Patent Application
20140062166
The present invention generally relates to compaction machines, such as those used to compact landfills and, more particularly, to an improved wire guard for use on the wheels of the compaction machines.
Compaction machines, which are used to compact landfills, encounter the problem of wire, rope, cable, and other trash becoming wrapped around the axles of the compactor machines. As a result, the compactor wheel, axles, and seals can become damaged and require replacement and significant downtime. Typically, wire guards are used to prevent refuse from wrapping around the axles. Previously known wire guards were constructed of steel plate and supporting gussets that were welded together, or steel plated with steel castings welded together. Because these previously known wire guards were constructed of multiple parts, they occasionally required hardfacing with alloy welding wire to extend their wear life. Some of these wire guards additionally include cleats turned sideways at the edge of the wheel. However, because cleats are tapered on both sides, the wire guard is not completely at the edge of the wheel, potentially providing a path for wire to enter and also preventing edge to edge compaction from the wheel.
An improved wire guard design is presented herein. The claimed wire guard is cast steel as a single part. As a result, it can be heat treated to through harden it, thus, reducing the need for hardfacing. The wire guard is made of segments that include a center cleat to provide additional traction. However, the wire guard extends all the way to the edge of the wheel.
The wire guard requires no fabrication and can be welded in place. This is a significant advantage over other wire guards that require expensive and time-consuming fabrication.
The wire guard may also have a drop down lip that allows the wire guard to protect the lateral edge of the wheel wrapper.
Further advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the detailed description of preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the drawings:
The following detailed description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. For purposes of explanation, specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that these specific details are not required to practice the invention. Descriptions of specific applications are provided only as representative examples. Various modifications to the preferred embodiments will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the scope of the invention. The present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest possible scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.
Referring to the drawings,
The wire guard 2 is comprised of a series of segments 6 that are welded directly to the compactor wheel 4. The wire guard 2 can be comprised of any number of segments 6 as necessary to complete the circumference of the compactor wheel 4. In a preferred embodiment, the wire guard 2 is made of eight (8) segments 6 that circumscribe the wheel 4. Each segment 6 is made of cast steel. This is particularly advantageous over the prior art that required fabricated flanges on cleat castings, or gussets. It should also be appreciated that segment 6 can be heat treated to through harden it and extend the wear life. The through hardened casting also provides consistent wear of the wire guard segment 6, including the cleat 8 and flange 18. Any known method in the art for heat treating for through heating cast steel may be used. Previously known wire guards required hardfacing with alloy welding wire to increase the wear life. The manufacturing and/or installation process for hardfacing adds extra welding and expense to the known wheel guards. These known wheel guards also require periodic maintenance of hardfacing as the wheel guard wears. Another advantage of the disclosed invention is that the steel casting provides uniform wear of the cleats 8 and the wheel guard flanges 18, while some known wheel guards combined cleats and welded flanges that would unevenly wear with use.
After through hardening the casting, each segment 6 can be welded to the lateral edge 12 of the compactor wheel 4 at lateral side weld 13 and distal side weld 11 and to each other at segment-segment lateral side weld 7 and segment-segment distal side weld 5 as they are installed radially around the outer edge of the wheel wrapper 3 with the outer surface of the wheel 4 that contains features, such as the cleats 8, used for traction. For still other embodiments that contain a drop down lip 10, it is evident that the lateral side weld 13 must be done at the lateral edge 12 interior side of the wheel wrapper 3 (not shown). Compared to the prior art, it is much easier to install the segments 6 onto the wheel 4. In some embodiments, the casted segments 6 are designed to be flat and perpendicular on the horizontal outside lateral edge 12 of the wheel wrapper 3, thereby reducing or eliminating wear on the outside lateral edge 12 of the wheel wrapper 3. The installer does not have to weld fabricated flanges to cleat castings or gussets on other fabricated versions. Because the segments 6 include both the cleat 8 and the flanges 18, the need for a gusset or other members for attaching the segments 6 to the wheel wrapper and/or other segments is eliminated. Additionally, because it is cast, weld fillets can be integrated into the design for easier, stronger, and less expensive welding.
As will be appreciated from
Each flange 18 also includes at its terminal edge an off-set/overlapping flange edge 20 that is complementary to the adjacent flange 18. This allows the flanges 18 to be welded to each other. It additionally allows the wire guard 2 to accommodate imprecisions in wheel circumference due to wearing down of the wheel wrapper 3 or rebuilding of the wheel 4. Larger overlapping flange edges 20 permit larger variations in wheel circumference.
The wire guard 2 described herein provides many advantages over the prior art, including requiring fewer pieces and less welding, and the ability to be installed without requiring fabrication of a custom guard. Additionally, it is through hardened, thus reducing wear on its features, and it protects the lateral edge 12 of the wheel wrapper 3.
The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” as used in the claims and specification herein, shall be considered as indicating an open group that may include other elements not specified. The terms “a,” “an,” and the singular forms of words shall be taken to include the plural form of the same words, such that the terms mean that one or more of something is provided. The term “one” or “single” may be used to indicate that one and only one of something is intended. Similarly, other specific integer values, such as “two,” may be used when a specific number of things is intended. The terms “preferably,” “preferred,” “prefer,” “optionally,” “may,” and similar terms are used to indicate that an item, condition or step being referred to is an optional (not required) feature of the invention.
The invention has been described with reference to various specific and preferred embodiments and techniques. However, it should be understood that many variations and modifications may be made while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that methods, devices, device elements, materials, procedures and techniques other than those specifically described herein can be applied to the practice of the invention as broadly disclosed herein without resort to undue experimentation. All art-known functional equivalents of methods, devices, device elements, materials, procedures and techniques described herein are intended to be encompassed by this invention. Whenever a range is disclosed, all subranges and individual values are intended to be encompassed. This invention is not to be limited by the embodiments disclosed, including any shown in the drawings or exemplified in the specification, which are given by way of example and not of limitation.
While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims.
All references throughout this application, for example patent documents including issued or granted patents or equivalents, patent application publications, and non-patent literature documents or other source material, are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties, as though individually incorporated by reference, to the extent each reference is at least partially not inconsistent with the disclosure in the present application (for example, a reference that is partially inconsistent is incorporated by reference except for the partially inconsistent portion of the reference).
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/697,470 by Crystal and Griffiths, filed Sep. 6, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61697470 | Sep 2012 | US |
