Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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I~FINITE R~EL HEIGHT A~JU~Ti~E~lT
1 BACKGROUND OF THE I~VENTION
The present invention relates generally to crop
harvesting machines and, more particularly, to an infinite
reel adjustment mechanism for use in conjunction with a
hydraulic reel lifting assembly.
Generally, crop harvesting machines include a crop
harvesting header mounted at the forward end thereof to
initiate the crop harvesting process. Headers have been
developed for utilization in different crops and/or crop
conditions. Combines, for example, utilize different crop
harvesting headers for soybeans and small grain. Normally,
the header operates to cut standing crop material, consolidate
it and then convey it rearwardly to the harvesting machine for
further harvesting treatment.
Generally, a reel is utilized on the headers to
engage standing crop material forward of the cutterbar, pull
it rearwardly over the cutterbar, which severs the crop material
from the ground, and then convey the severed crop material
rearwardly toward the harvesting machine. Often, a consolidating
means, such as an auger, is mounted in the header rearwardly
of the reel to receive the severed crop material conveyed
rearwardly by the reel and consolidate it before feeding
rearwardly toward the crop harvesting machine.
It has been found that repositioning the reel relative
to the cutterbar, in response to different types and conditions
of crop material being harvested, is important to efficient
,, harvesting. For example, efficient harvesting of soybeans
i necessitates a low positioning of the reel relative to the
cutterbar to sweep the crop over the cutterbar and minimize
crop loss; however, grain crops normally require a relatively
high reel positioning to minimize crop losses. Furthermore,
downed crops, where the crops are matted next to the ground,
I are best harvested by a reel which reaches forwardly of and
i somewhat below the cutterbar to pick up the downed crop before being severed by the cutterbar.
It is known that grain crops will vary in height above
j the ground within the same field. To provide for proper reel
placement to efficiently harvest such crops of varying sizes,
reel assemblies have been equipped with selectively variable
reel height controls to selectively vary the height of the
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1 reel relative to the cutterbar and, therefore, the ground.
One such height control mechanism can be found in U.S. Patent
No. 3,599,410 in the form of hydraulic cylinders mounted
between the header frame and the reel arms which are operable
to raise and lower the reel.
The hydraulic cylinders are operable within a limited
range having a maximum reel height and a minimum reel height
relative the cutterbar, with the hydraulic cylinder "bottoming
out" at the minimum reel height position. This limited range
is generally sufficient to enable the operator to meet the
varying con2itions found in each crop; however, since reels
are also adjustable in a fore-and~aft direc~ion, it is desirable
to have the capability of varying the position of the reel when
the hydraulic "bottoms out". In this manner, the reel could be
moved in a fore-and-aft direction and still be vertically
positioned to maintain the proper minimum reel height relative
to the cutterbar.
One method of solving this problem ~as to mount the
base of the hydraulic cylinder in a bracket having a series of
holes therein so that the operator could selectively vary,
within a small finite number, the positions at which the range
of the hydraulic cylinder would start, that is, the mounting Gf
the hydraulic cylinder would set the minimu~ reel height position
relative to the cutterbar. This mounting ~racket can be seen
in the aforementioned U.S. Patent No. 3,59~,410. While this
mechanism is practical, it does have the problem of being
cumbersome, e.g. difficult to change from one mounting to
another and of being somewhat limited, i.e, setting the minimum
reel height position at a location, corresp~onding to a mounting
between the holes in the bracket, wasn't po~ssible.
Furthermore, the weight of the reel assembly had to
be supported while the hydraulic cylinder ~as moved from one
mounting hole to another, leading to further complications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to alleviate the
aforementioned disadvantages of the prior a~rt by providing
a mounting for the hydraulic reel lift mec~anism that is
infinitely adjustable.
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1 It is another object of this invention to provide
a mounting linkage for the hydraulic cylinder on a harvester
reel assembly that can be utili~ed for infinitely positioning
the height of the reel when the hydraulic cylinder is completely
retracted within a given range of positions.
It is still another object of this invention to
provide a mounting mechanism for the hydraulic cylinder of a
harvester reel assembly which is easily adjustable to vary
the minimum reel height above the cutterbar.
It is an advantage of this invention that adjustment
of the minimum reel height position can be made with simple,
ordinary tools.
It is a feature of this invention that, with an
infinitely adjustable mounting mechanism positioned at each
side of the crop harvesting header, an adjustment can be made
to each side of the reel substantially independently of the
other side.
It is a still further object of this invention to
provide an infinitely adjustable mounting for the hydraulic
cylinder lift mechanism of a reel assembly which is durable
in construction, inexpensive in manufacture, facile in
assemblage, and simple and effective in use.
These and other objects, features and advantages are
accomplished according to the instant invention by providing
an infinite adjustment mechanism for a harvesting machine on
which a hydraulic cylinder is utilized to raise and lower the
reel relative to the ground wherein the hydraulic cylinder is
connected to a link pivotally mounted on the frame of the crop
harvesting header is adjustably positionable by a draw bolt.
3Q This hydraulic cylinder mounting linkage allows the minimum
reel height, relative to the cutterbar, to be easily adjusted
with simple, ordinary tools in an infinite number of positions
within the limits imposed by the lengths of the draw bolt and
the pivoting link.
~RIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA~INGS
The advantages of this invention will become apparent
upon consideration of the following detailed disclosure of the
invention, especially when taken in conjunction with the
~ccompanying drawings wherein:
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l F~g. l is a side elevational view of a crop harvesting
header mounted to a crop harvesting machine, co~nonly referred
to as a combine, incorporating the principles of the instant-
invention, the drives for the reel, cutterbar and auger beiny
removed for clarity;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of a
portion of the crop harvesting header seen in Fig. 1 showing
in detail the infinitely adjustable mounting linkage forming
a part of the instant invention,
Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view showing the top of
the infinitely adjustable mounting linkage taken along lines
3--3 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view similar
to Fig. 2 showing an alternative embodiment of the infinitely
adjustable mounting link; and
Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along lines
5__5 of Fig. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1 20 Referring now to the drawings and, particularly
¦ to Fig. l, a side elevational view of a crop harvesting header
i attached to the front of a crop harvesting machine can be seen.
Left and right references are used as a matter of convenience
and are determined by standing at the rear of the machine
facing the forward end, the direction of travel. For reasons
of clarity, no drives to the operative parts of the crop
harvesting header have been shown in the drawings. Such drives
are conventional and are well known in the art.
The crop harvesting header 10 is shown mounted on
the forward end of a feeder house 12 which, in turn, extends
from a crop harvesting machine (not shown). In general, the
header operates to sever standing crop material from the
ground and deliver it rearwardly to the feeder house 12. The
severed crop material is then conveyed to the crop harvesting
machine by the feeder conveyor 13 for further harvesting
treatment. The frame 15 of the crop harvesting header 10
supports a rear wall 16, having a crop outlet opening 17 through
- which crop material is fed to the feeder conveyor 13, and opposing
¦ forwardly extending side sheets 18. Only one si~e of the crop
harvesting header 10 is shown in the drawings, and, since both
sides are substantially identical, the description of one
will suffice as the description for both.
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1 .A cutterbar 27 is mounted on the forward edge 19 of
the crop harvesting header 10 adjacent the ground to sever
standing crop material as the header progresses across the
field. A reel 20 is rotatably mounted about a axis of rotation
24 generally above the cutterbar 27. The reel 20 incl~des a
plurality of tines 21 mounted on said reel for rotation therewith,
the path of movement of the tines 21 being generally indicated
by the circular arc 26. As can be seen in Fig. 1, it is
generally desirable to position the reel 20 so that the tine
path 26 is in close proximity to the cutterbar 27.
The reel 20 is rotatably mounted to a fore-and-aft
adjustment bracket 22 which is adjustably mounted for movement
in a fore-and-aft direction along the length of the reel arm 25.
The reel arm 25 is pivotally connected to the frame 15 by a
horizontally disposed pivot 28 such that the reel arm 25 is
pivotably movable in a vertical plane. The fore-and-aft
adjustment bracket 22 can be positioned along the length of
, the reel arm 25 by loosening the bolts 23, moving the adjustment
bracket 22 to the desired position and tightening the bolts 23. 20 In this manner, the reel 20 can be moved to a plurality o~
fore-and-aft positions relative to the cutterbar 27 to efficiently
harvest different crops under different crop conditions.
, As a description of the general operation, the reel 20
engages standing crop material fon~ardly of the cutterbar 27,
sweeps it rearwardly over the cutterbar 27 to be severed thereby
and then conveys the severed crop material rearwardly to the
~ consolidating auger 29, which consolidates the severed crop
material and discharges it through the crop discharge opening
: 17 to be conveyed further rean~ardly by the feeder house; 30 conveyor 13. Different crops and/or harvesting conditions
require different positions of the reel 20 relative to the
cutterbar 27 to efficiently harvest the crop and minimize crop
losses.
To raise and lower the reel 20 relative to the cutterbar
27 during the harvesting operation, a li~t mechanism 30 is
attached to the reel arm 25 to selectively pivot the reel arm
25 about the horizontally exposed pivot 28. In the preferred
embodiment seen in the drawings, the lift mechanism 30 includes
a hydraulic cylinder 32 powered by hydraulic fluid circulating
through the hydraulic hoses 33. T~e hydraulic cylinder 32 i5
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1 operable within a limited range between a completely extended
position and a completely collapsed position, which correspond,
respectively, to a maximum reel height above the cutterbar 27
and a minimum reel height above the cutterbar 27.
The completely collapsed state of the hydraulic cylinder
32 ser~-es as a positive stop to prevent ~he path 26 of the tines
21 from intersecting the cutterbar 27. However, when the reel 20
is adjusted in a fore-and-aft direction by manipuiation of the
adjustment bracket 22, the relationship be~ween the tine path 2~
and the cut.erbar 27 underaoes a corresponding change. Accordingly,
i, s des r-ble to 2djust the minimum reel height position, as
determined by the collapsed position of the hydraulic cylinder 32,
so as to maintain the desired relationship between the tine
path 26 and the cutterbar 27.
Referring now to the enlarged side elevational view
seen in Fig. 2 and the top cross sectional view seen in Fig. 3,
the improved reel lift mechanism can best be seen. The hydraulic
cylinder 32 is pivotally attached to the reel arm 25 by a pivot
34 carried by a reel arm mounting tab 36. The hydraulic
cylinder 32 is also pivotally connected by a pivot 43 at its
~ lower end to a mounting linkage 40 having an elongated link 42.¦ The link 42,is, in turn, pivotally connected to a mounting tab 46
~ extending from the frame 15 by a pivot 44, the pivot 44 being
¦ spaced from the pivot 43. Since the pivot 44 is stationarily
mounted relative to the frame 15, the link 42 is pivotably
l movable in a substantially vertical plane about the generally
! horizontally disposed pivot 44. Reference to Fig. 3 will reveall the preferred construction of the link 42 as having an interior! half 48 and an exterior half 49. The pivots 43, 44 and 51
' 30 being carried between the two link halves 48 and 49.
¦ An infinite adjustment mechanism 50, seen in the
! preferred embodiment in the form of a draw bolt 52, is pivotally
, connected to the link 42 by the pivot 51. The draw bolt 52 is
3 stationarily anchored to the frame 15 through a J-shaped
restraining bracket 55 and threaded through the pivot 51. A
support dowel 53, having a hole 54 therein through which the
draw bolt 52 passes, uniformly distributes stresses imposed
j through the draw bolt 52 across the width of the J-shaped
restraining bracket 55. The bolt head 56 prevents the draw
bolt 52 from passing downwardly through the support dowel 53,
l while a locking nut S7, threaded onto the draw bolt 52 below
the bracket 55, prevents the draw bolt 52 from passing upwardly
through the support dowel 53.
To rotate the mounting linkage 40 about the stationary
pivot 44 in an upward direction, the locking nut 57 is rotated
downwardly along the length of the draw bolt 52, after which,
the bolt head 56 is rotated drawing the pivot 51 (which is
threaded onto the draw bolt 52) upwardly until the desired
rotation of the mounting linkage 40 has been attained. The
locking nut 57 is then rotated upwardly into position against
the restraining bracket 55 to lock the draw bolt 52 and the
mounting linkage 40 into the selected position. To rotate the
mounting linkage 40 in a downward direction, the adjusting
bolt head 56 is rotated to draw the pivot 51 downwardly until
the desired position is attained after which the locking nut 57
is rotated upwardly into position against the restraining
bracket 55 to lock the mounting linkage into the desired position.
Rotation of the mounting linkage 40, as described in
the preceding paragraph, raises or lowers the hydraulic cylinder
32 which, in turn, effects the corresponding movement of the
reel arm 25 and the attached reel assembly 20. The phantom
position of the link 72, the hydraulic cylinder 73 and the
reel arm 75, as seen in Fig. 2, as well as the phantom position
' of the reel 70 and tine path 76, as seen in Fig. 1, are merely
! demonstrative of one of the infinite number of reel positions
possible through manipulation of the infinite adjustment mechanism
S0 to establish the minimum reel height position, as determined
by the collapsed state of the hydraulic cylinder 32, at the
l desired location relative to the cutterbar 27. As can be seen, 30 adjustment of the minimum reel height can be accomplished easily
and practically with simple, ordinary tools.
If, for example, the operator will be encountering
areas of downed crop, that is where the crop material is matted
in a substantially proné position next to the ground, he might
adjust the fore-and-aft position of the reel 20 forward of
the position seen in Fig. l so that the tine path 26 dips
downwardly close to the ground forward of the cutterbar 27.
To prevent the tines 21 from impacting the cutterbar 27, the
operator can manipulate the infinite adjustment mechanism 50
to rotate the mounting lin~age 40 in an upward direction and,
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1 thereby, set the minimum reel height position such that the
tines 21 clear the cutterbar 27~
On the other hand, if a relatively tall crop, such
as maize, is to be harvested, the reel assembly 20 can be moved
rearwardly along the reel arm 25 so that the tines 21 do not
engage the crop as far forwardly of the cutterbar 27 as seen
in Fig. 1. The operator can then manipulate the infinite
adjustment mechanism 50 to set the minimum reel height position
as he desires to minimize crop loss. One skilled in the art
will readily realize that the minimum reel height can be set
in an infinite number of positions within the limits defined
by the length of the draw bolt 52.
Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, an alternative
embodiment of the mounting linkage 40 can be seen. In some
harvesting machines, such as those harvesting machines
commonly referred to as windrowers, the reel will undergo a
bouncing movement about the horizontal pivot 28 during the
mobile harvesting operation. In the embodiment of the mounting
linkage 40 seen in Fig. 2, the draw bolt 52 would have to be of
sufficient size to withstand the stresses imposed by the forces
~ resulting from the bouncing reel 20. To minimize the size of
! the draw bolt 52 by reducing the potential for stress therein,
j the embodiment of the mounting linkage 40 seen in Figs. 4 and
~ 5 includes a clamping mechanism 65 to lock the mounting linkage
i 40 into the preselected position against the frame 15.
A clamping leg 61, having a slotted hole 62 therein,
projects from the interior half 48 of the link 42 to a position
adjacent a frame member 63. The clamping mechanism 65 is
shown in the form of a threaded bolt stationarily mounted in
the frame member 63 to project through the slotted hole 62.
A clamping knob 67 threaded onto the bolt 66 locks the clamping
leg 61 and, therefore, the mounting linkage 40 into position
l against the frame member 63. The higher forces exerted by the
j bouncing reel 20 are then spread into the frame member 63 to
reduce the potential for high stresses in the draw bolt 52 and
the rest of the mounting linkage 40; therefore, the individual
components of the mounting linkage 40, such as the draw bolt 52
j and the pivots 43, 44 and 51, can be constructed less substantially
¦ without being subject to damage. One skilled in the art will
readily realize that other forms ofthe clamping mechanism 65
other than the preferred embodiment seen in Figs. 4 and S can
effectively lock the mounting linkage 40 against the frame lS
to reduce the stress occurring in the draw bolt 52.
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1 One skilled in the art will further realize that, by
locating the pivot 51 between pivots 43 and 49, the operator
can effect a larger amount of movement of the hydraulic
cylinder 32 through a smaller displacement of the draw bolt 52.
An alternative embodiment of the mounting linkage 40 would have
the stationary pivot 44 positioned between pivots 43 and 51,
depending on the structure of the frame 15. Whenever the
distance between the pivots 5~ and 44 is shorter than the
distance between the pivots 43 and 44, the hydraulic cylinder
32 will move a greater distance than the draw bolt 52 is
displaced.
It will be understood that various changes in the
details, material, steps and arrangement of parts which have
been described and illustrated to explain the nature of
the invention, will occur to and may be made by those skilled
in the art upon a reading of the disclosure within the principles
and scope of the invention. The foregoing description illustrates
preferred embodiments of the invention. However, concepts,
as based upon such description, may be employed in other
embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the following claims are in-tended to protect the
invention broadly as well as in the specific form shown herein.
