# US 7,465,099 B2 · Rockshaft liner with thrust surface

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- Number: US 7,465,099 B2
- Document ID: US7465099B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/361,376
- Filed: 2006-02-24
- Published: 2007-08-30
- Granted: 2008-12-16
- Earliest claimed: 2006-02-24
- Assignees: Deere & Company
- Inventors: Richard Joseph Connell; Shawn Jeremy Becker; Garrett Lee Goins
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7465099B2

## CPC

- F16C 35/02: in the case of sliding-contact bearings
- A01B 63/16: with wheels adjustable relatively to the frame
- A01B 63/24: Tools or tool-holders adjustable relatively to the frame
- A01B 71/04: Bearings of rotating parts, e.g. for soil-working discs
- F16C 17/022: {with a pair of essentially semicircular bearing sleeves}
- F16C 33/08: Attachment of brasses, bushes or linings to the bearing housing
- F16C 33/20: Sliding surface consisting mainly of plastics (F16C33/22 - F16C33/28 take precedence)
- F16C 2208/78: Polyethylene [PE], e.g. ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene [UHMWPE]
- F16C 2226/50: Positive connections
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- A01B: SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL (making or covering furrows or holes for sowing, planting or manuring A01C5/00; mowers convertible to soil working apparatus or capable of soil working A01D42/04; mowers combined with soil working implements A01D43/12; soil working for engineering purposes E01, E02, E21)

## Abstract

A bearing block assembly includes a liner having a two piece ring of low friction material extending around the rockshaft and held in place by a bearing block. The rockshaft includes a radially projecting member interacting with the bearing block assembly to maintain the axial position of the rockshaft. The bearing liner includes a flange extending beyond the bearing block to contact the projecting member. The flange is seated in a groove at the side of the bearing block and lowers the coefficient of friction at the rockshaft/thrust surface interface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Rockshaft bearing block structure for rotatably mounting a portion of a rockshaft for an implement frame, the rockshaft having a rotational axis, a circular cross-section and a rockshaft thrust surface extending radially outwardly of the circular cross-section, the bearing block structure comprising:
first and second bearing block sections, the sections including first and second arc-shaped cavities;
first and second arc-shaped bearing block inserts received in the respective first and second arc-shaped cavities, the inserts rotatable mounting the rockshaft for rotation about a rockshaft axis, the inserts bearing against the circular cross section;
wherein the bearing block inserts include a thrust flange extending axially outwardly of the bearing block sections and radially outwardly of the circular cross section;
connector structure releasably securing the first and second bearing block sections and the inserts around the rockshaft with the thrust flange located between the thrust surface and the bearing block sections, the rockshaft thrust surface bearing against the thrust flange to limit axial movement of the rockshaft relative to the bearing block sections, the first and second bearing block sections releasable to remove the inserts from around the rockshaft without need to remove the rockshaft from the implement frame; and
wherein the rockshaft connector structure includes a bolt-receiving bore portion, and the inserts include a notch received against the bolt-receiving bore portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The structure of claim 1 wherein the bearing block sections include a stepped portion, and the inserts include a radially projecting anti-rotation flange received by the stepped portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The structure of claim 2 wherein the notch is located in the anti-rotation flange.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The structure of claim 1 wherein the inserts are identical and fabricated from a wear-resistant polyethylene material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The structure of claim 1 wherein the thrust flange comprises first and second semi-circular flanges connected to the first and second bearing block inserts, respectively.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The structure of claim 5 wherein the first and second semi-circular flanges extend substantially around the entire circular cross-section of the rockshaft when positioned in the first and second arc-shaped cavities.

### Claim 7

Rockshaft bearing block structure for rotatably mounting a portion of a rockshaft for an implement frame, the rockshaft having a rotational axis, a circular cross-section and a rockshaft thrust surface extending radially outwardly of the circular cross-section, the bearing block structure comprising:
first and second bearing block sections, the sections including first and second arc-shaped cavities;
first and second arc-shaped bearing block inserts received in the respective first and second arc-shaped cavities, the inserts rotatable mounting the rockshaft for rotation about a rockshaft axis, the inserts bearing against the circular cross section;
wherein the bearing block inserts include a thrust flange extending axially outwardly of the bearing block sections and radially outwardly of the circular cross section;
connector structure releasably securing the first and second bearing block sections and the inserts around the rockshaft with the thrust flange located between the thrust surface and the bearing block sections, the rockshaft thrust surface bearing against the thrust flange to limit axial movement of the rockshaft relative to the bearing block sections, the first and second bearing block sections releasable to remove the inserts from around the rockshaft without need to remove the rockshaft from the implement frame; and
wherein the connector structure includes an insert-contacting bore portion, and the inserts include an anti-rotation flange conforming to and abutting the bore portion.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The structure of claim 7 wherein the anti-rotation flange extends in the direction of the rockshaft axis between opposite edges of the inserts.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The structure of claim 8 wherein the connector structure includes a stepped portion and the anti-rotation flange abuts the stepped portion.

### Claim 10

Rockshaft bearing block structure for rotatably mounting a portion of a rockshaft for an implement frame, the rockshaft having a rotational axis, a circular cross-section and a rockshaft thrust surface extending radially outwardly of the circular cross-section, the bearing block structure comprising:
first and second bearing block sections, the sections including first and second arc-shaped cavities;
first and second arc-shaped bearing block inserts received in the respective first and second arc-shaped cavities, the inserts rotatable mounting the rockshaft for rotation about a rockshaft axis, the inserts bearing against the circular cross section;
wherein the bearing block inserts include a thrust flange extending axially outwardly of the bearing block sections and radially outwardly of the circular cross section;
connector structure releasably securing the first and second bearing block sections and the inserts around the rockshaft with the thrust flange located between the thrust surface and the bearing block sections, the rockshaft thrust surface bearing against the thrust flange to limit axial movement of the rockshaft relative to the bearing block sections, the first and second bearing block sections releasable to remove the inserts from around the rockshaft without need to remove the rockshaft from the implement frame;
wherein the thrust flange comprises first and second semi-circular flanges connected to the first and second bearing block inserts, respectively; and
wherein the bearing block sections include a semi-circular groove providing locating and backing for the thrust flange.

### Claim 11

In a rockshaft bearing block structure for an agricultural implement frame including a rockshaft having circular cross-section and an axial thrust surface, the bearing block structure including first and second bearing block sections with first and second cavities, the bearing block sections releasably secured around the rockshaft with the axial thrust surface adjacent bearing block sections, wear insert structure comprising:
first and second bearing block inserts having outer surfaces complimentary to the first and second cavities and adapted for support therein, the bearing block inserts including inner surfaces defining a substantially cylindrical rockshaft bearing wear area when the inserts are supported in the cavity;
wherein the bearing block inserts are insertable around and removable from the rockshaft when the bearing block sections are released without removal of the rockshaft;
wherein the bearing block inserts include a contact area adapted for non-rotatably indexing the inserts relative to the bearing block structure;
wherein the bearing block inserts include a friction reducing flange extending radially outwardly of the circular cross-section of the rockshaft between the thrust surface and bearing block sections, the thrust surface bearing against the friction reducing flange as the rockshaft rotates relative to the implement frame; and
wherein the cavities include an outer groove having an axially outwardly directed wall abutting an inwardly directed face of the friction reducing flange and supporting the flange with a portion of the flange projecting axially outwardly from the bearing block structure.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The wear insert structure as set forth in claim 11 wherein the bearing block inserts comprise identical half portions each conforming generally to the shape of a half cylinder.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The wear insert structure as set forth in claim 12 wherein the contact area comprises an end portion of the half portions.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The wear insert structure as set forth in claim 11 wherein the rockshaft has a circumference, and the friction reducing flange extends substantially the entire circumference of the rockshaft.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The wear insert structure as set forth in claim 11 wherein the inserts are fabricated from a polyethylene material.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The wear insert structure as set forth in claim 11 wherein the bearing block inserts comprise identical half-sections having axially outermost rib portions defining the friction reducing flange.

### Claim 17

In a rockshaft bearing block structure for an agricultural implement frame including a rockshaft having circular cross-section and an axial thrust surface, the bearing block structure including first and second bearing block sections with first and second cavities, the bearing block sections releasably secured around the rockshaft with the axial thrust surface adjacent bearing block sections, wear insert structure comprising:
first and second bearing block inserts having outer surfaces complimentary to the first and second cavities and adapted for support therein, the bearing block inserts including inner surfaces defining a substantially cylindrical rockshaft bearing wear area when the inserts are supported in the cavity;
wherein the bearing block inserts are insertable around and removable from the rockshaft when the bearing block sections are released without removal of the rockshaft;
wherein the bearing block inserts include a contact area adapted for non-rotatably indexing the inserts relative to the bearing block structure; and
wherein the bearing block inserts include a friction reducing flange extending radially outwardly of the circular cross-section of the rockshaft between the thrust surface and bearing block sections, the thrust surface bearing against the friction reducing flange as the rockshaft rotates relative to the implement frame;
wherein the bearing block inserts comprise identical half portions each conforming generally to the shape of a half cylinder; and
further comprising anti-rotation structure adapted for support between the bearing block sections within the cavities and having a ledge portion with a notch conforming to the shape of the block sections adjacent the ledge portion, the notch locating the bearing block inserts in a direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the rockshaft.

### Claim 18

In a rockshaft bearing block structure for an agricultural implement frame including a rockshaft having circular cross-section and an axial thrust surface, the bearing block structure including first and second bearing block sections with first and second cavities, the bearing block sections releasably secured around the rockshaft with the axial thrust surface adjacent bearing block sections, wear insert structure comprising:
first and second bearing block inserts having outer surfaces complimentary to the first and second cavities and adapted for support therein, the bearing block inserts including inner surfaces defining a substantially cylindrical rockshaft bearing wear area when the inserts are supported in the cavity;
wherein the bearing block inserts are insertable around and removable from the rockshaft when the bearing block sections are released without removal of the rockshaft;
wherein the bearing block inserts include a contact area adapted for non-rotatably indexing the inserts relative to the bearing block structure;
wherein the bearing block inserts include a friction reducing flange extending radially outwardly of the circular cross-section of the rockshaft between the thrust surface and bearing block sections, the thrust surface bearing against the friction reducing flange as the rockshaft rotates relative to the implement frame; and
wherein the bearing block inserts further comprise a central rib extending circumferentially between the rib portions, and a radial ledge portion connecting the ribs and extending radially outwardly of the ribs, wherein the ledge portion defines the contact area non-rotatably indexing the inserts.