupled to the fifth flange of the first radial portion and coupled to the sixth flange of the second radial portion.

17. The corn harvester of claim 16 , wherein the auger blade is a first auger blade, and further comprising a second auger blade coupled to the fifth flange of the first radial portion and coupled to the sixth flange of the second radial portion.

18. The corn harvester of claim 10 , wherein the first material is metallic and the second material is non-metallic, and wherein the first material has a first density and the second material has a second density, the first density being at least fifty percent greater than the second density.

19. The corn harvester of claim 10 , wherein the first blade is integrally formed with the first radial portion and wherein the second blade is integrally formed with the second radial portion.

20. A stalk roll for a corn harvester having a drive shaft configured to rotate the stalk roll, the stalk roll comprising:
a first portion including a first material having a first tensile strength, the first portion including
a first central support portion configured to engage the drive shaft,
a first flange extending from the first central support portion to a first location radially spaced from the first central support portion,
a second flange extending from the first central support portion to a second location radially spaced from the first central support portion,
a first blade coupled to the first flange at the first location and coupled to the second flange at the second location, the first blade configured to engage a corn stalk, the first blade being integrally formed with the first flange, and the first blade being integrally formed with the second flange,
a third flange extending from the first central support portion to a third location radially spaced from the first central support portion and opposite the first flange,
a fourth flange extending from the first central support portion to a fourth location radially spaced from the first central support portion and oppos

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Coon Steve A
• Krehbiel Nathan E
• Heims Troy M

Classifications

• A01D45/025 Primary

  Snapping rolls · 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

• A01D69/06

  Gearings · CPC title

• A01D45/00 Primary

  Harvesting of standing crops (A01D44/00 takes precedence; threshing machines adapted for special crops, threshing devices for combines adapted for special crops A01F11/00; harvesting of mushrooms A01G18/70) · CPC title

• A01D45/04

  of rice · CPC title