Patent Publication Number: US-2005126151-A1

Title: End hood extension for a corn header

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
      This invention relates generally to an extension for an end hood of a corn header, and more particularly, to an end hood extension which is mounted for pivotal movement between at least one deployed or operative position above the end hood for deflecting and guiding upper portions of standing corn plants toward an adjacent crop gathering channel, and a second or stored position away from the end hood, which is advantageous under certain conditions, such as when harvesting downed corn.  
     BACKGROUND ART  
      Many corn headers for agricultural combines are presently built and supported so as to be positionable relatively close to the ground when propelled in a forward direction over a field, so as to be better capable of harvesting corn downed by high winds, driven rain, snow, hail, insect infestations such as corn borers, and the like. A corn header typically includes a pair of end hoods, one at each sideward end of the header, and a plurality of crop dividers at spaced intervals between the end hoods, also known as snouts, which separate and define a plurality of forward to rearward extending crop gathering channels, including one channel beside each end hood, for receiving the rows of corn as the corn header is moved forwardly over the field. Each crop gathering channel typically includes apparatus such as gathering chains and snapping rolls for stripping and separating the ears from the stalks and directing the ears into an auger which carries them to the inlet of a feeder of the combine.  
      A problem that has been observed, however, is that the end hoods of the lower headers are also lower compared to earlier models, which can result in ears of corn from upper portions of taller standing corn plants having a greater tendency to fall or otherwise be lost over the end hood when being harvested. The stalks of the taller plants holding the ears can also bend or fold sidewardly over the end hood such that the ears are not easily and regularly brought into the crop gathering channel and thus are lost.  
      To prevent or limit such losses, numerous guide apparatus, deflectors, and extensions for the end hoods of corn headers are known. Reference, for instance, Greiner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,304, which discloses a crop guide apparatus including means which extend forwardly along the end hood and a cross bar apparatus for blocking and limiting further rearward movement of upper portions of stalks, which means and cross bar are adjustable upwardly and downwardly and sidewardly to a limited extent to compliment adjustability of the row crop dividers and to accommodate a variety of row crop widths and heights. Reference also Mossman U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,076, which discloses a fender extension for a corn harvester which utilizes a flexible plastic sheet supported on a rearwardly extending cantilevered portion mounted at a forward location on an end divider or hood for deflecting the corn ears into the crop gathering area.  
      Such known devices may work well for standing corn. However, in some instances, it is anticipated that it would be better not to use such devices, particularly when harvesting downed corn, and the devices are not easily removable or movable out of the way, particularly when a harvesting operation will entail harvesting some areas of standing corn and some of downed corn. This may arise, for instance, when planting varieties of corn that are resistant to insects such as corn borers. When planting varieties of corn that are genetically modified to be insect resistant, farmers are often encouraged to plant some areas or rows with a non-insect resistant variety of corn, to retard or prevent the occurrence of the targeted insects becoming resistant to or overcoming the insect repellence or resistance aspects in the corn. As a result, this non-resistant corn is more likely to become infested and downed by the insect infestation. Harvesting downed corn can be difficult, as the corn may fall in different directions and become tangled. When harvesting the downed corn, the corn header is typically lowered and driven into the corn plants, which may tend to drape over and envelope the snouts. If guide apparatus, deflectors, or extensions are present, the corn plants may be pushed forward by them, or can snag on them so as to require manual clearance and removal. An anticipated shortcoming, therefore, of the known devices is that, although some are adjustable to some extent, and/or may be removable with significant effort, they are not quickly and easily movable from a deployed position to an out of the way or stored position or location while still remaining on the corn head, for those instances when use is not desired or required, and then back to the deployed position.  
      Thus, what is sought is an extension or deflector for an end hood of a corn header that overcomes many of the shortcomings and limitations set forth above.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      According to the present invention, an extension for a forwardly to rearwardly extending end hood of a corn header which overcomes many of the shortcomings and limitations set forth above, is disclosed. In a preferred aspect of the invention, the extension includes a support member including a mounting end or element mountable to the header adjacent to a rear end of the end hood. The support member is pivotable about a generally upwardly to downwardly extending pivotal axis between at least one first or deployed position extending forwardly and spaced above the end hood, and a second or stored position at about a 90 degree angle about the pivotal axis to the forwardly extending or deployed position or positions, behind the end hood and out of the way, for instance, so as not to interfere with downed and possibly tangled corn plants as they are received by the corn header. The support member has an elongate free end extending upwardly and outwardly relative to the pivotal axis from the mounting end or element to a terminal end portion spaced from the mounting end. The extension includes a sheet which is preferably of a flexible material such as plastics or the like, mounted to the free end of the support member along a sufficient portion of she length thereof and extending downwardly therefrom, so as to cooperate with the end hood when the support member is in the forwardly extending position or positions, so as to serve as a barrier to the passage of corn between the support member and the end hood and to deflect ears into an adjacent crop gathering channel. The pivotability of the extension allows it to be positioned best for present conditions, such as row spacings, crop heights and other conditions, as well as for optimizing effectiveness, such as for guiding the upper portions of corn plants moving along the channel into better alignment with snapping rolls located at a rearward location therein for pulling the corn plants rapidly downwardly for stripping or snapping the ears therefrom, and when it is not desired or required to use the extension, such as when harvesting a section of downed corn, for movement to the stored, out of the way position. Then, when use is again desired or required, the extension can be simply and easily pivoted to the deployed position or positions.  
      According to another preferred aspect of the invention, the sheet has a lower portion that cooperates with a side of the end hood defining a peripheral side of the adjacent crop gathering channel, for guiding and deflecting corn stalks and ears toward the channel. For instance, the lower portion can drape over a portion of the length of the side, or can have a lower edge that conforms to and extends along a section of the side, to provide an essentially uninterrupted or continuous surface from the free end of the support member to the channel. The free end of the support member preferably has an angular shape or is otherwise shaped and/or oriented so as to provide maximum height in the vicinity of the snapping rolls for better containing and deflecting ears toward and into the crop gathering channel, and the terminal end is lower, so as to provide a relatively smooth transition from the snout, to reduce the occurrence of corn plants snagging or catching thereon. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a fragmentary, simplified side elevational view of a forward end of an agricultural combine including a corn header including an end hood extension constructed and operable according to the teachings of the present invention, shown in a deployed position;  
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of an opposite side of the header, showing another end hood and extension according to the invention, which is a mirror image of the end hood and extension of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a fragmentary top view of the side of the header of  FIG. 2 , showing the extension in the deployed position, and illustrating with an arrow, pivotability of the extension to a stored position;  
       FIG. 4  is a fragmentary perspective view of the side of the end hood of  FIG. 2 , showing the extension in a deployed position and cooperation of a sheet of the extension with a side of the end hood; and  
       FIG. 5  is another fragmentary top view of the end of the header of  FIG. 2 , showing the extension pivoted to a stored position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring now to the drawings, in  FIG. 1 a  forward end  10  of a conventional self-propelled agricultural combine  12  is shown, including a conventional corn header  14  mounted thereto. Combine  12  is illustrated as moving in a forward direction, as denoted by arrow F, over an agricultural field including a plurality of rows of standing corn plants  16 , for removing ears  18  therefrom in the well known conventional manner. Referring also to  FIG. 2 , corn header  14  includes a pair of end hoods  20  and  22  at the opposite sides thereof, which define the width of header  14 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , disposed at spaced intervals between end hoods  20  and  22  are a plurality of crop row dividers  24 . Adjacent ones of dividers  24  and end hoods  20  and  22  define a plurality of crop gathering channels  26  therebetween, respectively. When moving forwardly over a field, header  14  will be positioned such that crop gathering channels  26  are aligned for receiving respective rows of corn plants  16 . Located in each channel  26  is apparatus for stripping or removing ears  18  from corn plants  16 , including a pair of endless gathering chains  28  which are counter rotated in a generally horizontal plane along the channel  26  for moving the plants rearwardly into a pair of snapping rolls  30  which counter rotate downwardly for pulling the stalks of the plants downwardly rapidly, as shown in  FIG. 1 , for snapping or removing ears  18  therefrom. The removed ears  18  are collected in a gathering trough  32  located rearwardly of dividers  24  and channels  26 , and trough  32  contains an auger  34  which rotates and includes helical flights for moving the ears toward the center of header  14  for induction into an inlet opening of a feeder of combine  12 . Located rearwardly of trough  32  is a transversely extending beam  36  which is a structural element of header  14  and provides support for end hoods  20  and  22  and dividers  24 .  
      Referring also to  FIG. 4 , each end hood  20  and  22  includes a forwardly extending snout  38  having an outer surface which tapers upwardly and outwardly in the rearward direction, so as to be more easily movable through spaces between the rows of corn plants and for separating plants of adjacent rows, and plants that have grown and/or were downed together and tangled. Because adjacent ones of snouts  38  taper outwardly, crop gathering channels  26  narrow in the rearward direction, such that the lower portions of stalks of plants  16  of the respective rows are guided into the space between gathering chains  28  in the channel  26 . Typically, if plants  16  are standing, when the rows of stalks are fed by gathering chains  28  into snapping rolls  30 , they will be rapidly pulled down and ears  18  snapped off in rapid succession. If the upper portions of the plants are not at least generally in alignment with the snapping rolls, it would be anticipated that an undesirable percentage of ears  18  separated from the stalks in the channels  26  adjacent to end hoods  20  and  22  would be propelled upwardly and sidewardly by the separating action of the snapping rolls so as to be cast over the end hood  20  or  22  and lost if not later picked up. Some taller plants may also bend or fold over the end hoods such that the ears can also be lost when the stalks are pulled by the snapping rolls. As noted above, these occurrences may be expected to increase in frequency due to the tendency to construct corn headers lower in profile for better harvesting downed corn.  
      To limit or prevent such loss of corn ears over end hoods of corn headers such as end hoods  20  and  22  of header  14 , end hood extensions  40  and  42  constructed and operable according to the teachings of the present invention are mounted on header  14 , for providing a barrier for deflecting and/or guiding corn ears such as ears  18  which are propelled above respective end hoods  20  and  22 , or are broken or otherwise separated from the stalk, and would likely be lost over the end hood, toward or into the adjacent crop gathering channel  26 . Extensions  40  and  42  are also positioned so as be capable of guiding and supporting the upper portions of tall standing corn plants as they move through channel  26  adjacent to the end hood  20  or  22 , such that they are better aligned with snapping rolls  30  and are thus more easily pulled downwardly by rollers  30  with less possibility of loss of ears  18 .  
      Each end hood extension  40  and  42  generally includes an elongate support member  44  of tubular metal such as steel or other suitable construction, including a mounting element or a mounting end  46  mountable to header  14  adjacent to a rear end of the end hood  20  or  22 , for pivotable movement about a generally upwardly to downwardly extending pivotal axis  48  ( FIG. 4 ). Support member  44  includes an elongate free end  50  extending upwardly and outwardly from mounting end  46  to an opposite terminal end portion  52 . Support member  44  is pivotable with mounting end  46  about pivotal axis  48  between at least one forwardly extending or deployed position extending forwardly from mounting end  46 , wherein free end  50  extends generally along and is located a predetermined spaced distance above the end hood  20  or  22  ( FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3  and  4 ), and a second or stored position oriented at about a 90 degree angle about axis  48  to the forwardly extending or deployed position or positions ( FIG. 5 ). A sheet  54 , preferably of a flexible material such as plastics, is mounted to free end  50  and extends downwardly therefrom along substantially the length thereof such that when support member  44  is in the forwardly extending or deployed position or positions, sheet  54  will be positioned generally in the space between free end  50  and end hood  20  or  22 .  
      Referring more particularly again to  FIG. 4 , sheet  54  has a lower or bottom portion  56  which cooperates with the surface of respective end hood  20  or  22 , preferably so as to form an essentially continuous surface extending from support member  44  to the adjacent crop gathering channel  26 , for forming the barrier for deflecting and guiding corn ears that come into contact therewith toward and into channel  26 . Here, as an example, bottom portion  56  has a bottom edge  58  having a contoured shape corresponding to a sectional shape of the end hood  20  or  22  along the line of contact therebetween. Alternatively, bottom portion  56  could drape partially over a side surface  60  of the end hood  20  or  22  that defines an adjacent peripheral side of the crop gathering channel  26 , such as depicted in  FIG. 4 . Additionally, as best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , free end  50  of support member  44  preferably has an angled shape including a first portion  62  adjacent to mounting end  46  which, when support member  44  is in the deployed positions, extends partially across a rearward end of channel  26  adjacent to a rearward end of gathering chains  28  and snapping rolls  30 , and an adjacent portion of end hood  20  or  22 . First portion  62  preferably is oriented at a small acute angle to the forward direction, and extends to and supports a second portion  64 . Second portion  64  of support member  44 , in turn, extends at a smaller angle to the forward direction, to terminal end  52 . Second portion  64  also angles downwardly toward terminal end  52 , as best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . The shapes of first and second portions  62  and  64 , and the angular orientation of first portion  62  so as to extend partially across the rearward end of channel  26  adjacent to the rearward end of gathering chains  28  and snapping rolls  30 , allows the extension to guide the upper portions of corn plants that may be leaning sidewardly over or toward the end hood into better position or alignment with the crop gathering channel and the snapping rolls, to facilitate successful snapping off or removal of the corn ears and the directing of the snapped off ears into the trough behind the rolls. The lower position of terminal end  52  provides a smooth upward transition region from the surface of the end hood, to reduce the occurrence of plants snagging and catching thereon.  
      Mounting end  46  of each extension  40  and  42  can be mounted at any convenient location to a header such as header  14 , so as to be pivotable between the forwardly extending deployed position or positions and the stored position. Here, as one example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , to allow positioning the extensions for best operation and so as to be storable out of the way when use is not desired or required, mounting end  46  is shown supported for pivotal movement about axis  48  on an L shape bracket  66  which is connected by bolts  68  to beam  36  adjacent to and rearwardly of crop gathering channel  26  and trough  32 . A U-bolt  70  extends around end  46  and through bracket  66  and is held in place by nuts which are tightenable as required to provide a desired ease of pivotability of the extension  40  or  42 , and to hold the extension in a selected position. In this way, the extension  40  or  42  can be adjusted when in the deployed position as desired or required for various row spacings, crop heights and other conditions, as well as for optimizing effectiveness, and can be manually pivoted to the stored position when use is not desired or required. Here, it should be noted that extensions  40  and  42  can be mounted at other locations in proximity to the end hood of a corn header, using other structural elements, as desired.  
      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 invention. Accordingly, the following claims are intended to protect the invention broadly as well as in the specific form shown.