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US 10,039,235 B2Granted
Merger and merger assembly with first and second belts
AssigneeKuhn North America, Inc.
InventorDennis Williams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A merger, for picking up and distributing materials from a ground surface, includes a frame that provides support to the merger, a pick-up head affixed to the frame that lifts the materials from the ground surface, a height adjustor affixed to the frame that maintains a minimum clearance between the ground surface and the pick-up head, and a conveyor affixed to the frame that receives the materials from the pick-up head. The conveyor includes a first belt and a second belt that independently distributes the materials on the ground surface from at least one of a first side of the frame and a second side of the frame.
Claims16
A merger to pick up and to distribute materials from a ground surface, comprising:
- a frame that is rigid, the frame having:
- a first lateral portion,
- a second lateral portion,
- a central portion positioned between the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion, and
- a front rigid member extending between the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion;
- a pick-up head affixed to the frame and extending between the first lateral portion of the frame and the second lateral portion of the frame that lifts the materials from the ground surface;
- and
- a conveyor affixed along the frame and extending between the first lateral portion of the frame and the second lateral portion of the frame that receives the materials from the pick-up head, the conveyor including:
- a first driving system extending between the first lateral portion of the frame and the central portion of the frame, and including a first roller and a first active roller, and a first belt extending between the first roller and the first active roller and driven by at least one of the first roller and the first active roller,
- a second driving system extending between the central portion of the frame and the second lateral portion of the frame, and including a second roller and a second active roller, and a second belt extending between the second roller and the second active roller and driven by at least one of the second roller and the second active roller, wherein
- one of the first roller and the first active roller is positioned on the first lateral portion of the frame and the other of the first roller and the first active roller is positioned on the central portion of the frame,
- one of the second roller and the second active roller is positioned on the second lateral portion of the frame and the other of the second roller and the second active roller is positioned on the central portion of the frame,
- the first driving system and the second driving system operate independently of each other,
- in a first operating mode, the first driving system and second driving system respectively drive the first belt and the second belt so as to be co-rotating to collect and distribute the materials towards either the first lateral portion or the second lateral portion, and
- in a second operating mode, first driving system and second driving system respectively drive the first belt and the second belt so as to be contra-rotating to split the materials and distribute the materials towards both the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion.
12 more elements
A merger to pick up and to distribute materials from a ground surface, comprising:
- a vertical frame assembly;
- a horizontal frame assembly including:
- a first lateral portion,
- a second lateral portion,
- a central portion positioned between the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion,
- a rear support member that is rigid, affixed to the vertical frame assembly, and extends between the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion,
- a front support member opposite to the rear support member, and
- cross members extending between the rear support member and the front support member;
- a pick-up head affixed along the front support member and extending between the first lateral portion of the horizontal frame assembly and the second lateral portion of the horizontal frame assembly that lifts the materials from the ground surface;
- and
- a conveyor positioned on the cross members and extending between the first lateral portion of the horizontal frame assembly and the second lateral portion of the horizontal frame assembly that receives the materials, the conveyor including:
- a first driving system extending between the first lateral portion of the horizontal frame assembly and the central portion of the horizontal frame assembly, and including a first roller and a first active roller,
- a first belt extending between the first roller and the first active roller and driven by at least one of the first roller and the first active roller,
- a second driving system extending between the central portion of the horizontal frame assembly and the second lateral portion of the horizontal frame assembly, and including a second roller and a second active roller, and
- a second belt extending between the second roller and the second active roller and driven by at least one of the second roller and the second active roller, wherein
- one of the first roller and the first active roller is positioned on the first lateral portion of the horizontal frame assembly and the other of the first roller and the first active roller is positioned on a central portion of the horizontal frame assembly,
- one of the second roller and the second active roller is positioned on the second lateral portion of the horizontal frame assembly and the other of the second roller and the second active roller is positioned on the central portion of the horizontal frame assembly,
- the first driving system and the second driving system operate independently of each other,
- in a first operating mode, the first driving system and second driving system respectively drive the first belt and the second belt so as to be co-rotating to collect the materials and distribute the materials towards either the first lateral portion or the second lateral portion, and
- in a second operating mode, the first driving system and the second driving system respectively drive the first belt and the second belt so as to be contra-rotating to split the materials and distribute the materials towards both the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion.
17 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.