Chopper system with wear indicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12364198-B2
Application number	US-202217656271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2022
Priority date	Mar 24, 2022
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

A chopper system for a sugarcane harvester comprises a chopper and a wear indicator. The chopper comprises a first chopper drum, a second chopper drum, and a timer. The timer has an operational configuration in which a first timer portion and a second timer portion are operatively connected to one another to coordinate rotation of the first and second chopper drums and a timing-adjustment configuration in which the first and second timer portions are operatively disconnected from one another allowing relative movement between the first and second timer portions and corresponding relative rotation between the first and second chopper drums to adjust a timing of operation between blades of the first and second chopper drums. The wear indicator indicates an extent of blade wear of the chopper upon adjustment of the timing of operation via the timer in the timing-adjustment configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chopper system for a sugarcane harvester, comprising:
a chopper comprising:
a first chopper drum mounted for rotation about a first axis of rotation and comprising first blades positioned about a periphery of the first chopper drum,
a second chopper drum mounted for rotation about a second axis of rotation and comprising second blades positioned about a periphery of the second chopper drum such that the first chopper drum and the second chopper drum cooperate to sever sugarcane stalks into billets upon rotation of the first chopper drum and the second chopper drum respectively about the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation,
a timer comprising a first timer portion operatively connected to the first chopper drum and a second timer portion operatively connected to the second chopper drum, wherein the timer has an operational configuration in which the first timer portion and the second timer portion are operatively connected to one another to coordinate rotation of the first chopper drum and the second chopper drum and a timing-adjustment configuration in which the first timer portion and the second timer portion are operatively disconnected from one another allowing relative movement between the first timer portion and the second timer portion and corresponding relative rotation between the first chopper drum and the second chopper drum to adjust a timing of operation between the first blades and the second blades, and
a wear indicator that indicates an extent of blade wear of the chopper upon adjustment of the timing of operation via the timer in the timing-adjustment configuration.

2. The chopper system of claim 1 , wherein the wear indicator comprises a first indicator portion connected to the first timer portion and a second indicator portion connected to the second timer portion for relative movement between the first and second indicator portions in response to relative movement between the first and second timer portions when the timer is positioned in the timing-adjustment configuration.

3. The chopper system of claim 2 , wherein the first indicator portion comprises a scale, and the second indicator portion comprises a pointer that points at the scale.

4. The chopper system of claim 2 , comprising a support, wherein the second timer portion comprises a first fastener and a second fastener, and the support mounts to the first fastener and the second fastener and supports the second indicator portion.

5. The chopper system of claim 1 , comprising a timing-adjustment tool, wherein the wear indicator comprises a portion supported by the timing-adjustment tool.

6. A sugarcane harvester comprising the chopper system of claim 1 .

7. A chopper system for a sugarcane harvester, comprising;
a chopper comprising:
a first chopper drum mounted for rotation about a first axis of rotation and comprising first blades positioned about a Periphery of the first chopper drum;
a second chopper drum mounted for rotation about a second axis of rotation and comprising second blades positioned about a Periphery of the second chopper drum such that the first chopper drum and the second chopper drum cooperate to sever sugarcane stalks into billets upon rotation of the first chopper drum and the second chopper drum respectively about the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation;
a timer comprising a first timer Portion operatively connected to the first chopper drum and a second timer Portion operatively connected to the second chopper drum, wherein the timer has an operational configuration in which the first timer portion and the second timer portion are operatively connected to one another to coordinate rotation of the first chopper drum and the second chopper drum and a timing-adjustment configuration in which the first timer portion and the second timer portion are operatively disconnected from one another allowing relative movement between the first timer portion and the second timer portion and corresponding relative rotation between the first chopper drum and the second chopper drum to adjust a timing of operation between the first blades and the second blades;
a wear indicator that indicates an extent of blade wear of the chopper upon adjustment of the timing of operation via the timer in the timing-adjustment configuration; and
a timing-adjustment tool that removably connects to the first timer portion and the second timer portion to adjust a timing of operation between the first and second chopper drums, wherein the wear indicator comprises a first indicator portion supported by the first timer portion and a second indicator portion supported by the timing-adjustment tool.

8. The chopper system of claim 7 , wherein the second timer portion comprises a fastener, the timing-adjustment tool comprises a hand that cups the fastener, and the hand supports the second indicator portion.

9. The chopper system of claim 8 , wherein the hand comprises a finger, the first indicator portion comprises a scale, and the second indicator portion comprises a pointer that is integrated with the finger and points at the scale.

10. The chopper system of claim 7 , wherein the first timer portion comprises a rotor connected to the first chopper drum to rotate therewith, the second timer portion comprises a first gear, fasteners fastening the rotor to the first gear for rotation of the first gear with the first chopper drum when the timer is in the operational configuration, and a second gear connected to the second chopper drum to rotate therewith, the first and second gears rotatably connected to one another, the fasteners loosened for relative rotation between the rotor and the first gear when the timer is in the timing-adjustment configuration, the timing-adjustment tool comprises a brace that connects to a first fastener of the fasteners and a second fastener of the fasteners, and the second indicator portion is supported by the brace.

11. The chopper system of claim 10 , wherein the brace comprises a first engagement portion that connects to the first fastener and a second engagement portion that connects to the second fastener, and the second indicator portion is integrated with the first engagement portion.

12. The chopper system of claim 10 , wherein the rotor comprises a disk and an anchor fixed to the disk, the disk comprises slots through which the fasteners respectively extend allowing relative movement between the fasteners and the slots when the timer is in the timing-adjustment configuration, the timing-adjustment tool comprises an adjustment bolt connected to the anchor and supported by the brace, the brace comprises a first hand that cups the first fastener and a second hand that cups the second fastener and is spaced apart from the first hand to define a pocket in which the anchor is positioned, the first indicator portion is supported by the disk, and the second indicator portion comprises a pointer integrated with the first hand.

13. The chopper system of claim 12 , wherein each of the first hand and the second hand comprises a thumb and a finger which cooperate to cup the respective first fastener or second fastener, the thumbs are positioned between the fingers with the anchor positioned in the pocket defined between the thumbs, the first indicator portion comprises a scale on the disk, and the pointer is integrated with a tip of the finger of the first hand and points at the scale.

14. A chopper system for a sugarcane harvester, comprising:
a chopper comprising:
a first chopper drum mounted for rotation about a first axis of rotation and comprising first blades positioned about a periphery of the

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Malani Yogesh V
• Burch Guy
• Rodrigue Todd J

Classifications

• A01F29/095

  Mounting or adjusting of knives · CPC title

• A01F29/06 Primary

  having rotating knives with their cutting edges on a cylinder surface, e.g. of the helical-type · CPC title

• A01D43/08

  with means for cutting up the mown crop {, e.g. forage harvesters} · CPC title

• A01D45/10 Primary

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