Center feed finger adjustment mechanism for header

• US 6,640,527 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2001
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.), CNH America Llc (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: New Holland North America Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Rayfield, James F., Farley, Herbert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kovács, Árpád Fab
• Application Number:
  US10/017,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20030110750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 563/64, 56/124, 56/125, 56/145, 56/146, 198/494, 198/613, 198/692, 198/693, 198/722, 198/723
• US Class Current: 56/12.4
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 61/008 for longitudinal conveying, especially for combines

Abstract

The mechanism alters the position of a set of auger fingers positioned in front of a feederhouse opening relative to auger fingers on the outer ends of a transverse auger of a header of a combine harvester. A center finger auger shaft is positioned between two outer finger auger shafts. An outer shaft plate having a series of radially placed holes may be adjusted to change the position of a center shaft plate. This changes the position of the center auger finger shaft affixed to the center shaft plate. This permits the auger fingers to be moved either towards or away from the header floor.

Claims

1. A header of a combine harvester comprising:

a. an auger;

b. a reciprocating outer auger finger shaft positioned within the auger, said outer finger shaft having a series of outer fingers affixed thereon;

c. a reciprocating center finger shaft positioned within the auger and attached to the outer auger shaft, said center finger shaft having a series of center fingers affixed thereon; and

d. a means for adjusting the center finger shaft relative to the outer finger shaft, wherein the means for adjusting the center finger shaft relative to the outer finger shaft further comprises;

i. a center crank affixed to an outer shaft;

ii. an outer shaft plate affixed to the center crank;

iii. a center shaft plate affixed to the center finger shaft; and

iv. a means for selectively affixing the outer shaft plate to the center shaft plate.

2. The header described in claim 1, wherein the means for selectively affixing the outer shaft plate to the center shaft plate further comprising:

a. a series of radially placed adjustment holes within the outer shaft plate; and

b. the outer shaft plate having an arc, therein,

c. the center shaft plate having a first hole and second hole, therein, whereby a first bolt is inserted into the hole and a second bolt is inserted into the second hole.

3. The header described in claim 2 wherein the series of radially placed adjustment holes are equally spaced from the rotational axis of the center crank.

4. The header described in claim 3 wherein the auger further comprises an access cover proximate to the center crank to allow access to the outer shaft plate and the center shaft plate.

5. The header described in claim 4 further comprising a center shaft clamp affixed to the center shaft plate for receiving and securing the center shaft and a outer shaft clamp affixed to the outer shaft plate for receiving and securing the center crank.

6. The header described in claim 5 further comprising a bearing affixed to an auger baffle, said baffle affixed to the auger, the bearing receiving and supporting the center crank.

7. The header described in claim 6 wherein said outer finger shaft further comprises a pair of outer finger shafts, said center finger shaft positioned between the pair of outer finger shafts, said center finger shaft having a rotational axis generally parallel to a rotational axis of the pair of outer finger shafts.

8. In a header for an agricultural harvester, said header attached to a feederhouse, said feederhouse positioned near a midpoint of the header, said header having a frame supporting a pair of opposing sidewalls, a floor positioned between the sidewalls, a stripper and a sickle bar attached to the floor, an auger rotaionally affixed between the side walls, an improvement comprising:

a. a reciprocating outer finger shaft rotationally affixed to the side wall and co-axial to the auger;

b. a reciprocating center finger shaft rotationally affixed to the outer finger shaft;

c. a plurality of outer fingers affixed to the outer finger shaft, each outer finger having an outer finger tip;

d. a plurality of center fingers affixed to the center finger shaft, each center finger having a center finger tip, wherein the center finger tips are positioned proximate to the feederhouse; and

e. means for adjusting the plurality of the tips of the center fingers relative to the tips of the outer fingers and simultaneously relative to the floor, wherein said means for adjusting the plurality of center finger tips relative to the outer finger tips further comprises;

i. a center crank affixed to the outer shaft;

ii. an outer shaft plate affixed to the center crank;

iii. a center shaft plate affixed to the center finger shaft; and

iv. a means for selectively affixing the outer shaft plate to the center shaft plate.

9. The improvement in claim 8, wherein the means for selectively affixing the outer shaft plate to the center shaft plate further comprising:

a. a series of radially placed adjustment holes within the outer shaft plate; and

b. the outer shaft plate having an arc, therein,

c. the center shaft plate having a first hole and second hole, therein, whereby a first bolt is inserted into the first hole and a second bolt is inserted into the second hole.

10. The improvement in claim 9, wherein the series of radially placed adjustment holes are equally spaced from the rotational axis of the center crank.

11. The improvement in claim 10, wherein the auger further comprises an access cover proximate to the center crank to allow access to the outer shaft plate and the center shaft plate.

12. The improvement in claim 11, further comprising a center shaft clamp affixed to the center shaft plate for receiving and securing the center shaft and a outer shaft clamp affixed to the outer shaft plate for receiving and securing the center crank.

13. The improvement in claim 12, further comprising a bearing affixed to an auger baffle, said baffle affixed to the auger, the bearing receiving and supporting the center crank.

14. The improvement in claim 13, wherein said outer finger shaft further comprises a pair of outer finger shafts, said center finger shaft positioned between the pair of outer finger shafts, said center finger shaft having a rotational axis generally parallel to a rotational axis of the pair of outer finger shafts.