U.S. patent application number 16/173314 was filed with the patent office on 2019-03-07 for separating disk and assembly for nut harvester.
The applicant listed for this patent is Jackrabbit. Invention is credited to Robert DeMont, Thomas Rumble.
Application Number | 20190069484 16/173314 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 60674929 |
Filed Date | 2019-03-07 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190069484 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
DeMont; Robert ; et
al. |
March 7, 2019 |
SEPARATING DISK AND ASSEMBLY FOR NUT HARVESTER
Abstract
Systems and methods for separating harvested crop product from
twigs, dirt, dust, and other debris. A disk to be used in a
harvester includes a first segment and a second segment and is
configured to cooperate with adjacent disks axially mounted on a
common rotational shaft, and radially cooperate with disks mounted
on a parallel rotational shaft. The disks are used in a roller
assembly or a harvester, and gaps between cooperating disks remain
effectively constant during operation.
Inventors: |
DeMont; Robert; (Ripon,
CA) ; Rumble; Thomas; (Ripon, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Jackrabbit |
Ripon |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
60674929 |
Appl. No.: |
16/173314 |
Filed: |
October 29, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15192279 |
Jun 24, 2016 |
10111385 |
|
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16173314 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01D 17/06 20130101;
A01D 51/002 20130101; B07B 1/15 20130101; A01D 33/08 20130101; B07B
1/005 20130101; A01D 33/02 20130101; B07B 1/46 20130101; B07B 1/14
20130101 |
International
Class: |
A01D 51/00 20060101
A01D051/00; B07B 1/00 20060101 B07B001/00; A01D 33/02 20060101
A01D033/02; B07B 1/46 20060101 B07B001/46; B07B 1/15 20060101
B07B001/15; A01D 17/06 20060101 A01D017/06; A01D 33/08 20060101
A01D033/08; B07B 1/14 20060101 B07B001/14 |
Claims
1. A disk for use in a harvester, comprising: a non-circular
unitary body; a hole extending through the body and defining a
first rotational axis; a first segment of the body including a
first outside perimeter and a first segment thickness; a second
segment of the body adjacent to a first face of the first segment,
the second segment including a second outside perimeter smaller
than the first outside perimeter and a second segment thickness
greater than the first segment thickness; wherein: the disk is
configured to cooperate with disks mounted along a second
rotational axis parallel to the first rotational axis, whereby a
first axial gap and a second axial gap between cooperating disks
combine to equal the second segment thickness minus the first
segment thickness, and a radial gap is defined by a distance
between the first outside perimeter of a disk mounted along the
first rotational axis and a second outside perimeter of a
cooperating disk mounted along the second rotational axis.
2. The disk of claim 1, wherein a perimeter of the hole has a
plurality of hole sides and the first and second outside perimeters
have a plurality of disk sides, the number of disk sides being
different than the number of hole sides.
3. The disk of claim 2, wherein the perimeter of the hole has four
hole sides and the first and second outside perimeters have three
disk sides.
4. The disk of claim 3, wherein the first outside perimeter has
three apexes connected by three arcs and the second outside
perimeter has three apexes connected by three arcs, wherein the
arcs have a same radius that is based on a radius of a circle.
5. The disk of claim 4, wherein apexes of the first outside
perimeter align with apexes of the second outside perimeter.
6. The disk of claim 5, wherein the disk is configured to cooperate
with an axially adjacent disk such that the apexes of the first
outside perimeter align with the apexes of a first outside
perimeter of the axially adjacent disk.
7. The disk of claim 5, wherein the disk is configured to cooperate
with an axially adjacent disk such that the apexes of the first
outside perimeter are rotationally oriented at different angles
compared to apexes of a first outside perimeter of the adjacent
disk.
8. The disk of claim 5, further comprising a third segment of the
body adjacent to a second face of first segment of the body, the
third segment including: a third outside perimeter smaller than the
second outside perimeter; and a third segment thickness less than
the second segment thickness.
9. The disk of claim 8, wherein the second outside perimeter is a
first hollow projection having a cavity and the second segment
further includes a second hollow projection in a shape of the
perimeter of the hole, and the third outside perimeter is a third
hollow projection configured to interlock with the cavity of the
second segment of an adjacent disk.
10. The disk of claim 9, wherein apexes of the third outside
perimeter are offset from the apexes of the first and second
outside perimeters such that the disk is configured to interlock
with an adjacent disk and the apexes of the first outside perimeter
of the disk are rotationally oriented at different angles compared
to apexes of a first outside perimeter of the adjacent disk.
11. The disk of claim 9, wherein apexes of the third outside
perimeter align with the apexes of the first and second outside
perimeters such that the disk is configured to interlock with an
adjacent disk and the apexes of the first outside perimeter of the
disk are aligned with apexes of a first outside perimeter of the
adjacent disk.
12. The disk of claim 1, wherein the first segment thickness is
about half of the second segment thickness.
13. The disk of claim 12, wherein an aspect ratio between the first
disk segment and the second disk segment is about three to two.
14. The disk of claim 12, wherein the first segment thickness is
about one quarter of an inch thick, and the second segment
thickness is about one half of an inch thick.
15. A roller assembly, comprising: a first roller including a
plurality of disks mounted to rotate about a first rotational axis;
a second roller including a plurality of disks mounted to rotate
about a second rotational axis; wherein the disks are noncircular
and configured to cooperate with the disks mounted adjacent along
the first roller and with corresponding disks mounted along the
second roller, whereby the gaps formed between the disks are
effectively constant during rotation of the rollers.
16. The roller assembly of claim 15, comprising: a first rotational
shaft mounted to a roller assembly frame, wherein the first
rotational shaft coincides with a first rotational axis and
includes a plurality of disks axially mounted thereon; a second
rotational shaft mounted to the roller assembly frame parallel to
the first rotational shaft, wherein the second rotational shaft
coincides with a second rotational axis and includes a plurality of
disks axially mounted thereon; and a plurality of the disks, each
including: a non-circular unitary body; a hole extending through
the body and defining a first rotational axis; a first segment of
the body including a first outside perimeter and a first segment
thickness; and a second segment of the body adjacent to a first
face of the first segment, the second segment including a second
outside perimeter smaller than the first outside perimeter and a
second segment thickness greater than the first segment thickness;
wherein: the plurality of disks are configured to cooperate with
disks mounted adjacent along the first rotational shaft and disks
mounted along the second rotational shaft, whereby a first axial
gap and a second axial gap between cooperating adjacent disks along
the first rotational shaft combine to equal the second segment
thickness minus the first segment thickness, and a radial gap is
defined by a distance between the first outside perimeter of disks
mounted along the first rotational shaft and the second outside
perimeter of cooperating disks mounted along the second rotational
shaft.
17. The roller assembly of claim 16, wherein the first and second
rotational shafts are separated by a radial spacing distance.
18. The roller assembly of claim 17, wherein the radial spacing
distance is adjustable when the roller assembly is not
operating.
19. The roller assembly of claim 17, wherein the radial gap is
equal to the radial spacing distance minus a diameter of the disk
body.
20. The roller assembly of claim 17, further comprising an axial
spacing distance between adjacent disks mounted along a rotational
shaft, wherein the first axial gap and the second axial gap combine
to equal the axial spacing distance plus the second segment
thickness minus the first segment thickness.
21. The roller assembly of claim 17, wherein a perimeter of the
hole has a plurality of hole sides and the first and second outside
perimeters have a plurality of disk sides, the number of disk sides
being different than the number of hole sides.
22. The roller assembly of claim 21, wherein the perimeter of the
hole has four hole sides, and the first and second outside
perimeters have three disk sides.
23. The roller assembly of claim 22, wherein the first outside
perimeter has three apexes connected by three arcs and the second
outside perimeter has three apexes connected by three arcs, wherein
the arcs have a same radius that is based on a radius of a circle
and the apexes of the first outside perimeter align with apexes of
the second outside perimeter.
24. The roller assembly of claim 23, wherein each of the plurality
of disks further includes a third segment of the body adjacent to a
second face of first segment of the body, the third segment
including: a third outside perimeter smaller than the second
outside perimeter; and a third segment thickness less than the
second segment thickness.
25. The roller assembly of claim 24, wherein the second outside
perimeter is a first hollow projection having a cavity and the
second segment further includes a second hollow projection in a
shape of the perimeter of the hole, and the third outside perimeter
is a third hollow projection configured to interlock with the
cavity of the second segment of an adjacent disk.
26. The roller assembly of claim 25, wherein apexes of the third
outside perimeter are offset from the apexes of the first and
second outside perimeters such that each disk is configured to mate
with an adjacent disk and the apexes of the first outside perimeter
of the disk are rotationally oriented at different angles compared
to apexes of a first outside perimeter of the adjacent disk.
27. The roller assembly of claim 25, wherein apexes of the third
outside perimeter align with the apexes of the first and second
outside perimeters such that each disk is configured to mate with
an adjacent disk and the apexes of the first outside perimeter of
the disk are aligned with apexes of a first outside perimeter of
the adjacent disk.
28. The roller assembly of claim 16, wherein the first segment
thickness is about half of the second segment thickness.
29. The roller assembly of claim 28, wherein an aspect ratio
between the first disk segment and the second disk segment is about
three to two.
30. The roller assembly of claim 16, wherein the non-circular body
is unitary.
31. The roller assembly of claim 16, wherein the first and second
perimeters are polygons having arcs, and a radius of the arcs is
calculated by the formula: 0 = - R 2 - ( S L 2 ) 2 + ( cos (
.theta. ) - 1 ) ( S L - S S 2 sin ( .theta. ) ) + R 2 - ( S S 2 ) 2
##EQU00002## wherein R is the radius, S.sub.L is a length of a side
of the first outside perimeter, S.sub.S is a length of a side of
the second outside perimeter, and .theta. is a degree of an angle
of a bisected, included angle of the polygons that is calculated by
diving 180 degrees by the number of sides of the polygons.
32. The roller assembly of claim 15, wherein at least one of the
disks on at least one of the rollers is larger than its respective
corresponding disk on the other roller.
33. The roller assembly of claim 15, wherein at least one of the
disks are oriented at rotational angles with respect to its
adjacent disks on the same roller.
34. The roller assembly of claim 15, further comprising: a power
take off; a fan assembly; a hydraulic pump; a hydraulic motor; a
crop product collection mechanism; an exit conveyor; and a
mechanical connection between the hydraulic motor and the roller
assembly.
35. A method for removing dirt and debris from harvested nuts,
comprising the steps of: providing a roller assembly including: a
first rotational shaft mounted to a roller assembly frame, wherein
the first rotational shaft coincides with a first rotational axis
and includes a plurality of disks axially mounted thereon; a second
rotational shaft mounted to the roller assembly frame parallel to
the first rotational shaft, wherein the second rotational shaft
coincides with a second rotational axis and includes a plurality of
disks axially mounted thereon; and a plurality of disks, each
including: a non-circular unitary body; a hole extending through
the body and defining a first rotational axis; a first segment of
the body including a first outside perimeter and a first segment
thickness; and a second segment of the body adjacent to a first
face of the first segment, the second segment including a second
outside perimeter smaller than the first outside perimeter and a
second segment thickness greater than the first segment thickness;
simultaneously rotating the first and second rotational shafts,
wherein the plurality of disks are configured to cooperate with
disks mounted adjacent along the first rotational shaft and disks
mounted along the second rotational shaft, whereby a first axial
gap and a second axial gap between cooperating adjacent disks along
the first rotational shaft combine to equal the second segment
thickness minus the first segment thickness, and a radial gap is
defined by a distance between the first outside perimeter of disks
mounted along the first rotational shaft and the second outside
perimeter of cooperating disks mounted along the second rotational
shaft; and allowing dirt and debris to fall through spacing between
the plurality of disks defined by the first axial gap, the second
axial gap, and the radial gap.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein the first and second rotational
shafts are separated by a radial spacing distance.
37. The method of claim 36, wherein the radial spacing distance is
adjustable when the roller assembly is not operating.
38. The method of claim 36, further comprising an axial spacing
distance between adjacent disks mounted along a rotational shaft,
wherein the first axial gap and the second axial gap combine to
equal the axial spacing distance plus the second segment thickness
minus the first segment thickness.
39. The method of claim 36, wherein a perimeter of the hole has a
plurality of hole sides and the first and second outside perimeters
have a plurality of disk sides, the number of disk sides being
different than the number of hole sides.
40. The method of claim 39, wherein the perimeter of the hole has
four hole sides, and the first and second outside perimeters have
three disk sides.
41. The method of claim 40, wherein the first outside perimeter has
three apexes connected by three arcs and the second outside
perimeter has three apexes connected by three arcs, wherein the
arcs have a same radius that is based on a radius of a circle and
the apexes of the first outside perimeter align with apexes of the
second outside perimeter.
42. The method of claim 41, wherein each of the plurality of disks
further includes a third segment of the body adjacent to a second
face of first segment of the body, the third segment including: a
third outside perimeter smaller than the second outside perimeter;
and a third segment thickness less than the second segment
thickness.
43. The method of claim 42, wherein the second outside perimeter is
a first hollow projection having a cavity and the second segment
further includes a second hollow projection in a shape of the
perimeter of the hole, and the third outside perimeter is a third
hollow projection configured to interlock with the cavity of the
second segment of an adjacent disk.
44. The method of claim 43, wherein apexes of the third outside
perimeter are offset from the apexes of the first and second
outside perimeters such that each disk is configured to mate with
an adjacent disk and the apexes of the first outside perimeter of
the disk are rotationally oriented at different angles compared to
apexes of a first outside perimeter of the adjacent disk.
45. The method of claim 43, wherein apexes of the third outside
perimeter align with the apexes of the first and second outside
perimeters such that each disk is configured to mate with an
adjacent disk and the apexes of the first outside perimeter of the
disk are aligned with apexes of a first outside perimeter of the
adjacent disk.
46. The method of claim 35, wherein the first segment thickness is
about half of the second segment thickness.
47. The method of claim 46, wherein an aspect ratio between the
first disk segment and the second disk segment is about three to
two.
48. The method of claim 35, wherein a perimeter of the hole has a
plurality of hole sides and the first and second outside perimeters
have a plurality of disk sides, the number of disk sides being
different than the number of hole sides.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation application of, and
claims the benefit of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/192,279,
filed on Jun. 24, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,111,385 issued on Oct.
30, 2018, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to systems and
methods for separating various materials. In particular, the
present disclosure relates to harvesters and separating various
crops, for example tree nuts, from twigs, dirt, dust, and other
debris.
[0003] Some harvesters presently on the market use various
screening/roller assemblies to separate debris from harvested crop
product. Separation of the debris from the crop in or near the
location of harvesting may decrease the weight of the harvested
crop and thus the cost of transportation, decrease the cost of
disposal of the debris because it may be left in or near the
harvesting location, and decrease the likelihood of contamination
of the harvested product with the debris during transport. These
screening/roller assemblies may have a series of rotating spaced
parallel shafts, each of which has a series of disks. The
screening/roller assemblies permit debris to pass downward through
spaces between disks, while the harvested crop product remains over
the disks and advances out of the screening/roller assembly to a
collector. U.S. Pat. No. 8,683,918 presents an example of a known
harvester.
[0004] A problem with known harvesters, such as the one of U.S.
Pat. No. 8,683,918, is jamming. Screening/roller assemblies having
disks with teeth or open-ended slots along the edge of the disk may
create non-uniform spacing between disks on adjacent parallel
shafts during rotation. The non-uniform spacing can result in
debris or crop product being caught and jamming up the disks
causing stoppages. Even if the jamming may not cause the entire
apparatus to stop completely, it may cause momentary stoppages.
Such stoppages may cause substantial mechanical shock that
eventually results in premature failure of various components of
the screening/roller assembly.
[0005] Disks that do not have open-ended slots along the edge of
the disk are known, for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
5,960,964. However, assemblies such as the one in U.S. Pat. No.
5,960,964 have large axial gaps between disks mounted along a
common shaft. These axial gaps are much larger than the radial gaps
between cooperating disks on adjacent parallel rotation shafts.
Such assemblies are not suitable for separating crop product from
debris. Some crop product and debris will fall through the large
gaps while other crop product and debris will not fall through the
smaller gaps between the disks. Thus, such assemblies cannot
reliably sort crop product from debris.
[0006] Another problem with known harvesters is dust created by the
harvester. Typically, harvesters utilize high-volume air generated
by an on-board fan assembly to assist the screening/roller
assemblies in separating crop product from debris. These fan
assemblies generate large amounts of dust. The dust can result in
air pollution, water pollution, soil loss, human and animal health
problems, and hazardous reductions in visibility during operation
of the harvester. Additionally, dust can adversely impact various
plants and crop product. Dust generation from agricultural
machinery is particularly problematic in arid areas or areas with
dusty or sandy soil conditions. In an effort to reduce dust
production, some jurisdictions impose various air pollution control
measures on agricultural equipment.
[0007] Thus, a need exists a need for improved systems for reliably
and effectively separating harvested crop product from debris
without being prone to jamming or generating large amounts of
dust.
SUMMARY
[0008] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a disk is provided
for use in a harvester. The disk can have a non-circular unitary
body, a hole extending through the body, a first segment of the
body, and a second segment of the body. The hole extending through
the body defines a first rotational axis. The second segment is
adjacent to the first segment, and a second outside perimeter of
the second segment is smaller than a first outside perimeter of a
first segment. The first segment has a first segment thickness and
the second segment has a second segment thickness.
[0009] The disk can be configured to cooperate with disks mounted
along a second rotational axis parallel to the first rotational
axis, whereby a first axial gap and a second axial gap between
cooperating disks combine to equal the second segment thickness
minus the first segment thickness, and a radial gap is defined by a
distance between the first outside perimeter of a disk mounted
along the first rotational axis and a second outside perimeter of a
cooperating disk mounted along the second rotational axis.
[0010] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a roller
assembly is provided. The roller assembly can include a first
roller including a plurality of disks mounted to rotate about a
first rotational axis; a second roller including a plurality of
disks mounted to rotate about a second rotational axis; wherein the
disks are noncircular and configured to cooperate with the disks
mounted adjacent along the first roller and with corresponding
disks mounted along the second roller, whereby the gaps formed
between the disks are effectively constant during rotation of the
rollers. In another aspect, the roller assembly can include a first
rotational shaft mounted to a roller assembly frame, wherein the
first rotational shaft coincides with a first rotational axis and
includes a plurality of disks axially mounted thereon, and a second
rotational shaft mounted to the roller assembly frame parallel to
the first rotational shaft, wherein the second rotational shaft
coincides with a second rotational axis and includes a plurality of
disks axially mounted thereon. The plurality of disks can have a
non-circular unitary body, a hole extending through the body, a
first segment of the body, and a second segment of the body. The
hole extending through the body coincides with a rotational axis.
The second segment is adjacent to the first segment, and a second
outside perimeter of the second segment is smaller than a first
outside perimeter of a first segment. The first segment has a first
segment thickness and the second segment has a second segment
thickness.
[0011] The plurality of disks can be configured to cooperate with
disks mounted adjacent along the first rotational shaft and disks
mounted along the second rotational shaft, whereby a first axial
gap and a second axial gap between cooperating adjacent disks along
the first rotational shaft combine to equal the second segment
thickness minus the first segment thickness, and a radial gap is
defined by a distance between the first outside perimeter of disks
mounted along the first rotational shaft and the second outside
perimeter of cooperating disks mounted along the second rotational
shaft.
[0012] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a nut harvester
is provided. The nut harvester can include a roller assembly, a
roller assembly drive mechanism, a linkage for operating a roller
assembly, a fan assembly, and an exit conveyor. The roller assembly
can include a first rotational shaft mounted to a frame, wherein
the first rotational shaft coincides with a first rotational axis
and includes a plurality of disks axially mounted thereon, and a
second rotational shaft mounted to the frame parallel to the first
rotational shaft, wherein the second rotational shaft coincides
with a second rotational axis and includes a plurality of disks
axially mounted thereon.
[0013] Each of the plurality of disks can have a non-circular
unitary body, a hole extending through the body, a first segment of
the body, and a second segment of the body. The hole extending
through the body coincides with a rotational axis. The second
segment is adjacent to the first segment, and a second outside
perimeter of the second segment is smaller than a first outside
perimeter of a first segment. The first segment has a first segment
thickness and the second segment has a second segment
thickness.
[0014] The plurality of disks can be configured to cooperate with
disks mounted adjacent along the first rotational shaft and disks
mounted along the second rotational shaft, whereby a first axial
gap and a second axial gap between cooperating adjacent disks along
the first rotational shaft combine to equal the second segment
thickness minus the first segment thickness, and a radial gap is
defined by a distance between the first outside perimeter of disks
mounted along the first rotational shaft and the second outside
perimeter of cooperating disks mounted along the second rotational
shaft.
[0015] The apparatuses described here improve crop product
harvesting by cleanly separating crop product from dirt, dust, and
debris without being prone to jamming. The relatively clean
separating of crop product from dirt, dust, and debris allows for
less reliance on a fan assembly, and in some instances the fan
assembly does not need to be operated at all. Thus, the apparatuses
described here can significantly reduce dust generation.
[0016] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for
removing dirt and debris from harvested crop product is provided.
The method includes providing a roller assembly, simultaneously
rotating a first and second rotational shaft of the roller
assembly, and allowing dirt and debris to fall through spacing gaps
in the roller assembly. The roller assembly can include the first
rotational shaft mounted to a roller assembly frame, wherein the
first rotational shaft coincides with a first rotational axis and
includes a plurality of disks axially mounted thereon, and a second
rotational shaft mounted to the roller assembly frame parallel to
the first rotational shaft, wherein the second rotational shaft
coincides with a second rotational axis and includes a plurality of
disks axially mounted thereon.
[0017] Each of the plurality of disks can have a non-circular
unitary body, a hole extending through the body, a first segment of
the body, and a second segment of the body. The hole extending
through the body coincides with a rotational axis. The second
segment is adjacent to the first segment, and a second outside
perimeter of the second segment is smaller than a first outside
perimeter of a first segment. The first segment has a first segment
thickness and the second segment has a second segment
thickness.
[0018] The plurality of disks can be configured to cooperate with
disks mounted adjacent along the first rotational shaft and disks
mounted along the second rotational shaft, whereby a first axial
gap and a second axial gap between cooperating adjacent disks along
the first rotational shaft combine to equal the second segment
thickness minus the first segment thickness, and a radial gap is
defined by a distance between the first outside perimeter of disks
mounted along the first rotational shaft and the second outside
perimeter of cooperating disks mounted along the second rotational
shaft.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a harvester according to an
exemplary embodiment.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a roller assembly positioned
in the harvester of FIG. 1.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a side view of the roller assembly in the
harvester of FIG. 2.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a front view of a disk to be used in the roller
assembly of FIG. 2 according to a first exemplary embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 5 is a side view of the disk of FIG. 4.
[0024] FIG. 6 is a back view of the disk of FIG. 4.
[0025] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the back of the disk of FIG.
4.
[0026] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a roller assembly of FIG.
2.
[0027] FIG. 9 is a top view of the roller assembly of FIG. 8.
[0028] FIG. 10 is a side view of the roller assembly of FIG. 8.
[0029] FIG. 11 is a close-up top view of the roller assembly of
FIG. 9.
[0030] FIG. 12 is a close-up isometric view of the roller assembly
of FIG. 8.
[0031] FIG. 13 is an isometric view of a roller assembly for the
harvester of FIG. 1 according to a second exemplary roller
embodiment.
[0032] FIG. 14 is a front view of a disk to be used for the
harvester of FIG. 1 according to a second exemplary disk
embodiment.
[0033] FIG. 15 is a side view of the disk of FIG. 14.
[0034] FIG. 16 is a back view of the disk of FIG. 14.
[0035] FIG. 17 is an isometric view of the back of the disk of FIG.
14.
[0036] FIG. 18 is a front view of a disk to be used for the
harvester of FIG. 1 according to a third exemplary disk
embodiment.
[0037] FIG. 19 is a side view of the disk of FIG. 18.
[0038] FIG. 20 is a back view of the disk of FIG. 18.
[0039] FIG. 21 is an isometric view of the front of the disk of
FIG. 18.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0040] Refer now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there being shown a harvester 22
according to an exemplary embodiment. The harvester 22 is pulled
along a row of crop product, for example tree nuts. The harvester
22 is connected to a towing vehicle (not pictured) by a hitch 32.
Alternatively, the harvester 22 can be pushed or have its own drive
motor. The harvester 22 includes a fan assembly 24, front and back
wheels 26, a power take-off 28, a hydraulic pump 30, the hitch 32,
a crop product collection mechanism 34, an exit conveyor 36, and a
roller assembly 38. The crop product is collected by the collection
mechanism 34, which can be a rotating sweeper or other suitable
collection mechanism. Alternatively, the crop product can be
collected by another machine. After it is collected, crop product
is fed to the top of the roller assembly 38. The roller assembly 38
operates to separate the crop product from dirt, dust, and debris.
The dirt, dust, and debris pass through the roller assembly 38,
while the crop product stays above the roller assembly 38. The crop
product is passed to the exit conveyor 36 to be collected with the
rest of the separated crop product.
[0041] The harvester 22 has a power take-off 28 that drives a
hydraulic pump 30. The hydraulic pump 30 drives a hydraulic motor
40 that then mechanically drives the roller assembly 38. The
hydraulic motor 40 has a mechanical connection 42 to rotational
shafts of the roller assembly 38 by a series of belts or chains 42.
When the power take-off 28 is engaged, power is transferred from
the towing vehicle (not pictured) to the rotational shafts through
the power take-off 28, the hydraulic pump 30, the hydraulic motor
40, and the mechanical connection 42. Alternatively, the harvester
22 can be configured to transfer power from the towing vehicle to
the rotational shafts entirely mechanically, without the use of
hydraulic pumps and motors. In other embodiments, the harvester 22
can have a mechanical transmission for transfer of the power from
the power take-off to the rotating shafts, or can have its own
power generation source that transfers mechanical power to the
rotational shafts. In this later embodiment, the harvester 22 does
not require a power take-off connected to a towing vehicle.
[0042] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the roller assembly 38 of
the harvester 22. The roller assembly 38 is mounted in the
harvester 22 and includes a roller assembly frame 48, a plurality
of rotational shafts, for example a first rotational shaft 50 and a
second rotational shaft 52, and end collars 54.
[0043] Each rotational shaft turns on its rotational axis. For
example, with reference to FIG. 9, the first rotational shaft 50
has a first rotational axis 56. The second rotational shaft 52 has
a second rotational axis 58. In embodiments having third, fourth,
fifth, and more rotational shafts, the rotational shafts would have
third, fourth, fifth, and more rotational axes, respectively. The
rotational shafts are parallel to each other. Each rotational shaft
includes an end collar 54 that is securely fastened on one side or
on both sides of the rotational shaft. The end collars 54 prevent a
plurality of disks 60 mounted on the respective rotational shaft
from sliding.
[0044] With reference to FIG. 3, a side view of the harvester 22,
and particularly the roller assembly 38, is illustrated. The roller
assembly 38 of FIG. 3 includes twelve rollers 55, each including
disks mounted on rotational shafts. The mechanical connection 42
connects the rotational shafts to hydraulic motor 40. The hydraulic
motor 40 is hydraulically coupled to the hydraulic pump 30, which
in turn is coupled to the power take off 28. Thus, the rotational
shafts are turned by transferring power from the power take off 28
to the rotational shafts. The rotational shafts are all rotated in
the same direction at about the same speed. In other embodiments,
opposed disks having different shapes from each other may be used,
such as for example a triangular shaped disk opposed to a square
shaped disk, in which case the rotation speeds of the corresponding
shafts would be different from one another to maintain spacing
between the disks.
[0045] The rotational shafts, for example the first rotational
shaft 50 and the second rotational shaft 52, each have a plurality
of disks 60 mounted axially along the shaft. The disks 60 mounted
along the first rotational shaft 50 cooperate with corresponding
disks 60 mounted along the second rotational shaft 52.
[0046] Spacing between the disks 60 depends on the shape of the
disks 60 and the distance between adjacent disks. The disks 60 are
designed so that as they rotate, the spacing between cooperating
disks 60 remains effectively constant. "Effectively constant" for
purposes of this description means that the spacing remains
sufficiently constant for the purposes of separating crop product
from twigs, dirt, dust, and other debris. The effectively constant
spacing is important for separating crop product from twigs, dirt,
dust, and other debris, without being prone to jamming.
[0047] Refer now to FIGS. 4-7, showing an exemplary embodiment of
the disk 60. The disk 60 has a non-circular unitary body 62 with a
hole 64 extending through the body 62. The body 62 has a first
segment 68 and a second segment 86.
[0048] The first segment 68 of the body 62 has a first outside
perimeter 70. The first outside perimeter 70 has a plurality of
disk sides, including a first side 78, a second side 80, and a
third side 82. The sides meet at apexes 84 of the first outside
perimeter 70. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the first segment 68 has a
first segment thickness 72. The first segment 68 further has a
first face 74 and a second face 76.
[0049] The second segment 86 of the body 62 is adjacent to the
first segment 68 and is positioned on the first face 74 or second
face 76 of the first segment 68. In the exemplary embodiment of
FIGS. 4-7, the second segment 86 is positioned on the first face 74
of the first segment 68. The second segment 86 has a second outside
perimeter 88 that has a plurality of disk sides, including a first
side 92, a second side 94, and a third side 96. The sides meet at
apexes 98 of the second outside perimeter 88.
[0050] The second segment 86 has a second segment thickness 90 that
is greater than the first segment thickness 72. In an exemplary
embodiment, the second segment thickness 90 can be approximately
twice as thick as the first segment thickness 72. In alternative
embodiments, the second segment thickness 90 may be greater than
twice as thick as the first segment thickness 72, or less than
twice as thick has the first segment thickness 72. The first and
second segment thicknesses 72, 90 impact the size of the gap
between disks. Therefore, the thicknesses may be any suitable
thickness depending on the crop product or other material to be
separated from debris. Since gaps between disks must be smaller
than the crop product or other material to be separated from the
debris, the relative thicknesses of the first segment and second
segments may be different for different crop products.
[0051] The hole 64 has a number of hole sides 66 that differs from
the number of sides of the first and second outside perimeters 70,
88. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 4-7, the hole 64 has four
hole sides 66. Alternatively, the hole 64 may have any suitable
number of hole sides. By providing the hole 64 with a different
number of hole sides 66 than the outside perimeters and providing a
rotational shaft with sides matching the hole, the disk 60 can be
mounted along the rotational shaft at different orientations as
compared to adjacent disks. For example, the apexes 84 of the first
outside perimeter 70 can be offset from the apexes 84 of the first
outside perimeter 70 of an adjacent disk 60 mounted along the same
rotational shaft. In other embodiments, other arrangements could be
used to obtain the desired angular disk offset, such as for example
a splined hole and shaft arrangement, or a round shaft, a round
disk hole, and a set screw arrangement, to fix the disks at the
desired angles.
[0052] The disks 60 are designed so that axial spacing between
adjacent disks 60 mounted along the same rotational shaft remains
effectively constant during operation. Furthermore, radial spacing
between disks 60 on parallel shafts also remains effectively
constant. Thus, during operation, about the same amount of space
between disks will be present regardless of the rotational position
of the disks 60. Moreover, the size and thickness of the disks may
be configured to cooperate with the disks mounted adjacent along
the first roller and with corresponding disks mounted along the
second roller, whereby the gaps formed between the disks are
effectively constant during rotation of the rollers. The
effectively constant spacing allows for uniform separation of crop
product from dirt, twigs, dust, and other debris.
[0053] The first segment 68 of a disk 60 on the first rotation
shaft 50 cooperates with the second segment 86 of a corresponding
disk 60 on the second rotational shaft 52. Similarly, the first
segment 68 of a disk 60 on the second rotation shaft 52 cooperates
with the second segment 86 of a corresponding disk 60 on the first
rotational shaft 50. The shape of the first outside perimeter 70
and the second outside perimeter 88 allow cooperating disks on
parallel shafts to maintain effectively constant spacing between
each other. Referring to FIGS. 4-7, the first side 78, second side
80, and third side 82 of the first segment 68 are arcs that connect
the apexes 84. Similarly, the first side 92, second side 94, and
third side 96 of the second segment 86 are also arcs that connect
the apexes 98. The arcs of the first segment 68 cooperate with the
arcs of the second segment 86 on a corresponding disk 60. In the
illustrated embodiment, the arcs of the first segment 68 have the
same radius of curvature as the arcs of the second segment 86, and
the radius is based on the radius of a circle. This allows for the
spacing between cooperating disks 60 to remain effectively constant
throughout the entire rotation of the disks.
[0054] The radius of the arcs can be adjusted as necessary
depending on the desired application. Generally, as the size of the
second outside perimeter 88 increases, the radius of its arcs
decreases. As the radius of the arcs decreases, the first and
second outside perimeters 70, 88 become more circular. Conversely,
as the size of the second outside perimeter 88 approaches the size
of the first outside perimeter 70, the radius of the arcs
increases. A larger arc radius thereby creates sharper points on
the first and second outside perimeters 70, 88. Perimeters having
sharper points result in more agitation and less space for debris
to fall through. More circular perimeters result in less agitation
but more space for debris to fall through.
[0055] The first and second outside perimeters can alternatively be
any suitable polygon. For example, if the polygon has four sides,
the first and second outside perimeters would each have four apexes
and four arcs connecting the apexes. The radius for the arcs can be
calculated for any polygon by solving Eq. 1 for R:
0 = - R 2 - ( S L 2 ) 2 + ( cos ( .theta. ) - 1 ) ( S L - S S 2 sin
( .theta. ) ) + R 2 - ( S S 2 ) 2 Eq . 1 ##EQU00001##
S sub L is the length of a side of the large polygon, S sub S is
the length of the small polygon, and theta is the degrees of a
bisected, included angle of the polygon (360/number of
sides/2).
[0056] Alternatively, the first and second outside perimeters 70,
88 can be approximately a Reuleaux triangle. A Reuleaux triangle is
a shape formed from the intersection of three circles of the same
size, each having its center on the boundary of the other two. The
three center points form the three apexes of the Reuleaux triangle,
with the resulting shape having an effectively constant width
regardless of its orientation. Alternatively, other suitable shapes
may also be used.
[0057] The first outside perimeter 70 and the second outside
perimeter 88 are effectively the same shape but have different
sizes. In the illustrated embodiment, the size relationship (or
scale) of the first outside perimeter 70 to the second outside
perimeter 88 is about three to two. However, other scales may be
used as appropriate for the crop product or other material being
processed. The scale impacts the size of the gaps between
cooperating disks.
[0058] With reference to FIGS. 8-12, an exemplary embodiment of the
roller assembly 38 is illustrated. The roller assembly 38 includes
at least two rollers 55 having rotational shafts each having a
rotational axis. For example, the first rotational shaft 50 has a
first rotational axis 56 and the second rotational shaft 52 has a
second rotational axis 58.
[0059] Gaps between cooperating disks remain effectively constant
during rotation. The first outside perimeter 70 of a disk 60 is
configured to cooperate with the second outside perimeter 88 of a
corresponding disk 60 mounted on an adjacent rotational shaft. The
space between disks 60 mounted along the first rotational shaft 50
and disks 60 mounted along the second rotational shaft 52 creates
axial and radial gaps.
[0060] In the example embodiment of FIGS. 8-12, the disks 60 are
mounted along a rotational shaft without spaces between adjacent
disks. In such embodiments, a first axial gap 100 and a second
axial gap 102 between cooperating disks combine to equal the second
segment thickness 90 minus the first segment thickness 72. As shown
in FIG. 11, an axial spacing distance 104 is essentially zero.
Alternative embodiments may have a non-zero axial spacing distance
104. In such embodiments, the first axial gap 100 and the second
axial gap 102 add up to equal the axial spacing distance 104 plus
the second segment thickness 90 minus the first segment thickness
72.
[0061] With reference to FIG. 11, a radial gap 106 is defined by a
distance between the first outside perimeter 70 of disks 60 mounted
on the second rotational shaft 52 and the second outside perimeter
88 of cooperating disks mounted on the first rotational shaft 50.
The radial gap 106 depends on the distance between the parallel
rotational shafts and sizes of the disk segments 68, 86, including
the width 110 of the disk 60, which in the illustrated embodiment
is the width of the disk segment 68. If the rotational shafts are
further apart, then the radial gap 106 would be larger. The
distance between rotational shafts is a radial spacing distance
108. The radial spacing distance 108 is measured from a center
point of the first rotational axis 56 to a center point of the
second rotational axis 58. Although only one radial gap 106 is
labeled in FIG. 11, radial gaps exist between all the cooperating
disks and disk segments of the illustrated roller assembly 38.
Since cooperating disks 60 are the same size and shape, the disks
60 can be arranged to achieve essentially constant radial gaps 106
throughout the roller assembly 38.
[0062] The shapes of the disks allow the radial gap 106 to remain
effectively constant during rotation. However, due to the
non-circular shape of the first and second outside perimeters 70,
88, the location of the radial gap 106 constantly moves when the
shafts are rotating. The disk 60 has a first segment 68 with three
sides (arcs) and three apexes 84. When the apexes 84 are pointed
directly at an adjacent parallel shaft, the first segment 68 is at
an approximately maximum point. When the middle of an arc is
pointed directly at an adjacent parallel shaft, the first segment
68 is at an approximately minimum point.
[0063] The first segment 68 cooperates with a second segment 86 of
a cooperating disk 60 on a parallel shaft. Similar to the first
segment 68, the second segment 86 as three sides (arcs) and three
apexes 98. When the apexes 98 are pointed directly at an adjacent
parallel shaft, the second segment 86 is at an approximately
maximum point. When the middle of an arc is pointed directly at an
adjacent parallel shaft, the second segment 86 is at an
approximately minimum point.
[0064] In order for the radial gap 106 to remain effectively
constant, the cooperating disks 60 rotate in a complimentary
fashion. When the first segment 68 of a disk on the first
rotational shaft 50 is at an approximately maximum point, the
second segment 86 of a cooperating disk on the second rotational
shaft 52 is at an approximately minimum point. As the disks 60
perform one full rotation, they each cycle through three maximum
points (the number of apexes) and three minimum points (the number
of arcs). Alternative embodiments with a different number of apexes
and arcs would have a corresponding number of maximum and minimum
points during one full rotation.
[0065] Throughout one full rotation, the radial gap 106 remains
effectively constant due to the complimentary arrangements of the
disks. This also illustrates that the physical position of the
radial gap 106 constantly moves while the disks 60 rotate. When the
first segment 68 of a disk on the first rotational shaft 50 is at
an approximately maximum point, the location of the radial gap 106
will be closer to the second rotational shaft 52. When the first
segment 68 of a disk on the first rotational shaft 50 is at an
approximately minimum point, the location of the radial gap 106
will be closer to the first rotational shaft 50. In this way, the
roller assembly 38 generates an advantageous sifting or agitation
effect.
[0066] The agitation increases the effectiveness of the roller
assembly 38 in separating crop product or other material from
debris, while still maintaining effectively constant gap sizes.
This is in contrast to toothed disks, where the gap between disks
depends on the position of the disk. The disparity in gap distance
in toothed disks tends to pinch materials between a disk and its
cooperating disk, which may result in frequent jamming. The present
disks 60 overcome this issue while also advantageously moving
debris up and down in a fashion that creates a sifting effect.
[0067] The roller assembly 38 includes disks 60 mounted along a
rotational shaft. Each disk 60 has a different orientation from the
disks adjacent to it. Since the hole 64 has four sides, adjacent
disks 60 can be mounted to a four-sided rotational shaft such that
a different hole side is at a top side of the shaft. For example,
each adjacent disk can be mounted at ninety degree turns from each
other. Since the three arcs are all the same length, the effect is
that mounting adjacent disks 60 at ninety degree turns from each
other results in the apexes 84 being offset by thirty degrees. In
other embodiments, other arrangements could be used to obtain the
desired angular disk offset, such as for example using a round
shaft, a round disk hole, and a set screw to fix the disk at the
desired angle.
[0068] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the roller assembly 38 has
alternating sets of right and left disks that are designed to
direct the flow of the crop product away from the edges during
conveyance. Starting from a first end 44 of the rotational shaft
54, a set of left disks are axially mounted up to about one-quarter
of the length of the rotational shaft 54. Going from the first end
44 to a second end 46, the apexes 84 of each subsequent adjacent
left disk are rotated counterclockwise (left) by approximately
thirty degrees. Right disks are mounted on the second quarter of
the rotational shaft 54. Going from the first end 44 to the second
end 46, the apexes 84 of each subsequent adjacent right disk are
rotated clockwise (right) by approximately thirty degrees. The
third quarter alternates back to the left disks, and the fourth
quarter alternates back to the right disks. The alternating sets of
right and left disks creates more agitation of the crop product and
conveys the crop product away from the first end 44 and the second
end 46.
[0069] Refer now to FIG. 13, there being shown a second exemplary
embodiment of a roller assembly 138 to be used in the harvester 22.
Similar to the first embodiment of the roller assembly 38, the
second embodiment of the roller assembly 138 has a plurality of
rollers 155, each including a plurality of disks 60 axially mounted
on a first rotational shaft 150 that has a first rotational axis
156, and a plurality of disks 60 axially mounted on a second
rotational shaft 152 that has a second rotational axis 158. Each
rotational shaft includes an end collar 154 that is securely
fastened on one side or on both sides of the respective rotational
shaft. The roller assembly 138 may include more rotational shafts
and rotational axes.
[0070] The second embodiment of the roller assembly 138 differs
from the first embodiment in that the disks 60 are oriented in the
same direction such that the apexes 84 of the first outside
perimeter 70 of adjacent disks 60 are aligned. Such an alignment of
the disks 60 creates a wave-type agitation action in the crop
product during operation that allows the debris to fall out and
separate from the crop product.
[0071] Other alignments of adjacent disks mounted along a
rotational shaft are also possible. For example, disks can be
grouped in sets of two, where the two disks in the set are aligned
with each other but offset from adjacent sets of two. Similarly,
sets of three may be used. Any arrangement between disks mounted
along a rotational axis may be suitable, as long as the disks
mounted on adjacent parallel shafts cooperate in a complimentary
fashion. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art may
consider various other alignment patterns that allow cooperating
disks to maintain the axial and radial gaps described above.
[0072] With reference to FIGS. 14-17, a second exemplary embodiment
of a disk 160 to be used in the harvester 22 is illustrated. The
disk 160 can be used in the roller assembly 38 and any embodiment
of the harvester 22 described above. The disk 160 has a
non-circular unitary body 162 with a hole 164 extending through the
body 162. The body 162 can have a first segment 168, a second
segment 186, and a third segment 210.
[0073] The first segment 168 of the body 162 has a first outside
perimeter 170. The first outside perimeter 170 has a plurality of
disk sides. For example, the first outside perimeter 170 has a
first side 178, a second side 180, and a third side 182. The sides
meet at apexes 184 of the first outside perimeter 170. As
illustrated in FIG. 15, the first segment 168 of the body 162 has a
first segment thickness 172. The first segment 168 further has a
first face 174 and a second face 176.
[0074] The second segment 186 of the body 162 is adjacent to the
first segment 168 on the first face 174 or second face 176. In the
exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 14-17, the second segment 186 is
adjacent to the first segment 168 on the first face 174 of the
first segment 168. The second segment 186 has a second outside
perimeter 188. The second outside perimeter 188 has a plurality of
disk sides, including a first side 192, a second side 194, and a
third side 196. The sides meet at apexes 198 of the second outside
perimeter 188.
[0075] The second segment 186 has a second segment thickness 90
that is greater than the first segment thickness 172. In an
exemplary embodiment, the second segment thickness 190 can be
approximately twice as thick as the first segment thickness 172. In
alternative embodiments, the second segment thickness 190 may be
greater than twice as thick as the first segment thickness 172, or
less than twice as thick as the first segment thickness 172. The
first and second segment thicknesses 172, 190 impact the size of
the gap between disks. Therefore, the thicknesses may be any
suitable thickness depending on the crop product or other material
to be separated from debris. Since gaps between disks must be
smaller than the crop product or other material to be separated
from the debris, the relative thicknesses of the first segment and
second segments may be different for different crop products.
[0076] The second outside perimeter 188 of the disk 160 is a first
hollow projection 224 that has a cavity 226. The second segment 186
further includes a second hollow projection 228 in the shape of the
perimeter of the hole 164. Together, the first and second hollow
projections 224, 228 make up the second segment 186 of the body
162.
[0077] The third segment 210 of the disk 160 is positioned adjacent
to the first segment 168 on the face of the first segment 168 that
is opposite to the second segment 186. In the embodiment of FIGS.
14-17, the third segment 210 is adjacent to the second face 176 of
the first segment 168. The third segment 210 has a third outside
perimeter 212 with a first side 216, a second side 218, and a third
side 220. The sides meet at apexes 222.
[0078] The third segment 210 is a third hollow projection 230 that
is configured to nest within the cavity 226 of the second segment
186 of an adjacent disk. The third segment 210 has a third segment
thickness 214 as illustrated in FIG. 15. The third segment
thickness 214 is less than the second segment thickness 190. Little
to no portion of the third segment 210 is exposed when adjacent
disks are axially mounted. In this manner, the spacing between
adjacent disks 160 mounted along the same shaft and cooperating
disks 160 mounted on a parallel shaft is the same as described in
conjunction with the first embodiment of the disk 60.
[0079] In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 14-17, the shapes of
the first outside perimeter 170 and the second outside perimeter
188 are the same as the disk 60 illustrated in FIGS. 4-7.
[0080] The third hollow projection 230 interlocks with the cavity
226 of an adjacent disk in only one orientation. For example, the
third hollow projection 230 is oriented with its apexes 222 offset
from the apexes 184 of the first segment 168 and the apexes 198 of
the second segment 186 by, for example, approximately thirty
degrees. When the third hollow projection 230 of the disk 160
interlocks with a cavity 226 of an adjacent disk 160, the adjacent
disk 160 is offset by the same degree of offset between the apexes
222 of the third hollow projection 230 and the apexes 184 of the
first segment 168. Thus, the offset of the apexes 222 of the third
hollow projection 230 compared to the apexes 184 of the first
segment 168 determines the degree of offset between the apexes 184
of adjacent disks. When the apexes 222 of the third hollow
projection 230 are rotated by thirty degrees as compared to the
apexes 184 of the first segment 168, the disk 160 will interlock or
nest with an adjacent disk 160 such that the apexes 184 of adjacent
disks are offset by thirty degrees. Other embodiments can have
different offsets, for example, approximately forty-five degrees.
The disk 160 is used in a roller assembly configuration where
adjacent disks are offset from each other, for example as described
in FIGS. 8-12 and roller assembly 38.
[0081] With reference to FIGS. 18-21, a third exemplary embodiment
of a disk 260 to be used in the harvester 22 is illustrated. The
disk 260 is similar to the disk 160 except that a third hollow
projection 330 has apexes 322 that are aligned with apexes 284 of a
first segment 268 and apexes 298 of a second segment 286. Thus, the
disk 260 interlocks with a cavity 326 of an adjacent disk 260 such
that the apexes 284 of adjacent disks are aligned. The first
segment 268 has a first segment thickness 272. The second segment
286 has a second segment thickness 290 that is greater than the
first segment thickness 272. A third segment 310 has a third
segment thickness 314 less than the second segment thickness 290.
The disk 260 is used in a roller assembly configuration where
adjacent disks are aligned, for example as described in FIG. 13 and
roller assembly 138.
[0082] The disks 60, 160, 260 described herein can be connected to
adjacent disks on the same rotational shaft by means any suitable
means. For example, adjacent disks can be connected by set screws,
adhesives, nut and bold assemblies, interference fits, or other
suitable means. The disks 60, 160, 260 may also be mounted along a
rotational shaft in a manner that does not require being connected
to adjacent disks. For example, adjacent disks may all be mounted
up against each other such that no space exists between adjacent
disks. In this embodiment, end collars 54, 154 can be mounted on
each end of the rotational shaft to prevent the disks 60, 160, 260
from moving apart from each other over time. For the second and
third embodiments of the disk 160, 260, the means described above
can be used separately from or in conjunction with interlocking or
nesting.
[0083] The disks 60, 160, 260 may be constructed from any suitable
material known in the art, for example Acetal made by the Dupont
Company under the trade name Delrin.RTM.. The disks 60, 160, 260
may alternatively be constructed from various other metals, alloys,
plastics, and rigid rubbers known in the art. However, materials
that can bend or flex tend to jam more frequently than harder
materials. Hard, rigid disks tend to decrease the likelihood of
jamming. Therefore, it is generally preferable to form the disks
60, 160, 260 from a harder material, though the choice of material
may change according to the desired application and a balancing of
strength, durability, and propensity to jam.
[0084] In an exemplary embodiment where the disks 60, 160, 260 are
formed of Acetal made by the Dupont Company under the trade name
Delrin.RTM., the disks may be injection molded according to methods
known in the art. The injection molding process may utilize
techniques known to injection molders to mitigate undesirable
warping during cooling, and to maintain structural integrity. For
example, ridges or projections can be added along a flat surface
that may be susceptible to warping, as shown in the disk 160 of
FIGS. 14-17 and the disk 260 of FIGS. 18-21. Furthermore, ridges or
projections may be added on opposite faces of the disk 160, 260 to
maintain balance. However, such techniques should not alter the
operation of the roller assembly or the gaps between disks.
[0085] While the present disclosure refers to a first rotational
shaft 50, 150 and a second rotational shaft 52, 152, it is
understood that the roller assembly 38, 138 is not constrained to
having two rotational shafts and can have any additional number of
rotational shafts.
[0086] A method for removing dirt and debris from harvested crop
product, for example tree nuts, comprises providing the roller
assembly 38, 138 according to any of the embodiments described
above, simultaneously rotating the first and second rotational
shafts, and allowing dirt and debris to fall through spacing
between the disks of the roller assembly 38, 138.
[0087] The roller assembly 38, 138 can include a first rotational
shaft 50, 150 mounted to a roller assembly frame 48, 148, wherein
the first rotational shaft 50, 150 coincides with a first
rotational axis 56, 156 and includes a plurality of disks 60, 160
axially mounted thereon. A second rotational shaft 52, 152 is
mounted to the roller assembly frame 48, 148 parallel to the first
rotational shaft 50, 150, wherein the second rotational shaft 52,
152 coincides with a second rotational axis 58, 158 and includes a
plurality of disks 60, 160 axially mounted thereon. The disks 60,
160, 260 can be any embodiment as described herein.
[0088] The apparatus and methods of the present disclosure offer
improvements in crop product harvesting by more cleanly separating
harvested crop product from dirt, dust, and debris. The ability to
separate the crop product from dirt, dust, and debris in such a
clean manner reduces the need to operate a fan assembly. For
example, in dry or sandy conditions, the apparatuses and methods
described herein can cleanly separate the crop product from dirt,
dust, and debris without operating a fan assembly at all, thus
greatly reducing dust generation. The apparatuses and methods of
the present disclosure also are less prone to jamming and binding
up, resulting in less down time and less stress being placed on
components that can, over time, result in premature failure.
[0089] The above description and drawings are only illustrative of
preferred embodiments, and are not intended to be limiting. For
example, the illustrated embodiments include a disk with two
segments, which may be different sizes. Other embodiments may
instead include two disks of single segments, which may be
different sizes. Any subject matter or modification thereof which
comes within the spirit and scope of the following claims is to be
considered part of the present inventions.
[0090] What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by
Letters Patent of the United States is:
* * * * *