An agricultural vehicle including a chassis, a feeder housing supported by the chassis, and an attachment. The attachment includes a header coupled to the feeder housing. The header has a top support beam and a pair of lateral ends. The attachment also includes an auger that has an axis of rotation and is configured to rotate about the axis of rotation. The auger is pivotally connected to the header and is pivotable about a pivot axis. The auger is selectively pivotable between a stored position and an operating position such that in the stored position the auger does not obstruct a line of sight of an operator.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to agricultural vehicles, and, more particularly, to agricultural vehicles which include an auger mounted on a header for harvesting bushy or fluffy crop material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An agricultural harvester known as a “combine” is historically termed such because it combines multiple harvesting functions with a single harvesting unit, such as picking, threshing, separating and cleaning. A combine includes a header which removes the crop from a field, and a feeder housing which transports the crop matter into a threshing rotor. The threshing rotor rotates within a perforated housing, which may be in the form of adjustable concaves, and performs a threshing operation on the crop to remove the grain. Once the grain is threshed it falls through perforations in the concaves and is transported to a grain pan. From the grain pan the grain is cleaned using a cleaning system, and is then transported to a grain tank onboard the combine. The cleaning system includes a cleaning fan which blows air through oscillating sieves to discharge chaff and other debris toward the rear of the combine. Non-grain crop material such as straw from the threshing section proceeds through a straw chopper and out the rear of the combine. When the grain tank becomes full, the combine is positioned adjacent a vehicle into which the grain is to be unloaded, and an unloading system, e.g., an unloading auger, on the combine is actuated to transfer the grain into the vehicle.

A typical header includes one or more cutters, e.g., cutter bars with reciprocating knives, which cut the crop material that is harvested from the field. Once the crop material is cut, a conveyor system, which is positioned rearwardly of the cutter(s), transports the crop material to the feeder housing. Modern headers generally have cutters and attachments which are specifically optimized to harvest a particular kind of crop material. For example, the header may include a rotating reel with tines or the like to sweep the crop material towards the cutter(s). Additionally, the header may include an auxiliary cross auger that is positioned rearwardly of the rotating reel and above the conveyor system in order to help facilitate transportation of the crop material to the feeder housing.

In regards to bushy or fluffy crop material, such as straight-cut canola, lentils, mustard, or peas, the auxiliary cross auger considerably enhances the transportation of the crop material to the feeder housing. Bushy or fluffy crop material generally does not have the necessary weight to expeditiously move along the belt of the conveyor system. Also, because bushy or fluffy crop material is rather voluminous, it can quickly amass at the lateral ends of the header, thereby clogging the conveyor system and decreasing the flow of crop material to the feeder housing. The cross auger keeps the conveyor system from becoming clogged as it restricts further vertical accumulation and laterally moves the bushy or fluffy crop material towards the center of the header.

Although the cross auger is tremendously beneficial in harvesting bushy or fluffy crop material, it may nevertheless cause various operational issues and inefficiencies. The cross auger may not be necessary in harvesting various other types of crop material and thereby its use may be superfluous or even counterproductive. Under circumstances when the cross auger is not needed, it is known for an operator to place the cross auger in a storage position or leave the cross auger in the operating position. Generally, the cross auger is moved upward to a storage position that is up and out of the way of the header so as to not impede crop flow. However, the stored position of the cross auger can obstruct the operator's line of sight. Additionally, the process of moving the cross auger can be cumbersome. If the operator chooses to leave the cross auger in the operating position, the cross auger may continue to run which elevates the oil temperature of the system. Leaving the cross auger running in the operating position may cause inefficiencies, reduced operational life of the auger, or other machine issues.

What is needed in the art is an agricultural harvester with an auxiliary auger that can be easily and selectively moved between operating and non-operating positions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an agricultural vehicle with a header and an auger capable of being rotated between an operating and a stored position such that when stored the auger does not interfere with an operator's line of sight.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an agricultural vehicle includes a chassis, a feeder housing supported by the chassis, and an attachment. The attachment includes a header coupled to the feeder housing. The header has a top support beam and a pair of lateral ends. The attachment also includes an auger that has an axis of rotation and is configured to rotate about the axis of rotation. The auger is pivotally connected to the header and is pivotable about a pivot axis. The auger is selectively pivotable between a stored position and an operating position such that in the stored position the auger does not obstruct a line of sight of an operator.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, an attachment includes a header that has a top support beam and a pair of lateral ends and an auger. The auger has an axis of rotation and is configured to rotate about the axis of rotation. The auger is pivotally connected to the header and is pivotable about a pivot axis. The auger is selectively pivotable between a stored position and an operating position such that in the stored position the auger does not obstruct a line of sight of an operator.

An advantage of the agricultural harvester described herein is that the auger may be stored in a position which does not obstruct crop flow or the operator's line of sight.

Another advantage of the agricultural harvester described herein is that an operator may easily switch from harvesting one crop material to another crop material by simply changing the auger to be in either an operating or stored position.

Still another advantage of the agricultural harvester described herein is that it reduces inefficiencies of the system and increases the operational life of the auger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly toFIG. 1, there is shown an exemplary embodiment of an agricultural vehicle10in the form of a combine harvester which generally includes a chassis12, a feeder housing14, and an attachment in the form of a header100with an auger120that can move to be in an operating or stored position. Typically, the combine harvester10will include additional internal systems for the separation and handling of collected crop material, but these additional systems are omitted from view for brevity of description. It should be appreciated that the auger described and illustrated herein does not necessarily need to be included on combine harvesters, but can be incorporated in other agricultural vehicles such as windrowers.

The header100is coupled to the feeder housing14and supported by the chassis12of the agricultural vehicle10. The header100has a top support beam102extending transversely across the length of the header100and a pair of opposed lateral ends104A,104B. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the header100is in the form of a draper header to harvest bushy or fluffy crop material. The header100may include draper belts to transport crop material to the feeder housing14. However, the header100may be in the form of a conventional header without the accompanying draper belts of the draper header. The header100may also include a rotating reel with tines or the like to sweep the crop material inwardly. The header100may support one or more cutter bars to cut crop material as the agricultural vehicle10travels in a forward direction, denoted by arrow F. It is conceivable however for the header100to be in the form of a corn header which includes snouts and row units instead of cutter bars.

The auger120includes an axle122that has flighting124and an axis of rotation126in which the auger120rotates about when engaging the crop material. The auger120may also be pivotally coupled to the header100such that it can pivot about a pivot axis140between operating and stored positions. The pivot axis140may be located beneath and substantially parallel to the top support beam102of the header100. Alternatively, the pivot axis140may be located at any other desired location relative to the top support beam102including, for example, above the top support beam102and/or in front of or behind the top support beam102(not shown). The flighting124of the auger120may include left and right flighting, and the flighting124may be configured to not extend across the center of the header100. The auger120may be rotationally driven about its axis of rotation126by incorporating known drivelines.

Referring now toFIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown the auger120in an operating position (FIG. 2) and a stored position (FIG. 3). The auger120is pivotally connected to the header100by a pair of support brackets128and a pair of support arms129that are located adjacent to each lateral end104A,104B of the header100. Additionally, there may be more than two support brackets128and/or more than two support arms129. As shown, the support brackets128are attached to the underside of the top support beam102of the header100; however, the support brackets128may be attached at any desired position, for example at the topside of the top support beam102. The support brackets128may be attached to the top support beam102by fasteners or any other known means. The support arms129rotationally connect the auger120at one end and pivotally connect the support brackets128at the other end. The connection point of the support brackets128and support arms129defines the pivot axis140. In this regard, the auger120selectively pivots between the stored position and the operating position via the support arms129rotating about the pivot axis140.

The auger120may be pivoted by one or more actuators130that can be affixed to mounts that are coupled to the header100at one or both of the lateral ends104A,104B and/or at the center of the header100. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there are two or more actuators130in the form of cylinders that extend and retract the auger120. However, the actuator(s)130may be in the form of a rotary actuator either mounted directly onto the pivot axis140or offset from the pivot axis140with accompanying drive chains or belts to pivot the auger120. The actuator(s)130may be electrically or hydraulically powered.

In the operating position, the auger120is engageable with the crop material and it is positioned in front of the top support beam102of the header100. In the stored position, the auger120is positioned under the top support beam102of the header100and it does not obstruct a line of sight of an operator. When stored, the auger120is shown to fit within a designated void or compartment between the top support beam102and the floor (e.g., the lateral draper deck) of the housing100. Further, the auger120fits within a receiving slot that is cut out of the backwall of the header100. Thereby, the auger120at least partially extends beyond the backwall of the header100, which allows for more available space for the crop material to flow when the auger120is not in use. However, the auger120may rest beneath the top support beam102and against the backwall of the header100without being disposed in a designated slot or compartment (not shown).

The auger120may also include a top back sheet200A and a bottom back sheet200B, which are both pivotally connected to the header100. The back sheets200A,200B can collectively pivot together at the same time with the auger120about the pivot axis140. The back sheets200A,200B respectively extend in front of (i.e. above) and behind (i.e. below) the auger120. The back sheets200A,200B may be in the form of hinged flaps comprised of metal, plastic or a composite material. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the back sheets200A,200B are rigid; however, they may be deformable and flex with the weight of the crop material. The top back sheet200A is shown to be straight and the bottom back sheet200B is shown to be bent; however, either of the back sheets200A,200B may be straight, bent, or curved, or they be made of multi-part sections with any combination of straight, bent, or curved subsections.

The back sheets200A,200B act to shield the auger120and facilitate transportation of the crop material. In the stored position, when the auger120fills the void below the top support beam102and above the floor of the header100, the bottom back sheet200B points rearwardly and does not obstruct crop flow or the operator's line of sight. The top back sheet200A substantially covers the auger120from engaging with the crop material, thereby at least partially covering the space between the top support beam102and the floor of the header100. In this manner, the crop material is blocked from becoming lodged in the auger120when it is in the stored position. In the operating position, the bottom back sheet200B at least partially covers the space between the top support beam102and the floor of the header100, and the top back sheet200A points slightly upward and forward but it does not extend far enough to block the operator's line of sight.

Referring now toFIGS. 4-5, there is shown a header400with a control circuit500that can automatically store and activate an auger420based upon a sensor reading in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The header400generally includes a top support beam402, a pair of lateral ends of which only end404B is shown, the auger420, and the control circuit500. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the header400is in the form of a draper header to harvest bushy or fluffy crop material. The header400may include a rotating reel with tines, a conveyor (e.g. draper belts), and/or cutter bars to cut crop material. It is conceivable however for the header400to be in the form of a corn header which includes snouts and row units instead of cutter bars.

As discussed above with respect to the aforementioned embodiment, the auger420has an axle422, flighting424, and an axis of rotation426. The auger420may also be pivotable between an operating and stored position about a pivot axis440via one or more actuators530(FIG. 5). The auger420may also include top and bottom back sheets200A,200B for facilitating the transportation of the crop material, which both can be moved in conjunction with the auger420by the actuator(s)530. Further, as in the aforementioned embodiment, the header400may also include a pair of support brackets and support arms429for attaching the auger420to the header400.

The control circuit500includes a sensor510and a controller520, which controls the motion of the one or more actuators530. For example, when the crop material reaches a predetermined threshold level upon building up within the header400, the sensor510sends a signal to the controller520which activates the actuator(s)530to pivot the auger420in the operating position. Additionally, when the crop material subsides to a certain level and/or remains beneath the threshold value for a predetermined amount of time, the sensor510sends another signal to the controller520which activates the actuator(s)530to store the auger420. In this regard, the header400automatically engages or self-stores the auger420with minimal to no oversight by a user.

The sensor510may be located adjacent to one of the lateral ends of the header400, e.g.404B as shown inFIG. 4. Alternatively, the sensor510may be affixed to the backwall of the header or located at any other position on the header400where it can accurately read a certain level of the crop material within the header400. The sensor510may in the form of an optical sensor that is known in the art. The header400may include one or multiple sensors510located at each lateral end of the header400and/or dispersed along the width of the header400. The sensor510may be electrically coupled to or communicate wirelessly with the controller520.

The controller520may be located on the header400itself or within an agricultural vehicle. The controller520may be in the form of a CPU or processor such that it can receive signals from the sensor510and automatically control a position of the auger420to place or keep the auger420in the operating or stored position. The controller520may communicate wirelessly or it may be electrically coupled to the sensor510and actuator(s)530.

The actuator(s)530may be located at one or both of the lateral ends and/or at the center of the header400. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there are two actuators530at each lateral end of the header400which are in the form of cylinders that extend and retract the auger420. However, there may be more than two actuators530and the actuator(s)530may be in the form of a rotary actuator either mounted directly onto the pivot axis440or offset from the pivot axis440with accompanying drive chains or belts to pivot the auger420.

In regards to the aforementioned embodiments, it is conceivable to manually adjust the position of the auger120or420through a mechanical link instead of the actuator(s)130or530. Additionally, the auger120or420may be positioned by the actuator(s)130or530without the use of a sensor to sense the crop material in the header100or400.