# US 2021/0274710 A1 · Variable speed reel drive for a header of an agricultural harvester > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0274710 A1 - Document ID: US20210274710A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/810,374 - Filed: 2020-03-05 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-05 - Assignees: CNH Industrial America LLC - Applicants: CNH Industrial America LLC - Inventors: Stephen Todderud; Kevin Ward; Preston L. McKinney; Herbert M. Farley; Scott Palmer Deichmann; Joel T. Cook - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210274710A1 ## CPC - A01D 41/1274: {for drives} - A01D 57/025: {with synchronised driving means} - A01D 41/142: {Header drives} - A01D 57/02: using reels - F16H 3/66: composed of a number of gear trains without drive passing from one train to another - A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract An agricultural harvester header including a first reel, a second reel adjacent the first reel, and a variable speed reel drive between the first and second reels and operatively connected to at least one of the first reel for rotatably driving the first reel and the second reel for rotatably driving the second reel. The variable speed reel drive can include: a variable speed motor, and a multi-speed gearbox operatively coupled to the variable speed motor and at least one of the reels; a motor, and a continuously variable transmission operatively connected to the motor and at least one of the reels; or a motor, and a planetary gear drive operatively coupled to the motor and at least one of the reels. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An agricultural harvester header comprising: a first reel; a second reel adjacent the first reel; and a variable speed reel drive between the first and second reels and operatively connected to at least one of the first reel for rotatably driving the first reel and the second reel for rotatably driving the second reel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The agricultural harvester header of claim 1, wherein the variable speed reel drive is operatively connected to the first and second reels for rotatably driving the first and second reels. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The agricultural harvester header of claim 1, wherein the variable speed reel drive comprises: a variable speed motor; and a multi-speed gearbox operatively coupled to the variable speed motor and at least one of the first and second reels. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The agricultural harvester header of claim 3, wherein the multi-speed gearbox is operatively connected to the first and second reels for rotatably driving the first and second reels. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The agricultural harvester header of claim 3, wherein the multi-speed gearbox comprises: a first gear having a first drive ratio for driving at least one of the first and second reels, and a second gear having a second drive ratio that differs from the first drive ratio for driving the at least one of the first and second reels. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The agricultural harvester header of claim 3, wherein the first reel includes a first reel drive shaft for rotating the first reel, the second reel includes a second reel drive shaft for rotating the second reel, and wherein the first reel drive shaft is coupled to the second reel drive shaft via a universal joint. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The agricultural harvester header of claim 1, wherein the variable speed reel drive comprises: a motor; and a continuously variable transmission operatively connected to the motor and at least one of the first reel for rotatably driving the first reel and the second reel for rotatably driving the second reel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The agricultural harvester header of claim 7, wherein the continuously variable transmission is operatively connected to the first and second reels for rotatably driving the first and second reels. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The agricultural harvester header of claim 7, wherein the continuously variable transmission is a push-belt continuously variable transmission, a variable-diameter pulley continuously variable transmission, a planetary continuously variable transmission, hydrostatic continuously variable transmission, or an infinitely variable transmission. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The agricultural harvester header of claim 7, wherein the continuously variable transmission includes a sheave mounted to one of a first reel drive shaft of the first reel and a second reel drive shaft of the second reel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The agricultural harvester header of claim 1, wherein the variable speed reel drive comprises: a motor; and a planetary gear drive operatively coupled to the motor and at least one of the first and second reels. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The agricultural harvester header of claim 11, wherein the planetary gear drive is operatively coupled to the first and second reels. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The agricultural harvester header of claim 11, wherein the planetary gear drive comprises: a ring gear; at least one planetary gear within the ring gear; and a sun gear within the ring gear. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The agricultural harvester header of claim 13, wherein the sun gear is operatively coupled to the first and second reels. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The agricultural harvester header of claim 13, wherein the sun gear is affixed to at least one of a first reel drive shaft of the first reel for rotating the first reel and a second reel drive shaft of the second reel for rotating the second reel.