WO2007019705A1 - Crop accessory attachment - Google Patents
Crop accessory attachment Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2007019705A1 WO2007019705A1 PCT/CA2006/001366 CA2006001366W WO2007019705A1 WO 2007019705 A1 WO2007019705 A1 WO 2007019705A1 CA 2006001366 W CA2006001366 W CA 2006001366W WO 2007019705 A1 WO2007019705 A1 WO 2007019705A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- header
- latch member
- accessory
- aperture
- guard
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01D—HARVESTING; MOWING
- A01D65/00—Grain-crop lifters
- A01D65/02—Lifting fingers
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01D—HARVESTING; MOWING
- A01D65/00—Grain-crop lifters
Definitions
- This invention is in the field of cutting headers such as are used in agriculture for cutting crops for harvest and the like, and in particular with crop lifters and like accessories such as are mounted on such headers to increase crop gathering and retention in the harvesting machine.
- crops sometimes are lying so close to the ground that it is difficult to cut them with a conventional harvest header. Some crops are inherently short, while others may be taller, but are prone to fall down when they reach maturity. Heavy rain or hail can also cause crop to be lying close to the ground at harvest time.
- the knife on cutting headers comprises a knife bar extending along the front lower edge of the header, with a plurality of triangular knife sections attached to the bar such that the apex of the triangle extends forward from the bar.
- the exposed side edges of the knife sections are sharpened.
- Guards are attached to the front lower edge of the header and serve to protect the knife sections from breakage when contacting stones and like obstructions.
- the guards comprise pointed guard fingers extending forward, and the knife moves back and forth along the edge of the header in a slot cut laterally through the guard fingers.
- the guard fingers also enable the knife sections to cut the crop. As the knife section moves back and forth it pushes crop against the sides of those portions of the guard finger that are above and below the slot, shearing the crop stalks.
- a conventional knife is a few inches above the ground when the header is in its lowest position, such that very short or downed crop material will pass under the knife and be lost.
- Many different kinds of "crop lifters”, as they have come to be known, have been developed over the last century and more. Typically these crop lifters are attached to the header and/or the forward extending point of the guard finger, and provide an arm of various designs that rides along the ground ahead of the knife. A lifting finger extends at a shallow angle from the front of the arm back and over the knife.
- the arm rides along the ground and under the downed crop stalks, which then are lifted and pass over the lifting finger to the knife, where they are cut and continue moving onto the header from where they can be passed to the harvester, swather table, or the like.
- United States Patent Number 3,579,967 to Schumacher discloses a quick attachment mechanism for a crop lifter.
- a rear end of a springy arm of the crop lifter defines a notch between legs that fit into an annular leg groove in a nut that attaches the guard to the header.
- the extreme rear end of the legs of the notched portion are bent down, such that the legs can only be inserted into the leg groove when the front end of the arm is tilted downward.
- the front end of the arm is raised, and a hook is placed over the guard finger to lock the arm in tension and in the raised position. With the arm so raised, the bent portion at the rear of the arm prevents the arm from moving forward and disengaging the grooved nut.
- the present invention provides, in a first embodiment, a crop accessory apparatus for attachment to a cutting header.
- the cutting header has a knife mounted along a lower front edge thereof and guards attached to the lower front edge with guard bolts such that guard fingers of the guards extend forward from the header.
- the apparatus comprises a header latch member adapted for attachment to a guard bolt on the header such that a proximate end of the header latch member is adjacent to the header, and such that a sloping rear wall of the header latch member slopes from a distal end of the header latch member rearward and toward the header.
- a crop accessory has an accessory latch member at a rear end thereof, the accessory latch member adapted to move rearward, when the header latch member is attached to a header, into latching engagement with the header latch member such that the rear end of the accessory is maintained in substantially fixed vertical and lateral relationship to the header.
- the accessory latch member comprises a spring element defining an aperture therein, wherein the distal end of the header latch member moves into the aperture when the accessory latch member is engaged with the header latch member, and wherein the spring element is urged toward the header by a bias force such that a rear edge of the aperture is urged down the sloping rear wall and rearward, and such that the accessory is urged rearward into closer engagement with the header.
- a lateral retention groove in the sloping rear wall in proximity to the distal end of the header latch member is operative to prevent the rear edge of the aperture in the spring element from sliding up and off the header latch member.
- the present invention provides, in a second embodiment, a crop accessory apparatus for attachment to a cutting header.
- the cutting header has a knife mounted along a lower front edge thereof and guards attached to the lower front edge with guard bolts such that guard fingers of the guards extend forward from the header.
- the apparatus comprises a header latch member having a distal portion with a sloping conical wall, the header latch member adapted for attachment to a guard bolt on the header such that a proximate end of the header latch member is adjacent to the header, and a conical distal end points away from the header.
- a crop accessory has an accessory latch member at a rear end thereof, the accessory latch member adapted to move rearward, when the header latch member is attached to a header, into latching engagement with the header latch member such that the rear end of the accessory is maintained in substantially fixed vertical and lateral relationship to the header.
- the accessory latch member comprises a spring element defining an aperture therein, wherein the distal end of the header latch member moves into the aperture when the accessory latch member is engaged with the header latch member, and wherein the spring element is urged toward the header by a bias force such that a rear edge of the aperture is urged down the conical wall and rearward, and such that the accessory is urged rearward into closer engagement with the header.
- An annular retention groove around the conical wall in proximity to the distal end of the header latch member is operative to prevent the rear edge of the aperture in the spring element from sliding up and off the header latch member.
- the present invention thus provides a crop lifter, sunflower pan, or like crop accessory that attaches quickly to the header and is readily releasable therefrom, and yet resists the tendency of the accessory latch member and header latch member to disengage under some field conditions. Conveniently a mid-portion of the accessory engages one or more guard fingers to secure the accessory to the header.
- Fig. 1 is a side view of one type crop lifter attached to the top of a header with a releasable latch mechanism
- Fig. 2 is a side view of a second type of crop lifter attached to the bottom of a header with a releasable latch mechanism similar to that of Fig. 1;
- Fig. 3 is a side view of a header latch member of the latching mechanism of Fig.
- Fig. 4 is a side view of the header latch member of Fig. 3 showing the rear edge of the aperture in the spring element in upper and lower positions on the header latch member;
- Fig. 5 is a schematic section view showing the legs of the arm latch member engaged in a groove on each side of the shaft of the header latch member;
- Fig. 6 is a schematic top view of a sunflower pan incorporating a releasable latch mechanism of the invention for attachment to a header;
- Fig. 7 is a side view of the sunflower pan of Fig. 6.
- Fig. 1 illustrates a crop lifter 2 mounted on a cutting header 4 of the prior art having a knife and cooperating guards 6 mounted along a lower front edge thereof.
- the guards 6 have guard fingers 8 extending forward from header 4.
- the header is designed to travel along a field in an operating travel direction T.
- Such crop lifters are known in a wide variety of configurations.
- Fig. 1 illustrates a crop lifter 2 that can be quickly installed on the header 4 by sliding the lifter arm 10 rearward such that the guard finger 8 of a guard 6 attached to the header 4 engages a guard finger aperture 12 in an aperture member 14 on the lifter arm 10 and the rear end of the lifter arm 10 moves into latching engagement with the header 4.
- the accessory such as the illustrated crop lifter has an accessory or arm latch member 24 at a rear end thereof and moves rearward into latching engagement with a header latch member 20 attached to the header 4.
- the header latch member 20 is adapted for attachment to a guard bolt 22 that attaches the guard 6 to the header 4.
- the header latch member 20 defines a threaded hole therethrough and is threaded on to the guard bolt 22 in replacement for the nut that would ordinarily be used to secure the guard 6 to the header 4.
- the head of the guard bolt could be configured to provide the header latch member 20, and the guard bolt could then be fastened with a conventional nut.
- An arm latch member 24 is located at a rear end of the arm 10 and is adapted to move rearward into engagement with the header latch member 20 such that the rear end of the arm 10 is maintained in substantially fixed vertical and lateral relationship to the header 4.
- the header latch member 20 defines an annular leg groove 26, and the arm latch member 24 at the rear end of the arm 10 comprises two legs 28, as shown in Fig. 5, configured to engage the annular leg groove 26 on each side of the header latch member 20 with the shaft 30 of the header latch member 20 between the legs
- the guard finger 8 enters the guard finger aperture 12 defined by the aperture member 14 on the arm 10 forward of the arm latch member 24.
- the guard finger 8 is fully engaged in the aperture member 14 and the lifter arm 10 and lifter 2 are thus secured to the header 4.
- a releasable latch lock is operative to prevent forward movement of the arm latch member 24 with respect to the header latch member 20 and so maintains the lifter 2 secured to the header 4.
- the latch lock comprises a spring catch maintained in a closed position by a bias force and configured to be pushed open as the arm latch member 24 is moved rearward into engagement with the header latch member 20.
- the spring catch is configured to close when the latch members 24, 20 are fully engaged to prevent forward movement of the arm 10.
- the spring catch comprises a spring element 34 attached to the arm 10 and defining an aperture 36 above the arm latch member 24.
- the spring element 34 is biased toward the arm latch member 24, and has a Hp 38 extending rearward and outward from a rear end thereof.
- the spring element 34 is configured such that the spring element 34 is pushed outward by contact with the header latch member 20 as the arm latch member 24 is moved rearward into engagement with the header latch member 20, and moves inward when the latch members are fully engaged and the aperture 36 aligns with the top end of the header latch member 20.
- the spring element 34 thus maintains the header latch member 20 in the aperture 36 and prevents forward movement of the arm 10.
- the header latch member 20 is attached to the header 4 such that a proximate end thereof 2OA is adjacent to the header 4.
- the vertical location of the header latch member 20 is adjusted by providing shims 37 between the header 4 and the header latch member 20 as required so that the bottom of the leg groove 26 is aligned with the top of the guard finger 8 such that the arm 50 can move rearward with the legs 28 in the leg groove 26 on each side of the shaft 30 of the header latch member 20.
- the guard bolt 22 extends through the shims 37 and into the threaded aperture through the header latch member 20 which acts as a nut for securing the bolt 22, and is tightened with a wrench on a hexagonal portion 40 thereof.
- the header latch member 20 is attached to the header such that a rear wall of the header latch member slopes from a distal end of the header latch member rearward as it gets closer to the header.
- the illustrated header latch member 20 comprises a conical outer wall 42 sloping outward and downward from a distal end 2OB opposite the proximate end 20A. No alignment is thus required, and when the header latch member 20 is installed on the header 4 the rear wall will always slope rearward as required.
- the rear edge 44 of the aperture 36 in the spring element 34 engages the outer wall 42, and the spring element 34 exerts a force toward the header 4 and the proximate end 2OA of the header latch member 20 such that during installation the rear edge 44 of the aperture 36 in the spring element drops over the cone at the distal end 2OB, as illustrated at Pl and moves rearward down the sloped wall 42 to a lower position P2, thereby tightening the arm latch member 24 to the header latch member 20.
- the conical walls 42 of the header latch member 20 are made from a hardened steel material.
- a problem can arise during operations where a combination of vibration and forces encountered from contact with the crop and/or the ground can exert a force in a forward direction that will tend to pull the lifter 2 forward and overcome the downward bias force exerted by the spring element 34 such that the rear edge 44 moves up the sloped wall 42 and off the header latch member 20 such that the lifter is released and lost in the field.
- a small retention groove 46 is cut in the sloped wall 42 near the top thereof such that if the rear edge 44 starts to move upward along the sloped wall 42 from position P2, it will catch in the retention groove 46 and be stopped at position Pl.
- the spring element 34 can still perform the function of tightening the lifter 2 by forcing the rear edge 44 downward along the lower portion of the sloped wall 42, however if forces during operation should overcome the bias force and the rear edge 44 begins to move up the sloped wall 42 it will be stopped at the retention groove 46 and not lost in the field.
- the header latch member 20 extends upward from the header 4 and the lifter arm 10 is also above the header 4 and oriented to engage the header latch member 20.
- Fig. 2 illustrates that the apparatus can also be configured to attach to the bottom of the header.
- the proximate end 120A of the header latch member 120 is attached by guard bolt 122 to the bottom of the header 104 and extends downward from the header 104.
- the lift arm 110 is also oriented under the header 104 to engage the header latch member 120 in the same manner as described above for the apparatus of Fig.
- Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate, for example, a sunflower pan 202 with an accessory latch member corresponding to the arm latch member 24 of Fig. 1, provided by a slot in the rear end 202R of the sunflower pan 202, and also a spring element 234 and aperture 236.
- the header latch member is mounted in the same fashion on the header, and the sunflower pan 202 is moved rearward such that guard fingers on the header enter guard finger apertures in aperture members 214 on the bottom of the sunflower pan 212 and the aperture 236 falls over the header latch member. It is contemplated that any number of like crop accessories could be attached with such a mechanism.
- the lifter or other accessory is simply removed by lifting the rear end of the spring element up and over the header latch member, against the downward spring bias force, and pulling the accessory forward.
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Harvester Elements (AREA)
- Agricultural Machines (AREA)
- Harvesting Machines For Root Crops (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (6)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
CA2618562A CA2618562C (en) | 2005-08-18 | 2006-08-16 | Crop accessory attachment |
BRPI0615482-4A BRPI0615482B1 (en) | 2005-08-18 | 2006-08-16 | DEVICE FOR CROP HARVESTING IMPLEMENTS |
PL06775133T PL1915048T3 (en) | 2005-08-18 | 2006-08-16 | Crop accessory attachment |
EP06775133.9A EP1915048B8 (en) | 2005-08-18 | 2006-08-16 | Crop accessory attachment |
AU2006281894A AU2006281894B2 (en) | 2005-08-18 | 2006-08-16 | Crop accessory attachment |
US11/990,434 US8037668B2 (en) | 2005-08-18 | 2006-08-16 | Crop accessory attachment |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
CA2,516,252 | 2005-08-18 | ||
CA002516252A CA2516252A1 (en) | 2005-08-18 | 2005-08-18 | Crop accessory attachment |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2007019705A1 true WO2007019705A1 (en) | 2007-02-22 |
Family
ID=37757295
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/CA2006/001366 WO2007019705A1 (en) | 2005-08-18 | 2006-08-16 | Crop accessory attachment |
Country Status (7)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US8037668B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1915048B8 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2006281894B2 (en) |
BR (1) | BRPI0615482B1 (en) |
CA (2) | CA2516252A1 (en) |
PL (1) | PL1915048T3 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2007019705A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN107211642A (en) * | 2017-07-12 | 2017-09-29 | 西华大学 | A kind of harvester reciprocating cutterbar vibration absorber |
CA2991348C (en) * | 2018-01-09 | 2020-03-10 | 101288550 Saskatchewan Ltd. | Preventing damage from dislodged crop saving accessories |
CN113261424A (en) * | 2021-04-30 | 2021-08-17 | 贵州省草地技术试验推广站 | Agricultural ryegrass harvesting equipment |
Citations (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US700029A (en) * | 1901-05-08 | 1902-05-13 | William Gatermann | Attachment for finger-bars of mowers or harvesters. |
US791022A (en) * | 1904-03-28 | 1905-05-30 | William Gaterman | Attachment for finger-bars of mowers or harvesters. |
US2734332A (en) * | 1956-02-14 | fisher | ||
CA548220A (en) * | 1957-11-05 | Claas August | Grain lifter, especially for mowers | |
US2892298A (en) * | 1957-08-05 | 1959-06-30 | Earl J Chaney | Pickup device |
CA719825A (en) * | 1965-10-19 | Claas Reinhold | Crop pickup attachment for the cutter bar of combines | |
US4120138A (en) * | 1975-07-14 | 1978-10-17 | Schumacher Gustav | Grain lifter for the cutter mechanisms of harvesters |
US4295328A (en) * | 1978-08-12 | 1981-10-20 | Schumacher Gustav | Holding means for grain lifters, support skids and the like |
US6442919B1 (en) * | 1998-03-10 | 2002-09-03 | Gustav Schumacher | Grain lifter |
US20030005678A1 (en) * | 2001-06-11 | 2003-01-09 | Gustav Schumacher | Crop lifter |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2104217A (en) * | 1935-07-01 | 1938-01-04 | Stuart C Barnes | Handle assembly escutcheon |
CA2455031A1 (en) * | 2004-01-12 | 2005-07-12 | Dave Dietrich | Crop lifter |
US7650738B2 (en) * | 2005-01-06 | 2010-01-26 | Dave Dietrich | Crop lifter and crop accessory attachment |
CA2579398A1 (en) * | 2007-02-21 | 2008-08-21 | Ralph Mckay Industries Inc. | Crop lifting apparatus |
-
2005
- 2005-08-18 CA CA002516252A patent/CA2516252A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2006
- 2006-08-16 BR BRPI0615482-4A patent/BRPI0615482B1/en active IP Right Grant
- 2006-08-16 CA CA2618562A patent/CA2618562C/en active Active
- 2006-08-16 US US11/990,434 patent/US8037668B2/en active Active
- 2006-08-16 WO PCT/CA2006/001366 patent/WO2007019705A1/en active Application Filing
- 2006-08-16 EP EP06775133.9A patent/EP1915048B8/en active Active
- 2006-08-16 PL PL06775133T patent/PL1915048T3/en unknown
- 2006-08-16 AU AU2006281894A patent/AU2006281894B2/en active Active
Patent Citations (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2734332A (en) * | 1956-02-14 | fisher | ||
CA548220A (en) * | 1957-11-05 | Claas August | Grain lifter, especially for mowers | |
CA719825A (en) * | 1965-10-19 | Claas Reinhold | Crop pickup attachment for the cutter bar of combines | |
US700029A (en) * | 1901-05-08 | 1902-05-13 | William Gatermann | Attachment for finger-bars of mowers or harvesters. |
US791022A (en) * | 1904-03-28 | 1905-05-30 | William Gaterman | Attachment for finger-bars of mowers or harvesters. |
US2892298A (en) * | 1957-08-05 | 1959-06-30 | Earl J Chaney | Pickup device |
US4120138A (en) * | 1975-07-14 | 1978-10-17 | Schumacher Gustav | Grain lifter for the cutter mechanisms of harvesters |
US4295328A (en) * | 1978-08-12 | 1981-10-20 | Schumacher Gustav | Holding means for grain lifters, support skids and the like |
US6442919B1 (en) * | 1998-03-10 | 2002-09-03 | Gustav Schumacher | Grain lifter |
US20030005678A1 (en) * | 2001-06-11 | 2003-01-09 | Gustav Schumacher | Crop lifter |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
See also references of EP1915048A4 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1915048B8 (en) | 2017-06-28 |
BRPI0615482B1 (en) | 2018-01-02 |
CA2516252A1 (en) | 2007-02-18 |
EP1915048A4 (en) | 2012-08-22 |
EP1915048A1 (en) | 2008-04-30 |
BRPI0615482A2 (en) | 2011-05-17 |
PL1915048T3 (en) | 2017-12-29 |
EP1915048B1 (en) | 2017-03-29 |
CA2618562C (en) | 2010-05-11 |
CA2618562A1 (en) | 2007-02-22 |
AU2006281894B2 (en) | 2011-06-16 |
US20100005771A1 (en) | 2010-01-14 |
AU2006281894A1 (en) | 2007-02-22 |
US8037668B2 (en) | 2011-10-18 |
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