Minimizing bearing failure due to stalk roll misalignment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9414542-B2
Application number	US-201514701697-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2015
Priority date	May 7, 2014
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

A corn header has a plurality of row units disposed adjacent each other. Each row unit has a frame and a gearbox coupled to the frame. The gearbox has a gearing assembly coupled to a rotatable shaft extending from an opening of the gearbox. Each row unit also has a stalk roll coupled to the rotatable shaft and a coupling interface comprising a self-aligning ball or roller bearing assembly. A support bracket is secured to the frame with the coupling interface operably coupling the stalk roll to the support bracket within a defined tolerable limit of misalignment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A row unit for a corn header comprising:
a frame;
a gearbox coupled to the frame, the gearbox having a gearing assembly coupled to a rotatable shaft extending from an opening of the gearbox;
a stalk roll having first and second ends, the first end coupled directly to the rotatable shaft, the second end coupled via a coupling interface to a support bracket, the support bracket coupled to the frame; and
a self-aligning ball bearing assembly located at the coupling interface, the self-aligning ball bearing assembly compensating for misalignment between the first end and the second end;
a cap disposed between the self-aligning ball bearing assembly and the second end; and
a seal disposed between the self-aligning ball bearing assembly and the support bracket such that the self-aligning ball bearing assembly is sandwiched between the cap and the seal.

2. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises a plastic material.

3. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the seal is comprised of rubber and metal material and is cylindrical in shape.

4. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the self-aligning ball bearing assembly comprises two rows of balls and a common sphered raceway.

5. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the self-aligning ball bearing assembly is designed to accommodate a maximum misalignment of approximately one and one-half (1½) degrees.

6. The row unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second rotatable shaft coupled to the gearing assembly and extending from a second opening of the gearbox;
a second stalk roll having first and second ends, the first end coupled directly to the second rotatable shaft, the second end coupled via a second coupling interface to a second support bracket, the second support bracket coupled to the frame; and
a second self-aligning ball bearing assembly located at the second coupling interface, the second self-aligning ball bearing assembly compensating for misalignment between the first end and the second end of the second stalk roll.

7. The row unit of claim 6 , wherein the second coupling interface further comprises a cap and a seal, the self-aligning ball bearing assembly sandwiched between the cap and the seal, the cap disposed adjacent the second end of the second stalk roll.

8. A corn header, comprising:
a plurality of row units disposed adjacent each other, each row unit comprising:
a frame;
a gearbox coupled to the frame, the gearbox having a gearing assembly coupled to a rotatable shaft extending from an opening of the gearbox;
a stalk roll coupled to the rotatable shaft;
a coupling interface comprising a self-aligning ball or roller bearing assembly; and
a support bracket secured to the frame, the coupling interface operably coupling the stalk roll to the support bracket within a defined tolerable limit of misalignment;
a cap disposed adjacent the self-aligning ball or roller bearing assembly; and
a seal disposed between the self-aligning ball or roller bearing assembly and the support bracket such that the self-aligning ball bearing assembly is sandwiched between the cap and the seal.

9. The corn header of claim 8 , wherein the cap comprises a plastic material.

10. The corn header of claim 8 , wherein the seal is comprised of rubber, metal, or a combination of rubber and metal material.

11. The corn header of claim 8 , wherein the defined tolerable limit of misalignment is approximately one and one-half (1½) degrees.

Assignees

• Agco Corp

Inventors

• Madheswaran Marudhu

Classifications

• A01D57/22

  for standing stalks · CPC title

• A01D45/025 Primary

  Snapping rolls · CPC title

• A01B71/04

  Bearings of rotating parts, e.g. for soil-working discs · CPC title