U.S. patent application number 14/271878 was filed with the patent office on 2015-11-12 for lift link overload protection assembly.
The applicant listed for this patent is Deere & Company. Invention is credited to Henry D. Anstey, ERIC R. LANG, Alan Lugert.
Application Number | 20150319932 14/271878 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53442459 |
Filed Date | 2015-11-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150319932 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LANG; ERIC R. ; et
al. |
November 12, 2015 |
LIFT LINK OVERLOAD PROTECTION ASSEMBLY
Abstract
A lift link assembly couples a baler needle to a lift arm. The
lift link assembly includes a hollow lift link extending along a
coupling axis, a lift bar slidably received by the lift link and an
adjusting link. An overload protection mechanism includes a block
fixed to the lift bar and coupled to the adjusting link, and a
plate fixed to an end of the lift link. A pair of clamping bolts
clamp the plate to the block. The clamping bolts are in tension and
are substantially parallel to the coupling axis.
Inventors: |
LANG; ERIC R.; (Newhall,
IA) ; Anstey; Henry D.; (Ottumwa, IA) ;
Lugert; Alan; (Ottumwa, IA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Deere & Company |
Moline |
IL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
53442459 |
Appl. No.: |
14/271878 |
Filed: |
May 7, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
100/341 ;
100/24 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16P 5/005 20130101;
B30B 15/281 20130101; A01F 15/0858 20130101; A01F 15/12 20130101;
A01F 15/14 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A01F 15/08 20060101
A01F015/08 |
Claims
1. A lift link assembly for coupling a baler needle to a lift arm,
the lift link assembly comprising: a lift link extending along a
coupling axis, the lift link including a lost motion element; and
an overload protection mechanism comprising: a block fixed to a
first end of the lost motion element and coupled to a frame of the
baler needle; a plate fixed to a second end of the lift link; and a
clamping member for clamping the plate and the block together, the
clamping member being in tension and having an axis which is
substantially parallel to the coupling axis.
2. The lift link assembly of claim 1, wherein: the lost motion
element extends through an opening in the plate.
3. The lift link assembly of claim 1, wherein: a spacer member is
positioned between the plate and the block, the clamping member
extending through the spacer member.
4. The lift link assembly of claim 1, wherein: the clamping member
comprises a bolt.
5. The lift link assembly of claim 1, wherein: a further clamping
member clamps the plate and the block together.
6. The lift link assembly of claim 5, wherein: each clamping member
comprises a bolt.
7. The lift link assembly of claim 1, wherein: the block is coupled
to the frame of the baler needle by an adjusting link having a
first end threadably coupled to the frame of the baler needle and
having a second end threadably coupled to the block.
8. The lift link assembly of claim 1, wherein: the lift link is
hollow, and the lost motion element is slidably received by the
lift link.
9. The lift link assembly of claim 3, wherein: a further spacer
member is spaced apart from the other spacer member and is
positioned between the plate and the block; and a further clamping
member extends through the further spacer member.
10. The lift link assembly of claim 1, wherein: the clamping member
extends through the plate and the block.
11. A lift link assembly for coupling a baler needle to a lift arm,
the lift link assembly comprising: a hollow lift link; a lift bar
slidably received by the lift link; a block fixed to an end of the
lift bar and coupled to a frame of the baler needle; a plate fixed
to an end of the lift link; a first clamping bolt for clamping the
plate and the block together; and a second clamping bolt for
clamping the plate and the block together, the first and second
bolts being in tension.
12. The lift link assembly of claim 11, wherein: the first clamping
bolt extends through the plate and the block; and the second
clamping bolt extends through the plate and the block.
13. The lift link assembly of claim 11, further comprising: a first
spacer member between the plate and the block; and a second space
member between the plate and the block and spaced apart from the
first spacer member.
14. The lift link assembly of claim 13, wherein: the first clamping
bolt extends through the plate, the first spacer and the block; and
the second clamping bolt extends through the plate, the second
space and the block.
15. The lift link assembly of claim 13, wherein: an end of the lift
bar is positioned between the first and second spacer members.
16. The lift link assembly of claim 11, wherein: the lift bar
extends through an opening in the plate.
17. The lift link assembly of claim 11, wherein: each clamping bolt
has an axis which is parallel to an axis of the lift link.
18. The lift link assembly of claim 11, wherein: the block is
coupled to the frame of the baler needle by an adjusting link
having a first end threadably coupled to the frame of the baler
needle and having a second end threadably coupled to the block.
19. A lift link assembly for coupling a baler needle to a lift arm,
the lift link assembly comprising: a hollow lift link extending
along a coupling axis; a lift bar slidably received by the lift
link; an adjusting link having a first end coupled to a frame of
the baler needle and having a second end; and an overload
protection mechanism comprising: a block fixed to an end of the
lift bar and coupled to the second end of the adjusting link; a
plate fixed to an end of the lift link; a first clamping bolt for
clamping the plate and the block together; and a second clamping
bolt for clamping the plate the block together, the first and
second bolts being in tension, the clamping bolts being parallel to
the coupling axis.
20. The lift link assembly of claim 19, wherein: the lift bar
extends through an opening in the plate.
21. The lift link assembly of claim 19, further comprising: a first
spacer member between the plate and the block; and a second space
member between the plate and the block and spaced apart from the
first spacer member.
22. The lift link assembly of claim 21, wherein: an end of the lift
bar is positioned between the first and second spacer members.
23. The lift link assembly of claim 19, wherein: the first and
second clamping bolt extend through the plate and the block.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a lift link overload
protection mechanism, such as for a lift link which connects a
baler needle to a lift arm.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A conventional baler produces a bale of crop material.
Moving needles wrap a tying medium, such as strands of twine or
wire, around the completed bale. The needles are retracted from the
bale case when a tying operation is completed after the last
working stroke of the plunger which completed the bale. Each needle
pivots about a fixed shaft, and is coupled to a pivoting lift arm
by a lift link. Each lift link includes an adjustment linkage so
that each needle can be properly positioned in the baler
mechanism.
[0003] To prevent damage to the lift arms, needles and to other
baler components, various types of protection mechanisms are used.
Most balers have a needle protection setup which includes a bolt in
shear on the lift arm that severs and a separate mechanism tied to
the gearbox pushes the needles out of the chamber. Krone makes a
lift link with a shearable bolt which extends transverse to the
main longitudinal axis of the lift link. As a result, the force on
the shear bolt is perpendicular to the axis of the bolt and the
bolt has play in it. This results in higher forces to shear the
bolt and fatigue loading weakens the bolt over time and causes
undesired shears. The loading required to break such a shear bolt
is unpredictable and can be much different based on how long the
bolt has been used. Such a design may cause an undesired break of
the mechanism even when there is no other failure in the baler
system.
SUMMARY
[0004] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a baler
needle is coupled to a pivoting lift arm by a lift link assembly.
The lift link assembly includes a hollow lift link or tube and a
lift bar slidably received by the lift link. A plate is fixed to an
end of the lift link. A block is fixed to an end of the lift bar.
An adjusting link has a first end threadably coupled to a frame of
the baler needle and has a second end threadably coupled to the
block. The lift link assembly also includes a pair of clamping
bolts which clamp the plate and the block together. The clamping
bolts are in tension and are aligned parallel to the longitudinal
axis of the lift link. The block, plate and clamping bolts form an
overload protection mechanism. A pair of optional spacer members
may be held between the plate and the block and spaced apart from
each other. Or, the spacer members may be eliminated or formed
integrally with the block.
[0005] The result is an overload protection mechanism and a
telescoping link between the frame that lifts the needles and the
crank shaft or lift arm that lifts the needle. The telescoping link
contains a tube with a flat plate welded to it for bolts to pass
through and a flat bar with a block welded to it to be inserted
into the tube and bolted to the flat plate. When the needle frame
contacts something, the bolts stretch until they yield and break,
and the needle frame is then no longer being pulled by the lift
arm. The lift arm continues its rotation and the tube with the
plate again comes into contact with the bar and block and
positively drives the needle frame back to the home position. With
this design, the bolted joint is always in tension and is not
affected by fatigue like the bolts that are used in shear.
[0006] The tension style bolts are always in tension and thus
reverse loading is eliminated. The bolts do not fatigue over time
so the maximum load value remains constant over time. With a
constant known maximum load value, the structure does not have to
be designed for a much higher strength to protect against undesired
loads. This enables other components to be designed to handle lower
loads and reduces costs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a side view of a baler needle drive assembly;
[0008] FIG. 2 is side view of a portion of FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a portion of FIG. 2;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the overload protection
mechanism of FIG. 3 with parts removed for clarity; and
[0011] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lift bar and block of
the shear mechanism of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Referring to FIG. 1, a baler needle drive assembly 2
includes a pivoting lift arm 4 and a support member 6 which
pivotally supports a needle frame 10. The needle frame 10 holds a
conventional baler needle 8. The needle frame 10 is coupled to the
lift arm 4 by a lift link assembly 12. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and
2, the lift link assembly 12 includes a hollow lift link or tube
14, a solid lift bar or lost motion element 16 slideably received
by the lift link 14, an adjusting link 18 and an overload
protection mechanism 20. The lift link extends along a coupling
axis.
[0013] Referring now to FIGS. 2-5, the overload protection
mechanism 20 includes a plate 22 which is welded to an end of the
lift link 14. A block 24 is welded to an end of the lift bar 16.
The plate 22 has an opening 26 though which extends the lift bar
16. A pair of optional spacer members 28 and 30 are spaced apart
from each other and are held between the plate 22 and the block 24.
Alternatively, the spacers 28, 30 can be eliminated or formed
integrally with the block 24. The overload protection mechanism 20
also includes a pair of clamping bolts 32 and 34. Each clamping
member or bolt 32, 34 extends through corresponding bores in the
plate 22, a corresponding one of the spacer members 28, 30 and the
block 24 for clamping the plate 22, the spacer members 28, 30 and
the block 24 together. The clamping bolts 32, 34 are in tension and
each bolt has an axis which is parallel to the coupling axis.
Alternatively, instead of the bolts 32, 34 extending through both
the plate 22 and the block 24, they could be threaded into
corresponding threaded bores (not shown) in either the plate 22 or
the block 24. The plate 22, block 24, spacer members 28, 30 and
clamping bolts 32, 34 form the overload protection mechanism 20. An
adjusting link 18 has a first end 42 threadably coupled to the
block 24 and has a second end 44 threadably coupled to the frame 10
of the baler needle.
[0014] The result is the overload protection mechanism 20 and a
telescoping link 12 between the needle frame 10 that lifts the
needles and the crank shaft or lift arm (not shown). When the
needle frame 10 contacts something, the bolts 32, 34 stretch until
they yield and break, and the needle frame 10 is no longer being
pulled by the lift arm (not shown). As the lift arm (not shown)
continues to rotate, the tube 14 and the plate 22 again comes into
contact with the bar and block 24 and positively drives the needle
frame 10 back to its home position. With this design, the bolts 32,
34 are always in tension and are not affected by fatigue, as are
the bolts used in the prior art shear mechanisms. Since the bolts
32, 34 are always in tension, reverse loading is eliminated. The
bolts 32, 34 do not fatigue over time so the maximum load value
remains constant over time. With the constant known maximum load
value, the mechanism doesn't have to be designed for a much higher
shear value to protect against undesired nuisance shears. This
enables other baler components to be designed to handle lower
loads.
[0015] While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in
detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration
and description is to be considered as exemplary and not
restrictive in character, it being understood that illustrative
embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and
modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are
desired to be protected. It will be noted that alternative
embodiments of the present disclosure may not include all of the
features described yet still benefit from at least some of the
advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art may
readily devise their own implementations that incorporate one or
more of the features of the present disclosure and fall within the
spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the
appended claims.
* * * * *