Draper header with belt cleaning arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9622412-B2
Application number	US-201414155396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2014
Priority date	Jan 15, 2014
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

An endless belt for a side conveyor ( 104, 106 ) of a draper header ( 100 ) has a web width an upper, crop conveying surface that is generally planar over substantially its entire extent. The web comprises a forward edge portion that is configured to be covered by a crop ramp. A plurality of protrusions ( 300, 400, 500, 502, 504, 602, 606 ) is fixed to and extends upward from the forward edge portion. The side conveyor ( 104, 106 ) comprises the endless belt and the crop ramp.

First claim

We claim:

1. A side conveyor for a draper header, the side conveyor comprising:
an endless belt with a web having a width in a direction transverse to a direction of travel of the web, and having an upper, crop conveying surface that is generally planar over substantially its entire extent, the web comprising a forward edge portion; and
a crop ramp comprising a plurality of crop ramp segments, wherein each of the plurality of crop ramp segments comprises a rear portion, wherein the rear portion has a trailing edge, wherein the rear portion covers the forward edge portion, wherein at least one elongate recess is formed on an underside of the rear portion and wherein the at least one elongate recess is disposed at an angle, the at least one elongate recess having an internal side face oblique to the direction of travel of the web;
wherein the web comprises a plurality of protrusions fixed to and extending upward from the forward edge portion;

wherein the longitudinal axis of the at least one elongate recess extends in the direction of travel of the web and also rearward to convey crop particles trapped between the forward edge portion of the web and the underside of the crop ramp toward a trailing edge ( 204 ) of each of the plurality of crop ramp segments;
wherein the plurality of protrusions are disposed to engage the at least one elongate recess and sweep the crop particles along the at least one elongate recess and toward the trailing edge.

2. The side conveyor of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions includes atleast one forward facing surface extending generally perpendicular to the direction of travel of the web with respect to the draper header.

3. The endless belt of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions includes at least one forward facing surface that is disposed at an angle to sweep cut crop material toward a trailing edge of the crop ramp.

4. The endless belt of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions includes at least one forward facing surface that is disposed at an angle to sweep cut crop material toward a leading edge of the web.

5. The side conveyor of claim 1 , wherein the web further comprises a plurality of cleats that are fixed to and extend upward from the web and in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the endless belt, and further wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is disposed immediately adjacent to a corresponding cleat.

6. The side conveyor of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions abuts a corresponding cleat.

7. The side conveyor of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of crop ramp segments comprises a first crop ramp segment having a first rear portion and a second crop segment, adjacent the first crop ramp segment having a second rear portion and wherein the first rear portion and the second rear portion are coplanar.

8. The side conveyor of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions has an upper surface opposite to and facing the lower face of the crop ramp, the upper surface being parallel to the lower face of the crop ramp.

9. The side conveyor of claim 1 further comprising cleats spaced along the crop conveying surface in the direction of travel of the web, each of the cleats having a first height, wherein each of the protrusions has a second height less than the first height.

10. The side conveyor of claim 1 , wherein the rear portion has a lower face opposite to and facing the web, the lower face extending in a first horizontal plane, wherein the crop conveying surface extends in a second horizontal plane and wherein each of the plurality of protrusions has an upper surface opposite to and facing the lower face of the crop ramp, the upper surface extending in a third horizontal plane, parallel to the first horizontal plane and the second horizontal plane.

11. A side conveyor for a draper header comprising:
an endless belt, the endless belt having a direction of travel, the endless belt further comprising:
a web comprising a crop carrying portion having an exposed upper surface and further comprising a forward edge portion, wherein the forward edge portion further comprises a plurality of protrusions fixed to and extending upward from the forward edge portion; and
a crop ramp comprising a rear portion, wherein the rear portion has a trailing edge, wherein the rear portion is disposed to cover the forward edge portion, wherein the rear portion defines at least one elongate recess on an undersurface of the rear portion and wherein the at least one elongate recess is disposed at an angle to convey crop particles trapped between the forward edge portion of the web and the undersurface toward a trailing edge of each of the plurality of crop ramp segments, the at least one elongate recess having an internal side face oblique to the direction of travel of the endless belt;
wherein the plurality of protrusions are disposed to engage the at least one elongate recess and sweep the crop particles along the at least one elongate recess and toward the trailing edge.

12. The side conveyor of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions has a forward facing surface that is disposed to engage the at least one elongate recess over substantially an entire length of the at least one elongate recess.

13. The side conveyor of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions includes at least one forward facing surface extending generally perpendicular to the direction of travel of the web.

14. The side conveyor of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions includes at least one forward facing surface that is disposed at an angle to sweep cut crop material toward a trailing edge of the crop ramp.

15. The side conveyor of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions includes at least one forward facing surface that is disposed at an angle to sweep cut crop material toward a leading edge of the web.

16. The side conveyor of claim 11 , wherein the web further comprises a plurality of cleats that are fixed to and extend upward from the web and in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the endless belt, and further wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is disposed immediately adjacent to a corresponding cleat.

17. The side conveyor of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions abuts a corresponding cleat.

18. A draper header comprising:
a web having a width extending in a direction transverse to a direction of travel and terminating along a forward edge portion, the web having an upper-crop conveying surface;
cleats projecting from the upper crop conveying surface and spaced apart in the direction of travel, each of the cleats having a first height;
a knife to be reciprocated, the knife being forward the web and extending parallel to the direction of travel;
a crop ramp comprising a lower front portion adjacent the knife and an upper rear portion extending over and covering the forward edge portion of the web, the rear portion having a lower face opposite to and facing the web;
protrusions projecting from the web, the protrusions being spaced apart in the direction of travel of the web, each of the protrusions having a sweeping surface facing in the direction of travel of the web and an upper surface opposite to and facing the lower face of the crop ramp, the upper surface being parallel to the lower face of the crop ramp and having a second height less than the first height of the cleats; and at least one elongate recess extending into the lower face of the rear por

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Hasenour Anthony M
• Puryk Corwin M

Classifications

• A01D57/20 Primary

  with conveyor belts · CPC title

• A01D61/002

  transversal conveying devices · CPC title