Patent Description:
Many agricultural harvesters, including forage harvesters, agricultural balers, and combine harvesters use a header, sometimes called pick-up unit, that takes a crop from a field and moves it into a crop inlet of the harvester. Often, the header is wider than the crop inlet and an intake auger is used to laterally move the picked-up crop towards the crop inlet while being fed into the harvester.

For an optimal continuous crop flow into the crop inlet of the harvester, it is important that a clearance between the header floor and the auger has a suitable size. When the clearance is too small, the auger may be blocked by an excess of incoming crop. When the clearance is too large, the auger may need to gather enough crop first before being able to grab it and pull it towards the crop inlet. As a result, the crop will enter the harvester in a pulsed flow which can lead to inefficient processing inside the harvester.

In practice, the optimal auger height may depend on factors like crop type, crop density, or weather conditions. Some modern headers for combine harvesters therefore allow the user to adjust the auger height before harvesting. Usually, such auger height adjustment is a complex task requiring the user to first loosen a chain tensioner of a drive chain for the auger, to then loosen, readjust, and fasten the auger (at both auger ends), and finally to fasten and adjust the chain tensioner. This operation can easily take the user about <NUM> minutes and is thus not very suitable for frequent adjustment of the auger height.

<CIT> describes a draper header that is attached to a harvesting machine by an adapter including a bottom feed draper and an upper feed roller driven by a coupling from an output of the machine rotatable about an axis parallel to the forward direction and a right angle gearbox.

It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more disadvantages associated with the prior art.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a header for an agricultural harvester, the header comprising a header frame with a header floor, an intake auger, rotatably mounted to the header frame, and an auger drive shaft, operatively connected to the intake auger for rotating the intake auger. The header further comprises an intake auger adjustment mechanism with a base plate supporting the intake auger. The base plate is pivotably mounted to the header frame for pivoting around a pivot axis and relative to the header frame to adjust a height of the intake auger relative to the header floor, the pivot axis coinciding with the auger drive shaft.

Because the pivot point of the base plate coincides with the auger drive shaft, the spatial relation between the drive shaft and the intake auger is not affected by the pivoting of the base plate. Apart from the pivoting of the base plate, no further adjustments are needed to continue operation.

In most embodiments of the header according to the invention, a drive chain or drive belt connects the auger drive shaft to the intake auger for rotating the intake auger. Additionally, a tensioner may be provided for tensioning the drive chain or drive belt and a guide element in the form of a chain guide or belt guide may be provided for guiding the movement of the drive chain or drive belt. The tensioner and/or the guide element are preferably mounted to the base plate for pivoting therewith, such that also their spatial and functional relation to the drive chain or drive belt is not affected by the pivoting of the base plate and the adjustment of the auger height.

An actuator is provided to pivot the base plate around the pivot axis. In exemplary embodiments, the actuator is an electric or hydraulic actuator. Such actuators may, for example, be operated by a user using control elements provided at the header itself, via a software-implemented user interface from the driver cabin of the agricultural harvester, or with the use of a mobile phone app. The actuator may, for example, comprise a linear actuator or an eccentric.

In an embodiment, the base plate is mounted to a first lateral end of the header frame and supports a first lateral end of the intake auger. The intake auger further comprises a second lateral end that is movably mounted to a second lateral end of the header frame and configured to move together with the first lateral end of the intake auger. A second base plate may be movably mounted to the second lateral end of the header frame and support the second lateral end of the intake auger. This second base plate may have a pivot axis that coincides with the auger drive shaft, such that the base plates at both lateral ends of the header frame can pivot together and in parallel. Alternatively, the second base plate is slidably mounted to the second lateral end of the header frame. Because of the relatively long width of the header relative to the typically small adjustment in auger height, the sliding motion of the second lateral end of the auger and the pivoting motion of the first lateral end of the auge can be combined without significantly displacing the auger horizontally.

A second actuator may be provided at the second lateral end of the header and configured to move the second lateral end of the intake auger together with the first later end of the auger. This will ensure that the auger is raised and lowered while maintaining substantially parallel to the header floor and may help to smoothly and reliably lift longer and heavier augers.

According to a further aspect of the invention, an agricultural harvester is provided comprising a header as described above. The agricultural harvester may, for example, be a combine harvester.

<FIG> shows an agricultural harvester in the form of a combine harvester <NUM>, which generally includes front and rear round engaging wheels <NUM>, <NUM>, a header <NUM>, a feeder <NUM>, an operator cabin <NUM>, a threshing and separation system <NUM>, a cleaning system <NUM>, a grain tank <NUM> and an unloading tube <NUM>. It should be appreciated that while the agricultural harvester is shown as a combine harvester <NUM>, the agricultural harvester according to the present invention may be embodied by any construction that allows for crop material to be harvested, such as a conventional combine (which does not have a rotor), rotary combine, hybrid combine, chopper harvester, etc..

A header <NUM> is mounted to the front of the combine harvester <NUM> and includes a cutter bar <NUM> for severing crops from a field during forward motion of the combine. A rotatable reel <NUM> feeds the crop into the header <NUM>, and a double auger <NUM> feeds the severed crop laterally from each side towards the feeder <NUM>. The feeder <NUM> conveys the severed crop to the threshing and separating system <NUM>.

The threshing and separating system <NUM> is of the axial-flow type and comprises a threshing rotor <NUM> at least partially located and rotatable within a threshing concave <NUM>. The threshing concave may take the form of a perforated concave. Grain from the severed crop is threshed and separated from the material other than grain (MOG) by the action of the threshing rotor <NUM> within the threshing concave <NUM>. Larger elements of MOG, such as stalks and leaves do not pass through the perforations in the threshing concave <NUM> and are discharged from the rear of the combine harvester <NUM>. Grain and smaller elements of MOG (small MOG henceforth), such as chaff, dust and straw are small enough to pass through the perforations in the threshing concave <NUM> and are then discharged from the threshing and separation system <NUM>.

Grain and small MOG that has successfully passed the threshing and separating system <NUM> falls onto a preparation pan <NUM> and is conveyed towards the cleaning system <NUM>. The cleaning system comprises a series of sieves and a cleaning fan <NUM>. The series of sieves includes a pre-cleaning sieve <NUM>, an upper (or chaffer) sieve <NUM> and a lower (or shoe) sieve <NUM>. The cleaning fan <NUM> generates an airflow through the sieves <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> that impinges on the grain and small MOG thereon. The small MOG is typically lighter than the grain and is therefore separated from the grain as it becomes airborne. The small MOG is subsequently discharged from the combine harvester <NUM> via a straw hood <NUM>.

The preparation pan <NUM> and pre-cleaning sieve <NUM> oscillate in a fore-to-aft manner to transport the grain and small MOG to the upper surface of the upper sieve <NUM>. The upper sieve <NUM> is arranged vertically above the lower sieve <NUM> and oscillates in a for-to-aft manner too, such that the grain and small MOG are spread across the two sieves <NUM>, <NUM>, while also permitting cleaned grain to pass through openings in the sieves <NUM>, <NUM> under the action of gravity.

Cleaned grain falls to a clean grain auger <NUM> that is positioned below and in front of the lower sieve <NUM> and spans the width of the combine harvester <NUM>. The clean grain auger <NUM> conveys the cleaned grain laterally to a vertical grain elevator <NUM>, which is arranged to transport the cleaned grain to the grain tank <NUM>. Once in the grain tank <NUM>, grain tank augers <NUM> at the bottom of the grain tank convey the cleaned grain laterally within the grain tank <NUM> to an unloading tube <NUM> for discharge from the combine harvester <NUM>.

<FIG> respectively show a left side view and a right side view of a header <NUM> with an intake auger adjustment mechanism according to the prior art. The auger <NUM> is supported by a header frame <NUM> that further carries a reciprocating knife <NUM> for cutting the crop during harvesting. A large auger sprocket <NUM> is mounted to the left lateral end of the auger <NUM> for rotation therewith. A support plate <NUM> is slidably mounted to the auger <NUM> in between the header frame <NUM> and the auger sprocket <NUM>. In use, the support plate <NUM> is fixedly mounted between a pair of rails <NUM> on the header frame <NUM>. When the header <NUM> is not in use, temporarily loosening the support plate <NUM> allows for sliding of the support plate <NUM> up or down along the rails <NUM> for adjusting the auger height. A similar support plate <NUM> and rails <NUM> are provided at the other, right side, end of the header frame <NUM>. This makes it possible to equally adjust the auger height at both lateral ends of the header <NUM> and thereby ensure that the auger <NUM> remains parallel to the header floor.

A drive chain <NUM> engages the auger sprocket <NUM> and is driven by a smaller sprocket (not shown) mounted to a drive shaft <NUM> positioned closer to a rear surface of the header <NUM>. The drive shaft <NUM> may, for example, be driven by an electric or hydraulic motor, but is typically mechanically driven via a coupling to a PTO on the feeder <NUM> of the combine harvester <NUM>. A chain tensioner <NUM> is mounted to the header frame <NUM> and can be adjusted to control the chain tension and to ensure an efficient torque transfer between the drive shaft <NUM> and the auger sprocket <NUM>. A chain guide <NUM> may be provided to guide the lower portion of the chain loop in the right direction just before it is caught by the teeth of the drive shaft sprocket. Chain tensioning may be needed, for example, when a length of the drive chain <NUM> changes due to wear, or when a distance between the auger sprocket <NUM> and the drive shaft <NUM> changes due to adjustment of the auger height. To allow the auger height to be adjusted, not just the support plate <NUM> but also the chain tensioner <NUM> and preferably the chain guide <NUM> need to be loosened. After bringing the auger <NUM> to the desired height, the chain guide <NUM>, the chain tensioner <NUM> and the support plates <NUM>, <NUM> all need to be fastened again.

In alternative embodiments, the sprockets <NUM> and drive chain <NUM> may be replaced by rollers and a drive belt. Belt tensioners and belt guides may be provided for tensioning the belt when needed.

<FIG> shows a perspective view of a header <NUM> with an intake auger adjustment mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention. <FIG> shows a left side view of the header <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG> only show a left side panel of the header frame <NUM> together with some features needed for explaining the invention. It will, however, be clear to the skilled person how this left panel is connected to other parts of the header <NUM>, such as the remaining parts of the header frame <NUM>, the auger <NUM>, and the cutter bar <NUM>. It is further noted that in other embodiments the auger drive and auger adjustment mechanisms may be mounted to the right side panel of the header <NUM>.

Like in the prior art shown in <FIG>, the header of <FIG> and <FIG> comprises an auger sprocket <NUM> that is driven by a drive shaft <NUM> via a drive chain <NUM>. A chain tensioner <NUM> is provided for tensioning the drive chain <NUM> and a chain guide <NUM> for guiding the lower portion of the chain loop in the right direction just before it is caught by the teeth of the drive shaft sprocket. The intake auger adjustment mechanism of the header shown in <FIG> and <FIG> comprises a base plate <NUM> that is pivotably mounted to the header frame <NUM>. The auger <NUM> and the auger sprocket <NUM> are rotatably mounted to the base plate <NUM> and pivot together therewith. The pivot axis of the base plate <NUM> coincides with the auger drive shaft <NUM>, such that the spatial relation between the drive shaft <NUM> and the auger sprocket <NUM> is not affected by the pivoting. Preferably, the chain tensioner <NUM> and the chain guide <NUM> are mounted to the base plate <NUM> too, such that apart from the pivoting of the base plate <NUM>, no further adjustments are needed to adjust the auger height.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, an actuator <NUM> is provided to pivot the base plate <NUM>. The actuator may, for example, be an electric or hydraulic actuator. Such actuators may, for example, be operated by the user using control elements provided at the header <NUM> itself, via a software-implemented user interface from the driver cabin <NUM> of the agricultural harvester <NUM>, or with the use of a mobile phone app. The actuator may, for example, comprise a linear actuator. In the embodiment shown here, the actuator <NUM> comprises an eccentric disc <NUM> that cooperates with a hole in the base plate <NUM>. Rotation of the eccentric disc <NUM> alternately leads to raising and lowering of the hole. Because the base plate <NUM> is pivotably mounted to the header frame <NUM>, the raising and lower of the hole leads to a pivoting motion of the base plate <NUM>. The pivoting of the base plate <NUM> causes an arcuate motion of the auger sprocket <NUM> and the auger <NUM>. However, because the drive shaft <NUM> and the auger sprocket <NUM> are positioned at a similar distance to the header floor, and because the range of motion of the base plate <NUM> is relatively small (typically less than <NUM>°), the auger <NUM> primarily moves in a vertical direction and only slightly in the horizontal direction.

Possibly, at the other (not shown) lateral end of the header <NUM>, a second base plate is movably mounted to the header frame side panel to support the other lateral end of the intake auger <NUM>. This second base plate may have a pivot axis that coincides with the auger drive shaft <NUM>, such that the base plates at both lateral ends of the header frame <NUM> can pivot together and in parallel. Alternatively, the second base plate is slidably mounted to the second lateral end of the header frame in a way similar to what is shown in <FIG>. Because of the relatively long width of the header <NUM> and the primarily vertical motion of the first lateral end of the auger <NUM>, the sliding motion of the second and the pivoting motion of the first lateral end can be combined without any problem and without misaligning the auger <NUM>. A second actuator may be provided at the second lateral end of the header <NUM> and for moving both lateral ends of the intake auger <NUM> together. This will ensure that the auger is always raised and lowered while maintaining substantially parallel to the header floor and may help to smoothly and reliably lift longer and heavier augers.

Claim 1:
A header (<NUM>) for an agricultural harvester (<NUM>), the header (<NUM>) comprising:
a header frame (<NUM>) with a header floor,
an intake auger (<NUM>), rotatably mounted to the header frame (<NUM>),
an auger drive shaft (<NUM>), operatively connected to the intake auger (<NUM>) for rotating the intake auger (<NUM>), and
an intake auger adjustment mechanism comprising a base plate (<NUM>) supporting the intake auger (<NUM>) and pivotably mounted to the header frame (<NUM>) for pivoting around a pivot axis and relative to the header frame (<NUM>) to adjust a height of the intake auger (<NUM>) relative to the header floor, the pivot axis coinciding with the auger drive shaft (<NUM>), characterised in that the intake auger adjustment mechanism further comprises an actuator (<NUM>) configured to pivot the base plate (<NUM>) around the pivot axis.