Abstract:
Windrow shields that pivot adjacent the forward ends thereof into and out of the path of crop material to control the width of the windrow. An electric motor and linkage to the shields allows the special relationship between the shields to be adjusted on-the-go from the operator&#39;s location.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to agricultural self-propelled windrowers, and more particularly to adjustable windrow shields for such machines.  
         [0002]     Windrowers have been used in farming operations for several decades. Generally, windrowers are designed to cut and process hay and other crops and to selectively deposit the crop on the ground in either a windrow or a swath. More specifically, a windrower of the type under consideration here includes a tractor and a separate header. The tractor has a pair of drive wheels on the forward end and a pair of pair of caster wheels on the rear end. The wheels support a main frame that carries the engine between the wheel pairs, and a drive train. A cab provides an enclosed environmentally controlled operator&#39;s platform generally above the drive wheels. A variety of crop-harvesting headers are selectively attachable to the forward end of the unit to provide the operator with a choice of tools with which to handle the crops.  
         [0003]     Both pull-type and self-propelled windrowers are typically provided with both manually adjustable swathboards and windrow shields that allow the selective formation of either windrows or swaths. Swathboards are located sometimes on the header and sometimes on the main frame behind the conditioning mechanism. Such shields are located behind the conditioning mechanism of the machine, generally in the flow path of the crop materials as they are discharged rearwardly through the air by the conditioning mechanism. Thus, if the swathboard is lowered into the flow of crop materials, and the windrow shields are opened, a broad swath is deposited on the ground. If, on the other hand, the swathboard is raised and the windrow shields are pivoted inwardly, the crop stream is converged into an adjustable-width windrow. The adjustment of windrow width is normally manually accomplished by the operator, who must leave the operator&#39;s position and approach the rear of the machine.  
         [0004]     It would be a significant advantage to develop an improved windrow shield adjustment mechanism that permits the operator to adjust the windrow width from the operator&#39;s position while the windrower is in operation.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable windrow shield for a self-propelled windrower.  
         [0006]     Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrically adjustable windrow shield.  
         [0007]     It is another object of the instant invention to provide an electrically adjustable windrow shield allowing the operator to change the width of the windrow being formed and control the drying speed of the crop.  
         [0008]     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide windrow shields affixed to linkage and an electric motor, making the shields adjustable on-the-go by the activation of a switch on a console at the operator&#39;s location.  
         [0009]     It is yet another object of this invention to provide windrow shields that pivot adjacent the forward ends thereof, under the direction of a linear actuator, to adjust the width of the windrow while the windrower is moving.  
         [0010]     These and other objects are attained by providing windrow shields that pivot adjacent the forward ends thereof into and out of the path of crop material to control the width of the windrow. An electric motor and linkage to the shields allows the special relationship between the shields to be adjusted on-the-go from the operator&#39;s location. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed disclosure of the invention, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a side plan view of a windrower, with header, showing the header and crop conditioning mechanism, but not the windrow shields;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is partial rear view of the windrower of  FIG. 1 , without header, showing the windrow shields in fully open locations;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a partial top view of the shields and control components thereof;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a partial top view, similar to  FIG. 3 , of the shields and control components in the fully open position; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a partial schematic view of the linear actuator and the electrical controls therefore.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  shows the two primary components of a self-propelled windrower  10 , i.e., tractor  12  and header  14 . Tractor  12  has a main frame  16 , with a longitudinal horizontal axis from front to back, that is supported by a pair of drive wheels  18 ,  19  (see  FIG. 2  for both wheels) on the forward portion thereof and a pair of rear wheels  20 ,  21  (see  FIG. 2  for both wheels) adjacent the rear end. An engine, located under cowling  24 , a transmission and other components, all well known in the art, are supported on the main frame  16  and provide the power necessary for the machine to operate. A cab  26 , also supported on the main frame, encloses the operator&#39;s platform to provide an environmentally controlled location from which the windrower may be comfortably operated.  
         [0018]     Header  14  may be of several designs, but typically comprises a cutting mechanism, either a sicklebar or rotary cutter, a feeder mechanism and conditioning rolls. The header is supported by a hydraulic lift and flotation structure  28  that may be activated to selectively raise or lower the header between transport and operational positions. Positioned below cab  26  and behind header  14  is a conditioning mechanism  30  (shown only in  FIG. 1 ) of well known construction. Normally, mechanism  30  is comprised of two elongate rolls transverse to the general direction of travel of the windrower and adjustable in their relative spacing. Crop materials cut by the header are directed rearwardly into the conditioning mechanism where the stems of the crop are crushed. From there, the crop material is expelled rearwardly in a general mat of material that ends up on the ground where it dries prior to further processing or packaging.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  further shows two mirror image windrow shields  32 ,  34  at either side of the vertically pivotably affixed along vertical axes  35 ,  37  to sub-frame members  36 ,  38 , themselves affixed to main frame  16 .  FIG. 2  also depicts the shield movement mechanism  50  and the transfer rods  52 ,  54  pivotably connected at one end to mechanism  50  and to the respective shields at the other. Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , it can be seen that an electric motor (or linear actuator)  56  is pivotably connected at one end to frame member  60  and at the other end to bell crank  62  that rotates transfer rods  52 ,  54  to pivot the shields either toward or away from each other, changing the width of the windrow.  
         [0020]     In  FIG. 5  it is seen that electric motor  56  is electrically connected to an electronic control unit (ECU)  66  through a three position rocker switch  68 . In the first position, the motor extends its ram to increase the distance between shields, while in the second position the ram is shortened to decrease the distance. The third position is neutral. Potentiometer  64 , connected to bell crank  62  by linkage  65  provides a voltage value to ECU  66 , representing the relative positions of the two shields. ECU  66  visually displays this information in the form of a bar graph on a console  70  located at the operator&#39;s position, normally within the cab.  
         [0021]     While the adjustable windrow shields are described herein as being incorporated in a self-propelled windrower, one skilled in the art will readily understand that pull-type windrowers could also benefit from this improvement.  
         [0022]     It will be understood that changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention will occur to, and may be made by those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure within the principles and scope of the invention. The foregoing description illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, concepts, as based upon the description, may be employed in other embodiments without departing from the scope of the inventions. Accordingly, the following claims are intended to protect the invention broadly as well as in the specific form shown.