Patent · US Expired

Multi-section header with flexible crop cutting knife

US6675568B2 · kind B2 · utility

127Cited by
12References
69Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 3, 2002
Grant dateJan 13, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 5, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA01D57/20
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A crop harvesting header for mounting on a propulsion vehicle such as a swather tractor or combine harvester includes a main frame structure supporting a crop receiving table with a cutter bar across a front of the table and side drapers on the table for moving the cut crop toward a discharge location of the header. The frame is divided into a central frame portion and two separate wing frame portions each arranged for pivotal movement relative to the central portion about a pivot axis extending in a plane parallel to the forward direction and intersecting the cutter bar so that, as the wing frame portions pivot, the cutter bar flexes in the area adjacent the respective pivot axis over a small angle of the order of 4 degrees to maintain the cutter bar following the ground. The central frame portion is mounted on two spring arms for upward and twisting floating movement such that the total downward force on the ground, from that part of the weight of all of the portions of the header which is unsupported, can be varied by moving the support to change the total pressure of the header on the ground. The wing frame portions are connected to the central frame portion by interconnecting …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.