US3759021A — Gear drive and support for corn harvesting unit

Claim 1

Independent Claim 161 words

In the combination of a corn harvester and a combine with a power source and having a forwardly directed feeder housing with a forward end detachably connected to the corn harvester, and the corn harvester having a plurality of harvesting units disposed in side-by-side relation across a plurality of transversely spaced rows of corn, and in which each harvesting unit has a pair of rotatably driven harvesting rolls and driven gathering chains, the improvement comprising: a transverse drive shaft supported on the harvester; drive means connecting the harvesting rolls and gathering chains of each of the harvesting units to the drive shaft; an adjustable drive means supported on the feeder housing driven by the main power source and drivingly connected to the drive shaft, the latter means being adjustable whereby the rate of movement of the rolls and chains for all of the units are adjustable in unison and irrespective of the rate of movement of the vehicle over the ground.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 161 words

In the combination of a corn harvester and a combine with a power source and having a forwardly directed feeder housing with a forward end detachably connected to the corn harvester, and the corn harvester having a plurality of harvesting units disposed in side-by-side relation across a plurality of transversely spaced rows of corn, and in which each harvesting unit has a pair of rotatably driven harvesting rolls and driven gathering chains, the improvement comprising: a transverse drive shaft supported on the harvester; drive means connecting the harvesting rolls and gathering chains of each of the harvesting units to the drive shaft; an adjustable drive means supported on the feeder housing driven by the main power source and drivingly connected to the drive shaft, the latter means being adjustable whereby the rate of movement of the rolls and chains for all of the units are adjustable in unison and irrespective of the rate of movement of the vehicle over the ground.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 44 words

The invention as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by slip clutch means being provided in the aforesaid drive means so as to permit stoppage of the harvesting units upon an oveRload being created within the drive means and by the harvesting units.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 42 words

The invention as set forth in claim 1 in which the feeder housing has opposite fore-and-aft extending upright sides and the adjustable drive means includes a belt driven variable speed pulley drive mounted on one of the sides of the feeder house.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 145 words

In combination, a crop-treating unit, a forwardly directed feeder structure extending downwardly from an upper rear end feeding into the crop-treating unit to a lower forward end and including a feeder housing; a harvester forwardly of the feeder housing having a plurality of harvesting units disposed in side-by-side relation across a plurality of transversely spaced rows of corn with each unit having operable parts for harvesting a row of corn; a transverse horizontal drive shaft supported by the harvester and connected to the operable parts for driving the latter; a variable speed belt drive mounted on the feeder housing including a drive and a driven pulley, at least one of which is variable in effective width for adjusting the speed of the driven pulley; and a drive connection between the driven pulley and transverse shaft for varying the speed of the operable parts in unison.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 145 words

In combination, a crop-treating unit, a forwardly directed feeder structure extending downwardly from an upper rear end feeding into the crop-treating unit to a lower forward end and including a feeder housing; a harvester forwardly of the feeder housing having a plurality of harvesting units disposed in side-by-side relation across a plurality of transversely spaced rows of corn with each unit having operable parts for harvesting a row of corn; a transverse horizontal drive shaft supported by the harvester and connected to the operable parts for driving the latter; a variable speed belt drive mounted on the feeder housing including a drive and a driven pulley, at least one of which is variable in effective width for adjusting the speed of the driven pulley; and a drive connection between the driven pulley and transverse shaft for varying the speed of the operable parts in unison.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 22 words

The invention as set forth in claim 4 in which the adjustable pulley may be expanded or narrowed by remote control means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 38 words

The invention as set forth in claim 4 in which the adjustable pulley may be expanded or narrowed by extending or retracting a hydraulic cylinder associated therewith and the remote means includes hydraulic hoses connected to the cylinder.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 170 words

In combination, a crop-treating unit, a forwardly directed feeder structure extending downwardly from an upper rear end feeding into the crop-treating unit to a lower forward end and including a feeder housing; a harvester forwardly of the feeder housing having a plurality of harvesting units disposed in side-by-side relation across a plurality of transversely spaced rows of corn with each unit having operable parts for harvesting a row of corn; a transverse horizontal drive shaft supported by the harvester means connecting the shift to the operable parts of each harvesting unit for driving the latter with each means including a slip clutch for permitting the operable parts of the respective unit to cease operation; a variable speed belt drive mounted on the feeder housing including a drive and a driven pulley, at least one of which is variable in effective width for adjusting the speed of the driven pulley; and a drive connection between the driven pulley and transverse shaft for varying the speed of the operable parts in unison.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 170 words

In combination, a crop-treating unit, a forwardly directed feeder structure extending downwardly from an upper rear end feeding into the crop-treating unit to a lower forward end and including a feeder housing; a harvester forwardly of the feeder housing having a plurality of harvesting units disposed in side-by-side relation across a plurality of transversely spaced rows of corn with each unit having operable parts for harvesting a row of corn; a transverse horizontal drive shaft supported by the harvester means connecting the shift to the operable parts of each harvesting unit for driving the latter with each means including a slip clutch for permitting the operable parts of the respective unit to cease operation; a variable speed belt drive mounted on the feeder housing including a drive and a driven pulley, at least one of which is variable in effective width for adjusting the speed of the driven pulley; and a drive connection between the driven pulley and transverse shaft for varying the speed of the operable parts in unison.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-09-17	1977-03-19	1977-09-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-09-17	1981-03-19	1981-09-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-09-17	1985-03-19	1985-09-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Gear drive and support for corn harvesting unit

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