Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
331 words
A field harvester comprising: a housing, a chopping-blade drum journaled in said housing, a crop-feed conveyor for advancing crop to said drum, a drive, and a transmission connecting said drive to said conveyor and said drum, said transmission including: a first wheel assembly rotatable about a first axis fixed relative to said housing and operatively connected to said conveyor ; a second wheel assembly rotatable about a second axis fixed relative to said housing and connected to said drum, said second axis being spaced from but paraLlel to said first axis, said second wheel assembly forming the input to the transmission and said first wheel assembly forming the output thereof; a support swingable about said first axis; a third wheel assembly rotatable on said support about a third axis parallel to said first and second axes and shiftable toward and away from said second axis, said second and intermediate wheel assemblies being provided with frictionally engageable members for driving said intermediate wheel assembly in one direction when said intermediate axis is removed from said second axis and in the opposite direction when said intermediate axis is proximal to said second axis, said first wheel assembly and said intermediate wheel assembly being positively connected for joint rotation; means connecting said second wheel assembly to said drive; and actuating means for pivoting said support, thereby displacing said intermediate axis selectively toward and away from said second axis, said intermediate wheel assembly including: a toothed wheel coupled with said first wheel assembly, a friction wheel coaxial with and connected to said toothed wheel; and a pulley connected with said toothed wheel, said second wheel assembly comprising: a friction wheel engageable by the friction wheel of said intermediate wheel assembly in a position of said intermediate axis proximal to said second axis; and a pulley connected with the friction wheel of said second assembly, said members including a belt frictionally interconnecting said pulleys in a position of said intermediate axis remote from said second axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
331 words
A field harvester comprising: a housing, a chopping-blade drum journaled in said housing, a crop-feed conveyor for advancing crop to said drum, a drive, and a transmission connecting said drive to said conveyor and said drum, said transmission including: a first wheel assembly rotatable about a first axis fixed relative to said housing and operatively connected to said conveyor ; a second wheel assembly rotatable about a second axis fixed relative to said housing and connected to said drum, said second axis being spaced from but paraLlel to said first axis, said second wheel assembly forming the input to the transmission and said first wheel assembly forming the output thereof; a support swingable about said first axis; a third wheel assembly rotatable on said support about a third axis parallel to said first and second axes and shiftable toward and away from said second axis, said second and intermediate wheel assemblies being provided with frictionally engageable members for driving said intermediate wheel assembly in one direction when said intermediate axis is removed from said second axis and in the opposite direction when said intermediate axis is proximal to said second axis, said first wheel assembly and said intermediate wheel assembly being positively connected for joint rotation; means connecting said second wheel assembly to said drive; and actuating means for pivoting said support, thereby displacing said intermediate axis selectively toward and away from said second axis, said intermediate wheel assembly including: a toothed wheel coupled with said first wheel assembly, a friction wheel coaxial with and connected to said toothed wheel; and a pulley connected with said toothed wheel, said second wheel assembly comprising: a friction wheel engageable by the friction wheel of said intermediate wheel assembly in a position of said intermediate axis proximal to said second axis; and a pulley connected with the friction wheel of said second assembly, said members including a belt frictionally interconnecting said pulleys in a position of said intermediate axis remote from said second axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
The transmission defined in claim 1 wherein said intermediate wheel assembly includes a toothed wheel coupled with said first wheel assembly, and a friction wheel coaxial with and connected to said toothed wheel, said second wheel assembly comprising a friction wheel engageable by the friction wheel of said intermediate wheel assembly in a position of said intermediate axis proximal to said second axis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The transmission defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said friction wheels is provided with a rubber-like layer along its periphery for limiting slip between said friction wheels.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The transmission defined in claim 1 wherein each of said pulleys is a stepped pulley.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The transmission defined in claim 1, further comprising a chain interconnecting said toothed wheels.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The transmission defined in claim 1 wherein said toothed wheels mesh with one another.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
The transmission defined in claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises a rod connected with said support, spring means bearing upon said rod in a direction tending to tension said belt for maintaining said transmission in a preferred operating mode, a lever connected with said rod for displacing same against the force of said spring means, and indexing means for retaining said actuating means in a position wherein said belt is slackened but said friction wheels are out of engagement.