Agricultural Header Dolly Carried by Gauge Wheel Arm
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural headers with operating widths of 40 feet or greater are unsuitable for transport on public roads in their operating position, requiring cumbersome deployment and storage of transport wheel assemblies.
Innovation Solution
A transport assembly with a gauge wheel arm that pivots between a transport position and a working position, carrying a dolly with wheel mounts, allowing the header to be easily prepared for transport without needing to remove the dolly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If transport wheel assemblies are deployed to enable road transport of headers with operating widths of 40 feet or greater, then the header can be transported on public roads, but the deployment and storage processes become cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The dolly is integrated onto the gauge wheel arm structure, merging two separate components (dolly and gauge wheel arm) into a unified assembly. This eliminates the need for separate dolly deployment and storage operations, as the dolly moves automatically with the gauge wheel arm during its pivot between transport and working positions
Solution Approach 2:
The gauge wheel arm serves multiple functions: it provides the gauge wheel for transport, carries the dolly for additional wheel support, and pivots between transport and working positions. By making the gauge wheel arm multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for separate dolly deployment mechanisms
2Extent of automation
If automatic systems are developed to deploy and store transport wheel assemblies, then deployment and storage become automated, but the systems become too expensive and complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The dolly is carried automatically by the gauge wheel arm during its pivot motion between transport and working positions. The system serves itself by using the existing gauge wheel arm movement to automatically deploy and store the dolly, eliminating the need for separate automatic deployment mechanisms while maintaining simplicity
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural header includes: a header frame; at least one cutter carried by the header frame and configured to cut crop material; and a transport assembly coupled to the header frame and including: a gauge wheel arm pivotably coupled to the header frame and pivotable between a transport position and a working position; and a dolly coupled to the gauge wheel arm and including a pair of dolly wheel mounts configured to mount a pair of wheels thereto. The dolly is coupled to the gauge wheel arm such that the dolly is carried by the gauge wheel arm between the transport position and the working position and is swivelable about a swivel axis extending through the gauge wheel arm when the gauge wheel arm is in the transport position.