Header for an agricultural harvester with independent sub-system drives

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10327386-B2
Application number	US-201715407967-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2017
Priority date	Apr 23, 2014
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

A header which is couplable with a base unit of an agricultural harvester. The header includes a rotatably driven first sub-system, a rotatably driven second sub-system, a first input drive, and a second input drive. The first input drive is mechanically couplable with the base unit. The first input drive is configured for driving the first sub-system at a first operating speed. The second input drive is mechanically couplable with the base unit. The second input drive is configured for driving the second sub-system at a second operating speed which is independent of the first operating speed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An elongated header having opposite ends which is couplable with a base unit of an agricultural harvester, the header comprising:
a rotatably driven first sub-system;
a rotatably driven second sub-system;
a first input drive at one end of said elongated header which is mechanically couplable with the base unit, the first input drive being configured for driving the first sub-system at a first operating speed; and
a second input drive at an opposite end of said elongated header which is mechanically couplable with the base unit separately from said first input drive, the second input drive being configured for driving the second sub-system at a second operating speed which is independent of the first operating speed.

2. The header of claim 1 , wherein the first operating speed is a variable operating speed.

3. The header of claim 1 , wherein the first sub-system includes a plurality of feed/snapping units, and the second sub-system includes a plurality of chopping units.

4. The header of claim 3 , wherein the header includes a plurality of row units, and wherein each of the plurality of row units includes one of the feed/snapping units and one of the chopping units associated therewith.

5. The header of claim 4 , wherein each of the chopping units includes at least one cutting blade, and the second operating speed corresponds to a predetermined tip speed of the at least one cutting blade.

6. The header of claim 4 , wherein the first input drive includes a first input drive shaft and the second input drive includes a second input drive shaft.

7. The header of claim 6 , wherein the first input drive shaft is connected with a first common drive shaft extending across the header and coupled with each of the feed/snapping units, and the second input drive shaft is connected with a second common drive shaft extending across the header and coupled with each of the chopping units.

8. An elongated header having opposite ends for an agricultural harvester, comprising:
a plurality of row units;
a rotatably driven first sub-system;
a rotatably driven second sub-system;
a first input drive at one end of said elongated header which is mechanically couplable with the base unit, the first input drive being configured for driving the first sub-system at a first operating speed; and
a second input drive at an opposite end of said elongated header which is mechanically couplable with the base unit separately from said first input drive, the second input drive being configured for driving the second sub-system at a second operating speed which is independent of the first operating speed.

9. The header of claim 8 , wherein the first operating speed is a variable operating speed.

10. The header of claim 8 , wherein the first sub-system includes a plurality of feed/snapping units, and the second sub-system includes a plurality of chopping units.

11. The header of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of row units includes one of the feed/snapping units and one of the chopping units associated therewith.

12. The header of claim 11 , wherein each of the chopping units includes at least one cutting blade, and the second operating speed corresponds to a predetermined tip speed of the at least one cutting blade.

13. The header of claim 10 , wherein the first input drive includes a first input drive shaft and the second input drive includes a second input drive shaft.

14. The header of claim 13 , wherein the first input drive shaft is connected with a first common drive shaft extending across the header and coupled with each of the feed/snapping units, and the second input drive shaft is connected with a second common drive shaft extending across the header and coupled with each of the chopping units.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Gessel James M
• Raetzman Jaclyn
• Cook Joel T
• Laufenberg Nicholas J
• Schroeder Jay D

Classifications

• A01D45/021 Primary

  Cornheaders · CPC title

• A01D69/00 Primary

  Driving mechanisms or parts thereof for harvesters or mowers (driving mechanisms for the cutters of mowers or harvesters A01D34/00) · CPC title

• A01D45/023

  Gathering chains of belts · CPC title

• A01D45/025

  Snapping rolls · CPC title

• A01D43/08

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