GB2471477A - Harvesting machines having pivoting arrangement - Google Patents

Harvesting machines having pivoting arrangement Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2471477A
GB2471477A GB0911308A GB0911308A GB2471477A GB 2471477 A GB2471477 A GB 2471477A GB 0911308 A GB0911308 A GB 0911308A GB 0911308 A GB0911308 A GB 0911308A GB 2471477 A GB2471477 A GB 2471477A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
machine
feed mechanism
crop
crop feed
machine according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0911308A
Other versions
GB0911308D0 (en
Inventor
Helge Lindenmuller
Constantin Dreer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
AGCO GmbH and Co
Original Assignee
AGCO GmbH and Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by AGCO GmbH and Co filed Critical AGCO GmbH and Co
Priority to GB0911308A priority Critical patent/GB2471477A/en
Publication of GB0911308D0 publication Critical patent/GB0911308D0/en
Priority to PCT/IB2010/001598 priority patent/WO2011001263A2/en
Priority to EP10759709A priority patent/EP2448395A2/en
Publication of GB2471477A publication Critical patent/GB2471477A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01D—HARVESTING; MOWING
    • A01D43/00—Mowers combined with apparatus performing additional operations while mowing
    • A01D43/10—Mowers combined with apparatus performing additional operations while mowing with means for crushing or bruising the mown crop
    • A01D43/107—Mounting means
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01D—HARVESTING; MOWING
    • A01D41/00—Combines, i.e. harvesters or mowers combined with threshing devices
    • A01D41/06—Combines with headers
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01D—HARVESTING; MOWING
    • A01D41/00—Combines, i.e. harvesters or mowers combined with threshing devices
    • A01D41/12—Details of combines
    • A01D41/14—Mowing tables
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01D—HARVESTING; MOWING
    • A01D41/00—Combines, i.e. harvesters or mowers combined with threshing devices
    • A01D41/12—Details of combines
    • A01D41/14—Mowing tables
    • A01D41/145—Header lifting devices
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01D—HARVESTING; MOWING
    • A01D43/00—Mowers combined with apparatus performing additional operations while mowing
    • A01D43/08—Mowers combined with apparatus performing additional operations while mowing with means for cutting up the mown crop, e.g. forage harvesters
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01D—HARVESTING; MOWING
    • A01D43/00—Mowers combined with apparatus performing additional operations while mowing
    • A01D43/08—Mowers combined with apparatus performing additional operations while mowing with means for cutting up the mown crop, e.g. forage harvesters
    • A01D43/088—Mounting means

Abstract

A crop harvesting machine comprises a crop feed mechanism17mounted on the front of the machine10. The feed mechanism17supports a header15. The feed mechanism17is moveable relative to the machine to provide access to crop processing equipment11supported in a front portion of the machine10. The feed mechanism17is mounted on the front of the machine10by upper18and lower19pairs of pivoting links, each link18,19being pivotally mounted at one end18a,19aon the machine and, at the other end18b,19b, on the feed mechanism17to allow the feed mechanism17to move between upper and lower access positions to allow access to the crop processing equipment11mounted in the front portion of the machine10. Actuating means24may be connected to the feed mechanism and the front of the vehicle to which the machine is attached. The actuating means24may be a hydraulic ram, electric motor or winch. The ends of the links18b,19bconnected with the feed mechanism17may be provided with hooks which allow disengagement of the feed mechanism17.

Description

DESCIUPTION
HARVESTING MACHINES
This invention relates to harvesting machines and particularly, but not exclusively, to forage harvesters which are provided with a front mounted header which may include a cutting mechanism and which is mounted on a crop feeding mechanism which feeds the cut crop from the header into the harvesting machine for further processing.
Problems arise when it is necessary to service or repair the crop processing equipment located at the front of the harvesting machine since access to the front of the harvesting machine is badly restricted by the header and crop feeding mechanism.
Attempts have been made to overcome this access problem by arranging the header and crop feeding mechanism to pivot downwardly relative to the harvesting machine about an axis which extends transversely across the machine to give access to the crop processing equipment in the machine.
This arrangement still results in poor access and may require the harvesting machine to be raised to allow the feed mechanism to be pivoted downwardly away from the front of the machine.
It is also knowi to pivot the feed mechanism downwardly and then to pivot sideways about a generally vertical axis. This arrangement is relatively complex and involves pivoting of parts of the mechanism about two different axes to gain access.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a harvesting machine which at least partially mitigates the above access problem.
Thus in accordance with the present invention there is provided a crop harvesting machine having a crop feed mechanism mounted on the front of the machine, the crop feed mechanism also in turn supporting a header, the crop feed mechanism being moveable relative to the machine to provide access to crop processing equipment supported in a front portion of the machine, the machine being characterised in that the crop feed mechanism is mounted on the front of the machine by upper and lower pairs of pivoting links, each link being pivotally mounted at one end on the machine and at the other end on the crop feed mechanism to allow to allow the crop feed mechanism to move relative to the front of the machine between an upper working position and a lower access position in which the crop feed mechanism is moved downwardly and forwardly relative to the machine on the pairs of links to provide access to the crop processing equipment mounted in the front portion of the machine.
Preferably actuating means are connected between the crop feed mechanism and the front of the vehicle to move the crop feed mechanism between the working and access positions.
A locking means may be provided to lock at the crop feed mechanism in its upper working position. This allows the actuating means (for example, a hydraulic cylinder) to be disconnected from its associated link and used for some other purpose on the machine such as raising the header crop feed mechanism and an associated knife drum relative to the remainder of the harvesting machine.
Alternatively the actuating means could be an electric motor which may be dedicated to moving is associated link or may be multi-functional.
Other features of the present invention are set out in the accompanying dependent claims.
One embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 shows diagrammatically part of a harvesting machine with its moveable header and crop feed mechanism in its raised working position; Figure 2 shows the moveable header and crop feed mechanism of Figure 1 in its lowered access position; Figures 3 and 4 show diagrammatically the working and lowered position of a further form of the invention which uses an electric winch to lower the crop feed mechanism; Figures 5 and 6 show a modified form of the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2 with a catch to hold the crop feed mechanism in its raised working position, and Figure 7 shows the support links of the crop feed mechanism having hooks to allow detachment of the crop feed mechanism.
Referring to the drawings, the front portion 10 of a forage harvester is shown diagrammatically. This front portion of the forage harvester includes crop processing equipment which includes a rotating knife drum 11 which co-operates with an adjustable cutterbar 12 to cut the harvested crop into the required crop portions and then to discharge the crop through a discharge shute 13 in a conventional manner.
Crop is fed to the cutter bar 12 by a crop feed mechanism 17 in the form of compression rolls 14 between which the crop passes from a header 15 mounted on the front of the machine.
The header includes a cutting mechanism 16 which may be of the reciprocating or rotary type which cuts the standing crop which is subsequently fed from the header via the compression rolls 14 to the cutter bar 12 and knife drum 11.
In accordance with the present invention, the feed mechanism 17 which includes the compression rolls 14 is mounted on the front portion 10 of the machine by two pairs of upper and lower links 18 and 19 respectively located at each side of the feed mechanism 17. One end 18a of link 18 and one of 19a of link 19 are pivoted about axis 20 and 21 respectively on the front portion 10 of the machine. The other ends 1 8b and 1 9b of the links 18 and 19 are pivoted about axis 22 and 23 respectively on the feed mechanism 17 of the machine.
A locking mechanism (not shown) is provided for locking the feed mechanism in the working position shown in Figure 1 in which crop can be fed from the header 15 through the compression rolls 14 to the cutter bar 12 and knife drum 11.
A hydraulic cylinder 24 is pivotally mounted at 25 on the machine 10 and can be connected by its piston rod eye 26 to the lower link 19 of each pair about a pivot axis 27. AS an alternative, the hydraulic cylinder could be directly connected to the feed mechanism 17.
If the locking mechanism which holds the crop feed mechanism 17 in the working position shown in Figure is released and the hydraulic cylinder 24 is connected to the pivot axis 27 the hydraulic cylinder 24 can be extended thus lowering the feed mechanism 17 and header 15 as shown in Figure 2 to allow access to the cutter bar 12 and knife drum 11 of the forage harvester.
As can be seen from Figure 2, by both lowering the feed mechanism 17 and header 15 and also moving these components forwardly relative to the front portion 10 of the forage harvester access to the crop processing equipment provided by the cutter bar 12 and knife drum 11 is significantly improved.
As will be appreciated, the hydraulic cylinder 24 when not in use to move the feed mechanism can be used for other purposes such as moving the header 15, feed mechanism 17 and the knife drum housing 11 a relative to the remainder of the machine, via pin connection
28, as the machine moves along in the field.
Alternatively, the lower links 19 could be moved by an electric motor which, for example, gives linear movement via a worm gear drive, instead of cylinder 24. If preferred, the movement of the feed mechanism on the links 18 and 19 can be actioned by an actuator connected to the upper links 18.
During the movements of the crop feed mechanism 17 and header 15 between the Figure 1 and Figure 2 positions the movement can be guided by a pair of laterally spaced guide bars (not shown). Alternatively no such guide rails may be provided.
Figures 3 and 4 views of an alternative arrangement in which the feed mechanism 17 and header 15 are again mounted on the front portion 10 of the machine by a pair of links 18 and 19 and the feed mechanism 17 is lowered relative to the machine 10 on links 18 and 19 using a cable winch 30 driven by a motor 31. A cable 32 mounted on the winch 30 is attached at 33 to the feeder mechanism 17 and the feed mechanism can be lowered by paying out the cable 32 from the winch 30 as shown in Figure 4. It will be noted in this arrangement that there is no direct connection between the cable 32 and either of the links 18 and 19. Also, in this arrangement the cylinder 24 remains permanently connected by the pin 28 to the knife drum housing ha.
Figures 5 and 6 show a further form of the present invention which is similar to the that shown in Figures 1 and 2. In the arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 6 the links 18 and 19 are again used and a catch 35 is provided which holds the feed mechanism 17 and header 15 in the raised operative position shown in Figure 5. When this catch 35 has been disengaged the header 15 and feed mechanism 17 can be lowered by the cylinder 24 operating on the lower link 19 which is of a bell crank form.
As a yet further alternative, shown in Figure 7, the connection between the links 18 and 19 and the feed mechanism 17 can be done by using hooks 36 and 37 which easily allow the feed mechanism 17 and header 18 to be completely disconnected from the remainder of the harvesting machine 10 once the feed mechanism have been lowered onto the ground. This provides even greater access to the crop processing equipment supported in the front portion of the machine and to the crop feed mechanism.
As is clear from the above, the means 24,30 to move the feed mechanism 17 relative to the machine can be connected to the links 18 or 19 or, if preferred, can be connected to any other part of the feed mechanism 17 instead.
It is apparent to person skilled in the art that any other means, which is already known in the art for other uses, may be used to move the feed mechanism 17 relative to the machine.
Also no actuating means may be provided on the forage harvester for moving the feed mechanism 17 relative to the front of the machine. The machine operator may instead use any suitable separate means available to him to lower and raise the feed mechanism relative to the machine. For example, one or more separate hydraulic jacks may be used or the front loader of a tractor could be used.

Claims (10)

  1. CLAIMS1. A crop harvesting machine having a crop feed mechanism mounted on the front of the machine, the crop feed mechanism also in turn supporting a header, the crop feed mechanism being moveable relative to the machine to provide access to crop processing equipment supported in a front portion of the machine, the machine being characterised in that the crop feed mechanism is mounted on the front of the machine by upper and lower pairs of pivoting links, each link being pivotally mounted at one end on the machine and at the other end on the crop feed mechanism to allow the crop feed mechanism to move relative to the front of the machine between an upper working position and a lower access position in which the crop feed mechanism is moved downwardly and forwardly relative to the machine on the pairs of links to provide access to the crop processing equipment mounted in the front portion of the machine.
  2. 2. A machine according to claim 1 in which actuating means are connected between the crop feed mechanism and the front of the vehicle to move the crop feed mechanism between the working and access positions.
  3. 3. A machine according to claim 1 or 2 provided with a locking means to lock the crop feed mechanism in its upper working position.
  4. 4. A machine according to claim 3 in which when the locking means is actuated the actuating means can be used for other purposes.
  5. 5. A machine according to any one of claims 2 to 4 in which the actuating means is connected with at least one link.
  6. 6. A machine according to any one of claims 2 to 4 in which the actuating means is a hydraulic ram.
  7. 7. A machine according to any one of claims 2 to 4 in which the actuating means is an electric motor.
  8. 8. A machine according to anyone of claims 2 to 4 in which the actuating means is an electric winch with one end of a winch cable connected with the crop feed mechanism and the other end of the cable wound onto a drum of the winch so that rotation on the drum by an electric motor raises or lowers the crop feed mechanism relative to the front of the machine.
  9. 9. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8 in which the ends of the links connected with the crop feed mechanism are provided with hooks which allow disengagement of the crop feed mechanism when it has been lowered onto its access position.
  10. 10. A crop harvesting machine constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1 and 2 or 3 and 4 or S and 6 or 7 of the accompanying drawings.
GB0911308A 2009-06-30 2009-06-30 Harvesting machines having pivoting arrangement Withdrawn GB2471477A (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0911308A GB2471477A (en) 2009-06-30 2009-06-30 Harvesting machines having pivoting arrangement
PCT/IB2010/001598 WO2011001263A2 (en) 2009-06-30 2010-06-30 Harvesting machines
EP10759709A EP2448395A2 (en) 2009-06-30 2010-06-30 Harvesting machines

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0911308A GB2471477A (en) 2009-06-30 2009-06-30 Harvesting machines having pivoting arrangement

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0911308D0 GB0911308D0 (en) 2009-08-12
GB2471477A true GB2471477A (en) 2011-01-05

Family

ID=41008495

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0911308A Withdrawn GB2471477A (en) 2009-06-30 2009-06-30 Harvesting machines having pivoting arrangement

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2448395A2 (en)
GB (1) GB2471477A (en)
WO (1) WO2011001263A2 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2013114181A1 (en) * 2012-01-31 2013-08-08 Agco International Gmbh Feed unit mechanism on a harvesting machine
US20130219846A1 (en) * 2010-06-22 2013-08-29 Didier O. M. Verhaeghe Combine harvester with automatic hydraulic and electric header coupling

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1288874A (en) * 1969-04-21 1972-09-13
US3959957A (en) * 1975-01-24 1976-06-01 Sperry Rand Corporation Crop harvesting machine header suspension system
US3995411A (en) * 1975-05-16 1976-12-07 Owatonna Manufacturing Company, Inc. Oscillating mounting support for agricultural instrument
US4206582A (en) * 1979-02-12 1980-06-10 International Harvester Company Header lift arrangement for windrowers
US4212144A (en) * 1978-03-07 1980-07-15 Pietro Laverda S.P.A. Machine for cutting and conditioning forage
US4724661A (en) * 1986-09-04 1988-02-16 New Holland Inc. Two piece crop harvesting header and flotation mechanism therefor
US6076342A (en) * 1998-02-02 2000-06-20 Gehl Company Mechanism for adjusting the height of a cutting mechanism in an agricultural harvester

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6073431A (en) * 1997-12-29 2000-06-13 New Holland North America, Inc. Self-propelled windrower
US5983615A (en) * 1998-11-03 1999-11-16 Deere & Company Windrower platform side-to-side float balance adjustment
US7869922B2 (en) * 2004-04-12 2011-01-11 Cnh America Llc Method and apparatus to put a windrower header in the transport mode under specified conditions

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1288874A (en) * 1969-04-21 1972-09-13
US3959957A (en) * 1975-01-24 1976-06-01 Sperry Rand Corporation Crop harvesting machine header suspension system
US3995411A (en) * 1975-05-16 1976-12-07 Owatonna Manufacturing Company, Inc. Oscillating mounting support for agricultural instrument
US4212144A (en) * 1978-03-07 1980-07-15 Pietro Laverda S.P.A. Machine for cutting and conditioning forage
US4206582A (en) * 1979-02-12 1980-06-10 International Harvester Company Header lift arrangement for windrowers
US4724661A (en) * 1986-09-04 1988-02-16 New Holland Inc. Two piece crop harvesting header and flotation mechanism therefor
US6076342A (en) * 1998-02-02 2000-06-20 Gehl Company Mechanism for adjusting the height of a cutting mechanism in an agricultural harvester

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20130219846A1 (en) * 2010-06-22 2013-08-29 Didier O. M. Verhaeghe Combine harvester with automatic hydraulic and electric header coupling
US9137946B2 (en) * 2010-06-22 2015-09-22 Cnh Industrial America Llc Combine harvester with automatic hydraulic and electric header coupling
WO2013114181A1 (en) * 2012-01-31 2013-08-08 Agco International Gmbh Feed unit mechanism on a harvesting machine

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2448395A2 (en) 2012-05-09
GB0911308D0 (en) 2009-08-12
WO2011001263A2 (en) 2011-01-06
WO2011001263A3 (en) 2011-05-19

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