KNIFE ATTACHMENT ARRANGEMENT FOR MOWER KNIVES DRIVEN IN AN OSCILLATING MANNER

Abstract

A Knife attachment arrangement for oscillatingly driven mower knives, including a shaft (1) defining a first longitudinal axis (X) and having a receiving space (4) and a mower knife drive pin (2) engaging in the receiving space (4) and being detachably connected to the shaft (1). A head bearing holding area (13) of the mower knife drive pin (2) engages in the receiving space (4) and has a first contact face (14) that is in contact with the first support face (6) and is curved opposite to the first support face (6). An undercut (8) is formed in the wall (5) delimiting the receiving space (4) and the head bearing holding area (13) of the mower knife drive pin (2) has a collar (16) engaging in the undercut (8), wherein the undercut is formed as a groove (8) in the wall (5), the groove (8) extends radially with respect to the second longitudinal axis (Y).

Claims

1. Knife attachment arrangement for oscillatingly driven mower knives, comprising a shaft defining a first longitudinal axis and having a receiving space; a mower knife drive pin engaging in the receiving space and being detachably connected to the shaft, the mower knife drive pin extends axially with respect to the first longitudinal axis beyond the shaft and defines a second longitudinal axis being radially offset with respect to the first longitudinal axis, wherein a wall of the shaft that delimits the receiving space has a first support face curved in the circumferential direction, and wherein a head bearing holding area of the mower knife drive pin engages in the receiving space and has a first contact face that is in contact with the first support face and is curved opposite to the first support face; and connecting means for detachable connection of the mower knife drive pin to the shaft, characterised in that an undercut is formed in the wall delimiting the receiving space and in that the head bearing holding area of the mower knife drive pin has a collar engaging in the undercut, wherein the undercut is formed as a groove in the wall, the groove extends radially with respect to the second longitudinal axis.

2. Knife attachment arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the first support face is concavely curved and that the first contact face is convexly curved.

3. Knife attachment arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that a cross-section of the first support face and a cross-section of the first contact face are, respectively, arranged partially circular around a centre point that is arranged on the second longitudinal axis.

4. Knife attachment arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the first support face are aligned parallel to the second longitudinal axis.

5. Knife attachment arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the connection means comprise a screw, which protrudes through a first bore that is formed on the top bearing holding area of the mower knife drive pin into a second bore that is formed in the wall.

6. Knife attachment arrangement according to claim 5, characterised in that the first bore of the mower knife drive pin and the second bore of the wall are aligned radially to the second longitudinal axis.

7. Knife attachment arrangement according to claim 5, characterised in that a first opening of the first bore is formed in the first contact face of the mower knife drive pin and that a second opening of the second bore is formed in the first support face of the wall.

8. Knife attachment arrangement according to claim 7, characterised in that the mower knife drive pin has in the head bearing holding area an abutment face extending parallel to the second longitudinal axis, wherein a third opening of the first bore is formed in the abutment face.

9. Knife attachment arrangement according to claim 8, characterised in that the third opening is arranged diametrically to the first opening on the head bearing holding area of the mower knife drive pin.

10. Knife attachment arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the collar is formed on a longitudinal end of the head bearing holding area of the mower knife drive pin engaging in the receiving space.

11. Knife attachment arrangement according to anyone of claim 1 or claim 1, characterised in that the wall has between a wall portion of the wall, delimiting radially the undercut, and the first support face a second support face arranged inclined to the first support face, and that the mower knife drive pin has between a collar face delimiting radially the collar and the first contact face a second contact face arranged parallel to the second support face and contacting the second support face.

12. Knife attachment arrangement according to claim 11, characterised in that the first support face is arranged coaxially to the second longitudinal axis and is formed like a circular cylindrical portion.

13. Knife attachment arrangement according to claim 11, characterised in that the second support face is arranged coaxially to the second longitudinal axis and is formed like a truncated cone portion, wherein the second support face has preferably a cone angle of 130 to 170.

14. Knife attachment arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the mower knife drive pin is held in abutment to a bottom plate delimiting the receiving space by an end face arranged transversally to the second longitudinal axis.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Preferred Embodiments of the Invention are Shown in the Drawings and are Described in the Following. Herein it Shows:

[0024] FIG. 1 a mower knife attachment arrangement according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a perspective view;

[0025] FIG. 2 the mower knife attachment arrangement of FIG. 1 in a side view;

[0026] FIG. 3 a crankshaft of the mower knife attachment arrangement of FIG. 1 in a perspective view;

[0027] FIG. 4 the crankshaft in a top view;

[0028] FIG. 5 the crankshaft in a sectional view along the line V-V shown in FIG. 4;

[0029] FIG. 6 a mower knife drive pin of the mower knife attachment arrangement of FIG. 1 in a perspective view;

[0030] FIG. 7 the mower knife drive pin in a side view;

[0031] FIG. 8 the mower knife drive pin in a side view;

[0032] FIG. 9 the mower knife drive pin in a further side view;

[0033] FIG. 10 the mower knife drive pin in a sectional view along the line X-X shown in FIG. 9; and

[0034] FIG. 11 the mower knife attachment arrangement according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] In FIGS. 1 and 2, a mower knife attachment arrangement according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown. The mower knife attachment arrangement can be part of a mower knife drive for oscillatingly driving a mower knife of an agricultural machine, both not shown. The mower knife attachment arrangement has a crankshaft 1 and a mower knife drive pin 2 non-rotationally connected to the crankshaft 1.

[0036] In FIGS. 3 to 5, the crankshaft 1 is shown detached from the mower knife drive pin 2. The crankshaft 1 defines a first longitudinal axis X, around which the crankshaft 1 rotates during operation of the mower knife attachment arrangement. FIG. 3 shows that the crankshaft 1 has in a first longitudinal end portion 3 a receiving space 4, which is laterally delimited by a wall 5 formed semi-circular in cross-section. A centre point M of the wall 5 (shown in FIG. 4), being formed semi-circular in cross-section, is arranged on a second longitudinal axis Y radially off-set to the first longitudinal axis X. The wall 5 has a concavely curved first support face 6, which extends parallel to the second longitudinal axis Y and is also arranged in cross-section semi-circular around the centre point M. In axial direction, the first support face 6 is delimited by a first front side 7 of the crankshaft 1 and an undercut 8 provided in the wall 5. The undercut is formed as a groove extending radially relative to the second longitudinal axis Y in the wall 5. Between a wall portion 9 of the wall 5, delimiting radially the undercut 8, and the first support face 6, a second support face 10 arranged inclined relative to the first support face 6 is provided. Precisely, the first support face 6 and the second support face 10 are arranged inclined to each other and form an angle of 105. The first support face 6 is arranged coaxially to the second longitudinal axis Y and is formed like a circular cylindrical portion, and is thus arranged on an envelope face of an imaginary circular cylinder. The first support face 6 is, therefore, aligned parallel to the second longitudinal axis Y. The second support face 10 is arranged coaxially to the second longitudinal axis Y and is formed like a truncated cone portion, wherein the second support face 10 has a cone angle of 150, and expressed in other words, forms with the first support face 6 the angle of 105.

[0037] Furthermore, in particular FIGS. 3 and 5 show that in the support face 6, a threaded bore 11 (second bore) extending radially to the first longitudinal axis X with an internal thread is provided. On a lower side of the receiving space 4, facing away from the front side 7, the receiving space 4 is delimited by a plate-like bottom plate 12. The bottom plate 12 has, when seen in cross-section, a circular face, wherein a portion of the bottom plate 12 arranged distanced from the wall 5 is cut from the circular face. Thus, the receiving space 4 is delimited downwards by the bottom plate 12 and laterally by the semi-circular wall 5, whereby the receiving space 4 is designed open laterally, i.e. radially to the second longitudinal axis Y and at the front side 7 of the crankshaft 1.

[0038] In FIGS. 6 to 10, the mower knife drive pin 2 is shown detached from the crankshaft 1. The mower knife drive pin 2 engages with a head bearing holding area 13 in the receiving space 4 of the crankshaft 1, wherein the mower knife drive pin 2 extends in the inserted condition, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, axially relative to the first longitudinal axis X beyond the crankshaft 1. The mower knife drive pin 2 defines the second longitudinal axis Y, radially off-set to the first longitudinal axis X, on which also the in FIG. 4 highlighted centre point M of the semi-circular wall 5 is arranged. The head bearing holding area 13 has a first contact face 13, curved opposite to the first support face 6 and which contacts the first support face 6 in a surface to surface manner. Correspondingly to the concavely curved first support face 6, the first contact face 14 is curved convexly. The first contact face 14 extends parallel to the second longitudinal axis Y and extends, when seen in cross-section, partially circular around the centre point M arranged on the second longitudinal axis Y. At a longitudinal end 15 of the head bearing holding area 13 engaging in the receiving space 4, a collar 16 is formed, which extends in circumferential direction. The collar 16 engages in the inserted condition in the groove 8 of the wall 5 of the crankshaft 1. Furthermore, the head bearing holding area 13 has between a collar face 17, radially delimiting the collar 16, and the first contact face 14, a second contact face 18, arranged parallel to the second support face 10. The second contact face 18 abuts in a surface to surface manner the second support face 10. In a manner corresponding to the second support face 10, an angle of 105 is enclosed between the first contact face 14 and the second contact face 18.

[0039] Furthermore, in the head bearing holding area 13 of the mower knife drive pin 2, a through bore 19 (first bore), here of stepped configuration, is formed, which extends in the inserted condition, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, radially to the second longitudinal axis Y. In detail, the mower knife drive pin 2 has in the first contact face 14 a first opening 20 of the through bore 19, which is arranged coaxially to a second opening 21 in the first support face 6 of the threaded bore 11 formed in the wall 5. Diametrically to the first opening 20, a third opening 22 for the through bore 19 is provided at the head bearing holding area 13. The third opening 22 is arranged within an abutment face 23, which extends parallel to the second longitudinal axis Y. The otherwise cylindrically formed head bearing holding area 13 is formed along the abutment face 23, extending axially up to the longitudinal end 15 of the mower knife drive pin 2, straight, i.e. not curved and ends in the inserted condition, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, flush with the cut bottom plate 12. Thus, with exception of the straight abutment face 23, the mower knife drive pin 2 is formed with several cylindrical portions of different diameters, wherein the head bearing holding area 13 and especially the collar 16 have the portions with the largest diameters.

[0040] A connection means in form of a screw 24 engages through the through bore 19 in the threaded bore 11 of the wall 5. A screw head 25 of the screw 24 is supported on the abutment face 23, so that the mower knife drive pin 2, when tightening the screw 24, is pressed with the first contact face 14 against the support face 6 of the wall 5. Furthermore, the mower knife drive pin 2 is pressed while tightening the screw 24, by the inclined arranged second contact face 18, which abuts in a surface to surface manner the second support face 10, with an end face 40, facing the bottom plate 12, against the bottom plate 12. Thus, by means of a single screw 24, a secure and non-rotational connection is provided between the mower knife drive pin 2 and the crankshaft 1 with a high surface pressure. For the assembly and disassembly of the mower knife attachment arrangement, only the single screw has to be loosened in order to detach the mower knife drive pin 2 from the crankshaft 1 or to mount it on the crankshaft 1 back again.

[0041] Furthermore, the mower knife drive pin 2 has, in this case, a lubrication for a rolling member bearing, not shown here, which can be pushed onto a free longitudinal end portion 26 of the mower knife drive pin 2. If no lubrication is necessary, the through bore 19 can also be formed with a constant diameter, i.e. not stepped. For the lubrication, shown in detail in FIGS. 8 to 10, the mower knife drive pin 2 has a lubricating nipple 27, which is screwed into a bore 28 extending radially to the second longitudinal axis Y. The bore 28 is connected to the stepped through bore 19 along a portion 29 of the through bore 19, which has a maximal diameter. Coaxially relative to the second longitudinal axis Y, an axial bore 30 is provided in the mower knife drive pin 2, which axial bore 30 is formed at one end with the portion 29 of the through bore 19 and is open at the other end and ends in an end side 31 of the mower knife drive pin 2. At a free longitudinal end portion 26 of the mower knife drive pin 2, facing to the end side 30, an inner thread 32 is provided in the axial bore 30, by means of which inner thread 32 the rolling member bearing, not shown, is screwed to the mower knife drive pin 2. Below the inner thread 32 of the axial bore 30, a radially extending lubricating bore 33 is provided, which ends in an outer face 34 of the mower knife drive pin 2, arranged radially externally, in an axially extending lubricating channel 35. The lubricating channel 35 extends up to an annular groove 36, formed into the outer side 34.

[0042] During the operation of the mower knife attachment arrangement according to the invention, the mower knife attachment arrangement is usually part of a mower knife drive, not shown, by which a rotary movement is transformed into a translatory reciprocating movement. For this, the crankshaft 1 can, for example, engage in a rotor shaft of a gearing, wherein the crankshaft 1, shown here, has a groove 37 for the non-rotational connection of a spur wheel, not shown, by means of a tongue and groove connection. To be able to insert the spur wheel with the crankshaft 1 into a defined insertion position in the gearing, a marking 38 is provided on the bottom plate 12, which marking 38 aligns in the defined insertion position with a further marking provided on a gearbox housing. During the operation of such a mower knife drive, the mower knife drive pin 2 rotates around the first longitudinal axis X of the crankshaft 1. At the free longitudinal end portion 31 of the mower knife drive pin 1, usually the rolling member bearing is arranged, on which the mower knife can be held, which is driven oscillatingly during operation. For lubricating the rolling member bearing, the lubricating nipple is lubricated in known manner, wherein the lubricant is arranged at least along the portion 29 of the through bore 19 around the screw 24 and is guided via the axial bore 30 and the lubricating channel 35 and the annular groove 36 to the rolling member bearing.

[0043] In FIG. 11, a mower knife attachment arrangement according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the main design corresponds to the mower knife attachment arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 to 10. The same components are provided with the same reference numerals. The mower knife attachment arrangement according to the second embodiment is formed comparably more stable, because of which the wall 5 has a larger axial extension. So that the mower knives, not shown, do not contact the crankshaft 1 during operation, the front side 7 of the crankshaft 1 is inclined at the side 39 facing away from the receiving space 4. Furthermore, the in FIG. 11 shown mower knife attachment arrangement differs from the in FIGS. 1 to 10 shown mower knife attachment arrangement merely in the fact that the screw head 25 of the inserted screw 24 is sunk partially into the through bore 19. Thus, the head bearing holding area 13 is formed cylindrical along the whole circumference and the collar 16 is closed annularly. The bottom plate 12 is formed, in this case, over substantially the whole circumference circular, when seen in cross-section, wherein the bottom plate 12 is only formed flattened in the extension of the screw head 25.

REFERENCE NUMERALS LIST

[0044] 1 crankshaft [0045] 2 mower knife drive pin [0046] 3 first longitudinal end portion [0047] 4 receiving space [0048] 5 wall [0049] 6 first support face [0050] 7 front side [0051] 8 groove [0052] 9 wall portion [0053] 10 second support face [0054] 11 threaded bore [0055] 12 bottom plate [0056] 13 head bearing holding area [0057] 14 first contact face [0058] 15 longitudinal end [0059] 16 collar [0060] 17 collar face [0061] 18 second contact face [0062] 19 through bore [0063] 20 first opening [0064] 21 second opening [0065] 22 third opening [0066] 23 abutment face [0067] 24 screw [0068] 25 screw head [0069] 26 longitudinal end portion [0070] 27 lubricating nipple [0071] 28 bore [0072] 29 portion [0073] 30 axial bore [0074] 31 front side [0075] 32 inner thread [0076] 33 lubricating bore [0077] 34 outer side [0078] 35 lubricating channel [0079] 36 annular groove [0080] 37 groove [0081] 38 marking [0082] 39 inclined face [0083] 40 front face [0084] angle [0085] M centre point [0086] X first longitudinal axis [0087] Y second longitudinal axis