AU2020250175B2 - A sugarcane harvester with improved gearbox assembly of chopper - Google Patents

Abstract

A Sugarcane Harvester with Improved Gearbox Assembly of Chopper The present invention relates to a sugarcane harvester and more 5 particularly it relates to a sugarcane harvester with an improved gearbox assembly of chopper. An improved gearbox assembly of chopper comprises chopper unit (2). The chopper unit (2) includes a gearbox, with input interfaces. The input interface is a broached keyway connector, configured to receive the output shaft of the hydraulic motor (24). The input interface is 10 configured such that the rotational power received at the interface causes the input chopper driving gear (7) to rotate. The chopper driving gear (7) rotate the two main gears (9, 10) and one chopper flywheel pinion shaft (5) that stores the energy through a interfaced flywheel (23) to absorb the load fluctuations received through load surge gained during cane chopping 15 operations.

Description

A Sugarcane Harvester with Improved Gearbox Assembly of Chopper

Field of invention

The present invention relates to a sugarcane harvester and more

particularly it relates to a sugarcane harvester with an improved gearbox

assembly of chopper.

Background of invention

There are several types of sugarcane harvesters are on field which

harvest the growing sugarcane stalks by cutting the cane at its base, and then

transferring the cut sugarcane to a collector vehicle such as a cane wagon or

cane cart. The sugarcane harvester may include different types of harvesting

devices. The harvesting devices for a sugarcane harvester can include

assemblies for cutting, chopping, sorting, transporting, and gathering and

processing sugarcane plants. Generally, the harvesting devices include crop

divider assembly, knockdown roller assembly, base cutter assembly, feed

rollers, cutting drums, and so on.

For dynamic crop harvesting, a harvester may move along a field with

above mentioned harvesting devices, where the harvesting devices perform

collecting and processing of material from rows of crop plants. The steering

arrangement on a typical front wheel steered, rubber tired sugarcane chopper

harvester includes steerable wheels mounted to axles supported for pivoting about respective upright pivot structures located outboard of transversely spaced, fore-and-aft extending main frame members. A pair of crop dividers is respectively mounted to the main frame ahead of the pair of steerable wheels. In order to avoid interference with the frame members during steering operation, a large space is provided between each pivot axis and the adjacent frame member.

With the chopper gearbox of prior art, at cane harvesters had spur

gears whose surfaces have rolling contact, but the teeth are cut straight across

on a face; one or two teeth are always in contact with another gear. This

incomplete face engagement means spur gears are noisier and vibrate more

than helical gears. Moreover, chopper gear box with spur gears are less

expensive, they have much shorter life spans than helical gears. After about

three years they are usually replaced. And frequent replacement requires

more capital and drives up maintenance, downtime, and waste-disposal

costs.

Yet, another way to compare performance and efficiency is to look at

quality. There are two common gear-quality indicators. One is that too much

noisy and produces vibration means low precision and limited life. Rotating

machines that are noisy and vibrate can have any number of quality issues

which are improperly balanced rotating components; mating components

with excessive tolerances; and components that are not rigid enough, flexing

under load and leading to misalignment.

One of prior art has been disclosed describing the chopper roller

assembly of sugarcane harvester. The prior art document US005622034A

describing about a slip clutch and cutter blade apparatus for cane stalk

harvesters provides a machine frame with a cutting mechanism in the form of

cutter shafts powered by hydraulic motors. The cutter shafts have a plurality

of knives thereon that pinch the cane there between as the shafts rotate to

chop the cane whole stalks into billets. A flywheel is mounted on a flywheel

shaft. A gearbox interfaces the flywheel and cutter blades. A flywheel clutch

is used as an overload protection device for the chopper system. If

overloading occurs, the flywheel slips and therefore limits the torque. The

flywheel is placed on the bushing and clamped between the friction linings

with the aid of the thrust plate, the cup springs, brake plate, brake plate

cover, and bolts. The more the cup springs are compressed by the bolts; the

higher the torque at which the flywheel slips.

Hence, there is a desperate need for inventing a sugarcane harvester

with an improved chopper gearbox assembly to provide high efficiency gear

mesh compared to traditional chopper gearbox assembly of sugarcane

harvester.

The preceding discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an

understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an

acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.

Object of Invention

The main object of the present invention is to overcome the problem

associated with conventional chopper gearbox assembly of sugarcane

harvester by providing an improved gearbox assembly of chopper for proper

harvesting at fields.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved

gearbox assembly of chopper to alleviate the load on each tooth.

Further object of the present invention is to provide an improved

gearbox assembly of chopper to create a smooth transition of forces from one

tooth to the next.

Yet, another object of the present invention is to provide an improved

gearbox assembly of chopper which uses an optimum helix angle designed to

sustain.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention relates to a sugarcane harvester and more

particularly it relates to a sugarcane harvester with an improved gearbox

assembly of chopper. An improved gearbox assembly of chopper comprises

chopper unit. The chopper unit includes a gearbox, with input interfaces. The

input interface is a broached keyway connector, configured to receive the

output shaft of the hydraulic motor. The input interface is configured such

that the rotational power received at the interface causes the input chopper

driving gear to rotate. The chopper driving gear rotate the two main gears

and one chopper flywheel pinion shaft that stores the energy through a

interfaced flywheel to absorb the load fluctuations received through load

surge gained during cane chopping operations.

The present invention further relates to a sugarcane harvester with an

improved gearbox assembly of chopper unit comprising a chopper unit and a

chopper gearbox assembly for operating the chopper unit;

characterized by the chopper unit comprises chopper rollers having

thread interface being bolted within hub;

the chopper gearbox assembly comprises a hydraulic motor, a chopper

gear housing, a driving gear being operatively connected with hydraulic

motor through an input interface, a hub, a bearing housing being bolted with

the hub and a flywheel pinion gear; said gears are accommodated within the

gearbox housing.

Brief Description of Drawings

The following description is included solely for the purposes of

exemplifying the present invention. It should not be understood as a

restriction on the broad summary, disclosure or description of the invention

as set out herein. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the

invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of

the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying

drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic line diagram of a chopper gearbox

assembly for a sugarcane harvester according to an embodiment of the

present invention.

Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic line diagram of various parts of a chopper

gearbox assembly for a sugarcane harvester according to an embodiment of

the present invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates a schematic line diagram of various parts of a chopper

assembly and gearbox assembly for a sugarcane harvester according to an

embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of Invention

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood

that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the

construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompany

drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiment, as depicted in

different figures as described above and of being practiced or carried out in a

variety of ways. It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology

employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

It is to be also understood that the term "comprises" and grammatical

equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components,

ingredients, steps, etc. are optionally present. For example, an article "comprising" (or "which comprises") components A, B, and C can consist of

(i.e., contain only) components A, B, and C, or can contain not only

components A, B, and C but also contain one or more other components.

The present invention discloses a sugarcane harvester with an

improved chopper assembly. Now, according to the present invention, the

sugarcane harvester particularly relates with improving the functional

overview of the chopper assembly as shown in accompanying drawings. A

sugarcane harvester which comprises a topper assembly to cut leafy materials

of sugarcane stalks, a gathering area, a crop divider assembly for lifting and

straddling a row of sugarcane stalks, a modular knock down roller and

finned roller to assist in aligning the plants for feed into the throat of harvester, a pair of base cutter to cut the sugarcane stalks from the field, a feeding area including a feed roll system to move the cut sugarcane stalks further in a rear upward direction without spoiling or crushing the cane, a chopper assembly to cut the sugarcane stalks into small pieces in the form of billets, a cleaning chamber having an extractor fan assembly viz. primary extractor fan to remove dirt and extraneous material from the billets by blowing air on to the billets, an elevator system including a secondary extractor fan to remove the remaining loose materials as the cane falls from the end of the transport and an operator cabin to operate and control the harvester machine.

Now, the present invention particularly relates to the improved

chopper assembly that comprises a chopper unit (2) and a chopper gearbox

assembly (1) for operating the chopper unit as shown in fig. 1.

Now, according to fig. 2, the chopper gearbox assembly comprises a

hydraulic motor (24), a chopper gear housing (3), a driving gear (7) being

operatively connected with hydraulic motor (24) through an input interface,

main gear (9, 10) being operated by the driving gear (7), a hub (18), a bearing

housing (14) being bolted with the hub and a flywheel pinion gear (5). Said

gears (9,10) are accommodated within the gearbox housing (3). Further, the

gears (9, 10) having an optimum helix angle designed to sustain and

alleviates the load on each tooth and creates a smooth transition of forces from one tooth to the next. Hence, less vibration, wear and noise and longer life.

Referring continuous with fig. 2, the input interface is a broached

keyway connector, configured to receive the output shaft of the hydraulic

motor (24). The input interface is configured such that the rotational power

received at the interface causes the input chopper driving gear (7) to rotate.

The chopper driving gear (7) in turns rotate the two main gears (9, 10) and

one chopper flywheel pinion shaft (5) that stores the energy through a

interfaced flywheel to absorb the load fluctuations received through load

surge gained during cane chopping operations. Further, a bearing housing

(14) is assembled over the hub (18). In between these two elements, a

spherical roller bearing (13) is located that allows the smooth transition of

dynamic load. Once the bearing is assembled, a top ring (12) bolted over the

said bearing housing (14). The input interface is configured such that the

rotational power received at the interface by a hydraulic motor (24) which

causes the input driving gear (7) to rotate. The driving gears (7) in turns

rotate the two main gears (9, 10) and one chopper pinion shaft (5).

Now referring back to fig. 1, the chopper unit comprises chopper

rollers (6) having thread interface being bolted with hub (18). Above this top

ring (12), an adapter (11) gets bolted in line with the hub section (18). The

main gears (9, 10) then gets in bolted over these adapters (11).

Referring the above illustration at fig.2, the constructional features of

rollers (6) allows the roller to get assembled with chopper gear housing (3)

output interfaces which allows these rollers (6) to rotate. These two rollers

(i.e. upper roller and lower roller) are contra-rotating to each other. The end

section of these rollers gets in bolted with hub (18), which then assembled

with hub (18) of chopper housing. Mechanical face seal (25) housing gets in

assembly with the end extremities of chopper roller (6). There again a hub

(18) which gets in bolted with another extremity of chopper roller (6) and

rests over the bearing section.

Further, the chopper driving gear (7) rotates the two main gears (9, 10)

and one chopper pinion shaft (5) that store or release the energy through an

interfaced flywheel (23) by absorbing the load fluctuations received through

the load surge gained during cane chopping operations.

Now, according to fig. 3, the said pinion (5) rests over the spherical

roller bearing (13), where its gear teeth get in mesh with the two main driving

gears (9, 10). The spherical roller bearing (13) arranged at the inner section of

chopper housing plate which is then housed with an adapter (11) and the seal

(25) housed at its inner diameter. The pinion shaft (5) is then backed with

clutch plate (19) and wear plates (26, 27) making the flywheel (23)

sandwiched in mid section. There used to be spring washers (20) sat end of

the section backed with the nylon lock nut (21). Whenever there is load surge at chopper rollers (6), the motion of flywheel (23) slips between the wear plates (26, 27) to release the fluctuating load surges.

The invention has been explained in relation to specific embodiment. It

is inferred that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the present

invention and it is not intended that the invention be limited or restrictive

thereto. Many other specific embodiments of the present invention will be

apparent to one skilled in the art from the foregoing disclosure. All

substitution, alterations and modification of the present invention which

come within the scope of the following claims are to which the present

invention is readily susceptible without departing from the spirit of the

invention. The scope of the invention should therefore be determined not

with reference to the above description but should be determined with

reference to appended claims along with full scope of equivalents to which

such claims are entitled.

Even though particular combinations of features are recited in the

claims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not

intended to limit the disclosure of possible implementations. In fact, many of

these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims

and/or disclosed in the specification. Although each dependent claim listed

below may directly depend on only one claim, the disclosure of possible

implementations includes each dependent claim in combination with every

other claim in the claim set.

List of Reference Numerals: Gearbox assembly (1) Chopper unit (2) Gearbox housing (3) Ring (4) Chopper pinion shaft (5) Rollers (6) Chopper driving gear (7) Gearbox cover (8) Main gears (9, 10) Adapters (11) Top ring (12) Spherical roller bearing (13) Bearing housing (14) Bearing Housing w/o bearing (15) Gear holes (16) Cylindrical roller bearing (17) Hub (18) Clutch plate (19) Spring washer (20) Nylon lock nut (21) Cover (22) Flywheel (23) Hydraulic motor (24) Face seal (25) Wear plates (26, 27) Bearing section (28)

Claims (5)

We Claim:

1. A sugarcane harvester with improved gearbox assembly of

chopper unit comprising a chopper unit and a chopper gearbox assembly for

operating the chopper unit;

characterized by the chopper unit comprises chopper rollers having

thread interface being bolted within hub;

the chopper gearbox assembly comprises a hydraulic motor, a chopper

gear housing, a driving gear being operatively connected with hydraulic

motor through an input interface, a hub, a bearing housing being bolted with

the hub and a flywheel pinion gear; said gears are accommodated within the

gearbox housing.

2. The sugarcane harvester with improved gearbox assembly of

chopper unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gears having an optimum

helix angle designed to sustain and alleviates the load on each tooth and

creates a smooth transition of forces.

3. The sugarcane harvester with improved gearbox assembly of

chopper unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein an adapter bolted in line

with the hub section and the said main gears bolted over the free end of said

adapters.

4. The sugarcane harvester with improved gearbox assembly of chopper unit as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the said pinion shaft rests

over the spherical roller bearing, where its gear teeth get in mesh with the

two main driving gears.

5. The sugarcane harvester with improved gearbox assembly of

chopper unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein one end of the

said spherical roller bearing the coupled with the said top ring and the free

end of the said spherical roller bearing bolted over the said bearing housing.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3