Two stage moldboard rail cleaner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9809950-B2
Application number	US-201514933070-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2015
Priority date	Nov 5, 2015
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A moldboard rail cleaner for removing debris from a rail of a work machine having a tilt frame housing defining a first cavity. The work machine has a wear insert positioned within the first cavity and adapted to slide along the rail as the rail moves along a rail axis. Further, a sub-housing may be coupled to the tilt frame housing and define a second cavity. Finally, a wiper is disposed at least partially within the second cavity, the sub-housing configured to bias the wiper into contact with the rail.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A moldboard rail cleaner for removing debris from a rail of a work machine, comprising:
a frame housing defining a first cavity;
a wear insert positioned within the first cavity and adapted to slide along the rail;
a sub-housing coupled to the frame housing and defining a second cavity; and
a wiper disposed at least partially within the second cavity, the sub-housing configured to bias the wiper into contact with the rail;
wherein, the sub-housing comprises a lip that protrudes from the sub-housing, the lip sloping downwardly away from the sub-housing and towards the rail.

2. The moldboard rail cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the wiper comprises a pair of angled corners at an end thereof opposite of where the sub-housing couples to the frame housing.

3. The moldboard rail cleaner of claim 1 , further comprising at least one biasing element disposed between the sub-housing and the wiper, the biasing element configured to bias the wiper into contact with the rail.

4. The moldboard rail cleaner of claim 3 , wherein the biasing element comprises one of a coil spring, a pneumatic pressure apparatus, a hydraulic pressure apparatus, or a weight.

5. The moldboard rail cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the wear insert and the wiper are integrally formed from a single piece of material.

6. A moldboard assembly of a work machine, comprising:
a moldboard adapted to be coupled to the machine for performing a work function, the moldboard including at least one rail that defines a rail axis;
a frame housing coupled to the rail and defining a first cavity, a first side, and a second side;
a wear insert disposed within the first cavity and in contact with the rail;
a sub-housing coupled to the first side of the frame housing, the sub-housing defining a sub-housing cavity;
a lip integrally formed in the sub-housing and sloping away from the sub-housing and towards the at least one rail; and
a wiper disposed at least partially within the sub-housing cavity, the wiper positioned in contact with the rail;
wherein, the wear insert, sub-housing, and wiper are positioned along the rail for removing debris and contaminants therefrom.

7. The moldboard assembly of claim 6 , further comprising:
a second sub-housing coupled to the second side of the frame housing and defining a second sub-housing cavity;
a second wiper disposed at least partially within the second sub-housing cavity, the second wiper positioned in contact with the rail;
wherein, the second sub-housing and second wiper are movable along the rail for removing debris and contaminants therefrom.

8. The moldboard assembly of claim 6 , further wherein the wear insert and the wiper are disposed in continuous contact with the rail.

9. The moldboard assembly of claim 6 , further comprising an adjustment mechanism for selectively adjusting the distance between the wear insert and the rail.

10. The moldboard assembly of claim 6 , further comprising at least one biasing element disposed between the sub-housing and the wiper, the biasing element configured to bias the wiper into contact with the rail.

11. A frame housing assembly for coupling a rail of a moldboard assembly, comprising:
a rail axis defined through the rail;
an apply axis defined perpendicular to the rail axis;
a frame mount defining a first cavity;
a wear insert sized to fit at least partially within the first cavity;
an adjusting mechanism coupled to the frame mount and configured to apply a first force on the wear insert along the apply axis;
a sub-housing coupled to an end of the frame mount and defining a second cavity;
a wiper sized to be positioned at least partially within the second cavity and movable about the apply axis;
a biasing member positioned between the wiper and the sub-housing and configured to apply a second force on the wiper along the apply axis;
wherein, the first force is independently adjustable relative to the second force.

12. The frame housing assembly of claim 11 , wherein the wiper is formed of a bronze, brass, Molybdenum disulfide-filled nylon, nylon 6/6, UHMW Polyethylene, or aluminum-bronze and conditions the rail to reduce degradation of the wear insert.

13. The frame housing assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a lip integrally formed within the sub-housing and protruding therefrom, the lip sloping away from the sub-housing along the rail axis.

14. The frame housing assembly of claim 13 , wherein the lip, wiper, and wear insert each are configured to divert debris off a portion of the rail.

15. The frame housing assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a ridge defined in the sub-housing, wherein the ridge prevents the wear insert from moving along the rail axis towards the wiper and prevents the wiper from moving along the rail axis towards the wear insert.

16. The frame housing assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first force is adjustable by the adjustment mechanism and the second force consistently applied by the biasing member.

17. The frame housing assembly of claim 11 , further comprising:
a ramped surface defined in the sub-housing; and
a gap is defined between the ramped surface and the rail when the sub-housing is coupled to the frame mount;
wherein, the ramped surface is angled towards the rail, defined at a terminus of the sub-housing proximate to the rail, and extends away from the sub-housing.

18. The frame housing assembly of claim 11 , wherein when the sub-housing is coupled to the frame mount, the wear insert and the wiper are restricted to the respective first and second cavity.

19. The frame housing assembly of claim 18 , further wherein, when the sub-housing is removed from the frame mount, both the wear insert and the wiper are removeable from the respective first and second cavity.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Zimmerman Scott W
• Staade Dustin T
• Fochs Joseph

Classifications

• E02F3/7663

  Graders with the scraper blade mounted under a frame supported by wheels, or the like · CPC title

• E02F3/8152 Primary

  Attachments therefor, e.g. wear resisting parts, cutting edges (E02F3/8155, E02F3/8157 take precedence; teeth per se E02F9/28) · CPC title

• E02F3/3604

  Devices to connect tools to arms, booms or the like · CPC title

• E02F3/7636

  Graders with the scraper blade mounted under the tractor chassis · CPC title