CORN HEAD ROLLER TIP ASSEMBLY KIT

Abstract

It is a mounting assembly for the end of a corn header roller, through which it is fixed to an end bearing (R) that allows the roller to maintain its rotational condition about its own axis; said bearing being fixed to a support arm (10) for mounting to the machine chassis. From the inner ring of the end bearing (R) projects outwards a splined shaft (14) to connect to a ball joint (15) housed in a cavity defined by said support arm (10) and the inner face of a cap (11) that is screwed onto the same support arm (10), which also includes a transverse channel (18) that extends to the internal threaded section through which the threaded cap (10) runs; in said transverse channel (18) is a set screw (16) that pushes and displaces a small bronze block (17) that has a pre-machined base with the thread of the threaded cap.

Description

Title of the Invention CORN HEAD ROLLER TOE MOUNTING ASSEMBLY Scope of the Invention The present invention, for which a patent is requested, has as its main objective A MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR THE TOE OF CORN HEAD ROLLER, which is distinguished because it includes a ball joint at its free end, through which it acquires the property of absorbing misalignments while presenting a great capacity to withstand working conditions with high dust contamination. In general terms, a corn header is made up of tips, whose purpose is to guide or channel the plants towards the lifting chains whose function is to transport the ears towards the auger, and gleaning rollers, two per furrow, which rotate concentrically, pulling the plant downwards, to prevent it (or parts of it) from entering, together with the ear, into the harvester. For their operation, each of these gleaning rollers are mounted so that they can rotate on their own axis, the free ends of which define tips that are arranged on support arms that connect them to the machine chassis. 2002665 of 12 In the present particular case, the assembly referred to in this invention has been specially designed for the assembly of the toe of a corn head roller, for which it is constituted in a self-aligning support arm, which allows the roller to rotate on its own axis, by means of the mechanical connection between the outer ring of the bearing associated with the roller, and that of the bearing shaft itself, which is arranged linked to the self-aligning support arm that is fixed to the machine chassis. To this end, the bearing that makes up the invented assembly has a grooved shaft 10 that extends to connect with a ball joint, through which it absorbs misalignments during assembly on the arm. Said ball joint is housed in a machined seat cavity in the body of the support arm, where a threaded cap is also included, which remains 15 loose during assembly, allowing movement of the ball joint to align the roller tip, so that once this alignment is completed, the threaded cap is adjusted so that said ball joint remains fixed to the bearing shaft. The special construction of the aforementioned self-aligning support arm allows for axial and angular adjustment of the bearing, which simplifies the assembly of the roller tip. 2002665 of 12 With the invented assembly, under the conditions described, a new mounting arrangement is possible, through which unwanted overloads on the bearing and the support arm due to misalignments are avoided. This is an invention that defines a new combination of means designed to achieve a superior result, which is unpredictable and surprising even to an expert in the field. Consequently, in addition to being novel, its constructive and functional design demonstrates a clear inventive step, thus meeting the conditions required by law to be considered a patent. Prior Art As is well known, as the combine moves through the field, the harvesters enter between the rows of corn, at which point each plant is picked up by two rotating rollers, each edge of which has longitudinal grooves attached for this purpose. In this way, each stalk that enters between these rollers is pulled downward, separating the ear (which is larger in diameter than the stalks) from the rest of the plant. Once the ear of corn has been picked, its entry is ensured by the work of two carrying chains, which lead the ears, husks and loose stems to the auger. Corn headers usually include pairs of earing rollers, two per row, which rotate concentrically, pulling the plant downwards, 2002665 of 12 to prevent the same (or parts of it) from entering the harvester with the ear. These rollers are characterized by a spiral-shaped toe section, which facilitates the orderly entry of the plants. This is followed by a traction zone with grooves, fins, or linear blades, which violently lower the cane between the gleaning plates (which have an adjustable spacing and are always smaller than the diameter of the canes), thus enabling the ears to be detached. The present invention relates to the resource included for mounting the tip of each corn head roller. Currently, arms with a cylindrical housing containing a bearing for receiving the toe are used, with lateral compression adjustment systems. In other cases, cylindrical bushings are included instead of bearings. However, none of the known mounting options for these roller tips provide the ability to absorb misalignments. Brief Description of the Invention - Advantages With the mounting assembly referred to in the present invention, it is possible to perform axial adjustment of the roller tip and the possibility of aligning the bearing during assembly. 2002665 of 12 To this end, a novel shielded bearing has been developed for the tip of corn header rollers, which is associated with a self-aligning support arm that allows the roller to rotate on its own axis. According to this invention, the shielded bearing defines a splined shaft projecting outwards to associate with a ball joint mounted on the support arm, through which it is possible to absorb misalignments during assembly. This ball joint is housed in a cavity defined in the support arm. This cavity is sealed by a threaded cap, which remains loose during assembly, allowing the ball joint to move to align the assembly. Once the alignment is complete, the cap is tightened to ensure that no dust or unwanted materials enter. The invention contemplates the inclusion of a set screw that is oriented transversely, blocking the rotation of the threaded cap, thereby preventing it from loosening during operation. These construction conditions of the support arm containing the aforementioned ball joint associated with the output shaft of the bearing, present the novelty of allowing axial and angular adjustment of the bearing, which simplifies assembly and prevents overloads on the bearing and the arm due to misalignments. 2002665 of 12 It is noteworthy that the aforementioned threaded cap, once adjusted, remains fixed and immovable by means of a set screw that moves transversely through a channel made in the body of the support arm. To do this, the aforementioned set screw displaces a small pre-machined bronze block with the thread of the cover, which moves inside said transverse duct, so that, when the set screw is adjusted, the small bronze block moves and presses the thread of the cover, blocking it, but without damaging it. When you want to remove the bearing, simply loosen the aforementioned set screw, which releases the pressure on the small bronze block and enables the threaded cap to rotate, allowing it to be removed without any problem. With the mounting assembly thus formed, a novel mounting system is established that allows mounting, locking and dismounting as many times as necessary without damaging the bearing shaft thread. From the above, it is clear that the arm has a robust design, allowing for quick assembly and disassembly through the use of the ball joint with adjusting nut. 2002665 of 12 It is also worth noting that this type of adjustment allows for adaptation to variations in the chassis dimensions of the equipment on which it is to be mounted, avoiding the use of compensating supplements. The presence of the aforementioned ball joint allows the bearing and roller to be easily aligned during assembly, avoiding overloads during operation that could cause premature failure due to fatigue. By avoiding localized overloads that cause misalignment of moving rollers, the machine's useful life is increased. Inventive Activity No shielded bearing currently known proposes, or even suggests, the constructive solution that arises from what is indicated in the preceding paragraphs, which is why this is a proposal that, in addition to being novel, possesses a clear inventive step. Synthetic Description of the Figures In order to specify the advantages thus briefly commented, to which users and experts in the specialty may add many more, and to facilitate the understanding of the constructive, constitutive and functional characteristics of the invented shielded bearing, a preferred embodiment example is described below, which is illustrated schematically and without a specific scale, in the attached sheets, with the express clarification that, precisely because it is an example, it is not appropriate to assign it a 2002665 of 12 of a limiting or exclusive nature of the scope of protection of the present invention, but rather it simply has a merely explanatory and illustrative intention of the basic concept on which it is based. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the furrow of a corn header, highlighting a pair of rollers, one of which has its toe section partially cut. Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a corn head roller with its tip mounted on a support arm. Figure 3 is an enlarged detail in longitudinal section highlighting the mounting assembly of this invention arranged at the tip of a corn head roller. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the shielded bearing of this invention disposed in the dropout support arm. Figure 5 is an exploded view of the same assembly as the previous figure. It is clarified that, in all figures, the same reference numbers and letters correspond to the same or equivalent parts or constituent elements of the assembly, according to the example chosen for the present explanation of the invented shielded bearing. 2002665 of 12 Detailed Description of a Preferred Example As is known, a conventional corn header includes a frame or header furrow that basically consists of a pair of lifting chains arranged on an upper plane, carrying the pusher spoons, which are arranged on a plane higher than a pair of rotating feeder rollers that extend between both chains, on a lower plane. Figure 1 shows only one of the lifting chains, indicated by the reference (1), with its buckets (2). It can be seen that said lifting chain extends between a drive gear (4) arranged at the proximal end of the control box (5), and a tensioning gear (3) arranged at a distal end with respect to the same control box (5). With the rotation of the drive gears in the opposite direction to the movement of the material being moved, the linear movement is generated, in the longitudinal direction of the furrow, for which, each lifting chain must be properly tensioned by the action of the aforementioned tensioning gear (3). Figure 1 itself shows the presence of a pair of rotating rollers (6) and (7) projecting parallel, in the same plane and with a slight separation from each other. They project from the aforementioned control box (5), and include a section of the toe (9) with annular ribs in relief, which is mounted on the support arm (10). 2002665 of 12 In this figure 1 it is shown that the tip (9) of the roller (6) is partially cut, allowing to appreciate the presence of the shielded bearing (R) that integrates the assembly set of this invention, through which the assembly of the tip (9) of the roller (6) is established in the support arm (10), maintaining the rotating condition. It can be seen that said assembly of the tip (9) of each roller is closed with a threaded cap (12) arranged at the free end of the assembly. Looking now at Figures 2 and 3 it is possible to appreciate how the assembly assembly referred to in the present invention is constituted. Especially in figure 3 it can be seen that the tip (9) of the roller (6) is fixed to the outer ring (13) of the bearing (R), so that it rotates with respect to the splined shaft (14) that projects from the inner ring of the same bearing (13). According to this invention, the aforementioned splined shaft (14) is associated with the ball joint (15) which is arranged in a cavity substantially defined in the body of the support arm (10). The assembly is completed with the aforementioned threaded cover (12) that sits on the aforementioned ball joint (15) so that with its threaded adjustment on the internal wall of the support arm, it can press on it until it prevents its mobility. 2002665 of 12 Thus constituted the invented assembly, the advantage of constituting a self-aligning assembly becomes clear, since the presence of the ball joint (15) allows the shaft (14) to be aligned during assembly, before adjusting the threaded cover 5 (11). Once the operator establishes the alignment, he proceeds to adjust the cover that presses the ball joint until it is immobilized. It can be seen that the incorporation of a set screw (16) housed in a transverse hole made in the body of the support arm 10 (10) is contemplated, through which it is possible to move a small block of bronze (17) that has a pre-machined face with the thread of the cover (11), whose function is to prevent the ball joint from moving after being adjusted, from turning improperly and from becoming loose from its fixing, during the operation of the machine. Figures 4 and 5 allow a clearer view of the combination of means that make up the assembly assembly referred to in this invention, and it can be seen that, to produce the aforementioned self-alignment of the bearing (R), the seating cavity of the ball joint (15) associated with the shaft (14) is formed between the internal face of the threaded cover (11) and the cavity defined in the support arm 20. 2002665 of 12 LISANDRO COLL ARECO - 20234663691 Digitally signed by PORTALTRAMITES - INPI Date: 2022.10.18 14:40:47 -03:00 Reason: Digitally signed by the INPI Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina 2002665

Claims

1. A mounting assembly for the roller end of corn headers, wherein said end is fixed to an end bearing (R) that allows the roller to maintain its rotatable condition about its own axis, wherein said bearing is fixed to a support arm (10) for its arrangement linked to the machine chassis; characterized in that a shaft (14) projects outwards from the inner ring of the end bearing (R) to connect to a ball joint (15) housed in a cavity defined between said support arm (10) and the inner face of an end cap (11) that is threaded onto the same support; the support arm (10) includes a transverse channel that extends to the threaded inner section through which the end cap runs, a set screw (16) being located in said transverse channel that pushes and displaces a locking block. 5 Claims follow