J. I. Case Company

International Harvester Company

Richard E Benson

Dathan R Kerber

Orlin W Johnson

John L VandeWiele

Robert D Week

James R Lucas

Richard A Hardesty

Jon R Cross

Michael P Larson

A cutterbar assembly for the header of an agricultural combine having a skid coextensive with the cutterbar but comprising individual skid segments. The knife guard likewise comprises individual segments positioned in aligned relationship with the skid segments, whereby the flexibility of the cutterbar is enhanced so that it is able to follow the contour of the ground without row sensitivity. The skid segments are corrugated to provide a more efficient strength to weight ratio.

Flexible cutterbar assembly

A header frame for a combine harvester having a linkage connection between the crop reel and the auger, whereby the auger may be automatically and mechanically raised from the header floor by raising the reel for purposes of unplugging wedged crop material. The linkage includes a lost-motion connection so that the reel can be moved vertically as required during harvesting without affecting the auger, and the auger is also capable of floating action during operation. A sprocket and chain drive for the auger includes a spring-biased idler sprocket for maintaining proper chain tension and uninterrupted operation of the auger at all times. An adjustable wedge is also provided for fixing and limiting the minimum spacing between the auger and the header floor.

Auger lift mechanism for crop harvesting header

A header for a combine or the like having a cutterbar assembly which is vertically flexible relative to the main frame of the header. Leaf springs are fixedly connected to the header frame and extend forwardly to a sliding connection with the cutterbar assembly to exert a counterbalancing upward force thereon. Longitudinally reciprocable adjustment bars captive on threaded adjustment bolts are mounted on the main frame in association with each spring for varying the upward force being exerted thereby.

Adjustable leaf spring suspension for flexible cutterbar

Cutting apparatus and adjustable hold down therefor

A crop harvesting header for a self-propelled combine. The header includes a 'floating' flexible cutterbar movable vertically relative to the header frame to cut a standing crop (soybeans, for example) close to the ground to minimize crop losses. The cutterbar is connected to a plurality of runner structures pivotally mounted on the header frame. A spring system is operative on the runner structures to resiliently counterbalance the cutterbar. Elongated skids are connected between adjacent pairs of runners to effectively extend along the length of the header. The skids are mounted to permit individual movement of the runners relative to each other as the cutterbar flexes over uneven ground across the harvesting path. The skids are selectively shiftable to vary the cutting height of the cutterbar.

Floating cutterbar header and height control

A harvesting combine header or platform having facilities whereby, by a quick attach and release operation, several crop pickup components may be operatively applied thereto. Anchor devices on the platform cooperate with special divider components on the reel assembly and with fast pins to releasably hold the reel assembly in place. Withdrawal of the fast pins frees the reel assembly from the platform. Similarly, bolting facilities are provided on the bottom and back wall of the platform and provide anchor points for a windrow pickup assembly. Unfastening of these bolting facilities frees the windrow pickup from the platform.

Growing community of inventors

East Moline, IL, United States of America

Richard E Benson