Ulllted States Patent [19]
`von Allworden
`
`[54] SELF-PROPELLED AGRICULTURAL
`HARVESTER
`
`[75] Inventor: Willhelm Von Allw?rden,
`Oberstotzingem Germany
`
`[73] Assignee; Same DeutZ-Fahr S_P_A_, Treviglio,
`Italy
`
`[21] APP1~ NOJ 08/921,886
`-
`_
`Aug‘ 25’ 1997
`Flled'
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`[22]
`[30]
`
`Sep. 5, 1996 [DE]
`
`Germany ......................... .. 196 35 992
`
`[51] Int. Cl.6 .......................... .. A01D 47/00; A01F 12/00
`[52] US. Cl. .......................... .. 460/119; 56/145; 56/152;
`56/213
`
`US005911625A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,911,625
`Jun. 15, 1999
`
`1/1980 van der Lely ...................... .. 56/192 X
`4,185,445
`4,409,780 10/1983 Kalverkamp
`..... .. 56/228
`4,715,172 12/1987 Mosby ......... ..
`56/14.5 X
`4,903,470
`2/1990 Hemker et al. ......................... .. 56/228
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`8/1983 Canada .................................. .. 56/228
`1 151 431
`0534199 9/1992 European Pat. Off. .
`1544272 10/1968 France .
`3605933 8/1987 Germany .
`6409364 2/1966 Netherlands .
`6809122 9/1968 Netherlands .
`6712090 3/1969 Netherlands .
`7212210 11/1972 Netherlands ~
`92/09190 6/1992 WIPO .
`_
`_
`_
`Primary Examzner—Terry Lee Mehus
`Attorney, A gent, 0r Firm—HardaWay LaW Firm, PA.
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`[58] Field of Search ............................ .. 460/119, 21, 116;
`172/311; 56/143, 14.5, 15.1, 15.2, 15.5,
`15.9, 125, 189, 192, 212, 213, 228, 220
`_
`References Clted
`Us‘ PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`[56]
`
`A self-propelled agricultural harvester (1) is equipped With
`a fold up crop gathering attachment (6) having at least tWo
`sections Which are adjustable for road travel. The adjustment
`narrows the harvester to a permissible Width for road travel
`While maintaining adequate operator visibility to comply
`With governmental regulations.
`
`2,262,906 11/1941 Raney et al. ............................ .. 56/122
`
`12 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets
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`Page 1 of 11
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`1
`SELF-PROPELLED AGRICULTURAL
`HARVESTER
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`This invention relates to a self-propelled agricultural
`harvester and particularly to a harvester Whose crop receiv
`ing attachment has sections Which may be folded up to
`permit the harvester to travel on roads.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`German Patent document DE-AS 14 82 896 describes a
`combine harvester having a divided cutting mechanism, the
`tWo halves of the cutting mechanism being pivotable about
`an aXis lying in the longitudinal direction of the combine
`harvester, Whereby the halves of the cutting mechanism can
`be brought into a travel position. In this travel position, the
`tWo halves of the cutting mechanism are positioned perpen
`dicularly and mutually parallel in front of the operator’s
`station Which impairs the operator’s vieW of the area in front
`of the combine. Residual straW or other crop material
`clinging to the cutting mechanism increases the impairment.
`This impairment of the operator’s vieW greatly restricts road
`travel and may render road travel impossible. Increased
`traf?c haZard results When this prior art harvester travels on
`a road.
`In European Patent document EP-Al 0 373 406, tWo
`halves of a cutting mechanism are slid substantially past one
`another for road travel. The already described disadvantages
`result from such an arrangement and an intricate mechanical
`system is necessary in order to slide the tWo halves of the
`cutting mechanism past one another.
`In using a combine harvester, it is knoWn, moreover, to
`detach the moWer platform and place it on a Wagon or trailer
`Which is hitched to the back of the combine harvester for
`road travel. This substantially reduces the maXimum speed
`of the combine harvester and maneuvering is restricted,
`particularly When traveling in reverse. Also, the attachment
`and detachment of the moWer platform and the hitching and
`unhitching of the trailer require considerable time and such
`activity greatly increases risk of injury to the operator.
`
`OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`It is an object of the invention to create a self-propelled
`agricultural harvester Which, When traveling to the place of
`use and back, Will travel safely and comply With govern
`mental regulations regarding maXimum permissible vehicle
`Width and the driver’s ?eld of vieW, Which in one country is
`a 12 meter circle.
`It is a further object of the invention to provide a harvester
`With a header or crop pick-up mechanism Which can be
`reduced in Width for road travel Without requiring detach
`ment of the header or crop pick up mechanism from the
`combine. It is a further object of the invention to provide an
`adjustable header or crop pick-up mechanism Which can be
`adjusted to a road travel Width by a poWer operated control
`system controlled by an operator occupying the operator’s
`station on the harvester.
`In carrying out the invention, the header or crop pick up
`mechanism, Which is mounted on the front end of a con
`veyor duct or housing, has at least tWo sections Which are
`adjustable betWeen Working and travel positions. The sec
`tions are slidable, pivotable or movable in a combination of
`these movement modes into the travel position and con
`versely into the Working position by poWer means controlled
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`by the operator. Appropriate guides, transmission elements,
`mechanical lever systems or the like, as Well as movement
`elements such as hydraulic cylinders or the like, can be used
`for this movement. The ?eld of vieW required for the driver
`can be generated by pivoting one or tWo sections of the
`header or pick up mechanism about an aXis arranged cen
`trally or eccentrically relative to the vehicle, or about aXes
`spaced apart from one another. In the case of tWo sections,
`one aXis is also possible if an adequate spacing betWeen the
`sections and the aXis is provided. The sections or the pivot
`aXes for the sections can be slid before or after hinging or
`pivoting, in order to provide an adequate ?eld of vieW. In
`addition, the header sections or components thereof can be
`further pivoted about at least one transverse aXis after
`pivoting the header sections about aXes in the longitudinal
`direction of the vehicle, such pivoting serving to increase the
`driver’s ?eld of vieW.
`In one embodiment of the invention, the crop gathering
`attachment is divided into three sections, With the tWo outer
`sections being movable to travel positions in Which they are
`out of the driver’s ?eld of vieW. In the travel position, the
`middle section, Which includes the poWer transmitting
`mechanism for driving the crop cutting and/or gathering
`mechanisms of the tWo outer sections, remains in its original
`position. The tWo outer sections are pivoted up out of the
`driver’s ?eld of vieW to the greatest eXtent or moved
`laterally alongside the operator’s station in their travel
`positions.
`In order not to eXceed the blockage of the semicircle of
`vieW as permitted by governmental regulations, each of the
`outer sections in its hinged-up travel position is kept as
`narroW as physically possible as vieWed from the driver’s
`position at the operator’s station. If the sections of the
`harvester crop gathering attachment have cross-conveying
`augers and grain pans, adjustment is provided to align the
`pans of the fold-up sections With the operator’s line of vision
`so the sight impairment is limited to the diameter of the base
`cylinder of the auger and the depth of the outer shell of the
`pan. Parts arranged in front of the auger, such as moWer
`drums or a pick-up device, are positioned so that they lie
`substantially in the visual shadoW of the auger and the pan.
`The auger is kept as small as possible. Stiffening brackets
`that connect the crossbeams and brace the pan are spaced
`along the outer sections in such a fashion that the ?eld of
`vieW is also suf?cient in vertical eXtent. The change in
`vertical position that occurs When the conveying duct
`(elevator housing) is pivoted to a travel position must also be
`taken into consideration.
`In another embodiment of the invention the outer sections
`of the crop gatherings attachment, as vieWed in the direction
`of travel, are offset in front of a central section to such an
`eXtent that at least the delivery region of the cross-conveying
`augers of the outer sections lies in front of the pick-up
`mechanism of the middle section. Thus the harvested mate
`rial picked up by the outer sections is conveyed laterally
`inWard and discharged ahead of the central section. The
`harvested material is picked up again by the central section
`and is transported to the conveying duct. Space for the
`hinging up of the outer sections in front of the central section
`is created in this design. When the outer sections are pivoted
`to their travel position the total Width of the self-propelled
`harvester does not exceed the alloWable limit.
`The outer sections are pivotally mounted on pivot struc
`tures Which in turn are pivotally supported on horiZontal
`hinge shafts supported in stiffening brackets of the central
`section. The pivot aXes betWeen the outer sections and the
`pivot structures are horiZontal in the Working position of the
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`outer sections and are substantially vertical in their travel
`position. Thus the outer sections can be hinged up about the
`horiZontal hinge shafts and then pivoted into a desired
`position about the vertical pivot axis.
`The pivot structures include springs connected to the
`stiffening brackets of the outer sections Which counterbal
`ance the Weight of the outer sections in their Working
`positions, and pivot the outer sections into abutment With
`pivot stops on the structures in the travel position of the
`outer sections. The spring biased Weight relief of the outer
`sections permits them to pivot to better folloW irregularities
`in the terrain and this increases the ef?ciency of the self
`propelled harvester. When the outer sections are pivoted to
`their travel positions the springs automatically pivot the
`sections into abutment With the pivot stops in Which position
`obstruction to operator vision is minimized.
`Such pivoting of the outer sections into abutment With
`their pivot stops provides the visibility required by pertinent
`legislative provisions and the self-propelled harvester can be
`driven in road travel in compliance With traf?c regulations.
`In another embodiment of the invention, the fold up
`sections of the crop gathering attachment are positioned
`alongside the driver’s station in their travel position. The
`pivot structure for the fold up sections includes a pivot joint
`permitting pivoting of the fold up section rearWardly about
`an axis extending transverse to the travel direction of the
`vehicle. Adequate space is usually available alongside the
`driver’s station above the front Wheels. The crop processing
`mechanism, Which is Wider than the conveyor duct and the
`operator’s station, is positioned to the rear of the operator’s
`station.
`The driver’s station or exterior frame members of the
`agricultural harvester may include brackets, abutments or
`connectors for holding the fold up sections in their travel
`positions. In the travel position, the ascension ladder to the
`driver’s station may be placed in a recess provided therefor
`or else it may be detached.
`Ideally, in the travel position the fold up sections of the
`crop gathering attachment are arranged alongside the driv
`er’s station in positions ranging from perpendicular to
`parallel in relation to the ground. This is an ideal construc
`tion for a harvester in Which the driver’s cab (operator’s
`station) is narroWer than the processor part of the harvester
`positioned behind the cab. An oblique position of the fold up
`sections (When vieWed from a lateral side of the harvester)
`is very favorable from an operator’s visibility standpoint.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`In the folloWing description various embodiments of the
`invention are described and explained on the basis of the
`draWings, in Which:
`FIG. 1 is a lateral vieW of an agricultural harvester
`incorporating one embodiment of the invention;
`FIG. 2 is a front vieW of an agricultural harvester shoWn
`in FIG. 1;
`FIG. 3 is a front vieW of the agricultural harvester of FIG.
`1;
`FIG. 4 is a lateral vieW of the agricultural harvester of
`FIG. 1 adjusted for road travel;
`FIG. 5 is a lateral vieW of an agricultural harvester
`incorporating a second embodiment of the invention;
`FIG. 6 is a front vieW of the agricultural harvester of FIG.
`5;
`FIG. 7 is a plan vieW of another crop gathering attachment
`With outer sections hinged up;
`
`4
`FIG. 8 is a lateral vieW of the agricultural harvester With
`the attachment of FIG. 7 mounted thereon;
`FIG. 9 is a plan vieW of the crop gathering attachment of
`FIG. 7 in Working position and
`FIG. 10 is a plan vieW of the attachment of FIG. 7 in travel
`position.
`FIG. 1 shoWs an agricultural harvester 1 Which has an
`operator’s station positioned betWeen the Wheels of a front
`Wheel unit 3. Adjacent to the operator’s station 2 is a housing
`4 Which in the case of a combine harvester, contains a
`threshing mechanism, a cleaning mechanism, a shaker, and
`other crop processor parts. The housing 4 is usually Wider
`than the operator’s station 2, but this is not categorically
`required. A conveying duct or conveyor housing 5 is
`mounted on the chassis of the harvester 1. The conveyor
`housing 5 may be ?xed to the chassis or it may be pivotally
`connected on a transverse axis to the chassis. A crop
`gathering attachment 6 is detachably mounted on the front
`end of the conveyor housing 5 and is disposed in front of the
`operator’s station 2.
`As shoWn in FIG. 2, the crop receiving attachment 6 has
`tWo sections 7 and 8, each With a driving mechanism 9 on
`its laterally outer end for driving a cutting mechanism, an
`auger or the like.
`The driving mechanism 9, Which may be a transmission,
`is in turn driven by a poWer transmitting mechanism, not
`shoWn, in the main part of the harvester 1.
`An exemplary movement of the sections 7 and 8 of the
`attachment 6 out of the ?eld of vieW of the driver positioned
`at the operator’s station 2 is shoWn in FIG. 3. The tWo
`sections 7 and 8 are slidably mounted on a laterally and
`horiZontally extending guide member or guide plate 11 of
`the conveyor housing 5 by joints 10, the joints 10 of the
`sections 7 and 8 being slidable outWardly along the guide
`plate 11. The tWo sections 7 and 8 are slidable in such a
`fashion that an intermediate open region is created, Which
`roughly corresponds to the Width of the operator’s station or
`cab 2. This sliding is folloWed by a pivoting of the tWo
`sections 7 and 8 in such a fashion that the latter, in their
`travel position, are each arranged substantially laterally
`alongside the operator’s station 2, in Which position they are
`perpendicular, oblique, or parallel to the surface on Which
`the agricultural harvester 1 rests.
`Such a travel position of the tWo section halves 7 and 8 of
`the attachment 6 is shoWn in FIG. 4. The joints 10 not only
`permit sliding of the sections 7 and 8 but also permit
`pivoting of the sections 7 and 8 about axes parallel to the
`direction of travel and horiZontal axes transverse to the
`direction of travel.
`In FIG. 5 and 6 the attachment 6 is divided into three
`sections. A middle section 6a is connected to the conveyor
`housing 5, and outer sections 7a and 8a are pivotally
`connected to opposite lateral ends of the middle section 6a.
`From FIGS. 5 and 6 it is apparent that the driver can see
`betWeen the tWo outer sections 7a and 8a With a suf?ciently
`large ?eld of vieW 12.
`The attachment 6 of FIGS. 7 and 8 is also divided into
`three sections and is a crop attachment pick up having
`cross-conveying augers 15 and pans 17. The outer sections
`7a and 8a, Which can be folded up, are arranged in front of
`the middle section 6a. The outer sections 7a and 8a, in the
`Working position of the attachment 6, are offset in front of
`the middle section 6a, the middle section additionally picks
`up the harvested material picked up and collected by the
`outer sections. Crossbeams 13 and 14 are arranged on the
`outside of the pan 17 in such a fashion that they lie in the
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`projection shadow of cross-conveying augers 15 and pans
`17. The crossbeam 13 is additionally designed triangular in
`cross section so that it diminishes to the permissible degree
`the blockage of the semicircle of vieW. The pickup drum is
`also pushed into the visual shadoW. As can be seen in FIG.
`8 in particular, stiffening brackets 16 of the outer sections 7a
`and 8a, Which brace the pan 17, are spaced from one another
`to such an extent that the permissible ?eld of vieW 12 in the
`vertical direction is also provided.
`The offset arrangement of the outer attached sections 7a
`and 8a , relative to the middle section 6a, is illustrated in the
`plan vieW of the three sections attachment 6 in FIG. 9. As
`vieWed in the travel direction, the outer sections 7a and 8a
`are arranged offset in front of the middle section 6a to such
`an extent that the delivery region of the cross-conveying
`augers 15 of the outer sections 7a and 8a lies in front of the
`cutting means or pick-up mechanism 17 of the middle
`section 6a. Thus the harvested material picked up by the
`outer sections 7a and 8a is conveyed laterally inWardly and
`dumped ahead of the middle section 16a Where it is picked
`up again by the middle section and transported to the
`conveyor housing. Also, space for the folding up of the outer
`sections 7a and 8a in front of the middle section 6a is created
`in this Way.
`Folding up is facilitated by the provision of hinge shafts
`18, Which are attached to the outer sections 7a and 8a and
`supported in the stiffening brackets 16 of the middle section
`6a.
`Attached to the hinge shafts 18 and the outer sections 7a
`and 8a are pivot mechanisms 19 having pivot axes, Which
`take up a horiZontal position in the Working position of the
`outer sections 7a and 8a and a vertical position in the travel
`position of the outer sections.
`The pivot mechanisms 19 of FIG. 10 has springs 21,
`Which are supported on components of the horiZontal hinge
`shafts 18 and the outer sections 17a and 8a. The springs 21
`relieve the outer sections of the Weight force in the Working
`position thereof and enable the outer sections to folloW
`irregularities in the terrain, thus boosting the ef?ciency of
`the self-propelled harvester.
`In the right-hand half of FIG. 10, the outer section 7a is
`shoWn in a Working position by broken lines 22 and in a
`travel position 23 by solid lines. In the left-hand half of FIG.
`10, only the travel position 23 is shoWn. In the travel
`position 23, the springs 21 hold the outer sections 7a and 8a
`?rmly against a pivot stop, the position of Which is selected
`in such a fashion that the outer sections take up a visually
`optimal position. It can be seen from FIG. 10 that the
`provisions of laW relating to the permissible total Width “B”
`of the vehicle and the permissible driver’s vieW blockage
`“S” are maintained.
`What is claimed is:
`1. A self-propelled agricultural harvester for processing
`agricultural crops as it travels in a predetermined forWard
`direction through a ?eld, said harvester having a chassis
`supported by ground engaging traction means having a
`predetermined tread Width and further comprising:
`an operator’s station (2) near the front end of said
`harvester,
`a crop receiving attachment mounted on said front end of
`said harvester forWard of said operator’s station and
`having
`a longitudinally extending conveyor housing (5) con
`nected at its rear end to said chassis,
`a laterally and horiZontally extending guide member
`(11) mounted on the front end of said conveyor
`housing (5),
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`a pair of crop gathering sections (7,8)
`a pair of joints (10) pivotally and slidingly supporting
`said crop gathering sections (7, 8), respectively, in
`said guide member (11) for movement from a crop
`harvesting position, in Which said sections (7,8)
`extend laterally in opposite directions from adja
`cently disposed laterally inner ends to laterally outer
`ends disposed beyond said tread Width, to a vertical
`transport position in Which said inner ends are sepa
`rated by approximately the Width of said operators
`station (2) and said crop gathering sections (7,8) are
`disposed Within said tread Width and in laterally
`spaced relation to one another Whereby an operator
`at said operator’s station has an unimpaired forWard
`?eld of vision for driving said harvester on a road
`Way.
`2. The harvester of claim 1 Wherein each of said crop
`gathering sections in said vertical transport position is
`adjustable about a vertical axis to a minimum obstruction
`position to minimiZe obstruction to the forWard operating
`vision of an operator at said operator’s station.
`3. The harvester of claim 2 Wherein said crop gathering
`sections each include an auger having a base cylinder and a
`pan, said pan and said auger in said minimum obstruction
`position being aligned in a manner reducing vision obstruc
`tion.
`4. The harvester of claim 1 Wherein said crop gathering
`sections each include a pan having crossbeams and stiffen
`ing brackets interconnecting said crossbeams, said stiffening
`brackets being slidable relative to said crossbeams to reduce
`obstruction to the forWard vision of an operator at the
`operator’s station When said crop gathering sections are in
`said vertical transport positions.
`5. The harvester of claim 1 Wherein said crop gathering
`sections in said vertical travel position lean rearWardly and
`are disposed on laterally opposite sides of said operator’s
`station.
`6. A self-propelled agricultural harvester for processing
`agricultural crops as it travels in a predetermined forWard
`direction through a ?eld, said harvester having a chassis
`supported by ground engaging traction means having a
`predetermined tread Width and further comprising:
`an operator’s station near the front end of said harvester
`and,
`a crop receiving attachment mounted on said front end of
`said harvester forWard of said operator’s station and
`having
`a longitudinally extending conveyor housing having a
`front end and a rear end, said rear end being con
`nected to said chassis,
`a ?rst crop gathering section supported on said front
`end of said conveyor housing and presenting ?rst and
`second lateral ends,
`a second crop gathering section supported on said ?rst
`lateral end of said ?rst section for sWinging move
`ment about a ?rst longitudinal pivot axis from a
`horiZontal Working position to a vertical travel posi
`tion and,
`a third crop gathering section supported on said second
`lateral end of said ?rst section for sWinging move
`ment about a second longitudinal axis from a hori
`Zontal Working position to a vertical travel position
`said second and third sections being offset forWardly
`of said ?rst section,
`said second and third sections in their vertical travel
`positions being disposed Within the lateral Width of
`said ?rst section and being laterally spaced from one
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`another suf?ciently to afford an operator at said
`operator’s station an unobstructed forward vieW of
`the terrain being traversed by the harvester in for
`Ward travel.
`7. The harvester of claim 6 Wherein said second and third
`sections in their vertical travel positions are pivotable,
`respectively, about substantially vertical aXes to optimum
`vision positions Whereby obstruction to forWard vision of an
`operator at said operator’s station is minimiZed.
`8. The harvester of claim 7 and further comprising springs
`biasing said second and third sections toWard said optimum
`vision positions.
`9. The harvester of claim 8 Wherein said springs in said
`Working positions of said second and third sections serving
`to counterbalance the Weight of the forWard ends of said
`second and third sections.
`10. A self-propelled agricultural harvester for processing
`agricultural crops as it travels in a predetermined forWard
`direction through a ?eld, said harvester including a chassis
`supported by ground engaging traction means having a
`predetermined tread Width and further comprising:
`an operators station near the front end of said harvester
`and,
`a crop receiving attachment mounted on said front end of
`said harvester forWard of said operator’s station and
`including
`a longitudinally extending conveyor housing having a
`front end and a rear end, said rear end being connected
`to said chassis,
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`a ?rst crop gathering section supported on said front end
`of said conveyor housing and presenting ?rst and
`second lateral ends,
`a second crop gathering section supported on said ?rst
`lateral end of said ?rst section for sWinging movement
`about a ?rst longitudinal pivot aXis from a horiZontal
`Working position to a vertical travel position and,
`a third crop gathering section supported on said second
`lateral end of said ?rst section for sWinging movement
`about a second longitudinal aXis from a horiZontal
`Working position to a vertical travel position,
`said second and third sections in their vertical travel
`positions being pivotable, respectively, about substan
`tially vertical aXes to optimum vision positions
`Whereby obstruction to forWard vision of an operator at
`said operator’s station is minimiZed and said second
`and third sections in said vertical travel positions being
`laterally spaced from one another suf?ciently to afford
`an operator at said operator’s station an unobstructed
`forWard vieW of the terrain being traversed by the
`harvester in forWard travel.
`11. The harvester of claim 10 and further comprising
`springs biasing said second and third sections toWard said
`optimum vision positions.
`12. The harvester of claim 11 Wherein said springs in said
`Working positions of said second and third sections serving
`to counterbalance the Weight of the forWard ends of said
`second and third sections.
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`Page 11 of 11