AU603121B2

AU603121B2 - Cane topper shredder

Info

Publication number: AU603121B2
Application number: AU76691/87A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Cecil J. Davison
Original assignee: CECIL J DAVISON
Current assignee: CECIL J DAVISON
Priority date: 1986-08-07
Filing date: 1987-08-07
Publication date: 1990-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 2007-08-07
Also published as: AU7669187A

Description

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603121 FThis docL~nent contains the Iarnendrnents mnade under 49 and is correct for pinig.

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA The Patents Act, 1952-1969 Name of Applicant: AddreSL of Applicant: CECIL J. DAVISON, Olf! Coach Way, North Arm, Via Yandina, Queensland, 4561, Australia CECIL J. DAVISON 000 SO 0 04

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Actual lavenzor-, Address f or Service: r a G.R. CUTLLEN COMPANY Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Dalgety House, 79 Eagle Street, BRISBANE QLD 4 00O

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0 ~0 0 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR THE IXhYENTION ENTITLED-, "VCANE TOPPER. SHREDDER" The following staterient is a full description of the invention including the best method of performig it ktown to X=c me: "2.

THIS INVENTION relates to apparatus suitable. for use with a cane harvester for cutting and shredding the leafy tops of sugar cane stalks. In particular, the invention is directed to a combined topper shredder for cane harvesters.

Cane harvesters usually are provided with a topping cutter or "topper" which cuts the upper leafy part of the cane stalk prior t- gathering and cutting the usable part of the cane stalk in the harvester itself. Early forms of toppers comprised a pair of forwardly extending fingers which gathered the leafy tops of the cane and fed them to one or S* more rotary cutting disks. Examples of such toppers can be S* found in U.S. Patent, No. 3,325,982 and Australian Patent No.

409961. In some toppers', the fingers carry gathering chains. (See for example Australian Patent No. 435699 and Patent Application 44663/68). However, such chains have i proved to be unsatisfactory as they become wrapped with the cane tops and require regular maintenance. To avoid the need 0iI for such chains, some toppers use one or more drums having radial fingers for gathering the leafy cane tops. Examples of such toppers can be found in Australian Patent No. 494229 and Australian Patent Application No. 51322/79.

The cut leafy tops are discharged onto the ground by the topper. Thereafter, it is usually necessary to wait for a few weeks for the trash to dry out sufficiently to be raked and burnt off to thereby clear the ground for subsequent cultivation of the ratoon crop or for further planting. This subsequent cultivation cannot be performed prior to disposing of the cane tops since the latter become tangled in the 3.

cultivating implements and prevent proper cultivation of the soil. This subsequent working adds considerably to the production cost to ;he farmer.

To overcome this problem, it has been proposed to shred the cane tops so that the shredded trash falls to the ground in particle form and is thereafter ploughed into the ground during cultivating operations. Since cultivation can take place immediately after harvesting and without the need of prior raking and burning, the soil does not dry out and the shredded tops form humus which further enhances the soil quality. Examples of such topper shredders can be found in 0 Australian Patents Nos. 436344 and 546817. The known shredders are generally in the form of a closed drum having a plurality of blades extending radially from the outer surface 0 'Pee of the drum. (Some prior art cutters also used contra-rotating drums with radial fingers. However, such drums were used primarily to gather the leafy tops for cutting and were not designed to shred the tops).

It has been found that in closed drum-type shredders, the leafy tops tend to accumulate or jam against the drum, or between the drum and the topper frame, particularly if the harvester moves through the cane too quickly. consequently, a significant proportion of the leafy tops pass through the topper without being shredded properly. In cases of severe ,i jamming or clogging of the shredding drum, the harvester may be required to be stopped while the drum is cleared.

It is an object of the present inveotion to provide an improved topper shredder for thorough cutting and shredding of the cane leafy tops.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved topper shredder which utilizes a plurality of contra-rotating blades to shred the leafy tops.

It is a preferred object of the present invention to provide an improved cane topper shredder which minimises clogging or jamming of the leafy tops.

It is another preferred object of the invention to provide an improved cane topper shredder which can selectively direct trash to either side thereof.

In one broad fcrm, the present invention provides an

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apparatus suitable for use with a cane harvester for cutting and shredding the leafy tops of sugar cane stalks, said apparatus comprising a frame, a pair of rotary cutter members mounted on said frame and rotatable in opposite directions about a respective one of a pair of spaced-apart axes operatively spaced on either side of the cane stalks to be cut; characterised in that each said rotary cutter member comprises a plurality of axially-spaced cutting blades orientated transverse to its axis.

Typically, the axes of the rotary cutters are parallel, and in uae, the axes are oriantated vertically or forwardly inclined. Each rotary cutter has a plurality of cutting blades which are orientated transversely to the leafy tops, thereby ensuring efficient and thorough shredding of the tops.

Preferably, the rotary cutter members are of open framework configuration to minimise clogging and jamming of the tops. Any trash within the cutter framework is quickly evacuated as a result of the centrifugal force imparted to it by the fast rotating cutter members. The cutter members therefore have a self-cleaning effect.

Preferably, the topper shredder of the present invention also includes a deflector plate located between the rotary cutter members, the deflector plate being selectively pivotable to direct trash to either side of the harvester.

Typically, the topper shredder is provided with a 'eg.

screen at the rear thereof to shield the operator and ,I"Se harvester from the shredded trash. The screen may be in the form of wing members behind each rotary cutter.

The rotary cutters may be driven by any suitable means, for example hydraulic motors.

In the preferred embodiment, each rotary cutter is generally of cylindrica form, having top and bottom circular Splates connected by a number of posts. The cutting blades extend between adjacent posts on the outside thereof to provide multiple cutting edges for shredding the leafy tops.

It is to be noted that unlike prior art cutters and shredders the cutting blades of the rotary cutters are non-radial.

The bottom cutter plates serve to cut the leafy top 23 from the cane stalk. In some cases, the bottom cutter plate may be required to cut through the stalk itself which is significantly harder than the leafy top. To ensure efficient I 1 i i *see*: 0 a 0 00as 900" a 0 00S

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cutting of the stalk, an anvil member is advantageously provided on the topper shredder frame for cooperating with the bottom cutter plates to shear the leafy top from the cane stalk.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood and put into practice, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG 1 is a plan view of a topper shredder according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, FIG 2 is a rear elevational view of the type of shredder of Fig 1, FIG 3 is a plan view of the top support member of the topper shredder of Fig 1, 15 FIG 4 is a plan view of the bottom support member of the topper shredder of Fig 1, FIG 5 is an elevational view of the right cutter cylinder of F,:g 1, FIG 6 is a plan view of the cutter cylinder of Fig 20 FIG 7 is a sectional plan view along B-B of Fig and FIG 8 is a sectional elevational view along A-A of Fig 1.

As shown in the drawings, the topper shredder 10 of the preferred rembodiment comprises a spine 11 having V-shaped support members at the top and bottom thereof. The V-shaped support members comprise divergent top support arms 12, 13

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and divergent bottom support arms 14, 15 suitably fastened to the top and bottom of the spine 11 e.g. by welding.

Typically, the support arms 12-15 are of channel section as shown more clearly in Fig 8, while the spine 11 is a square or rectangular steel tube as shown in Fig 4. Two harvester mounting brackets 29 are welded to the back of the spine 11 (Fig 8) for connection to the end of a forwardly extending arm of the harvester. The elevation and inclination of the topper shredder 16 is controlled by the harvester operator from the harvester cab. In use, the topper shredder is held 0 at an elevated forward position for cutting and shredding the leafy tops of the sugar cane. Typically, the spine 11 of the topper shredder 10 is maihtained in a vertical attitude, or tilted forward. Any suitable hydraulic or other means (not shown) car be provided on the harvester for elevating and orientating the topper shredder The V-shaped suppo.rt members also include top and bottom cross beams 20, 26 between the divergent top and bottom support arms, respectively, for strengthening the frame. A lifting lug 21 is conveniently provided on the top cross beam 20. The bottom cross beam 26 has a bracket 27 fastened thereto and extending forwardly of the topper shredder, a transverse anvil beam 28 being connected to the end of the bracket 27.

The top shredder 10 also includes two rotary cutter members in the form of left and right cutter cylinders 30, 31 of open framework configuration. The right cutter cylinder ji(i;ii.. ii. i i i 4 S 4 *5 0

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6 a 00r 4 .e 31 is shown in more detail in Figs 5 to 7, the left cutter cylinder 30 being substantially identical. Each cutter cylinder has a shaft 32 the ends of which are received in respective bearing blocks. The bottom bearing blocks are located on bottom support flanges 18, 19 which are fixed to the distal ends of the bottom support arms 14, 15, while the top bearing blocks are located in top bearing support flanges 16, 17 fixed to the top support arms 12, 13 as can be seen more clearly in Figs 3 and 4. In use, the rotary cutter cylinders 30, 31 are contra-rotated by suitable means.

Preferably, hydraulic motors are used to rotate the cutter cylinders 30, 31 in opposite directions as shown in Fig 1, the hydraulic motors being connected to the top ends of the shafts 32 of the cutter cylinders 30, 31. For clarity, the 15 hydraulic motors have been omitted from the drawings.

Each cutter cylinder comprises a top cutter plate 33 and bottom cutter plate 34 fixed to the shaft 32. The top and bottom cutter plates 33, 34 are interconnected by a number of posts 36, typically of angle iron. In the illustrated embodiment, four posts 36 are arranged in a square configuration between the top and bottom cutter plates. However, any other suitable number of posts may be used, e.g. three posts in a triangular configuration, or six posts in a hexagonal configuration. A plurality of cutter blades extend between adjacent posts 36 and are suitably connected to the outside of the posts e.g. by welding. The cutter blades 35 are arranged transversely to the shaft 32 and are spaced axially along the cutter cylinder.

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In use, the topper shredder 10 is aligned with a row of car;e stalks such that the leafy top portions of the cane stalks are received between the cutter cylinders 30, 31.

Advantageously, a guide bar 23 is provided to centre the leafy tops relative to the two cutter cylinders 30, 31. The guide bar 23 is mounted on a transverse bracket 22 extending between the outer ends of the top bearing support flanges 16, 17. The fast contra-rotating cutter blades 35 cut and shred the leafy tops passing therebetween. The guide bar 23 also serves to bend back any part of the leafy top above the guide S* bar so that any leafy top which is cut off above the top

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cutter plate will be turned down and shredded by the cutter cylinders.

The hardest part of the leafy top is normally at the bottom where it forms part of the cane stalk. For taller stalks, the bottom plates of the topper shredder 10 may be required to cut through t'he top stalk portion. To ensure that the leafy top is completely severed from the cane stalk even where the top of the stalk itself is required to be cut, the bottom cutter plates 34 are located adjacent to and cooperate with the anvil plate 28 to cut the top of the cane stalks in a shearing action.

The open framework construction of the cutter cylinders 30, 31 minimizes clogging or jamming of the topper shredder. Further, due to the centrifugal forces imparted on the trash by the fast rotation of these cylinders, the trash is evacuated from within the cylinders. In other words, the cylinders have a self-cleaning action thereby minimizing downtime for clearing trash from the cylinders. Furthermore, the combined action of several cutting blades ensures that the leafy tops are shredded into small pieces which will provide a good ground cover and decompose relatively quickly. Yet another advantage of the topper shredder of the present invention is that the leafy portions will not pass through the topper shredder uncut. The combined action of the anvil plate 28, guide bar 23 and rotary cutter cylinders 10 30, 31 ensures that the leafy stalks passing between the s cutter cylinders will be cut and shredded.

A pivotable deflector plate 40 is provided behind the discharge end of the operative region between the rotary

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cutters 30, 31 for selectively deflecting the trash to one side of the topper shredder i.e. towards the open or cut side of the harvester. The deflector plate 40 has a deflector shaft 41 extending axially along one end thereof, the top and bottom ends of the deflector shaft 41 being received in top S* and bottom bearing blocks 24, 25 located in the elbow of the respective top and bottom V-shaped support members.

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deflector shaft arm 46 is connected to the top end of the deflector shaft 41 for pivoting the deflector plate 40 about an axis extending along the deflector shaft 41. An., suitable means may be used to pivot the deflector arm 46. For example, as illustrated in Fig 1, a hydraulic cylinder 47 may be connected between the deflector arm 46 and a bracket 48 mounted on one of the top support arms 13. (For clarity the i i I_ cylinder 47 and deflector arm 46 have been omitted from Fig Operation of the hydraulic cylinder 47 will cause the deflector plate 40 to pivot thereby deflecting trash to one side or the other of the topper shredder. Typically, axially-spaced lateral slots 37 are cut into the forward edge of the deflector plate 30 to accommodate the top and bottom plates and the cutter blades of the cutter cylinders 30, 31.

In order to shield the harvester and operator from the deflected trash, the topper shredder is provided with one or more screen members. In the embodiment of the invention S• illustrated in the drawings, particularly Figs 1 and 2, two wings 40, 41 are provided on opposite sides of the spine 11 S behind respective rotary cutters 30, 31. Each wing 40, 41 has its inner end pin-jointed to a respective pair of top and e g bottom support members. In particular, each wing member has a tube extending along its inner edge, the tube having an elongated pin member therein whose ends are received in holes formed in a respective pair of top and bottom support arms.

0 it will be apparent to those skilled in the art however, that other forms of fastening the wings to the frame may be used.

The left ar-, right wings 40, 41 also include wing brackets 44, 45 fastened to the back thereof. Left and right wing braces 42, 43 are connected between the wing brackets 44, and support brackets 38 fastened to the harvester mounting 2 brackets 29 as illustrated in Fig 1. (Foi clarity, the wing braces have been omitted from Fig In the illustrated embodiment, two braces are provided for each wing.

~1 The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the invention, and modifications which are obvious to those skilled it. the art may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claimce 2 Q* I Ed

Claims

1. Apparatus suitable for use with a cane harvester for cutting and shredding the leafy tops of sugar cane stalks, said apparatus comprising a frame, a pair of rotary cutter members mounted on said frame and rotatable in opposite directions about a respective one of a pair of spaced-apart axes operatively spaced on either side of the cane stalks to be cut; characterised in that each said rotary cutter member comprises a plurality of a-ially-spaced cutting blades orientated transverse to its axis.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said rotary cutter member is generally of open frame configuration. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising deflection means located between said Srotary cutter members for selectively directing cane 0 stalks cut and/or shredded by said cutter members to either side of said apparatus.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said deflector means comprises a deflector plate located between said rotary cutter members, said deflector plate being selectively pivotable about an axis parall l to the axes of said cutter members. S14. Apparatus as claii, in any preceding claim, further comprising drive means for rotating said rotary cutter members in opposite directions.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said pair of axes are substantially parallel, and each said rotary cutter member is generally of cylindrical form and comprises axi-lly-spaced top and bottom parallel plates and a plurality of posts connected between said top anI bottom plates, said cutting blades extending between adjacent posts on the outside thereof. V.m .I 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the top and bottom plates of each said rotary cutter member are **generally circular are connected by four posts 9 4 arranged in a generally square configuration.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said frame comprises top and bottom V-shaped support members each having a pair of divergent arms, and S** said rotary cutter members are each mounted on an axial shaft whose ends are journalled in the free ends of respective arms of said top and bottom V-shaped support members.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said bottom V-shaped support member includes an anvil member generally parallel to the bottoi plate of said cutter members and operatively associated therewith for cutting said cane stalks in a shearing action. "4) i- I Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a guide bar connected to the leading ends of the divergent arms of said top support member.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising at least one screen member connected to said frame, said screen member(s) being located rearwardly of said rotary cutter members with respect to the direction of operation.

12. A cane harvester having apparatus for cutting and shredding the leafy tops of sugar cane stalls as claimed in any one of the preceding claims. *S*

13. A cane top shredder suitable for use with a sugar oO S cane harvester, the shredder comprising a frame, two S 0SO* shredding members mounted on the frame for rotation about a respective one of a pair of parallel spaced axes, and means for rotating the shredding members in opposite directions about their axes, wherein each shredding member is of open frame construction and comprises a plurality of axially- spaced blade members for shredding the cane tops.

14. A cane top ithredder suitable for use with a sugar cane harvester, the shredder comprising two drum-like shredding members of open frame construction, each mounted L- ~for rotation about a respective one of a pair of parallel axes which, in use, are located on either side of cane tops to be shredded, each shredding member comprising a plurality of axially-spaced blade members, AL, -s. ~I ~r.iis 16 A cane top shredder suitable for use with a sugar cane harvester, the shredder comprising two contra-rotatable shredding members mounted in a frame for rotation about respective spaced axes which, in use, are located on either side of the cane tops to be shredded, each shredding member comprising a plurality of axially-spaced non-radial cutting members for shredding the cane tops.

16. Apparatus suitable for use with a cane harvester for cutting and shredding the leafy tops of sugar cane stalks, said apparatus being substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings. DATED this second day of August 1990 *0 o*"o CECIL J. DAVISON By his patent attorneys CULLEN CO, *0 S* S ALI J 8