Wheel axle for a combine harvester
AssigneeAGCO Corporation
InventorFrederic Ducroquet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is described a wheel axle for an agricultural vehicle such as a combine harvester. The wheel axle has at least one wheel suspension (32a) arranged to maintain a wheel axle parallel to the supporting surface, through use of a linkage arrangement (36, 38, 40) which is pivotally coupled to the axle frame (30). The configuration of the wheel suspension allows for the wheel axis to passively follow the surface profile, as any loads transmitted through the wheel carrier act to level out the wheel suspension to align with the underlying surface. As the wheel axle is adjusted to lie parallel with the underlying surface, accordingly the ground-contacting surface area of the associated wheels is maximised.
Claims11
A wheel axle for a combine harvester having a frame and at least one wheel suspension, the wheel suspension comprising:
- a first body connected to the frame;
- a distribution bar having a first end and an opposed second end, said distribution bar being pivotally mounted to the first body at a midpoint of the distribution bar between the first and second ends of the distribution bar;
- a lift link pivotally connected to the frame, wherein the first end of the distribution bar is pivotally connected to a first end of the lift link;
- a push link, wherein the second end of the distribution bar is pivotally connected to a first end of the push link;
- and
- a wheel carrier defining a wheel axis for a ground-contacting element to be mounted to the wheel carrier, wherein opposed second ends of the respective lift link and push link are pivotally coupled with the wheel carrier, such that the wheel carrier and wheel axis are adjustable relative to the frame, wherein the first body comprises an actuator having a first end mounted to the frame, and wherein the distribution bar is pivotally mounted to the second end of the actuator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.