Hydraulic system for a header of an agricultural harvester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9717179-B2
Application number	US-201414189483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2014
Priority date	Feb 25, 2014
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A hydraulic system for use with an agricultural harvester header is provided. The hydraulic system includes a reversible hydraulic pump that drives a reversible hydraulic motor in a forward or harvesting direction and a reverse or header cleaning direction. The system can further include a second reversible pump similarly driving a second reversible hydraulic motor in forward and reverse directions. The pumps and motors can be used to operate various header implements, e.g., the first pump and motor may be used to operate at least a crop cutting knife and the second pump and motor can be used to operate at least one conveyor. The pumps and motors operate within hydraulic circuits which share their hydraulic fluid with the harvester's hydraulic fluid reservoir, thereby reducing system weight, complexity and maintenance requirements.

First claim

I claim:

1. A hydraulic system of a header connectable to an agricultural combine comprising a harvester that includes a hydraulic fluid reservoir and a system pump that pumps hydraulic fluid from the reservoir, the hydraulic system comprising:
a hydraulic circuit loop that includes:
a first reversible drive motor, and
a reversible pump that pumps hydraulic fluid to the first reversible drive motor;

a common hydraulic line connected to the hydraulic circuit loop;
a first supply line connectable with the system pump for receiving first hydraulic fluid therefrom and for supplying the first hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic circuit loop via the common hydraulic line when the hydraulic system operates in a forward mode;
a second supply line connectable with the system pump for receiving second hydraulic fluid therefrom for supplying the second hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic circuit loop via the common hydraulic line when the hydraulic system operates in a reverse mode; and
a check valve disposed in the common hydraulic line for regulating flow between the first and second supply lines and the hydraulic circuit loop.

2. The hydraulic system of claim 1 , further comprising a return hydraulic line in fluid communication with the hydraulic circuit loop and connectable with the hydraulic fluid reservoir.

3. The hydraulic system of claim 1 , further comprising a common return hydraulic line and connecting lines for draining hydraulic fluid from the first reversible drive motor and the reversible pump into the common return hydraulic line.

4. The hydraulic system of claim 1 , further comprising a reel drive motor disposed in the first supply line, the reel drive motor configured for driving a reel of the header.

5. A hydraulic system of a header connectable to an agricultural combine comprising a harvester that includes a hydraulic fluid reservoir and a system pump that pumps hydraulic fluid from the reservoir, the hydraulic system comprising:
a common hydraulic pressure line connectable to the system pump, the common hydraulic pressure line comprising a first branch and a second branch;
a first hydraulic circuit loop in fluid communication with the first branch of the common hydraulic pressure line, the first hydraulic circuit loop including:
a first reversible drive motor downstream of the first branch of the common hydraulic pressure line, and
a first reversible pump downstream of the first branch of the common hydraulic pressure line pumping hydraulic fluid to the first reversible drive motor;

a second hydraulic circuit loop in fluid communication with the second branch of the common hydraulic pressure line, the second hydraulic circuit loop including:
a second reversible drive motor downstream of the second branch of the common hydraulic pressure line, and
a second reversible pump downstream of the second branch of the common hydraulic pressure line pumping hydraulic fluid to the second reversible drive motor;

a first supply line in fluid communication with the first and second branches of the common hydraulic pressure line for supplying hydraulic fluid to the first and second hydraulic circuit loops via the first and second branches, respectively, when the hydraulic system operates in a forward mode; and
a second supply line in fluid communication with the first and second branches of the common hydraulic pressure line for supplying hydraulic fluid to the first and second hydraulic circuit loops via the first and second branches, respectively, when the hydraulic system operates in a reverse mode.

6. The hydraulic system of claim 5 , further comprising first connecting lines and second connecting lines, wherein hydraulic fluid is drained via the first connecting lines from the first and second reversible pumps and via the second connecting lines from the first and second reversible drive motors into a common return hydraulic line.

7. The hydraulic system of claim 5 , further comprising a first return hydraulic line in fluid communication with the first hydraulic circuit loop and a second return hydraulic line in fluid communication with the second hydraulic circuit loop.

8. The hydraulic system of claim 7 , wherein the first and second return hydraulic lines are in fluid communication with a common return hydraulic line that is connectable with the hydraulic fluid reservoir.

9. The hydraulic system of claim 5 , further comprising a reel drive motor disposed in the first supply line, the reel drive motor configured for driving a reel of the header.

10. A hydraulic system of a header connectable to an agricultural combine comprising a harvester that includes a hydraulic fluid reservoir and a system pump that pumps hydraulic fluid from the reservoir, the hydraulic system comprising:
a hydraulic circuit loop that includes:
a first reversible drive motor, and
a reversible pump for pumping hydraulic fluid to the first reversible drive motor;

a common return line in fluid communication with the first reversible drive motor and the first reversible pump and connectable to the hydraulic fluid reservoir;
a first supply line connectable with the system pump for receiving first hydraulic fluid therefrom and for supplying the first hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic circuit loop upstream of the reversible pump when the hydraulic system operates in a forward mode; and
a second supply line connectable with the system pump for receiving second hydraulic fluid therefrom for supplying the second hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic circuit loop upstream of the first reversible drive motor when the hydraulic system operates in a reverse mode.

11. The hydraulic system of claim 10 , further comprising connecting lines for draining hydraulic fluid from the first reversible drive motor and the reversible pump into the common return line.

12. The hydraulic system of claim 11 , further comprising a first recycle hydraulic line in fluid communication with the first reversible drive motor and the reversible pump when the hydraulic system operates in a forward mode.

13. The hydraulic system of claim 11 , further comprising a second recycle hydraulic line in fluid communication with the first reversible drive motor and the reversible pump when the hydraulic system operates in a reverse mode.

14. The hydraulic system of claim 10 , further comprising a reel drive motor disposed in the first supply line, the reel drive motor configured for driving a reel of the header.

15. A hydraulic system of a header connectable to an agricultural combine comprising a harvester that includes a hydraulic fluid reservoir and a system pump that pumps hydraulic fluid from the reservoir, the hydraulic system comprising:
a first hydraulic circuit loop connectable to the system pump, the first hydraulic circuit loop including:
a first reversible drive motor, and
a first reversible pump pumping hydraulic fluid to the first reversible drive motor;

a second hydraulic circuit loop connectable to the system pump, the second hydraulic circuit loop including:
a second reversible drive motor, and
a second reversible pump pumping hydraulic fluid to the second reversible drive motor;

a first supply line in fluid communication with the first and second hydraulic circuit loops for supplying hydraulic fluid to the first and second hydraulic circuit loops when the hydraulic system operates in a forward mode;
a second supply line in fluid communication with the first and second hydraulic circuit loops for supplying hydraulic fluid to the first and second hydraulic circuit loops when the hydraulic system operates in a reverse mode;
a common recycle line dispo

Assignees

• Cnh America Llc

Inventors

• Trowbridge Jeffrey C

Classifications

• A01D41/142 Primary

  Header drives · CPC title

• F16H61/4061

  Control related to directional control valves, e.g. change-over valves, for crossing the feeding conduits · CPC title

• F16H61/4139

  Replenishing or scavenging pumps, e.g. auxiliary charge pumps · CPC title