Cutting blade for an agricultural implement, and method of manufacturing the same
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsDaniel E. Derscheid, Brent A. Augustine
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a cutting blade for an agricultural implement. The method includes forming the cutting blade to define a final shape having an exterior surface. The cutting blade is treated with a surface diffusion hardening process to form a surface hardened layer disposed over a core layer. The surface hardened layer is very thin, approximately 0.1 mm, and exhibits an apparent hardness equal to or greater than 1000 HV. After the surface diffusion hardening process, the cutting blade is treated with a through hardening process, such that the core layer exhibits a Rockwell Hardness C Scale value between the range of thirty five (35) and fifty five (55).
Claims22
A method of manufacturing a cutting blade for an agricultural implement, the method comprising:
- forming the cutting blade to define a final shape having an exterior surface;
- treating the final shape of the cutting blade with a surface diffusion hardening process, whereby atoms are diffused into the exterior surface of the cutting blade to form a surface hardened layer disposed over a core layer;
- treating the final shape of the cutting blade with a through hardening process, such that the core layer exhibits a Rockwell Hardness C Scale value between the range of thirty five and fifty five.
A cutting blade for an agricultural implement, the cutting blade comprising:
- a body having a first exterior surface intersecting a second exterior surface to define a cutting edge therebetween;
- wherein the body includes a surface hardened layer at least partially defining at least one of one of the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface, and a core layer disposed immediately adjacent to the surface hardened layer;
- wherein the surface hardened layer includes a thickness between the range of 0.00 mm and 0.2 mm and exhibits a hardness having a Vickers Hardness number greater than 1000 HV when tested using the Vickers Hardness Test;
- and
- wherein the core layer exhibits a Rockwell Hardness C Scale value between the range of thirty five and fifty five.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.