Disk Gang Bolt Tensioning Structure for Agricultural Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural disk gangs face challenges in maintaining structural integrity under high loads due to the need for large gang bolt diameters, which require increased torque for adequate tension, making it difficult to efficiently tighten the gang bolt nut without excessive effort.
Innovation Solution
An elongated disk gang bolt with a tensioning structure featuring threaded through holes and fasteners that axially compress the cultivating disks, allowing the nut to be tightened with reduced effort by distributing the compression across multiple fasteners, thereby relieving pressure on the nut and enabling further tightening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a large gang bolt diameter is used to maintain structural integrity under high loads, then the strength and reliability are improved, but the torque required to tighten the gang bolt nut increases significantly, making operation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The tensioning function is segmented between multiple threaded fasteners (first, second, and third fasteners) that work together to compress the disk gang assembly. This distributes the total tension requirement across multiple smaller fasteners rather than requiring one large fastener, reducing the torque needed for each individual fastener while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The first threaded fastener is tightened to initially compress the first disk and first spacer against the first end of the gang bolt before the nut is tightened. This preliminary compression action establishes initial tension in the gang bolt, reducing the subsequent torque required to tighten the nut to achieve final tensioning.
2Reliability
If a large gang bolt diameter is used to maintain structural integrity, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for additional tensioning components
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded fasteners serve multiple functions: they compress individual disks and spacers against the gang bolt, maintain axial alignment of disk components, and collectively establish tension in the gang bolt. The nut also serves dual purposes by compressing disks together and locking the tensioning structure in place, reducing the need for separate dedicated components.
Solution Approach 2:
The tensioning structure is nested within the existing gang bolt assembly geometry. The threaded fasteners are positioned along the gang bolt length, with disks and spacers nested between them. The nut is positioned at the end of the gang bolt, nesting the entire tensioning system within the compact disk gang assembly structure without requiring external tensioning devices.
3Ease of operation
If multiple threaded fasteners are used to distribute compression, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of tightening the nut first and then attempting to tension the gang bolt, the invention inverts the sequence by first using threaded fasteners to compress disks and spacers against the gang bolt, establishing tension before nut tightening. This reverse sequence makes the overall assembly process easier by breaking down a single high-torque operation into multiple lower-torque steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for effective tensioning of the disk gang with reduced operator effort, ensuring adequate structural integrity and ease of use by distributing the compression across multiple fasteners, thus facilitating further tightening of the nut on the disk gang bolt.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of threaded fasteners are threadably engaged with the threaded through holes and are disposed to axially compress the cultivating disks on the elongated disk gang bolt when the plurality of threaded fasteners are tightened
Implementation Method 2
A nut is threadably engaged with the externally threaded surface. The nut has a first side facing the cultivating disks and a second side facing away from the cultivating disks. The nut is disposed to axially compress the cultivating disks together on the disk gang bolt when tightened
Implementation Method 3
The tensioning structure defines a plurality of threaded through holes. A plurality of threaded fasteners are threadably engaged with the threaded through holes and are disposed to axially compress the cultivating disks on the elongated disk gang bolt when the plurality of threaded fasteners are tightened, thereby permitting the nut to be further tightened on the elongated disk gang bolt with reduced effort
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural disk gang includes an elongated disk gang bolt having a threaded end with an externally threaded surface. A plurality of cultivating disks are supported on the disk gang bolt. A nut is threadably engaged with the externally threaded surface. The nut has a first side facing the disks and a second side facing away from the disks. The nut is disposed to axially compress the disks together on the disk gang bolt when tightened. A tensioning structure is mounted on the disk gang bolt outside of the nut. The tensioning structure has a plurality of threaded through holes. A plurality of threaded fasteners are threadably engaged with the threaded through holes and are disposed to axially compress the disks when the plurality of threaded fasteners are tightened, thereby permitting the nut to be further tightened.