Gang arm gauge wheel height control for crop harvesting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11058056-B2
Application number	US-201916403688-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2019
Priority date	May 6, 2019
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A harvesting head for an agricultural harvester including a center frame section that is pivotally coupled to each of a left frame section and a right frame section. The elevation or height of the center frame section is determined by setting a height of the inner gauge wheels of the left and right frame sections. A gauge assembly for each of the left and right frame sections includes a linking member that spans between and operatively connects to outer and inner gauge wheels. The gauge assemblies are operably connected to the left and right frame sections to adjust an elevation of the outer and inner gauge wheels relative to the linking member to thereby adjust the elevation or height of the frame section when actuated by an actuation mechanism.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An agricultural harvesting head for an agricultural harvester comprising:
a left frame section disposed to receive crop harvested on a left side of the agricultural harvesting head;
a right frame section disposed to receive crop harvested on a right side of the agricultural harvesting head;
a center frame section that is coupled to the left frame section and to the right frame section, the center frame section being disposed to receive crop harvested from the left frame section and from the right frame section;
a gauge assembly operably connected to at least one of the left frame section and the right frame section, the gauge assembly including:
a linking member that spans between and operatively connects to an outer gauge wheel and to an inner gauge wheel, the linking member is a horizontal member that is supported on the at least one of the left and right frame sections in a manner that enables actuation of the linking member to correspondingly adjust an elevation of at least one of the outer gauge wheel and the inner gauge wheel relative to the linking member to thereby adjust an elevation of the at least one of the left and right frame sections;
an outer gauge wheel operably connected to the linking member, the outer gauge wheel positioned outwardly from the center frame section;
an inner gauge wheel operably connected to the linking member, the inner gauge wheel positioned inwardly closer to the center frame section; and
an actuation mechanism mounted on the at least one of the left and the right frame sections and operably connected to the linking member to thereby actuate the linking member.

2. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , wherein the gauge assembly is a left gauge assembly operably connected to the left frame section, and further comprising:
a right gauge assembly operably connected to the right frame section, the right gauge assembly including:
a linking member that spans between and operatively connects to an outer gauge wheel and to an inner gauge wheel, the linking member supported on the right frame section in a manner that enables actuation of the linking member to correspondingly adjust an elevation of at least one of the outer gauge wheel and the inner gauge wheel relative to the linking member to thereby adjust an elevation of the right frame section;
an outer gauge wheel operably connected to the linking member, the outer gauge wheel positioned outwardly from the center frame section;
an inner gauge wheel operably connected to the linking member, the inner gauge wheel positioned closer to the center frame section; and
an actuation mechanism mounted on the right frame section and operably connected to the linking member to thereby actuate the linking member.

3. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 2 , wherein the center frame section is pivotally connected to both of the left and right frame sections.

4. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 2 , wherein an elevation of the center frame section is determined by the elevation of the inner gauge wheels of the right and the left gauge assemblies.

5. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism includes one of a hydraulic cylinder or a linear actuator.

6. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , wherein the horizontal member is configured so as to resist tensile or compressive forces.

7. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 6 , wherein the gauge assembly includes an outer crank arm operably attached to the outer gauge wheel and the horizontal member to impart a vertical force to the outer gauge wheel to move the outer gauge wheel, the gauge assembly also includes an inner crank arm operably attached to the inner gauge wheel and the horizontal member to impart a vertical force to the inner gauge wheel to move the inner gauge wheel.

8. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , wherein the gauge assembly includes a sensor supported on the corresponding left or right frame section for sensing a distance of the corresponding linking member relative to the outer gauge wheel on the ground surface and the sensor configured to sense a distance of the corresponding linking member relative to the inner gauge wheel on the ground surface; and further comprising:
a controller configured to actuate the linking member to correspondingly adjust the distance of at least one of the outer gauge wheel and the inner gauge wheel on the ground surface relative to the corresponding linking member.

9. An agricultural harvesting head for an agricultural harvester comprising:
a left frame section disposed to receive crop harvested on a left side of the agricultural harvesting head;
a right frame section disposed to receive crop harvested on a right side of the agricultural harvesting head;
a center frame section that is coupled to the left frame section and to the right frame section, the center frame section being disposed to receive crop harvested from the left frame section and from the right frame section, the elevation of the center frame section being determined by the elevation of the left and right frame sections;
a left gauge assembly operably connected to the left frame section, the left gauge assembly including a left linking member that spans horizontally between and operatively connects to an outer gauge wheel and to an inner gauge wheel, wherein actuation of the left linking member correspondingly adjusts an elevation of at least one of the outer gauge wheel and the inner gauge wheel relative to the left linking member to thereby adjust an elevation of the left frame section; and
a right gauge assembly operably connected to the right frame section, the right gauge assembly including a right linking member that spans horizontally between and operatively connects to an outer gauge wheel and to an inner gauge wheel, wherein actuation of the right linking member correspondingly adjusts an elevation of at least one of the outer gauge wheel and the inner gauge wheel relative to the right linking member to thereby adjust an elevation of the right frame section.

10. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 9 , wherein the center frame section is pivotally connected to both of the left and right frame sections.

11. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 9 , wherein the left gauge assembly includes an actuation mechanism mounted on the left frame section and operably connected to the left linking member to thereby actuate the left linking member, and the right gauge assembly includes an actuation mechanism mounted on the right frame section and operably connected to the right linking member to thereby actuate the right linking member.

12. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 9 , wherein both of the left and right gauge assemblies include an outer crank arm operably attached to the respective outer gauge wheel and the respective linking member to impart a vertical force to the outer gauge wheel to move the outer gauge wheel vertically, and both of the left and right gauge assemblies also include an inner crank arm operably attached to the respective inner gauge wheel and the respective linking member to impart a vertical force to the inner gauge wheel to move the inner gauge wheel vertically, when the respective linking member is actuated.

13. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 9 , wherein the left gauge assembly includes a sensor supported on the left frame section for sensing a distance of the left linking member relative to the outer gauge wheel on the ground surface and the sensor configured to sense a distance of the left linking member relative to the inner gauge wheel on the ground sur

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Pierson Joshua R
• Vandeven Michael L
• Chen Jixin
• Taflinger Eric

Classifications

• A01D41/141 Primary

  Automatic header control · CPC title

• A01D41/1274

  for drives · CPC title

• A01D47/00 Primary

  Headers {for topping of plants, e.g. stalks with ears} · CPC title

• A01B63/008

  Vertical adjustment of tools (A01B63/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01D41/06

  Combines with headers · CPC title