Harvesters – Raking and loading – Lifting reels
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-29
2001-03-06
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)
Harvesters
Raking and loading
Lifting reels
C056S220000, C056S221000, C056S227000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195972
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a crop harvesting header of the type including a reel and particularly to an arrangement for adjusting the fore and aft position of the reel on the reel support arms.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The conventional harvesting header comprises a frame for mounting on a crop harvesting machine for movement across ground carrying a crop to be harvested, the frame defining a working width of the header, a table mounted on the frame across the width of the header for receiving the crop when cut for transportation along the header, a cutting knife along a front edge of the table for cutting the crop and a reel mounted above the knife and the table for controlling the crop as it moves onto the table. The reel comprises a main elongate support beam and a plurality of bats at angularly spaced positions around the main beam. A pair of support arms carried on the frame and extending forwardly therefrom support the beam at a forward end of the arms.
A reel of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,155 and related U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,809 both of which are assigned to the present assignee. The second of the above patents is particularly directed to the bat angle adjustment system which controls the angle of the bats as they rotate about the main longitudinal axis of the beam so as to maintain an angle of the bats relative to a vertical plane through the bat substantially constant as the bats move through the region adjacent the cutting knife. A further arrangement for adjustment of the reel in the field is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,870 also of the present assignee.
It is well known, as shown in the last of these patents that the reel is adjustable so as to vary the height of the reel by pivoting the support arms about their point of connection to the frame. Furthermore the position of the reel along the length of the support arms is adjustable so as to move the reel and particularly the bats forwardly and rearwardly relative to the cutting knife for different crop conditions.
Some headers include hydraulic cylinders provided at the support arms for actuating fore and aft sliding movement of the reel along the arms. However this expense is not always justifiable and hence may purchasers elect to have a header in which the position of the reel is adjusted manually. The reel is mounted on the arms by a slide member which rests over a top surface of the respective arm and can be moved manually fore and aft to effect the necessary adjustment. The top surface of the arm has a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes so that when the adjustment position has been selected, the operator can fasten the slide member to the top surface of the arm by one or more preferably two bolts through bolt holes in the slide member and selected ones of the plurality of holes in the arm.
While this adjustment technique is inexpensive, it requires considerable physical effort and there is no assist available in a situation where binding or jamming is occurring thus yet further increasing the force necessary to effect the movement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention to provide an improved header which allows the fore and aft position of the header on the support arms to be adjusted while avoiding the cost and complexity of hydraulic adjustment cylinders.
According to the invention there is provided a crop harvesting header comprising:
a frame for mounting on a crop harvesting machine for movement across ground carrying a crop to be harvested, the frame defining a working width of the header;
a table mounted on the frame across the width of the header for receiving the crop when cut for transportation along the header;
a cutting knife along a front edge of the table for cutting the crop;
and a reel comprising:
a rotatable main elongate beam extending along the header generally parallel to the cutting knife;
a plurality of elongate bats mounted at angularly spaced positions around the main elongate beam for rotation therewith;
at least two reel support arms spaced along the width of the frame, each having a rear end mounted on the frame for vertical pivotal movement providing adjustment for raising and lowering the reel relative to the cutting knife and a forward end for supporting the main elongate beam;
the main beam being mounted on beam support members each carried on a respective one of the support arms for rotation of the beam relative to the support members about a main longitudinal axis thereof;
the beam support members being mounted on the support arms for sliding adjustment movement forwardly and rearwardly on the support arms so as to adjust the horizontal position of the beam relative to the cutting knife;
each support arm having a wall thereof with a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes therein;
and each beam support member having a sprocket mounted thereon which is rotatable about an axis on the beam support member, the sprocket having a plurality of sprocket teeth thereon for cooperating with the holes in the wall of the respective support arm such that rotation of the sprocket acts to drive the beam support member along the respective support arm.
Preferably the sprocket is arranged to be rotatable by manual operation of a lever for manual adjustment of the position of the reel.
Preferably the sprocket carries a nut operable by a wrench.
Preferably the beam support member includes an engagement wall having a surface arranged to slide along a cooperating surface of the wall of the support arm.
Preferably the engagement wall has at least one hole therein by which the engagement wall can be bolted to a selected one of the holes in the wall of the support arm.
Preferably the wall of the support arm is a top wall on which the beam support member rests.
Preferably the support arm is a channel member defining a top wall and two depending side walls and wherein the sprocket is mounted within the channel member.
Preferably the support arm includes a top wall on which the beam support member rests, wherein the sprocket is mounted on a mounting member attached to the beam support member and wherein the mounting member is located underneath the top wall in engagement with a bottom surface thereof to prevent lifting of the beam support member away from the support arm.
Preferably the sprocket is mounted on a mounting member attached to the beam support member and wherein the mounting member is located underneath the top wall in engagement with a bottom surface thereof to prevent lifting of the beam support member away from the support arm.
Preferably the support arm is a channel member defining the top wall and two depending side walls and wherein the sprocket and the mounting member are mounted within the channel member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2795920 (1957-06-01), Steuerwald
patent: 3945180 (1976-03-01), Sinclair
patent: 4008558 (1977-02-01), Mott
patent: 4214428 (1980-07-01), Caraway
patent: 4280318 (1981-07-01), Koch
patent: 4368609 (1983-01-01), Hutchinson et al.
patent: 4752809 (1988-06-01), Ito
patent: 4776155 (1988-10-01), Fox et al.
patent: 4932197 (1990-06-01), Allen
patent: 5768870 (1998-06-01), Talbot et al.
Shearer Bruce R.
Talbot Francois R.
Battison Adrian D.
Kováacs ÁArpáad Fáabiáan
MacDon Industries Ltd.
Pezzuto Robert E.
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