US4787196A — Self-cleaning rotor assembly

Claim 1

Independent Claim 181 words

In a disc cutterbar for severing standing crop from the ground and having a transmission casing housing power transmission means for transferring rotational power to a plurality of disc cutter assemblies from a source of rotational power, each said disc cutter assembly having at least one knife mounted thereon for engaging and severing standing crop material upon rotation thereof, said disc cutter assemblies including a pair of end discs, each of which having a generally hollow hat-shaped divider mounted thereon for rotation therewith to facilitate the flow of crop material across the disc cutterbar, each said divider having an outer wall defining an interior chamber therewithin, an improved divider comprising: air inlet means for introducing a flow of air into said interior chamber; exhaust means affixed to said divider to discharge air from said interior chamber upon rotation of said divider to create a flow of air from said air inlet means through said interior chamber; and a removable access door detachably connected to said outer wall to cover an opening formed therein to permit selective access to said interior chamber.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 181 words

In a disc cutterbar for severing standing crop from the ground and having a transmission casing housing power transmission means for transferring rotational power to a plurality of disc cutter assemblies from a source of rotational power, each said disc cutter assembly having at least one knife mounted thereon for engaging and severing standing crop material upon rotation thereof, said disc cutter assemblies including a pair of end discs, each of which having a generally hollow hat-shaped divider mounted thereon for rotation therewith to facilitate the flow of crop material across the disc cutterbar, each said divider having an outer wall defining an interior chamber therewithin, an improved divider comprising: air inlet means for introducing a flow of air into said interior chamber; exhaust means affixed to said divider to discharge air from said interior chamber upon rotation of said divider to create a flow of air from said air inlet means through said interior chamber; and a removable access door detachably connected to said outer wall to cover an opening formed therein to permit selective access to said interior chamber.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

The disc cutterbar of claim 1 wherein said outer wall is provided with a pair of opposing openings therein covered by respective detachably connected access doors.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

The disc cutterbar of claim 2 wherein said access doors are affixed to said outer wall by fasteners covered by a wear protection member.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 32 words

The disc cutterbar of claim 3 wherein said wear protection member is a generally vertically oriented fin connected to the corresponding said access door by a pair of generally vertically aligned fasteners.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 40 words

The disc cutterbar of claim 4 wherein each fin includes a base portion extending generally parallel to and adjacent said outer wall and an integral protruding leg extending outwardly from said base portion at an angle to said outer wall.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 23 words

The disc cutterbar of claim 5 wherein said protruding leg leads said fasteners with respect to the direction of rotation of said divider.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 177 words

In a disc mower-conditioner having a mobile frame adapted for movement over a field, a disc cutterbar supported by said frame at a forward extremity thereof adjacent the ground to sever standing crop material therefrom, said disc cutterbar including end discs having a hollow hat-shaped divider rotatably mounted thereon, said divider including a generally vertical outer wall defining an interior chamber therewithin; conditioning means supported from said frame rearwardly of said disc cutterbar to receive severed crop material therefrom and to condition said severed crop; and power means operably connected to said disc cutterbar and said conditioning means to provide operational power thereto, the improvement comprising: a pair of access doors detachably connected to the outer wall of each said divider to cover a corresponding opening formed in said outer wall on opposing sides of said divider to permit access to said interior chamber, each said divider also being provided with a generally vertical fin detachably connected to each said access door to protect fasteners connecting the respective said door to the corresponding outer wall from wear.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 177 words

In a disc mower-conditioner having a mobile frame adapted for movement over a field, a disc cutterbar supported by said frame at a forward extremity thereof adjacent the ground to sever standing crop material therefrom, said disc cutterbar including end discs having a hollow hat-shaped divider rotatably mounted thereon, said divider including a generally vertical outer wall defining an interior chamber therewithin; conditioning means supported from said frame rearwardly of said disc cutterbar to receive severed crop material therefrom and to condition said severed crop; and power means operably connected to said disc cutterbar and said conditioning means to provide operational power thereto, the improvement comprising: a pair of access doors detachably connected to the outer wall of each said divider to cover a corresponding opening formed in said outer wall on opposing sides of said divider to permit access to said interior chamber, each said divider also being provided with a generally vertical fin detachably connected to each said access door to protect fasteners connecting the respective said door to the corresponding outer wall from wear.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 58 words

The disc mower-conditioner of claim 7 wherein each said fin is connected to the door by a pair of generally vertically aligned fasteners, each said fin having a base portion extending generally parallel to and adjacent said outer wall and an integral protruding leg extending outwardly away from said base portion at an angle to said outer wall.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 24 words

The disc mower-conditioner of claim 8 wherein each said protruding leg leads the corresponding fasteners with respect to the rotation of the corresponding divider.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 27 words

The disc mower-conditioner of claim 9 wherein each said divider is provided with an inlet means to permit the introduction of air into the corresponding interior chamber.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 69 words

The disc mower-conditioner of claim 10 wherein each said divider is also provided with a plurality of fan blades to effect a withdrawal of air from within the corresponding interior chamber and to exhaust said air through an outlet opening in each respective said divider upon rotation thereof, the operation of said fan blades effecting a flow of air from said air inlet means through the respective interior chambers.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 22 words

The disc mower-conditioner of claim 11 wherein each said access door has a pair of said generally vertical fins detachably connected thereto.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1991-11-29	1992-05-30	1992-11-29	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1995-11-29	1996-05-30	1996-11-29	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1999-11-29	2000-05-30	2000-11-29	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Self-cleaning rotor assembly

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag