Crop harvesting machine

Claim 2

A crop harvesting machine comprising: a longitudinal frame portion adapted at its forward end for attachment to a draft vehicle; a transverse frame portion rigidly fixed at one end to the rearward end of said longitudinal frame portion; a pair of transversely spaced upright frame members rigidly fixed at their lower ends to said transverse frame portion; a pair of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced wheel arm means pivotally connected at their forward ends to said transverse frame portion for vertical swinging movement, each of said wheel arm means having a ground-engaging wheel rotatably supported on its rearward end; extensible and retractable means interconnecting said upright frame members and said wheel arm means for vertically swinging the latter and thereby raising and lowering the frame portions relative to the ground; a header subframe carrying harvesting elements thereon, said header being disposed generally above and forwardly of said transverse frame portion and including a portion extending rearwardly between said upright frame members; lower, longitudinally extending link means interconnecting said wheel arm means and a lower portion of said header; upper, longitudinally extending link means interconnecting the upper end portions of said upright frame members and an upper portion of said header; and resilient means acting between said transverse frame portion and said header for urging the latter upwardly relative to the former.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises spring means interconnecting said upper link means and said header.

Claim 4

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises spring means interconnecting the upper end portions of said upright frame members and said header.

Claim 5

The invention defined in claim 1 including stop means on said header engageable with one of said link means to limit the relative movement between said one link means and said header as the wheel arm means are swung downwardly to raise the frame portions relative to the ground.

Claim 6

The invention defined in claim 4 wherein said stop means are engageable with said lower link means to limit the upward movement of the header relative to the lower link means as the wheel arm means are swung downwardly.

Claim 7

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said lower link means extend beneath the transverse frame portion.

Claim 8

The invention defined in claim 6 wherein the upper side of said lower link means is engageable with the lower side of said transverse frame portion to limit the upward movement of said header relative to said transverse frame portion.

Claim 9

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the lower side of said header is engageable with the upper side of said transverse frame portion to limit the downward movement of said header relative to said transverse frame portion.

Claim 10

The invention defined in claim 1 including an upper and lower pair of cooperating, crop conditioning rolls mounted on said header, one of said rolls being mounted on said header for movement toward and away from the other of said rolls, and whereIn said resilient means acts between said transverse frame portion and said one conditioning roll to simultaneously urge the header upwardly relative to the transverse frame portion and urge said one conditioning roll toward said other conditioning roll.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 9 including arm means mounting the upper of said crop conditioning rolls on said header for vertical swinging movement toward and away from the lower of said rolls, bell crank means mounted on said header, and link means interconnecting one arm of said bell crank means with said upper roll mounting arm means; and wherein said resilient means acts between the other arm of said bell crank means and said transverse frame portion.

Claim 12

The invention defined in claim 10 wherein said resilient means comprises spring means interconnecting the other arm of said bell crank means and said upper link means.

Claim 13

The invention defined in claim 10 wherein said resilient means comprises spring means interconnecting the other arm of said bell crank means and the upper end portions of said upright frame members.

Claim 14

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said ground-engaging wheels are disposed inwardly of said upright frame members and beneath the portion of said header extending rearwardly between said upright frame members.

Claim 15

A pull-type crop harvesting machine comprising: a longitudinal frame portion adapted at its forward end for attachment to a draft vehicle; a transverse frame portion rigidly fixed at its left end to the rearward end of said longitudinal frame portion; right and left, transversely spaced upright frame members rigidly fixed at their lower ends to the respective end portions of the transverse frame portion; right and left, transversely spaced wheel arms pivotally connected to the transverse frame portion adjacent to the lower ends of the respective upright frame members, each of said wheel arms extending rearwardly from its pivotal connection with the transverse frame portion and having a ground-engaging wheel rotatably supported on its rearward end; right and left, extensible and retractable means interconnecting the respective upright frame member and wheel arm to vertically swing the latter and thereby raise and lower the frame portions relative to the ground; a header subframe carrying harvesting elements thereon, said header being disposed generally above and forwardly of said transverse frame portion and including a portion extending rearwardly between said upright frame members; right and left, longitudinally extending lower links pivotally connected at their rearward ends to intermediate portions of the respective wheel arms, said lower links extending forwardly therefrom beneath said transverse frame portion and being pivotally connected at their forward ends to lower portions of said header; right and left, longitudinally extending upper links pivotally connected at their rearward ends to the upper ends of the respective upright frame members and at their forward ends to upper portions of said header; and right and left, vertically extending spring means connected at their upper ends to the upper ends of the respective upright frame members and at their lower ends to the header.

Claim 16

A pull-type crop harvesting machine comprising: a longitudinal frame portion adapted at its forward end for attachment to a draft vehicle; a transverse frame portion rigidly fixed at its left end to the rearward end of said longitudinal frame portion; right and left, transversely spaced upright frame members rigidly fixed at their lower ends to the respective end portions of the transverse frame portion; right and left, transversely spaced wheel arms pivotally connected to the transverse frame portion adjacent to the lower ends of the respective upright frame members, each of said wheel arms extending rearwardly from its pivotal connection with the transverse frame portion and having a ground-engaging wheel rotatably supported on its rearward end; right and left, extensible and retractable means interconnecting the respective upright frame member and wheel arm to vertically swing the latter and thereby raise and lower the frame portions relative to the ground; a header subframe carrying harvesting elements thereon, said header being disposed generally above and forwardly of said transverse frame portion and including a portion extending rearwardly between said upright frame members; right and left, longitudinally extending lower links pivotally connected at their rearward ends to intermediate portions of the respective wheel arms, said lower links extending forwardly therefrom beneath said transverse frame portion and being pivotally connected at their forward ends to lower portions of said header; right and left, longitudinally extending upper links pivotally connected at their rearward ends to the upper ends of the respective upright frame members and at their forward ends to upper portions of said header; and right and left, vertically extending spring means connected at their upper ends to the upper ends of the respective upright frame members and at their lower ends to the header.

Claim 17

The invention defined in claim 14 wherein said ground-engaging wheels are disposed inwardly from said upright frame members and said spring means are disposed outwardly from said upright frame members.

Claim 18

The invention defined in claim 14 wherein said upright frame members are formed of rearwardly opening, U-shaped channels, and wherein said extensible and retractable means comprise hydraulic cylinders disposed between the walls of said channels.

Claim 19

A pull-type crop harvesting machine comprising: a longitudinal frame portion adapted at its forward end for attachment to a draft vehicle; a transverse frame portion rigidly fixed at its left end to the rearward end of said longitudinal frame portion; right and left, transversely spaced upright frame members rigidly fixed at theIr lower ends to the respective end portions of the transverse frame portion; right and left, transversely spaced wheel arms pivotally connected to the transverse frame portion adjacent to the lower ends of the respective upright frame members, each of said wheel arms extending rearwardly from its pivotal connection with the transverse frame portion and having a ground-engaging wheel rotatably supported on its rearward end; right and left, extensible and retractable means interconnecting the respective upright frame member and wheel arm to vertically swing the latter and thereby raise and lower the frame portions relative to the ground; a header subframe carrying harvesting elements thereon, said header being disposed generally above and forwardly of said transverse frame portion and including a portion extending rearwardly between said upright frame members; right and left, longitudinally extending lower links pivotally connected at their rearward ends to intermediate portions of the respective wheel arms, said lower links extending forwardly therefrom beneath said transverse frame portion and being pivotally connected at their forward ends to lower portions of said header; right and left, longitudinally extending upper links pivotally connected at their rearward ends to the upper ends of the respective upright frame members and at their forward ends to upper portions of said header; and right and left, vertically extending spring means connected at their upper ends to intermediate portions of the respective upper links and at their lower ends to the header.

Claim 20

A pull-type crop harvesting machine comprising: a longitudinal frame portion adapted at its forward end for attachment to a draft vehicle; a transverse frame portion rigidly fixed at its left end to the rearward end of said longitudinal frame portion; right and left, transversely spaced upright frame members rigidly fixed at theIr lower ends to the respective end portions of the transverse frame portion; right and left, transversely spaced wheel arms pivotally connected to the transverse frame portion adjacent to the lower ends of the respective upright frame members, each of said wheel arms extending rearwardly from its pivotal connection with the transverse frame portion and having a ground-engaging wheel rotatably supported on its rearward end; right and left, extensible and retractable means interconnecting the respective upright frame member and wheel arm to vertically swing the latter and thereby raise and lower the frame portions relative to the ground; a header subframe carrying harvesting elements thereon, said header being disposed generally above and forwardly of said transverse frame portion and including a portion extending rearwardly between said upright frame members; right and left, longitudinally extending lower links pivotally connected at their rearward ends to intermediate portions of the respective wheel arms, said lower links extending forwardly therefrom beneath said transverse frame portion and being pivotally connected at their forward ends to lower portions of said header; right and left, longitudinally extending upper links pivotally connected at their rearward ends to the upper ends of the respective upright frame members and at their forward ends to upper portions of said header; and right and left, vertically extending spring means connected at their upper ends to intermediate portions of the respective upper links and at their lower ends to the header.

Claim 21

A harvesting machine comprising: a mobile main frame including a transverse portion; a transversely elongated header carrying crop harvesting elements and disposed generally forwardly of the transverse main frame portion; a pair of upper link means pivotally connected at their rearward ends to the transverse portion of the main frame and at their forward ends to the header; a pair of lower link means; first transverse pivot means connecting the forward ends of the lower links to the header; means pivotally connecting the rearward ends of the lower links to the main frame, and including second transverse pivot means; means pivotally connecting the rearward ends of the lower links to the main frame, and including second transverse pivot means; hydraulic cylinder means having one end operatively connected to the main frame; connecting means operatively connecting the other end of the cylinder means to the header so that actuation of the cylinder raises and lowers the header relative to the main frame; and stop means operatively associated with the lower link means for limiting the swinging of the lower link means about the first pivot means after a predetermined amount of upward movement of the header relative to the main frame.

Claim 22

A harvesting machine comprising: a mobile main frame including a transverse portion; a transversely elongated header carrying crop harvesting elements and disposed generally forwardly of the transverse main frame portion; a pair of upper link means pivotally connected at their rearward ends to the transverse portion of the main frame and at their forward ends to the header; a pair of lower link means; first transverse pivot means connecting the forward ends of the lower links to the header; means pivotally connecting the rearward ends of the lower links to the main frame, and including second transverse pivot means; means pivotally connecting the rearward ends of the lower links to the main frame, and including second transverse pivot means; hydraulic cylinder means having one end operatively connected to the main frame; connecting means operatively connecting the other end of the cylinder means to the header so that actuation of the cylinder raises and lowers the header relative to the main frame; and stop means operatively associated with the lower link means for limiting the swinging of the lower link means about the first pivot means after a predetermined amount of upward movement of the header relative to the main frame.

Claim 23

The invention defined in claim 18 wherein the connecting means connecting the cylinder means to the header includes said lower link means.

Claim 24

The invention defined in claim 18 wherein the means connecting the rearward ends of the lower links to the main frame includes a pair of rearwardly extending wheel arms pivotally connected to the transverse portion of the main frame adjacent their forward ends for swinging in a vertical arc relative to the main frame and having ground-engaging wheels adjacent their rearward ends, the second transverse pivot means connecting the lower links to the wheel arms.

Claim 25

The invention defined in claim 20 wherein the connecting means connecting the hydraulic cylinder means to the header includes said wheel arms and said lower links, so that extension of the cylinder means swings the wheel arms downwardly relative to the main frame to raise the latter, the downward movement of the wheel arms causing the lower links to swing about said first pivot means until the lower link engages the stop means, additional extension of the cylinder means raising the header about the wheel arm pivot connections to the main frame.