Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
I
PICKUP ROLLER SPREADER
In general, belt-type grain pickups have been
known and used for many years. In general, such
pickups consist of a pair of spaced apart rollers
5 rotatable mounted and driven in end frames over which
one or more belts pass to pick up the grain. For
most efficient use, these rollers are one span
which span the distance between the two end frames
and are typically formed of hollow tubing. One
10 problem which has resulted from such pickups is that
in the event the pickup and combine hit a rock, this
long unsupported span is susceptible to bending. If
one or both rollers are bent, a substantial amount
of down time is involved during the season on which the
15 farmer ideally wishes to utilize his equipment keynote-
' nuzzle. One solution to this problem has been to form
the rollers out of larger diameter or thicker walled
material. In addition to the obvious cost and weight
implications of such an attempted solution, in
,,
.
2 Sue
particular providing a larger diameter roller
yields a less effective pickup as the increased
diameter places the top half of the belt higher
above the ground and thus makes it somewhat more
5 difficult for the pickup to gather the windowed
grain,
In general, the pickup consists of two end
frames having rollers rotatable mounted between
the end frames. In addition, at least a pair of
10 cross members span and connect the distance
between the two end frames. In the instant
invention, at least a pair of rollers is mounted on
each cross member at approximately mid-span. Of
course, if desired, more sets of rollers and support-
15 in points may be supplied. These rollers arerollingly mounted so as to rollingly contact the
back side of the belt rollers. A mechanism is
supplied to springingly force the cross members away
from one another adjacent the support roller assembly
20 so as to force the support rollers into contact with
the belt rollers thereby providing support in the
event of inadvertent contact with rocks or other
,
foreign objects. This tensioning may be accom-
polished by means of two links which connect the
cross members adjacent the support rollers and
which have a -total combined length somewhat greater
5 than the distance between the cross members. The
juncture of these two links then runs parallel to
the cross members outwardly whereupon it is mounted
to the end frame. Ideally this mounting includes a
spring which biases the linkage to provide the
lo desired amount of prowled in which the spring pro-
load may be adjusted as desired.
These and other objects and advantages of the
invention will appear more fully from the following
description made in conjunction with the accompanying
15 drawings wherein like reference characters refer to
the same or similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring to the accompanying drawing:
Figure l is a perspective view showing the pickup
of the instant invention mounted to the
front of a combine.
Figure 2 is a perspective cutaway view showing
the spreader attachment of the instant
invention.
Figure is a sectional view taken along line
3-3 of Figure l.
Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line
4-4 of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a detailed view showing the spring
loading mechanism for the tensioning
device of the instant invention.
The pickup utilizing the instant invention is
generally designated 10 and is mounted to the front
end of a combine 12. In particular, pickup 10 is
10 comprised of two channel-shaped end frames 14 having
a center web aye as shown particularly in Figure 2.
A pair of cross members 16 runs from one end frame
14 to the other. Each cross member 16 is generally
of a right angle shape and is comprised of a horn-
15 zontal portion 18 and a vertical portion 20. Pair of belt rollers 22 is rotatable mounted in
end frames 14.
A support roller mounting plate 24 is bolted
to the vertical portion 20 of each cross member 16
20 at approximately the mid-point of cross member 16.
Mounting plate 24 is fastened to vertical portion 20
by means of bolts 26. A pair of roller support plates
28 extends at right angles from mounting plate 24
toward belt roller 22. Plates 28 are fixed to mounting
25 plate 24 by means of welding or other conventional
methods. A pair of rollers 30 are mounted one above
, . . .
I
the other and serve to stabilize and lightly
contact the back or underside of belt rollers 22.
Support rollers 30 contact belt roller 22 on the
portion which is not contacted by belts 50. Sup-
5 port rollers are desirably formed of a material marketed under the name of Ryertex, which is an
impregnated canvas material. Support rollers
30 are mounted on roller bolts 32 which pass
through plates 28 as shown. A pair of bolts 34
10 is utilized to pivotal mount lever arms 36
to the horizontal portion 18 of cross members 16.
The other ends of lever arms 36 are connected to-
getter and to tension rod 40 by means of pin 38
intermediate cross members 18. As can be seen par-
15 titularly in Figure 3, the combined length of lever arms 36 is greater than the distance between cross
member 16. Thus, when tension rod is urged to the
right in Figure 3, cross members 16 are forced apart
and support rollers 30 are forced into belt rollers
20 22 thereby providing substantial support and guidance
for belt rollers 22. Tension rod 40 runs outwardly
parallel to cross members 16 and terminates in a
threaded portion 42 as shown in Figure 5. Threaded
portion 42 passes through end frame center web aye
25 and has placed there over in serial relationship a
Jo Jo ,` .., AL S 9
spring 48, a washer 46 and a nut 44, Thus, it can
be seen by varying the adjustment of nut 44, the
prowled tension of support rollers 30 on belt
roller 22 may be varied. Such variance can also
5 take placed by varying the strength of spring 48.
It can be noted that adjustment of the prowled
tension of support rollers 30 may be accomplished
easily and quickly from the outside of the machine
with no need for disassembly of pickup 10 of any
10 sort. It is also apparent that the invention shown
and described is capable of being easily and quickly
retrofitted to existing pickups in order to strengthen
and provide support on existing machines.
While the preferred embodiments of the present
15 invention have been described, it should be under-
stood that various changes, adaptions and modifica-
lions may be made therein without departing from the
spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended
claims.
I
