Abstract:
A drive train for a header of a harvesting machine. The harvesting machine has a main frame on which a feeder house is mounted. On the front face of the feeder house a mounting device is provided which is pivots with respect to the main frame about a fore/aft extending axis. A header is releasably fixed to the mounting device. The drive train for the header comprises a header drive shaft mounted to the mounting device driving a secondary drive shaft mounted on the header.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention is directed to a drive train for a header of a harvesting machine wherein a movable device is mounted to the front face of the feeder house and the header drive shaft is mounted to the movable device.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    In the state of the art, cutting systems for combines are usually driven by drive shafts, which extend between a header drive shaft, which is coupled to the lower feeder house roller, and one or both lateral ends of the header, i.e., essentially perpendicular to the direction of travel (see DE 199 18 550 A). In particular, drive shafts that can telescope are used if the cutting system is to complete a pendulum-like motion about a horizontal axis in the direction of travel on its suspension on the feeder house. Before the cutting system can be separated from the combine for transport, the drive shaft is manually removed from the feeder house and reattached before receiving another header, which represents a significant expense of time.  
           [0003]    A few types of headers, particularly for harvesting corn, are provided with side parts, which can swing upwards into a transport position and which are articulated at a center part. For these headers, usually a drive shaft that can telescope extends between the header drive shaft of the feeder house and the outer edge of the center part. The drive shaft drives a drive shaft of the center part, which is in drive connection with the individual feeding and picking devices. The drive shafts of the side parts are connected, in turn, through releasable couplings to the drive shaft of the center part. When the outer parts are swung upwards, the couplings are automatically decoupled. They automatically close again when the parts are swung down. Due to the rather small amount of available space, particularly for swinging headers, which are attached to a combine, it can be considered a disadvantage that the drive shaft must provide a relatively large area for changes in angle and length. Therefore, rather complicated and cost intensive drive shafts are required.  
           [0004]    For other embodiments, the feeder house is coupled by short shafts to releasable couplings of the header, which are connected to drive shafts. The drive shafts drive the side parts, which, in turn, are in drive connection through other releasable couplings with the driven devices of the center part. When the side parts are swung upwards, the couplings are automatically separated. However, such headers cannot execute a pendulum-like motion. In turn, for other embodiments, a drive shaft that can telescope is provided between the feeder house and the outer sides. This does enable a pendulum-like motion, but requires manual removal of the drive shaft before the side parts can be moved into the transport position.  
           [0005]    A drive train for the row units of a corn picker are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,853 B. An angular gear, from which a shaft extends forwards to the corn picker, is attached to an output shaft mounted on the front side of the feeder house and extending perpendicular to the direction of travel of the combine. There the shaft drives a shift transmission via an angular gear. The shift transmission, in turn, drives the main drive shaft running perpendicular to the direction of travel via an angular gear articulated to the picker so that it can swing. Pendulum-like motion of the corn picker on the feeder house is not mentioned and would also not be possible due to the gear arrangement.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved drive train for a header.  
           [0007]    It is proposed to attach the header drive shaft to a mounting device, on which the header can be mounted. Thus, the header drive shaft can move in common with the mounting device and the header relative to the main frame of the harvesting machine.  
           [0008]    In this way, the drive connection between the harvesting machine and the header is independent of the motion of the header and the mounting device. The drive connection between the header drive shaft of the harvesting machine and the drive shaft of the header can be configured relatively simply. For this purpose, a telescoping drive shaft is no longer absolutely necessary.  
           [0009]    The header drive shaft can extend horizontal and perpendicular to the direction of travel of the harvesting machine, similar to conventional drive trains for headers. Therefore, there is also the ability to operate the harvesting machine with conventional headers, whose drive shafts can be coupled with the header drive shaft. However, other arbitrary orientations of the header drive shaft would also be possible.  
           [0010]    The header drive shaft is usually driven by self-propelled harvesting machines (or machines connected to tractors). Here, preferably a connection shaft is used, which extends from a harvesting machine drive shaft along the direction of travel up to a drive connection with the header drive shaft. It would also be conceivable to use some other torque transmission device, like a traction gear (e.g., chain, pulley, or toothed belt) or a hydrostatic gear, instead of the aforementioned connection shaft.  
           [0011]    In order to allow the main frame of the harvesting machine to be kept horizontal while harvesting on terrain inclined transverse to the direction of travel, it may be provided with slope equipment that adjust the wheels relative to the main frame, while aligning the header parallel to the ground. It is important to articulate the mounting device on the feeder house of the harvesting machine so that it can pivot about a pendulum axis extending at least approximately in the direction of travel. The pendulum axis can be located under or above the feeding channel for the crops in the feeder house. By using suitable supports (rollers or the like) and guiding elements, the pendulum axis can also be located in the center of the feeding channel. As an alternative or in addition, the feeder house is hinged to the chassis of the harvesting machine so that it can pivot relative to the main frame.  
           [0012]    For such embodiments, there are several possibilities for realizing the drive of the header drive shaft. In one embodiment, a connection shaft, which produces a drive connection between a harvesting machine drive shaft and the header drive shaft, is arranged coaxial to the pendulum axis. In this embodiment, the distance between the harvesting machine drive shaft and the header drive shaft always remains constant, independently of the pendulum angle, so that, in principle, the use of a telescoping shaft at this location can be eliminated.  
           [0013]    In another embodiment, the connection shaft is arranged between the harvesting machine drive shaft and the header drive shaft at a distance from the pendulum axis. Here, a drive shaft of variable length can be used, i.e., a telescoping drive shaft.  
           [0014]    Because the header drive shaft and/or the harvesting machine drive shaft extend perpendicular to the direction of travel of the harvesting machine for different embodiments of the invention, while the connection shaft connected on the drive side extends in the direction of travel, an angular gear is used between the connection shaft on one side and the header drive shaft and/or the harvesting machine drive shaft on the other side. Such an angular gear can be configured from conical gear wheels or a worm and can thus include an engaging gear.  
           [0015]    The invention can be used in any harvesting machine, such as field choppers, cotton pickers, or combines. They can be used with special significance in hillside and sidehill combines having slope equipment. In particular, the advantage is that there is the ability to connect on the drive side the header drive shaft to a center part of a header, which has a side part that can be moved into the transport position. Therefore, although there is a sufficient range of angles for the motion of the header relative to the harvesting machine, the side part can be brought into the transport position without manually removing a drive shaft or the like. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a schematic, partially cutaway side view of a combine with a header.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a perspective, schematic view of a first embodiment of a drive train for the header from FIG. 1.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a perspective, schematic view of a second embodiment of a drive train for the header from FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]    A harvesting machine shown in FIG. 1 in the form of a combine  10  is supported on front-wheel drive and rear-wheel steering wheels  12  and  14 , respectively, and has a driver cabin  16 , from which the machine can be operated by a driver. A grain tank  18  is located behind the driver cabin  16 . The grain located in the grain tank  18  can be discharged therefrom by a discharge auger  20 . The driver cabin and the grain tank  18  are supported on a frame  22 . Harvested crop material is broken down into large and small components by a threshing assembly comprising a threshing cylinder  24 , a threshing concave  26  and a beater  28 . Trapped grain is separated from the threshed crop mat by a separating assembly comprising the illustrated straw walkers  30 . The large non-grain crop components of the separated crop mat are expelled over the rear of the straw walkers  30  out the rear of the combine. Grain and chaff falling from the threshing assembly and the separating assembly are directed to a grain pan  32  and from the grain pan  32  to sieves  34 . An air blast from cleaning fan  36  blows the chaff from the sieves out the rear of the combine  10 . The clean grain is collected on the floor of the combine and transported by elevators, not shown, to the grain tank  18 .  
         [0020]    A header  42  gathers crop material lying or standing on the ground and feeds the crop material to a feeder house  38  which feeds the crop material to the threshing assembly. The feeder house is provided with a stone catching trap  40 . The feeder house  38  contains within its housing  44  a lower feeder house roller  46  and a top feeder house roller  48 , around which the conveyor chain  50  with carriers  52  runs. The top feeder house roller  48  as well as the threshing assembly and separating assembly are driven by an internal combustion engine  54  in a known way.  
         [0021]    At the front side of the feeder house  38  there is a so-called pendulum shield  56 . The pendulum shield  56  is a rectangular frame, which is connected to the front side of the housing  44  of the feeder house  38  so that it can rotate about an approximately horizontal pivoting or pendulum axis  58  extending in the direction of travel. It is used as an attachment device, to which a frame  66  of the header  42  can be attached in a removable way.  
         [0022]    Several holder elements  60  in the form of hooks projecting forward and upward are attached at the top side of the pendulum shield  56 . A crossbeam  62  of the frame  66  of the header  42  also lies on the top side of the pendulum shield  56 . The holder elements  60  prevent the crossbeam  62  of the header  42  from skidding forward from the pendulum shield  56 . The header  42  is also connected to the bottom side of the pendulum shield  56  so that it can be detached by locking elements (not shown in the drawing).  
         [0023]    The header  42  is supported on the feeder house  38  by the shield  56 . The feeder house  38  can be pivoted about an axis running horizontal and perpendicular to the direction of travel, approximately coinciding with the axis of rotation of the top feeder house roller  48 . The feeder house is pivoted by changing the length of a hydraulic cylinder  64 , which extends between the lower front end of the housing  44  of the feeder house  38  and the frame  22 .  
         [0024]    The header  42  can be removed in a known way from the pendulum shield  56  by laying it down on a base, releasing the locking elements, and lowering the feeder house  38  farther reducing the length of the hydraulic cylinder  64 , so that the holder elements  60  can be pulled backwards below the crossbeam  62 . The header  42  is reattached in the reverse sequence.  
         [0025]    The header  42  can be a corn picker as illustrated in FIG. 1. The corn picker comprises a series of feeding and picking units, which are supported on the frame  66 , which is connected to the crossbeam  62 . The header  42  has several feeding and picking devices, which are used for pulling in plants and for separating their cobs. The feeding and picking devices each include a feeding element  68 , which can be set into rotation about an approximately vertical axis, as well as pairs of picking rolls  70  arranged underneath, each of which is equipped with augers  72  in their front region.  
         [0026]    During operation, the feeding elements  68  grab plants standing in the field and guide them in interaction with the augers  72  into a picking gap. There, the plants are pulled downwards and the cobs are separated by means of the picking gap. The feeding elements  68  feed the grains to a cover  74  and a cross auger  76 , which guides them to the center of the header  42 . There they are expelled backwards through a center opening in the pendulum shield  56  and fed to the threshing assembly by the carrier  52  of the conveyor chain  50  of the feeder house  38 .  
         [0027]    The moving elements of the header  42  are driven by a transversely extending drive shaft  78  which drives the individual feeding and picking devices by associated angular gears  80 .  
         [0028]    In FIG. 2, the drive train for the header  42  is shown in perspective. It includes a first angular gear  82 , through which the shaft  84  of the top feeder house roller  48  extends, as the harvesting machine drive shaft. The housing of the first angular gear  82  is connected rigidly to the housing  44  of the feeder house  38 . On the driven side, the first angular gear  82  drives a telescoping drive shaft  86 , which extends forwards and diagonally downwards from the first angular gear  82  and which is used as a connection shaft. The telescoping drive shaft  86  is provided with a first universal joint  88 , a sleeve  90  with non circular inner cross section, a rod  92  arranged in the sleeve  90  so that it can move in the axial direction with an outer cross section corresponding to the inner cross section of the sleeve  90 , as well as a second universal joint  94 . The second universal joint  94  is operatively coupled to the input shaft of a second angular gear  96 . A header drive shaft  98  running horizontal and perpendicular to the direction of travel extends through the second angular gear  96 . The header drive shaft  98  extends on both sides of the pendulum shield  56 . The housing of the second angular gear  96  is mounted on the pendulum shield  56  and the header drive shaft  98  is housed and supported on the pendulum shield so that it can swing with the sheild. On each end of the header drive shaft  98  there is a pinion  102 , around which the chain  100  runs, which also runs around a pinion  104 , which is attached to the drive shaft  78 . Instead of the chain drive between the header drive shaft  98  and the drive shaft  78 , there can be a belt or a drive with engaging toothed wheels or a drive shaft or some other drive connection.  
         [0029]    During harvesting, the header  42  remains aligned parallel to the ground. The header  42  is supported on skids or is guided by an active system with sensors and actuators (including the hydraulic cylinder  64  as well as another hydraulic cylinder, which pivots the pendulum shield  56  about the pendulum axis  58 ) at a constant distance or with a defined contact force on the ground, as is known in the art.  
         [0030]    The combine  10  is equipped with slope responsive equipment, which acts to adjust the position of the wheels  12  relative to the frame  22 , such that the frame  22  always remains level. Thus, if the combine  10  harvests along a slope, the wheels  12  on the higher side of the slope are moved upwards and the wheels  12  on the lower side of the slope are moved downwards relative to the frame  22 . The swinging, suspended rear wheels  14  must follow these movements. The rear wheels  14 , suspended so that they swing, must follow these movements. Simultaneously, the pendulum shield  56  swings about the pendulum axis  58 , as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2. Here, the second angular gear  96  moves with the pendulum shield  56 . The movement of the second angular gear  96  relative to the first angular gear  82  is enabled by the telescoping drive shape  86  equipped with two universal joints  88  and  94 . The feeding and picking devices are driven by the internal combustion engine  54  over the shaft  84  of the top feeder house roller  48 , the first angular gear  82 , the telescoping drive shaft  86 , the second angular gear  96 , the header drive shaft  98 , the pinion  102 , the chain  100 , the pinion  104 , the drive shaft  78 , and the angular gear  80 .  
         [0031]    Due to the attachment of the header drive shaft  98  to the pendulum shield  56 , the drive connection between the header drive shaft  98  and the drive shaft  78  of the header  42  must not allow relative motion between the mentioned shafts  98  and  78 , which is different from the prior art, in which the header drive shaft  98  is mounted on the housing of the feeder house  38 . Therefore, the configuration can be relatively simple and cost effective. In addition, a production of different variants of headers  42  for a combine  10  with or without slope equipment can be eliminated, because the drive shaft  78  can be connected to the drive connection between the header drive shaft  98 .  
         [0032]    A second embodiment of the drive train for the header  42  is shown in FIG. 3. Elements matching those of the first embodiment are designated with the same reference numbers.  
         [0033]    The shaft  84  of the top feeder house roller  48 , which is likewise driven by the internal combustion engine  54  and which is used as the header drive shaft, is in drive connection with a toothed gear wheel drive  106 , which drives a cross shaft  108 . The cross shaft  108  drives the first angular gear  82 , whose housing is mounted above the housing  44  of the feeder house  38 . From the first angular gear  82 , a connection shaft  108 , which is in drive connection with the second angular gear  96 , extends forwards and down. The connection shaft  108  need not have a telescoping configuration equipped with universal joints, which is different from that shown in FIG. 3, since its longitudinal axis and the pendulum axis  58  are arranged coaxially. The housing of the second angular gear  96  is mounted on the pendulum shield  56 , and its collar  110 , extending backwards, is enclosed by a not-shown bearing, which is connected to the housing  44  of the feeder house  38 . The housing of the second angular gear  96  is thus part of the pendulum bearing of the pendulum shield  56 .  
         [0034]    From the second angular gear  96 , the header drive shaft  98  extends horizontally and perpendicular to the direction of travel up to the two sides of the pendulum shield  56 . There, pinions  112  are attached, which drive, via chains  114  and additional pinions  116 , the gear train  118  of the header  42 , which is in drive connection with the drive shaft  78  of the header  42 . The drive shaft  78  is thus driven by the shaft  84 , the toothed wheel  106 , the cross shaft  108 , the first angular gear  82 , the connection shaft  108 , the second angular gear  96 , the header drive shaft  98 , the pinion  112 , the chain  114 , the pinion  116 , and the toothed gearing  118 . Instead of the chain drive, some other drive connection can also be used.  
         [0035]    With reference to FIG. 3, it can be further seen that the header  42  is assembled from a center part  120  and two side parts  122  and  124 , which can be swung upwards and inwards for transport on a road, as indicated by arrow  136 . The side parts  122  and  124  have drive shafts  126 , which can be coupled by coupling halves  128  and  130  with the drive shaft  78  of the center part  120 . When the side parts  122  and  124  are swung into the transport position, the coupling halves  128  and  130  automatically separate and they reconnect in drive connection when the side parts  122  and  124  are swung down again for harvesting.  
         [0036]    The embodiment of the drive system of the header  42  illustrated in FIG. 3 enables the side parts  122  and  124  to swing into the transport position, also for a header  42  suitable for use on a combine  10  with slope equipment, without requiring a separation of the drive connection between the header drive shaft  98  and the drive shaft  78  of the header  42 . The operator thus does not need to come down from the driver cabin  16  to release the drive connection, which significantly accelerates the transition between harvesting and transport positions of the header  42 . Obviously, the header shown in FIG. 1 can also be equipped with side parts  122  and  124  that can swing upwards, whose drive shafts can be connected in a removable way by coupling halves  128  and  130  to the drive shaft  78  of the center part  120 , because there the drive shaft  78  is also driven in the vicinity of the pendulum shield  56 , and thus at the center part.  
         [0037]    In FIG. 3, the drive train of a header  42  according to the state of the art is also shown with dashed lines. It includes a connection  132 , which extends out from the shaft of the lower feeder house roller  46  and which is connected over a telescoping drive shaft to a connection  134  on the outer side of the side part  124 . The telescoping drive shaft is necessary to enable the pendulum-like motion of the header  42  about the pendulum axis  58 . Thus, the state of the art requires a removal of the drive shafts, which is made unnecessary by the invention.  
         [0038]    A conventional header can be attached to the header drive shaft  98  or to the connection  132 , if the latter is provided on the combine  10  with a drive train of the header for this purpose according to the invention.  
         [0039]    Having described the illustrated embodiments, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.