US 2015/0101304 A1Published application

Right side (front) lateral transport wheel linkage

AssigneeCNH America LLC

InventorsDEREK S. RUDE, MURRAY KOSOKOWSKY

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Abstract

A transport wheel assembly for use on an agricultural mower when the mower is configured for lateral transport 90 degrees from the normal operational direction of travel of mower. The transport wheel assembly comprises a moveable frame that pivots approximately 270 degrees between a retracted position when the mower is operating and a transport position, and an actuator to position the moveable frame between the retracted and transport positions. A linkage including a bell crank interconnects the actuator and the moveable frame to enable full extent of pivoting of the moveable frame with a single direction movement of the actuator between an extended and a retracted position. The transport wheel mechanisms also position the transport wheels where they will not interfere with mower operation, especially pivoting of the tongue.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A mechanism for positioning a transport wheel on an agricultural mower, the mower having a frame supporting a transversely aligned cutterbar and a draft tongue connected to the frame a pivotal about an upstanding hitch axis for pulling the mower forwardly or rearwardly along a normal travel axis, the mechanism comprising:

a moveable wheel support frame having a pivoting end and generally opposing a free end, the pivot end being connected to the frame for movement about a pivot axis between a retracted position and a deployed position, the free end having a transport wheel connected thereto;
an actuator having opposing first and second ends defining a length therebetween, the length being selectively adjustable between a retracted length and an extended length, the first end being connected to the frame;
and
a linkage connecting the second end of the actuator to the moveable frame, the linkage causing movement of the moveable wheel support frame from the retracted position to the deployed position as the actuator length is adjusted from the retracted length to the extended length, the transport wheel being positioned generally above and rearward of the cutterbar when the support frame is in the retracted position, movement of the transport frame toward the deployed position causing the wheel to be positioned forwardly and at least partially below the cutterbar and be aligned for rotation allowing movement of the mower when the frame is rotated to align the cutterbar in parallel with the normal travel axis.

1 more element

A transport wheel assembly for use in lateral transport of an agricultural pull-behind implement, the implement having an elongate tongue for operably pulling the implement in at least a forward direction along a normal travel axis, a main frame pivotally coupled to the tongue and movable between an operating position and a transport position, the frame supporting a crop engaging apparatus transverse to the normal travel axis when in the operating position, and at least one the main wheel for supporting the frame as the implement is operationally aligned and propelled along the normal transport axis, the transport wheel assembly comprising:

a moveable support frame connected at one end to the main frame and supporting a transport wheel at an opposite end;
an actuator having a selectively variable length ranging between an extended length and a retracted length, extension and retraction of the actuator causing movement of the support frame to position the transport wheel generally above and rearward of the crop engaging apparatus when the actuator length is retracted and generally forward of and partially below the crop engaging apparatus when the actuator length is extended and align the transport wheel for rotation allowing movement of the implement along the normal travel axis when the frame is rotated to align the crop engaging apparatus in parallel with the normal travel axis.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.