Deere & Company

Robert Edwin Bennett

William Douglas Graham

Bradley John Meyer

Richard Hugo Clark

Shane Julius Brueggen

Thomas LeRoy Hall

Scott Charles McCartney

John E Wilson

Kevin William Hoehn

Loren W Peters

Reed J Turner

Loyd Thomas Hubbard, Jr

Patrick M Buckley

William Howard Smith

Michael D Schwartz

Thomas Leroy Hall

A seeding machine comprises a main frame segment and two wing frame segments. In its working configuration the wing frame segments extends transversely. In its transport configuration the wing frame segments are folded forwardly. The wing frame segments are provided with planting units that are mounted to the wing frame segments by pivot arms that extend downwardly and rearwardly. The pivot arms are pivotally mounted to the wing frame segments by a rock shaft. The rock shaft is provided with an actuator bell crank that is coupled to a linear actuator for rotating the rock shaft relative to the wing frame segments. The pivot arms have a working position, wherein the planting units are in their working position, and a transport position, wherein the planting units have been pivoted on their noses into their substantially vertical transport position.

Pivoting planting units vertically

A series of thin shims with concave profiles matching the cylinder rod is supported from the cylinder. A carrier mechanism attached to either the rod end or cylinder barrel supports a plurality of shims that can be pivoted between storage positions and stop positions. A pivoting and spring loaded latching arm works in conjunction with notches on the shim profile to lock individual shims in either the working or the storage position. Multiple shim stack operating ranges are provided by insertion of thicker shims between the main shim pack and the mating part. The mating part can be a cylinder rod end or cylinder rod guide, depending upon the shim pack carrier mechanism.

Cylinder mounted stroke control

A hydraulic hose holder comprises a vertically extending standard having a mounting plate, an arched clamping plate, arched resilient insert conforming to the clamping plate, and a circular disc. The arched clamping plate is secured to the mounting plate by screw jacks. The resilient insert is located between the mounting plate and the clamping plate. The resilient insert is provided with a circular opening having a series of radially extending slots. Each of the radially extending slots is provided with an enlarged opening for holding a hydraulic hoses or an electrical line. The hoses and electrical lines snap into the enlarged openings through the slots. The circular disc is placed in the circular opening trapping the hydraulic hoses and electrical lines in the enlarged openings.

Hydraulic hose holder for an agricultural implement

A seeding machine comprises a main frame segment and left and right wing frame segments. In its working configuration the wing frame segments extend transversely. In its transport configuration the wing frame segments are folded forwardly. The wing frame segments are provided with a rear rank of planting units that are mounted to the wing frame segments by pivot arms that extend downwardly and rearwardly. The pivot arms are pivotally mounted to the wing frame segments by a rock shaft. The rock shaft is provided with an actuator bell crank that is coupled to a linear actuator for rotating the rock shaft relative to the wing frame segments. The pivot arms have a working position, wherein the planting units are in their working position, and a transport position, wherein the planting units have been pivoted on their noses into their substantially vertical transport position to reduce the transverse transport width of the seeding machine.

Frame folding arrangement with vertically pivoting planting units

A case drain coupler mounting plate is mounted to the frame of the seeding machine. The case drain hydraulic coupler is secured to the case drain coupler mounting plate when it is not coupled to a tractor. The mounting plate is provided with a keyhole-shaped mounting aperture having an enlarged upper opening and a narrow channel projecting downwardly from the enlarged opening. The case drain hydraulic coupler is provided with a circumferential groove that engages the narrow channel in the keyhole shaped slot. A backing plate is mounted to the mounting plate at a fixed distance from the mounting plate. The backing plate engages the case drain hydraulic coupler and overcomes the biasing force to open the check valve. With the check valve open the case drain line provides a drain path for hydraulic fluid from the case drain.

Mounting assembly for hydraulic coupling

A lift and rotate agricultural implement frame comprises a main frame having a lift tube and a carrier frame slidably mounted to the lift tube. The lift tube comprises a vertically extending main support tube having planar surfaces and a corrosion resistant exterior sleeve. The corrosion resistant exterior sleeve comprises corrosion resistant plates corresponding to the planar surfaces of the main support tube. Each of the plates has an interior surface and an exterior surface. At least one of the corrosion resistant plates adjoins another plate. One of the adjoining plates is provided with an overhang that extends past the exterior surface of the other plate of the pair. The plates are fillet welded to one another between the overhang and the other plate. The plates are also provided with oblong openings having oblong edges. The oblong edges are fillet welded to the main support tube to couple the sleeve to the main support tube.

Lift tube for an agricultural implement frame

A flexible frame structure for an implement includes a wing frame section with several fore-and-aft spaced, transversely extending rank tubes that are connected to surrounding support structure with conventional, non-resilient pin joints for rotation about a fore-and-aft extending horizontal rank axis. A transversely extending rear rank tube is rigidly connected to a fore-and-aft extending caster wheel support frame which extends forwardly above the ends of the rank tubes. A caster wheel projects forwardly from the end of the support frame out of interfering relationship with the forward tool-carrying rank. The rear rank tube and caster wheel support frame define a rigid L-shaped member which is connected to the adjacent frame section by a conventional pin and pivot structure for rotation about a first axis corresponding to the rank axis, and a second axis perpendicular to the forward direction. A diagonal brace has a leading end pivotally connected to the surrounding support structure and a trailing outer end connected near the vertex area of the L-shaped member for pivoting about a transverse axis. The non-resilient pin joints connect the outer ends of the rank tubes to the underside of the fore-and-aft leg of the L-shaped member, and pin hole clearances allow the frame section to distort for the implement flexibility, without rotation of the rank tubes, when operating on irregular ground surfaces. Centrally located fore-and-aft links are connected between the ranks for further rank rotational resistance.

Flexible frame for a multi-section implement

A stroke limiting structure for use with a lift control system on an implement includes a reciprocating link operably connected to a hydraulic cylinder and to a lift wheel assembly on an implement frame section. The link is connected by a lost motion connection to depth gauging structure including gauge plates pivotally supported on a carrier. The plates are rotatable between disengaged and engaging positions without need for tools and are maintained together on the carrier to eliminate loose parts that could be misplaced or lost. The plates in the engaging position determine the lowermost position of the implement and provide a positive mechanical stop for the implement to eliminate depth control problems caused by cylinder leakage or the like. The lost motion connection eliminates unwanted movement of the plate carrier and facilitates gauge plate pivoting for depth adjustments.

Gauge structure for a cylinder operated depth control

Straw walker bearing having two bearing portions that are bolted together around a straw walker crank. The upper bearing portion is provided with mounting pads for mounting the straw walker pan to the bearing. Each bearing portion has a semi-cylindrical recess for accommodating the straw walker crank. Each bearing portion is provided with a first edge having a raised outer lip and a second edge having a raised inner lip. When the bearing portions are coupled to one another the edges adjoin and form a standard fit configuration or a tight fit configuration.

Straw walker bearing

A grid insert assembly for a concave of an agricultural threshing machine having a frame formed from two side walls that define a slot. The slot engaging a cross bar of the concave. Each side wall is provided with an engagement aperture. The engagement apertures are coaxial with a grid insert mounting aperture located on the concave cross bar. A U-shaped mounting pin, having an engagement leg is selectively positioned into and out of the slot through the engagement apertures for securing the grid insert to the concave cross bar. A mounting leg of the mounting pin is slidably positioned in mounting ears extending from the grid insert. A latching assembly for latching the mounting pin is formed by an elastomeric sleeve which engages the mounting leg of the mounting pin.

Concave grid inserts

In an axial flow rotary separator, a separator grate forming part of a generally cylindrical separator casing consists of a series of circumferentially spaced, axially extending, finger bar assemblies. In each finger bar assembly side by side fingers extend circumferentially in the direction of rotation, supported cantilever fashion by an axially extending finger support bar. The fingers and support bar inner surfaces all lie approximately in a cylindrical surface but the radial offset of the free ends of the fingers relative to the following finger support bar, may be chosen or varied according to the crop handled and the grate characteristics desired. In a second embodiment a threshing concave of the same general structure is used in conjunction with a conventional rasp bar threshing cylinder.

Separating grate for a grain harvester

A straw walker extension pan is mounted to the end of a straw walker trough by two nut and bolt assemblies that engage mounting holes located in the pan and mounting apertures located in the straw walker trough. The pan is further provided with downwardly and forwardly projecting tangs that engage mounting slots located in the straw walker trough.

Straw walker extension pan

An assembly for adjusting the spacing between a transverse threshing cylinder and a transverse concave. The adjustment assembly comprising a link pivotally mounted to the side of the combine and circular camming disc which is located in the link. The camming disc is provided with a sleeve which projects into the combine and which is operatively coupled to a transversely extending hexagonal shaft. The concave grips the sleeve and in response to rotation of the camming disc the spacing between the concave and the threshing cylinder is changed. The concave is pivotally coupled to the side sheet of the combine by a cylindrical bushing having a slot into which is inserted a loosely fitting retainer plate.

Growing community of inventors

Moline, IL, United States of America

Robert Edwin Bennett