Undershot Auger Crop Feeding Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mower conditioners face issues with recutting and non-uniform feeding of crop material, particularly in light crop conditions, where cut crop hesitates on the rotary cutterbar, leading to poor cut quality and uneven windrow formation.
Innovation Solution
A crop harvesting machine with a cutterbar and an undershot rotating element positioned above the cutterbar, which rotates to move cut crop material between the rotary cutters and a conditioner element, ensuring consistent directional movement and reducing recutting by eliminating the need for additional crop directional control devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the crop is cut by the rotary cutterbar, then the cutting action moves the crop laterally and rearward, but the cut crop hesitates on top of the rotary cutter causing recutting and non-uniform feeding
Solution Approach 1:
An undershot auger is introduced as an intermediary device between the cutterbar and the conditioner. The auger receives cut crop from the cutterbar and positively conveys it rearward to the conditioner, preventing hesitation and recutting. This mediator ensures smooth, uniform crop flow without disrupting the cutting action.
Solution Approach 2:
The undershot auger is positioned to receive cut crop immediately after cutting and before the crop can hesitate on the rotary cutter. By acting preliminarily to move the crop rearward right after cutting, the system prevents the harmful hesitation effect before it occurs.
2Ease of operation
If additional crop directional control devices are added to move cut crop rearward, then crop movement is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The undershot auger performs multiple functions: it conveys cut crop rearward, prevents recutting, and feeds the conditioner uniformly. This single multi-functional device replaces what would otherwise require multiple separate directional control devices, reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The undershot auger is driven by the crop material itself through friction engagement. The moving crop rotates the auger, which then self-propels the crop rearward without requiring additional power takeoff or complex drive mechanisms.
3Productivity
If the rotary cutter rotates faster to improve cutting speed, then productivity increases, but cut crop hesitation and recutting worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The undershot auger acts as a mediator that immediately captures and conveys cut crop away from the rotary cutter. This allows the cutter to rotate at higher speeds for increased productivity while the auger prevents the speed-related hesitation problem by quickly removing cut material from the cutter surface.
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 enhances cut quality and uniformity of crop placement in the swath, improving drydown and reducing recutting and non-uniform feeding issues, even in challenging crop conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The rotating element is configured to rotate about the rotational axis to move cut crop material between the undershot rotating element and the plurality of rotary cutters
Data Source
AI summary
A crop harvesting machine configured to move cut crop positively across a cutterbar and toward a conditioner element using an undershot rotating element or undershot auger. The crop harvesting machine includes a cutterbar having a plurality of rotary cutters having rotational axis aligned along a line transverse to a moving direction of the crop harvesting machine. The undershot rotating element is subtended by portions of the rotary cutters and is located between rotational axis lines of the rotating cutters and an exit of the crop harvesting machine. The undershot rotating element moves cut crop between the undershot rotating element and the plurality of rotary cutters and to a conditioner element which conditions the cut crop for placement of the conditioned cut crop in swaths on a field.