Drive assembly and drive system for a combine head

Abstract

A drive assembly for a combine head includes a hub and a bearing received over a portion of the hub. The bearing defines a rotational axis of the hub. A plane passes radially through the bearing relative to the axis. A sprocket is coupled to the hub and is coaxial with the bearing. The sprocket has a plurality of teeth located around a perimeter of the sprocket, the plurality of teeth being located so that the plane passes radially through the plurality of teeth.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of prior art driveshafts illustrating the tendency of the shafts to flex under high loads.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a combine and a combine head, with the combine head being configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the combine head of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the frame and end walls of the combine head of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a drive assembly of the combine head of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an assembled section view of the drive assembly of FIG. 5 taken along plane 6-6-6-6 of FIG. 5

Claims

1. A drive assembly for a combine head, comprising: a hub;a bearing received over a portion of said hub, said bearing defining a rotational axis of said hub, and having a plane passing radially through said bearing relative to said axis; anda sprocket coupled to said hub and coaxial with said bearing, said sprocket having a plurality of teeth located around a perimeter of said sprocket, said plurality of teeth being located so that said plane passes radially through said plurality of teeth.

2. The drive assembly of claim 1, wherein said sprocket has a dished shape to axially offset said plurality of teeth from an axial outer portion of said sprocket.

3. The drive assembly of claim 2, wherein said dished shape of said sprocket defines an interior recess, and wherein at least a portion of said bearing is located within said interior recess.

4. The drive assembly of claim 1, further comprising a bearing housing, said bearing being mounted in said bearing housing.

5. The drive assembly of claim 4, wherein said bearing has an outer race and an inner race, and said hub has a stub portion and a shoulder portion, wherein said stub portion of said hub is received in a snug fit in said inner race of said bearing, and said outer race is inserted in a snug fit in said bearing housing.

6. The drive assembly of claim 1, wherein said hub has an axial opening extending through said hub for receiving a shaft that is inserted into said hub, and said sprocket is configured for coupling by a fastener to an end portion of said shaft.

7. A combine head, comprising: a frame;an end wall coupled to said frame;a plurality of row units coupled to said frame;a first driveshaft drivably coupled to said plurality of row units; anda drive system including a first drive assembly, wherein:said first drive assembly is coupled to said end wall and coupled to said first driveshaft, said first drive assembly including:a first bearing and a first sprocket, said first bearing rotatably supporting said first driveshaft, said first bearing defining a first rotational axis of said first driveshaft, and having a first plane passing radially through said first bearing perpendicular to said first rotational axis, said first sprocket being drivably coupled to said first driveshaft, said first sprocket having a first plurality of teeth located around a perimeter of said first sprocket, wherein said first plurality of teeth are located so that said first plane passes radially through said first plurality of teeth.

8. The combine head of claim 7, further comprising a second driveshaft, and wherein: said drive system further includes a second drive assembly and a chain, said second drive assembly being coupled to said end wall and coupled to said second driveshaft, said second drive assembly including:a second bearing and a second sprocket, said second bearing rotatably supporting said second driveshaft, said second bearing defining a second rotational axis of said second driveshaft, and having a second plane passing radially through said second bearing perpendicular to said second axis, said second sprocket being drivably coupled to said second driveshaft, said second sprocket having a second plurality of teeth located around a perimeter of said second sprocket, said second plurality of teeth being located so that said second plane passes radially through said second plurality of teeth,said chain engaging said first plurality of teeth of said first sprocket and said second plurality of teeth of said second sprocket.

9. The combine head of claim 8, wherein: said first sprocket has a dished shape to axially offset said first plurality of teeth from an axial outer portion of said first sprocket; andsaid second sprocket has a dished shape to axially offset said second plurality of teeth from an axial outer portion of said second sprocket.

10. The combine head of claim 9, wherein: said dished shape of said first sprocket defines a first interior recess, and wherein at least a portion of said first bearing is located within said first interior recess; andsaid dished shape of said second sprocket defines a second interior recess, and wherein at least a portion of said second bearing is located within said second interior recess.

11. The combine head of claim 7, wherein said first sprocket has a dished shape to axially offset said first plurality of teeth from an axial outer portion of said first sprocket.

12. A method for driving a combine head, comprising: positioning a bearing along a rotational axis; andpositioning a sprocket having a plurality of perimetrical teeth relative to said bearing along said rotational axis such that said bearing and said sprocket are coaxial, and such that a plane passes radially through both said bearing and said plurality of teeth of said sprocket relative to said rotational axis.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said sprocket has a dished shape to axially offset said plurality of teeth from an axial outer portion of said sprocket, said dished shape defining an interior recess, the method further comprising positioning at least a portion of said bearing within said interior recess of said sprocket.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising: mounting said bearing to a bearing housing; andmounting said bearing housing to said combine head.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: rotatably supporting a shaft of said combine head with said bearing; anddrivably coupling said sprocket to said shaft.