Conveyor belt tensioning device for an agricultural machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11266070-B2
Application number	US-201916663539-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2019
Priority date	Oct 25, 2019
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

A header for a combine harvester includes a conveyor belt for conveying crop material in a conveyance direction, and an adjusting device for adjusting a tension of the conveyor belt. The adjusting device includes a link that is movable with respect to a frame member of the header. The link is movable in a direction that is either orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to a tensioning direction of the conveyor belt for adjusting the tension of the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt may be an infeed conveyor belt or a lateral conveyor belt of a draper header, for example.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A header for a combine harvester comprising:
a conveyor belt for conveying crop material in a conveyance direction;
an adjusting device for adjusting a tension of the conveyor belt, the adjusting device comprising a first link that is movable with respect to a frame of the header, wherein the first link is movable in a direction that is either orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to a tensioning direction of the conveyor belt for adjusting the tension of the conveyor belt,
wherein the adjusting device is a linkage, and the linkage comprises the first link, a second link, and a joint that is pivotably coupled to both the first link and the second link, wherein the joint is pivotably mounted to the frame, and the second link is attached to a shaft that rotates with the conveyor belt, and wherein translation of the first link causes rotation of the joint, which causes translation of the second link, which causes translation of the shaft that rotates with the conveyor belt, which results in tensioning of the conveyor belt, wherein the linkage further comprises a spring that is configured to bias the first link in order to maintain the conveyor belt in a state of tension,
wherein the first link passes through an opening in a wall of the frame, and the spring and the joint are positioned on opposite sides of the wall.

2. The header of claim 1 , wherein the tensioning direction and the conveyance direction of the conveyor belt are both in the fore-aft direction of the combine harvester.

3. The header of claim 1 , wherein the first link extends along an axis that is either orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to a tensioning direction of the conveyor belt.

4. The header of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor belt is an infeed conveyor belt and the header is a draper header.

5. The header of claim 4 , wherein the infeed conveyor belt is oriented orthogonal to a lateral conveyor belt of the draper header.

6. The header of claim 1 , wherein the conveyance direction is toward a feederhouse.

7. The header of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor belt is a lateral conveyor belt and the header is a draper header.

8. The header of claim 1 , wherein the first link is either directly or indirectly connected to the shaft that rotates with the conveyor belt.

9. The header of claim 1 , further comprising a fastener mounted to the first link for adjusting a compression of the spring, which adjusts the state of tension of the conveyor belt.

10. The header of claim 9 , wherein the fastener is at least one nut that is mounted to a threaded portion of the first link.

11. The header of claim 1 , further comprising means for moving the first link that are directly connected to said first link.

12. A combine harvester or other agricultural machine comprising the header of claim 1 .

13. A header for a combine harvester comprising:
a conveyor belt for conveying crop material in a conveyance direction;
an adjusting device for adjusting a tension of the conveyor belt, the adjusting device comprising a first link that is movable with respect to a frame of the header, wherein the first link is movable in a direction that is either orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to a tensioning direction of the conveyor belt for adjusting the tension of the conveyor belt, wherein the adjusting device is a linkage, and the linkage comprises the first link, a second link, and a joint that is pivotably connected to the second link and a first end of the first link, wherein the joint is pivotably mounted to the frame, and wherein the second link is attached to a shaft that rotates with the conveyor belt, and
a cam device having a cam surface that is positioned against the frame and wherein the cam device is pivotable and is pivotably coupled to a second end of the first link to adjust a position of the first link, and wherein rotation of the cam against the frame causes translation of the first link, which causes rotation of the joint, which causes translation of the second link, which causes translation of the shaft that rotates with the conveyor belt, which results in tensioning of the conveyor belt.

14. The header of claim 13 further comprising a spring mounted to the first link, and wherein the cam device is pivotable against a bias of the spring.

15. A header for a combine harvester comprising:
a conveyor belt for conveying crop material in a conveyance direction; and
an adjusting device for adjusting a tension of the conveyor belt, the adjusting device comprising a first link that is movable with respect to a frame of the header, wherein the first link is movable in a direction that is either orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to a tensioning direction of the conveyor belt for adjusting the tension of the conveyor belt, wherein the adjusting device is a linkage, and the linkage comprises the first link, a second link, and a joint that is pivotably connected to the second link and a first end of the first link, wherein the joint is pivotably mounted to the frame, and wherein the second link is attached to a shaft that rotates with the conveyor belt,
wherein the linkage is an over-the-center linkage that further comprises a third link that is pivotably coupled to the first link, a fourth link that is pivotably coupled to the third link and the frame, wherein rotation of the third link causes movement of the first link, which locks the tension of the conveyor belt.

16. The header of claim 15 , further comprising a spring mounted to the first link, and wherein the linkage is pivotable against a bias of the spring.

17. The header of claim 15 , wherein the third link includes a plurality of openings, and the fourth link is connected to one of the plurality openings by a pin.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Sorensen Douglas
• Thomas Jeff
• Cook Joel
• Crow Brian

Classifications

• A01D34/00

  Mowers (combined with apparatus performing additional operations while mowing A01D37/00 - A01D41/00, A01D43/00; convertible to apparatus for purposes other than mowing or capable of performing operations other than mowing A01D42/00); Mowing apparatus of harvesters · CPC title

• A01D41/06

  Combines with headers · CPC title

• B65G23/44

  Belt or chain tensioning arrangements · CPC title

• B65H23/02

  transversely (by tentering, gripper, or like apparatus operating on fabric webs D06C) · CPC title

• A01D57/20 Primary

  with conveyor belts · CPC title