Rotary cutter assembly for road milling machines

Abstract

A sealing assembly for a rotary cutter assembly is provided. The rotary cutter assembly includes a rotary cutter tool, a driver shaft, a housing, a side plate, and the sealing assembly. A neck portion of the driver shaft extends outwards of a first cutout section of the side plate. The sealing assembly is arranged about the first cutout section. The sealing assembly includes a guard member. The guard member is slideably arranged relative to the side plate. In a retracted state of the side plate, the guard member is positioned adjacent to and proximal to a lower portion of the side plate. In an extended state of the side plate, a second cutout section of the guard member engages with the neck portion and limits a movement of the guard member, to position the guard member distal to the lower portion of the side plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A road-milling machine, comprising:
 a rotary cutter assembly, including:
 a rotary cutter tool having a drive axis; 
 a driver shaft coaxially attached to the rotary cutter tool along the drive axis, the driver shaft being adapted to rotate the rotary cutter tool, the driver shaft including a neck portion; 
 a housing defining a first side and a second side, the housing being adapted to enclose the rotary cutter tool and at least a portion of the driver shaft: 
 a side plate installed on the first side of the housing, the side plate having a first cutout section, the first cutout section defining a clearance space that allows the neck portion of the driver shaft to extend outward of the side plate, 
 wherein the side plate is movable between an extended state and a retracted state relative to the neck portion of the driver shaft; and 
 a sealing assembly installed proximal to the first cutout section of the side plate, the sealing assembly including:
 a guard member slideably arranged relative to the side plate, the guard member including a second cutout section, the second cutout section allows the driver shaft to extend outward of the sealing assembly, 
 wherein in the retracted state of the side plate, the guard member is positioned adjacent to the side plate and proximal to a lower portion of the side plate, 
 wherein in the extended state of the side plate, the second cutout section of the guard member engages with the neck portion and limits a movement of the guard member, to position the guard member distal to the lower portion of the side plate.