Deere + Company

Joshua R Pierson

Alex Brimeyer

Michael L Vandeven

Bryan Ray Yanke

Duane M Bomleny

Anthony M Hasenour

Benjamin M Lovett

Jesse R Neely

Brian Herringshaw

Corwin Marcus Puryk

Daniel Stephen Hoffman

Chad Allen Dow

Todd M Verhoef

William P Conrad

David Eric Renner

Bruce Alan Coers

Paul David Marvin

Brian Joseph Gilmore

Todd Neil Signer

Justin C Freehill

Jeffrey A Nelson

Ryan Scott Herlyn

Alexander B Lassers

Matthew R White

Jixin Chen

Mark Schuler

Andrew J Braet

Austin M Laugen

Shane Marty Anderson

Eric Taflinger

Brent A Augustine

Brian Busath

Anthony J Washburn

Adam L Heeren

Nicholis R Fitzpatrick

Balaji Parthasarathy

Rodrigo Carlesso

Peter T Swanson

Sumit Kumar

Eric Hans Pierre Pellegrini

Lawrence F Kane

Anthony Chidichimo

Volnei Cristiano Gerhardt

Terry L Demay

Krishna S Potluri

Ladarius D Agee

A header assembly for an agricultural harvesting machine comprises a first frame assembly, a second frame assembly that supports a cutter, and is movable relative to the first frame assembly, a float cylinder coupled between the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly, an accumulator, a controllable reservoir, and fluidic circuitry. The fluidic circuitry comprises a first conduit forming a first fluid path that provides a flow of pressurized fluid under pressure to the float cylinder, so the float cylinder exerts a float force on the second frame assembly, a valve mechanism that is actuatable to inhibit fluid flow along the first fluid path between the accumulator and the float cylinder, a second conduit forming a second fluid path fluidically coupled to the controllable reservoir, the controllable reservoir being controllable to add fluid to the float cylinder.

Controlled float on an agricultural harvester for header leveling

A harvesting assembly for harvesting a crop includes a frame, a cutting knife configured to cut crop, a feed drum, a draper assembly, a first auger assembly, and a second auger assembly. The draper assembly and the auger assemblies are configured to move the cut crop toward the feed drum. The auger assemblies each include a first auger, a second auger, and a mounting unit coupled to the frame and coupled between the first auger and the second auger to support the first auger and the second auger during rotation of the augers.

Combine header with split augers and method of using the same

An agricultural header for use with an agricultural harvester is configured to cut crop when the agricultural harvester moves in a direction of travel. The agricultural header comprises a first frame, a side draper belt supported by the first frame and positioned to receive cut crop and advance cut crop laterally relative to the direction of travel, a second frame, a center draper belt supported by the second frame and positioned in register with the side draper belt to receive cut crop laterally therefrom and advance cut crop rearwardly toward the agricultural harvester opposite to the direction of travel, and a joint interconnecting the first frame and the second frame and enabling relative fore-aft and lateral translation between the first frame and the second frame.

Agricultural header with flexible joint

A harvesting header for traversing a field to perform a harvesting operation includes a first frame assembly adapted to be coupled to a work machine and a second frame assembly suspended forward of the first frame assembly. The second frame assembly may pivot relative to the first frame assembly. A suspension system is coupled to the second frame assembly and provides a suspension force to the second frame assembly. A controller is operably coupled to the suspension system, and a slope detection system is disposed in electrical communication with the controller for communicating a slope of the field to the controller during the harvesting operation. The controller operably controls the suspension system by adjusting the suspension force based on the slope of the field.

Method and apparatus for adjusting a harvesting header float system based on machine pitch or terrain and system thereof

A system for a header assembly that has a center frame configured to pivot relative to an adapter frame about at least one center axis, a center actuator coupled to the center frame to selectively provide a biasing force thereto, a first arm assembly configured to pivot relative to the center frame about at least a first arm axis, a first actuator coupled to the first arm assembly to selectively provide a biasing force thereto, a controller in communication with the center actuator and the first actuator to selectively alter performance characteristics of the center actuator and the first actuator, and a user interface in communication with the controller and having at least a first option and a second option. Wherein, the controller adjusts the performance characteristics of both the center actuator and the first actuator when the user interface is transitioned between the first option and the second option.

Float adjustment

A harvesting head for an agricultural harvester including a center frame section that is pivotally coupled to each of a left frame section and a right frame section. The elevation or height of the center frame section is determined by setting a height of the inner gauge wheels of the left and right frame sections. A gauge assembly for each of the left and right frame sections includes a linking member that spans between and operatively connects to outer and inner gauge wheels. The gauge assemblies are operably connected to the left and right frame sections to adjust an elevation of the outer and inner gauge wheels relative to the linking member to thereby adjust the elevation or height of the frame section when actuated by an actuation mechanism.

Gang arm gauge wheel height control for crop harvesting device

A float cylinder and accumulator are coupled between a header main frame and an attachment frame. The float cylinder is orientated so that its mechanical advantage in applying a float force to the header varies with the position of the main frame relative to the attachment frame. Similarly, the pressure exerted by the cylinder varies inversely with its mechanical advantage.

Varying a hydraulic cylinder mechanical advantage to obtain smoother float pressure

A harvesting head for a combine and method of operating. An attachment frame at an aft end of the head attaches with a combine feederhouse. A main frame of the head is movably connected to the attachment frame, and the main frame has a range of travel with respect to the attachment frame. A resilient float element is provided between the attachment and main frames. A flexible cutterbar on the main frame operates to cut crops. The cutterbar is supported on the main frame by a plurality of pivoting arms distributed across a width of the head. With the main frame in a nominal intermediate position within the range of travel, the plurality of pivoting arms have 10 percent or less of total available travel as upward travel and at least 90 percent of total available travel as downward travel when the head is set in the nominal position.

System and method for ground following of a combine header with flexible cutter bar

A control arm linkage system includes a pair of upper control arms and a pair of lower control arms to attach a crop harvesting header to a harvester frame of an agricultural harvester. The attachment of the header to the harvester via the control arm linkage system allows the header to move relative the harvester, with the header being displaced upward and heeled backwards in response to an upward force being imparted onto a lower surface of the header. The control arm linkage system thus allows the header to automatically adjust and adapt to unexpected raised mound that may be encountered along the path of the header during harvesting.

Cutterbar angle change with four bar linkage

A harvesting system includes a header pivotably attached to a combine. The header includes a center section to which a left wing and right wing are pivotably attached. A wing locking system of the harvesting system includes first and second engageable states that enable dynamic wing behavior and reduce structural load. The first state corresponds to a harvesting configuration of the header in which the wings are allowed to pivot to allow the header to follow changes in terrain. The second state corresponds to a configuration in which the header is elevated relative to the ground. In the second state, the ability of the wings to pivot is minimized as compared to the first state, which allows the header to be maintained in a substantially flat configuration while minimizing the amount of dynamic load imparted by the header on the combine during non-harvesting transport of the header.

Wing locking with hydraulic blocker valve

A header for a combine harvester includes a center section having a first draper belt configured to move crop material in a first direction. The header also includes a wing pivotably coupled to the center section about a pivot axis and extending laterally away from the center section. The header also includes a second draper belt coupled to the wing and configured to move crop material in a second direction different than the first direction. The wing and the second draper belt are in a fixed positional relationship with each other, such that the wing is configured to remain at a constant distance from the second draper belt at all points along the wing during pivoting movement of the wing.

Draper belt header with pivoting wings

A roller support for draper belt supporting rollers of a harvester header may include a base, a first post extending from the base in a direction to support a first roller, a second post extending from the base in the direction to support a second roller, an arm extending from the base in the direction between the first post and the second post and a wear structure supported by and immovable relative to the arm. The wear structure may have a wear surface facing downwardly.

Draper belt roller support

An agricultural harvesting head has three frame sections. Each frame section is pivotally coupled to its adjacent frame section by two links. The two links are pivotally coupled to the two adjacent frame sections at both ends of each link.

Multi-section header with offset pivot axis

An agricultural harvesting header includes a first frame portion and a second frame portion moveably connected to the first frame portion. An upper control arm is pivotally connected to the first frame portion and pivotally connected to the second frame portion. A lower control arm pivotally connected to the first frame portion and pivotally connected to the second frame portion. The connection between the first frame portion, second frame portion, upper control arm, and a lower control arm forms a roll center positioned at or below ground level.

Roll center for attachment frame control arms

Growing community of inventors

Davenport, IA, United States of America

Joshua R Pierson