Lowerable roller set of a secondary cutting unit for a combine harvester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10292333-B2
Application number	US-201414903943-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2014
Priority date	Jul 8, 2013
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

A header for a combine harvester has a primary implement and a secondary implement with a roller unit. The roller unit has a frame element, an outer roller set with a rotatably supported roller and a central roller set with a rotatably supported roller. The central roller set is guided on the frame element to be lowerable relatively to the external roller set.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A header for a combine harvester comprising:
a primary implement; and
a secondary implement comprising a roller unit, the roller unit comprising:
a pair of frame elements, each comprising a guiding slot;
an outer roller set comprising a rotatably supported roller; and
a central roller set comprising:
a rotatably supported roller;
a pair of side plates;
a guide element mounted on a first portion of each side plate, the guide element of each side plate engaging in the guiding slot of one of the pair of frame elements and thus defining a path of movement of the central roller set; and
a bearing mounted on a second portion of each side plate, the bearing rotatably supporting the central roller set,

wherein the central roller set is guided on the pair of frame elements to be lowerable relative to the outer roller set.

2. The header according to claim 1 , wherein the central roller set is supported and guided on the pair of frame elements to automatically take a lowered position, when the rotatably supported roller of the central roller set is released from a ground surface during lifting of the header.

3. The header according to claim 2 , wherein the central roller set is supported and guided on the pair of frame elements such that it is lowerable by gravity.

4. The header according to claim 1 , wherein the guiding slot forms an arc of a circle.

5. The header according to claim 1 , wherein:
the primary implement comprises a cutting unit,
the secondary implement comprises a second cutting unit, and
the central roller set is rotatably supported by a bearing, that is arranged under the second cutting unit, at a distance from the central roller set.

6. The header according to claim 1 , wherein:
the side plates are generally L-shaped and each has a first limb and a second limb, and
the guide element of each side plate is mounted on the first limb and the bearing of each side plate is mounted on the second limb.

7. The header according to claim 1 , wherein the outer roller set is a first outer roller set, wherein the rotatably supported roller of the outer roller set is a first rotatably supported roller, and wherein the roller unit further comprises a second outer roller set comprising a second rotatably supported roller.

8. The header according to claim 1 , wherein the outer roller set and the central roller set each further comprises a second rotatably supported roller.

9. The header according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a link that is connected with the secondary implement; and
a lifting device with a slide element that is configured and connected with the link such that a translational movement of the slide element causes a lifting of the secondary implement relative to the primary implement.

10. The header according to claim 9 , wherein the lifting device has a safety device that prevents an unwanted lifting of the secondary implement relative to the primary implement.

11. The header according to claim 1 , wherein the primary implement is the main cutting unit of the combine harvester.

12. The header according to claim 11 , wherein the secondary implement is a mowing unit, a chopping unit, or a swathing unit.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind Belgium Nv
• Esm Ennepetaler Schneid—Und Maehtechnik Gmbh & Co Kg
• Esm Ennepetaler Schneid—Und Maehtechnik Gmbh & Co

Inventors

• Missotten Bart M A
• Vandamme Willem
• Numberg Alexander
• Oehler Wolfgang

Classifications

• A01D41/14 Primary

  Mowing tables · CPC title

• A01D75/185 Primary

  Avoiding collisions with obstacles · CPC title

• A01D41/06

  Combines with headers · CPC title

• A01D41/145

  Header lifting devices · CPC title

• A01D41/144

  Foldable headers · CPC title