Crop divider for an agricultural harvesting head
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorMichael W Mossman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A crop divider (110, 112) for an agricultural harvesting head (100) is pivotally coupled to a ground engaging arm (136) that is pivotally coupled to a frame (102) of the agricultural harvesting head (100). A mechanical link (154) is also coupled to both the crop divider (110, 112) and to the frame (102) to support the crop divider (110, 112) as the ground engaging arm (136) pivots up and down.
Claims17
A crop divider (110, 112) mounted to each of opposite ends of an agricultural harvesting head (100), wherein the agricultural harvesting head is configured to travel in a first direction through an agricultural field harvesting crops, wherein the agricultural harvesting head (100) has a frame (102) that extends transversely to the first direction of travel, the frame (102) having laterally opposite right and left ends, wherein a ground engaging arm (136) extends forwardly from, and is pivotally coupled to said frame (102) at each of said opposite ends for pivoting about a horizontal transverse axis (140) in a working range between lower and upper positions, each crop divider comprising:
- a forward portion (122) including a bottom surface (182) extending in the first direction of travel, with the forward portion further including a lower rear region pivotally coupled to said ground engaging arm (136) at a first transverse pivot joint (150);
- and
- a fore-and-aft extending mechanical link (154) having a front end coupled to the forward portion (122) at a second transverse pivot joint (156) and having a rear end coupled to the frame (102) at a third transverse pivot joint (158),
- wherein the second and third transverse pivot joints are so located relative to each other and to the first transverse pivot joint (150) that the mechanical link (154) constrains the forward portion (122) to pivot counterclockwise with respect to the ground engaging arm (136) when the ground engaging arm (136) pivots clockwise with respect to the frame (102), and to pivot clockwise with respect to the ground engaging arm (136) when the ground engaging arm (136) pivots counterclockwise.
A crop divider (110, 112) for an agricultural harvesting head (100), wherein the agricultural harvesting head is configured to travel in a first direction through an agricultural field harvesting crops, wherein the agricultural harvesting head (100) has a frame (102) that extends transversely to the first direction of travel, the frame (102) having laterally opposite right and left ends, wherein a ground engaging arm (136) is pivotally coupled to said frame (102) for vertical pivotal movement about a first transverse pivotal axis between lower and upper positions of a working range and extends forward from said frame (102) at each of said laterally opposite right and left ends, the crop divider comprising:
- a forward portion (122) pivotally coupled to, and extending forwardly from, said ground engaging arm (136) at a first pivot joint (150) defining a second transverse pivotal axis, said forward portion having a bottom surface extending an entire distance between front and rear ends of said forward portion;
- and
- a mechanical link (154) having front and rear ends respectively pivotally coupled to the forward portion (122) and to the frame (102),
- wherein the mechanical link (154) extends above said second transverse pivotal axis and is positioned and dimensioned such that it constrains pivotal movement of the forward portion (122) about said second transverse pivotal axis to maintain a minimum positive gap (D) between the bottom surface of the forward portion and ground that is horizontal as the ground engaging arm 136 pivots with respect to the frame (102).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.