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Title: Row crop harvesting header
Claims: We claim: 1. A row crop harvesting header for a harvesting machine adapted to advance over a field of row planted crops, comprising: a transversely elongated main frame; a plurality of transversely spaced row units extending forwardly from the main frame, each row unit including a row unit frame, means mounting the row unit frame on the main frame for independent vertical floating adjustment of the forward end of the row unit, a pair of laterally spaced elements mounted on the row unit frame and defining a generally fore and aft passageway adapted to receive a row of crop material as the machine advances, conveyor means mounted on the row unit frame and having opposite rearwardly moving inner runs on opposite sides of the passageway and operative to engage the crop material and move it rearwardly along the passageway, and cutting means mounted on the row unit frame generally below the forward end of the conveyor means for severing the crop material relatively close to the ground as the crop material moves rearwardly along the passageway; a hood means respectively mounted on each pair of adjacent row units and covering the area between the passageways of the adjacent row units, the opposite sides of each hood means at least partly forming said pair of laterally spaced elements that define the edges of the passageways, each hood means including first and second portions respectively attached to and independently vertically adjustable with the respective adjacent row units; and a forwardly converging divider member respectively mounted on each pair of adjacent row units and extending forwardly from the hood means, the forward end of each divider member moving between the adjacent rows as the machine advances. 2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second portions of each hood means are separated from one another by a fore and aft seam that permits independent vertical adjustment of the two hood portions. 3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the means mounting each row unit frame on the main frame includes a locking means selectively adjustable between a float position wherein it permits limited vertical adjustment of the row unit relative to the frame and a locking position wherein it rigidly locks the row unit to the frame in a predetermined vertical position. 4. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein each divider member is mounted on the respective adjacent row units by a pair of transverse, generally aligned pivots respectively carried by the forward end of the adjacent row unit frames and a generally fore and aft, collapsible link above and generally parallel to the row unit frames, the forward end of the link being connected to the divider member above said pivots and the rearward end of the link being connected to the header frame. 5. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the means mounting the row unit frames on the main frame include means for selectively laterally adjusting at least one of the row units on the frame to vary the spacing between adjacent row units. 6. The invention defined in claim 5 wherein each divider member includes a pair of support arms, the lower ends of which are respectively pivotally connected to the adjacent row units by fore and aft pivot means and the upper ends of which are respectively interconnected by a third fore and aft pivot means, the divider member including a sheet metal outer surface that is connected to the support arms and flexes as one row unit moves vertically relative to the adjacent unit, the pivotally interconnected support arms articulating about said pivots during said vertical adjustment. 7. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein each row unit frame has a relatively flat downwardly and forwardly inclined upper surface with a central fore and aft trough defining the bottom of said passageway, the cutting means being mounted on the frame below said surface at the forward end of the trough and the conveyor means being disposed immediately above said surface and spaced a short distance above the bottom of the trough, so that the severed butt ends of the crop material move rearwardly in said trough. 8. The invention defined in claim 7 wherein the header includes a transversely elongated floor having a forward end adjacent and below the level of the rearward discharge end of the conveyor means, and including a downwardly and rearwardly inclined flexible flap means spanning the gap between the rearward ends of the row unit upper surfaces and the forward end of the floor. 9. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein each row unit includes at least one generally fore and aft pivot means mounted on the forward end of the row unit frame and a skid rockably mounted on the pivot means and adapted to ride along the ground to support at least part of the weight of the forward end of the row unit, the skid oscillating about the axis of the pivot means to follow the contour of the ground. 10. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein each conveyor means includes front and rear pulley means respectively mounted on the row unit frame adjacent the forward and rearward ends of the passageway and an endless flexible conveyor member trained around the pulley means, each conveyor member including a plurality of outwardly extending projections that intermesh with the projection on the opposite conveyor member along the inner runs of the conveyor means to grasp the crop material therebetween. 11. The invention defined in claim 10 and including drive means operatively associated with each rear pulley means for driving the flexible conveyor member and means for adjustably mounting the front pulley means on the row unit frame for selective adjustment in a fore and aft direction to adjust the tension in the conveyor member, said adjusting means including a generally vertical shaft carrying the pulley means and extending through a generally fore and aft first slot in the frame, a laterally adjustable member and an angled second slot in the laterally adjustable member, so that lateral shifting of the adjustable member causes the pulley shaft to move in a fore and aft direction along the first slot. 12. The invention defined in claim 10 where each hood means includes a generally upright rear wall extending between the rearward ends of the passages of the adjacent row units immediately to the rear of the conveyor members, the rear walls having generally upright edges at its opposite side respectively adjacent to the rearward end of the conveyor member that strip crop material from the conveyor members as the conveyor members move around the respective rear pulley means. 13. A row crop harvesting header for a harvesting machine adapted to advance over a field of row planted crops, comprising: a transversely elongated main frame; a plurality of transversely spaced row units extending forwardly from the main frame, each row unit including a row unit frame, pivot means carried by the main frame and swingably mounting the row unit frame on the main frame for independent vertical floating adjustment of the forward end of the row unit about the pivot means, a pair of laterally spaced elements mounted on the row unit frame and forming a generally fore and aft passageway adapted to receive a row of crop material as the machine advances, a conveyor means mounted on the row unit frame and having opposite rearwardly moving inner runs on opposite sides of the passageway and operative to engage the crop material and move it rearwardly along the passageway, and cutting means mounted on the row unit frame generally below the forward end of the conveyor means for severing the crop material relatively close to the ground as the crop material moves rearwardly along the passageway; a locking means operative between each row unit and the header frame and shiftable between a float position wherein it permits limited vertical floating adjustment of the row unit about said pivot means and a locking position wherein it rigidly locks the row unit to the frame in a predetermined position; and hood means respectively mounted on each pair of adjacent row units and covering the area between the passageways of the adjacent row units, the opposite sides of each hood means at least partly forming said laterally spaced elements that define the edges of the adjacent passageways. 14. The invention defined in claim 13 wherein each hood means includes first and second portions, respectively attached to and independently vertically adjustable with the respective adjacent row units, and a forwardly converging divider member mounted on each pair of adjacent row units and extending forwardly from the hood means, the forward end of each divider member moving between the adjacent rows as the machine advances. 15. The invention defined in claim 14 wherein each divider member is mounted on the respective adjacent row units by a pair of transverse, generally aligned pivots respectively carried by the forward end of the adjacent row unit frames and a generally fore and aft collapsible link above and generally parallel to the row unit frames, the forward end of the link being connected to the divider member above said pivots and the rearward end of the link being connected to the header frame. 16. The invention defined in claim 14 wherein each divider member includes a pair of support arms, the lower end of which are respectively pivotally connected to the opposite sides of the divider member by fore and aft pivot means and the upper ends of which are respectively interconnected by a third fore and aft pivot means, the divider member including a sheet metal outer surface that is connected to the support arms and flexes as one row unit moves vertically relative to the adjacent unit, the pivotally interconnected support arms articulating about said pivots during said vertical adjustment. 17. The invention defined in claim 13 wherein each row unit includes a pair of fore and aft arms rigidly attached to and extending forwardly from the header frame and respectively including fore and aft slots and each row unit frame includes opposite upright side walls respectively adjacent to the pair of arms and having generally fore and aft slots, and the locking means comprises a pair of locking elements respectively shiftable in a fore and aft direction in the slots in the side walls of the row unit frame and simultaneously engageable with the opposite sides of the fore and aft slots in the arms to lock the row unit frame to the arms in the locking position of the locking element and shiftable along the arm slots to an enlarged slot area wider than the locking element to permit the row unit frame to swing about the pivot means until the locking element engages the top or the bottom of the enlarged portion of the slot. 18. The invention defined in claim 13 wherein each conveyor means includes an endless flexible conveyor member trained around front and rear pulley means respectively mounted on the row unit frame adjacent the forward and rearward ends of the passageway, each conveyor member including a plurality of outwardly extending projections that intermesh with the projection on the opposite conveyor member along the inner runs of the conveyor means to grasp the crop material therebetween. 19. The invention defined in claim 18 wherein each row unit frame includes a relatively flat downwardly and forwardly inclined upper portion adjacent to and immediately below the flexible conveyor members and a central fore and aft trough below the opposite inner runs of the conveyor members, the cutting means being mounted on the frame below said inclined upper portion at the forward end of the trough and the bottom of the conveyor members being spaced a short distance above the bottom of the trough, so that the severed butts of the crop material move rearwardly in said trough. 20. A row crop harvesting header for a harvesting machine adapted to advance over a field of row planted crops, comprising: a transversely elongated header frame; a plurality of transversely spaced row units extending forwardly from the header frame, each row unit including a downwardly and forwardly inclined frame having a relatively flat downwardly and forwardly inclined upper portion with a central fore and aft trough having a bottom generally parallel to and below said upper portion, a cutting means mounted on the row unit frame generally below the forward end of the trough for severing the crop material relatively close to the ground, and a pair of conveyor means mounted on the row unit frame above the trough, each conveyor means including front and rear pulley means mounted on the frame and an endless flexible conveyor member respectively trained around the front and rear pulley means, the conveyor members being disposed above and adjacent to said upper surface and including opposite inner runs disposed above the trough and spaced from the trough bottom the conveyor members being adapted to engage the crop material between the opposite inner runs as it is being severed by the cutting means and move the severed crop material rearwardly, the butt ends of the severed crop material moving rearwardly in the trough. 21. The invention defined in claim 20 wherein the trough has opposite side walls that are generally parallel throughout the substantial length of the trough and diverge rearwardly at the rear end of the trough adjacent the rear conveyor pulley means, the diverging side walls of the trough stripping crop material from the conveyor members as the conveyor members move about the rear pulley means. 22. The invention defined in claim 20 and including a hood means respectively mounted on each pair of adjacent row units and covering the area between the row units, the opposite sides of the hood means being disposed generally above the inner sides of the respective troughs on the adjacent row units and being disposed generally above the inner runs of the conveyor means, the sides of the trough and the opposite sides of the adjacent hood means forming fore and aft passageways adapted to receive the crop material as the machine advances. 23. The invention defined in claim 22 wherein each hood means includes a generally upright rear wall immediately to the rear of the inner conveyor members of the adjacent row units, the opposite edges of the rear wall being disposed adjacent to the respective conveyor members to strip the crop material as the conveyor members move about the rear pulley means. 24. The invention defined in claim 20 and including a pivot means operatively mounting each row unit on the header frame for independent vertical floating adjustment of the forward end of the row unit about the pivot means and spring means operative between the row unit and the header frame for partly counterbalancing the weight of the row unit. 25. The invention defined in claim 24 and including locking means operative between each row unit and the header frame and selectively adjustable between a float position, wherein it permits limited vertical adjustment of the row units relative to the frame, and a locking position wherein it rigidly locks the row unit to the frame in a predetermined vertical position. 26. A row crop harvesting header for a harvesting machine adapted to advance over a field of row planted crops, comprising: a transversely elongated header frame; a plurality of transversely spaced row units extending forwardly from the frame, each row unit including a downwardly and forwardly inclined frame, means mounting the row unit frame on the header frame for independent vertical floating adjustment of the forward end of the row unit frame relative to the header frame, a pair of laterally spaced elements mounted on the row unit frame and forming a generally fore and aft passageway adapted to receive a row of crop material as the machine advances, a conveyor means mounted on the row unit frame and adapted to engage the crop material and move it rearwardly along the passageway, a cutting means mounted on the row unit frame and operative to sever the crop material moving rearwardly along the passageway relatively close to the ground, at least one generally fore and aft pivot means mounted on a lower forward portion of the row unit frame, and a skid rockably mounted on the fore and aft pivot means and adapted to ride along the ground to support the forward end of the row unit, the skid oscillating about the axis of the pivot means to follow the contour of the ground. 27. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the means mounting the row unit frame on the header frame includes means for selectively laterally adjusting at least one of the row units on the frame to vary the spacing between adjacent row units. 28. The invention defined in claim 26 and including a hood means respectively mounted on each pair of adjacent row units and covering the area between the passageways of the adjacent row units, the opposite sides of each hood means at least partially forming said laterally spaced elements that define the edges of the passageways, each hood means including first and second portions respectively attached to and independently vertically adjustable with the respective adjacent row unit frames. 29. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the means mounting each row unit frame on the header frame includes a locking means selectively adjustable between a float position, wherein it permits said independent vertical adjustment of the row unit relative to the frame, and a locking position, wherein it rigidly locks the row unit to the frame in a predetermined vertical position. 30. A row crop harvesting header for a harvesting machine adapted to advance over a field of row crop planted crops comprising: a transversely elongated header frame; and a plurality of transversely spaced row units mounted on and extending forwardly from the header frame, each row unit including a forwardly and downwardly inclined frame, a pair of laterally spaced elements mounted on the row unit frame and forming a generally fore and aft passageway adapted to receive a row of crop material as the machine advances, and a pair of endless flexible conveyor means mounted on the row unit frame, having opposite rearwardly moving inner runs on opposite sides of the passageway and operative to engage the crop material and move it rearwardly along the passageway, each conveyor means including front and rear pulley means respectively mounted on front and rear portions of the row unit frame, an endless flexible conveyor member trained around the front and rear pulley means, and means for adjustably mounting each front pulley means on the row unit frame for selective adjustment in a fore and aft direction to adjust the tension in the conveyor member, said adjusting means including a generally fore and aft slot in the row unit frame and a laterally adjustable member having an angled slot, and a shaft carrying the pulley means and extending through said slots, whereby lateral shifting of the adjustable member causes the pulley shaft to move in a fore and aft direction along the slot in the frame. 31. The invention defined in claim 30 wherein each row unit includes a rotary cutting means generally below the forward end of the conveyor means for severing the crop material relatively close to the ground as the crop material moves rearwardly along the passageway, the cutting means including a generally upright shaft journaled in the row unit frame and drive means drivingly connecting the upper end of the shaft to one of the rear pulley means of the conveyor means above the conveyor member. 32. A row crop harvesting header for a harvesting machine adapted to advance over a field of row planted crops comprising: a transversely elongated header frame; a plurality of transversely spaced row units extending forwardly from the frame, each row unit including a frame mounted on and extending forwardly from the header frame, a pair of laterally spaced members mounted on the row unit frame and forming a generally fore and aft passageway adapted to receive a row of crop material as the machine advances, a pair of endless flexible conveyor means mounted on the row unit frame on opposite sides of the passageway and having opposite rearwardly moving inner runs along opposite sides of the passageway operative to engage the crop material and move it rearwardly along the passageway, each conveyor means including front and rear pulley means respectively mounted on front and rear portions of the row unit frame, drive means for driving the rear pulley means, and an endless flexible conveyor member trained around the front and rear pulley means, and rotary cutting means mounted on the row unit frame generally below the forward end of the passageway for severing the crop material relatively close to the ground as the crop material is engaged by the conveyor means, the cutting means including a rotary cutting element disposed on the underside of the row unit frame and mounted on a shaft journaled in and extending upwardly through the frame, and drive means operatively connecting the shaft to the rear pulley means of one of the conveyor means for rotating the cutting element, the drive means including a drive sprocket coaxially connected to and disposed above the rear pulley means, a driven sprocket attached to the cutting element shaft and a drive chain disposed above the conveyor member. 33. The invention defined in claim 32 and including removable fastener means at the upper end of the cutting element shaft that is selectively removable to permit the shaft to drop from the row unit frame. 34. The invention defined in claim 32 and including a hood means respectively mounted on each pair of adjacent row units, and covering the area between the passageways of the adjacent row units, each hood means at least partially overlying the conveyor means and the drive means for the cutting means for one of the row units. 35. A row crop harvesting header for a harvesting machine adapted to advance over a field of row planted crops comprising: a transversely elongated header frame; a transversely elongated floor having a forward end; a transverse auger means mounted on the header frame immediately above the floor, the front side of the auger means being generally above the forward end of the floor; a plurality of transversely spaced row units mounted on and extending forwardly from the header frame, each row unit including a frame connected to the header frame and having a relatively flat downwardly and forwardly inclined upper surface with a rearward end closely adjacent and slightly above the forward end of the floor, a pair of laterally spaced elements on the frame and at least partially forming a generally fore and aft passageway adapted to receive a row of crop material as the machine advances, a pair of endless flexible conveyor means mounted on the row unit frame and having opposite rearwardly moving inner runs at opposite sides of the passageway and operative to engage the crop material and move it rearwardly along the passageway, each conveyor means including a front and a rear pulley means respectively journaled on the row unit frame and an endless flexible conveyor member trained around the front and rear pulley means, the lower edge of the conveyor member being disposed immediately above the upper surface of the frame and the rearward discharge end of the conveyor member being disposed immediately above the rearward end of the upper surface immediately in front of and above the forward end of the floor forwardly of the front side of the auger, and cutting means mounted on the row unit frame generally below the forward end of the conveyor means for severing the crop material relatively close to the ground as the crop material moves rearwardly along the passageway; and a hood means respectively mounted on each pair of adjacent row units and covering the area between the passageways of the adjacent row units, the opposite sides of each hood means at least partly forming said laterally spaced elements that define the edges of the passageway. 36. The invention described in claim 35 wherein each hood means includes a generally upright rear wall extending between the rearward ends of the passages of the adjacent row units immediately to the rear of the conveyor members, the rear walls having generally upright edges at its opposite side respectively adjacent to the rearward end of the conveyor member to strip crop material from the conveyor members as they move around the respective rear pulley means. 37. The invention defined in claim 35 wherein each row unit frame includes a central fore and aft trough at least partly defining the bottom of said passageway, the cutting means being mounted on the frame below the bottom of the trough and the conveyor means being spaced a short distance above the bottom of the trough so that the severed butts of the crop material move rearwardly in said trough. 38. A row crop harvesting header for a harvesting machine adapted to advance over a field of row planted crops, comprising: a transversely elongated header frame; a plurality of transversely spaced row units pivotally mounted on and extending forwardly from the frame for independent vertical adjustment thereto, each row unit including a forwardly and downwardly inclined frame having its rearward end pivotally mounted on the header frame and its forward end disposed adjacent to the ground, a pair of laterally spaced elements on the frame at least partially forming a generally fore and aft passageway adapted to receive a row of crop material as the machine advances, conveyor means mounted on the frame and operative to engage crop material and move it rearwardly along the passageway; a hood means respectively mounted on each pair of adjacent row units and covering the area between the passageways of the adjacent row units, the opposite sides of each hood means at least partly forming said laterally spaced elements that define the edges of the passageway; a pair of transverse generally aligned pivots respectively carried by the forward ends of adjacent row unit frames; a forwardly converging divider member respectively mounted on each pair of adjacent row units and extending forwardly from the hood means, the forward end of each divider member moving between adjacent rows as the machine advances, the bottom of each divider member being mounted on the transverse pivot means; and a generally fore and aft flexible link above and generally parallel to the row unit frame connecting the divider member above the pivot means to the header frame the row unit frame and the flexible link partly forming a parallelogram type linkage connecting the divider member to the header frame so that the divider member maintains a substantially constant attitude regardless of the height of the header. Other info: Inventors: Rohweder, Glen Willard (Moline, IL, US) Hengen, Edward John (Bettendorf, IA, US) Application Number: 551526 Filing Date: 1975-02-21 Publication_date: 1976-09-28 Assignee: Deere & Company (Moline, IL) Primary Class(es): 56/106 56/14.3 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs: Primary Examiner: Kinsey, Russell R. Assistant Examiner: Attorney: |
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