Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02838216 2013-12-30
HARVESTING HEADER TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND METHOD
Honey
This invention is in the field of mechanical devices for transporting farm
equipment. In
particular, the invention relates to devices that are useful in transporting a
harvesting header
assembly.
Background:
For the last century, the general trend in agriculture has been the
consolidation of farmland
into larger and larger farming operations. In 1900 the average farm size in
the U.S. was
about 140 acres, which today the average size is over 400. Because of the way
in which
farmlands were originally surveyed and parceled, and the way in which land is
acquired,
large farms generally do not consist of contiguous plots of land. As a result,
in order to
manage a farm, farm equipment frequently must be moved from one site to
another using
public roadways.
For some self-propelled equipment this presents little problem. However, other
types of
farm equipment, for example combines, cannot simply be driven down the road as
the
header portion is generally too wide to be accommodate by public roadways.
Headers can
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be as much as 40 feet in width (about 12 m). The standard lane width in North
America is
about 12 feet (3.7 m). Thus, transporting a harvesting header while installed
on the
combine can be virtually impossible, as it would completely tie up traffic in
both directions
on most single lane roads, the routes typically available from field to field.
As a result, the header on a combine generally has to be removed from the
combine, loaded
onto a trailer lengthwise so that it can be safely transported to the next
field where
combining operations are to take place. A variety of prior art solutions have
generally
taken the obvious approach of removing the header and placing lengthwise on a
trailer, the
header and trailer being narrow enough to fit safely within a single lane of a
roadway.
For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,333,904 (Kuhns) discloses a trailer with
supporting
brackets onto which a harvesting header can be loaded and secured. The header
is placed
such that it is aligned longitudinally with the trailer, thereby allowing the
header to be
safely transported on public roadways. The fact that the header is placed onto
the trailer
means that this system cannot conveniently be manipulated by a single
operator. Further,
the use of brackets as support members means that the system is not readily
adaptable to a
variety of harvesting header configurations.
Later approaches to the problem include those such as are disclosed in U.S.
Patent No.
6,047,989 (Wood). That invention includes adjustable header support units that
are
configured to be more readily adapted to various header units. The solution,
however,
simply adds a plurality of mounting points for the supporting brackets, such
that the user
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can select a particular bracket mount point to more or less align with the
desired
engagement point on the header. Given its size, the system is still not
particularly amenable
to use by a single operator, and stills retains defined attachment points,
which may or may
not perfectly align with sites on the header to which one might wish to secure
the header
to the trailer.
Others have provided trailers that allow the header to be rotated around the
longitudinal
axis in order to save space and make it easier to effect repairs. For example,
U.S. Patent
No. 6,428,047 (Ka.derabek) discloses a trailer that allows the header to be
placed on the
trailer and then pivotally rotated in order to either provide access to the
underside of the
header, or to save space for storage of the header in the off-season. A
variation of this
same theme is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0189382 (Nubel et
al.). Still
others have disclosed a trailer with a steerable wheel system on which headers
can be
transported, as is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0052289 (Frey
et al.).
These prior art devices all suffer from similar limitations. For example, by
using a fixed
size trailer, a system may not be easily adapted for headers of difference
sizes. More
importantly, each of these prior art system are effectively a large trailer
that is difficult for
a single operator to manipulate. Generally, using prior art equipment requires
two or three
people in order to situate the trailer and move the header from the combine to
the trailer.
Thus what is needed is a harvesting header transport system and accompanying
method of
use that simplifies the movement of a harvesting header from one site to
another, and is
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compatible with typically public roadways that are used to transport farm
equipment from
site to site. In addition, what is further needed is a system and method that
can be used by
a single worker.
Summary of the Invention:
The following discussion provides many example embodiments of the inventive
subject
matter. Although each embodiment represents a single combination of inventive
elements,
the inventive subject matter is considered to include all possible
combinations of the
disclosed elements. Thus if one embodiment comprises elements A, B, and C, and
a second
embodiment comprises elements B and D, then the inventive subject matter is
also
considered to include other remaining combinations of A, B, C, or D, even if
not explicitly
disclosed.
As used herein, and unless the context dictates otherwise, the term "coupled
to" is intended
to include both direct coupling (in which two elements that are coupled to
each other
contact each other) and indirect coupling (in which at least one additional
element is located
between the two elements). Therefore, the terms "coupled to" and "coupled
with" are used
synonymously.
Unless the context dictates the contrary, all ranges set forth herein should
be interpreted as
being inclusive of their endpoints and open-ended ranges should be interpreted
to include
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only commercially practical values. Similarly, all lists of values should be
considered as
inclusive of intermediate values unless the context indicates the contrary.
The present invention comprises front and rear carriers that can be attached
to the bottom
plane the combine header. When secured in place, these front and were carriers
cooperatively can bear the weight of the header during transport. The front
carrier is
designed to include a steerable wheel assembly to make trailing the carriers
and header
behind a towing vehicle easier. The rear carrier includes and extendable strap
system
connected to a winch. The straps can be secured to the structure of the header
and once in
place the winch can be operated to attract the straps lifting the rear carrier
into place
underneath the header. The front carrier includes a header support structure
that connects
the front end of the header to the front carrier wheel assembly thus
supporting the other
end of the header.
The invention also provides a method of installing and securing the front and
rear carrier
support systems to the header, and then once in place connecting the combined
components
to a towing vehicle for transport of the header to a desired location. The
wheel assemblies
are designed such that the wheels will be oriented substantially parallel to
the longitudinal
axis of the header so that the header can be easily told lengthwise down a
standard roadway.
Thus, the present invention provides a system for road transport of a
harvesting header,
said header including a front end proximate to and representing the front of
the header
when oriented for towing in transport mode and a back end at the opposing end
of the
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header from the front end, the system comprising: a front carrier support
connected to the
bottom plane of the header at or near the front end of the header; a front
carrier
comprising a steerable front wheel assembly with a towing member and hitch
attached
thereto, said front carrier adapted to attachably engage the front header
support to attach
.. the front carrier to the header; a rear carrier comprising: a rear carrier
frame which can be
attached to the bottom plane of the header in a rear carrier support zone by
header
connectors thereon; at least one rear wheel assembly attached to the rear
carrier frame
such that the at least one rear wheel assembly is oriented in the direction of
transport of
the header when the rear carrier frame is attached to the rear carrier support
zone; more
than one extendable header strap attached thereto, each header strap having a
header hook
on the distal end thereof which can be connected to the header in the rear
carrier support
zone wherein when the rear carrier is placed on the ground beneath the header
in a raised
position and the extended header straps are secured to the header using their
header
hooks, by retracting those header straps from their extended positions the
rear carrier is
lifted into position in the rear carrier support zone on the bottom plane of
the header,
where the rear carrier can be connected to the header by the header
connectors; and
wherein the front carrier can be attached to the header by placement of the
front carrier
on the ground below the header with the rear carrier attached thereto, in
alignment with
the front carrier support, and the header is lowered to align and attach the
front carrier to
the front carrier support; wherein upon attachment of the header to the front
carrier and
rear carrier, the combined unit is trailable behind a power unit hitched
thereto.
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In some embodiments, the header straps are connected to a winch on the rear
carrier
frame, whereby operation of the winch will result in the extension or
retraction of the
header straps.
In some embodiments, the front header support comprises a plurality of members
adapted
to be telescoped within one another, and locking means to restrict movement of
said
members once the header support has a desired length.
In some embodiments, the rear carrier frame further comprises strap guides,
the strap
guides configured to bear a portion of the tension applied to the header
straps when the
winch is operated.
In some embodiments, the winch further comprises a motor, said motor effective
to
power the extension or retraction of the header straps. In some embodiments,
the straps
further comprise means to reversibly secure the strap to the header. In some
embodiments, the means to reversibly secure the header strap to the header
comprise at
least one of a hook, and a snap.
The present invention further provides a method of -transporting a harvesting
header, said
header including a front end proximate to and representing the front of the
header when
oriented for towing in transport mode and a back end at the opposing end of
the header
from the front end, the method comprising: providing a header to be
transported, wherein
the header is elevated above the ground surface, said header including a front
carrier
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support connected to the bottom plane of the header at or near the front end,
wherein the
bottom plane of the header at or near the back end thereof comprises a rear
carrier
support zone; positioning a rear carrier on the ground beneath the rear
carrier support
zone of the header, said rear carrier comprising: a rear carrier frame which
can be
attached to the bottom plane of the header in the rear carrier support zone by
header
connectors thereon; at least one rear wheel assembly attached to the rear
carrier frame
such that the at least one rear wheel assembly is oriented in the direction of
transport of
the header when the rear carrier frame is attached to the rear carrier support
zone; more
than one extendable header strap attached thereto, each header strap having a
header hook
on the distal end thereof which can be connected to the header in the rear
carrier support
zone; extending the extendable header straps so that the extended header
straps can reach
attachment points on the header beneath the rear carrier support zone where
the header
hooks are attached; retracting the header straps, lifting the rear carrier
into position in the
rear carrier support zone on the bottom plane of the header, where the rear
carrier can be
.. connected to the header by the header connectors; placing a front cattier
on the ground
below the front end of the header, in alignment with the front carrier
support, said front
carrier comprising a steerable front wheel assembly with a towing member and
hitch
attached thereto, and adapted to attachably engage the front header support to
attach the
front carrier to the header; lowering the header to align and attach the front
carrier to the
front carrier support; wherein upon attachment of the header to the front
carrier and rear
carrier, the combined unit is trailable behind a power unit hitched thereto.
9
In some embodiments of the method, the front carrier support further comprises
a
plurality of members adapted to be telescoped within one another, and locking
means to
restrict movement of said members once the front carrier support has been
telescoped to a
desired length.
In some embodiments of the method, the header is secured to the front carrier
before the
rear carrier. In some embodiments of the method, the header is secured to the
rear carrier
before the front carrier.
In some embodiments of the method, the rear carrier further comprises a winch
on the
rear carrier frame, attached to the header straps, whereby operation of the
winch will
result in the extension or retraction of the header straps.
In some embodiments of the method, once the front and rear carriers are
secured to the
header, the header is lowered until substantially all the weight of the header
is borne by
the front and rear carriers acting cooperatively. In some embodiments, the
method
further comprises disconnecting the header from the combine once substantially
all the
weight of the header is borne by the front and rear carriers.
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In some embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a system for
road transport
of a harvesting header, said header including a front end representing the
front of the header
when oriented for towing in transport mode and a back end at the opposing end
of the header
from the front end, the system comprising: the header; a front header support
connected to the
bottom plane of the header at or near the front end of the header; a front
carrier comprising a
steerable front wheel assembly with a towing member and hitch attached
thereto, said front
carrier adapted to attachably engage the front header support to attach the
front carrier to the
header; and a rear carrier. The rear carries comprises: a rear carrier frame
which can be
attached to the bottom plane of the header in a rear carrier support zone by
header connectors
thereon; at least one rear wheel assembly attached to the rear carrier frame
such that the at
least one rear wheel assembly is oriented in the direction of transport of the
header when the
rear carrier frame is attached to the rear carrier support zone; more than one
extendable header
strap attached thereto, each header strap having a header strap connector
configured to
reversibly secure the header strap to the header on the distal end thereof
which can be
.. connected to the header in the rear carrier support zone; and a retractor
device coupled to the
header straps and operable to substantially simultaneously shorten respective
effective lengths
of each of the header straps when the rear carrier is placed on the ground
beneath the header in
a raised position and the extended header straps are secured to the header in
spaced apart
relation using their respective header strap connectors, by retracting those
header straps from
their extended positions to cause the rear carrier to be lifted into position
in the rear carrier
support zone on the bottom plane of the header, where the rear carrier can be
connected to the
header by the header connectors. The front carrier can be attached to the
header by placement
of the front carrier on the ground below the header with the rear carrier
attached thereto, in
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alignment with the front header support, and the header is lowered to align
and attach the front
carrier to the front header support. Upon attachment of the header to the
front carrier and rear
carrier, the combined unit is trailable behind a power unit hitched thereto.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus
comprising: a
harvesting header; a harvesting header carrier; and a position adjustment
mechanism operable
to lift the harvesting header carrier off a support surface into engagement
with the harvesting
header. The position adjustment mechanism comprises: a plurality of flexible
elongate
supports, each of the flexible elongate supports connected to the harvesting
header at spaced
apart positions and connected to the harvesting header carrier; a retractor
device coupled to the
plurality of flexible elongate supports and operable to substantially
simultaneously retract each
of the flexible elongate supports to shorten effective lengths of each of the
flexible elongate
supports and cause the harvesting header carrier to be lifted towards and into
secured
engagement with the harvesting header.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus
comprising: a
.. plurality of flexible elongate supports; respective header connectors and
carrier connectors
coupled to each of the plurality of flexible elongate supports, said header
connectors operable
to connect to a harvesting header at spaced apart positions and said carrier
connectors operable
to connect to a harvesting header carrier to link the harvesting header and
the harvesting
header carrier; and a retractor device coupled to the plurality of flexible
elongate supports and
operable to substantially simultaneously retract each of the plurality of
flexible elongate
supports when said header connectors and said carrier connectors are connected
to the
harvesting header and the harvesting header carrier respectively to shorten
respective effective
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lengths of the flexible elongate supports and cause the harvesting header
carrier to be lifted off
of a support surface towards the harvesting header to engage with the
harvesting header.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus
for supporting a
harvesting header for transportation, the apparatus comprising: a first
harvesting header carrier
.. operable to support the harvesting header at a first location, said first
harvesting header carrier
including at least one harvesting header connector operable to removably
connect to the
harvesting header; a second harvesting header carrier operable to support the
harvesting
header at a second location spaced apart from the first location, said second
harvesting header
carrier including at least one harvesting header connector operable to
removably connect to
the harvesting header; and a carrier connector operable to removably
interconnect the first
harvesting header carrier and the second harvesting header carrier when the
first and second
harvesting header carriers are not connected to the harvesting header. The
apparatus is
configurable between a first operational mode and a second operational mode
and wherein: in
the first operational mode, the first and second harvesting header carriers
are spaced apart and
the harvesting header connectors of the first and second harvesting header
carriers are both
releasably connected to and support the harvesting header for transport with
the harvesting
header being un-supported beneath said harvesting header by any other
component between
the first and second harvesting header carriers; and in the second operational
mode, the
harvesting header connectors of the first and second harvesting header
carriers are
.. disconnected from the harvesting header and the carrier connector
interconnects the first
harvesting header carrier to the second harvesting header carrier such that
the first and second
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harvesting header carriers are directly interconnected and operable to be
transported without
the harvesting header.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of
preparing a
harvesting header for transport by a harvesting header carrier, the harvesting
header being
initially supported above the harvesting header carrier. The method comprises:
linking the
harvesting header and the harvesting header carrier via at least one tension
link and at least
one retractor coupled to the at least one tension link; and causing the at
least one retractor to
retract the at least one tension link to shorten the at least one tension link
and cause the
harvesting header carrier to be lifted towards and engage with the harvesting
header.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of
transporting a
harvesting header, said header including a front end proximate to and
representing the front of
the header when oriented for towing in transport mode and a back end at the
opposing end of
the header from the front end. The method comprises: providing the header to
be transported,
wherein the header is elevated above the ground surface, said header including
a front carrier
support connected to the bottom plane of the header at or near the front end,
wherein the
bottom plane of the header at or near the back end thereof comprises a rear
carrier support
zone; and positioning a rear carrier on the ground beneath the rear carrier
support zone of the
header. The rear carrier comprises: a rear carrier frame which can be attached
to the bottom
plane of the header in the rear carrier support zone by header connectors
thereon; at least one
.. rear wheel assembly attached to the rear carrier frame such that the at
least one rear wheel
assembly is oriented in the direction of transport of the header when the rear
carrier frame is
attached to the rear carrier support zone; more than one extendable header
strap attached
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thereto, each header strap having a header strap fastener on the distal end
thereof which can be
connected to the header in the rear carrier support zone. The method further
comprises:
extending the extendable header straps so that the extended header straps can
reach attachment
points on the header beneath the rear carrier support zone where the header
strap fasteners are
attached; retracting the header straps, lifting the rear carrier into position
in the rear carrier
support zone on the bottom plane of the header, where the rear carrier can be
connected to the
header by the header connectors; placing a front carrier on the ground below
the front end of
the header, in alignment with the front carrier support, said front carrier
comprising a
steerable front wheel assembly with a towing member and hitch attached
thereto, and adapted
to attachably engage the front header support to attach the front carrier to
the header; and
lowering the header to align and attach the front carrier to the front carrier
support; wherein
upon attachment of the header to the front carrier and rear carrier, the
combined unit is
trail able behind a power unit hitched thereto.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus
comprising: a
harvesting header; a harvesting header carrier; and a position adjustment
mechanism operable
to lift the harvesting header carrier off a support surface into engagement
with the harvesting
header. The position adjustment mechanism comprises: at least one flexible
elongate support,
the at least flexible elongate support connected to the harvesting header and
connected to the
harvesting header carrier; and a retractor device coupled to the flexible
elongate support and
operable to retract the flexible elongate support to shorten an effective
length of the flexible
elongate support and cause the harvesting header carrier to be lifted towards
and into
engagement with the harvesting header.
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In some embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus
for supporting a
harvesting header for transportation, the apparatus comprising: a first
harvesting header carrier
operable to support the harvesting header at a first location, said first
harvesting header carrier
including at least one harvesting header connector operable to removably
connect to the
harvesting header; a second harvesting header carrier operable to support the
harvesting
header at a second location spaced apart from the first location, said second
harvesting header
carrier including at least one harvesting header connector operable to
removably connect to
the harvesting header; a carrier connector operable to removably connect the
first harvesting
carrier connector to the second harvesting header carrier when the first and
second harvesting
header carriers are not connected to the harvesting header; and wherein the
apparatus is
configurable between a first operational mode and a second operational mode.
In the first
operational mode, the first and second harvesting header carriers are spaced
apart and the
harvesting header connectors of the first and second harvesting header
carriers are
disconnected from each other and both the first and second harvesting header
carriers are
connected to and support the harvesting header for transport. In the second
operational mode,
the harvesting header connectors of the first and second harvesting header
carriers are
disconnected from the harvesting header and the carrier connector connected
the first
harvesting header carrier to the second harvesting header carrier such that
the first and second
harvesting header carriers are directly interconnected and operable to be
transported without
the harvesting header.
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Brief Description of the Drawings:
While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions hereof, preferred
embodiments are
provided in the accompanying detailed description which may be best understood
in
conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the
several diagrams
are labeled with like numerals, and where:
Fig. 1A are side views of embodiments of the present invention.
Fig. 2A is a perspective view of an embodiment of the front carrier part of
the present
invention.
Fig. 2B is a perspective view of an embodiment of a front carrier and front
header
attachment with the header attachment secured to the header, and the front
carrier
ready to be secured to the header attachment.
Fig. 2C is a perspective view of an embodiment of a front carrier of the
present
invention secured to a combiner header via the front header attachment.
Fig. 3A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a rear carrier of the
present
invention.
Fig. 3B is a perspective view of an embodiment of a rear carrier of the
present
invention secured to the combine header with straps and ready to be winched
into
position.
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Fig. 3C is a perspective view of an embodiment of a rear carrier of the
present
invention secured to the combine header and winched into position.
Detailed Description of the Invention:
Prior art transport systems for harvesting headers have several limitations.
In some
instances the systems require several people in order to position and load the
header onto
to trailer or other transport means. Still other systems are not readily
adaptable to headers
of different sizes. The present invention solves a number of these issues and
provides a
substantially universally adaptable transport system for harvesting headers
and other
difficult to transport farm equipment. Significantly, a single user can
effectively employ
the present invention.
In the present invention, the term "end" as it relates to the harvesting
header is taken to
refer to any position between the center of balance of and the physical end of
the header.
The term therefore should not be taken to strictly mean the absolute end of
the harvesting
header. As a result, when referring below to placement of the front and rear
carriers with
respect to an "end" of the harvesting header, what is meant is that the front
carrier can be
positioned at some location away from the center of balance toward, and
including a
physical end of the harvesting header, and the rear carrier will be positioned
at some
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location on the other side of the center of balance and toward or at the
opposite physical
end of the harvesting header.
The invention comprises in some embodiments a front carrier 100 and rear
carrier 200 that
are configured to accept a harvesting header 300 for transport, as depicted in
Figs. 1A and
1B. As shown, the harvesting header is supported by the front and rear
carriers in such a
way that the header can be transported lengthwise along a standard roadway.
Referring to
the remaining figures, additional detail regarding the construction and
operation of the
invention will become apparent.
Fig. 2A depicts an embodiment of the front carrier of the invention. In one
aspect of the
present invention, the front carrier comprises a towing member 110 a front
carrier wheel
assembly 120 and a hitching means 112 that permits the towing member to be
connected
to a vehicle used for transporting a harvesting header. The front carrier
wheel assembly
comprises wheels 121 connected to each other by an axle 122. In a preferred
embodiment,
the front carrier wheel assembly comprises two wheels, although additional
wheels can be
include in the assembly if desired to more effectively support or distribute
the weight of
the harvesting header supported by the front carrier. Wheels suitable for use
with the
invention will be obvious to those of skill in the art, and generally typical
pneumatic tires
.. can be used. In addition, the front wheel assembly is configured such that
the front wheel
assembly portion can be steerable, those simplifying towing and maneuvering of
the
combine header once it is secured to the support system as described by the
present
invention.
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The wheels and axle assembly are connected to the towing member via an axle
mount 124.
In some embodiments the axle mount may be attached directly to the towing
member. In
other embodiments, as shown in Fig. 2A, the axle mount can be attached to a
towing
member receiver 116 by a portion of the header support mount 123. In other
embodiments,
the axle can be attached directly to the towing member receiver. The towing
member
receiver can be configured to be reversibly attachable to the towing member.
Providing a
separate towing member receiver component permits the towing member to be
removed
from the wheel assembly, such as might be desired for storage thus minimizing
the space
required to store the various components of the present invention.
Where a towing member receiver is provided it can be secured to the towing
member by a
fastener 126. Suitable fasteners can include nut and bolt combinations,
locking pins, and
other like components.
The front carrier also comprises a structure designed to support one end of a
harvesting
header. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 2A and 2B, the carrier includes
a header
support mount 123. The header support mount is connected to the towing member,
in some
cases, by attaching to the towing member receiver. For improved strength and
rigidity, the
header support mount can also be attached to the axle mount 124. The header
support
mount further includes a front connector 125 that is designed to receive an
end of a header
support member 127. In some embodiments, the front connector can be a typical
ball hitch.
One end of the header support member is designed to be attachable to a portion
of the
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harvesting header, typically a part of the header frame superstructure, via a
front header
attachment 129. The front carrier and associated support structures are
generally designed
to be attached to the bottom plane of the header, at or near the front end of
the header,
although in some embodiments it may be desirable to support the front end of
the header
by other means.
In some cases the front header support can comprise a plurality of members
that are adapted
to be telescoped within one another. In addition a telescoping front header
support can
further include locking means to restrict the movement of the telescoping
members once
the header support has been extended or retracted to a desired length. The
front and/or rear
carrier assemblies as described herein may further include shock absorbing
means in order
to isolate the combine header from vibration experienced during transport.
The front header attachment can comprise any kind of removable means of
securing
components, including nut and bolt combinations, locking pins, or a post onto
which an
end of the header support member can be inserted. Where a post is used, it may
also include
a locking pin or like arrangement to prevent the header support member from
sliding off
the pinion during transport. Where a post is used, the components can be
designed such
that the header support member inserts into an appropriately sized hollow
post, or vice
versa.
The opposite end of the header support member is designed to engage the front
connector.
In some embodiments, the end of the header support member that engages the
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CA 02838216 2013-12-30
connector can simply be a tube with an inside opening large enough to accept
the connector,
for example a ball hitch of a known diameter. In addition, and as shown in
Figs. 2B and
2C, the header support member can comprise a upper member 1230 that attaches
to the
harvesting header, and which slidably engages a lower member 1232 which
includes the
portion that engages the front connector.
In use, this allows the header support member to be attached to the harvesting
header, and
then the lower portion extended into position to engage the front connecter.
Then, when
the harvesting header is ready to be lower, the upper and lower member simply
slide
relative to each other to effectively shorten the length of the header support
member. The
lower member can further include a flange 1234 that provides a stop that
prevents further
shortening of the header support member past a certain pre-determined length.
Figs. 2B
and 2C depict the header support member in the retracted and extended
configurations,
respectively. As can be easily appreciated with reference to Fig. 2C, as the
combined
header is lowered, the upper member will slide over the lower member until the
upper
member reaches the flange, at which no further shortening will occur, and a
portion of the
weight of the harvesting header will be supported by the front carrier.
For improved security when transporting the harvesting header, a safety 126
can be
included to insure that the header support member does not inadvertently
disengage from
= the header support member mount during transport. Such safety devices
include chains,
locking pins, or nut and bolt arrangements well known in the art.
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CA 02838216 2013-12-30
The invention further comprises a rear carrier 200 that in cooperation with
the front carrier
is designed to support a harvesting header during transport and/or storage. In
a preferred
embodiment, depicted in Fig. 3A, the rear carrier comprises a frame 210 that
serves as a
support for components adapted to receive the harvesting header, and at least
one rear
wheel assembly 220 that is attached to the rear carrier. Attachment of the
rear carrier frame
is preferably to the bottom plane of the header within a region termed the
rear carrier
support zone.
Analogous to the front carrier, the wheel assembly comprises wheels 221
connected by an
axle 222. In a preferred embodiment, the rear carrier wheel assembly comprises
two
wheels, however, as discussed above for the front carrier, more than two
wheels may be
desired in order to support heavier loads or to distribute the load being
carried. For
example, in some embodiments it is conceivable that the present invention
could be
designed to carry more than one harvesting header, with a second header
"stacked" onto
the first. In these cases, a more robust wheel assembly on both the front and
rear carrier
assemblies might be required. The wheels on the rear wheel assembly will
preferably
already be oriented in the desired direction of transport when the rear
carrier frame is
attached to the rear carrier.
The rear carrier further includes a first support member 212 and second
support member
213 connected to the frame, and which are configured to cooperate to support
an end of the
harvesting header, opposite to that supported by the front carrier. The
support members
are situated generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rear
carrier, although
17
other configurations and placements than those shown in Fig. 3B can be
employed without
departing from the scope of the invention. The number and location of support
members
will be obvious to those of skill in the art.
The rear carrier further comprises a winch and an extendable header strap
system designed
to engage and secure the harvesting header to the rear carrier. As shown in
the
accompanying Figs. 3A-3C, in one embodiment a winch 230 is situated on one
side of the
frame. The winch can be manually operated, in which case it will include a
handle 231 to
allow a user to operate the winch mechanism. The winch can also include
typical features
such as a lock, which locks the winch in a position, and a release in order to
disengage the
lock. In some embodiments it may be desirable to provide a motorized winch
rather than
one that is operated manually. In such cases, the winch will include some form
of power
supply, for example, a battery as in the case of an electric motor, or some
means of
connecting the motor to an external power supply.
The drive mechanism of the winch is connected to a winch axle 235, which
passes through
and is supported by members of the frame. The winch axle engages the proximal
end of
one or more straps 241, 242, the straps designed to reversibly connect the
harvesting header
to the rear carrier. As can be appreciated, the winch can be operated to
permit the
extension or retraction of the header straps depending on whether the user is
securing or
removing the rear carrier from the header.
18
CA 2838216 2019-10-17
CA 02838216 2013-12-30
In the depicted embodiment, four straps are provided, two front straps 241 and
two rear
straps 242. In the depicted embodiment shown in Figs. 3A-3C, the straps extend
from the
winch axle and are fed through guides provided in the frame. As shown, the two
front
straps can be configured to pass through respective front strap guides 243,
while the two
rear straps can be configured to be fed through corresponding rear strap
guides 244. The
distal ends of each strap can then be pulled upwards where they can engage a
location on
the harvesting header via strap fasteners 245 located substantially at the end
of each strap.
In some embodiments, the strap guides may simply provide a smooth surface for
straps to
glide over. The strap guide will also be operative to bear a portion of the
tension applied
to the header straps when the winch mechanism is operated. In some other
embodiments,
it may be desirable to provide a roller mechanism over which the strap runs,
the roller
mechanism substantially reducing friction between the strap and its guide, and
thereby
reducing wear and tear on straps.
Generally, the header straps will further comprise means to allow them to be
reversibly
secured to the header structure. In some cases the means to reversibly secure
the headers
to the header will comprise at least one of a hook, and a snap, or other
analogous structures.
Strap fasteners can comprise any of a number of structures, including open
hooks that
engage a portion of the harvesting header superstructure. The precise nature
of the means
of fastening a strap to the harvesting header is not considered limiting to
the scope of the
invention located at the distal end of each strap.
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CA 02838216 2013-12-30
For example, the distal end of the strap may include a hook or eye designed to
engage a
complimentary structure located some distance away from the distal end of the
strap. In
this configuration one will appreciate that to secure the strap to the header,
the end of the
strap can be passed through some portion of the header structure and then
looped back on
itself to secure the end back to the strap. In some embodiments, the header
strap hook
might engage a complementary structure on the header without requiring any
portion of
the strap to directly engage or otherwise wrap around a portion of the header
structure.
The rear carrier also includes a stand 260 attached to the frame. In some
embodiments the
stand is designed to be movable. Thus, when the rear carrier is being
positioned, or when
being stored, the stand maintains the rear carrier substantially level to the
surface it is sitting
on. This improves the ease of use of the rear carrier in terms of positioning
it with respect
to the harvesting header. It also keeps components of the frame off the ground
thereby
preventing inadvertent damage to the front of the rear carrier frame
structure.
Conveniently, the stand can be pivotally mounted such that when not in used it
can be
rotated and secured out of the way. The stand can further include means of
securing it in
a desired position, such as through the use of a locking pin to engage the
stand member
with respect to a mount that connects the stand to the frame. In essence, the
operation of
the stand is analogous to that of a kickstand and so those of skill will
readily appreciate
how the stand operates and the various configurations that are useable in
conjunction with
the present invention.
CA 02838216 2013-12-30
The apparatus of the present invention as described herein provides additional
advantages
in a method of securing and transporting a harvesting header that improves
significantly
upon prior art solutions to this problem. A fundamental limitation in prior
art apparatus is
the need to have multiple people involved in the traileting of the harvesting
header. This
is obviated by the present invention.
In one aspect, the front carrier will be positioned between the center of
balance and one
end of the harvesting header to be transported, under the bottom plane of the
header. The
relatively small size of the front carrier makes it easily amenable to moving
by one person.
Once in the desired position, a user can then attach the front carrier to the
header via the
header support member 127. As discussed above, one end of the header support
member
engages a header support member mount 123 on the frame of the front carrier,
while the
opposite end engages a portion of the harvesting header superstructure. The
header support
member is designed to be able to pivot about the front connector.
As discussed in some embodiments the front connector comprises a ball hitch
and the
header support member is designed to be able to engage and pivotally rotate
laterally about
the hitch such that the front carrier can more accurately track the vehicle
towing the
harvesting header. The end of the header support member that engages the
harvesting
header can be attached in any number of ways including clamping to the
superstructure,
bolting to holes in the harvesting header framing that are designed to accept
the header
support member, and other similar attachments.
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CA 02838216 2013-12-30
In some cases it may be desirable to design the system such that the mounting
point on the
harvesting header is pivotally attached to the header support allowing that
end of the
member to rotate laterally. In either case, in preferred embodiments at least
one end of the
header support member will be pivotally connected to its respective mounting
point in
order to permit the lateral rotation of the front carrier relative to the
longitudinal axis of the
harvesting header during positioning of the front carrier and/or towing of the
header.
The rear carrier provides a completely novel method of connecting a transport
system to a
harvesting header. In prior art transport systems, the harvesting header is
lowered onto a
trailer, secured, and then disengaged from the rest of the combine vehicle. In
the present
case, the inventors have developed the concept of connecting the rear carrier
to the combine
and then raising the rear carrier into position, and finally securing the
harvesting header so
that it is ready for transport.
Therefore, in accordance with an embodiment of a method of transporting a
harvesting
header, the rear carrier is first positioned at a point under the bottom plane
of the harvesting
header between the center of balance towards an end of the harvesting header
opposite to
that where the user intends to (or already has) positioned the front carrier.
At this stage the
harvesting header is attached to the combine and positioned in an elevated
position so that
the user can easily place the rear carrier under the header.
Releasing the locking mechanism on the winch, the user is able to fully unwind
and/or
extend the straps from the winch axle and if there are not already so
positioned, to pass
22
CA 02838216 2013-12-30
each strap through its appropriate strap guide in cases where the apparatus
includes one or
more strap guides. Each strap will then be attached to a location on the
harvesting header
as described above, and as depicted in Fig. 3B. Once each strap is in place,
the user will
operate the winch to roll the straps back onto the winch axle, thus retracting
the straps.
.. Operating the winch can be performed manually using a winch handle as
depicted in the
accompanying drawings, or via activation of a motorized winch in embodiment
employing
that type of a winch drive mechanisms.
Winding the straps onto the axle will eventually take the slack out of the
straps and when
sufficient tensions is created, the rear carrier will be lifted off the ground
and upwards
towards the harvesting header where it will eventually be secured the rear
carrier support
zone. The strap guides operate to transmit the tension applied on the straps
into an
upwardly acting bias force sufficient to lift the rear carrier into position,
as shown in Fig.
3C.
The winch will be operated until the user determines that the rear carrier is
positioned
securely under the harvesting header and in the desired position within the
rear carrier
support zone. Once that is achieved the winch can be placed in the locked
position in order
to maintain the tension on the straps. Once satisfied the rear and front
carriers are properly
.. secured (as can appreciated by reference to Figs. 2C and 3C, the user can
then lower the
harvesting header towards the ground such that the wheels of the rear carrier
are now on
the ground supporting a portion of the weight of the header, with the
remainder of the load
being supported by the front carrier, as shown in Fig. 1A. In addition to
being able to
23
CA 02838216 2013-12-30
conveniently transport a combine header as shown in Fig. 1A, the invention can
be adapted
to secure and transport other bulky loads 301 as shown in Fig. 1B.
In some embodiments of the method, the user can position and install the rear
carrier
support as described above, and then once the rear carrier support is in
position, then
connect the front header support, and then lower the header to align and
attach the front
carrier to the front carrier support. It will be apparent to those of skill in
the art that the
precise order in which the front and rear carrier supports are secured to the
header are not
limiting to the scope and practice of the invention. In some cases, a user may
decide to
first secure the front carrier support and then the rear, or vice versa_ In
either case, once
the front and rear carrier supports have been secured to the header and the
header lowered
such that the entire weight of the header is borne by the front and rear
carriers acting
cooperatively, the header can then be safely disconnected from the combine.
Depending on the preferences of the user, in some cases it may be desired to
secure the
rear carrier in place, then attach the header support member at a location
towards the other
end of the carrier, and then secure the front carrier to the header support
member prior to
lowering the harvesting header. In other cases, it might be desired to secure
the rear carrier
in position, then lower the harvesting header part way to the ground, and then
position the
front carrier under the header support member, and then lower the header the
remaining
distance to engage the header support member to the front connector mount on
the front
carrier. As can be seen the specific steps can be performed in various orders
and achieve
the same result of securing the harvesting header to the front and rear
carriers of the present
24
CA 02838216 2013-12-30
invention. The preferred order of executing these steps will be one of
personal preference
of the user.
Finally, once the front and rear carriers are positioned and secured, and the
harvesting
header is lowered such that the weight of the header is supported on the
carrier system, the
header can then be disconnected from the combine. At this stage the harvesting
header is
ready for transport and can simply be towed away after connecting the front
carrier to a
hitch or other like connecting on the vehicle to be used to tow the header.
Upon moving
the header to the desired site, the steps by which the header was secured to
the front and
rear carrier are simply reversed. In some cases, the harvesting header may be
left mounted
on the carrier system as may be desired for storage after the growing season
is over.
Thus, it is clear that the described embodiments provide an improved device
and method
of transporting a harvesting header. In addition, it will be apparent to those
of skill in the
.. art that by routine modification the present invention can be optimized for
use in a wide
range of conditions and applications, and with various models of farm
equipment. It will
also be obvious to those of skill in the art that there are various ways and
designs with
which to produce the apparatus and methods of the present invention. The
illustrated
embodiments are therefore not intended to limit the scope of the invention,
but to provide
examples of the apparatus and method to enable those of skill in the art to
appreciate the
inventive concept.
CA 02838216 2013-12-30
Those skilled in the art will recognize that many more modifications besides
those already
described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein.
The inventive
subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the scope of the
appended claims.
Moreover, in interpreting both the specification and the claims, all terms
should be
interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In
particular, the
terms "comprises" and "comprising" should be interpreted as referring to
elements,
components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced
elements,
components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other
elements,
components, or steps that arc not expressly referenced.
26
