Corn header adjustable divider point

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11375666-B2
Application number	US-201816478783-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2018
Priority date	Jan 17, 2017
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

A corn head assembly for an agricultural harvester includes a plurality of row units for processing corn plants in rows. Adjustable dividers are provided between adjacent row units to direct laterally adjacent corn plants into adjacent row units. Each adjustable divider has an adjustable divider point with an adjustable operating height profile between a shorter, lowermost position and a taller, uppermost position to adjust the operating height of the adjustable divider for different harvesting conditions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A corn head assembly for an agricultural harvester, the corn head assembly comprising:
a frame for mounting to an agricultural harvester;
a plurality of row units extending from the frame for receiving and processing corn stalks in a row;
an adjustable divider disposed between adjacent row units for directing corn stalks toward the row units, the adjustable divider including a fixed height main body at a rearward portion thereof, an adjustable divider point at a forward portion thereof, and a bottom frame, the adjustable divider point including a leading tip and a top shield held in adjustable positions above the bottom frame by an adjustable connection of the adjustable divider, the top shield being movable by the adjustable connection between a lowermost position and an uppermost position relative to the bottom frame, the top shield including a forward end adjacent to the leading tip and a rearward end adjacent to the fixed height main body, the adjustable connection including a pivotal connection positioned at the forward end of the top shield; and
a stabilizer structure for operation of the top shield relative to the bottom frame, the stabilizer structure including a slot in one of the top shield and the bottom frame and a pin extending into the slot from the other of the top shield and the bottom frame.

2. The corn head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable connection includes an extendable and retractable connection at the rearward end of the top shield.

3. The corn head assembly of claim 2 , wherein the extendable and retractable connection is a pneumatic cylinder.

4. The corn head assembly of claim 2 , wherein the extendable and retractable connection is a hydraulic cylinder.

5. The corn head assembly of claim 2 , wherein the extendable and retractable connection is configured for manual operation.

6. The corn head assembly of claim 2 , wherein the extendable and retractable connection is connected to the bottom frame.

7. The corn head assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of the adjustable divider, each respective one of the adjustable divider having a respective one of the adjustable divider point including a respective one of the bottom frame and a respective one of the top shield held to the respective one of the bottom frame of the respective one of the adjustable divider by a respective one of the adjustable connection, the respective one of the top shield of the respective one of the adjustable divider being movable by the respective one of the adjustable connection between a respective one of the lowermost position and a respective one of the uppermost position relative to the respective one of the bottom frame.

8. The corn head assembly of claim 7 , wherein each respective one of the adjustable divider includes a respective one of the fixed height main body at a respective one of the rearward portion thereof and the respective one of the adjustable divider point at a respective one of the forward portion thereof.

9. The corn head assembly of claim 7 , wherein the adjustable connection includes a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator, each respective one of the adjustable divider includes a different one of the pneumatic or hydraulic actuator for operation thereof.

10. The corn head assembly of claim 7 , wherein each respective one of the adjustable divider has a respective one of the pivotal connection between the respective one of the bottom frame and the respective one of the top shield thereof.

11. The corn head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable connection is configured for infinite adjustment between the lowermost position and the uppermost position.

12. The corn head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pivotal connection defines a transversely extending axis of rotation positioned at the forward end of the top shield.

13. The corn head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the forward end of the top shield is at the front half of the top shield, and the rearward end of the top shield is at the rear half of the top shield.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Baes Frederik
• Borry Stijn
• Vandergucht Yvan C C
• Ysebaert Maarten

Classifications

• A01D45/021

  Cornheaders · CPC title

• A01D63/04 Primary

  Non-rotating dividers · CPC title

• A01D63/00 Primary

  Outside dividers · CPC title