GB2079573A

GB2079573A - Crop harvesters

Info

Publication number: GB2079573A
Application number: GB8022354A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Massey Ferguson Services NV
Current assignee: Massey Ferguson Services NV
Priority date: 1980-07-08
Filing date: 1980-07-08
Publication date: 1982-01-27
Also published as: GB2079573B

Abstract

A crop harvester comprises a crop gathering head 2 and a harvester body 13 pivotally connected to the head so that it can pivot between a working position in which it extends rearwardly of the head and a transport position in which it extends along the length of the head, the crop gathering head 2 further being vertically movable relative to the harvester body 13 so as to allow the body to pivot beneath the head in the transport position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Crop harvesters This invention relates to crop harvesters.

German Patent Application P2727 549.6 discloses a crop harvester having a crop gathering head and a harvester body that houses grain separating apparatus and is pivotally connected to the head so that it can pivot between a working position in which it extends rearwardly of the head and a transport position in which it extends along the length of, and vertically overlaps, the head so as to reduce the width of the harvester. Attachment means is provided on the rear of the head so that the harvester can be carried on the hitch links of a tractor with the harvester body alongside the tractor in the working position. The pivotal connection between the head and body is located towards one end of the head so that the body extends away from the pivotal connection towards the other end of the head in the transport position.The body can be pivoted between the transport and working position only when the harvester is uncoupled from the tractor, the harvester then being supported on a transporter with the head extending longitudinally ofthetransporter. With the body in the working position, a tractor can couple up to the attachment means to remove the harvester from the transporter, and the tractor can subsequently replace the harvester on the transporter.

An object of the present invention is to provide a crop harvester that can be pivotally folded so as to reduce its width for transportation and yet which is an independent mobile unit.

According to the invention, a crop harvester comprises a crop gathering head and a harvester body that houses grain separating apparatus and is pivotally connected to the head so that it can pivot between a working position in which it extends rearwardly of the head and a transport position in which it extends along the length of the head, the crop gathering head further being vertically moveable relative to the harvester body so as to allow the body to pivot beneath the head in the transport position.

The harvester body preferably has ground engaging wheels or tracks through which it is supported both in the working and transport positions, the wheels or tracks being steerable so as to allow the pivotal movement of the body relative to the head and longitudinal movement of the whole harvester when working and during transportation.

A tractor may be provided to move and power the harvester, the tractor being connected to the harvester in work via attachment means on the rear of the head, and towing the harvester once it is folded for transportation.

Preferably, the harvester body is pivotally connected to the head in an intermediate region along the length of the head so that the body pivots outwards away from the tractor while the latter supports the head in the raised position.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1 to 5 are side elevations of a crop harvester according to the invention showing it in the working and transportation conditions and intermediate conditions, Figures 6 to 8 are plan views of the crop harvester of Figure 1 showing it in the working, transportation and an intermediate condition, Figure 9 is a side elevation of the crop harvester showing it being towed in the transportation condition, and Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the pivotal connection of each harvester body to crop gathering head.

The illustrated crop harvester is adapted to be moved and powered by a tractor unit 1 and comprises a crop gathering head 2 with attachment means 3 provided centrally at its rear for connection to hitch links 4 at the front of the tractor unit. The head 2 comprises a table 5 having a cutterbar 6, a reel 7 and an auger 8. The auger 8 has helical flights 9 that are adapted to collect crop towards two openings 10 (Fig. 9) in the rear wall 11 of the table through which the crop is fed by fingers 12 on the auger.

This arrangement of the head is substantially the same as that illustrated in the aforesaid German Patent Application.

A harvester body 13 is provided to receive crop fed through each of the openings 10 and to operate on it to thresh and separate grain from the crop material.

The threshing mechanism may comprise a threshing cylinder and concave (not shown) arranged trans versely of the body 13 at its front end, and the grain separating mechanism may comprise straw walkers (Not shown) arranged longitudinally within the body 13. A grain cleaning mechanism (not shown) is also provided in the body 13 to clean the separated grain before it is transferred to a grain tank 14 at the rear of the body 13.

The two harvester bodies 13 are connected at their front ends to a common frame 15 which carries the tractor attachment means 3 at its rear. The frame 15 comprises two upright members 16 that are connected at their lower ends by two lateral members 17. Each body 13 has an arm structure 18 that extends laterally from it at the front end on the side adjacent the support frame 15. The outer end of this arm 18 is pivotally connected between the two lateral frame members 17 by an upright pivot pin 19 so that the arm 18 and body 13 can pivot horizontally through 90" relative to the frame between a working position (Fig. 6) in which the body extends rearwards on one side of the frame and a transport position (Fig. 9) in which it extends parallel to, and lies forward of the vertical plane of the frame.The outer end of the arm 18 has a cranked portion 20 so that the two arms 18 meet when the bodies 13 are swung to their transport position.

The crop gathering head 2 is also supported on the frame 15 and is guided vertically by runners 21 on the rear of the table 5 that engage in channels 22 of The drawing(s) originally filed were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

the upright frame members 16. Hydraulic rams (not shown) control vertical movement of the head on the frame 15.

When the harvester is in the working conåitioil, the head assumes a lower working position in which the openings 10 in the rearwaliof the table are aligned with crop inlet openings 23 ofthe bodies 13.

However, in the transportation condition, the head assumes an upper transport position above the level of the bodies 13 so that the latter can assume their transport position, end-to-end beneath the head.

The grain tanks 14 at the rear of the bodies 13 are located on the same side as the support frame 15 so that they abut rearwards of the tractor unit 1 in the working condition, the whole harvester then assuming a rigid configuration around the tractor unit, as shown in Figure 6.

Each ofthe bodies 13 is supported on a pair of wheels 24 at its rear, one being located beneath the offside of the body and the other being located beneath the grain tank 14. These wheels 24 are individually rotatable about upright pivot axes that are set at a castor angle, as shown in Figure 9. Thus, in the working condition the wheels 24 support the rear of the harvester including especially the load of the grain in the two tanks 14. The front of the harvester is then supported by the hitch links 4 at the front of the tractor unit. A ram 25 forming part of the hitch links 4 controls the height of the front of the harvester.

In the transport condition, the wheels 24 are located at opposite ends of the head and make the harvester fully self-supporting so that it can be towed by the tractor unit through means of a tow bar 26 at one end (Figure 9). The wheels pivot as the bodies are removed from their working positions to their transport positions. Preferably the wheels 24 incorporate hydraulic motors that operate to move the bodies between the working and transport positions. These motors may also operate to drive the harvester in work but would be de-activated so as to allow the wheels to move freely during towing.

Figures 6 to 8 illustrate how the harvester bodies 13 both pivot from their working positions to their transport positions beneath the head 2. Figures 1 to 4 illustrate preparatory operations prior to pivoting of the bodies 3 comprising folding down of the grain elevators 27 (Figure 2), raising ofthe head 2 (Figure 3), and folding of the grain unloader pipe 28 (Figure 4). Figure 5 illustrates how the head is lowered onto the top of the harvester bodies 13 once the latter are in their transport positions.

Claims

1. A crop harvester comprises a crop gathering head and a harvester body that houses grain separating apparatus and is pivotally connected to the head so that it can pivot between a working position in which it extends rearwardly of the head and a transport position in which it extends along the length of the head, the crop gathering head further being vertically movable relative to the harvester body so as to allow the body to pivot beneath the head in the transport position.

2. A crop harvester as claimed in claim 1 in which the harvester body has ground engaging wheels or tracks through which it is supported both in the working and transport positions, the wheels or tracks being steerable so as to allow the pivotal movement of the body relative to the head and longitudinal movement of the whole harvester when working and during transportation.

3. A crop harvester as claimed in claim 2 in which tractor attachment means is provided on the rear or the crop gathering head so that the crop harvester can be propelled by a tractor in use, the harvester body extending rearwards alongside the tractor.

4. A crop harvester as claimed in claim 2 in which the pivot axis of the harvester body is located so that the harvester body extends away from the tractor attachment means in the transport position.

5. A crop harvester as claimed in claim 4 in which the harvester body has a pivot arm structure that extends laterally from that side of the body adjacent the tractor attachment means.

6. A crop harvester as claimed in claim 5 in which the pivot arm is connected to a support frame that carries the tractor attachment means and on which the crop gathering head is supported so as to be vertically movable.

7. A crop harvester as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6 which comprises two similar harvester bodies that are each pivotally connected to the head so as to be movable between a rearwardly extending working position and a transport position beneath the head, the two harvester bodies being located on either side of the tractor attachment means.

8. A crop harvester as claimed in claim 7 in which the two harvester bodies are connected at their rearward ends behind the tractor when in their working positions so as to produce a rigid structure.

9. A crop harvester as claimed in claim 8 in which each harvester body is provided with a grain tank at its rearward end and on that side adjacent the attachment means, so that the grain tanks of the two bodies abut in the working positions.

10. A crop harvester substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.