Crop divider for an agricultural harvester header having multiple harvesting reels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10368490-B2
Application number	US-201715663056-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2017
Priority date	Jul 28, 2017
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

An agricultural harvester including a header and a cab for an operator of the harvester. The header includes a frame, a reel assembly having a first reel, and a second reel spaced from the first reel a fixed distance. The header further includes a reel support structure supporting the first and second reels for movement between first and second positions, and a crop divider connected to the reel assembly, wherein the crop divider substantially spans a width of the fixed distance.

First claim

We claim:

1. A header for an agricultural harvester comprising:
a frame;
a reel assembly including a first reel and a second reel spaced from the first reel a fixed distance;
a reel support structure extending from the frame and supporting the first and second reels for movement between first and second positions, the reel support structure including:
a brace extending from the frame and supporting the reel assembly,
a first actuator operatively connected to the brace for moving the brace in a vertical direction, and
a second actuator extending from the brace and operatively connected to the reel assembly for moving the reel assembly in fore and aft directions; and

a crop divider connected to the reel assembly, wherein the crop divider substantially spans a width of the fixed distance.

2. The header of claim 1 , wherein the crop divider is connected to the reel support structure.

3. The header of claim 1 , wherein the crop divider includes a beveled face.

4. The header of claim 1 , wherein the crop divider includes a central ridge flanked by rearwardly directed walls.

5. The header of claim 4 , wherein the rearwardly directed walls are convex.

6. The header of claim 1 , wherein the crop divider is elongated and curved.

7. The header of claim 1 , wherein the crop divider is positioned forwardly of the fixed distance.

8. The header of claim 1 , wherein a bottom of the crop divider is spaced from a bottom of the reel assembly.

9. The header of claim 1 , wherein the reel support structure includes a cam assembly operatively engaged with at least one of the first and second reels, and the crop divider substantially covers a width of the cam assembly.

10. The header of claim 1 , wherein the crop divider is connected to a forward end of the reel support structure.

11. The header of claim 10 , wherein the crop divider extends from a bottom portion of the support structure to about a most forward end of the support structure.

12. The header of claim 1 , wherein the reel support structure includes a first cam assembly engaged with the first reel and a second cam assembly engaged with the second reel, and wherein the crop divider extends between the first and second cam assemblies.

13. The header of claim 1 , wherein the reel support structure includes a first cam assembly engaged with the first reel and spaced from a second cam assembly engaged with the second reel defining the fixed distance.

14. A header for an agricultural harvester comprising:
a frame;
a reel assembly including a first reel and a second reel spaced from the first reel a spaced distance;
a reel support structure supporting the first and second reels for movement between first and second positions, the reel support structure including:
a brace connected to the frame and supporting the reel assembly,
a first actuator operatively connected to the brace for moving the brace in a vertical direction, and
a second actuator extending from the brace and operatively connected to the reel assembly for moving the reel assembly in fore and aft directions; and

a crop divider spanning across the spaced distance between the first and second reels.

15. The header of claim 14 , wherein the reel support structure further includes a reel arm extending from the brace supporting the reel assembly.

16. The header of claim 14 , wherein the reel support structure further includes a first cam assembly operatively engaged with the first reel and a second cam assembly operatively engaged with the second reel.

17. The header of claim 16 , wherein the crop divider is connected to at least one of the first and second cam assemblies.

18. The header of claim 14 , wherein the crop divider is connected to and supported by the support structure.

19. The header of claim 14 , wherein the crop divider is connected to the support structure and covers a forward end of the support structure.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Roberts Craig Donald
• Wilson Scott
• Lauwers Andrew Victor
• Ivey Cameron

Classifications

• A01D63/04

  Non-rotating dividers · CPC title

• A01D57/02 Primary

  using reels · CPC title

• A01D41/142

  Header drives · CPC title

• A01D57/03

  with supplementary controlled movement of the crop-engaging members, e.g. of the tines {(A01D57/025 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A01D41/14 Primary

  Mowing tables · CPC title