Forage harvester adjustment apparatus
AssigneeAGCO International GmbH
InventorsWilhelm BALG, Markus UHL, Burkhard Freiburg-Neuhaus
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An adjustment apparatus for a forage harvester including a shear bar which is adjustably mounted on a housing which supports a chopper drum mounted for rotation about an axis and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced knife supports holding adjustably secured chopper knifes. The chopper knives act with the shear bar to chop incoming crop. The adjustment apparatus includes a lateral element, at least one location element and at least one radially inwardly directed guide surface, which follows a desired outer path of an unworn chopper knife.
Claims18
An adjustment apparatus for use with a forage harvester, in which a shear bar is adjustably mounted on a housing, a chopper drum is supported by the housing and mounted for rotation about a rotational axis and comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced knife supports for adjustably securing at least one chopper knife, wherein the chopper knives cooperate with the shear bar to chop incoming crop, the adjustment apparatus comprising:
- a lateral element,
- at least one location element for location of the adjustment apparatus with respect to the chopper drum;
- and
- at least one radially inwardly directed guide surface, wherein each of the guide surfaces is configured to align with an outer path of an unworn chopper knife.
A system for adjusting crop chopping equipment:
- a forage harvester;
- and
- an adjustment apparatus comprising:
- a shear bar adjustably mounted on a housing;
- a chopper drum supported from the housing and mounted for rotation about a rotational axis comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced knife supports for adjustably securing at least one chopper knife wherein the chopper knives cooperate with the shear bar to chop incoming crop;
- a lateral element;
- at least one location element for location of the adjustment apparatus with respect to the chopper drum;
- and
- at least one radially inwardly directed guide surface, wherein each of the guide surfaces is configured to align with an outer path of an unworn chopper knife.
A method of adjusting chopper knifes of a chopper drum in a forage harvester using an adjustment apparatus comprising:
- locating at least one locating surface of the adjustment apparatus with respect to a receiving surface of a chopper drum housing;
- aligning the locating surface with the receiving surface of the chopper drum housing;
- securing the locating surface to the receiving surface;
- inspecting the chopper knives on the chopper drum adjacent to the adjustment apparatus;
- adjusting or replacing the chopper knives as necessary;
- rotating the chopper drum;
- inspecting and adjusting or replacing the chopper knives adjacent to the adjustment apparatus;
- continuing to rotate, inspect and adjust or replace the chopper knives adjacent to the adjustment apparatus until all of the chopper knives have been inspected and adjusted or replaced as necessary;
- and
- releasing the adjustment apparatus from the chopper drum housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.