EA041827B1 - WEAR STRIP FOR GRAIN HEADER TRAILER BAR OR RAIL - Google Patents

Description

The field of technology to which the invention belongs

The present invention relates to a draper assembly for a grain header, and specifically to a device for reducing wear experienced by draper bars or slats during operation of the draper assembly.

State of the art

Draper headers typically comprise a header frame, an elongated cutterbar along the front edge of the frame, containing a cutterbar beam that carries a plurality of cutterbar pins to guide the reciprocating motion of the cutterbar knife across the front edge of the cutterbar. Also mounted on the header is a draper assembly comprising first and second draper guide rollers each located at a respective end of the draper assembly spaced along the cutterbar, with the axis of each roller extending substantially at right angles to the cutterbar, the draper the conveyor forms a continuous loop of flexible material wrapped around the rollers to form a leading edge of the draper adjacent to the cutterbar, a trailing edge of the draper aft of the cutterbar, an upper run of the draper over the roller, and a lower run of the draper under the rollers. In this way, the cut crop falls back onto the top run of the draper and is conveyed in the longitudinal direction of the header. Typically, to prevent slack between the two end rollers of the draper, a base plate assembly is provided to support the top run of the draper. Also in the form of a plate extending longitudinally and backward from the cutter bar, under the lower branch of the canvas conveyor, a lower support guide is provided to limit the lower run of the belt to the location above the corresponding forward-continuing beam, over which the lower branch extends, and above the lower part of the cutter bar. Briefly, the lower support rail restricts the lower branch to a location that is sufficiently spaced from the header frame and cutterbar so that the lower branch does not contact either.

This type of header can be used simply to form a swath, in which case the material enters the header outlet and is laid out on the ground. Headers of this type can also be used to supply a harvester so that materials enter a connector located in the outlet of the header to move materials from the outlet to the harvester's receiving chamber. In addition, headers of this type can be used for hay conditioners, in which the material from the outlet enters the conditioner rolls. Therefore, it should be understood that the use of the header is not limited to specific types of agricultural machine, but it can be used with any such machine in which it is necessary to cut crop and transport this crop when cut in the longitudinal direction of the header during its operation.

The web generally comprises a web coated with a rubber material which is then vulcanized after the web has been formed into the desired shape and after cross bars or slats have been attached to the web. Typically, this rubber material is designed specifically to optimize the advancement of the draper track rollers to minimize slippage between the fabric and the draper track rollers when at least one of these track rollers is actuated to move the fabric.

In this connection, this rubber material is also present on the slats which come into contact with the lower support guide on the lower return run of the draper. One problem that arises from this combination of bottom support rail and draper is friction at the interface between the bar, which is the surface spaced from the outer surface of the fabric, and the bottom support rail, which is typically stationary relative to the bottom run of the draper. conveyor moving over it in direct contact with the lower support rail. This friction causes wear on the draper bars.

This unwanted draper wear is dependent on factors including force, speed of the draper past the bottom support rail, and friction on the bottom support rail and on the draper. Force and speed cannot be changed due to header specification, leaving friction as a factor to be changed. Reducing the coefficient of friction of the guide device has a limited effect on the friction that is generated at this interface, since of the two components it is rubber that has the higher coefficient of friction.

The essence of the invention

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apron for use on a grain header, which comprises a draper belt with (i) a continuous belt of flexible material configured to form an upper run and a lower run, and having an outer surface of the belt for carrying cut crops on it, and (ii) a plurality of planks supported on the belt, each having a top surface spaced from the outer surface of the belt and side surfaces extending from the top surface to the outer surface of the belt, the patch comprising a channel having a roof extending longitudinally between the first and second ends on the top side of the channel, which is configured to be located on the top surface of the corresponding plank or adjacent to the top surface of the corresponding plank, and posts extending downward from opposite sides of the roof; and a plurality of prongs supported on posts at a location spaced downward from the roof and extending inwardly towards the opposite post to respective inner free ends of the prongs, which are configured to cut into the side surfaces of the corresponding plank to hold the pad on the corresponding plank in the installed position of the patch;

wherein each tooth has an inclined surface, opposite the arch, which extends inwardly towards the opposite post along an upward slope towards the arch towards the inner free end of the corresponding tooth, such that the inclined surface of each tooth is movable along the side surfaces of the corresponding plank when the trim press down on the corresponding bar in the direction of the installed position of the lining.

Typically, the draper bar contains a rubber or rubber-like material that has a high coefficient of friction, which is preferred in the field of drapers, and thus the open bar creates significant friction in contact with the support member (part of the header frame) which is located under the lower run to limit lower run of the belt over at least one of the forwardly extending arms and over the bottom of the cutterbar, thereby causing bar wear. (The support member ensures that the front edge of the belt is at a sufficient distance from both the forward-continuing beam and the cutterbar.)

As a result, the pad provides a simple, economical device that can be placed on the draper bar at any time and is used to reduce wear on the draper bar when the bar comes into contact with the support member.

If and when the pad wears out over time, the pad can be replaced without the need to repair or replace any one of the slats and belt of the draper assembly.

In addition, the patch can be set to cover only the portion of the canvas that contacts the support member.

Preferably, the outer surface of the channel contains a non-metallic material, made with a coefficient of friction less than the coefficient of friction of the bars. This outer surface is the roof surface and may include at least the tops of the uprights.

The use of a non-metallic material prevents sparking when the patch contacts the bottom support member of the draper assembly, which typically contains metallic material.

Typically, the non-metallic material of the outer surface of the channel is plastic.

The channel may be formed entirely of plastic in order to reduce the cost of manufacturing the patch.

Preferably, the material(s) forming the roof, the posts, and the connection of the posts to the roof is sufficiently strong and rigid to allow the teeth to penetrate the side surfaces of the respective plank just by pressing the plates against the respective plank in the direction of the set position of the plate. In this way, the patches are press fit onto the corresponding slats without any further manipulation of the patch required to hold the pads on the slats.

In some embodiments, the material forming the arch, the posts, and the connection of the posts to the arch is slightly resilient such that the downward engagement of the sloped surfaces of the teeth along the side surfaces of the bar when the pad is pressed down on the bar causes the posts to flex slightly outward. In this case, the material has sufficient displacement to return to the unbent and unset state to penetrate the serrations into the side surfaces of the batten after the patch has reached the set position with the arch on the top side of the batten.

In further embodiments, the material forming the arch, the posts, and the connection of the posts to the arch is significantly more rigid such that the downward engagement of the sloped surfaces of the teeth along the side surfaces of the bar when the pad is pressed down on the bar causes the elastic material forming the side surfaces of the bar to experience more deformation than bending the uprights of the lining outward. In addition, the material has sufficient displacement, while remaining substantially immobile in the unbent and unmounted state, to penetrate the serrations into the side surfaces of the batten after the pad has reached the set position with the arch on the top side of the batten.

More typically, the material forming the roof, the posts, and the connection of the posts to the roof has material properties such that the downward engagement of the sloped surfaces of the teeth along the side surfaces of the bar when the pad is pressed down on the bar causes both (i) some deformation of the side surfaces. the slats relative to the teeth and (ii) some outward curvature of the posts of the escutcheon.

In each embodiment, the pad is configured such that, in the installed state, the posts are displaced inwardly into a relaxed and unset state due to the stiffness and resilience of the material, which in turn moves the posts inward towards the side surfaces of the plank, cutting the teeth into the side surfaces of the plank. Thus, the patch is configured to generate sufficient clamping force without substantially manipulating the patch from an unmounted state to a mounted state to be held on the bar, i.e. for example, without manually bending the uprights inwards.

The sloping surfaces may be oriented at an angle greater than 45° from the inner surface of the vault to facilitate press fit of the trims to the slats. This corresponds to inclined surfaces oriented less than 45° from the plane, longitudinal to the channel and perpendicular to the inner surface of the roof.

Each prong may also comprise an inner surface, its opposite ramp, which extends inwardly towards the opposite post along an upward slope towards the roof towards the inner free end of the respective prong. In this case, the inner surface and outer surface of each tooth may intersect at a apex extending in the longitudinal direction of the channel at the inner free end of the tooth, such that the tooth acts as a burr to resist stripping from the strip.

Preferably, each post supports a plurality of tines thereon in longitudinally spaced positions. In this case, each of the teeth can be separated from the next by a distance of less than half the length of the corresponding tooth longitudinal to the channel.

In one arrangement, the outer surface of the pad is rounded, with the corresponding stanchion intersecting with the arch such that the outer surface is free of any sharp corners that could get stuck on any other header components during draper operation.

In one arrangement, the roof comprises a central portion and a pair of end portions extending longitudinally outward from the central portion toward the first and second ends, respectively, wherein the thickness of the roof within each end portion tapers longitudinally from the central portion of the roof toward the respective end of the channel such that the overall height the arch relative to the posts decreases in the direction of both the first and second ends of the channel.

When the channel comprises a central portion and a pair of end portions extending longitudinally outward from the central portion toward the first and second ends, respectively, the width of the patch inside each end portion may also taper longitudinally from the central portion of the roof toward the respective end of the channel such that the width at the first and the second ends are less than the width in the central part. In this case, the thickness of each stud of the patch can also decrease longitudinally towards the ends of the patch. Preferably, in this case, the teeth are spaced longitudinally inward relative to the first and second ends of the channel in such a way that there is a length of the end portion at both ends of the patch where the tooth is missing.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a grain header capable of cutting and transporting plant mass, comprising: a header frame;

wherein the header frame comprises a main rear frame member and a plurality of forwardly extending beams, each of which is supported by the main rear frame member;

an elongated cutting bar connected to the front end of the beams so as to be located along the front edge of the frame;

a draper assembly mounted on the frame of the header aft of the cutterbar so that the cut crop falls onto the draper assembly for transport in a lengthwise direction of the header;

the draper assembly comprising first and second draper guide rollers each located at a respective end of the draper assembly spaced along the cutterbar, the axis of each guide roller being substantially at right angles to the cutterbar;

wherein the draper assembly comprises a continuous belt of flexible material wrapped around the first and second guide rollers of the draper to form an upper belt run over the rollers and a lower belt run under the rollers;

at least one of the guide rollers is driven to actuate the actuator;

at least one support element located under the lower branch of the tape, continuing in the longitudinal direction of the lower branch, while the upper surface of the specified at least one support element limits the location of the lower branch of the tape at least above

- 3 041827 one of the beams continuing forward and the lower part of the cutter bar;

wherein the canvas conveyor assembly comprises a plurality of slats on the belt, each of which extends across the belt and is located at a position spaced from the next in the longitudinal direction of the belt;

moreover, the corresponding bar has an upper surface spaced from the outer surface of the tape, made with the possibility of moving on it cut plant mass;

moreover, the strips contain a polymeric material with a certain coefficient of friction; and an overlay mounted on one or more slats;

moreover, the pad covers part of the upper surface of the specified at least one of the strips, where otherwise the upper surface would be in contact with the upper surface of the specified at least one support element;

wherein the patch has an outer surface of non-metallic material with a lower coefficient of friction than the coefficient of friction of the specified one or more strips, in order to reduce friction in contact with the specified at least one support element.

In this regard, the patch is located on the corresponding plank at a location closer to the front edge than to the rear edge of the lower branch.

In addition, typically the pad is located at a location rearward from the leading edge of the belt adjacent to the cutterbar.

Typically, the pad is a fixture for the draper assembly that can be installed on the bar.

The patch preferably includes a channel having an inner profile that matches the outer profile of the corresponding strip. More specifically, the patch may completely overlap the outer profile of the respective slat, such that the patch extends from the outer surface of the tape on one side of the slat to the outer surface of the tape on the other side of the slat.

In one arrangement, the patch includes a channel having: (i) a vault extending longitudinally between the first and second ends on the top side of the channel to be adjacent to the top surface of the corresponding plank, (ii) posts extending downward from opposite sides of the vault, and (iii ) a plurality of tines supported on studs at a location spaced downward from the roof and extending inwardly towards the opposite stud to respective inner free ends of the tines that cut into the side surfaces of the respective batten to hold the patch on the respective batten in the mounted position of the patch. In this case, each barb preferably has a sloped surface opposite the roof which extends inwardly towards the opposite post on an upward slope towards the roof towards the inner free end of the corresponding barb.

Regardless of the use of inclined surfaces, the rigidity of the posts relative to the arch and the strength of the teeth are designed in such a way that the pad is made with the possibility of a press fit on the corresponding bar.

Preferably, the outer surface of the patch contains a non-metallic material. Typically, this non-metallic material is plastic.

In general, the patch may be as described above in connection with an earlier aspect of the invention.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of attaching an overlay to a grain header draper, the method comprising providing a draper with (i) a continuous belt of flexible material configured to form a top run and a bottom run, and having an outer surface of the belt to carry the sheared vegetative mass, and (ii) a plurality of planks supported on the belt, each having a top surface spaced from the outer surface of the belt and side surfaces extending from the top surface to the outer surface of the belt;

providing an overlay with (i) a channel having a vault extending longitudinally between the first and second ends on the upper side of the channel, (ii) with posts extending downward from opposite sides of the vault, and (iii) with a plurality of prongs supported on the posts at a location, spaced downward from the vault, and continuing inward towards the opposite post to the corresponding inner free ends of the teeth;

and pressing the patch down onto the slat so that the inner risers move along the side surfaces of the respective slat when the pad is pressed down onto the respective slat until the conduit vault is located on or adjacent to the top surface of the respective slat and the teeth engage. into the side surfaces of the corresponding plank to hold the lining on the corresponding plank in the installed position of the lining.

Where each tooth further comprises an inclined surface opposite the roof that extends inwardly towards the opposite post along an upward slope towards the roof towards the inner free end of the corresponding tooth, and wherein the method can additionally provide elastically deformable at least one of (i) lateral surfaces of the respective bar, or (ii) the posts of the pad relative to the arch of the pad, when the inclined surfaces of the teeth move along the side surfaces of the respective bar while pressing the pad down onto the corresponding bar.

It should be understood that any use of a draper web in this specification is to be understood as a conventional term based on the material of the web from which the draper was made, but that this term no longer provides any indication or limitation to the use of specific materials. for the fabric base from which the canvas conveyor is made. Thus, a variety of synthetic materials can be used. Typically, the canvas is covered with a rubber layer, and many different resilient cover materials can also be used, and no limitation is intended in this regard in this regard. As in known arrangements, such as the arrangement described in US Pat. rubber, or it may be a strip of another material with a different chemical structure or other characteristics.

Brief description of the drawings

In the following, certain embodiments of the invention will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a grain header incorporating a draper assembly and an overlay according to the present invention;

in fig. 2 is a plan view from above of a draper assembly with an overlay;

in fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the front of the grain header of FIG. 1 in the vicinity of the cutterbar;

in fig. 4 is a first perspective view of the first embodiment of the patch showing the top side of the patch;

in fig. 5 is a second perspective view of the patch showing the underside of the patch according to the first embodiment of FIG. 4;

in fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the patch taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 4 patches according to the first embodiment of FIG. 4, in which the outer surface of the draper, containing the outer profile of the slat, is shown in dotted lines;

in fig. 7 is a bottom view of the patch according to the first embodiment of FIG. 4;

in fig. 8 is a first perspective view of a second embodiment of the patch showing the top side of the patch;

in fig. 9 is a second perspective view of the patch showing the underside of the patch according to the second embodiment of FIG. 8;

in fig. 10 is a sectional end view of the draper assembly showing the patch according to the second embodiment of FIG. 8, where some components are excluded for the sake of clarity of explanation.

Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in different figures.

Detailed description of the present invention

The following description refers only to those parts of the header that are important to the present invention, and the remaining parts of the header, including the frame structure, drives, road wheels, etc., are omitted, as they should be well known to a person skilled in the art.

As a consequence, the header comprises a frame 10, one member 10A of which is in the form of a beam extending horizontally and forward from the rear frame support structure 10B to a cutterbar assembly, generally designated 11, to support that cutterbar assembly across the front of the header. A plurality of beams 10A are arranged at spaced apart positions along the length of the header frame to support the cutterbar assembly 11 as an elongated structure across the front edge of the header. As shown in FIG. 1, beams 10A are rigidly attached, i. e. by means of a rigid connection 10C, to the main rear frame structure 10B, holding the cutterbar 11 in a common fixed plane 10D. That is, the rigid connection holds each of the beams at a fixed angle relative to the main rear frame member so that they extend forward from it to the front end.

The cutting bar is generally a Y-beam 12 with a section 12C and two arms 12D and 12E. The beam is formed from two components 12A and 12B welded together in section 12C, the section providing structural support for the cutterbar elements, including not shown pins and cutterbar. Of course, the cutter fingers are of a well-known design and carry a cutter knife assembly having a longitudinal reciprocating bar driving a plurality of triangular knife blades that are mounted on the cutter fingers and reciprocate during the cutting action. back and forth across the cutterbar fingers.

Section 12E of cutterbar support beam 12 includes a front wall portion extending up and back from flange 12C to an upper generally rearwardly extending top wall that extends to the rear top. At the apex, the top wall is connected to an L-shaped suspension section 12H comprising a vertically extending plate and a generally forwardly extending horizontal flange protruding towards, but not mating with, the front wall section.

Section 12D forms a rearward and downwardly extending wall that acts as a protective plate when the cutterbar cuts at ground level. The plate may be covered with a protective plastic wear shield (not shown).

The draper assembly, best shown in FIG. 2 includes a first draper support roller 30 and a second draper support roller 30A. One of these rollers is driven by a 30V drive motor to rotate the draper in the usual manner. The draper assembly further comprises a draper 32 in the form of a continuous loop or strip of fabric that wraps around the rollers at respective ends to form an upper draper run 33 above the rollers and a lower draper run 34 below the rollers. Thus, the rollers are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the cutter bar, and their axes of rotation are parallel and at right angles to the cutter bar. The draper thus comprises a leading edge 35 of the top run which is adjacent to the cutterbar and a trailing edge 36 of the top run 33 which is spaced and rearward from the cutterbar, thus forming a flat surface of the top run between them for transport. plant mass in the longitudinal direction of the header. The bottom run 34 also includes a leading edge 37 and a trailing edge 38. The draper includes a plurality of conventional crossbars 39 that help move crop along the draper and extend across the draper in longitudinally spaced positions. Each edge of the draper may comprise a conventional seam to define a portion of the draper material that is folded over with that folded portion that is folded over the fabric layer and that is vulcanized to the draper during fabrication.

The front edge portion 35 of the draper may comprise an optional thick rubber layer 35A such that the flat underside of the second flexible sealing member extends along the top surface of the thick rubber layer as the top leg of the draper moves in the longitudinal direction of the cutterbar 12. When using the thick layer The rubber can provide a threshold for dirt penetrating forward under the draper to block it and move it to the end without reaching the seal.

In order to support the lower run 34 at a location where it is at a distance from the cutterbar and the beams 10A above which it extends, a bottom support guide 42 in the form of a corrugated plate is provided, supported under the lower run on the beams 10A and extending in the longitudinal direction. lower branch 34 at a position closer to the leading edge 37 than to the rear edge 38 of the lower branch. The lower support guide is thus positioned above (because it rests on) the beams 10A and the lower part 12K of the cutterbar which is formed on the lower section 12D.

Typically, the top surface 42A of the bottom support rail is configured to contact the exposed top surface 44A of the respective slat 39 as the slat moves from a position on the top run to the bottom run 34, since the top surface 44A is spaced outwardly from the outer surface 46 of the draper, by which the cut plant mass lies when it is moved by the canvas conveyor. It is by this contact with the bottom support rail that the leading edge 37 of the bottom run is held above both the bottom of the cutterbar and the bottom run 34 above the beam 10A below it. However, it has the disadvantage that, due to friction with the lower support guide, the bar is subject to considerable wear.

Thus, one or more of the slats (usually all of them) is provided with an overlay 100 covering that part of the top surface 44A of the corresponding slat that is in position, which would otherwise be in contact with the top surface 42A of the lower support rail. . The pad has an outer surface 102 with a lower coefficient of friction than the friction coefficient of the bar, which makes the main contribution to the friction at the interface of the bars on the lower run and the lower support rail due to the rubber composition of the surfaces of the bar, in order to reduce friction in contact with the lower support. guiding device.

Although two embodiments of the patch are illustrated and described herein, the two embodiments differ only in their general profile and/or shape to accommodate two different plank shapes on different types of drapers. The function of the pad and the manner in which the pad interacts with the bar on which it is mounted are essentially identical in both embodiments. The following description is directed to common features of the two embodiments.

In this regard, the pad 100 is located in a predetermined position on the corresponding bar 39 at a location closer to the front edge 37 than to the rear edge 38 of the lower branch 34, and spaced back from the front edge 37 to align with the lower support rail transversely. bottom run of the canvas conveyor.

The pad 100 is a fixture mounted on a corresponding bar so that the pad is completely separated from it. Thus, when the pad wears out in use, one pad can be removed without the need to replace any part of the draper due to friction at the interface between the draper and the bottom support rail.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 4-10, the patch forms a lath-receiving channel with a roof 104 on the upper side of the channel extending longitudinally from the first end 105A to the second end 106 of the channel, and posts 107, 108 extending downward on opposite sides of the roof. Thus, the vault may be on or adjacent to the top surface 44A of the plank, although it is typically adjacent to the top surface of the plank, as best shown in FIG. 10, and posts 107, 108 may be on or adjacent slat side surfaces 44C and 44D that hang from top surface 44A of the slat to outer surface 46 of the draper.

The pad further comprises a plurality of prongs 110 supported on the inner sides of each of the uprights 107, 108 at a location spaced downward from the roof to grip the corresponding bar on its side surfaces 44C, 44D. The teeth 110 are located on the undersides of the posts, and each tooth is spaced longitudinally from the next by a distance X less than half the width of the corresponding tooth in the longitudinal direction of the channel. The serrations forming the ends of the series of serrations on each tine are also longitudinally inwardly spaced from the first and second ends 105, 106 of the channel such that there is a tine length at both longitudinally opposite ends where the tine is absent.

The teeth 110 are in a fixed position to the channel posts and are oriented so as to expand inwardly towards the opposite post towards the inner free end 112 of the corresponding tooth. More specifically, each barb has an inclined surface 113 on its outer side generally facing down and away from the roof, and an opposite inner surface 114 generally facing upwards in the direction of the roof. The sloped surface 113 and the inner surface 114 meet at an apex having an internal angle of less than 45°, forming a sharp edge extending in the longitudinal direction of the channel at the inner free end 112 of the tooth.

The outer inclined surfaces 113 of the teeth extend inwardly towards the other leg of the channel along an upward slope from the bottoms of the posts to the inner risers. The crenellations are oriented so that the plane extending from the crenellations along its inclined surfaces to the roof forms an angle with the roof of more than 45°, so that the crenellations are inclined closer to the vertical than to the horizontal. This corresponds to sloped surfaces less than 45° relative to the vertical plane, which is both longitudinal to the channel and perpendicular to the inner surface of the dome. The sloped surfaces are thus transverse and inclined at a greater angle to the vertical plane than the side surfaces of the plank to accommodate movement along the side surfaces of the respective plank when the patch is pressed down onto the respective trim in the direction of the set position of the patch.

The inner surface 114 of each tooth, which is opposite its sloped surface, also extends inwardly towards the opposite post on an upward slope towards the roof towards the inner free end of the corresponding tooth. The inner surface 114 and the outer surface 113 of each tooth thus intersect at a apex extending in the longitudinal direction of the channel at the inner free end of the tooth, having an internal angle of less than 45°, acting as a burr that easily penetrates the side surfaces of the bar if the patch is pulled upwards. from the outer surface of the draper. The shape of the teeth is thus adapted so that during installation of the pad, the outer inclined surfaces 113 can slide along the side surfaces 44C, 44D of the corresponding bar, but when the pad is in the installed state, the inner free ends of the teeth cut into the side surfaces to be held on the corresponding bar. bar.

Channel posts 107, 108 are substantially rigid and immobile with respect to roof 104. Therefore, with teeth 110 thus arranged, the bar can be pressed against the bar by tapping the pad downward into position. When the pad is pressed down onto the slat, the inner risers move along the side surfaces of the respective slat until the conduit vault is located on or adjacent to the top surface of the corresponding slat and the lower ends of the legs are adjacent to the outer surface of the draper. During the pressing of the installation downwards, at least one or both (i) side surfaces of the respective bar and/or (ii) the pad stand relative to the arch of the pad are elastically deformed when the inclined surfaces of the teeth move along the side surfaces of the corresponding bar in the direction of the installed pad position.

Due to the stiffness of the material forming the pad, the pad is configured to generate sufficient clamping force by moving the struts inwardly towards the side surfaces of the plank in the installed state of the pad by shifting the pad to remain or return to the uncurved, uninstalled state of the pad.

In order to direct the clamping force of the teeth cutting into the bar, an inner cross-section or inner channel profile is formed to match the outer cross-section or outer profile of the corresponding bar. More specifically, the patch completely covers the outer profile of the plank such that the patch extends from the outer surface of the band on one side of the bar to the outer surface of the band on the other side of the bar.

Although, when installed on a lath, some slight elastic flexing may occur at the junction of the corresponding stud with the vault before the teeth cut into its sides, due to the substantially fixed and rigid orientation of the channel studs relative to the vault, together with the matching profiles of the escutcheon and the escutcheon, the escutcheon itself capable of providing the clamping force needed to ensure the teeth plunge into the bar.

In the illustrated arrangements, the teeth are rectangular so that the free ends are defined by edges 112 extending in the longitudinal direction of the channel.

The outer surface 102 of the lining contains a plastic material, especially on the roof 104, which is made with a lower coefficient of friction than the coefficient of friction of the planks. The use of a non-metallic material, such as plastic, prevents sparking when the pad comes into contact with the lower support rail, which typically contains metallic material. Also, the outer surface on the tops of the posts 107, 108 near the point where the posts meet the roof may comprise a plastic material. The outer surface 102 of the pad is formed rounded at the point where the studs meet longitudinally along the full length of the roof to further minimize any friction resistance as the outer surface of the pad moves over the upper surface of the lower support member 42.

A channel is also formed, comprising a central portion 119 and a pair of end portions 121 and 122 extending longitudinally outward from the central portion toward the first and second ends, respectively. The overlay is formed in such a way that the thickness of the arch inside each end part narrows longitudinally from the central part of the arch towards the corresponding end of the channel in such a way that the total height of the arch relative to the post decreases in the direction of both the first and second ends of the channel. Thus, the roof has end portions 121 and 122 where the outer surface of the patch lies transversely on a slope relative to the outer surface in the central portion 119 of the patch.

In addition, the width of the patch (laterally, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the channel) inside each end part tapers longitudinally from the central part of the roof towards the corresponding end 105/106 of the channel so that the width at the first and second ends is less than the width at the central part . This corresponds to the thickness of the posts decreasing towards both ends of the channel.

In the installed state of the patch, which is shown more clearly in FIG. 8, the patch is wrapped around the edges 44E and 44F of the top surface 44A of the respective plank such that the bottom portions 123, 124 of the patch, remote from the arch 104, are located on the side surfaces 44C, 44D of the plank. Since the inner cross-section of the escutcheon matches the outer cross-section of the slat, the inner surface 126 of the escutcheon in the arch 104 abuts against the upper surface 44A of the slat, and the inner surface on the uprights abuts against the side surfaces 44C and 44D. Suitably, the edges 44E, 44F, which extend longitudinally to the plank and on which the side surfaces 44C, 44D abut the top surface, are mounted on the shoulders 127, 128 of the escutcheon where the roof abuts the uprights. In addition, a pad with an inner cross-section the same size as the outer cross-section of the slat ensures that the lower parts 123, 124 of the slat are in contact with the outer surface 46 of the draper so that the entire slat is closed in the predetermined position of the patch. In FIG. 10, the teeth 110 are shown in dashed lines to generally illustrate their position relative to the bar in the installed state of the patch.

Since it is possible to make various changes to the invention as described above and to make many different embodiments of it, it is intended that all information contained in the accompanying description be interpreted in an illustrative and not restrictive sense only.

Claims (11)

CLAIM 1. Grain harvester containing frame (10) harvester; an elongated cutterbar (11) extending laterally along the front edge of the frame (10) of the harvester, and the cutterbar (11) is configured to cut the plant mass when the frame (10) of the harvester moves along the ground with the plant mass; - 8 041827 canvas conveyor assembly mounted on the frame (10) of the header behind the cutter bar (11) to receive crop mass cut by the cutter bar (11), while the canvas conveyor assembly comprises (i) first and second guide rollers (30, 30A) of the draper, each located at a respective end of the draper assembly spaced along the cutterbar (11), with the axis of each guide roller (30, 30A) located at substantially right angles to the lateral direction of the cutterbar (11). ; (ii) a continuous belt (32) of flexible material wrapped around the first and second guide rollers (30, 30A) of the draper, the continuous belt (32) including an upper belt run (33) over the rollers and a lower belt run (34) under rollers; (iii) a drive motor (30B) connected to at least one of the guide rollers (30, 30A) by which the belt (32) is driven around the guide rollers (30, 30A) to transport the crop in the longitudinal direction of the header along the frame (10) of the harvester; and (iv) a plurality of slats (39) on the belt (32), each of which extends across the belt, with the slats (39) spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the belt (32), with each slat (39) having an upper surface ( 44A) spaced from the outer surface (46) of the tape (32), and side surfaces (44C, 44D) extending from the top surface (44A) to the outer surface (46) of the tape (32), characterized in that it contains an overlay (100 ) mounted on one or more slats (39), wherein the pad (100) comprises a channel having a roof (104) extending longitudinally between the first and second ends (105, 106) on the upper side of the channel, which is configured to be located on the upper surface (44A) of or adjacent to the corresponding plank (39) and posts (107, 108) extending down opposite sides of the roof (104) so that the posts (107, 108) continue along the side surfaces (44C, 44D) of the plank (39), respectively, to the tape (32); and a plurality of teeth (110), each of which is supported on one of the posts (107, 108) at a location spaced downward from the arch (104), and continues inward towards the opposite one of the posts (107, 108) to the corresponding inner free end (112) teeth (110); whereby the inner free end (112) of each tooth (110) penetrates the respective side surfaces (44C, 44D) of the corresponding bar (39), whereby the pad (100) is held on the corresponding bar (39) in the installed position of the pad (100); wherein each tooth (110) has an inclined surface (113) opposite to the roof (104), which continues inward towards the opposite one of the posts (107, 108) along an upward slope in the direction of the roof (104) to the inner free end (112) corresponding tooth (110). 2. The grain harvester according to claim 1, in which the outer surface (102) of the channel contains a non-metallic material, made with a lower coefficient of friction than the coefficient of friction of the bars (39). 3. A grain harvester according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the tines (107, 108) are rigid enough with respect to the arch (104) for the teeth (110) to penetrate into the side surfaces (44C, 44D) of the corresponding bar (39) solely for by pressing the pad (100) down on the corresponding bar (39) in the direction of the set position of the pad (100). 4. A grain harvester according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inclined surfaces (113) are oriented at an angle of more than 45° from the inner surface (114) of the roof (104). 5. Grain harvester according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which each tooth (110) contains an inner surface (114) opposite to its inclined surface (113), which extends inward towards the opposite one of the racks (107, 108) along upward slope in the direction of the arch (104) to the inner free end (112) of the corresponding tooth (110), with the inner surface and the outer surface of each tooth (110) intersect at the top, continuing in the longitudinal direction of the channel at the inner free end (112) of the tooth (110). 6. A grain harvester according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each tine (107, 108) supports a plurality of tines (110) thereon at longitudinally spaced positions thereon. 7. A grain harvester according to claim 6, wherein each tooth (110) is spaced from the next by less than half the length of the corresponding tooth (110) in the longitudinal direction of the channel. 8. A grain harvester according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the outer surface (102) of the trim (100) is rounded at the point where the corresponding leg (107, 108) intersects with the roof (104). 9. Grain harvester according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the arch (104) contains a central part (119) and a pair of end parts (121, 122) extending longitudinally outward from the central part in the direction of the first and second ends, respectively, and the thickness of the roof (104) inside each end part (121, 122) tapers longitudinally from the central part (119) of the roof (104) towards the corresponding end of the channel so that the total height of the roof (104) relative to the uprights (107, 108) - 9 041827 decreases towards both the first and second ends of the channel. 10. Grain header according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the channel contains a central part (119) and a pair of end parts (121, 122) extending longitudinally outward from the central part in the direction of the first and second ends, respectively, and the width of the lining ( 100) inside each end part narrows longitudinally from the central part (119) of the dome (104) towards the corresponding end of the channel so that the width at the first and second ends (121, 122) is less than the width at the central part (119). 11. The grain harvester according to claim 10, in which the teeth (110) are longitudinally spaced inward relative to the first and second ends of the channel so that at both ends of the lining (100), where the tooth is absent, there is a length of the end part.