Central Stuffer Crankshaft Support for Round Balers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Round balers face issues with stuffer crankshaft deflection and premature wear due to the need to accommodate varying crop densities and wide pickup widths, leading to inconsistent crop feed and potential mechanical failure, as conventional stuffer mechanisms lack mid-span support.
Innovation Solution
A central stuffer crankshaft support is introduced, which includes a compact design with a self-aligning bearing and splined interface, allowing for radial load handling without disrupting the uniform spacing of feeder fingers, thus providing additional support to the crankshaft and maintaining consistent crop feed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the stuffer crankshaft spans the entire width of the baling chamber without mid-span support, then the device complexity is reduced, but the crankshaft deflection increases leading to premature bearing and bushing wear
Solution Approach 1:
The crankshaft support structure is segmented into multiple sections: end supports at each end of the baling chamber and an intermediate support at the mid-span position. This segmentation divides the long unsupported span into shorter segments, reducing deflection in each segment while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediate support structure is introduced as a mediator between the two end supports. This intermediate bearing acts as a mediator that provides necessary support to the crankshaft at the mid-span position, preventing excessive deflection and reducing wear on the bearing and bushing components without requiring complete redesign of the entire support system.
2Stability of the object's composition
If mid-span support is added to the stuffer crankshaft, then the crankshaft deflection is reduced, but the stuffer fingers proximate to the support are eliminated disrupting uniform crop feed
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate support is designed with local quality considerations: it is positioned and dimensioned to provide necessary structural support only at the critical mid-span location where deflection is greatest, while being compact enough to leave sufficient space for stuffer fingers to operate uniformly across the entire width of the baling chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate support structure is designed to occupy minimal space in the horizontal dimension while providing adequate support in the vertical dimension. By optimizing the support's dimensional footprint, the design accommodates both the structural need for mid-span support and the operational need for uniform stuffer finger spacing.
3Productivity
If the pickup width is increased to engage common windrows, then the productivity is improved, but the stuffer crankshaft spans wider distance increasing deflection and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into multiple sections (end supports and intermediate support) that collectively support the wider crankshaft span required for broader pickup width. This segmentation allows the crankshaft to maintain the necessary width for high productivity while distributing the mechanical loads across multiple support points, reducing deflection and wear.
Data Source
AI summary
An improved stuffer mechanism for a baler having an array of feeder fingers uniformly spaced across a stuffer feeder table and a centrally located support bearing for the stuffer feeder finger crankshaft that does not disrupt the uniform feeder finger spacing.