Self-leveling combine

Claim 2

In combination, a combine feeder house having a forward crop inlet opening, a crop-gathering unit having a rear crop discharge opening and a transversely extending support member adapted to rest on the top forward edge of the feeder house when the cropgathering unit is in a level position with respect to the feeder house, and a pair of extensible and retractable hydraulic cylinders connected between the sides of the feeder house and the support member, whereby, by alternately extending and retracting the hydraulic cylinders, the crop-gathering unit can be moved from a level position with respect to the feeder house to any one of a plurality of tilted positions with respect to the feeder house.

Claim 3

A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein guide means acting between the feeder hOuse and crop-gathering unit limit the crop-gathering unit to movement about axes normal to the plane of the crop inlet opening in the feeder house.

Claim 4

A combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein a pivot support is secured to each side of the feeder house and each is provided with an upwardly open pivot pin receiving aperture, each of the hydraulic cylinders is pivotally connected to the support member by a pivot pin, and each of the pivot pins is adapted to rest in the aperture provided in the corresponding pivot support when its respective cylinder is retracted, whereby, when one of the cylinders is extended the crop-gathering unit can move about the pivot pin connecting the other cylinder to the support member.

Claim 5

In combination with a combine feeder house having a forward crop inlet opening and cooperating with a crop-gathering unit having a rear crop discharge opening, a pair of hydraulic cylinders pivotally anchored to the sides of the feeder house near the forward end thereof, a pivot member supported by the free end of each of the cylinders, a crop-gathering unit mounting frame supported by the pivot members and having a crop passage opening, and means on the mounting frame for attachment to and for supporting said crop-gathering unit, whereby, by extending and retracting of the cylinders, the crop-gathering means can be moved between a level position with respect to the feeder house and tilted positions with respect to the feeder house.

Claim 6

In combination with a combine feeder house having a forward crop inlet opening and cooperating with a crop-gathering unit having a rear crop discharge opening, a pair of hydraulic cylinders pivotally anchored to the sides of the feeder house near the forward end thereof, a pivot member supported by the free end of each of the cylinders, a crop-gathering unit mounting frame supported by the pivot members and having a crop passage opening, and means on the mounting frame for attachment to and for supporting said crop-gathering unit, whereby, by extending and retracting of the cylinders, the crop-gathering means can be moved between a level position with respect to the feeder house and tilted positions with respect to the feeder house.

Claim 7

A combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein guide means act between the forward portion of the feeder house and the mounting frame to limit movement of the mounting frame relative to the feeder house to a plane fixed relative to the feeder house.

Claim 8

A combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein a support member is secured to each side of the feeder house, and each support member is provided with a recess to receive the corresponding pivot member when the corresponding cylinder is retracted.

Claim 9

A combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein there is a guide means at each side of the feeder house and each includes a plate member extending laterally from the forward end of the feeder house, slot means provided in the plate member, a pin carried by the mounting frame and extending through the slot means, and restraining means on the free end of the pin preventing movement of the mounting frame away from the feeder house.

Claim 10

A combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein there is a guide means at each side of the feeder house and each includes an upwardly open guide tube secured to the side of the feeder house, an elongated rigid guide member positioned in the guide tube in contact with the front and rear walls of the guide tube and having its upper end connected to the mounting frame for movement therewith.

Claim 11

A combine comprising: a main separator body; wheel means; wheel mounting means adjustably supporting the main body on the wheel means for vertical movement of the wheel means with respect to the main body; means acting between the main body and the wheel mounting means to move the wheel means on opposite sides of the main body in opposite vertical directions with respect to the main body in response to movement of the main body from a vertical position to maintain the main body in a substantially vertical position; a forwardly extending feeder house mounted on the main body for pivotal movement about a transverse axis, a pivot support member secured to each side of the feeder house adjacent the forward end thereof; an upwardly open recess provided in each support member; a mounting frame positioned closely adjacent to and parallel to the forward end of the feeder house; a pair of pivotal members connected to the mounting frame and extending rearwardly therefrom to normally be positioned in and supported by the recesses in the support members so that each pivot member, when positioned in the recess of the corresponding support member defines pivot means about which the mounting frame can move relative to the feedeR house; guide means acting between the feeder house and mounting frame limiting the mounting frame to movement normal to the pivot means; a crop-gathering unit connected to the mounting frame; and means cooperative among the mounting frame, feeder house, and wheel mounting means to move the mounting frame and connected crop-gathering unit about one of the pivot means in response to movement of the wheel means relative to the main body to maintain the crop-gathering unit substantially parallel to the plane of the ground irrespective of the attitude of the main body with respect to the plane of the ground.

Claim 12

A combine comprising: a main separator body; wheel means; wheel mounting means adjustably supporting the main body on the wheel means for vertical movement of the wheel means with respect to the main body; means acting between the main body and the wheel mounting means to move the wheel means on opposite sides of the main body in opposite vertical directions with respect to the main body in response to movement of the main body from a vertical position to maintain the main body in a substantially vertical position; a forwardly extending feeder house mounted on the main body for pivotal movement about a transverse axis, a pivot support member secured to each side of the feeder house adjacent the forward end thereof; an upwardly open recess provided in each support member; a mounting frame positioned closely adjacent to and parallel to the forward end of the feeder house; a pair of pivotal members connected to the mounting frame and extending rearwardly therefrom to normally be positioned in and supported by the recesses in the support members so that each pivot member, when positioned in the recess of the corresponding support member defines pivot means about which the mounting frame can move relative to the feedeR house; guide means acting between the feeder house and mounting frame limiting the mounting frame to movement normal to the pivot means; a crop-gathering unit connected to the mounting frame; and means cooperative among the mounting frame, feeder house, and wheel mounting means to move the mounting frame and connected crop-gathering unit about one of the pivot means in response to movement of the wheel means relative to the main body to maintain the crop-gathering unit substantially parallel to the plane of the ground irrespective of the attitude of the main body with respect to the plane of the ground.

Claim 13

A combine as set forth in claim 9 wherein the means cooperative among the mounting frame, feeder house, and wheel mounting means further including means responsive to movement of the wheel means with respect to the main body in a direction which results in raising one side of the mounting frame about the pivot means on the other side to lock the pivot member on the other side in its respective recess.

Claim 14

A combine as set forth in claim 9 wherein the guide means includes means which locks one of the pivot members in its respective recess when the other pivot member is moved from its respective recess in response to movement of the wheel means with respect to the main body.

Claim 15

A combine as set forth in claim 9 wherein the means cooperative among the mounting frame, the feeder house and the wheel mounting means includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders anchored to the opposite sides of the feeder house and to their respective pivot member to raise the mounting frame about the opposite pivot means when extended; a second pair of hydraulic cylinders hydraulically connected to the first pair of hydraulic cylinders and acting between the wheel mounting means and main body to be compressed thereby.

Claim 16

A combine comprising: a main separator body; wheel means; wheel mounting means adjustably supporting the main body on the wheel means for vertical movement of the wheel means with respect to the main body; means acting between the main body and the wheel mounting means to move the wheel means on opposite sides of the main body in opposite vertical directions with respect to the main body in response to movement of the main body from a vertical position to maintain the main body in a substantially vertical position; a forwardly extending feeder house mounted on the main body for pivotal movement about a transverse axis; means mounting a crop-gathering unit on the forward end of the feeder house for movement about either one of a pair of fore-and-aft extending axes positioned on opposite sides of a fore-and-aft centerline through the feeder house and crop-gathering unit; and means cooperative among the crop-gathering unit, feeder house, main body and wheel mounting means to move the crop-gathering unit about one of the pair of axes in response to movement of the wheel means relative to the main body to maintain the crop-gathering unit substantially parallel to the plane of the ground irrespective to the attitude of the main body with respect to the plane of the ground.

Claim 17

A combine comprising: a main separator body; wheel means; wheel mounting means adjustably supporting the main body on the wheel means for vertical movement of the wheel means with respect to the main body; means acting between the main body and the wheel mounting means to move the wheel means on opposite sides of the main body in opposite vertical directions with respect to the main body in response to movement of the main body from a vertical position to maintain the main body in a substantially vertical position; a forwardly extending feeder house mounted on the main body for pivotal movement about a transverse axis; means mounting a crop-gathering unit on the forward end of the feeder house for movement about either one of a pair of fore-and-aft extending axes positioned on opposite sides of a fore-and-aft centerline through the feeder house and crop-gathering unit; and means cooperative among the crop-gathering unit, feeder house, main body and wheel mounting means to move the crop-gathering unit about one of the pair of axes in response to movement of the wheel means relative to the main body to maintain the crop-gathering unit substantially parallel to the plane of the ground irrespective to the attitude of the main body with respect to the plane of the ground.

Claim 18

A combine as set forth in claim 13 wherein the means cooperative among the feeder house, crop-gathering unit, main body, and wheel mounting means includes a first pair of hydraulic cylinders anchored between the feeder house and crop-gathering unit on opposite sides of the fore-and-aft centerline so that extension of one of the cylinders pivots the crop-gathering unit about the pivot axis on the opposite side of the fore-and-aft centerline, and a second pair of hydraulic cylinders hydraulically connected to the first pair and operatively connected between the main body and the wheel mounting means to be compressed by movement of the wheel mounting means relative to the main body.

Claim 19

A combine comprising: a main separator body; a wheel mounting arm pivotally connected to each side of the main body and extending generally forwardly therefrom; a main wheel mounted at the free end of each mounting arm; a pAir of leveling cylinders connected between the main body and wheel mounting arms to raise and lower the wheels relative to the main body in response to movement of the main body from a generally vertical attitude to maintain the main body in a generally vertical attitude; a forwardly extending feeder house attached to the forward end of the main body; means mounting a crop-gathering unit on the forward end of the feeder house for pivotal movement about either one of a pair of fore-and-aft extending axes positioned adjacent opposite sides of the feeder house; a pair of tilting cylinders connected between the feeder house and the crop-gathering unit so that extension of one of the tilting cylinders moves the crop-gathering unit about one of the pair of axes and extension of the other tilting cylinder moves the crop-gathering unit about the other of the pair of axes; a pair of control cylinders connected to opposite sides of the main body; fluid line means connecting each of the control cylinders to one of the tilting cylinders to extend the tilting cylinder upon retraction of the control cylinder; and means on each of the wheel mounting arms engageable with the free end of its respective control cylinder to compress the same upon movement of the wheel mounting arm in one direction to thereby tilt the crop-gathering unit with respect to the feeder house.

Claim 20

A combine comprising: a main separator body; a wheel mounting arm pivotally connected to each side of the main body and extending generally forwardly therefrom; a main wheel mounted at the free end of each mounting arm; a pAir of leveling cylinders connected between the main body and wheel mounting arms to raise and lower the wheels relative to the main body in response to movement of the main body from a generally vertical attitude to maintain the main body in a generally vertical attitude; a forwardly extending feeder house attached to the forward end of the main body; means mounting a crop-gathering unit on the forward end of the feeder house for pivotal movement about either one of a pair of fore-and-aft extending axes positioned adjacent opposite sides of the feeder house; a pair of tilting cylinders connected between the feeder house and the crop-gathering unit so that extension of one of the tilting cylinders moves the crop-gathering unit about one of the pair of axes and extension of the other tilting cylinder moves the crop-gathering unit about the other of the pair of axes; a pair of control cylinders connected to opposite sides of the main body; fluid line means connecting each of the control cylinders to one of the tilting cylinders to extend the tilting cylinder upon retraction of the control cylinder; and means on each of the wheel mounting arms engageable with the free end of its respective control cylinder to compress the same upon movement of the wheel mounting arm in one direction to thereby tilt the crop-gathering unit with respect to the feeder house.

Claim 21

A combine as set forth in claim 15 wherein each of the control cylinders has a one-way connection with its respective wheel mounting arm and is effective through only one-half the total movement of its respective wheel mounting arm.

Claim 22

A combine as set forth in claim 16 wherein each of the wheel mounting arms has a generally rearwardly projecting bracket means provided with upwardly open pocket means which receive the free end of the respective control cylinder.

Claim 23

A combine as set forth in claim 17 wherein each of the cylinders has rod and anchor ends, the first-mentioned fluid line means interconnect the anchor end of each control cylinder with the anchor end of the tilting cylinder on the opposite side of a fore-and-aft centerline through the main body, feeder house and crop-gathering unit, further fluid line means interconnect the rod end of each leveling cylinder with the rod end of the tilting cylinder on the opposite side of the fore-and-aft centerline, another fluid line means interconnects the anchor ends of the leveling cylinders, and additional fluid lines connected to the rod ends of the leveling cylinders are adapted to be alternately connected to a source of fluid pressure and a fluid reservoir whereby as one of the wheels is raised above its midposition with respect to the main body the tilting cylinder on the opposite side of the fore-and-aft centerline is hydraulically locked in its retracted position and the tilting cylinder on the same side of the fore-and-aft centerline is extended to tilt the crop-gathering unit about the axis on the opposite side of the fore-and-aft centerline.

Claim 24

A combine as set forth in claim 18 wherein each of the leveling and tilting cylinders is provided with a fluid bypass passage means at each end to afford the flow of fluid through any one of the leveling and tilting cylinders when they are fully extended or retracted.