AU741322B2

AU741322B2 - Apparatus for cutting elongate articles

Info

Publication number: AU741322B2
Application number: AU28686/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Wayne Brown
Original assignee: Westhill Engineering Construction Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Westhill Engineering Construction Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1996-07-19
Filing date: 1997-07-15
Publication date: 2001-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 2017-07-15
Also published as: AU2868697A

Description

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Regulation 3.2 -1- AUSTRAL IA Patents Act 1990 CG1YiE~I~E 'rE S PE CT F I CZ~'r I C)b1 S 'I'AN D~D P~'r E ~'r

APPLICANT:

NUMBER:

FILING DATE: WESTHILL ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION PTY LTD P01158 19/ 7/96 Invention Title: APPARATUS FOR CUTTING ELONGATE ARTICLES The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:

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"APPARATUS FOR CUTTING ELONGATE ARTICLES" TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to an apparatus for cutting elongate articles.

This invention has particular but not exclusive application to an apparatus for cutting sugar cane stalks into billets.

BACKGROUND ART Sugar cane harvesters are well known. The sugar cane harvester cuts the sugar cane stalk at its base and then cuts the stalk into shorter lengths known as billets which are then transported to the sugar cane mill.

o DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION ooooo S"This invention in one aspect resides in an apparatus o*o* for cutting elongate articles into shorter lengths, the S• apparatus including:- :o:oopposed counter-rotating cutter assemblies each 25 including cutter means which cooperate to cut the elongate articles as they pass between the opposed counter-rotating cutter assemblies, wherein each cutter assembly includes mounting means for mounting its cutter means, and the mounting means associated with one cutter assembly leads the mounting means associated with the other cutter assembly, and wherein one cutter means leads the other cutter means, and wherein the leading cutter means is mounted to the trailing face of the leading mounting means and the trailing cutter means is mounted to the leading face of the trailing mounting means, and wherein the leading cutter means extends a greater radial distance from its centre of rotation than the trailing cutter means extends radially from its centre of 3 rotation.

Preferably, the leading cutter means is mounted to the trailing face of the leading mounting means and the trailing cutter means is mounted to the leading face -of the trailing mounting means such that the respective mounting means do not oppose each other during cutting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In order that this invention may be more easily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:- FIG 1 is a side elevation view of a sugar cane harvester; FIG 2 is a schematic side elevation view of an e apparatus in which the counter-rotating cutter assemblies each have two cutter means; FIG 3 is a schematic side elevation view of an "apparatus in which the counter-rotating cutter assemblies each have three cutter means; FIG 4 is a schematic side elevation view of the apparatus of FIG 2; 25 FIG 5 is a schematic side elevation view of the :o apparatus of FIG 3; FIG 6 is a schematic side elevation view of an apparatus in which the counter-rotating cutter assemblies each have two cutter means and one of the cutter assemblies includes anvils; FIG 7 is a schematic side elevation view of an apparatus in which the counter-rotating cutter assemblies each have three cutter means and one of the cutter assemblies includes anvils.

BEST MODE With reference to FIG 1 there is illustrated a sugar cane harvester. The harvester includes apparatus for cutting the sugar cane stalks at their base and apparatus 10 for cutting the elongate stalks into shorter billets.

Referring now to FIGS 2 and 4, the apparatus includes a pair of opposed counter-rotating cutter assemblies 12 and 14.

15 The upper anticlockwise rotating cutter assembly 12 includes two cutter means 16. The lower clockwise rotating cutter assembly 14 includes two cutter means 18.

Cutter means 16 is fixed to mounting means 20 via clamping plates 22 which are bolted to mounting means Cutter means 18 are fixed to mounting means 24 by clamping plates 26 which are bolted to mounting means 24.

With particular reference to FIG 4, it will be noted that mounting means 20 associated with the upper cutter assembly leads mounting means 24 associated with the lower cutter assembly. This means that, when in the position illustrated in FIG 4, the respective mounting means 20 and 24 are horizontally off-set. In the prior art, the respective mounting means 20 and 24 were not horizontally off-set but rather directly opposed each other. This resulted in the sugar cane being pinched and crushed between the opposed mounting means resulting in a loss of quality in the cut billets and also an unnecessary consumption of power. A further problem associated with crushed billets is that they are more vulnerable to bacteria and other contaminants.

With further reference to FIG 4, it will be noted that cutter means 16 leads cutter means 18 and that the respective cutter means 16 and 18 overlap. The respective cutter assemblies have the same rotational speed and leading cutting means 16 is mounted to leading mounting means 20. Conversely, trailing cutter means 18 is mounted to trailing mounting means 24. Because the cutter assemblies have the same rotational speed they can be run with the same gearing off a common drive.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS 2 and 4, mounting means 24 is fixed to central shaft 28 whilst mounting means 20 also constitutes a shaft.

With further reference to FIGS 2 and 4 it will be observed that cutter means 16 associated with the upper cutter assembly 12 extends a greater radial distance from its centre of rotation as compared to the distance which cutter means 18 extends radially from its centre of 15 rotation. As previously discussed, in the preferred embodiment the respective cutter assemblies rotate at the same speed and the paths defined by the tips of the respective cutter means 16 and 18 overlap. It will be understood, however, that the tangential velocity of the tip of the cutter means 16 is greater that the tangential :.-:velocity of the tip of cutter means 18 due to its greater radial dimension. It will be observed that cutter means 16, which extends the greater radial distance, leads cutter means 18.

Referring now to FIGS 3 and 5, there is illustrated an apparatus in which the cutter assemblies each include three cutter means. It will be understood that the cutter assemblies can have any number of cutter means.

Furthermore, the respective cutter assemblies may have a differing number of cutter means, in which case the respective cutter assemblies would rotate at different speeds.

As previously described, the respective mounting means are off-set such that the mounting means associated with the leading cutter means leads the mounting means associated with the trailing cutter means. Again, the leading cutter means extends a greater radial distance from its centre of rotation than the trailing cutter means extends from its centre of rotation.

Referring now to FIGS 6 and 7, there are shown further embodiments consistent with the previous embodiments described except insofar as the leading cutter means has an anvil located adjacent thereto which co-operates with the trailing cutter means. It will be observed that the anvil is synchronised with the trailing cutter means it does not lead or trail the trailing cutter means) and furthermore the anvil extends substantially the same radial distance from its centre of rotation as the trailing cutter means extends radially from its centre of rotation. Accordingly, the anvil and trailing cutter means have substantially identical tangential velocities.

15 As will be observed, the anvil is a concave V-chop and receives the trailing cutter means closely therein.

The anvil is provided to sever flexible rubbish which may pass uncut through the cutter means due to its flexibility. Of course, the anvil may be omitted where there is minimal rubbish due to a burn-off or other -factors. For example, some sugar cane variants have little foliage which would require severing.

The anvil is integrally formed with the clamping plate which clamps the leading cutter means to the leading mounting means.

In use, cane is fed between the counter-rotating cutter assemblies. Due to gravity, the cane tends to rest on the lower cutter means until the upper cutter means arrives from above. It is believed that the upper cutter means does the bulk of the cutting due to its superior tangential tip speed and also due the fact that the cane is resting on the lower cutter means which accordingly acts as an anvil to some extent. Any flexible rubbish which has been fed between the cutter assemblies is severed by the lower cutter means and upper anvil.

Whilst the invention has been described with reference to a sugar cane harvester, the invention could be used in other applications. For example, the invention could be used in other agricultural applications, eg. cotton.

Whilst the embodiments described each have the mounting means of the upper cutter assembly leading the mounting means of the lower cutter assembly, the mounting means of the lower cutter assembly could lead the mounting means of the upper cutter assembly.

the embodiments described each have the upper 10 cutter means extending the greater radial distance from its centre of rotation, the lower cutter means could extend the greater radial distance from its centre of rotation.

Whilst some of the embodiments described have an 15 anvil mounted to the upper cutter assembly for cooperating with the lower cutter means, the anvil could be mounted to the lower cutter assembly for cooperating with the upper cutter means.

It will of course be realised that whilst the above has been given by way of an illustrative example of this *.**,invention, all such and other modifications and variations hereto, as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art, are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

Claims

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the Sleading cutter means is mounted to the trailing face of the leading mounting means and the trailing cutter means 25 is mounted to the leading face of the trailing mounting -means such that the respective mounting means do not oppose each other during cutting.
3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the leading and trailing cutter means cooperate to define a cutting zone in use, and wherein, in use, the leading mounting means leads the cutting zone and the trailing mounting means trails the cutting zone.