Agricultural harvester row unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10058027-B2
Application number	US-201615248249-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2016
Priority date	Aug 26, 2016
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A row unit system for a corn header of an agricultural harvester, the row unit system including a plurality of row units and a plurality of chopper assemblies. A first row unit and an adjacent second row unit are each coupled to the corn header, with each row unit having a first and second leg. The first and second legs are substantially a mirror image of each other. The chopper assemblies are positioned proximate to the legs of the row units and include a chopper assembly nested between the second leg of the first row unit and the first leg of the second row unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A row unit system for a corn header of an agricultural harvester, the row unit system comprising:
a plurality of row units comprising a first row unit and an adjacent second row unit, each of the plurality of row units comprising:
a first leg comprising a first flat portion and a first sloped portion adjacent to the first flat portion;
a second leg comprising a second flat portion and a second sloped portion adjacent to the second flat portion;
a first deck plate in sliding contact along the first flat portion of the first leg; and
a second deck plate in sliding contact along the second flat portion of the second leg; and

a plurality of chopper assemblies positioned proximate to the legs of the plurality of row units, the plurality of chopper assemblies comprising a first chopper assembly nested between the second leg of the first row unit and the first leg of the second row unit.

2. The row unit system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of row units further comprises a throat, and wherein the throat of the first row unit and the throat of the second row unit are 20 or fewer inches apart.

3. The row unit system of claim 2 , wherein the throat of the first row unit and the throat of the second row unit are approximately 15 inches apart.

4. The row unit system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of chopper assemblies comprises a gearbox, wherein portions of the second leg of the first row unit and the first leg of the second row unit are above the gearbox of the first chopper assembly, and wherein the gearbox of the first chopper assembly is horizontally situated between the second leg of the first row unit and the first leg of the second row unit.

5. The row unit system of claim 1 ,
wherein the sloped portions of the first and second legs of each of the plurality of row units are along most of the flat portions upon which the first and second deck plates of the each of the plurality of row units slide.

6. The row unit system of claim 5 , wherein the sloped portions are wider than the flat portions.

7. The row unit system of claim 6 , wherein widths of the sloped portions are multiple times wider than widths of the flat portions.

8. The row unit system of claim 5 , wherein, for each of the plurality of row units, the sloped portions are angled downwardly relative to the flat portions away from the first and second deck plates by at least 18 degrees.

9. The row unit system of claim 8 , wherein, for each of the plurality of row units, the sloped portions are angled downwardly relative to the flat portions away from the first and second deck plates by approximately 20 degrees.

10. The row unit system of claim 5 , wherein, for each of the plurality of row units, each of the flat portions has a width that is less than half of a width of the deck plates.

11. The row unit system of claim 10 , wherein, for each of the plurality of row units, the width of each of the flat portions is less than a fourth of the width of the deck plates.

12. The row unit system of claim 1 ,
wherein, for each of the plurality of row units:
the first leg further comprises at least one first pedestal disposed on the first sloped portion, and
the second leg further comprises at least one second pedestal disposed on the second sloped portion, and

wherein each of the plurality of row units further comprises a first deck plate pivot link disposed on the at least one first pedestal and a second deck plate pivot link disposed on the at least one second pedestal.

13. The row unit system of claim 12 , wherein, for each of the plurality of row units:
the first deck plate is coupled to the first deck plate pivot link, and
the second deck plate is coupled to the second deck plate pivot link.

14. An agricultural vehicle, comprising:
a chassis;
a crop processing mechanism carried by the chassis and configured to separate crop material and discharge crop residue therefrom; and
a header system that gathers crop, the header system being coupled to the chassis, the header system including:
a tool bar;
a plurality of row units coupled to the tool bar, the plurality of row units comprising a first row unit and an adjacent second row unit, each of the plurality of row units comprising:
a first leg comprising a first flat portion and a first sloped portion adjacent to the first flat portion;
a second leg comprising a second flat portion and a second sloped portion adjacent to the second flat portion;
a first deck plate in sliding contact along the first flat portion of the first leg; and
a second deck plate in sliding contact along the second flat portion of the second leg; and

a plurality of chopper assemblies positioned proximate to the legs of the plurality of row units, the plurality of chopper assemblies comprising a first chopper assembly nested between the second leg of the first row unit and the first leg of the second row unit.

15. The agricultural vehicle of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of row units further comprises a throat, and wherein the throat of the first row unit and the throat of the second row unit are 20 or fewer inches apart.

16. The agricultural vehicle of claim 14 ,
wherein the sloped portions of the first and second legs of each of the plurality of row units are along most of the flat portions upon which the first and second deck plates of the each of the plurality of row units slide.

17. The agricultural vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the sloped portions are wider than the flat portions.

18. The agricultural vehicle of claim 17 , wherein widths of the sloped portions are multiple times wider than widths of the flat portions.

19. The agricultural vehicle of claim 16 , wherein, for each of the plurality of row units, the sloped portions are angled downwardly relative to the flat portions away from the first and second deck plates by at least 18 degrees.

20. The agricultural vehicle of claim 19 , wherein, for each of the plurality of row units, the sloped portions are angled downwardly relative to the flat portions away from the first and second deck plates by approximately 20 degrees.

21. The agricultural vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the throat of the first row unit and the throat of the second row unit are approximately 15 inches apart.

22. The agricultural vehicle of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of chopper assemblies comprises a gearbox, wherein portions of the second leg of the first row unit and the first leg of the second row unit are above the gearbox of the first chopper assembly, and wherein the gearbox of the first chopper assembly is horizontally situated between the second leg of the first row unit and the first leg of the second row unit.

23. The agricultural vehicle of claim 14 ,
wherein, for each of the plurality of row units:
the first leg further comprises at least one first pedestal disposed on the first sloped portion, and
the second leg further comprises at least one second pedestal disposed on the second sloped portion, and

wherein each of the plurality of row units further comprises a first deck plate pivot link disposed on the at least one first pedestal and a second deck plate pivot link disposed on the at least one second pedestal.

24. The agricultural vehicle of claim 23 , wherein, for each of the plurality of row units:
the first deck plate is coupled to the first deck plate pivot link, and
the second deck plate is coupled to the second

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Gessel James M
• Cook Joel T
• Walker Eric L
• Berggren Michael L
• Crow Brian P

Classifications

• A01F7/06

  with axles in line with the feeding direction {; Axial threshing machines} · CPC title

• A01D2101/00

  Lawn-mowers · CPC title

• A01D45/021 Primary

  Cornheaders · CPC title

• A01D34/015 Primary

  Cutting mechanisms not covered by another group · CPC title