# US 10,440,888 B2 · Draper belt system with distance change of pivoting roller > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,440,888 B2 - Document ID: US10440888B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/639,251 - Filed: 2017-06-30 - Published: 2019-01-03 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-30 - Assignees: CNH Industrial America LLC - Applicants: CNH Industrial America, LLC - Inventors: Herb M. Farley; Benjamin Kemmerer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10440888B2 ## CPC - A01D 61/02: Endless belts - A01D 41/14: Mowing tables - A01D 41/144: {Foldable headers} - A01D 61/002: {transversal conveying devices} - A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING ## Abstract A draper belt system is provided that includes a first draper belt assembly with first and second rollers, and a second draper belt assembly with third and fourth rollers. The third roller of the second draper belt assembly is disposed adjacent to the first roller of the first draper belt assembly. The first draper belt assembly is configured to pivot relative to the second draper belt assembly. Pivoting of the first draper belt assembly results in a change in a distance between the first and third rollers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A draper belt system, comprising: a first draper belt assembly comprising a first roller, a second roller, and one or a plurality of draper belts looped around the first and second rollers, the first roller defining a first central longitudinal axis about which the first roller spins, and a first plane extending through the first central longitudinal axis and parallel or substantially parallel to horizontal; a second draper belt assembly comprising a third roller, a fourth roller, and one or a plurality of draper belts looped around the third and fourth rollers, the third roller defining a second central longitudinal axis about which the third roller spins, and a second plane extending through the second central longitudinal axis and parallel or substantially parallel to horizontal; a first plate attached to the first draper belt assembly; a second plate attached to the second draper belt assembly; and a pin extending between the first and second plates, thereby defining a pivot axis of the first draper belt assembly relative to the second draper belt assembly; wherein the third roller of the second draper belt assembly is disposed adjacent to or substantially adjacent to the first roller of the first draper belt assembly with the first plane aligned or substantially aligned with the second plane; and wherein pivoting of the first draper belt assembly results in a change in a distance between the first and third rollers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The draper belt system of claim 1, wherein pivoting of the first draper belt assembly results in a change in a distance between the first and second central longitudinal axes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The draper belt system of claim 1, wherein the first and third rollers are of an equal diameter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The draper belt system of claim 1, wherein the first central longitudinal axis extends parallel or substantially parallel to the second central longitudinal axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The draper belt system of claim 1, wherein the second draper belt assembly defines a fixed draper belt section of a harvester and the first draper belt assembly defines a pivoting wing draper belt section of the harvester. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The draper belt system of claim 1, wherein the pivot axis extends parallel or substantially parallel to the first and second central longitudinal axes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The draper belt system of claim 1, wherein the pivot axis extends through the first and second planes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The draper belt system of claim 1, comprising a wing frame coupled to a distal end of the first draper belt assembly, and comprising a central frame coupled to a distal end of the second draper belt assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The draper belt system of claim 1, further comprises: a third plate positioned in spaced apart relation relative to the first plate, and attached to the first draper belt assembly, and a fourth plate positioned in spaced apart relation relative to the second plate, and attached to the second draper belt assembly, wherein the pin extends between the first, second, third and fourth plates, thereby defining a pivot axis of the first draper belt assembly relative to the second draper belt assembly. ### Claim 10 A harvester header, comprising: a first draper belt assembly comprising a first roller, a second roller, and one or a plurality of draper belts looped around the first and second rollers, the first roller defining a first central longitudinal axis about which the first roller spins, and a first plane extending through the first central longitudinal axis and parallel or substantially parallel to horizontal; a second draper belt assembly comprising a third roller, a fourth roller, and one or a plurality of draper belts looped around the third and fourth rollers, the third roller defining a second central longitudinal axis about which the third roller spins, and a second plane extending through the second central longitudinal axis and parallel or substantially parallel to horizontal; a first plate attached to the first draper belt assembly; a second plate attached to the second draper belt assembly; a pin extending between the first and second plates, thereby defining a pivot axis of the first draper belt assembly relative to the second draper belt assembly; and a central draper belt assembly comprising a fifth roller, a sixth roller, and one or a plurality of belts looped around the fifth and sixth rollers; wherein the third roller of the second draper belt assembly is disposed adjacent to or substantially adjacent to the first roller of the first draper belt assembly with the first plane aligned or substantially aligned with the second plane; and wherein pivoting of the first draper belt assembly results in a change in a distance between the first and third rollers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The harvester header of claim 10, wherein the first draper belt assembly spins the one or plurality of belts on the first draper belt assembly in a first direction, the second draper belt assembly spins the one or plurality of belts in the first direction, and the central draper belt assembly spins the one or plurality of belts in a second direction different from the first direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The harvester header of claim 11, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The harvester header of claim 11, wherein the second direction is at an angle relative to the first direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The harvester header of claim 13, wherein the angle is between about 40° and about 85°. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The harvester header of claim 10, wherein the central draper belt assembly defines an infeed draper. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The harvester of claim 10, wherein the header further comprises: a third plate positioned in spaced apart relation relative to the first plate, and attached to the first draper belt assembly, and a fourth plate positioned in spaced apart relation relative to the second plate, and attached to the second draper belt assembly, wherein the pin extends between the first, second, third and fourth plates, thereby defining a pivot axis of the first draper belt assembly relative to the second draper belt assembly. ### Claim 17 A harvester, comprising: a header comprising: a first draper belt assembly comprising a first roller, a second roller, and one or a plurality of draper belts looped around the first and second rollers, the first roller defining a first central longitudinal axis about which the first roller spins, and a first plane extending through the first central longitudinal axis and parallel or substantially parallel to horizontal; a second draper belt assembly comprising a third roller, a fourth roller, and one or a plurality of draper belts looped around the third and fourth rollers, the third roller defining a second central longitudinal axis about which the third roller spins, and a second plane extending through the second central longitudinal axis and parallel or substantially parallel to horizontal; first and third plates positioned in spaced apart relation and attached to the first draper belt assembly; second and fourth plates positioned in space apart relation and attached to the second draper belt assembly; a pin extending between the first, second, third and fourth plates, thereby defining a pivot axis of the first draper belt assembly relative to the second draper belt assembly; and a central draper belt assembly comprising a fifth roller, a sixth roller, and one or a plurality of belts looped around the fifth and sixth rollers; wherein the third roller of the second draper belt assembly is disposed adjacent to or substantially adjacent to the first roller of the first draper belt assembly with the first plane aligned or substantially aligned with the second plane; and wherein pivoting of the first draper belt assembly results in a change in a distance between the first and third rollers; and a processing system configured to process crop introduced into the processing system through the central draper belt assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The harvester of claim 17, wherein the third central longitudinal axis is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the first and second central longitudinal axes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The harvester of claim 17, wherein the first draper belt assembly spins the one or plurality of belts on the first draper belt assembly in a first direction, the second draper belt assembly spins the one or plurality of belts in the first direction, and the central draper belt assembly spins the one or plurality of belts in a second direction different from the first direction. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The harvester of claim 19, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.