Conditioner assembly with remote adjustable roll gap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12532810-B2
Application number	US-202217590956-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2022
Priority date	Feb 2, 2021
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

A conditioner assembly in an agricultural implement for conditioning cut crop material includes a top roll and a bottom roll rotatably supported by a pair of lateral side walls. The top roll is arranged relative to the bottom roll to define a roll gap therebetween for conditioning the cut crop material as the cut crop material passes therethrough. A stabilizing link extends between each of the lateral side walls and the top roll for pivotally coupling the top roll to the conditioner frame, and an adjustment mechanism extends between each of the lateral side walls and the top roll. The adjustment mechanism is selectively and remotely actuatable to automatically pivot the top roll toward and away from the bottom roll, thereby decreasing and increasing the roll gap for optimally conditioning different types and volumes of cut crop material received by the agricultural implement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A conditioner assembly in an agricultural implement for conditioning cut crop material, the conditioner assembly comprising:
a conditioner frame having a pair of lateral side walls; a first roll rotatably supported by the lateral side walls; a second roll arranged substantially parallel to the first roll, the second roll extending between a pair of opposite ends and arranged relative to the first roll to define a roll gap therebetween for conditioning the cut crop material as the cut crop material passes therethrough; a stabilizing link extending between at least one of the lateral side walls and at least one of the ends of the second roll for pivotally coupling the second roll to the conditioner frame; an adjustment mechanism extending between at least one of the lateral side walls of the conditioner frame and at least one of the ends of the second roll for automatically pivoting the second roll relative to the first roll in response to selective remote actuation of the adjustment mechanism to vary the roll gap between the first and second roll for optimally conditioning different types and volumes of cut crop material received by the agricultural implement; an attachment bracket pivotably coupled to the adjustment mechanism and the stabilizing link and rotatably supporting at least one of the ends of the second roll; and a roll stop element operatively coupled between at least one of the lateral side walls of the conditioner frame and at least one of the ends of the second roll; wherein actuation of the adjustment mechanism causes the adjustment mechanism to extend and retract linearly, and wherein extension of the adjustment mechanism pivots the second roll toward the first roll to decrease the roll gap and retraction of the adjustment mechanism pivots the second roll away from the first roll to increase the roll gap; and wherein the roll stop element is adapted and arranged for absorbing force generated when the second roll moves back toward the first roll following temporary increases in the roll gap due to increased amounts of cut crop material and foreign objects passing between the first roll and the second roll.

2 . The conditioner assembly of claim 1 further comprising an aperture extending though each of the lateral side walls, wherein at least a portion of each end of the second roll extends through the respective aperture for allowing the second roll to pivot relative to the first roll and for coupling of the second roll with the at least one adjustment mechanism and the at least one stabilizing link.

3 . The conditioner assembly of claim 2 further comprising a tensioning member operatively coupled between at least one of the ends of the second roll and the conditioner frame for applying a tension force on the second roll toward the first roll.

4 . The conditioner assembly of claim 3 wherein the attachment bracket is operatively coupled to the at least one roll stop element.

5 . The conditioner assembly of claim 4 wherein the at least one attachment bracket includes an attachment arm for operatively coupling with the at least one adjustment mechanism and the at least one stabilizing link, and wherein the at least one attachment bracket includes a first attachment portion positioned adjacent to the attachment arm for operatively coupling with the at least one roll stop element.

6 . The conditioner assembly of claim 5 wherein the at least one attachment bracket includes a second attachment portion opposite the first attachment portion for coupling the tensioning member to the second roll.

7 . The conditioner assembly of claim 6 wherein each lateral side wall includes a lateral face and an opposite medial face extending between a top portion and a bottom portion with a pair of front and rear edges, and wherein the at least one adjustment mechanism, the at least one stabilizing link, and the at least one roll stop element are each coupled to the conditioner assembly adjacent to at least one of the lateral faces of the lateral side wall.

8 . The conditioner assembly of claim 7 wherein the at least one stabilizing link includes a first link portion and a second link portion intersecting at a curved link corner, the first link portion pivotally coupled to the attachment arm of the at least one attachment bracket and the second link portion coupled to the respective lateral side wall adjacent the front edge thereof.

9 . The conditioner assembly of claim 8 wherein the at least one adjustment mechanism includes a hydraulic cylinder.

10 . The conditioner assembly of claim 9 wherein the hydraulic cylinder extends between a first end operatively coupled to the respective lateral side wall adjacent the top portion thereof and a second end operatively coupled to the attachment arm of the at least one attachment bracket.

11 . The conditioner assembly of claim 10 further including a post extending from at least one of the lateral side walls of the conditioner frame.

12 . The conditioner assembly of claim 11 wherein the roll stop element includes an elongated slot with an upper end and an opposite lower end, the post extending through the slot such that engagement of the post with the upper end of the slot at least partially supports the second roll.

13 . The conditioner assembly of claim 12 further comprising a drive system operatively coupled to at least one of the first and second rolls for operatively driving the first and second rolls to condition the cut crop material.

14 . The conditioner assembly of claim 13 wherein the second roll is positioned above the first roll.

Assignees

• Macdon Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Barnett Neil
• Stephens Matthew

Classifications

• A01D82/02 Primary

  Rollers for crop conditioners · CPC title

• A01D43/107 Primary

  Mounting means · CPC title