System and method for wing float on a combine draper header

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10433486-B2
Application number	US-201715785092-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2017
Priority date	Oct 16, 2017
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

A combine draper header and method of floating a wing of the same from a center section of the draper header. The wing is movably supported with respect to the center section to enable movement of the wing between a first position and a second position. The wing is supported with respect to the center section with a resilient float element. Increasing amounts of energy are stored in the resilient float element through movement of the wing from the first position to the second position. The resilient float element is re-oriented with a float linkage to reduce the mechanical advantage of the resilient float element for supporting the wing through movement of the wing from the first position to the second position, thus buffering the wing from a force increase from the resilient float element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A draper header for a combine, the draper header comprising:
a center section adapted for attachment to a combine and provided with a belt operable in a rearward direction for feeding crop material into the combine;
first and second wings extending in opposite lateral directions from the center section, each of the first and second wings comprising a draper belt operable to feed crop material toward the center section, wherein the first and second wings are individually pivotably supported relative to the center section; and
a cutterbar positioned at a forward edge of the draper header across the center section and the first and second wings, the cutterbar operable to reciprocate for cutting crop material from the ground,
wherein the first and second wings are coupled to the center section by respective connection linkages and are furthermore supported relative to the center section by respective resilient float elements, each resilient float element operable to produce a force output that varies with a position of the wing with respect to the center section,
wherein each resilient float element is coupled between the center section and the respective one of the first and second wings by a respective float linkage operable through a range of positions to vary a mechanical advantage between the resilient float element and the respective wing, and
wherein the movement of the float linkage reduces the mechanical advantage as the force output in the corresponding resilient float element increases, and the movement of the float linkage increases the mechanical advantage as the force output in the corresponding resilient float element decreases so that change of an overall wing float force applied to the wing by the resilient float element is subdued.

2. The draper header of claim 1 , wherein each of the resilient float elements includes a single-acting hydraulic cylinder coupled to a gas-charged accumulator.

3. The draper header of claim 1 , wherein each respective connection linkage is provided as a four-bar linkage consisting of a frame portion of the wing, a frame portion of the center section, and two connecting links therebetween.

4. The draper header of claim 3 , wherein the two connecting links are coupled at two pivots on the frame portion of the center section.

5. The draper header of claim 4 , wherein a primary link of each respective float linkage has a first end pivotably coupled to both a first end of the resilient float element and a secondary link of the float linkage, and a second end of the primary link is pivotably coupled to a third pivot on the frame portion of the center section.

6. The draper header of claim 5 , wherein a second end of the resilient float element defines a pivot joint with the frame portion of the wing, and the pivot joint is constrained within a slot provided in the primary link between the first and second ends.

7. The draper header of claim 6 , wherein the movement of the float linkage increases the mechanical advantage by bringing the pivot joint closer to alignment between the first and second ends of the float linkage primary link.

8. The draper header of claim 5 , wherein the secondary link of the float linkage is pivotably coupled to the frame portion of the wing at a position between two pivots at which the two connecting links are coupled to the frame portion of the wing.

9. The draper header of claim 1 , wherein the respective float linkages and the respective resilient float elements are passive, the operation of which is dictated by the position of the respective one of the first and second wings with respect to the center section.

10. A draper header for a combine, the draper header comprising:
a center section adapted for attachment to a combine and provided with a belt operable in a rearward direction for feeding crop material into the combine;
first and second wings extending in opposite lateral directions from the center section, each of the first and second wings comprising a draper belt operable to feed crop material toward the center section, wherein the first and second wings are individually pivotably supported relative to the center section;
a cutterbar positioned at a forward edge of the draper header across the center section and the first and second wings, the cutterbar operable to reciprocate for cutting crop material from the ground;
a first resilient float element operable to produce a force output from stored energy therein that is applied through a first float linkage to provide an overall float force to the first wing; and
a second resilient float element operable to produce a force output from stored energy therein that is applied through a second float linkage to provide an overall float force to the second wing,
wherein the first float linkage is operable through a range of positions to alter a mechanical advantage between the first resilient float element and the first wing inversely with a change in the force output from the first resilient float element as the first wing moves with respect to the center section, and
wherein the second float linkage is operable through a range of positions to alter a mechanical advantage between the second resilient float element and the second wing inversely with a change in the force output from the second resilient float element as the second wing moves with respect to the center section.

11. The draper header of claim 10 , further comprising
a first connection linkage, separate from the first float linkage, coupling the first wing to a first side of the center section; and
a second connection linkage, separate from the second float linkage, coupling the second wing to a second side of the center section.

12. The draper header of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second connection linkages is provided as a four-bar linkage consisting of a frame portion of the wing, a frame portion of the center section, and two connecting links therebetween.

13. The draper header of claim 10 , wherein each of the first and second resilient float elements includes a single-acting hydraulic cylinder coupled to a gas-charged accumulator.

14. The draper header of claim 10 , wherein each of the first and second float linkages includes a primary link having a first end pivotably coupled to both a first end of the resilient float element and a secondary link of the respective float linkage, the primary link further having a second end pivotably coupled to a pivot on the frame portion of the center section.

15. The draper header of claim 14 , wherein, in each of the first and second float linkages, a second end of the resilient float element defines a pivot joint with the frame portion of the wing, and the pivot joint is constrained within a slot provided in the primary link between the first and second ends.

16. The draper header of claim 15 , wherein, in each of the first and second float linkages, movement of the float linkage responsive to movement of the wing with respect to the center section increases the mechanical advantage of the resilient float element by bringing the pivot joint closer to alignment between the first and second ends of the primary link.

17. The draper header of claim 14 , wherein, in each of the first and second float linkages, the secondary link of the float linkage is pivotably coupled to the wing at a position between two pivots at which two connecting links are coupled to the wing, the two connecting links, along with the wing and the center section, forming a connection linkage separate from the float linkage.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Vandeven Michael L
• Pierson Joshua R
• Brimeyer Alex
• Swanson Peter T

Classifications

• A01D61/008

  for longitudinal conveying, especially for combines · CPC title

• A01D41/144

  Foldable headers · CPC title

• A01D34/04

  with cutters at the front · CPC title

• A01D57/20

  with conveyor belts · CPC title

• A01D61/002 Primary

  transversal conveying devices · CPC title