Agricultural machine having wheels with adjustable camber angle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9981503-B2
Application number	US-201414890830-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2014
Priority date	May 14, 2013
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

An undercarriage for an agricultural machine includes a hollow axle, and a stub axle slidably received within the hollow axle. A lock arrangement locks a longitudinal position of the stub axle relative to the hollow axle. At least one shim is positioned at an outboard end of the hollow axle to adjust the distance between said stub axle and said hollow axle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An undercarriage for an agricultural machine, said undercarriage comprising:
a hollow axle having an outboard end and an inboard end;
a stub axle slidably received within said hollow axle and configured for extending to an extended position which determines an extended wheel stance of the undercarriage;
a lock arrangement for locking a longitudinal position of said stub axle relative to said hollow axle;
a plate permanently mounted to an interior, bottom surface of said hollow axle and located at a distance away from the outboard end of said hollow axle which corresponds to said extended wheel stance, and proximate to the inboard end of the stub axle; and
at least one adjustment device positioned at a top face of said stub axle and at the outboard end of said hollow axle to adjust a distance between said stub axle and said hollow axle such that said stub axle tilts about said plate.

2. The undercarriage according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment device is positioned between said stub axle and said hollow axle.

3. The undercarriage according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one adjustment device is at least one shim, and further including at least one bolt, each said bolt extending through a hole in said outboard end of said hollow axle and an aligned opening in said at least one shim.

4. The undercarriage according to claim 3 , wherein each said bolt is a flat head bolt.

5. The undercarriage according to claim 3 , wherein said at least one bolt comprises two bolts.

6. The undercarriage according to claim 3 , wherein each said opening is a slot extending from an edge of said at least one shim.

7. The undercarriage according to claim 3 , wherein said at least one shim comprises a plurality of shims each having said aligned opening.

8. The undercarriage according to claim 1 , wherein said lock arrangement includes at least one bolt extending through aligned bolt holes formed in each of said hollow axle and said stub axle.

9. The undercarriage according to claim 8 , wherein said bolt holes are horizontal bolt holes, said bolt holes having a diameter which is larger than a corresponding said bolt so as to allow vertical shimming of said stub axle within said hollow axle.

10. The undercarriage according to claim 8 , wherein said at least one bolt comprises a plurality of bolts.

11. An agricultural machine, comprising:
a chassis; and
an undercarriage mounted to said chassis, said undercarriage including:
a hollow axle having an outboard end and an inboard end;
a stub axle slidably received within said hollow axle and configured for extending to an extended position which determines an extended wheel stance of the undercarriage;
a lock arrangement for locking a longitudinal position of said stub axle relative to said hollow axle; and
a plate permanently mounted to an interior, bottom surface of said hollow axle and located at a distance away from the outboard end of said hollow axle which corresponds to said extended wheel stance, and proximate to the inboard end of the stub axle; and

at least one adjustment device positioned at a top face of said stub axle and at the outboard end of said hollow axle to adjust a distance between said stub axle and said hollow axle such that said stub axle tilts about said plate.

12. The undercarriage of claim 11 , wherein the adjustment device to adjust the distance between said stub axle and said hollow axle is positioned between said stub axle and said hollow axle.

13. The undercarriage of claim 11 , wherein said at least one adjustment device is at least one shim, and further including at least one bolt, each said bolt extending through a hole in said outboard end of said hollow axle and an aligned opening in said at least one shim.

14. The undercarriage of claim 13 , wherein each said bolt is a flat head bolt.

15. The undercarriage of claim 13 , wherein each said opening is a slot extending from an edge of said at least one shim.

16. The undercarriage of claim 11 , wherein said lock arrangement includes at least one bolt extending through aligned horizontal bolt holes formed in each of said hollow axle and said stub axle, said bolt holes having a diameter which is larger than a corresponding said bolt so as to allow vertical shimming of said stub axle within said hollow axle.

17. The undercarriage of claim 11 , wherein said agricultural machine is a towed implement.

18. The undercarriage of claim 11 , wherein said agricultural machine is a large square baler.

19. A method of adjusting an angular orientation of a wheel on an agricultural machine, comprising the steps of:
providing an undercarriage configured for mounting to the agricultural machine, said undercarriage including a hollow axle having an outboard end and an inboard end, a stub axle slidably received within said hollow axle and configured for extending to an extended position which determines an extended wheel stance of the undercarriage, a lock arrangement for locking a longitudinal position of said stub axle relative to said hollow axle, and a plate permanently mounted to an interior, bottom surface of said hollow axle and located at a distance away from the outboard end of said hollow axle which corresponds to said extended wheel stance, and proximate to the inboard end of the stub axle;
sliding the stub axle within the hollow axle to a desired wheel stance;
adjusting a longitudinal spacing between the stub axle and the hollow axle;
adjusting a lateral spacing between the stub axle and the hollow axle with an adjustment device located at a top face of said stub axle and at the outboard end of the hollow axle such that said stub axle tilts about said plate and an angle of said stub axle is adjusted to adjust said angular orientation of the wheel; and
fixing the stub axle relative to the hollow axle at the adjusted longitudinal spacing by locking the longitudinal position of the stub axle relative to the hollow axle, using the lock arrangement, said lock arrangement includes at least one bolt extending through aligned holes in each of the hollow axle and the stub axle.

20. The method of claim 19 , including the step of jacking up the hollow axle until the wheel is off the ground, prior to the sliding step.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein said adjusting step includes a sub-step of inserting at least one shim between said hollow axle and said stub axle, and wherein said fixing step includes the sub-step of bolting the at least one shim to the hollow axle.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Bonte Xavier G J M
• De Rycke Stefan
• Vanhoutte Peter

Classifications

• A01D67/00 Primary

  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

• A01B63/006

  Lateral adjustment of wheels · CPC title

• A01B73/00

  Means or arrangements to facilitate transportation of agricultural machines or implements, e.g. folding frames to reduce overall width (arrangements of lifting devices for soil working implements A01B63/00) · CPC title

• B60B35/10 Primary

  adjustable for varying track {(tools for axial movement of wheels on axles B60B29/008)} · CPC title

• B60B35/1018

  comprising a locking pin · CPC title