PLATAFORMA DE COLHEITA DE CULTURAS PARA UMA COLHEITADEIRA

Abstract

The crop is loaded into a combine harvester's feed opening by two side drapers, two rear back plates defining an opening between inner edges, a central feed draper, and a roller with protruding end portions and a central tongue portion located above the feed draper. In this geometry, a lower part tangent to the protruding portions has a position that is at a height below the rear edge of the side drapers. The geometric axis of the feed roller is behind the rear edge of the side drapers and behind a common plane containing the back plates. The inner guide roller of each of the first and second side drapers is located inside the inner edge of the first back plate and inside an outer end of the protruding end portion.A tangent further forward from the protruding portions projects forward or above the common rear sheet plane.

Description

"Crop Collection Platform for a Combine Harvester"

[001] This invention relates to a harvester draper for a crop harvesting machine and more particularly to the geometry of a feed draper, side drapers, back plate and feed roller relative to a feed opening of the harvesting machine. FUNDAMENTALS OF THE INVENTION

[002] In U.S. Patent 4,956,966 issued in September 1990 and U.S. Patent 5,005,343 issued in April 1991 by Patterson and assigned to the present Assignee, a combine harvester is disclosed which uses two side drapers to transport the crop cut by the knife internally along the combine harvester board to a central discharge opening. The side drapers discharge into a central feeder draper which has a front roller just behind the knife and a rear roller in the feeder housing of a combine harvester so as to carry the crop from the side drapers backward into the feeder housing to enter the combine harvester for processing.A rotating feeder member or roller, which typically carries protruding auger end portions and a central tongue portion, is mounted in the combine harvester's discharge opening above the feeder draper to assist in loading bulky crop through the discharge opening so that it is carried into the feeder housing. The feeder draper is loaded onto the rear roller, which is attached to a feeder housing, and therefore the feeder draper and its associated underlying frame flex and bend as the combine harvester floats relative to the feeder housing.

[003] Although this arrangement has achieved considerable commercial success, it is desirable to improve the feeding of culture material from the side drapers into the feeder housing, particularly in Petition 870260063317, dated 06 / 26 / 2026, p. 9 / 42 2 / 12 in relation to bulky crops such as canola.

[004] A subsequent US patent, US Patent 5,454,371, issued in November 1995 by Honey, discloses a similar arrangement in which the crop is transferred from the rear end of the feeder draper into the interior of a rigid fixed adapter housing which is mounted in front of the feeder housing and contains the rotating feed member in the form of an auger with conventional feed lugs. This arrangement, therefore, requires the combine harvester to be moved forward relative to the feeder housing in order to provide the necessary space for the adapter housing and its rotating feed member contained therein.

[005] In both patented arrangements there is a significant difficulty in ensuring that the crop is effectively loaded from the side drapers for transfer from the side drapers to the feeder draper and under the feeder roller into the feeder opening to move back into the feeder housing.

[006] Although the present invention is primarily designed for use with a combine harvester of the above type for feeding the crop into the combine harvester, the same arrangement as described in detail below can also be used in other harvesting machines with a feeding opening.

[007] An example of a combine harvester with which this arrangement can be used is in document WO 2018 / 094512 published by the present applicant on May 31, 2018, to which reference may be made for further information. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a combine harvester in which the system for transferring crop from the side drapers to the feeder housing is improved. Petition 870260063317, dated 06 / 26 / 2026, p. 10 / 42 3 / 12

[009] According to the invention, a crop harvesting platform is provided for a combine harvester comprising: a main frame structure extending from one side to the other between two ends of the combine harvester, across the width of the combine harvester, for movement in one direction, generally at right angles to the width of the ground containing a crop to be harvested; an assembly kit for loading the main frame structure onto the combine harvester; A cutting bar runs from one side to the other of a front region of the main frame structure, carrying an operable cutting blade to cut the crop as the combine harvester is moved forward through the ground; and a crop transport system to move the cut crop towards a discharge point on the combine harvester to feed the crop into a feed opening on the combine harvester; The cultural transportation system includes: a first lateral draper having an outer end guide roller at one end of the combine harvester, an inner end guide roller adjacent to the discharge point, and a screen / canvas draper to define a passage / upper section of the screen to carry the cut crop from the cutting knife from one side of the combine harvester to the other to a discharge end adjacent to the discharge point; a second side draper having an outer end guide roller at a second end of the combine harvester, an inner end guide roller adjacent to the discharge point and a screen draper to set up an upper screen passage to carry the cut crop from the cutting knife from one side of the combine harvester to the other to a discharge end adjacent to the discharge point; Petition 870260063317, dated 06 / 26 / 2026, page 11 / 42 4 / 12 a feed draper located at the discharge point and including a front guide roller adjacent to the cutter bar, a rear guide roller behind the front guide roller and a screen draper wrapped around the front and rear guide rollers to define an upper passage of the feed draper to receive crop material from the discharge ends of the first and second side drapers and to load crop material backward in the direction of the combine's feed opening; each of the first and second side drapers having a front edge on the cutting bar and a back edge; and a feed roller having a main drum rotating around a geometric roller axis generally parallel to the cutting bar, the drum including a tongue section in a central portion adjacent to the feed opening and first and second protruding auger / helical portions arranged on respective end portions of the main drum outward from the tongue section; the main frame structure including first and second back plates each having a bottom edge at the back edge of each of the respective first and second side drapers, with each of the first and second back plates extending upwards and backwards from the bottom edge in a common back plate plane; the first and second rear plates having an inner edge spaced on a respective side of the feed opening to define an opening between the rear plates through which the crop passes into the combine harvester's feed opening; wherein a tangent below the lower part of the protruding portions has a position that is at a height below the rear edge of the lateral drapers; where the geometric axis of the feed roller is behind the Petition 870260063317, dated 06 / 26 / 2026, page 12 / 42 5 / 12 rear edge of the side drapers and behind the back panel; wherein the inner end guide roller of the first side draper is located inside the inner edge of the first backplate and inside an outer end of the first protruding auger portion; wherein the inner end guide roller of the second side draper is located inside the inner edge of the second backplate and inside an outer end of the second protruding auger portion; and in which a tangent further forward of the protruding portions is ahead of the common plane of the rear plate.

[010] Preferably the forwardmost tangent is behind the trailing edge of the first and second side drapers.

[011] Preferably the rear roller of the feed draper is behind the rear edge of the first and second side drapers.

[012] Preferably the rear feed draper roller is in a vertical plane on the geometric axis of the roller or slightly ahead of it. That is, typically the rear feed draper roller is ahead of the geometric axis of the roller. However, it is also possible for the feed draper to extend all the way to the feeder housing.

[013] Preferably a tangent to the protruding portions is immediately adjacent to the rear edge of the side drapers. However, there may be a space between the rear edge and the protruding portions provided that the tangent to the protruding portions is in front of or above the plane of the back plates.

[014] Preferably the main drum is coaxial around the geometric axis of the roller. However, it may include end portions where the geometric axis of the protruding end portion is different from the geometric axis of the center tongue portion. Petition 870260063317, dated 06 / 26 / 2026, page 13 / 42 6 / 12

[015] Preferably the main drum is of a constant diameter around the geometric axis of the roller. However, it may have sections which are of a different diameter so that the drum is stepped.

[016] Preferably, an outer edge of the first and second protruding portions of the auger lies on a common imaginary cylindrical surface surrounding the geometric axis of the roller. However, the protruding parts may be tapered so that the parts are of a different diameter. As is well known, the tabs are mounted eccentrically and with an operating mechanism that causes them to move in and out of the drum at different angular positions around the geometric axis of the drum in order to assist in removing crop in front of the drum and discharging that crop behind the drum. Many disclosures of such an arrangement are available.

[017] The arrangement defined above preferably provides a situation where the feed draper has a width substantially equal to the width of the feed opening and the feed roller, including the first and second protruding auger portions above it, is wider than the feed opening. This construction helps to bring the crop into the feed opening to avoid clumping of the crop material and clogging in this critical area. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[018] One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[019] Figure 1 is a top plan view of the center section only of a combine harvester according to the present invention with various elements such as the roller omitted for ease of illustration.

[020] Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the combine harvester in Figure 1.

[021] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along lines 2-2 of Petition 870260063317, dated 06 / 26 / 2026, p. 14 / 42 7 / 12 combine harvester in Figure 1.

[022] Figure 4 is a first isometric view along the combine harvester of Figure 1.

[023] Figure 5 is a second isometric view along the combine harvester of Figure 1.

[024] In the drawings, characters with the same references indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[025] The combine harvester shown in the figures comprises a main frame 10 including a main horizontal support beam 11 extending along the length of the combine harvester from a first end to a second end of the combine harvester. The main frame includes frame members extending forward at the ends of the combine harvester along with similarly arranged frame members intermediate to the width of the combine harvester. These details are not shown as they are well known. At the front end of the frame members is mounted a cutting bar 15 which carries a sickle-type knife construction of a conventional nature. The frame 10 is fixed to an adapter structure 16 attached to the feeder housing 17 of a combine harvester. The feeder housing 17 defines a feed opening having a width 17A and a height 17B at a mouth of the feeder housing.

[026] The combine includes a crop conveying system for transferring the crop from the sickle-type knife to the feeder housing. This includes two side drapers 19 and 20 each of which includes a screen extending from an outer guide roller to an inner guide roller 22 so as to define a passage over the screen which carries the crop internally towards the center of the combine.

[027] In the center of the combine harvester is provided a 23 o feed draper Petition 870260063317, dated 06 / 26 / 2026, page 15 / 42 8 / 12 which has a front roller 24 just behind the cutting bar and a rear roller 25 thus defining a passage 23A over the screen which carries the crop backwards towards the feeder housing 17.

[028] The main frame structure includes first and second back plates 38, 39 each having a lower edge 38A, 39A on the rear edge of each of the respective first and second side drapers 20, 21, with each of the first and second back plates extending upwards and backwards from the lower edge in a common back plate plane. The first and second back plates having an inner edge 40, 41 spaced on a respective side of the combine feeder opening to define an opening 43 between the back plates through which the crop passes to the feeder housing 17 feeder opening of the combine. The back plates 38, 39 are typically a metal panel which prevents the crop from escaping backwards with the back plates extending from the inner edge at the feeder opening to the outer end of the combine. In rigid combines, the back plates are continuous.In articulated harvesters, the rear plates have a break at the articulation point to allow the wings to flex.

[029] A feed roller 30 in the feed opening includes a main drum 31 that can be rotated about a geometric roller axis 32 generally parallel to the cutting bar. The drum includes a tongue section 33 in a central portion adjacent to the feed opening and first and second protruding worm portions 34, 35 arranged in respective end portions of the main drum outward from the center tongue section. The roller comprises a cylindrical drum typically of constant diameter and coaxial to the geometric roller axis with the tongue structure being able to move in and out of the drum as is well known in an operable tongue pattern to assist the material Petition 870260063317, dated 06 / 26 / 2026, page 16 / 42 9 / 12 entering the feed opening. The protruding auger portions at the ends include auger protrusions 36 and 37 with outer edges positioned in a common cylindrical shape that coaxially surrounds the geometric roller axis.

[030] Thus the combine includes the main frame structure 11 extending from side to side between two ends of the combine across the width of the combine for movement in a direction generally at right angles to the width across the ground containing a crop to be harvested. In some cases the combine is rigid so that there are no flexible hinge couplings along its length. In other cases the combine may be of the folding wing type typically including a center section fixed to the combine and two wing sections which are coupled to the center section to articulate up and down around geometric axes generally parallel to the direction of movement. Each of the first and second side drapers has a front edge on the cutting bar 15 and a rear edge adjacent to the lower edge of the back plate 38, 39.The cutting bar itself can be rigid or it can bend to follow the contours of the ground. All of these options are well known and incorporated into this document.

[031] General-type combine harvesters described above are well known and the area to which the present invention relates is that of the feeding section in the center of the combine harvester which carries the crop from the inner ends of the side drapers into the feeder housing.

[032] The present invention relates to a particular geometry of the inner edges of the back plates, the feed roller and the side drapers. In this arrangement, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, the lower tangent T1 to the lower part of the protruding portions 37 has an operating position which is at a height H below the rear edge 20A of the side drapers 19, 20. The roller can Petition 870260063317, dated 06 / 26 / 2026, page 17 / 42 10 / 12 float upwards from this position to allow bulky crop to pass through or can be fixed in height. The height of the rear edge 20A may be approximately aligned with a tangent to the bottom of the drum 31. However, the height of the rear edge of the side draper 20A is typically higher than the lower tangent of the feed drum.

[033] In this geometry as shown in Figure 3, the geometric axis of roller 32 of the feed roller is behind the rear edge 20A of the side drapers and behind the rear plates 38, 39 and the plane common to them.

[034] In this geometry as shown in Figure 4, the inner end guide roller 22 of each side draper 19, 20 is located inside the inner edge 40, 41 of the respective back plate 38, 39 and inside the outer ends 34A, 35A of the first protruding worm portions 34 and 35.

[035] In this geometry as shown in Figure 3, a tangent T2 further forward in relation to the protruding portions 36, 37 that lies on the common cylinder defined by them is ahead of the common backplate plane defined by the backplates 38, 39. The tangent T3 to the drum 31 is approximately just behind the rear edges 20A of the side drapers 20 and 21 and the further forward tangent T2 may be ahead of the rear edge 20A of the first and second side drapers. But more typically the tangent to the drum is behind the rear edge. Thus the protruding parts 36, 37 are above the backplates 38, 39 and act to grasp the crop that moves along the backplates 38, 39 loaded by the side drapers 20, 21 actively from the backplates inwards towards the feed opening.That is, it is important that tangent T2 be ahead of the backplate plane, but not necessarily ahead of the rear edge 20A of drapers 20, 21. In practice, tangent T2 is closer to the rear edge 20A vertically above, where tangent T3 to drum 31 is approximately the depth of the protrusion 37 behind the rear edge 20A. Petition 870260063317, dated 06 / 26 / 2026, page 18 / 42 11 / 12

[036] The rear roller 25 of the feed draper 23 is behind or slightly behind the rear edge 20A of the first and second side drapers 20, 21. However, there is no need for the draper 23 to extend backward to a position behind the rear edge 20A since the feed action carries the material to the position under the roller 30 where the feed action of the lugs acts to carry the material into the feed opening.

[037] A conventional guide frame 50 is located under the roller 30 and extends to a rear end 50A at the bottom of the feed opening 17A to load the crop over the frame 50 into the feed opening as the crop is propelled backward by the roller 30 and lugs 33.

[038] Roller 30 is therefore located at a low height so that its lower tangent T1 with respect to the protruding parts 37, 38 is below the height of the passage over the side drapers 20, 21 so that the roller must be behind the side drapers and thus behind the back plates. However, the roller is located as far forward as possible so that a tangent T2 to the protruding portions is immediately adjacent to the rear edge 20A of the side drapers.

[039] The main drum 31 of the roller 30 is typically of a constant diameter around the geometric axis of the roller, but may have changes in diameter, for example, between the protruding and tongue sections. An outer edge of the first and second protruding portions of the worm 36, 37 preferably lies on an imaginary cylindrical surface surrounding the geometric axis of the roller 32. However, there may be changes in diameter, for example, if the protrusion tapers to a smaller diameter from an inner end 34B, 35B outwards along the roller.

[040] The feed draper 23 has a width slightly greater than the space between the rollers 22 of the side drapers 20 and 21 and substantially equal in Petition 870260063317, dated 06 / 26 / 2026, page 19 / 42 12 / 12 in relation to the width 17A of the feed opening as shown in Figure 1 and the feed roller 30 including the first and second protruding auger portions 34, 35 thereon is wider than the width 17A of the feed opening. This contributes to providing improved action on the crop by pulling the crop that is inside through a greater width into the feed opening of the feeder housing.

Claims

1. Crop harvesting platform for a combine harvester, comprising: a main frame structure (10) between two ends of the platform, across a width of the platform for movement in one direction generally at right angles to the width over the ground containing a crop to be harvested; a mounting assembly (16) for loading the main frame structure (10) onto the combine harvester; a cutting bar (15) along a front region of the main frame structure (10) carrying an operable cutting knife for cutting the crop as the platform is moved forward over the ground; and a crop conveying system for moving the cut crop towards a discharge point on the platform for feeding the crop into a feed opening of the combine harvester;the crop transport system including: a first side draper (19) having an outer end guide roller (21) at a first end of the platform, an inner end guide roller (22) adjacent to the discharge location and a screen draper to define an upper screen passage for loading the cut crop from the cutting knife along the platform to a discharge end adjacent to the discharge location; a second side draper (20) having an outer end guide roller (21) at a second end of the platform, an inner end guide roller (22) adjacent to the discharge location and a screen draper to define an upper screen passage for loading the cut crop from the cutting knife along the platform to a discharge end adjacent to the discharge location;Petition 870260063317, dated 06 / 26 / 2026, page 21 / 42 2 / 4 a feed draper (23) located at the discharge location and including a front guide roller (24) adjacent to the cutter bar (15), a rear guide roller (25) behind the front guide roller (24) and a screen draper wrapped around the front and rear guide rollers (24, 25) to define an upper passage (23A) of the feed draper (23) to receive crop material from the discharge ends of the first and second side drapers (19, 20) and to carry crop material backward toward the feed opening of the combine harvester; each of the first and second side drapers (19, 20) having a front edge on the cutter bar and a rear edge (20A);and a feed roller (23) having a main drum (31) rotating about a roller axis (32) generally parallel to the cutting bar (15), the main drum (31) including a tongue section (33) in a central portion adjacent to the feed opening and first and second protruding auger portions (34, 35) disposed in respective end portions of the main drum (31) out of the tongue section (33); the main frame structure (10) including first and second back plates (38, 39), each having a lower edge (38A, 39A) on the rear edge of each of the respective first and second side drapers (19, 20), with each of the first and second back plates (38, 39) extending upward and backward from the lower edge (38A, 39A) in a common back plate plane;the first and second rear plates (38, 39) each having an inner edge (40, 41) spaced on each respective side of the feed opening, the inner edges are spaced and define an opening (43) between the rear plates (38, 39) through which the crop passes to the combine harvester's feed opening; the crop harvesting platform CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the entire feed roller (23), including the tongue section (33) and the first and second protruding auger portions (34, 35), is positioned within the opening (43) between the inner edges (40, 41); wherein a lower tangent (T1) to the lower part of the protruding portions (34, 35) has a position that is at a height (H) below the rear edge (20A) of the side drapers (19, 20);wherein the axis of rotation (32) of the feed roller (30) is behind the rear edge (20A) of the side drapers (19, 20) and behind the back plate (38, 39); wherein the inner end guide roller (22) of the first side draper (19) is located inside the inner edge (40) of the first back plate (38) and inside an outer end (35A) of the first protruding portion of the auger (34); wherein the inner end guide roller (22) of the second side draper (20) is located inside the inner edge (41) of the second back plate (39) and inside an outer end (35A) of the second protruding portion of the auger (35); and wherein a tangent (T2) further forward of the protruding portions (34, 35) is ahead of the common back plate plane.

2. Platform, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the tangent (T2) furthest forward to the protruding portions (34, 35) is behind the rear edge (20A) of the first and second side drapers (19, 20).

3. Platform according to claim 1 or 2, CHARACTERIZED in that the rear roller (25) of the feed draper (23) is behind the rear edge (20A) of the first and second side drapers (19, 20).

4. Platform, according to any one of claims 1 to 3, CHARACTERIZED in that the rear roller (25) of the feed draper (23) is in a vertical plane close to or slightly ahead of the roller axis (32). Petition 870260063317, dated 06 / 26 / 2026, page 23 / 42 4 / 4 5. Platform, according to any one of claims 1 to 4, CHARACTERIZED in that a tangent (T2) to the protruding portions (34, 35) is immediately adjacent to the rear edge (20A) of the side drapers (19, 20).

6. Platform, according to any one of claims 1 to 5, CHARACTERIZED in that the main drum (31) is coaxial around the roller axis (32).

7. Platform, according to any one of claims 1 to 6, CHARACTERIZED in that the main drum (31) is of a constant diameter around the axis of the roller (32).

8. Platform, according to any one of claims 1 to 7, CHARACTERIZED in that an outer edge of the first and second protruding worm portions (34, 35) lies on an imaginary cylindrical surface surrounding the roller axis (32).

9. Platform, according to any one of claims 1 to 8, CHARACTERIZED in that the feed draper (23) has a width substantially equal to the width of the feed opening, and the feed roller (30), including the first and second protruding auger portions (34, 35) disposed thereon, is wider than the feed opening.

Images