Tilting Roller Support for Rotary Platform Beam Wear Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotary milking platforms and other rotary platforms face issues due to uneven weight distribution on support rollers, leading to uneven wear and increased maintenance needs, caused by imperfections in the circular beam that result in inclined surfaces and uneven engagement with rollers.
Innovation Solution
A support element with a tiltably mounted roller that accommodates beam imperfections by tilting about an axis above the roller's rotational axis, ensuring even contact and minimizing frictional drag, using resilient mounting and guide elements to maintain contact along the entire bearing surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the lower web of the I-section circular beam is used to support the rotary platform, then the platform can be supported for rotation, but the beam may not always lie in a common horizontal plane resulting in uneven weight distribution on rollers
Solution Approach 1:
The support element is designed with a tiltable carrier element that can dynamically adjust its angle relative to the horizontal plane. This allows the support element to adapt to variations in beam alignment while maintaining stable platform support, converting a static rigid support into a dynamic adjustable one.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier element can change its angular parameter (tilt angle) to accommodate deviations from horizontal alignment. By allowing the support angle to vary within certain limits, the system compensates for manufacturing imperfections in the beam without requiring perfect horizontal alignment.
2Reliability
If the lower horizontal web or wear plate is located on the rollers, then the beam can be supported, but uneven engagement leads to uneven wear of rollers
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier element is designed to tilt dynamically, allowing the roller to maintain full surface engagement with the beam's lower web even when the beam is not perfectly horizontal. This dynamic adjustment ensures uniform weight distribution across the roller surface, preventing edge loading and uneven wear.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the angular parameter of the carrier element, the system optimizes the contact between the roller and beam. The tilt angle is adjusted to ensure the roller's bearing surface engages evenly with the beam, maximizing roller lifespan despite beam imperfections.
3Device complexity
If the rollers are fixed in position, then the support structure is simple, but they cannot accommodate beam inclinations resulting in increased frictional drag and uneven wear
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier element is made tiltable about an axis, transforming the fixed roller into a dynamically adjustable one. This allows the roller to automatically orient itself to match the beam's inclination, reducing frictional drag and ensuring even wear distribution while adding minimal structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The support element is divided into separate functional components: the anchor element (fixed to ground), the carrier element (tiltable), and the roller (rotatable). This segmentation allows the carrier element to independently adjust its angle to accommodate beam variations without affecting the overall structural integrity.
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 minimizes uneven wear on rollers, reduces maintenance needs, and ensures even weight distribution, extending the life of the rollers and reducing maintenance frequency by allowing the rollers to follow beam inclinations without transverse movement, thus maintaining platform stability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a roller rotatably mounted on the carrier element about a rotational axis and defining a peripheral bearing surface configured for supporting and rollably engaging the beam
Implementation Method 2
the carrier element is tiltably mounted on the anchor element about a tilt axis, the tilt axis being contained in a plane spaced apart above a plane containing the rotational axis of the roller
Data Source
AI summary
A rotary milking platform (1) comprises a platform (3) having a circular carrier beam (7) secured to the underside of the platform (3). The carrier beam (7) is supported on a plurality of support elements (10), each of which comprise a freely rotatable roller (35) which is configured to rollably engage an under surface (38) of the carrier beam (7). Each support element (10) comprises an anchor plate (27) adjustably mounted on a corresponding ground engaging element (20) which is secured to the ground. A carrier plate (40) is carried on four guide bolts (50) extending upwardly from the anchor plate (27). Side members (41) extending downwardly from the carrier plate (40) rotatably carry the roller (35). Compression springs (59) acting between abutment washers (55) secured to the guide bolts (50) and the carrier plate (40) urge the carrier plate (40) against heads (53) of the guide bolts (50). The compression springs (59) accommodate downward and upward movement of the roller (35) in order to accommodate rising and falling of the under surface (38) of the beam (7). The compression springs (59) permit tilting movement of the roller (35) about a tilt axis (61) which extends in the direction of motion of the beam (7) in order to facilitate tilting of the roller (35) to follow any non-horizontality of the under surface (38) of the beam (7). The tilt axis is located just below a line of contact (67) of the roller (35) with the under surface (38) of the beam (7) to minimise lateral movement of the roller relative to the beam (7) as the roller (35) tilts about the tilt axis.