Offset Guard Bolt Attachment System for Crop Headers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Many harvest headers have guard bolts and guard fingers that are offset, making it impossible to use standard crop lifters, requiring more costly and inconvenient options.
Innovation Solution
A guard finger attachment apparatus with a plate attachable to the header by guard bolts and header engagement members aligned with offset guard fingers, allowing for the attachment of crop accessories.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If standard crop lifters are used on headers with offset guard bolts and fingers, then the attachment cannot be made, but using non-standard options increases cost and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary alignment plate that mediates between the offset guard bolt and the standard crop lifter attachment points. This plate provides intermediate attachment surfaces that align with both the offset guard bolt location and the standard crop lifter mounting holes, enabling compatibility without modifying the crop lifter itself or requiring custom-made components.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment system is segmented into separate functional components: the existing guard bolt assembly, the new alignment plate with multiple mounting surfaces, and the standard crop lifter. This segmentation allows each component to maintain its original design while the alignment plate bridges the offset discrepancy, avoiding the need to redesign the entire attachment system.
2Ease of manufacture
If guard bolts are offset from guard fingers on harvest headers, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but standard crop accessory attachment becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment plate serves multiple functions: it attaches to the offset guard bolt, provides alignment surfaces for crop accessory attachment, and bridges the offset distance to enable standard attachment hardware to work. This multi-functional design maintains the manufacturing flexibility of offset guard bolts while restoring universal compatibility with standard crop accessories.
3Ease of operation
If custom alignment apparatus is created to resolve offset issues, then crop accessory attachment is enabled, but cost and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment plate is designed as a simple, inexpensive metal bracket that can be easily manufactured from standard stock material. Rather than creating complex custom-machined components, the design uses basic drilling and welding to create a functional alignment solution that is cost-effective and simple to produce.
Data Source
AI summary
A guard finger attachment apparatus for attaching a crop accessory to a cutting header where guard bolts attaching guards to the header are offset from guard fingers of the guards where the crop accessory is adapted for engagement with a header attachment member and a guard finger when the header attachment member is aligned with the guard finger. The apparatus includes a plate attachable to the header by guard bolts, and header engagement members attached to the plate and configured such that when the plate is attached to the guard bolts, the header engagement members are aligned with corresponding guard fingers.