Pivoting Mid-Floor Reduces Friction in Feeder House
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing chain-and-slat conveyor systems in agricultural combines experience premature wear and reduced efficiency due to increased friction and pressure from high crop volumes, leading to slowed processing and potential system stalling.
Innovation Solution
A pivoting mid-floor section is introduced between the transverse drum and sprocket, allowing adjustment to reduce friction and torque, combined with replaceable wear-resistant pads to minimize chain wear and friction heat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a fixed mid-floor is used to support the conveyor chain, then structural support is provided, but friction on the chain increases under high crop volume pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The mid-floor is designed to pivot dynamically in response to crop volume pressure. The pivot mechanism allows the mid-floor to rotate slightly, changing its angle relative to the conveyor chain. This dynamic adjustment reduces the normal force between the mid-floor and the chain, thereby reducing friction while maintaining structural support capability.
2Productivity
If the conveyor system slows down to accommodate high crop material volume, then processing capacity is maintained, but drive torque increases and wear on drive components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pivoting mid-floor dynamically adjusts to high crop volumes by pivoting, which reduces friction and torque requirements on the drive system. This allows the conveyor to maintain higher speeds under increased load conditions without excessive wear on drive components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by allowing the mid-floor angle to vary with crop volume. This parameter change reduces the mechanical stress and torque required to move the chain, thereby reducing wear on drive components while maintaining processing capacity.
3Quantity of substance
If the conveyor chain is forced against fixed portions of the feeder house under high pressure, then crop material volume is accommodated, but chain wear increases due to increased friction
Solution Approach 1:
The pivoting mid-floor allows the conveyor chain to maintain proper clearance from fixed portions of the feeder house even under high crop volume pressure. By pivoting, the mid-floor reduces the normal force between the chain and fixed structures, thereby reducing friction and chain wear while still accommodating high material volumes.
4Device complexity
If a fixed mid-floor is used, then the structure is simple, but the system experiences slowdowns and potential stalling under high crop volume
Solution Approach 1:
The pivoting mechanism adds minimal complexity to the mid-floor structure while enabling it to dynamically adapt to varying crop volumes. This dynamic capability prevents system slowdowns and stalling by allowing the mid-floor to adjust its position and reduce friction under high load conditions.
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
The solution effectively reduces wear on feeder house components, maintains processing speed, and prevents system slowdowns, ensuring efficient crop intake and processing without crop loss or feeder house plugs.
Implementation Method 1
reducing the friction on the chain, reducing the torque required to operate the system
Implementation Method 2
replaceable wear-resistant, low-friction wear pads can be affixed to the contact surfaces of the runners or guides of the mid-floor or to the underside of the slats to further extend wear life and reduce friction between the chain slats and mid-floor
Implementation Method 3
a drum arm affixed to the front cross member at a rear end and the shaft of the transverse drum at front end, the drum arm capable of moving the pivoting mid-floor in a substantially vertical direction when pressure is applied to the top or bottom of the mid-floor
Data Source
AI summary
A pivoting mid-floor section for use in a feeder house in an agricultural combine is located between the transverse drum and the transverse sprocket means. The pivoting mid-floor can move or adjust when a large volume of crop material is fed into the feeder house, while providing support for the conveyor chain along substantially the entire length of travel between the transverse drum and sprocket means, thus reducing the friction on the chain, and preventing the system slow downs that occurred in feeder house systems using a fixed mid-floor. Additionally, replaceable wear-resistant surfaces can be affixed to the runners or guides of the mid-floor to further extend wear life and reduce friction between the chain slats and mid-floor. The friction occurs between the wear pads on the runners or guides and the chain slats, rather than between the chain components and the mid-floor.