Corn head row units, deck plates for corn head row units, and harvesting headers having such row units
AssigneeAGCO Corporation
InventorRandall Lohrentz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A row unit for a corn header includes gathering chains, deck plates below the gathering chains, and rotatable stalk rolls below the deck plates. The deck plates each have a first portion defining a curved front edge and a second portion defining a straight inner edge, and the first portion of the first deck plate is raised with respect to the second portion of the first deck plate. The inner edges of the deck plates together define an elongate channel, and the curved front edges of the deck plates together define a tapered entry to the elongate channel.
Claims14
A row unit for a corn header, the row unit comprising:
- a pair of gathering chains, each gathering chain carrying a plurality of gathering chain lugs, wherein the gathering chains are oriented such that the gathering chain lugs travel along parallel paths between the gathering chains when the gathering chains travel along paths;
- a pair of deck plates below the gathering chains, the deck plates comprising:
- a first deck plate having a first portion defining a curved front edge and a second portion defining a straight inner edge, wherein the first portion of the first deck plate is raised such that the front edge is raised with respect to all portions of the first deck plate to the rear of the first portion including the second portion of the first deck plate;
- and
- a second deck plate having a first portion defining a curved front edge and a second portion defining a straight inner edge, wherein the first portion of the second deck plate is raised such that the front edge is raised with respect to all portions of the second deck plate to the rear of the first portion including the second portion of the second deck plate, wherein the inner edge of the first deck plate and the inner edge of the second deck plate together define an elongate channel, and wherein the curved front edge of the first deck plate and the curved front edge of the second deck plate together define a tapered entry to the elongate channel;
- and
- a pair of rotatable stalk rolls below the deck plates, the stalk rolls oriented parallel to the paths along which the gathering chain lugs travel between the gathering chains.
A set of deck plates for a corn head row unit comprising a pair of gathering chains and a pair of rotatable stalk rolls, wherein each gathering chain carries a plurality of gathering chain lugs configured to travel along parallel paths between the gathering chains, and wherein the stalk rolls are oriented parallel to the paths along which the gathering chain lugs travel between the gathering chains, the set of deck plates comprising:
- a first deck plate having a first portion defining a curved front edge and a second portion defining a straight inner edge, wherein the first portion of the first deck plate is raised such that the front edge is raised with respect to all portions of the first deck plate to the rear of the first portion including the second portion of the first deck plate;
- and
- a second deck plate having a first portion defining a curved front edge and a second portion defining a straight inner edge, wherein the first portion of the second deck plate is raised such that the front edge is raised with respect to all portions of the second deck plate to the rear of the first portion including the second portion of the second deck plate,
- wherein the curved front edges of the first and second deck plates together define a converging lead-in area and the straight inner edges of the first and second deck plates together define an elongate channel trailing the lead-in area, such that when the set of deck plates is installed in the row unit, a vertical channel is formed between the pair of gathering chains, the deck plates, and the stalk rolls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.