Patent Application
20170268637
Machines such as road milling machines, reclaimer stabilizers, stump grinders, agricultural rotary soil preparers, and others typically have tool assemblies that include a rotary drum, disc, or shaft apparatus with cutters or other implements mounted to the drum, disc, or shaft apparatus. As rotation occurs, the cutters and implements perform their respective beneficial function, but as time passes the cutters and implements need inspection, maintenance, repair, or replacement. This inspection, maintenance, or replacement activity can consume considerable amounts of time, must often be done in somewhat tight spaces, and must be done safely. Because the cutters and implements are mounted in a circumferential manner circumscribing the drum, disc, or shaft, it is necessary to rotate the drum, disc or shaft to bring the cutters and implements to a location where a service access is provided.
Because it is often necessary for a rotary shaft, drum, or disc apparatus to turn at relatively slow speed in relation to the engine that powers them, a gearbox or speed reduction unit is used. As a result, it can be very difficult or impossible for the person doing the inspection, maintenance, or replacement work to directly turn the apparatus by hand. Generally, too much friction exists in the bearing, seals, and in the gearbox for them to overcome. Because of this, mechanical assistance is necessary to turn the apparatus. It is the purpose of this disclosure to provide a system for rotating a rotary shaft, drum, or disc apparatus that is always in a ready to use condition.
Before explaining at least one embodiment of the disclosure in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction, experiments, exemplary data, and/or the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings unless otherwise noted.
The systems and methods as described in the present disclosure are capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for purposes of description, and should not be regarded as limiting.
The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements.
As used in the description herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having,” or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, unless otherwise noted, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements, but may also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” refers to an inclusive and not to an exclusive “or”. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B is true (or present).
In addition, use of the “a” or “an” are employed to describe elements and components of the embodiments herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the inventive concept. This description should be read to include one or more, and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise. Further, use of the term “plurality” is meant to convey “more than one” unless expressly stated to the contrary.
As used herein, any reference to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “one example,” “for example,” or “an example” means that a particular element, feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearance of the phrase “in some embodiments” or “one example” in various places in the specification is not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, for example.
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to
The drive assembly 10 include a drive pulley 22 connected to a driven shaft 24, which is connectable to the tool assembly 12 and configured to frictionally interface with the rotator belt 16. When the rotator belt 16 frictionally engages both the rotator pulley 18 and the driven pulley 22, a driving force is applied to the driven shaft 24 such that the tool assembly 12 may be selectively rotated as will be described further herein.
A drive source (not shown) provides power to the tool assembly 12 via at least one drive belt 28. The drive source can be any suitable apparatus known in the art capable of imparting rotational motion to a drive shaft 30. By way of example, the drive source can be a gasoline motor, a diesel motor, an electric motor, or a steam motor. A drive pulley 32 is connected to the drive shaft 30 and configured to frictionally interface with the at least one drive belt 28. When the drive belt 28 frictionally engages both the drive pulley 32 and the driven pulley 22, a driving force is applied to the driven shaft 24 such that the tool assembly 12 is rotated.
To frictionally engage the at least one drive belt 28 with the drive pulley 32 and the driven pulley 22, the drive assembly 10 may be provided with a clutch system 40, such as the belt clutch system shown in
In one embodiment, the tool assembly 12 may be a road milling machine (not shown) configured to cut a pavement surface 50. The road milling machine may include a milling drum 52 provided with a tool holder 54 connected to the milling drum 52. A removable cutting tool 56 may be inserted into the tool holder 54 and may be fastened using means known in the art such as, for instance, a compression sleeve, a bolt and nut, or threaded connection.
Referring now to
As shown in
The gear box 78 may have a first flange 80 configured to connect to the drum chamber 72 and a second flange 82 configured to connect to a mounting flange 84 of the milling drum 52.
As shown in
In one embodiment, the rotator system 11 is provided with a switch 90 configured to control the rotator power source 70. For instance, in the embodiment shown in
As shown in
In another embodiment shown in
Referring now to
The outer torque sleeve 114 of the one way rotational clutch 76 is concentrically surrounded by the rotator pulley 18 and rotationally secured to the rotator pulley 18 by the outer torque sleeve key. It should be noted, however, that the outer torque sleeve 114 may be rotationally secured to the rotator pulley 18 in other ways such as, for instance, a set screw (not shown) or a pin (also not shown).
The inner torque sleeve 118 concentrically surrounds at least a portion of the rotator rotator drive shaft 20 and is secured to the rotator rotator drive shaft 20 by the inner torque sleeve key or other securing means such as, for instance, a set screw (not shown) or a retaining pin (also not shown).
The outer torque sleeve 114 may be provided with a groove 124 cut into an inner face 126 configured to at least partially contain the plurality of sprags 116. The sprags 116 are cam shaped wedges made of an appropriate material such as, for instance, steel. Each of the sprags 116 is spaced apart by a predetermined distance from each other and is placed at an angle to permit rotation in one direction, yet transmit power from the inner torque sleeve 118 to the outer torque sleeve 114 by a wedging action when rotated in the opposite direction.
The plurality of sprags 116 are held in position relative to one another by the plurality of sprag springs which may be placed in the space between each of the plurality of sprags 116. It should be noted, however, that in another embodiment the one way clutch 76 may be provided having a single sprag spring (not shown) that biases the plurality of sprags 116 radially in one direction.
It should be noted that although a sprag type one way rotational clutch is illustrated herein, any type of one way clutch may be used. It is also to be understood that the entire one way rotational clutch that is illustrated could be replaced by an electrically or hydraulically activated two way locking clutch that would, when engaged, allow rotation of the milling drum 52 in either direction. In such an embodiment, a dual direction, variable speed controller (not shown) may be provided which is configured to activate the two way locking clutch and the rotator power source 70 either simultaneously or in sequence.
From the above description, it is clear that the inventive concepts disclosed herein are well adapted to carry out the objects and to attain the advantages mentioned herein as well as those inherent in the inventive concepts disclosed herein. While exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein have been described for purposes of this disclosure, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are accomplished within the scope and coverage of the inventive concepts disclosed herein.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/310,055 filed Mar. 18, 2016, the entire contents of which being hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62310055 | Mar 2016 | US |
