US3195711A - Elevator drive and distributor - Google Patents

Description

y 1965 AJBOGDAN ETAL 31955;?!1

ELEVATOR DRIVE A813 DISTHI'HUTQRQ Original Filed April; 21.. I96];

INVENTORS.

AEEXANDER BOGDAN FRANK D. JONES JAMES D. WILKINS ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofi Bldfiflll Patented July 20, 1965 Free 3 Claims. (Cl. 198-193) This invention relates to an elevator and more particularly to an elevator of the type mounted on and extending rearwardly from a mobile crop harvester. Still more particularly this invention relates to a new and novel method of driving the elevator and for a distributing means to be attached to the elevator at its discharge end which will distribute material evenly over the length of a trailing receptacle.

This is a continuation of previous application Ser. No. 104,714, filed April 21, 1961, now abandoned.

It is the primary object to the present invention to provied a new and novel type of drive mechanism for the aforedescribed type of an elevator featuring a rotary type hydraulic motor connected to a transverse drive shaft on the elevator and positioned at the rear upper end of the elevator housing. The transverse'shaft operates to drive a chain type of conveyor over laterally disposed walls extending between upright sidewalls of the elevator housing. Hydraulic conduit means supplying power to the hydraulic motor are supported on one of the upright sidewalls of the housing and extends from the harvester to the rotary type hydraulic motor.

Another main object of the invention is to provide a rotary type distributing device beneath the discharge end of the elevator which receives the material or crops being discharged and distributes them the length of the trailer. The distributing device is composed of a transverse shaft having a series of angularly spaced radial flexible flights thereon and a series of axially spaced radial discs on the shaft. The material will gravitate on the flight elements and, depending upon the radial point of contact on the flight elements, will be distributed various distances from the distributing device. The degree of force impelled by the flexible elements against the falling material is proportional to the length or distance the ears contact the paddles from the rotary shaft.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a drive mechanism between the upper drive shaft on the elevator and the rotary shaft of the distributor. By providing the hydraulic motor at the upper drive shaft, the force required to drive the rotary distributing mechanism or device is not transmitted through the chains of the elevator as would occur in a conventional method of driving such a device from the lower end of the elevator. Also, the hydraulically driven elevator can be remotely controlled by use of a conventional oil and on hydraulic valve. It is necessary only that the necessary hydraulic lines he installed.

By selection of the proper type of control valve overload protection may be provided, thus avoiding damage to the mechanism if overloads occur. Since the hydraulic motor produces torque in proportion to the oil pressure, overloading the drive obstructs the flow of oil until the necessary pressure rise occurs to produce the higher torque required. By limiting the allowable pressure rise through use of a pressure relief valve, overload protection is provided.

Under some conditions, it may be desirable to have provisions for reversing the elevating mechanism. This can be accomplished with the hydraulic drive by reversing the oil flow through the motor by proper valving.

The distributing device is pivoted about the elevator uppersliaft in order to provide an increased range of material distribution, which may be necessary in order to handle a wider variety of materials with the diiferent specific gravity, humidity, shapes or other characteristics, without changing the tension on the drive belt.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the nature of the invention is better understood from the following descriptions and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a rear and side perspective of the rear portion of the self-propelled harvester showing a discharge elevator incorporating the features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the upper or discharge end of the elevator and the associated distributing mechanism.

The harvester, here indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral it! may be of any conventional type such as a combine or pelleting machine which has a rear discharge. The harvester It is supported at its rear on a transverse axle 11 having transversely spaced wheels 12, 13 thereon. The harvester ill has its own power source as indicated by the motor 14. An hydraulic system, not shown, is driven by the motor 14 in a conventional manner and has .a pair of hydraulic conduits 15, 16 extending rearwardly from the motor.

The elevator 17 has a lower material intake end, as indicated by the hopper 18, adjacent to the harvester It and for receiving the harvested crops therefrom. The elevator 17 has also an upper discharge end, shown generally in FIG. 2. The elevator 17 is composed of a rigid elongated elevator housing 29 having transversely spaced and upright sidewalls 21, 2-2 interconnected by an upper floor panel 23 and a lower floor panel 24.

An upper or main elevator drive shaft 26 extends between the walls 21, 22 at the upper discharge end of the elevator. The upper floor has a downwardly curved upper end or flange 23U. A lower sprocket shaft 27 is provided at the lower end of the elevator and also extends between the side walls Zll, 22. The upper drive shaft 26, supports transversely spaced drive sprockets 28, 29 as does the lower sprocket shaft 27. A flight type conveyor has a pair of continuous chain members 36, 31 mounted over the respective sprockets carrying transverse flights 32 therebetween. The chains 3%, 31 are continuous and provide an upper run which rides over the upper door 23 and a lower run which rides over the lower floor 24.

An hydraulic motor, indicated by its housing 35, is drivingly mounted on the shaft 26. The hydraulic motor is of a rotary type and it may be of any of a series of conventional type rotary motors. The specific type of motor used is of a type shown and described in U.S. Patent 2,821,171, and if details of the motor are desired, reference may be had thereto. A pair of adjusting rods 35, 3'7 are provided on the upper ends of the side walls 21, 22 and are connected to the shaft 26 for purposes of maintaining sufficient distance between the shafts 26, 27 so as to prevent slack in the chains 30, 31. The rods 36, 37 are connected to the journals for the shaft 26. Take-up is provided by means of nuts 38, 39 which bear against L-shaped brackets 4%, 4-1 rigid with the side walls 21, 22. Slots, such as is indicated at 42, are provided in the side walls, 21, 22 to accommodate longitudinal movement of the shaft 2% relative to the side walls.

A rotary type distributing mechanism, here indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral is disposed beneath the upper discharge end of the elevator so as to receive material passing over the upper end of the elevator and for purposes of distributing the material into a trailer or other type of trailing vehicle. The distributor 45 includes supporting structure including on one side a beammember 46 and on the opposite side an elongated supon the shaft 26. The shield support 47 serves an additional function as a shield for the drive mechanism to the device 45. The lower ends of the structural member 46 and shield *47 carries a horizontally disposed shaft 48. The shaft 48 carries thereon a series of angularly spaced radial arms 50'whicl1 are composed of flexible material, such as tire carcasses. Also supported on the shaft 48 are three radial discs 51, 52, 53. L-shaped brackets 54 are fastened to faces of the discs 51, 52, 53 and the flexible arms 50. The rotary drive shaft 48 is driven from the main drive shaft 26 of the elevator by means of a V-belt 55 which extends over pulleys 56, 67 mounted on respective shafts 26, 48. An idler pulley 59 and suitable supporting bracket structure are provided for maintaining tension in the belt 55.

As may be seen from viewing the drawings, the entire distributor device 45 depends and is pivotally connected to the main shaft 26'of the elevator. It lies beneath the discharge end of the elevator for receiving material therefrom. The position of the device 45 may be adjusted by means of a metal strap 65, bolted at 66 to the-side wall 22 of the elevator. The strap 65 has a series of openings 67 so that its effective length may be adjusted, and is connected by means of a bolt 68 to the structural beam 46. Therefore, by merely placing the bolt 66 in the proper openings 67, the location of thedevice 45 relative to the discharge end of the elevator is readily provided. A second adjusting strap on the opposite side of the elevator maybe used if desired for stability purposes.

The hydraulic motor 35 is connected to the hydraulic feed lines 15, 16 by means of hydraulic conduits '70, 71 carried on the outer side of the side wall 22, suitable flexible hoses or connections 72, 73 being provided to connect the conduits 15, 16 to the conduits 7t '71. Similar flexible conduits or hoses 74, 75 extend from the upper end of the conduit 70, 71 directly to the motor housing 35.

The provision of the hydraulic motor 35 and its associated drive shaft 26 at the upper end of the elevator has considerable advantages. Primarily, since the material to be conveyed will be moved by theupper run of the elevator conveyor, the taut side of the conveyor will be the side which is always conveying material. Also, the distributor 45 will be driven directly from the drive shaft connected to the hydraulic motor 35. Consequently the load required to drive the distributor will not be carried by the chains 28, 29 and their associated sprockets. This also will reduce maintenance and repair.

The distributor operates in the following manner. Material being conveyed in the elevator '17 and over its discharge end will fall on the flexible flights 50 of the and rigid elevator housing extending from a lower material intake end adjacent to and for receiving material from the harvester to an upper discharge end remote from the harvester, the housing being composed of oppositely disposed upright side walls interconnected by laterallydisposed wall means; means mounting the lower end of the housing on the harvester; a sprocket drive shaft extending between the sidewalls at the upper end of the housing; a sprocket shaft extending between the side walls at the intake end of the elevator; sprockets mounted on the sprocket shafts; a chain conveyor mounted over the sprockets; a rotary type hydraulic motor supported on the elevator housing adjacent its upper end and drivingly connected to the upper drive shaft; hydraulic conduit means mounted on the side walls and extending from the harvester to the hydraulic motor at the upper end of the elevatorta rotary distributor disposed beneath the discharge end of the elevator housing for receiving material gravitating therefrom composed of a horizontal shaft, a series of angularly spaced radial arms on the horizontal shaft, and a series of axially spaced radial discs mounted on the horizontal shaft between theradial arms; structure depending from opposite sides of the elevator housing for supporting the rotary distributor; and a drive mechanism extending from the driveshaft of the elevator to the horizontal shaft for effecting rotation of the latter and at a rate permitting portions of the material to pass between the arms and to contact the arms at varying radial distances from the shaft to thereby vary the distance of throw by the arms; 7 Q

. 2. A discharge elevator for use with a harvester movable forwardly over the ground, comprising: an elongated and rigid elevator housing extending from a lower material intake end adjacent to and for receiving material from the harvester to an upper discharge end remote from the harvester, the housing being composed of oppositely disposed upright side Walls interconnected by laterally disposed wall means; means mounting the lower end of the housing on the harvester; a sprocket drive shaft extending between the side walls at the upper end of the housing; a sprocket shaft extending between the side walls at the intake end of the elevator; sprockets mounted on the distributor 45. The distributor will be driven at a relatively low rate of rotation and consequently some material will contact the flights adjacent the shaft 48 whereas some material will contact the flights St) at their outer end. The material contacting the flights 56 at their outer ends will be impelled a considerable distance from the device 45 since the lineal speed of that portion of the flight is considerably larger than that portion of the flight adjacent to the shaft 48. Similarly the material which contacts the flights 50 adjacent the shaft 48 will be driven a very small distance by the flight 5t and will generally fall closely adjacent the area directly beneath the device 45.

While only one form of the invention has been shown, it should be recognized that other forms and variations will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, while the preferred form was shown and described in concise and detailed manner, it should be understood that it was not the intention in so describing the invention to limit or narrow the invention beyond the broad concepts set forth a harvester movable elongatedsprocket shafts; a chain conveyor mounted over the sprockets; a rotary type hydraulic motor supported on the elevator housing adjacent its upper end and drivingly connected to the upper drive shaft; a rotary distributor substantially parallel to the drive shaft disposed beneath the discharge end of the elevator housing for receiving material gravitating therefrom and composed of a shaft and a series of angularly spaced radial arms on the shaft; structure depending from the elevator housing for supporting the rotary distributor; and a drive mechanism extending from the drive shaft of the elevator to the distributor shaft for effecting rotation of the latter and at a rate permitting portions of the material to pass between the arms and to contact the arms at varying radial distances from the shaft to thereby vary the distance of throw bythe arms.

3. For use with an elevator having an elongated and rigid elevator housing extending from a lower material intake end to an upper discharge end and conveying means contained therein, the improvement comprising: a drive shaft at the upper end of the housing; an hydraulic motor at the upper end of the housing connected to the drive shaft; a rotary distributor disposed beneath the dis-,

, charge end of the elevator housing for receiving materials descending'therefrom and composed of a shaft, a series of angularly'spaced radial arms on the shaft, and a series of axially spaced radial discs mounted on the shaft be tween the radial arms; structure depending from the upper end of the elevator housing for supporting the rotary. distributor; and a'drive mechanism extending from the drive shaft on the elevator to the distributor shaft for effecting rotation of the latter and at a rate permitting portions of the material to pass beween the arms and to. contact Y. 5 the arms at varying radial distances from the shaft to 1,780,299 thereby vary the distance of throw by the arms. 2,395,349 2,697,609 References Cited by the Examiner 2,362,717 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 3,619,025 1,250,737 12/17 Wartchow 198128X 1,426,212 8/22 Petersen 198-128 1,624,210 4/27 Bruce.

Jackson 214-519 Slavicek 198-403 Chase et 211. Running 198128 X Young.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. WILLIAM B. LA BORDE, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A DISCHARGE ELEVATOR FOR USE WITH A HARVESTER MOVABLE FORWARDLY OVER THE GROUND, COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED AND RIGID ELEVATOR HOUSING EXTENDING FROM A LOWER MATERIAL INTAKE END ADJACENT TO AND FOR RECEIVING MATERIAL FROM THE HARVESTER TO AN UPPER DISCHARGE END REMOTE FROM THE HARVESTER, THE HOUSING BEING COMPOSED OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED UPRIGHT SIDE WALLS INTERCONNECTED BY LATERALLY DISPOSED WALL MEANS; MEANS MOUNTING THE LOWER END OF THE HOUSING ON THE HARVESTER; A SPROCKET DRIVE SHAFT EXTENDING BETWEEN THE SIDE WALLS AWT THE UPPER END OF THE HOUSING; A SPROCKET SHAFT EXTENDING BETWEEN THE SIDE WALLS AT THE INTAKE END OF THE ELEVATOR; SPROCKETS MOUNTED ON THE SPROCKET SHAFTS; A CHAIN CONVEYOR MOUNTED OVER THE SPROCKETS; A ROTARY TYPE HYDRAULIC MOTOR SUPPORTED ON THE ELEVATOR HOUSING ADJACENT ITS UPPER END AND DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO THE UPPER DRIVE SHAFT; HYDRAULIC CONDUIT MEANS MOUNTED ON THE SIDE WALLS AND EXTENDING FROM THE HARVESTER TO THE HYDRAULIC MOTOR AT THE UPPER END OF THE ELEVATOR; A ROTARY DISTRIBUTOR DISPOSED BENEATH THE DISCHARGE END OF THE ELEVATOR HOUSING FOR RECEIVING MATERIAL GRAVITATING THEREFROM COMPOSED OF A HORIZONTAL SHAFT, A SERIES OF ANGULARLY SPACED RADIAL ARMS ON THE HORIZONTAL SHAFT, AND A SERIES OF AXIALLY SPACED RADIAL DISCS MOUNTED ON THE HORIZONTAL SHAFT BETWEEN THE RADIAL ARMS; STRUCTURE DEPENDING FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE ELEVATOR HOUSING

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