U.S. patent application number 11/881319 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-29 for molded spreader disk.
Invention is credited to David V. Dobbins, Craig E. Murray, Kevin S. Schwinn.
Application Number | 20090029751 11/881319 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39830348 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090029751 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schwinn; Kevin S. ; et
al. |
January 29, 2009 |
MOLDED SPREADER DISK
Abstract
A spreader bat disk for a spreader assembly that has a drive
linkage operable to rotatably drive attachments thereto, the
spreader bat disk being formed or molded as a unitary construction
that includes a web portion, preferably of a generally circular
configuration, having a top surface and an essentially flat bottom
surface, with a plurality of integral radially distributed spreader
blades projecting upwardly from the top surface, and which is
configured to be operatively connectable to the drive linkage of
the spreader assembly to be rotated thereby to spread material
provided thereto.
Inventors: |
Schwinn; Kevin S.; (Orion,
IL) ; Murray; Craig E.; (Rock Island, IL) ;
Dobbins; David V.; (Chicago, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CNH AMERICA LLC
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1895, M.S. 641
NEW HOLLAND
PA
17557
US
|
Family ID: |
39830348 |
Appl. No.: |
11/881319 |
Filed: |
July 26, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
460/8 ;
460/149 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01D 41/1243
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
460/8 ;
460/149 |
International
Class: |
A01D 75/00 20060101
A01D075/00 |
Claims
1. A spreader bat disk for a spreader assembly for spreading
material provided thereto, the spreader assembly including a drive
linkage operable to rotatably drive attachments thereto, the
spreader bat disk comprising a unitary member including a generally
flat web portion having top and bottom surface portions, a
generally perpendicular rotation axis through approximately the
center of said web portion, an outer periphery the outermost
portions of which generally define a spreader disk circle when said
web portion is rotated about said rotation axis, an outer portion
generally inwardly adjacent said outer periphery, and an inner ring
portion spaced inwardly from said outer portion and generally
concentric with said spreader disk circle and having a diameter
smaller than the diameter of said spreader disk circle, said top
surface portion of said web portion including a plurality of
generally radially spaced upwardly projecting blade elements
extending outwardly on said top surface of said web portion from
said inner ring portion of said web portion towards said outer
portion of said web portion, said inner ring portion and said outer
periphery of said web portion being generally concentrically
disposed relative to the rotation axis, said web portion, being
operatively connectable to the drive linkage of the spreader
assembly to be rotatable about the rotation axis, said blade
elements of such an operatively connected unitary member operable
to engage material provided onto said top surface of said web
portion for spreading and to centrifugally throw such material as
said unitary member is rotated about the rotation axis, and at
least one detachable concave blade mountable to the top surface of
the web portion on either side of a blade element, wherein the
concave blade is generally adjacent to the blade element on either
the left or right side depending on the mounting configuration of
the disk for either aggressive or retarded throw positioning.
2. The spreader bat disk of claim 1 wherein said blade elements are
spaced generally uniformly from one another.
3. The spreader bat disk of claim 1 wherein said blade elements
have an inner end and an outer end and are skewed relative to a
radial of the spreader disk circle that passes through said inner
end of said blade element, such radial defining a blade base
radial.
4. The spreader bat disk of claim 3 wherein said outer ends of said
blade elements are advanced forwardly, in the direction of rotation
of said unitary member about the rotation axis, from the blade base
radial.
5. The spreader bat disk of claim 3 wherein said outer ends of said
blade elements are positioned rearwardly, in the direction of
rotation of said unitary member about the rotation axis, from the
blade base radial.
6. The spreader bat disk of claim 3 wherein said blade elements
extend generally radially towards said outer periphery of said web
portion from said inner ends to said outer ends.
7. The spreader bat disk of claim 3 wherein said bottom surface of
said web portion is essentially flat and devoid of projections.
8. The spreader bat disk of claim 7 wherein said web portion of
said unitary member is reversibly positionable with said top
surface of said web portion facing downwardly and with said
essentially flat bottom surface facing upwardly and, when so
reversibly positioned, being operatively connectable to the drive
linkage of the spreader assembly to rotate said unitary member
about the rotation axis.
9. The spreader bat disk of claim 1 wherein said unitary member is
formed from an essentially homogeneous material.
10. The spreader bat disk of claim 9 wherein said unitary member is
a molded plastic.
11. The spreader bat disk of claim 9 wherein said unitary member is
a metallic casting.
12. The spreader bat disk of claim 9 wherein said unitary member is
a die cut body.
13. The spreader bat disk of claim 1 further including at least one
separate bat element and a bat element mounting connector therefor,
and wherein said unitary member includes at least one mounting
location for said separate bat element, said separate bat element
mountable to said spreader bat disk at said mounting location by
said mounting connector.
14. The spreader bat disk of claim 13 wherein said separate bat
element includes a longitudinal element with an inner end
positionable closer to said inner ring portion of said web portion
and an outer end closer to said outer portion of said web
portion.
15. The spreader bat disk of claim 14 wherein said longitudinal
element includes a leading side positionable to face the direction
of rotation of said unitary member, said leading side having a
concave surface extending longitudinally along at least a portion
thereof.
16. The spreader bat disk of claim 15 wherein said separate bat
element and said web portion include alignable holes therethrough
and wherein said mounting connector includes a bolt member
insertable through said alignable holes when aligned.
17. The spreader bat disk of claim 16 wherein said alignable holes
in said web portion are radially intermediate a pair of blade
elements of said unitary member.
18. The spreader bat disk of claim 15 wherein said separate bat
element is skewed relative to a radial of the spreader disk circle
that passes through said inner end of said bat element.
19. The spreader bat disk of claim 14 wherein said mounting
location for said separate bat element is located along one of the
blade elements of said unitary member.
20. The spreader bat disk of claim 19 wherein said separate bat
element includes a leading side positionable to face the direction
of rotation of said unitary member, said leading side having a
generally inverted L-shape extending longitudinally along at least
a portion thereof.
21. The spreader bat disk of claim 19 wherein said separate bat
element is configured, when mounted to a blade element of said web
portion, to define a material trough with an open side in the
direction of rotation of the unitary member along at least a
portion of said blade element.
22. The spreader bat disk of claim 13 including a plurality of
separate bat elements, each having an associated mounting connector
therefor, and wherein said unitary member includes a plurality of
mounting locations for said plurality of separate bat elements.
23. The spreader bat disk of claim 22 wherein said separate bat
elements have an inner end positionable closer to said inner ring
portion of said web portion and an outer end positionable closer to
said outer portion of said web portion and are mountable at
mounting locations to skew said outer ends thereof relative to
radials of the spreader disk that pass through said inner ends of
said bat elements.
24. The spreader bat disk of claim 1 wherein the drive linkage of
the spreader assembly includes a lower outwardly extending flange
portion and said web portion of said unitary member is attachable
to the flange portion.
25. The spreader bat disk of claim 24 wherein the flange portion of
the drive linkage includes a plurality of radially spaced flanges
and wherein said web portion includes a central opening
therethrough, said inner ring portion of said web portion being
outwardly adjacent to said central opening through said web
portion, said inner ring portion connectable to the radially spaced
flanges.
26. The spreader bat disk of claim 25 wherein the drive linkage of
the spreader assembly includes a spreader cone having an upper end
and a cone base, the flange portion disposed about the cone base,
said central opening through said web portion having a planar shape
approximately the same as the planar shape of the cone base.
27. The spreader bat disk of claim 26 wherein the cone base and
said central opening through said web portion are approximately
circular and the diameters thereof are approximately the same and
smaller than the diameter of said spreader disk circle.
28. The spreader bat disk of claim 1 wherein said outer periphery
is generally circular and said web portion includes a generally
circular opening therethrough.
29. The spreader bat disk of claim 1 further including a spreader
cone incorporated into said unitary member to define a spreader
cone disk, said spreader cone projecting upwardly from said top
surface of said web portion inwardly adjacent to said inner ring
portion and about the rotation axis of said web portion.
30. The spreader bat disk of claim 29 wherein the drive linkage of
the spreader assembly includes a drive linkage shaft and the
spreader bat disk further includes a conical linkage portion
incorporated into said unitary member to define an integral
spreader head, said spreader cone including an upper end, said
conical linkage portion extending upwardly from said upper end of
said spreader cone and including a plunge cavity therein extending
downwardly from the top thereof for receiving therein the drive
linkage shaft of the drive assembly.
31. A spreader bat disk for a spreader assembly for spreading
material provided thereto, the spreader assembly having a drivable
spreader head assembly that includes a spreader head connector
having a spreader head connector top and a spreader head connector
base, the spreader head connector top connectable to a linkage
assembly for rotatably driving said spreader head connector about a
rotation axis extending generally through the spreader head
connector top and the center of the spreader head connector base,
the outermost portion of the spreader head connector base defining
a spreader head circle having an outer circumference when the
spreader head connector is rotated about the rotation axis, the
spreader bat disk comprising a unitary member including a web
portion having top and bottom surface portions and a generally
circular outer periphery generally defining a spreader disk circle
having a diameter greater than the diameter of the spreader head
circle, said web portion of said unitary member positionable
adjacent to the base of the spreader head connector with said top
surface of said web portion facing upwardly and with the outer
circumference of the spreader head circle and said outer periphery
of said web portion being generally concentrically disposed
relative to the rotation axis, said web portion, when so
positioned, being mountable to the spreader head to define a
spreader bat positioning area on said web portion between the outer
circumference of the spreader head circle and said outer periphery
of said web portion, said bat positioning area having an inner
portion generally outwardly adjacent to the outer circumference of
the spreader cone base and an outer portion generally inwardly
adjacent to said outer periphery of said web portion, said top
surface portion of said web portion including a plurality of
generally radially spaced upwardly projecting integral blade
elements disposed on said spreader bat positioning area and
extending outwardly from said inner portion of said web portion
towards said outer portion of said web portion, said unitary member
being rotatable with the spreader head when mated thereto to rotate
said unitary member about the rotation axis, said blade elements of
said unitary member operable to engage material provided onto said
top surface of said web portion for spreading and to centrifugally
throw such material as said unitary member is rotated about the
rotation axis, and at least one detachable concave blade mountable
to the top surface of the web portion on either side of a blade
element, wherein the concave blade is generally adjacent to the
blade element on either the left or right side depending on the
mounting configuration of the disk for either aggressive or
retarded throw positioning.
32. A spreader bat disk for a spreader assembly having a drivable
spreader cone assembly that includes a spreader cone having a
spreader cone top and a spreader cone base, the spreader cone base
being generally circular with an outer circumference, the spreader
cone top connectable to a conical linkage assembly for rotatably
driving said spreader cone about a rotation axis extending
generally through the spreader cone top and the center of the
spreader cone base, the spreader bat disk comprising a unitary
member including a web portion having a generally circular outer
periphery generally defining a spreader disk circle having a
diameter greater than the diameter of the base of the spreader
cone, said web portion of said unitary member positionable adjacent
to the base of the spreader cone with the outer circumference of
the spreader cone base and said outer periphery of said web portion
being generally concentrically disposed relative to the rotation
axis, said web portion matable to the spreader cone to define a
spreader bat positioning area on said top surface of said web
portion between the outer circumference of the spreader cone base
and said outer periphery of said web portion, said web portion
having an inner ring portion generally outwardly adjacent to the
outer circumference of the spreader cone base and an outer portion
generally inwardly adjacent to said outer periphery of said web
portion, said web portion including top and bottom surface
portions, said top surface portion of said web portion including a
plurality of generally radially spaced upwardly projecting blade
elements disposed on said spreader bat positioning area and
extending outwardly from said inner portion of said web portion
towards said outer portion of said web portion, said unitary member
being rotatable with the spreader cone when mated thereto to rotate
said member about the rotation axis, and at least one detachable
concave blade mountable to the top surface of the web portion on
either side of a blade element, wherein the concave blade is
generally adjacent to the blade element on either the left or right
side depending on the mounting configuration of the disk for either
aggressive or retarded throw positioning.
33. (canceled)
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to mechanisms adapted for spreading
material, particularly crop residue that is discharged from the
rear output port of a harvester combine, and especially to
mechanisms that have utilized dual spinning circular crop residue
spreader disk assemblies assembled from separate spreader plates
and associated spreader bats, and, more particularly, to the
spreader disk assemblies of such mechanisms.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Typically, as a harvester combine moves forward through a
crop such as wheat, the wheat is cut and conveyed upwardly into the
combine and into a threshing portion thereof where the grain is
separated from the wheat stalks and then conveyed by the combine to
a series of sieves where the chaff is blown away from the grain by
blasts of air. The grain separated from the chaff is conveyed
within the combine to a grain chute, while the crop residue,
including the straw stalks and chaff, is typically conveyed or
blown rearwardly to be discharged from the combine through a rear
output port. In the absence of some mechanism for broadcast
spreading the crop residue, it will typically fall into elongated
piles or a windrow trailing behind the combine.
[0003] In some instances, when the user desires to make further use
of the crop residue, distribution of the crop residue in a windrow
may be preferred and the user may then bale or otherwise remove the
windrowed material from the field. In other instances, the user
does not desire to so make use of the crop residue, and discharge
of the crop residue in a windrow is not preferred. In such
instances, users generally desire that the crop residue be spread
in a swath over a field, and be distributed evenly or uniformly
over the swath. Uniform distribution is desirable for a number of
reasons. Included among such reasons are that uneven crop residue
distribution on a field can lead to temperature and moisture
gradients detrimental to even growth of future crops on the field,
uneven distribution can make it difficult for crops to utilize
nutrients, and uneven distribution can impact the effectiveness of
agricultural chemicals. In addition, the existence of large
discontinuities of spread crop residue can lead to plugging and
other functional problems when such discontinuities are encountered
by tillage and/or planting equipment.
[0004] One method of spreading crop residue being discharged from
the rear output port of a harvester combine that has been
advantageously employed has been to rotatably mount a pair of
circular spreader disk assemblies side-by-side generally beneath
the combine's rear crop residue output port. Such spreader disk
assemblies typically have been assembled from various component
parts, including a spreader plate and a plurality of separate
spreader fins or bats of varying configurations which have been
installed on the spreader plates to extend upwardly from the top
surface of such spreader plate. The spreader fins or bats have
typically been flat or straight when used for heavier residue
crops, such as corn, or with smaller width grain headers, and
curved when used for lighter residue crops, such as cereal grains,
or with wider grain headers, and have typically been secured to the
spreader plates by various hardware connectors. The assembled
spreader disk assembly has then typically been operatively
connected to other standard components of a spreader assembly so
that, when viewed from above, the left spreader assembly would
rotate in a clockwise direction and so that the right spreader
plate would counter-rotate counter-clockwise.
[0005] To effect such operation, each of the spreader plates has
typically been secured to a spreader cone or conical linkage that
extends upwardly and axially from the top surface of the spreader
plate. Extending further upwardly from the upper end of each such
spreader cone or conical linkage has been a drive axle to which the
spreader cone has been secured, and fixedly mounted upon the upper
end of each drive axle has been an upwardly facing bevel gear. The
bevel gear, axle, conical axle linkage, and spreader disk
assemblies have been rotatably mounted upon the rearward end of a
combine, and positioned side-by-side, and below the combine's crop
residue output port.
[0006] In operation, the spreader disk assemblies have then been
rotatably driven by a generally horizontal drive shaft having a
leftward facing and a rightward facing bevel gear mounted thereon,
the bevel gears rotating the left spreader disk assembly clockwise
as viewed from above and counter-rotating the right spreader disk
assembly in a counter-clockwise direction. Such counter-rotation of
the left and right spreader disk assemblies has caused the spreader
fins or bats to propel the crop residue rearwardly away from the
harvester combine and somewhat sidewardly across the swath of the
cut.
[0007] Such spreader disk assemblies must be lightweight, durable,
and dimensionally stable so as to be able to operate consistently
in the confined space in which they reside. Consequently, to this
point in time, the spreader plates have generally been formed or
constructed of aluminum for reasons of weight and flatness control,
the spreader cones have been formed or constructed of light weight
plastic, and the spreader bats have been formed or constructed of
plastic or steel for wear resistance. Because user demands vary
regarding spreading requirements, a number of such spreader disk
assemblies include spreader plates that provide multiple mounting
locations for a variety of spreader bats of varying configurations.
By employing different spreader bats and different mounting
locations, a user can effect differing spreading patterns. The
versatility of such spreader assemblies, however, is tempered by
the associated costs of the assemblies and their multiple
configurable parts, taking into account not only the materials of
such spreader assemblies, but also the varying configurations and
quantities of individual components required, as well as the time
required for assembly and disassembly. While many combine users
appreciate the versatility of such spreader disk assemblies, they
continue to seek less costly spreader disk assemblies that will
still afford the quality of service that they demand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention offers users a cost effective
alternative, in terms of both parts costs and time savings, to the
known spreader disk assemblies that have included separate spreader
cones, spreader plates, and spreader bats, and which have required
the investment of user time for configuration and assembly for use,
while preserving much of the versatility that could be realized
with the pre-existing disk assemblies. In its more basic form, the
invention comprises a construction formed or molded as a unitary
member that can replace or be employed in lieu of the sundry
separate components that were previously required to assemble and
use a spreader disk assembly, which construction incorporates into
a unitary member at least a spreader plate and associated integral
spreader blades or blade elements, and in further optional
configurations, a spreader cone or a spreader cone with an
associated conical linkage.
[0009] Such a unitary member, with a spreader plate and associated
integral spreader blades, is hereinafter referred to as a spreader
bat disk. The spreader bat disk is formed or molded as a unitary
construction to include a web portion, preferably of a generally
circular configuration, having a top surface and a bottom surface,
with a plurality of radially distributed integral blade or fin
projections projecting upwardly from the top surface, and is
configured to be securably attachable to a spreader cone or conical
axle linkage of a typical spreader assembly when such spreader cone
or conical axle linkage is generally centrally aligned with such
web portion.
[0010] A preferred embodiment of such spreader bat disk, suitable
for use with a typical spreader cone construction that has an
outwardly directed flange portion, including a plurality of
radially spaced outwardly directed flanges extending from the base
of the spreader cone with mounting holes through such flanges, has
a generally circular central opening therethrough, the diameter of
which central opening generally corresponds to the diameter of the
base of the spreader cone, and is positionable to rest upon the
outwardly directed flanges of the spreader cone such that the
central opening of the spreader bat disk and the base of the
spreader cone are generally co-extensive and aligned. The web
portion includes mounting holes adjacent the central opening
alignable with the mounting holes through the outwardly directed
flanges of the spreader cone to securably attach the spreader bat
disk to the spreader cone construction. A plurality of integral
blade or fin-type projections extend upwardly from the top surface
of the web portion, on a spreader bat positioning area on the top
surface of the web portion, and longitudinally from an inner end
near the central opening through the spreader bat disk to an outer
end near the outer periphery of the spreader bat disk, to form
integral spreader blades for throwing the crop residue.
[0011] For purposes of further discussion herein, the surface of
the web portion from which the spreader blades project will be
referred to as the top surface of such web portion and of the
spreader bat disk, even when the spreader bat disk may be oriented
in a position in which such top surface may be lower to a ground
surface than the opposed, or bottom, surface of the web portion,
such as when the spreader bat disk has been turned upside down.
Consequently, as will be further discussed hereinafter, the top
surface of the spreader bat disk may, at times when the spreader
bat disk is installed upside down in a spreader assembly, be
positioned such that the top surface of the spreader bat disk faces
downwardly towards the ground surface and the bottom surface of the
spreader bat disk faces upwardly.
[0012] The noted integral spreader blades may be disposed at spaced
radial intervals on said spreader bat disk to extend from the inner
end to the outer end thereof, generally either along a radial
extending through the inner end of a spreader blade, hereinafter
sometimes referred to as a blade base radial, or skewed or at some
offset to such a blade base radial. As has previously been
discussed, spreader disk assemblies are typically employed in
pairs. When the integral spreader blades are positioned on the
spreader bat disks generally along a radial, the spreader blades
may be considered to be positioned in a nominal position, and like
spreader bat disks may be employed for both the left and right
counter-rotating disk assemblies.
[0013] However, the spreader bat disks can also be formed with
integral spreader blades positioned thereon to permit or provide
aggressive or retarded throw operation. To achieve aggressive throw
operation by a spreader bat disk, the integral spreader blades are
configured to uniformly extend from the inner end to the outer end
at a given radial offset such that, when the spreader bat disk is
viewed from above, the outer end of the spreader blade is advanced
in the direction of rotation of the spreader bat disk by some
amount, such as by several degrees, relative to the blade base
radial and to the inner end of the spreader blade. Since a spreader
bat disk is typically paired with another counter-rotating spreader
bat disk, however, a pair of spreader bat disks will typically
differ slightly from one another by having their respective
spreader blades complementarily offset from radials due to the
counter-rotation of the spreader bat disks. This is because a
spreader blade that is positioned in an advanced direction on a
spreader bat disk mounted for clockwise rotation of the spreader
bat disk will appear to be positioned in a retarded position if
that same spreader bat disk is mounted for counter-clockwise
rotation. Consequently, the spreader bat disks can be provided in
pairs, with one of the spreader bat disks including integral
spreader blades offset from the blade base radial in one direction
and with the other of the spreader bat disks including integral
spreader blades correspondingly offset from the blade base radial
in the opposite direction.
[0014] In one preferred configuration, then, the pair of spreader
bat disks can thus be mounted such that the integral spreader
blades are configured to uniformly extend from the inner end to the
outer end at given complementary radial offsets such that, when the
spreader bat disks are viewed from above, the outer ends of the
spreader blades are advanced in the direction of rotation of the
spreader disk bats of which they are a part by several degrees
relative to the blade base radial and to the inner end of the
spreader blade. Such a pair of spreader bat disks are considered to
be configured and mounted for what is deemed aggressive throw
operation. When two spreader bat disks with spreader blades
positioned for aggressive throw operation are mounted to spreader
cones for crop residue spreading, operation of the spreader
assembly will then typically result in a throw of crop residue that
more aggressively projects the crop residue in a sidewardly
direction.
[0015] By reversing the left and right mountings of such pair of
spreader bat disks, that is, by re-mounting the spreader bat disk
that had been mounted as the left disk to be a right-mounted disk
and re-mounting the spreader bat disk that had been mounted as the
right disk to be the left-mounted disk, a retarded throw mounting
configuration can be realized in which, when the spreader bat disks
are viewed from above, the outer ends of the spreader blades are
retarded in the direction of rotation of the spreader disk bat by
several degrees relative to the blade base radial and to the inner
end of the spreader blade. With such a retarded throw mounting,
operation of the spreader assembly will typically result in a throw
of crop residue that projects the crop residue in a sidewardly
direction less aggressively than would a straight radial spreader
blade.
[0016] Thus, by employing a single pair of spreader bat disks, one
having its integral spreader blades offset from the blade base
radial in one direction and the other having its integral spreader
blades correspondingly offset from the blade base radial in the
opposite direction, either aggressive or retarded throw operation
can be realized, depending upon which spreader bat disk is mounted
on the left and which is mounted on the right.
[0017] Optionally, additional separately installable spreader bats
can also be employed with the molded spreader bat disks. To
accommodate the additional separately installable spreader bats,
the spreader bat disks may include mounting holes at various
locations, and such additional spreader bats, which may be of
various configurations, can be securably attached to the spreader
bat disks, such as by attaching them to the spreader bat disks at
the locations of various mounting holes in either the web portion
or along the integral spreader blades. One preferred form of
additional spreader bats includes a concave blade which can be
installed generally adjacent an integral spreader blade on the
spreader bat disks, on either side of the integral spreader blade,
depending upon the left and right mounting configuration of the
spreader bat disk, for either aggressive or retarded throw
positioning. Additional mounting holes in the spreader bat disk can
also accommodate the installation of the additional spreader bats
at middle or neutral positions between the integral spreader
blades.
[0018] Additional spreader bats of other configurations may also be
employed, including, for example, bats of a generally inverted
L-shape that may be attached along or to the integral spreader
blades so that the web portion, the integral spreader blade to
which the additional inverted L-shaped bat is attached, and such
inverted L-shaped bat define a scoop or trough along the top
surface of the web portion in the direction of rotation of the
spreader bat disk.
[0019] Such spreader bat disks can also be employed during
windrowing operations, especially when the bottom surface of the
web portion is essentially flat, to facilitate the rearward flow
and distribution of the crop residue behind the combine without
undesired spreading across the swath of the crop cut by installing
the spreader bat disks upside down relative to the spreader cones.
In such instances, the top surfaces of the spreader bat disks and
the integral spreader blades projecting therefrom will face
downwardly, towards the ground surface, and the generally flat and
smooth bottom surfaces of the spreader bat disks will face upwardly
towards the crop residue output port and the crop residue being
discharged therefrom. The counter-rotating action of the spreader
bat disks, when so installed upside down, will tend, due to the
relatively smooth bottom surfaces of the spreader bat disks and the
lack of spreader bats thereon, to propel the crop residue
rearwardly with minimal sidewardly distribution.
[0020] Increased cost savings can be further realized by also
incorporating the spreader cone with the spreader bat disk into a
unitary construction, hereinafter referred to as a spreader cone
disk, and still further cost savings can then be realized by
further incorporating the conical linkage with such spreader cone
disk into a unitary construction, referred to hereinafter as an
integral spreader head.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of the rearward end of
a typical combine, the combine having installed thereon a spreader
assembly including spreader bat disks according to the present
invention.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a partial rear view of the combine depicted in
FIG. 1, with drive linkage cover plates removed.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the right side of the spreader
assembly taken along cut 3-3 of FIG. 2.
[0024] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pair of spreader bat
disks of FIG. 2.
[0025] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred
spreader header assembly including a preferred spreader bat disk
according to the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 6 is a top representational view of a pair of bat disks
illustrating nominal, aggressive, and retarded positionings for
integral spreader blades.
[0027] FIG. 7 is a top view of a preferred form of the spreader bat
disks of FIG. 2 taken along cut 7-7 of FIG. 2.
[0028] FIG. 8 is a top representational view illustrating how a
pair of counter-rotating spreader bat disks having spreader blades
formed thereon with particular throw positionings can be reversibly
mounted between left and right mountings to effect aggressive throw
operation in one mounting configuration and retarded throw
operation by reversing the left and right mountings of the spreader
bat disks.
[0029] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a pair of spreader bat
disks, similar to FIG. 4, with optional additional spreader bats
installed.
[0030] FIGS. 10 and 11 are views similar in some respects to those
different spreader bat disk mountings illustrated in FIG. 8,
illustrating how the optional additional spreader bats of FIG. 9
are re-mounted on the spreader bat disks when the left and right
positionings of the spreader bat disks are reversed.
[0031] FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 11, but showing an
alternate, intermediate positioning of the additional spreader
bats.
[0032] FIG. 13 is a partially exploded perspective view of a
spreader bat disk and spreader cone head assembly illustrating the
use of alternative additional spreader bats that are attachable to
the integral spreader blades.
[0033] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a pair of spreader bat
disks illustrating how they may be utilized upside down for
windrowing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0034] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer
to generally like items and wherein certain numerals are applied on
a representational basis to selected, representative items of a
class of like items instead of to all of the depicted like
items,
[0035] FIG. 1 depicts the rear portion of a typical combine 20
having a pair of rear tires 22 mounted upon a rear axle 24, with a
grain auger or threshing rotor 26, an engine radiator air screen
28, and handrails 29 mounted upon the upper structure of the
combine 20. A spreader assembly 30, as better shown in FIGS. 2 and
3, is mounted generally below a crop residue discharge chute 32
(FIG. 3). For safety and other purposes, guard bars 33 (FIG. 1) are
mounted extending generally over and across certain more exposed
portions of the spreader assembly 30 and removable drive linkage
cover plates 34 enclose associated drive linkages. When the
threshing rotor 26 is operating, crop residue from such operation
is discharged into discharge chute 32 which channels and directs
the crop residue flow towards a pair of preferred spreader head
assemblies 38A and 38B mounted side-by-side to one another.
[0036] As better shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the spreader head
assemblies 38A and 38B each include a spreader bat disk 40 and a
spreader cone 42 to which the spreader bat disk 40 may be joined or
secured. Except as will be addressed further hereinafter, the
spreader bat disks 40 for the spreader head assemblies may be
considered generally similar to one another. The spreader cone 42
so depicted is of a well known construction and includes a cone
portion 44 having a cone top 46 and a base 48 having a diameter 49,
with cone top 46 connected to a conical axle linkage 50, which is
also of well known construction. Cone portion 44 includes an
outwardly directed flange portion 51 including a plurality of
radially spaced flanges 52 extending from the base 48 thereof, with
mounting holes 54 through such flanges 52.
[0037] The spreader bat disk 40 is a unitary molded or cast member,
preferably formed from a strong but lightweight plastic material
that is durable and impact resistant, although it may also be
formed from other moldable or castable materials, including
fiberglass, metals and metal alloys, ceramics, carbon fiber
materials, or other suitable materials, as will be further
addressed hereinafter. Spreader bat disk 40 includes a circular web
portion 56 with a top surface 58, a bottom surface 60, and a
generally circular outer periphery 62. The outer periphery 62
defines a spreader disk circle 64 which has a perpendicular axis of
rotation 66 through the center 68 thereof, which axis of rotation
may hereafter be referred to as the spreader disk rotation axis or,
more simply, the rotation axis. Spreader bat disk 40 includes an
outer portion 69 generally adjacent the outer periphery 62 and a
generally circular central opening 70, the diameter 72 of which
opening 70 corresponds generally to the diameter 49 of the base 48
of spreader cone 42 and is smaller than the diameter 74 of the
spreader disk circle 64. An inner ring portion 76 is disposed
adjacent to the circular central opening 70, the inner edge 78 of
which ring portion 72 corresponds to the outer boundary of central
opening 70 in the depicted embodiment.
[0038] In such depicted embodiment, spreader bat disk 40 is
positionable to rest upon the outwardly directed flanges 52 of
spreader cone 42 such that the central opening 70 of spreader bat
disk 40 and the base 48 of spreader cone 42 are generally
co-extensive and aligned. Web portion 56 of spreader bat disk 40
also includes mounting holes 80 adjacent the central opening 70
alignable with the mounting holes 54 through the outwardly directed
flanges 52 of spreader cone 42 to securably attach spreader bat
disk 40 to spreader cone 42, such as by nuts 82A and bolts 82B or
any other suitable connectors.
[0039] A plurality of integral blade or fin-type projections 84
extend upwardly from the top surface 58 of the web portion 56 and
longitudinally from an inner end 86 at inner ring portion 76 near
the central opening 70 through the spreader bat disk 38 to an outer
end 88 at the outer portion 70 near the outer periphery 62 of the
spreader bat disk 38 to form spreader blades for throwing the crop
residue.
[0040] Conical axle linkage 50 includes a lower end portion 92,
including a depending shaft 94, with a cross bore 96 therethrough
that is connectable to the upper end 46 of spreader cone 44, such
as by a nut 48A and bolt 48B or other suitable connector. The upper
end 98 of conical axle linkage 50 includes a plunged hexagonal
cavity 100 therein sized to receive a drive linkage shaft and
having an associated locking assembly 102, such as a biased button
locking mechanism of known construction, for locking conical axle
linkage 50 to such a drive linkage shaft, with an optional collar
104 surrounding the upper portion of shaft 94 below the lock
assembly 102.
[0041] As best shown in FIG. 2, the conical axle linkages 50 for
the side-by-side spreader head assemblies 38A and 38B are fixedly
attached to generally vertical hexagonal drive linkage shafts 110A
and 110B. A generally horizontally mounted hexagonal drive shaft
112 is rotatable by a drive mechanism 114, shown in block form and
being of known construction, of the combine 20 such that, when
drive mechanism 114 is operated in its normal forward mode of
operation, the upper surface of the drive shaft 112, as viewed in
FIG. 2, moves into the page while the lower surface moves out of
the page, as illustrated by arrow A. The horizontal hexagonal drive
shaft 112 is rotatably supported by bearings 116, 118, and 120,
which are respectively supported by the outer wall 122 of the
combine 20, by a left axle support bracket assembly 124A, and by a
right axle support bracket assembly 124B.
[0042] The left drive linkage axle shaft 111A and the right drive
axle linkage shaft 110B are similarly rotatably supported by
bearings 128, 130, 132, and 134, which are also supported by the
left axle support bracket assembly 124A and by the right axle
support bracket assembly 124B. Fixedly and axially mounted upon the
upper ends of the left drive linkage axle shaft 110A and upon the
right drive linkage axle shaft 110B are left and right upward
facing bevel gears 140A and 140B, the left upward facing bevel gear
140A engaging with a leftward facing bevel gear 142A mounted upon
the drive shaft 112, and the right upward facing bevel gear 140B
engaging with a rightward facing bevel gear 142B also mounted upon
the horizontal drive shaft 112. Upon rotation of the horizontal
drive shaft 112 in the manner described above, the leftward facing
and rightward facing bevel gears 142A and 142B counter-rotate the
left and right upward facing bevel gears 140A and 140B, which
rotate the left axle 110A and the right axle 110B, rotating the
left and right spreader head assemblies 38A and 38B.
[0043] As better envisioned with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, during
a harvesting operation crop residue is directed to discharge chute
32 where it flows rearwardly along an angled floor 150, and a
triangular floor extension plate 152 that prevents the crop residue
from falling downward to the ground between the spreader head
assemblies 38A and 38B, towards the counter-rotating left and right
spreader head assemblies 38A and 38B. The spreader bat disks 40 of
such spreader head assemblies thus counter-rotate relative to one
another, with the left spreader bat disk rotating in a clockwise
direction and the right spreader bat disk rotating in a
counter-clockwise direction, as indicated by arrows C in FIG. 2. As
the crop residue falls onto the top surface of web portion 56 of
the spreader bat disks 40, the integral spreader blades 84 contact
the crop residue and propel it rearwardly and somewhat sidewardly
behind the combine 20.
[0044] The noted integral spreader blades 84 may be disposed at
spaced radial intervals on said spreader bat disk 40 to extend from
the inner end 86 to the outer end 88 thereof, generally either
along a radial or at some offset to a radial, as is illustrated by
FIG. 6 which represents a pair of spreader bat disks with spreader
bat disk 40A mounted on the left for clockwise rotation and
spreader bat disk 40B mounted on the right for counter-clockwise
rotation. If the integral spreader blades 84 for the pair of
spreader bat disks are all disposed along blade base radials, such
as along radials denoted by the designations N, for nominal, the
spreader bat disks 40A and 40B will be essentially identical to one
another.
[0045] Alternatively, however, the integral spreader blades 84 may
be positioned at other locations, such as, for example, locations
designated in FIG. 6 as LA/RR, denoting "left aggressive/right
retarded", or LR/RA, denoting "left retarded/right aggressive". By
employing a pair of spreader bat disks wherein the left, clockwise
rotating spreader bat disk 40A has integral spreader blades 84
positioned at LA/RR positions and the right counter-clockwise
rotating spreader bat disk 40B has integral spreader blades 84
positioned at LR/RA positions, a user can generally, with such
aggressive throw configuration, effect a greater sidewardly
distribution of crop residue across the cut swath. On the other
hand, by employing a pair of spreader bat disks where the left,
clockwise rotating spreader bat disk 40A has integral spreader
blades 84 positioned at LR/RA positions and the right
counter-clockwise rotating spreader bat disk 40B has integral
spreader blades 84 positioned at LA/RR positions, a user can
generally, with such retarded throw configuration, effect a less
sidewardly distribution of crop residue across the cut swath.
[0046] In the particular embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, the spreader bat
disks 40 depicted therein, though highly similar to one another in
many respects, differ somewhat from one another in that, in order
to achieve an aggressive throw operation, the left spreader bat
disk has integral spreader blades positioned generally at LA/RR
positions while the right spreader bat disk has integral spreader
blades positioned generally at LR/RA positions. Such preferred
configuration and mounting is more clearly observable from FIG. 7,
which is a sectional view taken generally along cut 7-7 of FIG. 2
and wherein the left spreader bat disk, with integral spreader
blades positioned generally at LA/RR positions, is designated as
spreader bat disk 40A and wherein the right spreader bat disk, with
integral spreader blades positioned generally at LR/RA positions,
is designated as spreader bat disk 40B.
[0047] FIG. 8 illustrates how the left and right mountings of the
spreader bat disks 40A and 40B of FIG. 7 may be readily reversed to
effect a change from aggressive throw operation to retarded throw
operation, illustrating how the integral spreader blades 84 are
positioned relative to a nominal radial N to either be advanced or
retarded relative thereto for the different left and right
positionings. In such regard, the upper portion of FIG. 8 depicts
spreader bat disk 40A mounted as the left spreader bat disk with
spreader bat disk 40B mounted as the right spreader bat, and the
lower portion of FIG. 8 depicts the resulting configuration when
the left and right positions of the spreader bat disks 40A and 40B
are reversed.
[0048] Optionally, additional separately installable spreader bats
can also be employed with the spreader bat disks 40A and 40B. The
spreader bat disks 40A and 40B may include mounting holes at
various locations, such as the mounting hole pairs 130, 132, 134 in
the web portion 64 of spreader bat disk 40A and mounting hole pairs
140, 142, and 144 in the web portion 56 of spreader bat disk 40B
depicted in FIG. 7. The additional spreader bats, which may be of
various configurations, can be securably attached to the spreader
bat disks, such as by attaching them to the spreader bat disks at
the locations of various mounting holes in either the web portion
or along the integral spreader blades. Preferably, the additional
spreader bats will include a plurality of separate spreader bats,
such as, by way of example, the spreader bats 120 depicted in FIGS.
9-10, each of which includes a concave blade portion 122 extending
along the length of the spreader bat 120 and facing the direction
of rotation. The spreader bats 120 can be installed generally
adjacent the integral spreader blades 84 on the spreader bat disks
40A and 40B, such as at mounting holes 130 (FIG. 7) of spreader bat
disk 40A and mounting holes 140 of spreader bat disk 40B for
aggressive throw positioning, especially for lighter residue crops.
Additional mounting holes in the spreader bat disk can also
accommodate the installation of the additional spreader bats at
middle or neutral positions between the integral spreader
blades.
[0049] In the event that a user desires to reverse the left and
right mountings of the spreader bat disks 40A and 40B of FIG. 10 in
order to effect a retarded throw operation instead of an aggressive
throw operation, the separate bats 120 may be removed from the
mountings at mounting holes 130 (FIG. 7) on one side of a spreader
blade 84 on spreader bat disk 40A and mounting holes 140 on one
side of a spreader blade 84 on spreader bat disk 40B, re-oriented
to face the opposite direction, and re-mounted on the opposite
sides of such integral spreader blades 84, at mounting holes 134 of
the reverse mounted spreader bat disk 40A and at mounting holes 144
of the reverse mounted spreader bat disk 40B, to result in the
retarded throw configuration as depicted in FIG. 11.
[0050] By re-mounting the additional spreader bats 120 at mounting
holes 132 (FIG. 7) of reverse mounted spreader bat disk 40A and
mounting holes 142 of reverse mounted spreader bat disk 40B,
instead of at mounting holes 134 of the reverse mounted spreader
bat disk 40A and at mounting holes 144 of the reverse mounted
spreader bat disk 40B, a variation of the retarded throw
configuration, as depicted in FIG. 12, can be realized.
[0051] Additional spreader bats of other configurations may also be
employed, including, for example, bats of a generally inverted
L-shape, such as the spreader bats 150 depicted in FIG. 13. Such
spreader bats 150 can be attached to the integral spreader blades
84 so that the web portion 56, the integral spreader blade 84 to
which the additional inverted L-shaped bat 150 is attached, and
such inverted L-shaped bat 150 define a scoop or trough 152 along
the top surface 58 of the web portion 56 in the direction of
rotation of the spreader bat disk. As the spreader bat disk is
rotated, crop residue falling onto the top surface 58 of the web
portion is swept towards and in some cases into the troughs 152 and
is flung outwardly therefrom by centrifugal force as the rotation
of the spreader disk continues.
[0052] Spreader bat disks such as have been described hereinabove
can also be employed during windrowing operations, especially when
the bottom surface 60 of the web portion 56 is essentially flat, to
facilitate the rearward flow and distribution of the crop residue
behind the combine without undesired spreading across the swath of
the crop cut. This is readily accomplished with spreader bat disks
such as spreader bat disks 40A and 40B by installing the spreader
bat disks upside down relative to the spreader cones 42, as is
depicted in FIG. 14. In such instances, the top surfaces 58 of the
web portions 56 of the spreader bat disks 40A and 40B, along with
the integral spreader blades 84 projecting therefrom, will face
downwardly, towards the ground surface, and the generally flat and
smooth bottom surfaces 60 of the spreader bat disks 40A and 40B
will face upwardly towards the crop residue output port and the
crop residue being discharged therefrom. The counter-rotating
action of the spreader bat disks 40A and 40B, when so installed
upside down, will tend, due to the relatively smooth bottom
surfaces of the spreader bat disks and the lack of spreader bats
thereon, to propel the crop residue rearwardly with minimal
sidewardly distribution.
[0053] It is also envisioned that, to attain further parts costs
savings, a spreader cone portion of similar configuration to
spreader cone 42, but without any necessity for a flange portion 51
or flanges 52, could be incorporated into the unitary member as an
integral part thereof such that the resulting unitary spreader cone
disk would then include the various features of the spreader bat
disk 40 as well as an integral spreader cone portion connectable to
the conical axle linkage 50. Still further cost savings could be
realized by also incorporating the conical axle linkage 50, except
for any installable push button locking mechanism 102 or other
attachment mechanism as might be required, into the unitary member
as an integral part thereof to form an integral spreader head.
[0054] The material utilized for the unitary member should be a
material that, when suitably molded or formed, is wear and abrasion
resistant, is able to maintain a consistent shape that retains a
generally flat web portion with integral projecting blades, can
withstand normal operating conditions of approximately -30.degree.
F. to +120.degree. F., and has suitable electrical conductivity and
anti-static properties for and during anticipated uses. Taking into
account the costs of various materials as well as the costs of
forming the unitary member, it is presently preferred that the
material utilized be a glass reinforced polypropylene that is
injection molded, although, as previously noted, the unitary member
could also be formed from other moldable or castable materials,
including fiberglass, metals and metal alloys, ceramics, carbon
fiber materials, or other suitable materials, or may be cut or
otherwise formed from a block or quantity of homogeneous
material.
[0055] It should be appreciated that the present invention has been
described primarily with reference to the preferred embodiments
discussed hereinabove, in which embodiments the web portion thereof
has been described as being generally circular and having a
generally circular central opening, and for use with a spreader
cone and conical linkage assembly. It should be understood,
however, that the web portion need not be circular in shape nor
need it have a central opening therethrough, much less a circular
central opening. Similarly, the linkage assembly to which the
unitary member of the invention is operatively connected need not
include a spreader cone or conical linkage assembly. Web portions
of other shapes, with or without central openings, may be readily
employed and may be configured to be operatively connectable to
drive linkages of various designs that are operable to rotatably
drive attachments thereto.
[0056] Furthermore, although the integral spreader blades of the
preferred embodiments have been depicted as being generally
straight, they may also be curved, bent, or segmented along both
their lengths and heights, and need not extend the full distance
between the central opening of the web portion and the outer
periphery thereof and need not be spaced uniformly about the top
surface of the web portion. Many possible forms may be utilized
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
[0057] Additionally, although the invention has been described and
discussed hereinabove with reference to a harvester combine and its
operation, including operation in a spreader assembly that
typically utilizes a pair of counter-rotating spreader disk
assemblies disposed in a side-by-side generally horizontal
relationship for rotation about respective, generally vertical axes
of rotation for spreading crop residue, the unitary spreader bat
disks may also find varied beneficial applications with other
spreading constructions and for purposes other than the spreading
of crop residue without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
[0058] In light of all the foregoing, it should thus be apparent to
those skilled in the art that there has been shown and described
herein a construction formed or molded as a unitary member that can
replace or be employed in lieu of at least a number of the sundry
separate components that were previously required to assemble and
use a spreader disk assembly in a spreader assembly. However, it
should also be apparent that, within the principles and scope of
the invention, many changes are possible and contemplated,
including in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts and
elements which have been described and illustrated to explain the
nature of the invention. Thus, while the foregoing description and
discussion addresses certain preferred embodiments or elements of
the invention, it should further be understood that concepts of the
invention, as based upon the foregoing description and discussion,
may be readily incorporated into or employed in other embodiments
and constructions without departing from the scope of the
invention. Accordingly, the following claims are intended to
protect the invention broadly as well as in the specific form
shown, and all changes, modifications, variations, and other uses
and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of
the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention, which is
limited only by the claims which follow.
* * * * *