US3786891A — Engine enclosure for a harvesting machine

Claim 1

Independent Claim 138 words

In a self-propelled harvesting machine having a main frame, a forward, elevated operator''s station mounted on the main frame at one side of the machine, and a forward internal combustion engine mounted on the main frame at the other side of the machine laterally adjacent to the operator''s station and having associated cooling radiator means, the improvement comprising: engine enclosure means substantially enclosing the engine and the radiator means and including an air inlet means adjacent the operator''s station and an air outlet means at said other side of the machine and spaced from the operator''s station; and blower means operatively associated with the engine enclosure means for sequentially moving air through the air inlet means, the radiator means and the air outlet means, directing the air discharged from the air outlet means away from the operator''s station.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 138 words

In a self-propelled harvesting machine having a main frame, a forward, elevated operator''s station mounted on the main frame at one side of the machine, and a forward internal combustion engine mounted on the main frame at the other side of the machine laterally adjacent to the operator''s station and having associated cooling radiator means, the improvement comprising: engine enclosure means substantially enclosing the engine and the radiator means and including an air inlet means adjacent the operator''s station and an air outlet means at said other side of the machine and spaced from the operator''s station; and blower means operatively associated with the engine enclosure means for sequentially moving air through the air inlet means, the radiator means and the air outlet means, directing the air discharged from the air outlet means away from the operator''s station.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 48 words

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the engine enclosure means includes inner and outer opposite, generally upright, fore-and-aft side walls, respectively disposed between the engine and the operator''s station and at the side of the machine, the air outlet means being disposed in the outer side wall.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 60 words

The invention defined in claim 2 wherein the radiator means is disposed inwardly adjacent to and opposite the air outlet means and the blower means is disposed adjacent to the radiator means within the enclosure and is operative to draw air through the air inlet means, move it through the radiator means and blow it through the air outlet means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 27 words

The invention defined in claim 3 wherein the blower means comprises an axially transverse, radially bladed fan disposed between the radiator means and the air outlet means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 27 words

The invention defined in claim 1 and including filter means operatively associated with the air inlet means for filtering the air drawn through the air inlet means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 70 words

The invention defined in claim 5 wherein the filter means includes at least one screen element and the engine enclosure means includes vane means over the air inlet means for directing a portion of the air moving through the air inlet means along and generally adjacently parallel to the inlet side of the screen element to blow material filtered from the air by the screen element off the screen element.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 43 words

The invention defined in claim 6 and including passage means within the engine enclosure means for conveying said portion of air directed along the screen element and the filtered material carried thereby to the exterior of the engine enclosure means, bypassing the radiator.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 126 words

The invention defined in claim 6 wherein the engine enclosure means includes inner and outer, generally upright, fore-and-aft side walls respectively disposed between the engine and the operator''s station and at the side of the machine opposite the operator''s station, a transverse front wall extending between the side walls forwardly of the engine and a generally horizontal top extending between the side walls above the engine and extending rearwardly from the upper edge of the front wall, the air outlet means being disposed in the outer side wall, and the air inlet means being disposed in the top and front wall, the filter means including a top horizontal screen element inwardly adjacent to the top and a front screen element inwardly adjacent to the front wall.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 52 words

The invention defined in claim 8 wherein the vane means includes two sets of parallel louvers respectively in the top and front wall, respectively adjacent and opposite the top and front screen elemeNts, and operative to direct a portion of the air flowing therethrough along the outer surface of the screen elements.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 59 words

The invention defined in claim 9 wherein the set of louvers in the enclosure top has elongated generally fore-and-aft openings between adjacent louvers and the set of louvers in the front wall has elongated, generally upright openings between adjacent louvers, both sets of louvers being operative to deflect air moving through said openings laterally toward the air outlet means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 83 words

The invention defined in claim 10 wherein the air outlet means in the outer wall comprises a generally circular opening in said wall and the blower means comprises an axially transverse, radially bladed fan coaxially mounted in the circular opening and operative to draw air through said openings between the louvers, through said screen elements and through the radiator and also to draw a portion of the air deflected by the louvers along the exterior side of the screen elements bypassing the radiator.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 68 words

The invention defined in claim 2 wherein the engine enclosure means includes a generally horizontal top and at least a portion of the air inlet means is located in the top, and including a generally horizontal sound-suppressing baffle element mounted on and spaced above the top in overlying relationship with air inlet means therein and operative to decrease the noise level from the engine at the operator''s station.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 54 words

The invention defined in claim 2 wherein the operator''s station includes a seat and the inner side wall of the enclosure means includes a control console between the enclosure means and the seat, the engine being disposed in axially transverse alignment and having a transverse output shaft extending transversely through the inner side wall.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 179 words

In a self-propelled vehicle having a mobile main frame, and an internal combustion engine mounted on the main frame, the improvement comprising: an enclosure means substantially enclosing the engine; heat exchanger means mounted on the main frame within the enclosure means and operative to transmit engine heat to air passing therethrough; air inlet means and air outlet means in the engine enclosure means; fan means disposed within the enclosure means and operative to draw air through the air inlet means, and discharge it through the air outlet means, a first portion of the said air being directed through the heat exchanger means; filter means at the air inlet means for filtering the first portion of the air; and vane means operatively mounted on the enclosure means over the air inlet means to direct a second portion of the air moving through the air inlet means along the exterior side of the filter means to carry away foreign material removed from the first portion of air by the filter means, said second portion of air bypassing the heat exchanger means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 179 words

In a self-propelled vehicle having a mobile main frame, and an internal combustion engine mounted on the main frame, the improvement comprising: an enclosure means substantially enclosing the engine; heat exchanger means mounted on the main frame within the enclosure means and operative to transmit engine heat to air passing therethrough; air inlet means and air outlet means in the engine enclosure means; fan means disposed within the enclosure means and operative to draw air through the air inlet means, and discharge it through the air outlet means, a first portion of the said air being directed through the heat exchanger means; filter means at the air inlet means for filtering the first portion of the air; and vane means operatively mounted on the enclosure means over the air inlet means to direct a second portion of the air moving through the air inlet means along the exterior side of the filter means to carry away foreign material removed from the first portion of air by the filter means, said second portion of air bypassing the heat exchanger means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 70 words

The invention defined in claim 14 wherein the filter means includes at least one relatively flat screen element mounted in the air inlet means and the vane means includes a bank of louvers mounted in the air inlet means generally parallel and adjacent to the intake side of the screen element, the louvers deflecting the second portion of the air moving therethrough along the intake side of the screen element.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 71 words

The invention defined in claim 15 wherein the heat exchange means is disposed proximate to and opposite the air outlet means and the fan means comprises a radially bladed fan disposed in the air outlet means and operative to draw said first portion of air through the heat exchange means and said second portion of air along the screen element and to discharge said air portion through the air outlet means.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 43 words

The invention defined in claim 16 wherein the engine enclosure includes opposite side walls and a top and the air outlet means is disposed in one of said side walls and the air inlet means is at least partially disposed in the top.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 28 words

The invention defined in claim 17 wherein the air inlet means is also disposed in a side waLl adjacent to the side wall having the air outlet means.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 135 words

In a self-propelled agricultural vehicle having a mobile main frame and an internal combustion engine, the improvement comprising: an engine enclosure means mounted on the main frame around the engine and including first and second adjacent generally vertical walls and a top wall; an air outlet means disposed in the first vertical wall; an air inlet means disposed in at least one of said other walls; an upright radiator mounted in the enclosure means opposite the air outlet means and between the air outlet means and the engine and operatively connected to the engine for dissipating engine heat to air passing therethrough; and a fan means disposed in the air outlet means and operative to draw air through the air inlet means and the radiator and to discharge the air through the air outlet means.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 135 words

In a self-propelled agricultural vehicle having a mobile main frame and an internal combustion engine, the improvement comprising: an engine enclosure means mounted on the main frame around the engine and including first and second adjacent generally vertical walls and a top wall; an air outlet means disposed in the first vertical wall; an air inlet means disposed in at least one of said other walls; an upright radiator mounted in the enclosure means opposite the air outlet means and between the air outlet means and the engine and operatively connected to the engine for dissipating engine heat to air passing therethrough; and a fan means disposed in the air outlet means and operative to draw air through the air inlet means and the radiator and to discharge the air through the air outlet means.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 70 words

The invention defined in claim 19 and including air filter means between the air inlet means and the radiator for filtering the air drawn through the radiator, and vane means adjacent the inlet side of the filter means for directing a portion of the air drawn through the air inlet means along the inlet side of the filter means and toward the fan means bypassing the filter means and radiator.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 144 words

In a self-propelled harvesting machine having a main frame, a forward, elevated operator''s station mounted on the main frame at one side of the machine, and a forward internal combustion engine mounted on the main frame at the other side of the machine laterally adjacent to the operator''s station and having associated cooling radiator means, the improvement comprising: an engine enclosure means substantially enclosing the engine and the radiator means and including an air inlet means adjacent to the operator''s station and an air outlet means; fan means within the engine enclosure for pulling air through the air inlet means and discharging it through the air outlet means, at least a portion of said air moving past the engine and through the radiator means; and air filter means operatively associated with the air inlet means for filtering the air moving through the radiator means.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 144 words

In a self-propelled harvesting machine having a main frame, a forward, elevated operator''s station mounted on the main frame at one side of the machine, and a forward internal combustion engine mounted on the main frame at the other side of the machine laterally adjacent to the operator''s station and having associated cooling radiator means, the improvement comprising: an engine enclosure means substantially enclosing the engine and the radiator means and including an air inlet means adjacent to the operator''s station and an air outlet means; fan means within the engine enclosure for pulling air through the air inlet means and discharging it through the air outlet means, at least a portion of said air moving past the engine and through the radiator means; and air filter means operatively associated with the air inlet means for filtering the air moving through the radiator means.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 39 words

The invention as defined in claim 21 wherein the engine enclosure includes a top wall and a front wall and the air inlet means is located in at least one of said walls, laterally adjacent to the operator''s station.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 34 words

The invention defined in claim 21 wherein the air outlet means is spaced from the operator''s station so that the air discharged through the air outlet means is directed away from the operator''s station.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-01-21	1977-07-23	1978-01-22	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-01-21	1981-07-23	1982-01-22	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-01-21	1985-07-23	1986-01-22	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Engine enclosure for a harvesting machine

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag