With Flexible Drive Train To Repositionable Harvester Patents (Class 56/15.3)
  • Patent number: 11009878
    Abstract: A suspension mechanism has a tube member that is movably attached to an attachment shaft and includes an outer peripheral surface of approximately hemispherical shape, a first attachment shaft retaining member provided on the chassis to swingably retain the attachment shaft with an outer peripheral surface of the tube member abutted on its inside surface, a shaft lower end portion of slip surface shape provided at lowermost part of the attachment shaft, a second attachment shaft retaining member provided on the chassis below the first attachment shaft retaining member and having a vertex equivalent section of approximately conical shape and a slope equivalent section to retain the attachment shaft with the slip surface shape shaft lower end portion abutted onto the vertex equivalent section or the slope equivalent section, and a biasing member that biases the tube member and the shaft lower end portion away from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kohei Matsuzawa, Atsushi Moroi, Takahide Konchi
  • Patent number: 10834869
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, a lift assembly for a lawnmower can include a mower housing configured to house blades for cutting vegetation. A frame can be located above the mower housing, the frame including two longitudinal extending frame members, and at least one pivot bar extending between the two longitudinal extending frame members. A linear actuator can be located adjacent the frame members and connected to the pivot bar such that actuation of the linear actuator causes the pivot bar to rotate about a rotational axis of the pivot bar. At least one cam can be connected to the pivot bar so as to rotate with the pivot bar, the cam including a mower housing attachment element that supports the mower housing such that rotation of the cam varies a distance between the frame and the mower housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Christopher Todd Walker
  • Patent number: 10462964
    Abstract: A mounted mower coupled to a hitch of a work machine that has an output, the mounted mower comprising a sub-frame having one or more hitch couplers selectively coupled to the hitch of the work machine. The mounted mower also has a mower arm with a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally coupled to the sub-frame. The mower arm is pivotable about the first end between a first position and a second position relative to the sub-frame. The mower arm has a mower head mechanically coupled to the mower arm at the second end. The mower head has at least one disc pivotally coupled to the mower head, the at least one disc able to rotate about a disc pivot axis defined by the respective disc. Further, at least one disc may change the direction the disc rotates between the first and second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Jason C Eubanks
  • Patent number: 9974234
    Abstract: A turf groomer is coupled to a reel cutting unit in advance of the cutting reel and is powered by a gearbox having a rotary gear drive that is capable of selectively rotating the turf groomer in opposite directions at different speeds. The rotary gear drive is symmetrical about a plane through the axes of the input and output shafts thereof to permit the gearbox to be inverted to drive the turf groomer from either the left or right sides without requiring that two different models of the gear drive be available. The gearbox is connected to the reel cutting unit only by connecting the end of the input shaft to a shaft of the cutting reel and through a connection to a height adjuster for the turf groomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Robert David Patton, Nicholas John Sirek, Gerald Eugene Goman
  • Patent number: 9788489
    Abstract: Sugarcane harvesting machine has an inclined conveyor which conveys sugarcane sections from the harvesting machine into a collection car and has at least two traction mechanisms which extend parallel to one another and have continuous carriers, and which circulate over upper drive wheels, and lower deflection wheels carried along and situated in the feed area of the sugarcane sections. Thus, inclined conveyor has a long, low maintenance service life and sugarcane harvesting machine operates quietly and energy-efficiently with a high cleaning effect. The continuous traction mechanisms are belts of fabric layer-reinforced crosslinked polymer, and cams situated at a distance from one another are situated on bottom side of the belts for forcible drive by the drive wheels. Belts are connected by transverse rods which as a whole form a screening floor and support floor, and deflection wheels which are carried along are configured as single wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: EA BROEKEMA BV
    Inventor: Sebastian Jäger
  • Patent number: 9615510
    Abstract: A turf groomer is coupled to a reel cutting unit in advance of the cutting reel and is powered by a gearbox having a rotary gear drive that provides alternately usable first and second drive paths capable of selectively rotating the turf groomer in opposite directions at different speeds. The rotary gear drive includes an axially slidable input gear on an input shaft. An actuator is coupled to the input gear to slide the input gear from one position in which the input gear is within the first drive path to select rotation of the turf groomer in a first direction at a first rotational speed. Alternatively, the actuator can slide the input gear into a second operational position in which the input gear is within the second drive path to select rotation of the turf groomer in an opposite direction at a different speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Nicholas John Sirek, Gerald Eugene Goman
  • Patent number: 9439355
    Abstract: A header for attachment to an agricultural machine is provided with a frame, a driven moveable cutting device connected to the frame, and a driven movable conveying device connected to the frame. A gearbox is connected to the frame and transmits a drive force onto the cutting device and the conveying device. The gearbox is provided with an input gearbox arranged in a first housing and a main gearbox arranged in a second housing. A separation site is formed between the input gearbox and the main gearbox. The input gearbox is arranged at a back of the header. The input gear box is a rotary speed adapter exchangeable for a gearbox with different gearing ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Geringhoff GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klemens Surmann, Stephan Schulze Selting, Jan Bernd Schulze Rückamp, Steffen Sudhues
  • Patent number: 8973344
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester (100) comprises a self-propelled vehicle (102); a feederhouse (104); a driveshaft (114) supported on the feederhouse (104), the driveshaft (114) having a first coupler (116) fixed to one end of the driveshaft (114), the first coupler (116) comprising a coupler body (420), a piston (416) disposed in the coupler body (420), and a first key (302) mechanically coupled to the piston (416) to be extended or retracted by the piston (416) to engage a mating coupler on a second driveshaft (120) of an agricultural harvesting head (106) that is supported on the feederhouse (104).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Aaron S Ritter
  • Patent number: 8256198
    Abstract: A mower is suspended from a frame and includes a header with a cutter. A tongue is pivotally connected to the mower frame and is moveable with respect to the frame by a hydraulic cylinder. At the front of the tongue is a front gearbox rigidly attached to the tongue. The front gearbox transmits rotary power from the power take off of the tractor to a rear gearbox pivotally attached the header and from the rear gearbox rotary power is passed on ultimately to the rotary cutting units. Pivoting of the rear gearbox is controlled by a steering connection operatively attached between the front and rear gearboxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Forage Innovations B.V.
    Inventor: Kent L. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20100132325
    Abstract: A drive system for agricultural implements having at least one floating head and a tongue that may be disposed at various angles relative to a longitudinal angle of the implement. Two swivel gearbox assemblies are used, each comprising a first 90° gearbox rigidly attached to the implement and a second 90° gearbox that is permitted to rotate about an axis passing through one of its shafts and one of the first 90° gearbox's shaft. Because the tongue angle is variable, the drive shafts for driving the implement must take on a plurality of angles. The swiveling gearbox assemblies allow variable angles at the tongue and at the header.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Kent L. Thompson, Shane A. Bollinger, Stuart Gene Van Donselaar
  • Publication number: 20100011731
    Abstract: An header of the extendable type comprises a main frame and an extendable cutterbar table, which is mounted to the main frame by means of telescopic assemblies comprising an inner member mounted for sliding movement inside an outer member. One of the inner and outer members has longitudinal, inclined side walls that are engaged by inclined slide surfaces of guide means connected to a wall of the other of said outer and inner members, opposite said inclined side wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Bart Moutton, Matersz Rajca, Danny A.H. Descheemaecker
  • Patent number: 7631478
    Abstract: An electric implement lift system for mower cutting units may include an electric motor having a rotatable output shaft with a pivot bracket mounted thereto, a lift link or a pair of lift links, each lift link having a first end connected to the pivot bracket and a second end connected to a lift arm, the output shaft rotatable in a first direction to raise the mower cutting unit and in a second direction to lower the mower cutting unit. The output shaft may be rotatable in the first direction to move the cutting unit to a top/center position and rotatable further in the first direction to move the cutting unit to a raised/transport position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Robert Alan Henson, Harlin James Trefz, Thomas Gregory Bartlett
  • Patent number: 6804871
    Abstract: A method for aligning a clutch assembly having a clutch shaft and a housing with a plurality of threaded first fasteners. The method includes the steps of attaching the clutch assembly to a driveshaft of an engine mounted on a support frame having a plurality of second threaded fasteners. The method includes the steps of mounting a support plate to the housing and support frame and extending the first fasteners and second fasteners through mounting holes. The method also includes the steps of deflecting the clutch shaft relative to the driveshaft and disposing spacers over the first fasteners and second fasteners adjacent the support plate. The method includes the steps of engaging the first fasteners and second fasteners with third fasteners to seat the spacers against the support plate and fixedly securing the spacers to the support plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Inventor: Leward Nile Smith
  • Patent number: 6688093
    Abstract: The vehicle part of a self-propelled forage harvester includes a chassis supported on front and rear sets of wheels. A mower-conditioner unit is mounted to the front of the chassis and mounted to opposite sides of the chassis are second and third mower-conditioner units. Mounting each of the second and third mower-conditioner units to the chassis is a support arm having a first end region mounted to the chassis, either forward of the rear set of wheels, in accordance with a first embodiment, or rearward of the rear set of wheels, in accordance with a second embodiment, with the support arms being configured so that the first and second mower-conditioner units extend generally in transverse alignment with the rear set of wheels, when the support arms are in lowered working positions, and are disposed in positions above the individual wheels of the rear set of wheels when the support arms are in raised transport positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Roger Franet, Larry Neil Smith
  • Patent number: 6223510
    Abstract: A power drive riding type lawn mower having a manual and automatic lateral/angular movement of the mower deck to provide an object tracing capability. The tracer mower deck arrangement enables moving the deck horizontally and laterally in a direction perpendicular to the frame of the mower and at an angle with respect to the mower frame. A manual lever moves the mower deck transversely and laterally with respect to the mower frame, while an automatic deck positioning lever has numerous transverse positions and once set in a position, the mower deck can be moved laterally and angularly automatically by contact with an object and then returned to that set position. Also, a deck movement override mechanism provides an added safety feature which enables the mower deck to be secured and the automatic trace feature disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Inventors: Gary L. Gillins, Jason D. Gillins, John Pruett
  • Patent number: 6189306
    Abstract: Agricultural harvester comprising a chassis; a drawbar connected to the chassis at a first articulation of geometric axis; transmission members comprising a first set comprising at least a first drive shaft, a second set comprising at least one input shaft of rotation axis, a coupling. The axis of rotation of the input shaft is offset with respect to the geometric axis of the first articulation; the first drive shaft or the coupling are guided in rotation in a carrier member connected to the chassis at another articulation, the geometric axis of which is at least roughly vertical and at least roughly intersects the axis of rotation of the input shaft; and an orientation member is connected between the carrier member and the drawbar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Kuhn S.A.
    Inventor: Martin Walch