Multi-row sugarcane harvester feed section

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10194589-B2
Application number	US-201615387848-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2016
Priority date	Dec 22, 2016
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

A feed section for a multi-row sugarcane harvester comprises a first feed train configured to advance a first mat of sugarcane received from a first row of sugarcane, a second feed train configured to advance a second mat of sugarcane received from a second row of sugarcane, and a third feed train. The first and second feed trains merge into the third feed train. Each of the first feed train and the second feed train comprises a first feed roller and a second feed roller, each of which has an axis of rotation. With respect to the first feed train, the axes of rotation of the first and second feed rollers are positioned at different acute angles relative to a fore-aft axis of the feed section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-row sugarcane harvester for harvesting a first row of sugarcane and a second row of sugarcane simultaneously, the multi-row sugarcane harvester having a fore-aft axis, the multi-row sugarcane harvester comprising
a first basecutter configured to sever a first mat of sugarcane from the first row of sugarcane,
a second basecutter configured to sever a second mat of sugarcane from the second row of sugarcane,
a first feed train comprising a first mouth positioned downstream from the first basecutter to receive the first mat of sugarcane therefrom into the first feed train, the first feed train configured to advance the first mat of sugarcane,
a second feed train comprising a second mouth separate from the first mouth and positioned downstream from the second basecutter to receive the second mat of sugarcane therefrom into the second feed train, the second feed train configured to advance the second mat of sugarcane, and
a third feed train, the first and second feed trains merging into the third feed train, the third feed train configured to advance the first and second mats received respectively from the first and second feed trains, each of the first feed train and the second feed train comprising a first feed roller and a second feed roller, each of the first and second feed rollers having an axis of rotation with a lateral component relative to the fore-aft axis, wherein, with respect to the first feed train, the axes of rotation of the first and second feed rollers are positioned at different acute angles relative to the fore-aft axis.

2. The multi-row sugarcane harvester of claim 1 , wherein the first feed train and the second feed train are symmetrical relative to the fore-aft axis.

3. The multi-row sugarcane harvester of claim 1 , wherein, with respect to the second feed train, the axes of rotation of the first and second feed rollers are positioned at different acute angles relative to the fore-aft axis.

4. The multi-row sugarcane harvester of claim 1 , wherein the first feed train comprises another feed roller, and, with respect to the first feed train: the first and second feed rollers are positioned downstream from the other feed roller relative to a feed direction toward the third feed train, and the axes of rotation of the first and second feed rollers are progressively acutely angled relative to the fore-aft axis in the feed direction.

5. The feed section of claim 4 , wherein the second feed train comprises another feed roller, and, with respect to the second feed train: the first and second feed rollers are positioned downstream from the other feed roller relative to a feed direction toward the third feed train, and the axes of rotation of the first and second feed rollers are progressively acutely angled relative to the fore-aft axis in the feed direction.

6. The multi-row sugarcane harvester of claim 1 , wherein, with respect to each of the first feed train and the second feed train: the axis of rotation of the first feed roller forms an acute angle relative to the fore-aft axis, and the axis of rotation of the second feed roller is positioned downstream from the first feed roller in a feed direction toward the third feed train and forms a more acute angle relative to the fore-aft axis.

7. The multi-row sugarcane harvester of claim 1 , wherein the third feed train comprises a feed roller that is positioned immediately adjacent to a junction at which the first and second feed trains merge into the third feed train and radially bulges axially centrally relative to an axis of rotation of that feed roller.

8. The multi-row sugarcane harvester of claim 1 , wherein the multi-row sugarcane harvester has a centerline coincident with the fore-aft axis.

9. A feed section for a multi-row sugarcane harvester configured to harvest a first row of sugarcane and a second row of sugarcane simultaneously, the feed section comprising
a first feed train configured to advance a first mat of sugarcane received from the first row of sugarcane,
a second feed train configured to advance a second mat of sugarcane received from the second row of sugarcane, and
a third feed train, the first and second feed trains merging into the third feed train, the third feed train configured to advance the first and second mats received respectively from the first and second feed trains, each of the first feed train and the second feed train comprising a first feed roller and a second feed roller, each of the first and second feed rollers having an axis of rotation, wherein, with respect to the first feed train, the axes of rotation of the first and second feed rollers are positioned at different acute angles relative to a fore-aft axis of the feed section,
wherein, with respect to each of the first feed train and the second feed train: the axis of rotation of the first feed roller forms an acute angle relative to the fore-aft axis, and the axis of rotation of the second feed roller is positioned downstream from the first feed roller in a feed direction toward the third feed train and forms a more acute angle relative to the fore-aft axis, and the first and second feed rollers taper along their respective axes of rotation in laterally opposite directions relative to the fore-aft axis.

10. The feed section of claim 9 , wherein, with respect to each of the first and second feed trains: the first feed roller tapers along its axis of rotation laterally inwardly relative to the fore-aft axis, and the second feed roller is positioned downstream from the first feed roller in a feed direction toward the third feed train and tapers along its axis of rotation laterally outwardly relative to the fore-aft axis.

11. The feed section of claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second feed trains comprises an upper rank of feed rollers and a lower rank of feed rollers, and, with respect to each of the first and second feed trains, the lower rank of feed rollers comprises the first and second feed rollers.

12. A feed section for a multi-row sugarcane harvester configured to harvest a first row of sugarcane and a second row of sugarcane simultaneously, the feed section comprising
a first feed train configured to advance a first mat of sugarcane received from the first row of sugarcane,
a second feed train configured to advance a second mat of sugarcane received from the second row of sugarcane, and
a third feed train, the first and second feed trains merging into the third feed train, the third feed train configured to advance the first and second mats received respectively from the first and second feed trains, each of the first feed train and the second feed train comprising a first feed roller and a second feed roller, each of the first and second feed rollers having an axis of rotation, wherein, with respect to the first feed train, the axes of rotation of the first and second feed rollers are positioned at different acute angles relative to a fore-aft axis of the feed section,
wherein, with respect to the first feed train: the first feed roller tapers along its axis of rotation laterally inwardly relative to the fore-aft axis, and the second feed roller is positioned downstream from the first feed roller in a feed direction toward the third feed train and tapers along its axis of rotation laterally outwardly relative to the fore-aft axis.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Almeida Kent M
• Downey Beau

Classifications

• A01D57/00 Primary

  Delivering mechanisms for harvesters or mowers · CPC title

• A01D45/10 Primary

  of sugar cane {(for digging sugar cane A01D31/00)} · CPC title

• A01D43/08

  with means for cutting up the mown crop {, e.g. forage harvesters} · CPC title

• A01D41/14 Primary

  Mowing tables · CPC title