Combine header equipped with an automated header transport system and drawbar

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11944027-B2
Application number	US-202117350442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2021
Priority date	Dec 17, 2018
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

A header that includes at least one support and transport wheel assembly having an axle and two wheels. The wheel assembly is coupled to the main body of the header by an actuating system that includes an actuator mechanism configured to actuate a swivel movement of the axle and the wheels, the swivel movement being configured to bring the wheel assembly to or from a position wherein the axle is transversal to the longitudinal direction of the header. The wheel assembly is equipped with a drawbar that is deployable from a storage position to a deployed position, wherein the movement of the drawbar between the positions is synchronized with the swivel movement of the wheel assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A self-propelled agricultural working machine comprising:
a feeder at a front of the self-propelled agricultural working machine configured to be lifted up or down;
a header that is detachably coupled to the front of the feeder, wherein the header includes:
a back wall; and
at least one wheel assembly, the at least one wheel assembly including an axle and two wheels attached at the ends of the axle, the at least one wheel assembly being movable between a field position in which the axle is essentially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the header and a transport position in which the axle is transverse to the longitudinal direction;
wherein the header comprises an actuating system configured to move the at least one wheel assembly from the field position to the transport position and vice versa, the actuating system having an actuator mechanism configured to actuate a swivel movement of the axle and the wheels of the at least one wheel assembly to bring the at least one wheel assembly to or from a position wherein in which the axle is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the header, and
wherein the at least one wheel assembly has a deployable drawbar that is pivotable between an essentially vertical storage position and an essentially horizontal deployed position, and a drawbar actuator configured to actuate a pivoting movement of the drawbar between the essentially vertical storage position and the essentially horizontal deployed position, the actuator mechanism and the drawbar actuator are configured so that the pivoting movement of the drawbar is synchronized with the swivel movement of the axle so that the drawbar is brought from the essentially vertical storage position to the essentially horizontal deployed position as the at least one wheel assembly swivels toward the position in which the axle is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the header and vice versa.

2. The self-propelled agricultural working machine according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator mechanism comprises a hydraulic variable length actuator, and wherein the drawbar actuator is a hydraulic variable length actuator that is hydraulically coupled to the actuator mechanism.

3. The self-propelled agricultural working machine according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one wheel assembly includes two wheel assemblies on sides of the feeder and designated as front and rear wheel assemblies, wherein the front wheel assembly includes the deployable drawbar.

4. The self-propelled agricultural working machine according to claim 3 , wherein the actuator mechanism comprises a hydraulic variable length actuator, and/or wherein the drawbar actuator is a hydraulic variable length actuator.

5. The self-propelled agricultural working machine according to claim 1 , wherein the actuating system configured to move the at least one wheel assembly from the field position to the transport position and vice versa comprises:
a first frame element and a first actuator mechanism coupled between the first frame element and the back wall of the header, wherein the first actuator mechanism is configured to actuate a forward movement of the first frame element from a position behind the back wall of the header to a forward position and vice versa, when the header is lifted up to a given height by the feeder; and
a second frame element and a second actuator mechanism being the actuator mechanism configured to actuate the swivel movement of the axle and the wheels, wherein the second actuator mechanism is coupled between the first and the second frame elements, wherein the axle of the at least one wheel assembly is coupled to the second frame element, and wherein the second actuator mechanism is configured to actuate a swivel movement of the second frame element to actuate the swivel movement of the axle and the wheels relative to the first frame element when the first frame element is in the forward position to bring the at least one wheel assembly to or from the position in which the axle is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the header.

6. The self-propelled agricultural working machine according to claim 5 , wherein the axle of the at least one wheel assembly is pivotably suspended from the second frame element so that the axle is freely pivotable relative to the second frame element when the at least one wheel assembly is lifted up from the ground.

7. The self-propelled agricultural working machine according to claim 6 , wherein the axle is pivotable relative to the second frame element about a pivot axis that is essentially perpendicular to the axle.

8. The self-propelled agricultural working machine according to claim 5 , wherein the axle is coupled to the second frame element in an out-of-center location of the axle.

9. The self-propelled agricultural working machine according to claim 5 , wherein the second actuator mechanism comprises an arm fixed to one of the first or second frame element, and a variable length actuator coupled between a first pivot on the arm and a second pivot on the other of the first or second frame element.

10. The self-propelled agricultural working machine according to claim 5 , wherein the first actuator mechanism is configured to control the height of the header when the self-propelled agricultural working machine is in a field mode.

11. The self-propelled agricultural working machine according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one wheel assembly comprises two wheel assemblies on sides of the feeder and designated as front and rear wheel assemblies, wherein the wheels of the wheel assemblies are pivotable relative to their respective axles and about axes which are transverse to the axles to steer the wheel assemblies, and wherein:
the front wheel assembly comprises:
a pivotable base that is pivotably connected to a central location of the axle of the front wheel assembly, the pivotable base being pivotable about an essentially vertical axis, and wherein the deployable drawbar is coupled to and deployable with respect to the pivotable base;
a first tie rod arrangement configured to transfer pivotal movement of the pivotable base to the wheels of the front wheel assembly; and
a first variable length actuator pivotably coupled to the axle of the front wheel assembly and to one of the wheels of the front wheel assembly; and

the rear wheel assembly comprises:
a second tie rod arrangement configured to transfer pivotal movement of one wheel of the rear wheel assembly to the other wheel of the rear wheel assembly; and
a second variable length actuator pivotably coupled to the axle of the rear wheel assembly and to one of the wheels of the rear wheel assembly; and
wherein operation of the first and second variable length actuators of the front and rear wheel assemblies is synchronized, so as to synchronize the pivotal movement of the wheels of the front and rear wheel assemblies.

12. The self-propelled agricultural working machine according to claim 11 , wherein the first variable length actuator and the second variable length actuator are synchronized in such a way that the wheels of the rear wheel assembly pivot in a direction opposite to a pivot direction of the wheels of the front wheel assembly.

13. The self-propelled agricultural working machine according to claim 12 , wherein the first and second variable length actuators are hydraulic actuators which are hydraulically coupled.

14. The self-propelled agricultural working machine according to claim 1 , wherein the self-propelled agricultural working machine is a combine harvester or a forage harvester.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Jongmans Dré W J
• Missotten Bart M A
• De Ceunynck Kenneth
• Reubens Sam
• Tallir Frederik
• Van Overschelde Pieter
• Desmyter Michiel

Classifications

• A01B73/005 Primary

  for endwise transportation, i.e. the direction of transport being substantially perpendicular to the direction of agricultural operation (A01B73/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01D41/141

  Automatic header control · CPC title

• A01D67/00

  Undercarriages or frames specially adapted for harvesters or mowers (coupling arrangements between animal or tractor and harvester or mower A01B59/00); Mechanisms for adjusting the frame (adjusting devices for the cutter-bar A01D34/28); Platforms · CPC title

• A01D75/002

  Carriers for the transport of harvesters or mowers · CPC title