Abstract:
An agricultural processing system including a chassis with a header coupled to the chassis. The header provides for the ingathering of agricultural product into the processing system. The header including a reel system having a plurality of arms rotationally coupled to the header. The plurality of arms include a first arm and a second arm. There is a cam track coupled to the header. The first link is pivotally coupled to the first arm and a roller is rotatably coupled to the first link, with the roller rollingly following the cam track. A tine bar is pivotally coupled to the second arm. The second link is pivotally coupled to both the first link and to the tine bar.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This is a non-provisional application based upon U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/126,782, entitled “AN AGRICULTURAL HARVESTER REEL CAM SYSTEM”, filed Mar. 2, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to agricultural vehicles such as combines and windrowers, and, more particularly, to reel systems used in such vehicles. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    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 onto 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. A cleaning fan blows air through the 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 residue system, which may utilize a straw chopper to process the non-grain material and direct it 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, such as a semi-trailer, gravity box, straight truck, or the like; and an unloading system on the combine is actuated to transfer the grain into the vehicle. 
         [0006]    The header performs the task of ingathering of the crop material, and for small grain the header typically includes tines that contact some of the crop material to ensure that it engages a cutter bar. In the case of a combine, the cut crop material is moved toward a transport mechanism which takes the crop material to the threshing system. Headers can also be included on other agricultural processing systems, such as windrowers, to cut hay or small grain crops and form the cut crop material into a windrow that is deposited on the ground for drying. The tines can be mounted to a beam, such as a tube, linked to a rotating element, such as a shaft, to rotate the tines and direct crop material toward the cutter bar and transport mechanism. To control pivoting of the tines as they rotate, the tine tube is typically linked to a cam, such as a roller, that follows a cam track mounted to the header. 
         [0007]    One problem with known reel cam systems is the cam track typically has a portion which extends in front of the tube linked to the rotating element. During operation of the header, the front-most portion of the cam track extending out past the tube impedes crop flow to the cutter bar and transport mechanism. This impediment lowers the crop material gathering rate of the header. 
         [0008]    What is needed in the art is a reel/cam system the keeps the cam track away from the crop material as crop material is being gathered. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention provides a system and method of controlling the tines of a reel used with an agricultural processing system that reduces the impediment of crop material gathering caused by the cam track. 
         [0010]    The invention in one form is directed to an agricultural processing system including a chassis with a header coupled to the chassis. The header provides for the ingathering of agricultural product into the processing system. The header includes a reel system having a plurality of arms rotationally coupled to the header. The plurality of arms include a first arm and a second arm. There is a cam track coupled to the header. The first link is pivotally coupled to the first arm and a roller is rotatably coupled to the first link, with the roller rollingly following the cam track. A tine bar is pivotally coupled to the second arm. The second link is pivotally coupled to both the first link and to the tine bar. 
         [0011]    The invention in another form is directed to an agricultural processing system including a chassis and a header coupled to the chassis, the header providing for the ingathering of crop material into the processing system. The header has a reel system including: a plurality of arms rotationally coupled to the header and configured to rotate about a central axis; a cam track coupled to the header, the cam track defining a plurality of cam distances relative to the central axis, the cam track having a front portion and a rear portion, the rear portion defining at least one cam distance greater than any cam distances of the front portion; a tine bar pivotally coupled to at least one of the plurality of arms; and a roller coupled to the tine bar, the roller rollingly following the cam track. 
         [0012]    An advantage of the present invention is the cam track does not extend in front of the tine bar, which reduces impediment of crop material gathering. 
         [0013]    Another advantage of the present invention is the cam track can allow the tines to gather crop material in front, deliver the crop material to a transport mechanism, release the crop material, and flip between the release point and the front to prevent wrappage. 
         [0014]    Yet another advantage of the present invention is the tine bar can trail its associated roller following the cam track. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an embodiment of an agricultural vehicle in the form of a combine which includes an embodiment of a reel/cam system of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a side view schematical representation of two embodiments of a cam track included in the reel/cam system of the present invention in the harvester of  FIG. 1 , superimposed over a prior art cam track illustrated in dashed lines; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a simplified schematical side view of one of the embodiments of a cam track formed according to the present invention that is shown in  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a simplified schematical side view of the other embodiment of a cam track formed according to the present invention that is shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
       [0020]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    The terms “grain”, “straw” and “tailings” are used principally throughout this specification for convenience but it is to be understood that these terms are not intended to be limiting. Thus “grain” refers to that part of the crop material which is threshed and separated from the discardable part of the crop material, which is referred to as non-grain crop material, MOG or straw. Incompletely threshed crop material is referred to as “tailings”. Also the terms “forward”, “rearward”, “left” and “right”, when used in connection with the agricultural harvester and/or components thereof are usually determined with reference to the direction of forward operative travel of the harvester, but again, they should not be construed as limiting. The terms “longitudinal” and “transverse” are determined with reference to the fore-and-aft direction of the agricultural harvester and are equally not to be construed as limiting. 
         [0022]    Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an agricultural processing system in the form of a combine  10 , which generally includes a chassis  12 , ground engaging wheels  14  and  16 , a header  18 , a feeder housing  20 , an operator cab  22 , a threshing and separating system  24 , a cleaning system  26 , a grain tank  28 , and an unloading auger  30 . 
         [0023]    Front wheels  14  are larger flotation type wheels, and rear wheels  16  are smaller steerable wheels. Motive force is selectively applied to front wheels  14  through a power plant in the form of a diesel engine  32  and a transmission (not shown). Although combine  10  is shown as including wheels, is also to be understood that combine  10  may include tracks, such as full tracks or half tracks. 
         [0024]    Header  18  is mounted to the front of combine  10  and includes a cutter bar  34  for severing crops from a field during forward motion of combine  10 . While the header  18  according to the present invention is shown mounted to the front of a combine harvester  10  in  FIG. 1 , the header  18  can also be mounted to the front of a different agricultural processing system, such as a self-propelled windrower. A rotatable reel  36  feeds the crop into header  18 , and a conveying device  38  feeds the severed crop laterally inwardly from each side toward feeder housing  20 . In the case of a self-propelled windrower, the conveying device would feed the severed crop toward a center opening in the header. Feeder housing  20  conveys the cut crop to threshing and separating system  24 , and is selectively vertically movable using appropriate actuators, such as hydraulic cylinders (not shown). 
         [0025]    Threshing and separating system  24  is of the axial-flow type, and generally includes a rotor  40  at least partially enclosed by and rotatable within a corresponding perforated concave  42 . The cut crops are threshed and separated by the rotation of rotor  40  within concave  42 , and larger elements, such as stalks, leaves and the like are discharged from the rear of combine  10 . Smaller elements of crop material including grain and non-grain crop material, including particles lighter than grain, such as chaff, dust and straw, are discharged through perforations of concave  42 . 
         [0026]    Grain which has been separated by the threshing and separating assembly  24  falls onto a grain pan  44  and is conveyed toward cleaning system  26 . Cleaning system  26  may include an optional pre-cleaning sieve  46 , an upper sieve  48  (also known as a chaffer sieve), a lower sieve  50  (also known as a cleaning sieve), and a cleaning fan  52 . Grain on sieves  46 ,  48  and  50  is subjected to a cleaning action by fan  52  which provides an airflow through the sieves to remove chaff and other impurities such as dust from the grain by making this material airborne for discharge from straw hood  54  of combine  10 . Grain pan  44  and pre-cleaning sieve  46  oscillate in a fore-to-aft manner to transport the grain and finer non-grain crop material to the upper surface of upper sieve  48 . Upper sieve  48  and lower sieve  50  are vertically arranged relative to each other, and likewise oscillate in a fore-to-aft manner to spread the grain across sieves  48 ,  50 , while permitting the passage of cleaned grain by gravity through the openings of sieves  48 ,  50 . 
         [0027]    Clean grain falls to a clean grain auger  56  positioned crosswise below and in front of lower sieve  50 . Clean grain auger  56  receives clean grain from each sieve  48 ,  50  and from bottom pan  58  of cleaning system  26 . Clean grain auger  56  conveys the clean grain laterally to a generally vertically arranged grain elevator  60  for transport to grain tank  28 . Tailings from cleaning system  26  fall to a tailings auger trough  62 . The tailings are transported via tailings auger  64  and return auger  66  to the upstream end of cleaning system  26  for repeated cleaning action. A pair of grain tank augers  68  at the bottom of grain tank  28  convey the clean grain laterally within grain tank  28  to unloading auger  30  for discharge from combine  10 . 
         [0028]    The non-grain crop material proceeds through a residue handling system  70 . Residue handling system  70  may include a chopper, counter knives, a windrow door and a residue spreader. 
         [0029]    Now, additionally referring to  FIG. 2  reel  36  is shown with three cam tracks  72 ,  74  and  76 . The cam track  74 , which is illustrated in dashed lines, represents a prior art cam track with a portion that defines the front-most portion of the reel  36  in a direction of forward travel  96 . Cam track  72 , on the other hand, represents cam track  74  flipped 180 degrees so the cam track  72  does not define a front-most portion of the reel  36  in a direction of travel. Cam track  72  does not impede crop to the same degree as the prior art cam track  74 . However, if a tine bar is directly connected to the roller following the cam track  72 , the tine bar will lead the roller in some portions of the cam track. When it is preferred to have the tine bar following the roller, cam track  76  can be employed with a linkage system to the tine bars, which is discussed further herein, that allows the rollers following the cam track  76  to lead the tine bars while also having a front-most portion of the cam track  76  be behind the tine bars in the direction of travel. 
         [0030]    Now, additionally referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a simplified view of an embodiment of the present invention which includes the cam track  76  shown in  FIG. 2 . Reel  36  has tines  78 , coupled to pivoting tine bars  80 , which can also be referred to as “tine tubes,” that have a mounting bar  82  coupled thereto. Reel  36  has arms  84 , which are rotated in direction  86  about a central axis  88 , that can each have a tine bar  80  pivotally coupled thereto. A link  90  is pivotally connected to an arm  84  and has a roller  92  that follows cam track  76 , and a link  94  is pivotally connected to link  90  and with a mounting bar  82  which is associated with an adjacent following (relative to direction  86 ) arm  84 . As arms  84  rotate link  90 , which is pivotally connected to an arm  84 , is pulled so that roller  92  follows in cam track  76 . The shape of cam track  76  causes link  90  to move so as to cause link  94  to vary its position and hence the pivotal positions of mounting bar  82  as well as pivoting tine bars  80  and the angular position of tines  78 . 
         [0031]    As agricultural vehicle  10  moves in a forward direction  96 , reel  36  rotates in direction  86  and tines  78  are positioned to ingather the crop, bringing it to cutter bar  34  for cutting. After the crop is cut it is positioned on a belt  98  (or it engages auger  38 ) and proceeds to the threshing section  24 . As the crop transitions from cutter bar  34  to belt  98  the tines  78  pivot back away from the crop as can be seen in  FIG. 3 . The tines  78  then pivot forward as they rotate on reel  36  so that they are substantially extended as the arms  84  start to come down toward the crop. To achieve this movement of the tines  78 , the cam track  76  can have a front portion  100  located in front of the central axis  88  in the forward direction  96  and a rear portion  102  located behind the central axis  88  in the forward direction  96 , with the front portion  100  and rear portion  102  defining a plurality of cam distances D 1 , D 2 , D 3 , D 4  relative to the central axis  88 . As can be seen, the rear portion  102  can have a maximum cam distance D 4 , which is the greatest distance of the cam track  76  relative to the central axis  88 , which is greater than any cam distances D 1 , D 2  of the front portion  100 . This configuration of the cam track  76  forces the tine bars  80  to pivot tips of the tines  78  inward toward the central axis  88  as the rollers  92  roll along the rear portion  102  of the cam track  76 , and pivot outward away from the central axis  88  as the rollers  92  roll along the front portion  100  of the cam track  76 . In this sense, it is the combination of the tine bars  80  each being mounted an equal tine distance D 5  from the central axis  88  and the asymmetry of the cam distances D 1 , D 2 , D 3 , D 4  of the cam track  76  relative to the central axis  88  that causes the desired pivoting of the tine bars  80 . It should therefore be appreciated that while the cam track  76  is shown as being an irregular circular shape that is arranged asymmetrically about the central axis  88 , a similar effect could be achieved by arranging an irregular circular cam track centrally about the central axis  88  or by arranging a regular circular cam track asymmetrically about the central axis  88 , i.e., so the circular cam track is not centered about the central axis  88 . The maximum cam distance D 4  between the cam track  76  and the central axis  88  can be, for example, behind the cutter bar  34 . 
         [0032]    There can be two similar cam tracks  76 , and the associated links and rollers, one on each end of reel  36  to assist in the fluid movement of tines  78 . 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an additional embodiment of the present invention is shown which includes the cam track  72  shown in  FIG. 2 . Similar elements between  FIGS. 3 and 4  are numbered similarly, for ease of reference. As can be seen, the cam track  72  is a 180 degree flip of the cam track  74  so the front-most portion of the cam track  72  does not extend in front of the tine bars  80  in the forward direction  96 . Rather than utilizing links  90  and  94 , the mounting bars  82  can be elongated to pivotally connect the tine bars  80  to their respective roller  92  following the cam track  72 . In this sense, the cam track  72  also has a front portion  104  and a rear portion  106  with a plurality of cam distances D 6 , D 7 , D 8 , D 9  relative to the central axis  88 , with a maximum cam distance D 8  defined between the rear portion  106  and the central axis  88  which is greater than any cam distances D 6 , D 7  of the front portion  104 . Such a configuration keeps the front-most portion of the cam track  72  behind the tine bars  80  in the direction of forward travel  96  without the need for the linkage system shown in  FIG. 3 , but requires a relatively longer cam track  72  compared to cam track  76 . 
         [0034]    Advantageously the present invention has a cam track  72 ,  76  that does not extend forward into the crop, thereby eliminating any impediment to the crop flow caused by the cam track. The two links  90  and  94 , if included, allow the roller  92  to follow, or be pulled in cam track  76 , which can enhance the robustness of the system. The cam track  76  establishes the tine movement pattern so that the tines  78  connected to the tine bars  80  gather the crop material in the front, deliver it to the belt, release the crop and then flip back at the top of their movement to prevent wrapping of the crop material around the tine bars. 
         [0035]    While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.