Rotor assembly for resolving incomplete gear shift of a rotory mixer

A control system for controlling shifting of a rotor assembly, the control system comprising:

• a main drive configured to rotatably drive the rotor assembly;
• a main drive clutch operably coupled to a drivetrain housing of the main drive, the main drive clutch having an engaged position and a disengaged position;
• an actuation valve operably coupled to the main drive clutch, the actuation valve configured to actuate the main drive clutch;
• a gearbox having an input and an output, the gearbox input operably coupled to a rotor drive wheel, the gearbox input rotatably coupled to the gearbox output, the gearbox output fixedly attached to a gearbox mounting ring;
• a rotor, the rotor defining an interior cavity to at least partially house the gearbox, the gearbox mounting ring fixedly attached to an inner surface of the interior cavity of the rotor;
• a main drive belt operably coupled to the main drive clutch and the rotor drive wheel such that a rotation of the main drive clutch imparts a rotation on the gearbox;
• a speed sensor operably coupled to the rotor, the speed sensor measuring a rotational speed of the gearbox and generating a rotor speed signal;
• a controller communicably coupled to the actuation valve and the speed sensor, the controller programmed to receive and analyze the rotor speed signal, the controller configured to pulse the actuation valve to actuate the main drive clutch between the engaged position and the disengaged position until the rotor speed signal indicates a rotation of the rotor, wherein when the rotor speed signal indicates a rotation of the rotor, the controller is configured to stop pulsing the actuation valve, to activate the actuation valve to actuate the main drive clutch into the engaged position, and the rotor assembly is operated.

A rotary mixer, comprising:

• a frame;
• a power source mounted onto and supported by the frame;
• a rotor assembly operably mounted to the frame;
• and
• a control system for controlling shifting of the rotor assembly, the control system including:
• a main drive configured to rotatably drive the rotor assembly;
• a main drive clutch operably coupled to a drivetrain housing of the main drive;
• an actuation valve operably coupled to the main drive clutch, the actuation valve configured to actuate the main drive clutch between an engaged position and a disengaged position,
• a gearbox having an input and an output, the gearbox input operably coupled to a rotor drive wheel, the gearbox input rotatably coupled to the gearbox output, the gearbox output fixedly attached to a gearbox mounting ring,
• a rotor, the rotor defining an interior cavity to at least partially house the gearbox, the gearbox mounting ring fixedly attached to an inner surface of the interior cavity of the rotor,
• a main drive belt operably coupled to the main drive clutch and the rotor drive wheel,
• a speed sensor operably coupled to the rotor, the speed sensor configured to measure a rotational speed of the gearbox, generate a rotor speed signal, and transmit the rotor speed signal, and
• a controller communicably coupled to the actuation valve and the speed sensor, the controller programmed to receive and analyze the rotor speed signal, the controller configured to pulse the actuation valve to actuate the main drive clutch between the engaged position and the disengaged position thereby imparting a rocking motion into the main drive clutch, the controller configured to pulse the actuation valve until the rotor speed signal indicates a rotation of the rotor, and when the rotor speed signal indicates the rotation of the rotor, the controller is configured to stop pulsing the actuation valve and to signal the actuation valve to actuate the main drive clutch into the engaged position for operation of the rotor assembly.