Agricultural Header Gauge Member for Variable Cutting Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current crop harvesting headers face challenges in maintaining consistent cutting height and ground following across varying terrain, especially when cutting tall crops, as they are limited to a maximum height of around 5 inches with traditional skid shoes and struggle to efficiently adjust between cutting close to the ground and higher heights.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a crop harvesting header with a main frame structure, mounting assembly, and a skid element that can be raised or lowered, along with ground engaging members such as skids or wheels, which are pivotally mounted on elongate support members to adjust cutting height and allow the header to follow ground contours, featuring a resilient suspension system to absorb shocks and maintain consistent cutter bar pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional skid shoes are used for ground engagement, then the header can cut close to the ground, but the maximum cutting height is limited to around 5 inches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the ground engaging member movable between a skid position (for low cutting) and a raised position (for high cutting). The elongate support member allows the ground engaging member to be dynamically repositioned, enabling the cutter bar to operate at varying heights from near-ground level up to 18 inches, thus resolving the contradiction between precise low cutting and versatile height range.
Solution Approach 2:
The ground engaging member is segmented into a skid portion for ground contact and a raised portion for clearance. This segmentation allows the different parts to serve different functions: the skid portion enables precise ground following for low cutting, while the raised portion allows the cutter bar to operate at higher elevations, thus achieving both precision and versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cutter bar is raised away from the ground for tall crops, then cutting height increases, but ground following capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The ground engaging member acts as an intermediary between the header and the ground. When raised, it maintains ground following capability through its elongate support structure that can pivot and adjust, while still allowing the cutter bar to operate at elevated positions for tall crops. This intermediary element enables both ground following precision and elevated cutting capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the header operates in both low and high cutting modes, then versatility improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elongate support member is designed with multi-functionality, serving as both a structural support for the ground engaging member and as a height adjustment mechanism. This single component enables the header to operate in multiple modes (low cutting with skid contact, high cutting with ground engagement member raised) without requiring separate complex systems for each function, thus achieving versatility while minimizing added complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables the header to cut crops as low as 1.25 inches or as high as 18 inches above the ground, improving ground following and maintaining consistent cut height across the header width, while reducing friction and stress on components, thus enhancing operational efficiency and adaptability.
Implementation Method 1
resilient suspension arrangement which provides movement between the ground engaging member and the mounting to the frame of the header
Implementation Method 2
skid element for engaging the ground so as to receive lifting forces from the ground... as the skid element slides over the ground
Data Source
AI summary
A harvesting header is operable in a first mode of operation by engagement of a skid at the cutter bar for cutting along the ground. A gauging system operable in a second mode includes four ground engaging members supporting the header such that the cutter bar skid plate is at a controlled distance from the ground. The ground engaging members include a long skid and removable gauge wheels are carried on an elongate beam pivoted adjacent the cutter bar and extending to the rear of the frame and adjustable by an upstanding telescopic mast up to a position to allow the cutter bar to run on the ground. A resilient suspension can be provided at the rear of the beam at the junction to the post. The location under the table allows a very high adjustment of the cutter bar in the second mode.