Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
59655
"REEL ASSE~IB~Y FOK SWATH PICK-UP HEA~ERS FOR COMBINES"
BA~KGROUND O~ TH~ IVNENTiON
This invention relates to new and useful improve-
ments ~o the pick-up headers of combines.
It is desirable in the majority of instances,
that a crop first be swathed ana allowed to dry and cure prior
to combining taking place so that the original cutter bar
assembly of the combine is removed in many instances and a
swath pick-up header or assembly is substituted therefor.
Such a pick-up assembly normally takes the form
of a rotable drum situated transversely of the combine in
advance of the transverse feed auger and includes a plura-
lity of radially extending fingers which are retractable
or which pass between adjacent stripping fingers to remove
the swath from the rotatable drum.
Such pick-up headers are satisfactory for use in
; the majority of instances such as with wheat, barley crops
or the like.
However, when used with relatively slipper crops
such as flax, oats, faba beans or the like, there is a tend-
ency for the swath to ride over the stripping fingers and
to elevate above the transverse feed auger so that it is
not fed by the auger towards the combine entrance. Further-
more, under these conditions, chaff and fine s-traw tend to
build up on each side of the entrance all of which detracts
~ from the efficiency of tne combining operation and often
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causes jamming to occur.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes these disadvantages
and in accordance with the invention there is provided, in
a combine which includes supporting structure, a trans-
versely situated feed auger spanning said supporting struc-
ture and a rotatable swath pick-up assembly mounted in
said supporting structure forwardly of the transverse auger;
means to engage the swath picked up by the pick-up assembly,
with the transverse auger, said means including a beater
reel mounted above the pick-up assembly and in advance of
the transverse auger, to force the swath into engagement with
the transverse auger, means to mount said beater reel for
rotation upon said swather and means to drive said beater
reel.
Another advantage of the invention is to provide
a device of the cnaracter herewithin described which facil-
itates the feeding of all types of crop to the interior of
the combine by the transverse feed auger.
A yet further advantage of the invention is to
provide a beater reel which is adjustable within limits so
that it can be positioned relative to the pick-up drum and
the transverse feed auger in order to suit individual crops
being combined.
A yet further advantage of the invention is to pro-
vide a device which is easily installed on existing combines.
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A yet further advantage of the invention is to
provide a device of the character herewithin described
which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture
and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is
designed.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages
as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which
this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the
invention is herein described by reference to the accompany-
ing drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a des-
cription of the preferred typical embodiment of the prin-
ciples of the present invention, in which:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a fragmentary partially schematic side
elevation of the front end of a combine with a pick-up
header thereto, and showing the invention in situ.
Figure 2 is a front view of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a fragmentary isometric view of the
preferred embodiment of the beater reel assembly.
Figure 4 is an end view of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is an end view of an alternative embodi-
ment of the beater reel assembly.
Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of
Figure 5.
In the drawings like characters of reference indi-
cate corresponding parts in the different figures.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Proceeding therefore to describe the invention in
detail, reference should first be made to Figures 1 and 2
in which 10 illustrates generally, supporting structure
oE the front end of a combine, said structure including
panels 11 which include bearings (not illustrated) mounting
a conventional feed auger assembly 12 transversely of the
front of the combine. Said auger includes auger flights 13
on either end portion thereof angulated so that when tne
transverse feed auger rotates, any crop engaged thereby is
fed from both ends towards the center 1~ whereupon it is
moved into the swather threshing unit or concave (not
illustrated).
Mounted on further supporting structure 10A, is
a conventional swath pick-up assembly collectively designat-
ed 15. This is in place of the conventional cutter bar
assembly and usually takes the form of a drum 16 having
radially extending fingers 17 extending between adjacent
stripping fingers or strips 13 and which pick up the swath,
and move it rearwardly towards the transverse feed auger
all of which is conventional.
The invention collectively designated 19 consists
of a beater reel assembly situated above the pick-up assem-
bly 15 and slightly forwardly of the transverse feed auger
12 and adapted to rotate in the direction of arrow 20 so
that the swath is forced downwardly and into engagement with
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the transverse feed auger and is prevented from riding there-
over.
In detail, means are provided to support the reel
for rotation consisting of a pair of substantially spaced and
parallel vertical supports 21 extending upwardly from the
supporting structure 10 one upon each side thereof.
Vertically slotted brackets 22 extend from the
vertical supports 21 and bearings (not illustrated) are
mounted within these slotted brackets for vertical adjust-
ment therein. The reel assembly 19 includes stub shafts 23
upon each end of a square cross section center portion 24
and these shafts are bearingly supported within the bear-
ings carried by the slotted brackets 22 so that the reel
assembly can rotate within the bearings. A V pulley 25 is
secured to one of the stub shafts 23 outboard of the bear-
ings and a V belt 26 engages around this pulley and around
a drive pulley 27 which in turn is operatively connected
to the source of power for the combine (not illustrated).
Two embodiments of the beater reel assembly are
shown in Figures 3 through 6.
In both instances, a plurality of spider arms 28
are secured to and extend radially from the square center
portion 24 of the reel shaft assembly and these spider arms
are preferably angle iron with one web 28A being welded to
the face 24A of the square cross sectional center portion.
These spider arms are situated in spaced relation-
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9655
ship along the length of the central portion 24 and in theembodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, a cylindrical rod 29
is secured to the flange 28A by means of U bolts 30 extending
around the cylindrical rod and through the flange to be
secured by means of nuts 31.
In the present embodiment there are four transverse-
ly extending beater rods 29 which force the swath downward-
ly into engagement with the transverse feed auger when they
rotate in the direction of arrow 20.
Figures 5 and ~ show an alternative embodiment in
which panels 32 are secured to the distal ends of the
beater arms 28 by means of nut and bolt assemblies 33 ex-
tending through the panels and through the flanges 28A.
These panels are elongated rectangles when viewed in front
elevation and once again force the swath into engagement
with the transverse feed auger. However the rods 29 of the
previous embodiment are preferred because of increased vis-
ibility provided to the operator.
It will be observed that the lower periphery of
the path swept by the rods or the outer edges of the panels
32, and which is indicated by reference character 34 in
Figure 1, is in advance of and below the upper periphery 35
of the transverse seed auger thus ensuring that the swath
is forced downwardly and into the feed auger. The adjust-
ment provided by slotted brackets 22, in the vertical sup-
ports 21 permits the beater reel assembly 19 to be position-
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ed in the desired position depending upon the crop of theswath being combined.
It will also be noted that the lowermost rotary
part swept by the outer periphery of the beater reel is
below the upper rotary part swept by the outer periphery
of the transverse auger. This is desirable in order to
ensure optimum operation of the device.
Since various modifications can be made in my
invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently
widely different embodiments of same made within the
spirit and scope of the claims without departing from
such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter
contained in the accompanying specification shall be in-
terpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting
sense.
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