Apparatus for raising ramps on an implement transporter
AssigneeNew Holland North America, Inc.
InventorsMelanie W. Harkcom, Terry A. Young
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transporter for use in transporting a harvesting machine having a laterally movable tongue is disclosed wherein the transporter has transversely extending loading ramps pivotally connected to the main frame of the transporter to permit the harvester to be elevated from the ground onto the transporter. The force of the loading tractor, acting through the wheels of the implement, causes each ramp to move to the transport position. As the wheels of the implement reach a platform, separate from the ramp, and engage a cross bar on each ramp, they exert a generally horizontal force on the cross bar that causes the ramp to pivot upwardly to the transport position.
Claims13
A transporter for an implement and attached header, the implement having spaced apart generally axially aligned wheels, said transporter comprising:
- a main frame having first and second spaced apart, horizontal and generally parallel frame members with ground-engaging wheels affixed thereto and supporting said frame members for movement in either forward or opposing reverse directions of travel;
- said first and second frame members having a first end toward said forward direction and a second end toward said reverse direction;
- a third frame member interconnecting said first and second frame members;
- said first frame member including a pair of platforms, generally horizontally aligned and spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the spacing between the wheels of the implement;
- each said platform having a first edge closer to said second frame member and an opposing second edge generally parallel with said first frame member;
- first and second elongate parallel ramps pivotally supported by said first frame member and extending away therefrom toward said second frame member in a direction generally transverse to said forward direction;
- each said ramp having a first end adjacent a respective one of said pair of platforms and a second opposite remote end, the pivot point with said first frame member being located along the length of said ramp such that said second end is heavier than said first end and thus said second end is normally biased toward engagement with the ground;
- each said ramp further being free to pivot between a loading position where respective second ends thereof are engaged with the ground and a transport position where said respective second ends are elevated from ground engagement;
- each said ramp including a wheel support extending generally from said second end thereof and ending at said first edge of the respective platform, whereby the implement may be pushed up said ramps on said wheel support and onto said platforms without causing said ramps to pivot to said transport position;
- and
- each said ramp further including a cross bar at the first end thereof extending across the respective platforms, said cross bar being at least equal in height above the respective platform with the axle of the wheels of the implement when in said transport position and located relative to said pivot point such that horizontal forces exerted by the wheels of the implement on the cross bar cause the ramp to pivot into said transport position.
In a transporter for transporting a wheeled implement, said transporter including:
- a wheeled frame for movement of the transporter along the ground in forward or opposing reverse directions;
- a platform supported by said frame;
- a pair of ramps having first and second ends and pivotally connected to said frame and movable in a plane substantially perpendicular to said forward direction between a loading position where said second ends of said ramps engage the ground and a transport position where said ramps are raised to a position generally parallel to said platform, the improvement comprising:
- each said ramp includes a support for the wheels of the implement, said support extending from said second end to said platform such that the implement is pushed along and up the support and onto said platform without moving said ramps into said transport position;
- each said ramp further including a cross bar at the first end thereof extending across a portion of said platform adjacent to where the wheels of the implement will be located for transport, said cross bar being at least equal in height above the platform with the axle of the wheels of the implement when in said transport position and located relative to said pivot point such that horizontal forces exerted by the wheels of the implement on the cross bar cause the ramp to pivot into said transport position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.