Crop mowing implement and a converging drum therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11160206-B2
Application number	US-201916427583-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2019
Priority date	May 31, 2019
Publication date	Nov 2, 2021
Grant date	Nov 2, 2021

Abstract

A converging drum for a crop mowing implement includes a body that extends along a central longitudinal axis. The body rotates about the central longitudinal axis in a defined rotational direction. At least one ramp feature extends radially outward from the body, relative to the central longitudinal axis. The ramp feature is arranged to form an acute angle relative to a reference plane. The acute angle may open toward the defined rotational direction to move cut crop downward, or the acute angle may open away from the defined rotational direction to move crop upward, to position the cut crop for a conditioning system. The converging drum may include a first group of ramp features near a second end of the body for moving cut crop downward, and/or a second group of ramp features near a first end of the body for moving cut crop upward.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A converging drum for a crop mowing implement, the converging drum comprising:
a body having an exterior surface and extending along a central longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end, wherein the body is configured to rotate about the central longitudinal axis in a defined rotational direction;
at least one ramp feature attached to and extending radially outward from the exterior surface of the body relative to the central longitudinal axis, and disposed between the first end and the second end of the body;
wherein the at least one ramp feature is arranged to form an acute angle relative to a reference plane disposed orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis;
wherein the at least one ramp feature includes a plurality of ramp features disposed angularly about the central longitudinal axis; and
wherein the plurality of ramp features includes a first group of ramp features, with each of the first group of ramp features including the respective acute angle of each ramp feature open toward the defined rotational direction to present a descending ramp operable to direct crop material in a downward direction along the central longitudinal axis.

2. The converging drum set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first group of ramp features is disposed adjacent the second end of the body, with the second end of the body positioned vertically above the first end of the body along the central longitudinal axis.

3. The converging drum set forth in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ramp features includes a second group of ramp features.

4. The converging drum set forth in claim 3 , wherein each of the second group of ramp features includes the respective acute angle of each ramp feature open away from the defined rotational direction to present an ascending ramp operable to direct crop material in an upward direction along the central longitudinal axis.

5. The converging drum set forth in claim 4 , wherein the second group of ramp features is disposed adjacent the first end of the body, with the second end of the body positioned vertically above the first end of the body along the central longitudinal axis, such that the second group of ramp features is positioned vertically below the first group of ramp features.

6. The converging drum set forth in claim 1 , wherein the body includes a tubular rectangular shape defining a rectangular cross section perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis, with the body presenting a planar wall portion extending parallel to the central longitudinal axis.

7. The converging drum set forth in claim 6 , wherein the at least one ramp feature includes a plate having a straight inner edge disposed against the planar wall portion of the body, and wherein the plate extends outward away from the planar wall surface of the body to a curved distal edge.

8. The converging drum set forth in claim 7 , wherein the plate of the at least one ramp feature defines a circular segment having a thickness.

9. The converging drum set forth in claim 1 , wherein the acute angle is equal to or less than eighty degrees, and equal to or greater than ten degrees.

10. A converging drum for a crop mowing implement, the converging drum comprising:
a body having an exterior surface and extending along a central longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end, wherein the body is configured to rotate about the central longitudinal axis in a defined rotational direction;
at least one ramp feature attached to and extending radially outward from the exterior surface of the body relative to the central longitudinal axis, and disposed between the first end and the second end of the body;
wherein the at least one ramp feature is arranged to form an acute angle relative to a reference plane disposed orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis; and
wherein the acute angle is open toward the defined rotational direction to present a descending ramp operable to direct crop material in a downward direction along the central longitudinal axis.

11. A mowing implement for cutting a crop material, the mowing implement comprising:
a frame forming a work area including a forwardly located inlet zone and a rearwardly located discharge zone;
a cutter bar supported by the frame between the inlet zone and the discharge zone, and extending along an axis disposed generally transverse to a direction of travel, the cutter bar including a plurality of spaced apart knife-carrying rotary discs disposed in the work area for rotation about respective vertical axes;
a crop conditioning system attached to the frame and having an upper conditioner roll and a lower conditioner roll, and positioned to receive crop material therebetween from the cutter bar;
at least one converging drum attached to one of the frame and the cutter bar, and operable to move crop material laterally along the axis of the cutter bar toward the discharge zone, the at least one converging drum including:
a body having an exterior surface and extending vertically along a central longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end, wherein the body is configured to rotate about the central longitudinal axis in a defined rotational direction, and with the second end of the body positioned vertically above the first end of the body along the central longitudinal axis;
at least one ramp feature attached to and extending radially outward from the exterior surface of the body relative to the central longitudinal axis, and disposed between the first end and the second end of the body;
wherein the at least one ramp feature is arranged to form an acute angle relative to a reference plane disposed orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis;
the at least one ramp feature includes a first group of ramp features and a second group of ramp features;
wherein each of the first group of ramp features is disposed adjacent the second end of the body and vertically above each of the second group of ramp features along the central longitudinal axis; and
wherein each of the first group of ramp features includes the respective acute angle of each ramp feature of the first group of ramp features open toward the defined rotational direction to present a descending ramp operable to direct crop material in a downward direction along the central longitudinal axis.

12. The mowing implement set forth in claim 11 , wherein:
the second group of ramp features is disposed adjacent the first end of the body and vertically below each of the first group of ramp features along the central longitudinal axis, and wherein the second group of ramp features includes the respective acute angle of each ramp feature of the second group of ramp features open away from the defined rotational direction to present an ascending ramp operable to direct crop material in an upward direction along the central longitudinal axis.

13. The mowing implement set forth in claim 11 , wherein:
the body includes a tubular rectangular shape defining a rectangular cross section perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis, with the body presenting a planar wall portion extending parallel to the central longitudinal axis;
the at least one ramp feature includes a plate having a straight inner edge disposed against the planar wall portion of the body, and wherein the plate extends outward away from the planar wall surface of the body to a curved distal edge; and the plate of the at least one ramp feature defines a circular segment having a thickness.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Sloan Charles S

Classifications

• A01D34/668 Primary

  rotating · CPC title

• A01D61/004

  with cylindrical tools · CPC title

• A01D34/665

  modular · CPC title

• A01D34/664

  Disc cutter bars · CPC title

• A01D34/66

  with two or more cutters · CPC title