Intermittent knotter gear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11606908-B2
Application number	US-202016918120-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2020
Priority date	Jul 1, 2020
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

A knotter drive apparatus for a baler includes a knotter gear drive shaft having a drive shaft axis and a shaft outside diameter. A plurality of knotter assemblies are mounted on the knotter gear drive shaft. Each assembly includes a first knotter gear sector including a first sector hub portion and a first sector radial portion. The first sector hub portion includes a central passage at least partly defined in the first sector hub portion for receiving the knotter gear drive shaft. The first sector radial portion extends radially outward from the first sector hub portion relative to the drive shaft axis, and has defined thereon a plurality of intermittent gear tooth segments. The first sector hub portion has a circumferential gap defined therein greater than the shaft outside diameter such that the first knotter gear sector is removable radially, relative to the drive shaft axis, from the knotter gear drive shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A knotter drive apparatus, comprising:
a first knotter gear sector including a first sector hub portion and a first sector radial portion; and
a second knotter gear sector including a second sector hub portion and a second sector radial portion, the second knotter gear sector being separable from the first knotter gear sector;
wherein:
the first and second sector hub portions each are semi-cylindrical in shape such that when joined together the first and second sector hub portions define a central passage therethrough, the central passage having a central axis;
the first sector radial portion extends radially outward from the first sector hub portion relative to the central axis, and the first sector radial portion has defined thereon a plurality of intermittent gear tooth segments;
the second sector radial portion extends radially outward from the second sector hub portion relative to the central axis;
the first and second sector radial portions each circumscribe 180 degrees relative to the central axis such that the first and second knotter gear sectors are divided from each other at a diametrical divide extending diametrically relative to the central axis;
the first sector hub portion and the second sector hub portion each include hub flanges extending parallel to each other and parallel to the diametrical divide; and
at least one connector connects the hub flanges.

2. The knotter drive apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the second sector radial portion has defined thereon a second plurality of intermittent gear tooth segments;
each of the first and second sector radial portions has a drive side facing in a first axial direction and a back side facing in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction, the respective pluralities of intermittent gear tooth segments being located on the drive sides of the respective first and second sector radial portions; and
the hub flanges of the first and second sector hub portions extend from the back sides of the respective first and second sector radial portions.

3. The knotter drive apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a knotter gear drive shaft;
wherein the central passage is configured to closely receive the knotter gear drive shaft; and
wherein at least one of the first and second sector hub portions includes an internal groove keyed to the knotter gear drive shaft such that the knotter assembly is rotationally fixed relative to the knotter gear drive shaft.

4. The knotter drive apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each knotter assembly further includes:
a knotter frame including a head frame assembly connected to the first sector hub portion while permitting rotation of the first sector hub portion relative to the head frame assembly, the head frame assembly including a main head frame portion and a head frame cap configured such that when the head frame cap is bolted to the main head frame portion the head frame assembly circumscribes the knotter gear drive shaft, the head frame assembly being configured such that the head frame cap must be removed from the main head frame portion to allow the first knotter gear sector to be removed radially, relative to the drive shaft axis, from the knotter gear drive shaft.

5. A knotter drive apparatus for a baler, comprising:
a knotter gear drive shaft having a drive shaft axis and a shaft outside diameter; and
a plurality of knotter assemblies mounted on the knotter gear drive shaft, each knotter assembly including a first knotter gear sector including a first sector hub portion and a first sector radial portion, and a second knotter gear sector including a second sector hub portion and a second sector radial portion, the second knotter gear sector being separable from the first knotter gear sector, each knotter assembly further including at least one connector connecting the first and second knotter gear sectors when the knotter assembly is installed on the knotter gear drive shaft;
wherein:
a central passage of each knotter assembly is at least partly defined in the first sector hub portion for receiving the knotter gear drive shaft;
the first sector radial portion extends radially outward from the first sector hub portion relative to the drive shaft axis, and has defined thereon a plurality of intermittent gear tooth segments;
the first knotter gear sector has a circumferential gap defined therein greater than the shaft outside diameter such that the first knotter gear sector is removable radially, relative to the drive shaft axis, from the knotter gear drive shaft without first sliding the first knotter gear sector axially off of the knotter gear drive shaft;
the second sector hub portion defines a further part of the central passage;
the second sector radial portion extends radially outward from the second sector hub portion relative to the drive shaft axis;
the second knotter gear sector closes the circumferential gap of the first knotter gear sector when the knotter assembly is installed on the knotter gear drive shaft;
the first sector radial portion circumscribes greater than 180 degrees relative to the drive shaft axis;
the second sector radial portion circumscribes less than 180 degrees relative to the drive shaft axis;
one of the first and second sector radial portions includes a boss having a connector passage defined therethrough transverse to the drive shaft axis;
the other of the first and second sector radial portions has a threaded connector receptacle defined therein and aligned with the connector passage; and
the at least one connector extends through the connector passage into the threaded connector receptacle to connect the first and second sector radial portions.

6. The knotter drive apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
all of the intermittent gear tooth segments of the knotter assembly are located on the first sector radial portion.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Pasa Joshua J
• Teach Kyle R
• Lang Eric R
• Demulder Carl F
• Rotole David V

Classifications

• A01F15/145 Primary

  Twine knotters · CPC title

• A01F15/0858 Primary

  for the tying devices or needles · CPC title