Macdon Industries Ltd

Jann Peter Garbald

Neil Gordon Barnett

Bruce Robert Shearer

James Thomas Dunn

Don MacGregor

Russell George Lyons

Graham Michael Leverick

A header for harvesting agricultural crops includes a cutter bar assembly coupled to a header frame, the cutter bar assembly flexible upwardly and downwardly relative to the header frame between opposite ends thereof for contouring to the field. The cutter bar assembly includes a guard bar extending across a front portion of the header frame between the opposite ends thereof, the guard bar split into at least a first lateral section and a second lateral section operatively coupled at a guard bar joint. A protruding element extending from the first lateral section is received by a receiving element on the second lateral section at the guard bar joint to horizontally align the first and second lateral sections of the guard bar between the opposite ends of the header frame while allowing relative lateral movement therebetween during upward and downward flexing of the cutter bar assembly.

Header with flexible cutter bar assembly

In a crop harvesting machine there is provided a pair of hydraulic float cylinders or springs for a header such as a rotary mower relative to a self-propelled vehicle, where a float spring force is controlled to provide a predetermined lifting force is provided to the header. The spring force is varied in response to detection of ground speed to decrease the lifting force at higher ground speeds. A position sensor is used to generate an indication of movement and/or acceleration. The electronic control is arranged, in response to changes in the sensor signal, to temporarily change the control signal to vary the lifting force and thus change the dynamic response of the hydraulic float cylinder. In order to reduce static friction so that the system can react quickly, an arrangement is provided for causing relative reciprocating movement in an alternating wave pattern between the piston and cylinder.

Crop harvesting machine with variable header float

An agricultural tractor having its engine longitudinally spaced along its frame from the operator cabin features at least two heat exchangers carried on the frame at a position located longitudinally between the operator cabin and the engine to perform air-cooling of at least one fluid associated with the engine. The two heat exchangers are arranged in parallel so as to each accept an intake stream of ambient air that is independent of a discharge stream of exhaust air from the other heat exchanger. Accordingly, each heat exchanger uses the coolest air possible to maximize the cooling potential of the system. The discharge stream of air from the heat exchangers is exhausted rearward to avoid recirculation of this heated air as the machine moves forward, and to direct the exhaust air past the engine for further cooling effect.

Growing community of inventors

Winnipeg, Canada

Jann Peter Garbald