Corn header with automatic adjustment of stalk rolls

Claim 1

A corn harvester adapted to be mounted at the forward end of a harvesting combine comprising: an elongate gear box mounted with its longitudinal axis generally horizontal and extending transversely to the fore and aft axis of the combine; a U-shaped support frame having its bight portion mounted on said gear box with its leg portions parallel and extending forwardly and having a generally rectangular box-like structure with horizontal top and bottom plate members and vertical inner and outer side plate members with the outer side plate members being approximately flush with the adjacent opposite ends of said gear box; a pair of stalk rolls extending forwardly in between said leg portions with the rear end of each stalk roll pivotally mounted in a bearing carried on the front wall of said gear box so that the front ends of said rolls are swingable toward and away from each other in approximately the same plane; a stripper plate mounted flatwise on the top of each of said leg portions with the rear end of each stripper plate being pivotally mounted so that the front ends thereof are swingable toward and away from each other in approximately the same plane which is above and approximately parallel to said plane in which the front ends of said stalk rolls swing; a trash knife mounted on the underside of each of said leg portions with the rear end thereof being pivotally mounted so that the front ends thereof are swingable toward and away from each other in approximately the same plane which is below and approximately parallel to said plane in which the front ends of said stalk rolls swing; a gathering chain mounted above each of said leg portions and extending substantially the full length thereof; means for supporting the front end of each stalk roll from the adjacent one of said leg portions comprising a generally vertically disposed laterally shiftable support pin, a bearing bracket pivotally mounted on said support pin with a bearing supporting the front end of the adjacent one of said stalk rolls, a transversely reciprocable slide member on the inboard end of which said shiftable support pin is mounted, means supporting and guiding said slide member in its reciprocable movement in an inboard-outboard direction with respect to the adjacent one of said leg portions, and means for biasing said slide member in the inboard direction, and stop means limiting the inboard movement of said slide member; means connecting the front end of each of said stripper plates to the upper end of the adjacent one of said vertical support pins so as to be movable therewith; and, means connecting the front end of each of said trash knife to the lower end of the adjacent one of said vertical support pins so as to be movable therewith.