Patent Application
20080022807
Referring now to
The lugs 14 are formed as spirals and extend over one-half the length of the tubular core 12, with ends of two of the lugs abutting each other along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the core 12. Each lug 14 has an inner radius substantially equal to the outer radius r of the core 12 and has an outer radius R which defines the working radius of the roll 10. The lugs 14 could be secured to the core 12 in any desired manner but are here shown secured to the core 12 by plug welds 16 located so as to fill a plurality of round holes 18 provided in each lug 14. It is here noted that while a complete tube is desired as the stock from which the lugs 14 are cut, a half tube or other cylindrically curved tubular portion may be used as the stock from which lugs are cut, the important criterion being that the piece of stock have a thickness equal to the desired thickness of a lug to be formed and that the inside radius of the stock be approximately equal to the outside radius r of the conditioner roll core 12.
Referring now to
As a beginning step in cutting lugs 14 from the tube stock 22, the control 36 causes the drive speed of the electric motors 28 and 30 to be so controlled relative to each other that the laser cutter head 32 will moved a desired distance along the length of the tube stock 22 while the tube stock 22 undergoes a desired amount of rotation, resulting in a spiral cut 38 being made, which is equal to the length of one of the lugs 14. Once an initial spiral cut 38 is made, the control 36 causes the motor 28 to index the tube stock 22 a desired amount for the placement of holes 18 in a spiral pattern spaced a desired distance from the spiral cut 38. This time, both motors 28 and 30 are caused to operated so that the laser cutter head 32 will cut the holes 18 at pre-selected locations along the length of the tube stock 22. The motor 28 then indexes the tube stock 22 so as to place it properly for the beginning of another spiral pattern of holes 18 and the motor 30 operated together with the motor 28 so as to cut the second set of holes 18. Then the motor 28 is again controlled to index the tube stock 22 to the desired location for a second spiral cut spaced from the first one by a distance for producing a lug 14 having a desired width. The motors 28 and 30 are then controlled to make the second spiral cut, which extends lengthwise of the tube stock 22 in parallel relationship to the initial spiral cut 38. The control 36 then again causes the motor 28 to be driven to rotate the tube stock to a desired location for the cutting of the next spiral set of holes 18, as described above. Operation of the motors 28 and 30 continues until all of the spiral cuts and holes are finished for the number of lugs 14 that can be made from the piece of tube stock 22. The lugs 14 are then finished and at the same time separated from the remainder of the tube stock 22 by controlling the motor 30 so that it parks the laser cutter head 32 at a first end region of the tube stock 22, with the motor 28 then being controlled to rotate the tube stock 22 while the laser cutter head is operated to make a circular cut joining first ends of all of the previously made spiral cuts. The motor 30 is then operated to move the laser cutter head to a second end region of the tube stock 22, with the motor 28 again being operated to rotate the tube stock 22 so that a second circular cut is made which joins second ends of all of the previously made spiral cuts resulting in the lugs 14 being separated from the remainder of the tube stock 22.
Thus, it can be seen that lugs 14 having the desired configuration can easily and reliably be made by first selecting stock that has parallel surfaces formed at the desired inner and outer radii. Since stock made as complete tubes or as cylindrically curved tube sections (half pipes, quarter pipes, etc) is fabricated in a manner making its dimensions very reliable, it is possible, on a repeatable basis, to make accurately dimensioned lugs resulting in accurately dimensioned conditioner rolls.
While a method of forming conditioner roll lugs is described above, it is to be understood that the same techniques can be used to form any crop processing element that is to be affixed to a cylindrical surface. For example, cutting elements for forage harvester cutter drums, lugs for crop feed rolls, and tine or brush holders for crop pick-ups could be made in accordance with the principles of the present invention
Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.
