Search

US-12622342-B2 - Modular wheel assembly

US12622342B2US 12622342 B2US12622342 B2US 12622342B2US-12622342-B2

Abstract

A press wheel includes a hub configured to rotate about an axis. The press wheel may further include a mounting portion removably attachable to the hub and having a center plane substantially perpendicular to the axis upon removable attachment with the hub. The press wheel may further include a plurality of tread portions connected to the mounting portion and configured to define a circumferential portion of the press wheel. The plurality of tread portions may have voids between adjacent tread portions. Each tread portion of the plurality of tread portions may include a tine extending away from the center plane.

Inventors

  • Paul E. Schaffert
  • Kris Schaffert

Assignees

  • SCHAFFERT MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20220114

Claims (19)

  1. 1 . A modular press wheel comprising a hub configured to rotate about an axis and defining a rim feature engagement surface on an exterior side of the hub; a first rim feature comprising a first mounting portion removably attachable to the hub, and a first set of tread portions connected to the first mounting portion and configured to define a first circumferential portion of the modular press wheel; and a second rim feature separate from the first rim feature, the second rim feature comprising a second mounting portion removably attachable to the hub independently from the first mounting portion, and a second set of tread portions connected to the second mounting portion and configured to define a second circumferential portion of the modular press wheel; wherein each of the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion are removably attachable along the rim feature engagement surface at the exterior side of the hub and each of the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion defining a lap joint with the rim feature engagement surface.
  2. 2 . The modular press wheel of claim 1 , wherein, for at least the first set of tread portions, each tread portion of the first set of tread portions comprises a tine extending away from a center plane of the first mounting portion, wherein the center plane is substantially perpendicular to the axis upon removable attachment of the first rim feature with the hub.
  3. 3 . The modular press wheel of claim 1 , wherein at least the first mounting portion comprises a first mounting plate having an inner curved edge, and an outer curved edge opposite the inner curved edge, and the first set of tread portions is connected to the first mounting plate along the outer curved edge.
  4. 4 . The modular press wheel of claim 3 , wherein the first mounting plate comprises a hub engagement surface extending from the inner curved edge to the outer curved edge, and the hub and the first mounting portion are removably attachable to define the lap joint along a portion of the rim feature engagement surface and a portion of the hub engagement surface.
  5. 5 . The modular press wheel of claim 4 , wherein the hub comprises a series of hub holes circumferentially spaced about the axis, and the first mounting plate comprises a series of first mounting plate holes circumferentially spaced about the axis and alignable with the series of hub holes, upon removable attachment of the first mounting plate with the hub.
  6. 6 . The modular press wheel of claim 5 , further comprising a fastener configured to removably attach the hub and the first mounting plate and advanceable through an aligned pair of a hub hole of the series of hub holes and a first mounting plate hole of the series of first mounting plate holes.
  7. 7 . The modular press wheel of claim 3 , wherein, upon removable attachment of the hub and the first mounting portion, the outer curved edge extends beyond an outermost circumferential edge of the hub.
  8. 8 . The modular press wheel of claim 1 , wherein the first and second circumferential portions are adjacent circumferential portions of the modular press wheel.
  9. 9 . A modular press wheel comprising a hub configured to rotate about an axis and having an exterior side extending to an outer circumferential edge; a mounting portion removably attachable to the hub and having a center plane substantially perpendicular to the axis upon removable attachment with the hub; and a plurality of tread portions connected to the mounting portion and configured to define a circumferential portion of the modular press wheel, the plurality of tread portions having voids between adjacent tread portions, wherein each tread portion of the plurality of tread portions comprises a tine extending away from the center plane, wherein: the mounting portion is a first mounting portion of a set of mounting portions, the set of mounting portions comprises a second mounting portion removably attachable to the hub independently of the first mounting portion, and the set of mounting portions are removably attachable along the exterior side of the hub and extend beyond the outer circumferential edge.
  10. 10 . The modular press wheel of claim 9 , wherein each mounting portion of the set of mounting portions is removably attachable with the hub and connected with a corresponding plurality of tread portions, and wherein each mounting portions of the set of mounting portions cooperate to define a complete circumferential portion of the modular press wheel.
  11. 11 . The modular press wheel of claim 10 , wherein the set of mounting portions comprises four mounting portions including the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion, each mounting portion of the four mounting portions having a common arcuate shape that is configured to establish the four mounting portions in a substantially circular shape when the four mounting portions are arranged end to end with one another.
  12. 12 . The modular press wheel of claim 10 , wherein each mounting portion of the set of mounting portions contacts one or more adjacent mounting portions upon removable attachment of the mounting portion with the hub.
  13. 13 . The modular press wheel of claim 9 , wherein a shape or a size of the tine of respective tread portion of the plurality of tread portions varies along the circumferential portion.
  14. 14 . The modular press wheel of claim 9 , wherein the mounting portion comprises a mounting plate defining a series of slots along an outermost circumferential edge of the mounting portion, and the plurality of tread portions is connected to the mounting portion via welds formed between a slot of the series of slots and the tine of a respective tread portion of the plurality of tread portions.
  15. 15 . The modular press wheel of claim 9 , wherein the a first mounting portion has a first size, the plurality of tread portions is a first plurality of tread portions, the modular press wheel further comprises the second mounting portion having a second size and removably attachable to the hub and connected with a second plurality of tread portions, in a first configuration, the first mounting portion is removably attached to the hub at a predetermined mounting location defined at the exterior side with the first plurality of tread portions spaced apart from the axis based on the first size of the first mounting portion, and in a second configuration, the second mounting portion is removably attached to the hub at the predetermined mounting location with the second plurality of tread portions spaced apart from the axis based on the second size of the second mounting portion, the second size larger than the first size.
  16. 16 . A method for modifying a modular press wheel, the method comprising uncoupling a first set of mounting portions from an exterior side of the hub, the first set of mounting portions including a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion, wherein uncoupling the first set of mounting portions includes uncoupling the first mounting portion from a predetermined mounting location defined along the exterior side of the hub independently from the second mounting portion, the first mounting portion having a first size and connected to a first plurality of tread portions, the first plurality of tread portions defining a circumferential portion of the modular press wheel; and coupling a second set of mounting portions to the exterior side of the hub, the second set of mounting portions including a third mounting portion and a fourth mounting portion, wherein coupling the second set of mounting portions includes coupling the third mounting portion to the predetermined mounting location defined along the exterior side of the hub independently from the fourth mounting portion, the third mounting portion having a second size and connected to a second plurality of tread portions, the second plurality of tread portions defining the circumferential portion upon the coupling of the second mounting portion of the predetermined mounting location.
  17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the second size is larger than the first size such that the coupling of the third mounting portion to the predetermined mounting location increases a radius of the modular press wheel.
  18. 18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the second plurality of tread portions has a different size, shape or arrangement than the first plurality of tread portions such that the coupling of the third mounting portion to the predetermined mounting location changes the size, shape, or arrangement of tread portions along the circumferential portion of the modular press wheel.
  19. 19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein uncoupling the first mounting portion further comprises loosening a fastener and removing the fastener from an aligned pair of a hub hole of the hub and a first mounting portion hole of the first mounting portion, and coupling the third mounting portion further comprises extending the fastener through an aligned pair of the hub hole and a second mounting portion hole of the third mounting portion.

Description

FIELD The described examples relate generally to press wheels for furrow closing assemblies, and methods of use thereof. BACKGROUND Multi-row planters may be used for agricultural seed planting. A planter may include multiple row units configured for opening a seed furrow, depositing seeds within the furrow, and closing the seed furrow around the seeds. In some cases, each row unit of the planter may also open a fertilizer furrow adjacent to each seed furrow, deposit liquid fertilizer in each fertilizer furrow, and close each fertilizer furrow. Further, a press wheel or firmer wheel may often be used for compacting the soil in the seeded furrows after the soil has been planted and, in some instances, after a closing wheel has deposited loose soil overtop of the seed. Conventional press wheels may include a hub having a fixed diameter from a central rotational axis of the press wheel. Conventional press wheels may, in some cases, have one or more tines that extend from the hub at a fixed length or other dimension. The dimensions of the press wheel, such as the dimensions of the hub and/or the tine, may impact the performance of the press wheel in the field. As one example, the size of the tine may impact the amount of soil placed over the seed. Different end users may require different amounts of soil be placed over the seed based on a variety of field and seed conditions. Accordingly, conventional techniques may limit the ability of a user to adapt to field conditions and change the performance of the press wheel, absent completely replacing a press for another. As such, there is a need for systems and techniques to improve the adaptability of press wheels for a variety of field conditions and user preferences. SUMMARY Examples of the present invention are directed to modular wheel assemblies and methods of use thereof. In one example, a modular press wheel is disclosed. The modular press wheel includes a hub configured to rotate about an axis. The modular press wheel further includes a first rim feature. The first rim feature includes a first mounting portion removably attachable to the hub. The first rim feature further includes a first set of tread portions connected to the first mounting portion and configured to define a first circumferential portion of the modular press wheel. The modular press wheel further includes a second rim feature. The second rim feature includes a second mounting portion removably attachable to the hub. The second rim feature further includes a second set of tread portions connected to the second mounting portion and configured to define a second circumferential portion of the modular press wheel. In another example, for at least the first set of tread portions, each tread portion of the first set of tread portions may include a tine extending away from a center plane of the first mounting portion. The center plane may be substantially perpendicular to the axis upon removable attachment of the first rim feature with the hub. The tine define may define a chord relative to a radial surface of the first mounting portion. In another example, at least the first mounting portion may include a first mounting plate having an inner curved edge, and an outer curved edge opposite the inner curved edge. The first set of tread portions may be connected to the first mounting plate along the outer curved edge. The hub may include a rim feature engagement surface. Further, the first mounting plate may include a hub engagement surface extending from the inner curved edge to the outer curved edge. In some cases, the hub and the first mounting portion may be removably attachable to one another via a lap joint defined along a portion of the rim feature engagement surface and a portion of the hub engagement surface. In another example, the hub may include a series of hub holes circumferentially spaced about the axis. The first mounting plate may include a series of first mounting plate holes circumferentially spaced about the axis. The first mounting plate holes may be alignable with the series of hub holes, upon removable attachment of the first mounting plate with the hub. In some cases, the modular press wheel may further include a fastener configured to removably attach the hub and the first mounting plate and advanceable through an aligned pair of a hub hole of the series of hub holes and a first mounting plate hole of the series of first mounting plate holes. In another example, upon removable attachment of the hub and the first mounting portion, the outer curved edge extends beyond an outermost circumferential edge of the hub. The first and second circumferential portions may be adjacent circumferential portions of the modular press wheel. In another example, a modular press wheel is disclosed. The modular press wheel includes a hub configured to rotate about an axis. The modular press wheel includes a mounting portion removably attachable to the hub and having a center plane substantially