Segmented Rotor Assembly for Tree Mulching Machine Hammers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tree cutting machines face inefficiencies and increased wear when operating on rough terrain with partially buried stumps and boulders, as they often require complete disassembly for hammer replacement and suffer from shock loads due to protruding swinging teeth designs.
Innovation Solution
A rotor assembly with a central driven shaft, semicircular support plates, and alternating swinging hammers that retract when encountering obstacles, allowing for individual hammer replacement without protrusion, reducing wear and shock loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If swinging hammer assemblies are used to cut brush on rough terrain, then the machine can handle partially buried stumps and boulders, but the entire shaft must be pulled out to replace a single hammer, causing unnecessary downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor shaft is divided into multiple removable segments or sections. Each segment can be independently detached to access and replace hammers on that specific section, eliminating the need to remove the entire shaft assembly. This segmentation allows maintenance workers to quickly replace individual hammers while leaving other sections intact and operational.
2Ease of repair
If the entire shaft is cut out to remove it from the frame for hammer replacement, then hammers can be accessed, but the machine is out of operation for an unnecessarily long period of time
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor shaft is divided into multiple removable segments or sections. Each segment can be independently detached to access and replace hammers on that specific section, eliminating the need to remove the entire shaft assembly. This segmentation allows maintenance workers to quickly replace individual hammers while leaving other sections intact and operational.
3Productivity
If swinging teeth protrude from the rotor assembly, then hammers can engage brush effectively, but the teeth cause the drum to jump when engaging stumps or boulders, introducing shock loads that shorten machine life
Solution Approach 1:
The hammer assemblies are designed to dynamically adjust their position relative to the rotor shaft. Instead of being fixed protrusions, the hammers can pivot, retract, or flex when encountering hard objects like stumps or boulders. This dynamic behavior allows the hammers to absorb impact forces through controlled movement rather than transmitting rigid shock loads to the entire rotor assembly and machine frame.
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 design enhances efficiency and longevity by allowing individual hammer replacement without disassembling the entire rotor assembly and minimizing impact on the machine when encountering stumps or boulders, thus improving tree and brush clearing performance.
Implementation Method 1
a generally flat tooth member extending radially outward from the body member and that under centrifugal forces, project radially out beyond the periphery of the support plates
Data Source
AI summary
A rotor assembly for a tree cutting attachment for a skid loader. The rotor assembly is made up of a central driven shaft journaled for rotation in the frame of the tree cutting attachment. Circular endplates are disposed proximately on the opposed ends of the central driven shaft. Two diametrically opposed rows of regularly spaced-apart semicircular support plates extend between the circular end plates. The semicircular support plates are held in parallel-spaced relationship by a plurality of equally circumferentially spaced bars extending between the endplates. Swinging hammers are mounted for free pivotal movement in an alternating pattern between the support plates. Each hammer includes a main shaft extending between the support plates, a body member pivotally connected to the main shaft at the pivot axis parallel to and spaced from the central driven shaft and a generally flat tooth member extending radially outward from the body member.