Self-adjusting deck plate of an agricultural harvester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9820438-B2
Application number	US-201414579477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2014
Priority date	Dec 22, 2014
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A row unit of an agricultural harvester is disclosed for the automatic adjustment of a gap size of the row unit stripping plates. The row unit includes first and second longitudinally extending stripping plates mounted on a frame and having opposed stripping edges which define a gap between them. The row unit further includes a gap adjustment mechanism for adjusting a size of the gap between the first and second stripping plates. The gap adjustment mechanism includes a control arm, a rocker assembly operatively connected to one of the first and second stripping plates and slidably connected to the control arm, and a biasing member for biasing the rocker assembly along the control arm toward a predetermined position corresponding to a predetermined gap size.

First claim

I claim:

1. A row unit of an agricultural harvester comprising:
first and second longitudinally extending stripping plates mounted on a frame and having opposed stripping edges which define a gap between them; and
a gap adjustment mechanism that adjusts a size of the gap between the first and second stripping plates comprising:
a control arm,
a rocker assembly operatively connected to one of the first and second stripping plates and slidably connected to the control arm, and
a biasing member that biases the rocker assembly slidably along the control arm.

2. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the rocker assembly comprises:
a rocker shaft connected to said one of the first and second stripping plates; and
an adjuster arm having a first end rigidly connected to the rocker shaft, and an opposite end slidingly connected to the control arm.

3. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is a spring, an elastomer, or a magnet.

4. The row unit of claim 3 , wherein the spring is a coil spring circumscribing the control arm.

5. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the gap adjustment mechanism further comprises a second rocker assembly operatively connected to the other of the first and second stripping plates.

6. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the control arm extends in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal direction of the row unit.

7. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the rocker assembly is slidable along a longitudinal axis of the control arm.

8. A row unit of an agricultural harvester comprising:
first and second longitudinally extending stripping plates mounted on a frame and having opposed stripping edges which define a gap between them; and
an adjustment mechanism pivotably connected to one of the first and second stripping plates, the adjustment mechanism comprising:
a control arm,
a linkage assembly slidably connected to the control arm and pivotably connected to said one of the first and second stripping plates, and
a biasing member for biasing the linkage assembly slidably along the control arm.

9. The row unit of claim 8 , wherein the linkage assembly comprises:
a first linkage connected to said one of the first and second stripping plates; and
a second linkage connected to the first linkage and the control arm.

10. The row unit of claim 9 , wherein the second linkage is slidably connected to the control arm and rigidly connected to the first linkage.

11. The row unit of claim 8 , wherein the adjustment mechanism further comprises a pair of stops along the control arm about opposite sides of the linkage assembly.

12. The row unit of claim 11 , wherein each of the pair of stops is fixedly attached to the control arm about a lateral side of the frame of the row unit.

13. The row unit of claim 8 , wherein the biasing member is a spring, an elastomer, or a magnet.

14. The row unit of claim 8 , wherein the adjustment mechanism further comprises a second linkage assembly operatively connected to the other of the first and second stripping plates.

15. The row unit of claim 8 , wherein the control arm extends in a widthwise direction of the row unit.

16. The row unit of claim 8 , wherein the linkage assembly is slidable along a longitudinal axis of the control arm.

17. A row unit of an agricultural harvester comprising:
first and second longitudinally extending stripping plates mounted on a frame and having opposed stripping edges which define a gap between them; and
a gap adjustment mechanism that adjusts a size of the gap between the first and second stripping plates comprising:
a control arm,
a rocker assembly operatively connected to one of the first and second stripping plates and connected to the control arm, including:
a rocker shaft connected to said one of the first and second stripping plates, and
an adjuster arm having a first end rigidly connected to the rocker shaft and an opposite end slidingly connected to the control arm, and

a biasing member that biases the rocker assembly slidably along the control arm.

18. The row unit of claim 17 , wherein the rocker assembly further comprises a pair of stops along a length of the control arm about opposite sides of the adjuster arm and the biasing member.

19. The row unit of claim 17 , wherein the rocker assembly further comprises a pair of stops along a length of the control arm about opposite sides of the adjuster arm.

20. The row unit of claim 19 , wherein the length corresponds to a range of gap sizing between the first and second stripping plates.

21. The row unit of claim 19 , wherein the adjuster arm slides along the length of the control arm and is biasable by the biasing member.

22. The row unit of claim 19 , wherein the pair of stops is fixedly attached to the control arm.

23. The row unit of claim 19 , wherein each of the pair of stops is fixedly attached to the control arm about a lateral side of the frame of the row unit.

24. A row unit of an agricultural harvester comprising:
first and second longitudinally extending stripping plates mounted on a frame and having opposed stripping edges which define a gap between them; and
a gap adjustment mechanism that adjusts a size of the gap between the first and second stripping plates comprising:
a control arm,
a rocker assembly operatively connected to one of the first and second stripping plates and slidable along the control arm, and
a biasing member that biases the rocker assembly slidably along the control arm.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Barry John T

Classifications

• A01D45/021 Primary

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