DISPOSITIF D'ECARTEMENT AXIALE ROULEAUX DE MOISSONNEUSE

PICKUP ROLLER SPREADER

Abrégé anglais

ABSTRACT
PICKUP ROLLER SPREADER
A grain pickup is designed for the picking up
of windrowed grain for supply to a combine. One or
more belts pass around two spaced parallel rollers
which guide and propel the belt or belts. The rol-
lers are supported and driven at either end by con-
ventional equipment and in the center are supported
by rollers assemblies which are forced apart from
one another and into the rollers so as to provide
rollers support and guidance. The roller assemblies
can be loaded from the outside frame of the machine
allowing adjustment of the pre-load on the rollers.

Revendications

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR
PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. In a pickup having at least one belt running
over first and second belt rollers, said belt rollers
being parallel to one another and rotatably mounted
and extending between first and second end frames,
said pickup further comprising first and second cross
members parallel to and located between said belt
rollers and running between said first and second
end frames, the improvement comprising: at least
two support rollers mounted on each said cross mem-
ber intermediate said end frames in rolling relation-
ship with a said belt rollers; and means for forcing
said cross members apart and said support rollers in-
to said belt rollers.
2. The pickup of claim 1 wherein said pickup
further comprises at least two support rollers in con-
junction with each said belt roller.
3. The pickup of claim 2 wherein said forcing
means comprises: a first link having first and second
end, said first link first end being pivotably attached
to said first cross member adjacent said support rol-
lers; and a second link having first and second ends,
said second link first end being pivotably attached to
said second cross member adjacent said support rollers,
said second ends being pivotably attached to one
another.

4. The pickup of claim 3 wherein the combined
length of said first and second links is greater than
the distance between said cross members.
5. The pickup of claim 4, said forcing means
further comprising a loading link having first and
second ends, said loading link first end being pivo-
tably attached to said first and second link second
ends.
6. The pickup of claim 5 wherein the length of
said loading link extends substantially parallel to
said cross members and terminating with said loading
link second end adjacent said first end frame.
7. The pickup of claim 6, said forcing means
further comprising means for applying a longitudinal
load to said loading link second end relative to said
first end frame.

Description

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
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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
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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.
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