Deere & Company

Other

James C Walters

Craig Allen Richardson

Roger Dale Stephenson

Michael Joseph Verhulst

Allan Wesley Rosenbalm

Stephen K Parsons

Jerry L Krafka

Frederick Carl Krambeck

Matthew Jay Mentzer

J Clark Fickle

Daniel Joseph Goodman

Steve Brandt

Allen Wesley Rosenbalm

A furnace filter box for mounting next to an intake air opening in a furnace. The filter box is adapted for receiving a furnace filter therein for filtering intake air. The filter box includes a front panel with a furnace filter door. The front panel is attached to sides of a first side panel and a second side panel. The first and second panels are attached to a back panel. A bottom panel is attached to a bottom portion of the front, back and first and second side panels. Mounted to an inside of an upper portion of the first and second side panels are filter rails. The filter rails are adapted for holding the furnace filter next to an open top in the filter box.

Furnace filter box and method of assembly

A conditioner roll includes a cylindrical, tubular metal core having four, straight metal flutes, in the form of channel members, extending full length of, and releasably attached to, the core. In one embodiment, each flute is attached by a plurality of bolts extending radially outwardly through and anchored in respective holes provided in the core, the bolts being respectively received in a plurality of holes provided in the flute. A nut is received on a threaded exposed end of each bolt so as to clamp the flute in place. Access holes are provided for permitting installation of the bolts. In a second embodiment, swage nuts are respectively anchored in mounting holes provided in the core for locating each flute, the nuts having been deformed axially, during installation of the flute mounting bolts, to form shoulders located interiorly of the core wall so as to that the nuts stay in place as the bolts are tightened against the flute.

Removable flutes for crop conditioner crimp rolls

A trailer, for a header-equipped implement, has a T-shaped main frame, with the head of the T being defined by a beam extending in the direction of travel and with the stem of the T centered between a pair of loading ramps having first end portions coupled to the beam for pivoting about a fulcrum such that the ramps are moved from a loading to a transport position by the weight of the implement when the implement is backed up the ramps to a loaded position resting on the beam and in engagement with respective bumper/latch bars fixed to the beam. Stability of the trailer is maintained during loading of the implement by parking stands, at opposite ends of the beam, which are either manually or automatically moved between support and stored positions. The wheels are each mounted to an arm having a latch hook secured thereto and which moves into latched engagement with a respective one of the bumper latch/bars to secure the implement to the trailer when the arms are raised by the implement lift cylinders to lower the header onto the frame stem. The implement has a swing tongue used to tow the trailer/implement combination endwise relative to the header. Mounted to one of the ramps is a storable trailer tongue which may be used to tow the trailer when it is empty.

Trailer for endwise transport of mower-conditioner

A wobble drive for imparting reciprocating motion to a sickle bar includes a wobble drive shaft rotatable about a first axis and having a cylindrical wobble section formed about an axis making an angle of about 14.5.degree. to the first axis. A toroidal wobble shaft bearing housing is mounted on the wobble section by a set of wobble bearings having their outer races pressed into the bearing housing. An output yoke is coupled to the wobble shaft bearing housing for transmitting the oscillatory motion of the housing, caused by rotation of the drive shaft, to a swing arm fixed to an end of a shaft portion of the yoke. The coupling of the yoke to the wobble bearing housing is accomplished by a pair of headed spindle pins inserted, from the inside out, through pin bores provided at diametrically opposite locations in the wobble shaft bearing housing, and into respective yoke bearings mounted in the ends of a pair of yoke limbs that are joined to the yoke shaft portion. The heads of the spindle pins are respectively received in counterbored sections at the radially inner ends of the pin bores and these counterbores are blocked by outer races of the set of wobble bearings carried by the wobble bearing housing. The pins are each stepped to form first and second sections of different diameters with the radially inner section being larger than the radially outer section and sized for an interference fit with the bearing housing and with the radially outer sections being longer than the pin bores so as to permit the pins to be freely manually inserted through the pin bores and partially into the pin bearings carried by the yoke limbs, whereby the bearing housing and output yoke may be properly aligned one with the other prior to the pins being mechanically pressed into the pin bores.

Headed spindle pin for wobble-type sickle drive

A drive for a center-pivot mower-conditioner includes a power shaft supported within the center-pivot tongue and ending in an equal-angle drive section which intersects the vertical axis of the connection of the tongue with the center of a transverse beam forming part of a main frame of the mower-conditioner when the tongue is in a straight ahead position. A multiple v-belt drive transfers rotation of the tongue-carried drive-line to a substantially horizontal, fore-and-aft extending main header drive shaft located just leftwardly of the transverse beam of the main frame. The main header drive shaft is coupled to a first header drive box containing right-angle gearing for directing power to a downwardly extending through shaft extending through a second header gear box to a left-most cutting unit of a rotary cutterbar extending transversely across a header suspended for floating over undulating terrain during cutting operation. The second header gear box contains gearing for driving a multiple groove, v-belt drive pulley mounted to an output shaft projecting leftwardly from the second header gear box, the drive pulley forming part of a multiple v-belt drive coupled to a third header gear box containing intermeshed spur gears coupled for counter-rotating upper and lower conditioner rolls extending transversely behind the rotary cutterbar. In a second embodiment, the drive pulley is mounted to a shaft projecting rightwardly from the second header gear box and forming part of a multiple v-belt drive coupled for driving a rotary impeller conditioner extending transversely behind the rotary cutterbar. In a third embodiment, the second header gear box is eliminated and the rotary impeller conditioner is driven from the first gear box through a v-belt drive including a v-belt pulley mounted to a shaft projecting rightwardly from the first gear box.

Center-pivot mower-conditioner drive

Each knife-carrying disk of a rotary cutterbar has a hub connected to a drive shaft through means of a shear device. In a first embodiment of the invention, the shear device is in the form of either a collar or a clamping member having internal splines received on a splined upper end of the drive shaft and having shearable cylindrical drive lugs engaged with complementary shaped openings provided in an upper surface of the disk hub. In another embodiment of the invention, the shear device is in the form of a ring-like shear insert having shearable inner splines received on the splined upper end of the drive shaft and having outer splines engaged with a splined mounting hole of the disk hub.

Drive shear device for rotary cutter unit

The forward end of a draft tongue of a towed, power take-off driven implement carries a transmission including an upper right-angle gear box rigidly fixed to the tongue and a lower right-angle gear box swivelly mounted to the tongue for rotation about a vertical yaw axis. A swivel hitch includes a frame secured to the lower right-angle gear box and to an upright extending pivot member forming part of the swivel mounting of the lower right-angle gear box. A longitudinal pivot member is swivelly mounted to the hitch frame along a roll axis. In one embodiment, a vertical clevis is fixed to a forward end of the longitudinal pivot member and is pivotally connected to a drawbar adaptor for relative rotation about a horizontal transverse pitch axis, the latter being located close to the rear end of a drawbar received in a receptacle defined by the adaptor. In a second embodiment, a transverse arm is fixed to the forward end of the longitudinal pivot member and carries forwardly extending vertical clevises respectively at its opposite ends, the pair of clevises being adapted for connection to a pair of tractor draft links with the connection pins effecting the connection being located along a pitch axis.

Swivel hitch adaptable for use with either a tractor drawbar or

A mower-conditioner drive system includes a main support casting having an outwardly projecting stub shaft and an inwardly projecting pivot pin mounted to an upright wall section at one end of a header frame. A slip clutch is received on the stub shaft and includes a main drive plate coupled to one shaft of an angle gear box and includes inner and outer pressure plates connected for being frictionally driven by the drive plate, the inner pressure plate having a main drive spur gear integral therewith and the outer pressure plate having a drive sheave integral therewith. The main drive spur gear forms part of a drive train for driving either a pair of conditioner rolls or for driving an impeller conditioner while the drive sheave is coupled by a belt for driving either a sickle-type cutterbar or a rotary type cutterbar. In the case where the mower-conditioner is equipped with conditioner rolls, the main drive gear is located on the pivot axis of a pair of arms carrying the upper roll for movement towards and away from the lower roll and with one of the pivot arms being mounted on said pivot pin. An angle gear box having a gear ratio between the two shafts thereof which makes it possible to reverse the box so that it delivers the same output speed regardless of whether a tractor PTO connected thereto has a speed of 540 rpm or 1000 rpm is releasably splined to the clutch drive plate.

Mower-conditioner drive system

A mower conditioner includes a main frame having a header connected thereto by a four bar linkage which permits the header to float over the ground during harvesting operation. The header carries upper and lower conditioner rolls with the opposite ends of the upper roll being respectively mounted to a pair of arms mounted for pivoting vertically such that the upper roll moves towards or away from the lower roll in response to crop density variations. A float spring assembly is provided at each side of the mower conditioner and each has its upper end supported by the frame and has its lower end pivotally coupled to a force transfer linkage that is pivotally mounted to the header for movement about a transverse axis and is pivotally linked to an adjacent one of the conditioner roll support arms whereby the force transfer linkage acts to transfer a lifting force to the header and a downward biasing force to the upper conditioner roll.

Conditioner roll tension system

A draft tongue is horizontally adjustably connected to the left-hand end of a wheel-supported main frame of a crop harvester for movement between an outward working position and an inward transport or traveling position. The tongue includes front and rear portions which are disposed angularly relative to each other and, when the torque is in its working position, the rear portion extends outwardly from a straight ahead direction and the front portion extends forwardly and downwardly in a vertical plane extending in the straight ahead direction when the tongue is in its working position. The angular shape of the draft tongue permits a towing tractor to turn sharply to the right to cause the harvester to pivot about an axis located adjacent a left-hand tire thereof so as to effect the cutting of a square corner when the tongue is in its working position and permits the tractor to travel straight ahead in a path which is within the width of a path traveled by the harvester when the tongue is in its transport position. A driveline including a pedestal shaft supported by the front portion of the tongue establishes a substantially straight connection with a tractor PTO shaft and with a harvester gear box with a wide-angle, constant velosity u-joint being located at the only location in the driveline which is substantially angled from the straight ahead position when the tongue is in its working position and the tractor is traveling straight ahead.

Crop harvester having angular draft tongue for accommodating sharp turns

A cutterbar for a rotary mower includes a gear housing containing a series-parallel spur gear train coupled for driving cutting units spaced along the cutterbar. The gear housing, as viewed from an end, defines a cavity which is wedge-shaped in cross section with the deep part of the wedge being located at the rear of the cutterbar. As considered when the cutterbar is leveled from end-to-end and disposed for cutting crop at a relatively high level, a top wall of the cavity extends substantially horizontally and the spur gears contained within the cavity are positioned close to and parallel to the top wall so that a substantial volume is left below the gears for containing lubricant. A plurality of fore-and-aft extending, transversely spaced ribs are formed along a bottom wall of the housing at a level below the gearing whereby the ribs serve to prevent the lubricant from moving quickly towards a lower end of the cutterbar when the latter is working on a slope. Provided in a lower rear location of each rib is an orifice which serves to permit lubricant to drain to the low end of the cutterbar when it is desired to remove the lubricant from the cutterbar by way of an appropriate drain hole. A sight gauge is provided at each end of the housing for viewing the lubricant level for aiding in leveling the cutterbar from end-to-end and then for determining if the lubricant level is that desired.

Cutterbar gear housing design for containing gear lubrication fluid

A cutterbar includes a plurality of modules connected in end-to-end relationship with each other, the modules respectively including identical cast gear housing sections which cooperate to form a gear housing in which is located a spur gear drive train. Each module includes a removably mounted cutting unit, with the cutting units having blade-carrying discs and being arranged such that the discs are indexed 90.degree. relative to each other and in counter rotating pairs, when an even number of units are used to form a cutterbar but being arranged such that the leftmost and adjacent blade-carrying discs rotate in the same direction when an odd number of modules are used. The construction of the leftmost module is such that the axis of rotation of the drive shaft of the cutting unit thereof is located rearwardly of a line of centers passing through drive shafts of the cutting units of the remaining modules whereby adequate clearance is provided between the paths of rotation of the cutting blades of the leftmost and adjacent cutting units. A unitary skid pan extends beneath and is connected to each of the modules and serves to both protect the housing sections from damage during operation and to support the modules during assembly and repair of the cutterbar.

Modular cutterbar for rotary mower

A rotary mower includes a cutterbar having a fluid-tight gear housing made up of a plurality of identical gear housing sections connected together in end-to-end relationship with each other. Each section is a casting including spaced apart top and bottom walls, the top wall being provided with a pair of circular openings and the bottom wall being provided with a pair of upwardly opening cylindrical receptacles respectively located in axial alignment with the pair of openings and having respective annular upper ends defining bearing seating surfaces. Each idler gear has a bearing received in a central bore thereof and the assembled idler gear and bearing is located in a housing section such that the inner race of the bearing rests on a selected one of the seating surfaces and is held in place by means of a stub shaft tightly received in the bearing and in a selected one of the receptacles and having an enlarged head which is tightly received in the opening which is aligned with the receptacle. An o-ring seal is received in a groove located circumferentially in the head and operates to prevent leakage of lubricating fluid from the gear housing. A cap screw is threaded axially through the stub shaft and into the bottom wall of the module and operates to hold the stub shaft in place with its enlarged head being held tightly against the bearing. A second o-ring seal is provided at the bottom of each receptacle for preventing leakage along the cap screw.

Modular rotary mower cutterbar incorporating unique idler gear mounting

A hitch adapter couples a semi-integral, PTO-driven implement to a quick coupler carried by a tractor three-point hitch. The hitch adapter includes a drawbar located significantly below the level of the connection of lower three-point hitch link with the quick coupler and a parking stand is integral with the bottom of the drawbar. Lowering of the three-point hitch from a normal working position results in the stand engaging the ground to prevent interference between the hitch and the drive shaft coupling the implement to the tractor PTO shaft. Once the stand engages the ground, the hitch adapter can be disconnected from the quick coupler hooks by releasing latches associated with the lower hooks and lowering the three-point hitch.

Hitch adapter for use in connecting semi-integral, PTO-driven implements

A hitch adapter is used to couple a PTO-driven implement to a three-point hitch arrangement of a towing tractor. The implement includes a transmission housing mounted for rotation about an upright axis that passes through a ball connection effected between a drawbar of the hitch adapter and the implement tongue. The tractor power take-off shaft is connected by a telescopic drive shaft to an input shaft supported by the transmission housing for rotation about an axis extending perpendicular to and intersecting said upright axis. Provided for steering the transmission housing for maintaining the input shaft disposed in parallel relationship to the tractor power take-off shaft is a steering assembly including a pair of steering arms depending from the housing and engaging diametrically opposite locations of a cylindrical guide surface of a guide member fixed to the drawbar with the guide surface arranged concentrically to an axis located in a plane containing the previously mentioned axes and intersecting the upright axis at the ball connection.

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Ottumwa, IA, United States of America

James C Walters