Center knife drive and roller assembly for an agricultural harvester
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorDavid M. DeChristopher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A header for an agricultural harvester comprising a frame and first and second anteriorly facing, epicyclical cutter bar knife drives connected to the frame. A roller shaft extends between and operatively connects the first and second epicyclical drives. The roller shaft operates to deliver to crop material to a header infeed conveyor. In addition, the anteriorly facing epicyclical knife drives effectively rid themselves of harmful dirt and debris thereby prolonging the service life of the epicyclical knife drives.
Claims31
A header for an agricultural harvester comprising:
- a first epicyclical drive configured to drive a first cutter bar;
- a second epicyclical drive configured to drive a second cutter bar;
- and
- a roller shaft having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the first and second cutter bars and extending between and operatively connected to the first and second epicyclical drives,
- wherein one of the first and second epicyclical drives is driven by the other of the first and second epicyclical drives via the roller shaft.
A header for an agricultural harvester comprising:
- a frame;
- a first epicyclical drive supported by the frame and a second epicyclical drive supported by the frame, wherein an output shaft of the first epicyclical drive is connected to a first cutter bar extending in a first direction and wherein an output shaft of the second epicyclical drive is connected to a second cutter bar extending in a second direction opposite said first direction, whereby rotation of the first and second epicyclical drives causes the output shafts thereof to oscillate the first and second cutter bars in opposite directions;
- a roller shaft having a longitudinal axis substantially transverse to a rotational axis of at least one of the first and second epicyclical drives and extending between and operatively connected to the first and second epicyclical drives;
- and
- a drive mechanism configured to rotate at least one of the first epicyclical drive, the second epicyclical drive, and the roller shaft, whereby rotation of the at least one of the first epicyclical drive, the second epicyclical drive, and the roller shaft causes rotation of the others of the at least one of the first epicyclical drive, the second epicyclical drive, and the roller shaft,
- wherein a first end of the roller shaft and the first epicyclical drive are connected by a first gear set, and wherein a second end of the roller shaft and the second epicyclical drive are connected by a second gear set.
A header for an agricultural harvester comprising:
- a first epicyclical drive configured to drive a first cutter bar;
- a second epicyclical drive configured to drive a second cutter bar;
- and
- a roller shaft having a first lateral end directly engaging the first epicyclical drive and a second lateral end directly engaging the second epicyclical drive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.