Auger assembly for harvesting machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020352104-A1
Application number	US-201916408878-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 10, 2019
Priority date	May 10, 2019
Publication date	Nov 12, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An auger assembly for transporting material for an agricultural work vehicle formed by an auger and a housing arrangement having an interior that houses the auger such that rotation of the auger within the housing arrangement is configured to transport the material through the housing arrangement. The housing arrangement includes a series of tube portions including at least a first and a second tube portion, each respective tube portion of the series of tube portions having a first and second end, an inner and outer surface, and a thickness between the inner and outer surfaces; and at least one mounting flange structure, including a first mounting flange structure secured to the outer surface of the first tube portion by a first laser weld extending from the inner surface of the first tube portion, through the thickness of the first tube portion, and into the first mounting flange structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An auger assembly for transporting material for an agricultural work vehicle, comprising:
an auger; and a housing arrangement having an interior that houses the auger such that rotation of the auger within the housing arrangement is configured to transport the material through the housing arrangement, the housing arrangement comprising:
a series of tube portions including at least a first tube portion and a second tube portion, each respective tube portion of the series of tube portions having a first end, a second end, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a thickness between the inner surface and the outer surface; and
at least one mounting flange structure, including a first mounting flange structure secured to the outer surface of the first tube portion by a first laser weld extending from the inner surface of the first tube portion, through the thickness of the first tube portion, and into the first mounting flange structure.

2 . The auger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first mounting flange structure is secured proximate to the first end of the first tube portion and the at least one mounting flange structure further includes a second mounting flange structure secured proximate to the second end of the first tube portion by a second laser weld extending from the inner surface of the first tube portion, through the thickness of the first tube portion, and into the second mounting flange structure.

3 . The auger assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first mounting flange structure is configured to receive a first set of fasteners to support the housing arrangement on the agricultural work vehicle;
wherein the at least one mounting flange structure further includes a third mounting flange structure secured proximate to the first end of the second tube portion by a third laser weld extending from the inner surface of the second tube portion, through the thickness of the second tube portion, and into the third mounting flange structure; and wherein the second and third mounting flange structures are configured to be aligned and receive a second set of fasteners for securing the first tube portion to the second tube portion.

4 . The auger assembly of claim 3 , wherein the at least one mounting flange structure further includes a fourth mounting flange structure secured proximate to the second end of the second tube portion by a fourth laser weld extending from the inner surface of the second tube portion, through the thickness of the second tube portion, and into the fourth mounting flange structure; and
wherein the series of tube portions further includes a third tube portion and the at least one mounting flange structure further includes a fifth mounting flange structure secured proximate to the first end of the third tube portion by a fifth laser weld extending from the inner surface of the third tube portion, through the thickness of the third tube portion, and into the fifth mounting flange structure; and wherein the fourth and fifth mounting flange structures are configured to be aligned and receive a third set of fasteners for securing the second tube portion to the third tube portion.

5 . The auger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first tube portion is formed by high-strength steel.

6 . The auger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first laser weld is less than approximately 5 mm wide.

7 . The auger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first tube portion has a thickness of less than approximately 4 mm.

8 . The auger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first laser weld is formed by two laser weld lines.

9 . The auger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first mounting flange structure is formed by a radial section that forms the first laser weld with the first tube portion and an axial section that defines a series of fastener holes.

10 . The auger assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first mounting flange assembly further includes at least one gusset in between the radial section and the axial section.

11 . A method of forming a housing arrangement of an auger assembly for transporting material on an agricultural work vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a first tube portion having a first end, a second end, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a thickness between the inner surface and the outer surface; positioning a first mounting flange structure on the outer surface of the first tube portion proximate to the first end; arranging a laser apparatus with a laser device proximate to the first end of the first tube portion such that the laser device is oriented toward the inner surface of the first tube portion; and generating a laser beam with the laser device onto the inner surface of the first tube portion to form a first laser weld extending from the inner surface of the first tube portion, through the thickness of the first tube portion, and into the first mounting flange structure.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising positioning a clamping apparatus within the first tube portion and actuating at least one expansion block of the clamping structure to press the first tube portion against the first mounting flange structure when generating the laser beam to form the first laser weld.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising rotating the tube portion and the mounting flange structure while keeping the laser apparatus stationary to form the first laser weld along at least one complete revolution of the first tube portion and the first mounting flange structure.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising continuing to rotate the first tube portion and first mounting flange structure to form the first laser weld along two complete revolutions of the first tube portion and the first mounting flange structure.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
positioning a second mounting flange structure on the outer surface of the first tube portion proximate to the second end; arranging the laser apparatus with the laser device proximate to the second end of the first tube portion such that the laser device is oriented toward the inner surface of the first tube portion; and generating the laser beam on the inner surface of the first tube portion to form a second laser weld extending from the inner surface of the first tube portion, through the thickness of the first tube portion, and into the second mounting flange structure.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
providing a second tube portion having a first end, a second end, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a thickness between the inner surface and the outer surface; positioning a third mounting flange structure on the outer surface of the second tube portion proximate to the first end; arranging the laser apparatus with the laser device proximate to the first end of the second tube portion such that the laser device is oriented toward the inner surface of the second tube portion; generating the laser beam on the inner surface of the second tube portion to form a third laser weld extending from the inner surface of the second tube portion, through the thickness of the second tube portion, and into the third mounting flange structure; rotating the second tube portion and the third flange structure while keeping the laser apparatus stationary to form the third laser weld along at least one complete revolution of the second tube portion and the third mounting flange structure; and securing the first tube portion to the second tube portion by bolting the second mounting flange structure to the third mounting flange structure.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Campen Thomas M
• Nimrick Douglas A
• Senner Kurt C
• Temple Douglas G
• Cox Daniel J

Classifications

• A01D61/002 Primary

  transversal conveying devices · CPC title

• B23K2101/08

  finned or ribbed · CPC title

• B65G33/14

  comprising a screw or screws enclosed in a tubular housing · CPC title

• B23K26/282

  of tube sections · CPC title

• B23K2101/06

  Tubes · CPC title