Agricultural header with one or more movable wing sections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11930739-B2
Application number	US-202217972239-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2022
Priority date	Aug 21, 2017
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

An agricultural header includes a main section and at least one wing section, which is pivotably coupled to the main section. The main section includes a main frame. The at least one wing section includes a wing frame. The header further includes a cutting element, a linkage, and an actuator. The cutting element is supported by the main frame and the wing section. The linkage pivotably couples the at least one wing section to the main section. The linkage includes an upper bar and a lower bar which are both coupled to the main frame and to the wing frame. The actuator is coupled to at least one of the upper bar, the lower bar, and the at least one wing section.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An agricultural header, comprising:
a main section including a main frame;
at least one wing section pivotably coupled to the main section and including a wing frame;
a cutting element supported by the main frame and the at least one wing section;
a linkage pivotably coupling the at least one wing section to the main section, the linkage including an upper bar and a lower bar; and
an actuator coupled to at least one of the upper bar, the lower bar, and the at least one wing section,
wherein the upper bar defines an upper bar axis, and the lower bar defines a lower bar axis which is non-parallel to the upper bar axis, and wherein the at least one wing section and the main section are not coupled with a hinge.

2. The agricultural header of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wing section defines a wing longitudinal axis, at least one of the upper bar axis and the lower bar axis being non-parallel to the wing longitudinal axis.

3. The agricultural header of claim 2 , wherein the upper bar axis and the lower bar axis are both non-parallel to the wing longitudinal axis.

4. The agricultural header of claim 1 , wherein the linkage is configured to maintain the upper bar axis and the lower bar axis in a non-parallel relationship regardless of an orientation of the at least one wing section relative to the main section.

5. The agricultural header of claim 1 , wherein the main section includes an upper main pivot and a lower main pivot and the at least one wing section includes an upper wing pivot and a lower wing pivot, the upper bar being coupled to the upper main pivot and the upper wing pivot and the lower bar being coupled to the lower main pivot and the lower wing pivot.

6. The agricultural header of claim 1 , wherein the upper bar defines an upper bar length and the lower bar defines a lower bar length which is equal to the upper bar length.

7. The agricultural header of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is coupled to the upper bar and to the at least one wing section.

8. The agricultural header of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is coupled to the upper bar and to the main section.

9. The agricultural header of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is coupled to the upper bar and to the lower bar.

10. The agricultural header of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the upper bar and the lower bar couples a pivot of the main section to a pivot of the at least one wing section.

11. The agricultural header of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cutting element is a cutter bar.

12. The agricultural header of claim 11 , wherein the cutter bar is a flexible cutter bar.

13. The agricultural header of claim 1 , wherein the main section defines a main section length and the at least one wing section defines a wing section length that differs from the main section length.

14. An agricultural vehicle, comprising:
a chassis; and
the header of claim 1 .

15. An agricultural header, comprising:
a main section including a main frame;
at least one wing section pivotably coupled to the main section and including a wing frame;
a cutting element supported by the main frame and the at least one wing section;
a linkage pivotably coupling the at least one wing section to the main section, the linkage including an upper bar and a lower bar which are both coupled to the main frame and to the wing frame; and
an actuator coupled to at least one of the upper bar, the lower bar, and the at least one wing section,
wherein the upper bar defines an upper bar axis, and the lower bar defines a lower bar axis which is non-parallel to the upper bar axis, and wherein the at least one wing section and the main section are not coupled with a hinge.

16. The agricultural header of claim 15 , wherein the at least one wing section defines a wing longitudinal axis, at least one of the upper bar axis and the lower bar axis being non-parallel to the wing longitudinal axis.

17. The agricultural header of claim 16 , wherein the upper bar axis and the lower bar axis are both non-parallel to the wing longitudinal axis.

18. The agricultural header of claim 15 , wherein the linkage is configured to maintain the upper bar axis and the lower bar axis in a non-parallel relationship regardless of an orientation of the at least one wing section relative to the main section.

19. The agricultural header of claim 15 , wherein the main section includes an upper main pivot and a lower main pivot and the at least one wing section includes an upper wing pivot and a lower wing pivot, the upper bar being coupled to the upper main pivot and the upper wing pivot and the lower bar being coupled to the lower main pivot and the lower wing pivot.

20. The agricultural header of claim 15 , wherein the upper bar defines an upper bar length and the lower bar defines a lower bar length which is equal to the upper bar length.

21. The agricultural header of claim 15 , wherein the actuator is coupled to the upper bar and to the at least one wing section.

22. The agricultural header of claim 15 , wherein the actuator is coupled to the upper bar and to the main section.

23. The agricultural header of claim 15 , wherein the actuator is coupled to the upper bar and to the lower bar.

24. The agricultural header of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the upper bar and the lower bar couples a pivot of the main section to a pivot of the at least one wing section.

25. The agricultural header of claim 15 , wherein the at least one cutting element is a cutter bar.

26. The agricultural header of claim 25 , wherein the cutter bar is a flexible cutter bar.

27. The agricultural header of claim 15 , wherein the main section defines a main section length and the at least one wing section defines a wing section length that differs from the main section length.

28. An agricultural vehicle, comprising:
a chassis; and
the agricultural header of claim 15 .

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Cook Joel T

Classifications

• A01D45/021 Primary

  Cornheaders · CPC title

• A01B73/06

  foldable about a vertical axis · CPC title

• A01D41/06

  Combines with headers · CPC title

• A01D41/127

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title

• A01D41/14 Primary

  Mowing tables · CPC title