Patent Description:
An agricultural harvester known as a "combine" is historically termed such because it combines multiple harvesting functions with a single harvesting unit, such as picking, threshing, separating, and cleaning. A combine includes a header, which removes the crop from a field, and a feeder housing which transports the crop matter into a threshing rotor. The threshing rotor rotates within a perforated housing, which may be in the form of adjustable concaves, and performs a threshing operation on the crop to remove the grain. Once the grain is threshed, it falls through perforations in the concaves onto a grain pan. From the grain pan, the grain is cleaned using a cleaning system and then transported to a grain tank onboard the combine. The cleaning system includes a cleaning fan, which blows air through oscillating sieves to discharge chaff and other debris toward the rear of the combine. Non-grain crop material such as straw from the threshing section proceeds through a straw chopper and out the rear of the combine. When the grain tank becomes full, the combine is positioned adjacent a vehicle into which the grain is to be unloaded, such as a semitrailer, gravity box, straight truck, or the like, and an unloading system on the combine is actuated to transfer the grain into the vehicle.

Agricultural equipment, including combines, must work in all conditions and climates. As such, the equipment is frequently tall for ground clearance. The equipment also has many moving parts, including the aforementioned sieves, which have service needs. Operators and service people may have difficulty accessing these service points because the tall ground clearance makes it hard to get to the service points. To enable easier access to such raised service points, access steps may be provided at appropriate locations on the equipment. What is needed in the art is a way to improve access to components that need to be serviced or adjusted without sacrificing ground clearance or function.

Prior access step assemblies have been complex, bulky, and relatively expensive to produce. <CIT> discloses a hitch assembly for an agricultural machine. A support member for the hitch assembly is mounted to the machine and is movable between storage and operating positions. Attached to the support member are a hitch and a rotating step assembly having at least one step. The step assembly is movable relative to the support member between storage and operating positions. When the support member is in the support member storage position and the step assembly is in the storage position, the hitch assembly is in a storage position. When the support member is in the support member operating position and the step assembly is in the operating position, the hitch assembly is in an operating position.

Further prior art hitch step assemblies are for example disclosed in <CIT>, <CIT> or <CIT>.

The present invention provides an integrated hitch and step assembly for an agricultural vehicle that can be used to improve access to service or adjustment points without sacrificing ground clearance or function, using fewer parts, requiring less space beneath the vehicle to operate, and requiring less tooling to produce. The hitch and step assembly is advantageously mounted to the rear of a combine for accessing the sieves and other proximal service areas. The step storage position is advantageously chosen so that the step takes up a minimum amount of space and clears functional components of the combine. The hitch storage position is advantageously chosen so the hitch is positioned above ground clearance to avoid collision with the ground.

By integrating the step with the hitch, less mounting space and fewer parts are required to attach both the hitch and the step to the vehicle. The assembly has one movable component for the transition from a storage position to an operating position and from an operating position to a storage position. The integral hitch and step assembly also uses the fact that the hitch mounting point is a strong attachment point and an advantageous place to mount a step. Yet another advantage is that, as chaff and residue are exhausted from the rear of the combine, the step is stored in a location to minimize the accumulation of debris. Surprisingly, the inventors have found that these and other objectives can be achieved by providing an integrated hitch and step assembly according to the appended claims.

In an exemplary aspect, there is provided an integrated hitch and step assembly for being coupled with a base member of an agricultural machine. The assembly includes a support member configured for being coupled with the base member in a fixed position relative to the base member, a hitch assembly configured for being coupled with the support member and for moving relative to the support member between a hitch storage position and a hitch operating position, and at least one step coupled with the hitch assembly, the step being in a step storage position when the hitch assembly is in the hitch operating position, and the step being in a step operating position when the hitch assembly is in the hitch storage position. The hitch assembly is coupled pivotally with the support member, wherein the hitch assembly moves between the hitch storage position and the hitch operating position when the hitch assembly is rotated relative to the support member, the hitch assembly being configured for pivoting about an axis between the hitch storage position and the hitch operating position.

In some exemplary aspects, the hitch and step assembly includes a hitch coupled with a hitch swivel plate in a fixed position relative to the hitch swivel plate.

In some exemplary aspects, the step is coupled with the hitch swivel plate in a fixed position relative to the hitch swivel plate. In some exemplary aspects, the hitch is coupled with the hitch swivel plate on a side of the hitch swivel plate that faces outward when the hitch assembly is in the hitch operating position. In some exemplary aspects, the step is coupled with the hitch swivel plate on a side of the hitch swivel plate that faces inward when the hitch assembly is in the hitch operating position.

In some exemplary aspects, the axis is angled such that the hitch is raised vertically relative to the ground when the hitch assembly is moved from the hitch operating position to the hitch storage position and such that the step leveled for access in the step operating position. In some exemplary aspects, the axis is at an angle of about ten degrees from vertical relative to the ground. In some exemplary aspects, the step is horizontal in the step operating position.

In another exemplary aspect, an agricultural machine is provided, including a base member and the integrated hitch and step assembly according to any one of the appended claims for being coupled to the base member. In some exemplary aspects, the agricultural machine is an agricultural combine harvester, a forage harvester, or a cotton harvester. In some exemplary aspects, the base member of the agricultural machine comprises the support member for the hitch assembly.

The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent, and the invention will be better understood, by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

The terms "grain", "straw" and "tailings" are used in this specification principally for convenience, but it is to be understood that these terms are not intended to be limiting. Thus, "grain" refers to that part of the crop material that is threshed and separated from the discardable part of the crop material, which is referred to as non-grain crop material, MOG, or straw. Incompletely threshed crop material is referred to as "tailings". The terms "forward", "rearward", "left" and "right", when used in connection with movable agricultural equipment such as an agricultural harvester and/or components thereof, are usually determined with reference to the direction of forward operative travel of the harvester; but, again, they should not be construed as limiting. The terms "longitudinal" and "transverse" are determined with reference to the fore-and-aft direction of the agricultural harvester and are equally not to be construed as limiting.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to <FIG>, there is shown an agricultural harvester in the form of a combine <NUM>, which generally includes a chassis <NUM>, ground engaging wheels <NUM> and <NUM>, header <NUM>, feeder housing <NUM>, operator cab <NUM>, threshing and separating system <NUM>, cleaning system <NUM>, grain tank <NUM>, and unloading auger <NUM>.

Front wheels <NUM> are larger flotation type wheels, and rear wheels <NUM> are smaller steerable wheels. Motive force is selectively applied to front wheels <NUM> through a power plant in the form of a diesel engine <NUM> and a transmission (not shown). Although combine <NUM> is shown as including wheels, it is also to be understood that combine <NUM> may include tracks, such as full tracks or half tracks.

Header <NUM> is mounted to the front of combine <NUM> and includes a cutter bar <NUM> for severing crops from a field during forward motion of combine <NUM>. A rotatable reel <NUM> feeds the crop into header <NUM>, and a double auger <NUM> (or a draper belt (not shown)) feeds the severed crop laterally inwardly from each side toward feeder housing <NUM>. Feeder housing <NUM> conveys the cut crop to threshing and separating system <NUM> and is selectively vertically movable using appropriate actuators, such as hydraulic cylinders (not shown).

Threshing and separating system <NUM> is of the axial-flow type and generally includes a rotor <NUM> at least partially enclosed by and rotatable within a corresponding perforated concave <NUM>. The cut crops are threshed and separated by the rotation of rotor <NUM> within concave <NUM>, and larger elements, such as stalks, leaves and the like are discharged from the rear of combine <NUM>. Smaller elements of crop material including grain and non-grain crop material, including particles lighter than grain, such as chaff, dust and straw, are discharged through perforations of concave <NUM>.

Grain that has been separated by the threshing and separating assembly <NUM> falls onto a grain pan <NUM> and is conveyed toward cleaning system <NUM>. Cleaning system <NUM> may include an optional pre-cleaning sieve <NUM>, an upper sieve <NUM> (also known as a chaffer sieve), a lower sieve <NUM> (also known as a cleaning sieve), and a cleaning fan <NUM>. Grain on sieves <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> is subjected to a cleaning action by fan <NUM> which provides an air flow through the sieves to remove chaff and other impurities such as dust from the grain by making this material airborne for discharge from straw hood <NUM> of combine <NUM>. Grain pan <NUM> and pre-cleaning sieve <NUM> oscillate in a fore-to-aft manner to transport the grain and finer non-grain crop material to the upper surface of upper sieve <NUM>. Upper sieve <NUM> and lower sieve <NUM> are vertically arranged relative to each other, and likewise oscillate in a fore-to-aft manner to spread the grain across sieves <NUM>, <NUM>, while permitting the passage of cleaned grain by gravity through the openings of sieves <NUM>, <NUM>.

Clean grain falls to a clean grain auger <NUM> positioned crosswise below and toward the front of lower sieve <NUM>. Clean grain auger <NUM> receives clean grain from each sieve <NUM>, <NUM> of cleaning system <NUM>. Clean grain auger <NUM> conveys the clean grain laterally to a generally vertically arranged grain elevator <NUM> for transport to grain tank <NUM>. Tailings from cleaning system <NUM> fall to a tailings auger trough <NUM> via bottom pan <NUM>. The tailings are transported via tailings auger <NUM> and return auger <NUM> to the upstream end of cleaning system <NUM> for repeated cleaning action. A pair of grain tank augers <NUM> at the bottom of grain tank <NUM> conveys the clean grain laterally within grain tank <NUM> to unloading auger <NUM> for discharge from combine <NUM>.

According to an aspect of the present invention, and referring now to <FIG>, there is shown an integrated hitch and step assembly <NUM> for being coupled with a base member <NUM> (see <FIG>) of an agricultural machine <NUM>. Assembly <NUM> includes a support member <NUM> configured for being coupled with the base member <NUM> in a fixed position relative to the base member <NUM>. A hitch assembly <NUM> is configured for being coupled with the support member <NUM> and for moving relative to the support member <NUM> between a hitch storage position <NUM> and a hitch operating position <NUM>. At least one step <NUM> is coupled with the hitch assembly <NUM>, the step <NUM> being in a step storage position <NUM> when the hitch assembly <NUM> is in the hitch operating position <NUM> (see <FIG>), and the step <NUM> being in a step operating position <NUM> when the hitch assembly <NUM> is in the hitch storage position <NUM> (see <FIG>). The hitch assembly <NUM> is coupled pivotally with the support member <NUM>, wherein the hitch assembly <NUM> moves between the hitch storage position <NUM> and the hitch operating position <NUM> when the hitch assembly <NUM> is rotated relative to the support member <NUM>, the hitch assembly <NUM> being configured for pivoting about an axis <NUM> between the hitch storage position <NUM> and the hitch operating position <NUM> (see <FIG>).

As shown in <FIG>, the hitch assembly <NUM> includes a hitch <NUM> coupled with a hitch swivel plate <NUM> in a fixed position relative to the hitch swivel plate <NUM>. The step <NUM> is coupled with the hitch swivel plate <NUM> in a fixed position relative to the hitch swivel plate <NUM>. The hitch <NUM> is coupled with the hitch swivel plate <NUM> on a face <NUM> of the hitch swivel plate <NUM> that faces rearward (more generally, outward, away from the support member <NUM> and/or agricultural machine <NUM>) when the hitch assembly <NUM> is in the hitch operating position <NUM>, and the step <NUM> is coupled with the hitch swivel plate <NUM> on a face <NUM> of the hitch swivel plate <NUM> that faces forward (more generally, inward, toward the support member <NUM> and/or agricultural machine <NUM>) when the hitch assembly <NUM> is in the hitch operating position <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the axis <NUM> about which hitch assembly <NUM> pivots at pivot joint <NUM> relative to support member <NUM> is angled such that the hitch <NUM> is raised vertically relative to the ground when the hitch assembly <NUM> is moved from the hitch operating position <NUM> to the hitch storage position <NUM> and such that the step <NUM> is leveled for access in the step operating position <NUM>. Preferably, the axis <NUM> is at an angle of up to about ten degrees from vertical relative to the ground, and the step <NUM> is about horizontal in the step operating position <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, hitch assembly <NUM> is coupled to support member <NUM> at pivot joint <NUM>. Pivot joint <NUM> is formed by clevis pin <NUM> being inserted through through-holes <NUM> in support member <NUM> and through-hole <NUM> in hitch swivel plate <NUM>. Hitch <NUM> is coupled to hitch swivel plate <NUM> in a fixed position relative to the hitch swivel plate <NUM> by means of bolts (not shown) or other suitable fasteners inserted through or fixed through through-holes <NUM> in hitch <NUM> and through-holes <NUM> in hitch swivel plate <NUM>. Likewise, step <NUM> is coupled to or formed integrally with hitch swivel plate <NUM> in a fixed position relative to hitch swivel plate <NUM> on an opposite face <NUM> of hitch swivel plate <NUM> from the face <NUM> on which hitch <NUM> is coupled to hitch swivel plate <NUM>. Support member <NUM> is provided with through-holes <NUM> for bolting or otherwise coupling support member <NUM> to base member <NUM> in a fixed position relative to base member <NUM>.

In <FIG>, the hitch and step assembly <NUM> is shown with the hitch assembly <NUM> locked in the hitch operating position <NUM> and the step <NUM> locked in the step storage position <NUM>. In this position <NUM>, step <NUM> is housed within support member <NUM>, where it is protected from accumulating debris and interferes minimally if at all with any adjacent structures on the agricultural machine <NUM>. The hitch assembly <NUM> is held in position by clevis pin <NUM> inserted through through-holes <NUM> in support member <NUM> and though-hole <NUM> in hitch swivel plate <NUM>.

In <FIG>, clevis pin <NUM> is removed from through-holes <NUM> and <NUM> to release hitch assembly <NUM> from the hitch operating position <NUM> and step <NUM> from the step storage position <NUM>. Hitch assembly <NUM> is then rotated into hitch storage position <NUM>, and step <NUM> is rotated into step operating position <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. Hitch assembly <NUM> may then be locked in positions <NUM>, <NUM> by inserting clevis pin <NUM> through through-holes <NUM> in support member <NUM> and through-hole <NUM> in hitch swivel plate <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> show a portion of an agricultural machine <NUM> including integrated hitch and step assembly <NUM>, in which support member <NUM> is coupled in a fixed position relative to base member <NUM>. In <FIG>, hitch assembly <NUM> is shown locked in the hitch operating position <NUM>, and step <NUM> is shown in the step storage position <NUM> inside support member <NUM>. In <FIG>, hitch assembly <NUM> has been rotated into hitch storage position <NUM>, and step <NUM> is in step operating position <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, due to the non-vertical position of axis <NUM>, hitch <NUM> has been elevated upward to a storage position <NUM> higher above the ground than in the hitch operating position <NUM>, in which storage position <NUM> hitch <NUM> creates no interference with ground clearance. In addition, step <NUM> is now in a substantially horizontal position to enable service access to the sieves <NUM>. Sieves <NUM> may be analogous to any of the above described sieves in <FIG>, or a grain pan that is connected to one of those sieves. Further, as seen in <FIG>, hitch <NUM> has been rotated away from step <NUM>, where it cannot interfere with access to the step <NUM> and proximate service points on machine <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An integrated hitch and step assembly (<NUM>) for being coupled with a base member (<NUM>) of an agricultural machine (<NUM>), characterized in that the assembly (<NUM>) comprises:
a support member (<NUM>) configured for being coupled with the base member (<NUM>) in a fixed position relative to the base member (<NUM>);
a hitch assembly (<NUM>) configured for being coupled with the support member (<NUM>) and for moving relative to the support member (<NUM>) between a hitch storage position (<NUM>) and a hitch operating position (<NUM>); and
at least one step (<NUM>) coupled with the hitch assembly (<NUM>), the step (<NUM>) being in a step storage position (<NUM>) when the hitch assembly (<NUM>) is in the hitch operating position (<NUM>), and the step (<NUM>) being in a step operating position (<NUM>) when the hitch assembly (<NUM>) is in the hitch storage position (<NUM>),
wherein the hitch assembly (<NUM>) is coupled pivotally with the support member (<NUM>), wherein the hitch assembly (<NUM>) moves between the hitch storage position (<NUM>) and the hitch operating position (<NUM>) when the hitch assembly (<NUM>) is rotated relative to the support member (<NUM>), the hitch assembly (<NUM>) being configured for pivoting about an axis (<NUM>) between the hitch storage position (<NUM>) and the hitch operating position (<NUM>).