Patent Publication Number: US-2012042619-A1

Title: Offset Stripper Plates for Corn Header

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “CORN HEADER (P0921)”, having Ser. No. 61/375,196, filed Aug. 19, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “TILTING CROP STALK CHOPPER (P1177H)”, having Ser. No. 61/426,090, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “PIVOTING GATHERING AUGER FOR CORN HEADER (P1171H)”, having Ser. No. 61/425,836, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “CROP CAPTURING MEMBER FOR CORN HEADER WITH GATHERING AUGER (P1172H)”, having Ser. No. 61/425,887, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “GATHERING AUGER WITH INDEPENDENT SPEED (P1173H)”, having Ser. No. 61/425,907, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “COMBINATION DRIVEN AND IDLER SNAP ROLLS FOR CORN HEADER (P1174H)”, having Ser. No. 61/425,920, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “SPRING LOADED SNAP ROLL FOR CORN HEADER (P1175H)”, having Ser. No. 61/425,935, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “HELICAL ACTING SNAP ROLL FLUTES FOR CORN HEADER (P1176H)”, having Ser. No. 61/426,072, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “REMOVABLE CORN HEADER SNOUT (P1178H)”, having Ser. No. 61/426,119, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “OFFSET SNAP ROLLS FOR CORN HEADER (P1179H)”, having Ser. No. 61/426,141, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “DUAL IDLER ROLLS FOR CORN HEADER (P1180H)”, having Ser. No. 61/426,167, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “SNAP ROLLS WITH HELICAL FLUTES FOR CORN HEADER (P1181H)”, having Ser. No. 61/426,193, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “SMOOTH IDLER ROLL FOR CORN HEADER (P1182H)”, having Ser. No. 61/426,213, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “OFFSET STRIPPER PLATES FOR CORN HEADER (P1183H)”, having Ser. No. 61/426,234, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “METHOD FOR URGING CROP STALKS INTO A GATHERING AUGER FOR A CORN HEADER (P1184H)”, having Ser. No. 61/426,263, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “HELICAL ACTING STRAIGHT SNAP ROLL FLUTES FOR CORN HEADER (P1185H)”, having Ser. No. 61/426,277, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “TWISTED STALK CHOPPING FLUTES FOR CORN HEADER (P1190H)”, having Ser. No. 61/426,300, filed Dec. 22, 2010; of co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled “CANTILEVERED GATHERING AUGER FOR CORN HEADER (P1193H)”, having Ser. No. 61/425,804, filed Dec. 22, 2010; which are all incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to cutting and gathering stalk crops such as corn with a header coupled to an agricultural vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Agricultural harvesters such as combines are typically equipped with a harvesting header. Corn headers are specifically designed to pick corn and vary in size from two-row units to twelve-row units or more. As the harvester moves through the field, each row-unit passes between rows of corn. Corn header row units typically use gathering chains to covey crop material and ears rearward toward a cross auger. A set of driven snap rolls, which rotate based on the speed of the harvester, grabs the corn stalks and forces them downward between stripper plates. The ears of corn are snapped free of the stalk and the cross auger passes the ears to the feeder housing of the harvester. If the snap rolls are operated too fast or too slow, ears of corn may be lost or entire corn stalks may be passed to the cross auger and feeder housing. 
     Known row units require two gathering chains and two tensioners which are heavy, expensive and wear out easily. Furthermore, the gathering chains create a complicated drive mechanism because the axes of the drive sprockets driving the chains are at right angles to the axes of the snap rolls. Also, the gathering chains do not effectively convey a large mass of crop in conditions when material other than ears of corn, such as stalks and leaves, are severed from the ground. What is needed is a simpler and more cost effective row unit that is capable of conveying a large mass of crop. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate various embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a corn header having a plurality of row units for an agricultural vehicle; 
         FIG. 2  shows a top view of the header of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a close-up view of a portion of the header of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows a portion of the bottom of the header of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a close-up view of a portion of the bottom of the header of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of a frame which forms part of a live row unit and part of an adjacent dead row unit; 
         FIG. 7  is a close-up front view of the header showing offset stripper plates and a powered snap roll and an unpowered idler roll offset from one another; 
         FIG. 8  is a close-up front view of the header showing offset stripper plates and a pair unpowered idler rolls offset from a powered snap roll; 
         FIG. 9  shows offset stripper plates and offset snap rolls; 
         FIG. 10  shows offset stripper plates and a powered snap role and an idler roll offset from one another; 
         FIG. 11  shows offset stripper plates and a pair of idler rolls offset from a powered snap roll; and 
         FIG. 12  shows offset stripper plates and a powered snap roll offset from an idler roll. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms. While the drawings illustrate and the specification describes certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that such disclosure is by way of example only. There is no intent to limit the principles of the present invention to the particular disclosed embodiments. References hereinafter made to certain directions, such as, for example, “left” and “right”, are made as viewed from the front looking rearward. 
     The exemplary header  100  selected for illustration in  FIGS. 1-5  has a cross auger  110  with spiral flighting  112  for sweeping the ears of corn toward the center of the header  100 . Large cross augers  110  may also have paddles  130 , fingers  132  or some other means to facilitate the delivery of the crop rearward to the feeder housing of a harvester. The header  110  has a plurality of forward-extending live row-units  120  and a plurality of forward-extending dead row units  124 . The row units  120 ,  124  and the cross auger  110  define a feeder plane therebetween where useable parts of stalk crops are conveyed rearward from the row units  120 ,  124  to the cross auger  110 . 
     Live row units  120  and dead row units  124  cooperate with one another. Live row units  120  have powered components, as described in greater detail below, whereas the dead row units  124  generally do not have powered components. In one embodiment, as best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the header  110  has four live row units  120 , three dead row units  124 , plus one half of a dead row unit  130  on each end of the header  110 . The row units  120 ,  124  are arranged relative to one another so that the row units  120 ,  124  alternate relative to each other along the length of the header  110 . In other words, every other row unit is a live row unit  120  with a dead row unit  124  adjacent to each live row unit  120 . The row units  120 ,  124  are spaced relative to one another to correspond with the spacing of the crop to be harvested and to provide a path to receive the crop therebetween. For example, a live row unit  120  may be placed between two dead row units  124  to cooperate therewith. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a row assembly  138  having a frame  140 , a back end  142  and a forward end  144 . Half of the frame  140  forms part of a live row unit  120  and the other half forms part of a dead row unit  124 . Therefore, one live row unit  120  includes two halves of two separate and adjacent frames  140 . One dead row unit  124  includes two halves of two separate and adjacent frames. Each frame  140  includes a first portion  146  and a second portion  148  which are spaced from one another and protrude outwardly and forward from the back end  142 . At the front and between adjacent row units  120 ,  124  is a crop entry  150  for receiving the stalks of the crop. The first and second portions  146 , 148  receive stripper plates  154  which cooperate with one another to define the crop passage  156  between adjacent row units  120 ,  124 . The stripper plates  154  strip useable parts such as ears of corn from crop stalks that are received in the crop passage  156 . 
     Each live row unit  120  of the present invention includes at least one fore-to-aft gathering auger  160 , in place of the two gathering chains and tensioners, for conveying the useable parts rearward to the cross auger  110 . Each gathering auger  160  has a proximal end and a distal end and is preferably aligned substantially with a corresponding crop passage  156 . However, the axis of rotation of the gathering auger  160  may instead be misaligned with the crop passage  156  such that the crop stalks in the back of the crop passage may be urged more so toward the gathering auger  160  than the crop stalks are at the beginning of the crop passage  156 . 
     Preferably, each live row unit  120  includes a pair of counter-rotating augers  160 . The dead row units  124 , on the other hand, do not include gathering augers  160  or any gathering chains. Therefore, the complexity of the header  110  is reduced by utilizing gathering augers  160  on live row units  120  instead of gathering chains and tensioners. Also, by utilizing dead row units  124  in combination with the live row units  120  the overall complexity of the header  110  is substantially reduced because the dead row units  124  do not have gathering augers  160  or gathering chains and tensions and also because the drive means for driving the gathering augers  160  is simpler than known drives used in combination with gathering chains. 
     The gathering augers  160  are preferably driven independently of the snap rolls. The gathering auger  160  may be driven by electrical, mechanical or hydraulic means. Preferably, each gathering auger  160  is cantilevered from the frames  140  and rotationally driven from the forward most end of its respective row unit  120  away from the cross auger  110  rather than the rear of the row unit  120  in close proximity to the cross auger  110  so that the delivery or the distal end of the gathering auger  160  is not obstructed. This allows ears and stalks to be delivered to the cross auger  110  unimpeded by bearing supports, drive mechanisms or some other crop impeding structure. 
     In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the proximal end of one or more gathering augers  160  is coupled to the frame  140  of the row unit  120  in a manner that permits the distal end of the gathering auger  160  to move into and out of the feeder plane. In one embodiment, a mechanism coupled to the proximal end of the gathering auger  160  allows the gathering auger  160  to rotate or pivot in a vertical plane between a first position for processing crops when harvesting and a second position for maintenance purposes. Preferably, the distal end of the gathering auger when in the first position is higher in the vertical plane than when the distal end is in the second position. 
     Also, the gathering auger  160  preferably pivots partially about a substantially horizontal rotational axis that extends substantially transversely between the row units  120 . The gathering auger  160  may be pivoted such that its distal end is raised upward above the row unit  120  to allow the gathering auger  160  to be repaired, replaced or perform maintenance without interference from the cross auger  110 . Also, when the gathering auger  160  is pivoted upward out of the feeder plane other components can be more easily accessed. 
     An arrangement of gears or wheels such as bevel gears  182 ,  184  may be used for transmission of the driving motion to the gathering auger  160  from a driven shaft  166  within each live row unit  120  while also allowing the distal end of the gathering auger  160  to pivot upward about the same axis of the shaft  166 . Each shaft  166  preferably drives a pair of gathering augers  160  of a single live row unit  120  so that the pair of gathering augers are driven about the same axis about which they may pivot into and out of the feeder plane. When the gathering auger  160  is pivoted upward, fasteners may be removed from the auger  160  so that the outer flighting portion of the gathering auger  160  may slide rearward so that it may be removed from an inner shaft and from cylindrical bearings allowing the flighting portion to rotate about the inner shaft. 
     A mounting bracket  210  rotationally couples the gathering auger  160  to an outer side of the frame  140  of the row assembly  138 , such as vertical mounting support  220 , to secure the gathering auger  160  to the frame  140  in an operational manner. The vertical mounting support  220  includes radial extending openings or arched slots  224  for receiving fasteners  226  for securing the mounting bracket  210  to the frame  140 . When the distal end of the gathering auger  160  is pivoted upward, the distal end of the gathering auger  160  coupled to the mounting bracket  210  causes the mounting bracket  210  to rotate in the slots  224  of the vertical mounting support  220 . The length of the arched slots  224  dictate the range the gathering auger  160  can be pivoted between the first and second positions. The range of motion of the distal end of the gathering auger  160  may be limited by the length or shape of the slots  224 . 
     The pair of straight bevel gears  182 ,  184 , in mesh are used to drive the gathering auger  160  while harvesting. The shaft  166  of the live row unit  120  corresponds with the axis upon which one or more augers  160  pivot. The distal end of the gathering auger  160  is coupled to the bevel gear  182  which is driven by the bevel gear  184  on shaft  166 . The shaft  166  may be chain driven by a hydraulic drive motor  178  with sprocket  180 . Preferably, the drive motor  178  is sufficiently sized to drive all of the gathering augers  160 . The drive motor  178  and sprocket  180  with chain  198  drives sprocket  188  and shaft  186  which extends in a transverse manner along the length of the header  100 . There are preferably numerous other sprockets  188  along the length of the shaft  186 . The number of sprockets  188  depends on the number of live row units  120 . Chains  190  extend from the sprockets  188  of the shaft  186  to sprockets  192  on shaft  166 . 
     Because the augers  160  are driven by the drive motor  178 , the speed of the augers  160  is independent of the speed of the cross auger  110 . The chain  190  driving the sprocket  192  which in turn drives the shaft  166  with bevel gears  182 . The speed of the augers  160  can be changed automatically or manually in relation to the ground speed much like current grain headers on harvesters that control reel speed. Moreover, the augers  160  can be driven independent of the snap rolls. The speed of the gathering augers  160  may be varied while either or both the harvester and the snap rolls are maintained at a constant speed. 
     In addition to the apparatuses described herein, the inventions include a method for harvesting crop with an attachment for an agricultural vehicle that includes the gathering augers  160 . The method includes operating the gathering augers  160  at a first speed to gather crop stalks in the crop passages  156  and operating a snap roll for removing useable parts from crop stalks at a second speed independently of the gathering augers  160 . The method may also include one or more of the following steps: varying the speed of the gathering augers  160  while the speed of the snap rolls remain constant, increasing the speed of the gathering augers  160  while the speed of the snap rolls remain constant, decreasing the speed of the gathering augers  160  while the speed of the snap rolls remain constant, varying the speed of the snap rolls while the speed of the gathering augers  160  remain constant, increasing the speed of the snap rolls while the speed of the gathering augers  160  remain constant, decreasing the speed of the snap rolls while the speed of the gathering augers  160  remain constant, and/or changing the speed of the gathering augers  160  relative the ground speed of the harvester. 
     To keep stalks captured and engaged by the gathering auger  160  an elongated member  196  such as a rod is positioned in close proximity to the flighting of the gathering auger  160 . Preferably, the elongated member  196  is substantially parallel aligned with the gathering auger  160 . However, in other embodiments, at least a portion of the elongated member  196  may be shaped or curved along its length or the distal end of the elongated member  196  may be closer in proximity to the distal end of the gathering auger  160 . The elongated member  196  may be rigid, flexible, or semi-flexible to urge the stalks in the crop passage toward the gathering auger  160 . In one or more embodiments, the elongated member  196  is cantilevered off the forward end  144  of the frame  136  of the dead row unit  124  to urge the stalks in the crop passage  156  toward the gathering auger  160  of the opposing live row unit  120 . The dead row unit may also include a second elongated member  196  extending toward another gathering auger  160  of another live row unit. In an alternative embodiment, the elongated member  196  may be a strap or be detachably coupled or mounted to a row unit. 
     Underneath the stripper plates  154  of each frame  140  are one or more snap rolls. At each crop passage  156  there is one driven snap roll  230  on one side of the crop passage  156  and one or more undriven idler rolls  232  opposing the snap roll  230  from the other side of the crop passage  156 . Angled bearing supports may be used to mount the snap rolls and idler rolls to the frames. 
     Because the idler rolls  232  are undriven, the powered snap roll  230  is operated at different speeds relative to the idler rolls  232 . Preferably, the powered snap roll  230  opposes a pair of idler rolls  232 . On each side of a live row unit  120  there is a driven snap roll  230  and on each side of a dead row unit  124  there is at least one idler roll  232 . Preferably, each side of the dead row unit  124  includes two idler rolls  232  for a total of four idler rolls  232  for each dead row unit  124 . Unpowered idler rolls  232  preferably have smooth outer peripheries without knives or bars and are lighter and less expensive which helps to conserve power that could instead be used to chop stalks with mowers as described below. 
     Preferably, the powered snap rolls  230  include knives  234 . If the idler roll  232  where to be powered it could be powered at a slower speed than an opposing snap roll  230 . Also, the idler roll  232  could be adjustable relative to the side of the frame  136  of a dead row unit  124  so that it could be moved closer to the snap roll  230  for stalk chopping or moved away when reduced stalk chopping is desired. 
     One or both ends of the idler roll  232  could also be spring loaded to allow it to move away if an obstruction is encountered in the crop passage  156 . The angle bearing could incorporate a spring or a spring could be used at the opposite end to bias the idler roll toward the crop stalks and the opposing snap roll but then also allow an obstruction to pass between the opposing idler and snap rolls by compressing the springs. 
     The inventions also include a method for harvesting stalk crops with an attachment for an agricultural vehicle. The method includes pulling crop stalks in a crop passage with a snap roll against at least one stripper plate. The method also includes biasing the snap roll toward the crop stalks in the crop passage and allowing the snap roll to move laterally in the event of an obstruction in the crop passage impacting the snap roll. The movement of the snap roll allows the obstruction to pass. 
     A single idler roll  232  is preferably offset from its opposing snap roll  230  in that the snap roll  230  and idler roll  232  are at different heights or different distances from the ground so that the corn plant is not pulled straight down or in other words is pulled down at other than a perpendicular angle to the ground. If utilizing a pair of idler rolls  232  to oppose the snap roll  230 , upper and lower idler rolls  232  are positioned so that the axis of rotation of the driven roll  230  is vertically between but horizontally offset from the axis of rotation of each idler roll  232 . The axes of rotation of both idler rolls  232  are preferably both parallel and vertically aligned with each other because the idler rolls  232  are at different distances from the ground relative to each other. 
     One or more idler rolls  232  vertically offset from their opposing and corresponding snap roll  230  helps to lean or urge the corn plant toward the gathering auger  160  which is positioned on one side of a live row unit  120 . Also, in one or more embodiments, the stripper or deck plates  154  may also be offset from one another relative to the ground to urge the crop to the side of the crop passage  156  with the gathering auger  160 . Improved cutting action is achieved by running the knives  234 , also commonly referred to as flutes or bars, of the powered snap rolls  230  in close proximity to the one or more opposing idler rolls  232 . A pair of idler rolls  232  cooperating with one another to oppose a snap roll  230  further increase the cutting and chopping ability by enhancing the engagement of the stalks in the knives  234  of the snap roll  230 . 
     The foregoing has broadly outlined some of the more pertinent aspects and features of the present invention. These should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed information in a different manner or by modifying the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, other aspects and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention may be obtained by referring to the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims.