Steerable Header Wheel Assembly for Easier Road Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural headers with operating widths of 40 feet or greater are unsuitable for transport on public roads and require cumbersome deployment and storage of transport wheel assemblies, which can be expensive and complicated, and their high width makes turning difficult.
Innovation Solution
A transport assembly with independently movable arms and wheel mounts that can pivot, allowing steerable wheels to reduce the turn radius and facilitate convenient storage and deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If transport wheel assemblies are deployed to stabilize the header during transport, then the header can be transported on public roads, but the deployment and storage becomes cumbersome and complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The transport wheel assembly incorporates steerable wheels with pivotable wheel mounts that can turn independently. The linkage system allows the wheel mounts to pivot in response to steering input, enabling the wheels to be steered rather than fixed. This dynamic steering capability simplifies deployment and storage operations while maintaining transport stability, directly resolving the contradiction between transport adaptability and deployment complexity
2Productivity
If the header operates with a width of 40 feet or greater, then harvesting productivity increases, but turning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The steerable transport wheels with pivotable wheel mounts enable the rear of the header to turn more sharply than would be possible with fixed wheels. The linkage system that couples the wheel mounts to the steering mechanism allows the rear wheels to follow the turning path more effectively, reducing the overall turn radius. This dynamic steering capability maintains productivity through wide harvesting while improving turning ease in confined spaces
3Ease of operation
If automatic deployment systems are used for transport wheel assemblies, then deployment becomes easier, but the system becomes too expensive and complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The transport wheel assembly is designed with manual steering capability through the pivotable wheel mounts and linkage system. The operator can directly steer the rear wheels without requiring complex automatic deployment systems, sensors, or control mechanisms. This self-steering approach achieves ease of operation while avoiding the expense and complexity of automated systems, resolving the contradiction between deployment ease and system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural header includes: a header frame; a cutter carried by the header frame; a steering assembly coupled to the header frame and including an axle; and a transport assembly coupled to the header frame. The transport assembly includes: a first arm coupled to the header frame and movable between a first transport position and a first operating position; a first wheel mount pivotably coupled to the first arm; a second arm pivotably coupled to the header frame and movable between a second transport position and a second operating position; a second wheel mount pivotably coupled to the second arm; and a linkage reversibly coupling the first wheel mount to the second wheel mount and coupled to the axle such that the second arm is movable independently of the first arm when the linkage is uncoupled from at least one of the first wheel mount or the second wheel mount.