Forage Harvester Feed Roller Cable Stop Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing forage harvester in-feed apparatuses face issues with maintaining a constant chop length due to irregular feed roll movement caused by dirt and crop material accumulation, leading to uneven loading of the cutter head and failure to achieve consistent crop material flow.
Innovation Solution
The use of a cable system with metal eyelets, secured at one end to the upper feed roller assembly and the other to the frame, provides a reliable stop to define the minimum separation between the feed roller assemblies, ensuring consistent compression and movement without interference from dirt or stray crop material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flat abutment surfaces are used to stop upper feed rolls, then the downward movement can be limited, but accumulation of dirt and crop material on the abutments prevents consistent positioning of the feed rolls
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the stopping function from the contaminated environment by moving the stop mechanism to the top of the vertical guide, where it is inaccessible to dirt and crop material accumulation. This separates the critical positioning function from the harmful contamination zone, ensuring reliable feed roll positioning without maintenance of clean abutment surfaces.
2Reliability
If supporting rims are provided below feed roll shafts to limit downward travel, then the shafts are protected from contacting aperture edges, but the rims themselves can accumulate dirt and crop material affecting positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the supporting rim from the contamination-prone area below the feed rolls and relocates the limiting function to the top of the guide. This extraction eliminates the surface that would otherwise accumulate dirt and crop material, while still providing the necessary protection and positioning function through the relocated stop at the guide's upper end.
3Reliability
If telescopic springs guides with stops are used to limit movement, then the minimum separation can be defined, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the complex telescopic springs guide with a simple, inexpensive stop mechanism mounted at the top of a basic vertical guide. This simple stop, which can be a fixed or adjustable element, provides the necessary minimum separation definition without the complexity and cost of telescopic mechanisms, embodying the principle of using simple, maintenance-free components rather than complex adjustable systems.
4Strength
If abutments with rubber bumpers are used to cushion downward motion, then the feed rolls are protected, but the flat surfaces require regular cleaning to maintain positioning accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the cushioning function from the contaminated abutment surface and relocates it to the top of the guide where the stop mechanism operates. By moving the stopping and cushioning function away from the feed roll area, the design eliminates the need for regular cleaning to maintain positioning accuracy, as the stop is positioned where dirt and crop material cannot reach.
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 maintains consistent feed roll positioning and crop material flow, preventing irregular loading of the cutter head and ensuring a constant chop length, while avoiding costly abutments and complex mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
the stop comprises a cable secured at one end to the upper roller assembly and at its other end to the frame
Implementation Method 2
the upper feed roller assembly being biased towards the lower feed roller assembly so as to apply a compressive force to crop material passing between the upper and lower feed roller assemblies
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An in-feed apparatus is disclosed for a forage harvester having upper and lower feed roller assemblies mounted in a frame, the upper feed roller assembly (120) being movably mounted in the frame (18) to vary the separation between the two assemblies and being biased by springs (55) towards the lower feed roller assembly (17) so as to apply a compressive force to crop material passing between the upper and lower feed roller assemblies. The in-feed apparatus further includes a stop for limiting downward movement of the upper roller assembly so as to set a minimum separation between the two feed roller assemblies. In the invention, the stop comprises a cable (90, 91, 92 and 93) secured at one end to the upper roller assembly and at its other end to the frame.