Needle coupling and frame assembly for agricultural machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11457567-B2
Application number	US-201916459040-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2019
Priority date	Jul 1, 2019
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

An agricultural harvesting machine includes a binding mechanism to secure binding material around a crop package and a delivery device to wrap binding material around a portion of the crop package and provide binding material to the binding mechanism. The delivery device includes a yoke, a needle coupling connected to the yoke, and a needle connected to the needle coupling.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An agricultural harvesting machine comprising:
a binding mechanism configured to secure binding material around crop material formed into a crop package; and
a delivery device configured to wrap binding material around a portion of the crop package and provide binding material to the binding mechanism,
wherein the delivery device includes:
a yoke extending along a longitudinal axis;
a needle coupling connected to the yoke, the needle coupling including a base having an outer portion, a first upper flange, and a first lower flange; and
a needle connected to the needle coupling, the needle including a tip and a footing, the footing having a curved wall extending between a second upper flange and a second lower flange;
wherein the needle is connected to the needle coupling by a first fastener extending through the first upper flange and the second upper flange, a second fastener extending through the first lower flange and the second lower flange; and
wherein adjustment of the first fastener and the second fastener adjusts the position of the tip relative to the yoke, and
wherein the yoke includes a hexagonal tube and the base includes a hexagonal inner portion.

2. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 1 , wherein the needle coupling includes a first rim extending from the outer portion and a second rim extending from the outer portion opposite the first rim.

3. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 1 , wherein the needle coupling includes a collar connected to the base to secure the base to the yoke.

4. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 2 , wherein the first rim and the second rim extend circumferentially around the base.

5. An agricultural harvesting machine comprising:
a binding mechanism configured to secure binding material around crop material formed into a crop package; and
a delivery device configured to wrap binding material around a portion of the crop package and provide binding material to the binding mechanism,
wherein the delivery device includes:
a yoke extending along a longitudinal axis;
a needle coupling connected to the yoke, the needle coupling including a base having an outer portion, a first rim extending at an oblique angle from the outer portion, a second rim extending at an oblique angle from the outer portion, a first upper flange, and a first lower flange, wherein the first and second rims at least partially define a tapered groove; and
a needle connected to the needle coupling, the needle including a tip and a footing, the footing having a curved wall extending between a second upper flange and a second lower flange;
wherein the needle is connected to the needle coupling by a first fastener extending through the first upper flange and the second upper flange, a second fastener extending through the first lower flange and the second lower flange, and the curved wall is positioned in the tapered groove.

6. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 5 , wherein adjustment of the first fastener and the second fastener adjusts the position of the tip relative to the yoke.

7. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 5 , wherein the yoke includes a hexagonal tube and the base includes a hexagonal inner portion.

8. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 5 , wherein the footing includes a third rim extending from the curved wall at an oblique angle and a fourth rim extending from the curved wall at an oblique angle, and wherein the third rim engages the first rim and the fourth rim engages the second rim.

9. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 5 , wherein the needle coupling includes a collar connected to the base to secure the base to the yoke and wherein the base includes a threaded portion having an outer thread and the collar includes an inner thread configured to mate with the outer thread.

10. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 5 , wherein the needle coupling includes a collar connected to the base to secure the base to the yoke and wherein the base includes a set of tongues and wherein engagement of the collar with the tongues secures the base to the yoke.

11. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 10 , wherein the base includes a first protrusion having a first opening and the collar includes a second protrusion having a second opening, and wherein a fastener extends through the first opening and the second opening to secure the collar to the base.

12. An agricultural harvesting machine comprising:
a binding mechanism configured to secure binding material around crop material formed into a crop package; and
a delivery device configured to wrap binding material around a portion of the crop package and provide binding material to the binding mechanism,
wherein the delivery device includes:
a yoke extending along a longitudinal axis;
a needle coupling connected to the yoke, the needle coupling including a base and a collar removably connected to the base; and
a needle connected to the needle coupling, the needle including a tip and a footing;
wherein a connection between the collar and the base secures a position of the needle relative to the longitudinal axis of the yoke.

13. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 12 , wherein the base includes a first opening and the collar includes a second opening, and wherein a fastener extends through the first opening and the second opening to secure the collar to the base.

14. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 13 , wherein the first opening and the second opening extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the yoke.

15. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 13 , wherein the first opening and the second opening extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the yoke and the fastener extends into the yoke.

16. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 12 , wherein the base includes a threaded portion having an outer thread and the collar includes an inner thread configured to mate with the outer thread.

17. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 12 , wherein the base includes a set of tongues and wherein engagement of the collar with the tongues secures the base to the yoke.

18. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 12 , wherein the base includes a first protrusion having a first opening and the collar includes a second protrusion having a second opening, and wherein a fastener extends through the first opening and the second opening to secure the collar to the base.

19. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 12 , wherein the base has an outer portion, a first rim extending at an oblique angle from the outer portion, a second rim extending at an oblique angle from the outer portion, a first upper flange, and a first lower flange, wherein the first and second rims at least partially define a tapered groove.

20. The agricultural harvesting machine of claim 19 , wherein the footing includes a curved wall extending between a second upper flange and a second lower flange and wherein the needle is connected to a needle coupling by a first fastener extending through the first upper flange and the second upper flange, a second fastener extending through the first lower flange and the second lower flange, and the curved wall positioned in the tapered groove.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Hallale Sanjeev M
• El-Zein Mohamad S
• Tortorella Nathan F
• Sawale Amol M
• Portillo Hector
• Roth Darin L

Classifications

• A01F2015/073

  Features related to the horizontal rotating arm of a wrapping device of the satellite type · CPC title

• A01F15/14 Primary

  Tying devices specially adapted for baling presses · CPC title

• A01F15/071

  Wrapping devices (tying devices A01F15/141) · CPC title

• A01D59/06 Primary

  Needles · CPC title

• A01F15/12

  Feeding devices for the ties · CPC title