Harvesters – Transporting attachments
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-04
2001-08-14
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3671)
Harvesters
Transporting attachments
C056S473500, C410S077000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272824
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a header transport bracket assembly.
2. Description of the Background Art
Modern grain harvesters are large and complicated pieces of machinery that are used to harvest large quantities of grains and crops of all types. Harvester size has increased over the years as farm sizes have increased, in an effort to increase farming efficiency and to reduce the man-hours needed to raise crops. Some of the many crops harvested by machine are corn, wheat, soybeans, and oats, for example.
A grain header is essentially the frontmost mechanism of the harvester, cutting the grain and feeding it into the harvester for threshing. The header size determines the swath or width of cut of the harvester, and therefore the rate at which a crop can be harvested. Headers can be disconnected and removed from the harvester for purposes of maintenance, selection of an appropriate header, or transportation, for example. The header commonly is wider than the rest of the harvester, and presents the greatest problem when transporting the harvester. Header removal therefore enables easier and safer transportation of the harvester by transporting the header independently of the rest of the machine, allowing the header-less machine to be narrower and therefore easier and safer to move by road.
Headers may be independently handled and transported by putting a header on a header transport carriage having a frame, wheels, and a hitch. Because a grain header is an expensive piece of machinery, it must be properly supported during handling and transportation. Typically, a grain header has a backbone or main tube extending along the rear of the header that carries most of its weight. In addition, corn headers (a type of grain header) commonly have legs or feet that extend below the backbone of the header. Headers may be safely transported by a header transport carriage that supports such a backbone or main tube.
There remains a need in the art for an improved header transport bracket assembly for supporting a variety of common headers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A header transport lower rest bracket assembly for a header transport carriage having a frame is provided according to the invention. The header transport lower rest bracket assembly comprises a bottom bracket member capable of being movably clamped to the frame, the bottom bracket member having side portions and a top support surface, the top support surface having a bottom bracket backstop projecting from the top support surface at an angle from vertical, and a pair of side plates on each end of the bottom bracket member and transverse to a frame member on which the bottom bracket member is clamped, each of the side plates having a correspondingly aligned working position hole located in a central region and a correspondingly aligned storage position hole located in an end region opposite the bottom bracket backstop, a riser pad having an upper support surface, a riser backstop projecting from the upper support surface at an angle from vertical, and a pair of leg plates extending downwardly from the upper support surface, each of the leg plates having a correspondingly aligned substantially centrally located mounting hole and a lobe extending past the upper support surface adjacent the riser backstop, and a pin for retaining the riser pad in either a working position or a storage position, wherein the riser pad in a working position sets on the top support surface of the bottom bracket member with the riser backstop being positioned adjacent the bottom bracket backstop, the riser pad being held in place by the pin extending through the working position holes in the bottom bracket member and also through the mounting holes of the riser pad, and wherein the riser pad in a storage position is suspended between the pin and the bottom bracket member, with the pin residing in the storage position holes in the pair of side plates of the bottom bracket member and the riser backstop resting against the pin, with the pair of leg plates of the riser pad resting against a side portion of the bracket opposite the bottom bracket backstop.
The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will be further understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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May-Wes™ Manufacturing, Inc.,The Farmer's Marketplace 1995-96 Agri Products Price Book, p. 50 (1995).
Hilvers Michael J.
Smith David R.
Kovacs Arpad F
Rothwell Figg Ernst & Manbeck p.c.
Unverferth Manufacturing Company, Inc.
Will Thomas B.
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