US3886718A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic header height control system for combines and the like
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-05-17
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Granted: 1975-06-03
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Expires: 1994-05-17
Abstract
Abstract A control system for agricultural machines, such as a combine with a floating cutter bar attached, employs a set of independently operable sensors which are spaced along the grain table or header and responsive to the distance between the cutter bar at spaced points therealong and the header thereabove. An electrical and electronic control circuit in conjunction with the sensors raises the header in the event any sensor detects a distance between the cutter bar and the header less than a predetermined minimum, or lowers the header in the event all of the sensors detect distances between the two greater than a predetermined maximum.
Inventors
- 👤 John M Talbot
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 14:34
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D41/00; A01D41/12; A01D41/14; A01D41/141
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
352 words
In an agricultural machine including a main body having means for transporting the body over agricultural terrain and an adjustable portion movable with respect to the main body for raising and lowering movements relative to the terrain independently of movement of the main body along the terrain, the adjustable portion including working means for operation closely above the terrain and disposed extensively along a direction transversely of that of the travel of the machine along the terrain, the working means depending from and being floatably connected to the adjustable portion for raising and lowering movements relative thereto between predetermined limits independently of said movements of the adjustable portion and the main body, and power means for effecting said movements of the adjustable portion, the power means having electrically activated control means for operating the same, the improvement comprising: a plurality of sensing means carried by one of the adjustable portion and the working means and spaced from each other along said transverse direction, the sensing means being responsive to the distance of the working means from the adjustable portion at selected points along said transverse direction and operable independently of each other, and an electrical and electronic control circuit electrically interconnecting each sensing means and the power control means for automatically activating the latter in response to signals provided by the sensing means, the sensing means having a first set of positions providing a first set of signals for activating the power control means to effect said raising movement of the adjustable portion in the event the distance of the working means at one of said selected points therealong is less than a predetermined minimum from the adjustable portion as the machine travels along the terrain, the sensing means having a second set of positions providing a second set of signals for activating the power control means to effect said lowering movement of the adjustable portion in the event the distance of the working means at all of a plurality of said selected points therealong is greater than a predetermined maximum from the adjustable portion as the machine travels along the terrain.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
352 words
In an agricultural machine including a main body having means for transporting the body over agricultural terrain and an adjustable portion movable with respect to the main body for raising and lowering movements relative to the terrain independently of movement of the main body along the terrain, the adjustable portion including working means for operation closely above the terrain and disposed extensively along a direction transversely of that of the travel of the machine along the terrain, the working means depending from and being floatably connected to the adjustable portion for raising and lowering movements relative thereto between predetermined limits independently of said movements of the adjustable portion and the main body, and power means for effecting said movements of the adjustable portion, the power means having electrically activated control means for operating the same, the improvement comprising: a plurality of sensing means carried by one of the adjustable portion and the working means and spaced from each other along said transverse direction, the sensing means being responsive to the distance of the working means from the adjustable portion at selected points along said transverse direction and operable independently of each other, and an electrical and electronic control circuit electrically interconnecting each sensing means and the power control means for automatically activating the latter in response to signals provided by the sensing means, the sensing means having a first set of positions providing a first set of signals for activating the power control means to effect said raising movement of the adjustable portion in the event the distance of the working means at one of said selected points therealong is less than a predetermined minimum from the adjustable portion as the machine travels along the terrain, the sensing means having a second set of positions providing a second set of signals for activating the power control means to effect said lowering movement of the adjustable portion in the event the distance of the working means at all of a plurality of said selected points therealong is greater than a predetermined maximum from the adjustable portion as the machine travels along the terrain.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
352 words
In an agricultural machine including a main body having means for transporting the body over agricultural terrain and an adjustable portion movable with respect to the main body for raising and lowering movements relative to the terrain independently of movement of the main body along the terrain, the adjustable portion including working means for operation closely above the terrain and disposed extensively along a direction transversely of that of the travel of the machine along the terrain, the working means depending from and being floatably connected to the adjustable portion for raising and lowering movements relative thereto between predetermined limits independently of said movements of the adjustable portion and the main body, and power means for effecting said movements of the adjustable portion, the power means having electrically activated control means for operating the same, the improvement comprising: a plurality of sensing means carried by one of the adjustable portion and the working means and spaced from each other along said transverse direction, the sensing means being responsive to the distance of the working means from the adjustable portion at selected points along said transverse direction and operable independently of each other, and an electrical and electronic control circuit electrically interconnecting each sensing means and the power control means for automatically activating the latter in response to signals provided by the sensing means, the sensing means having a first set of positions providing a first set of signals for activating the power control means to effect said raising movement of the adjustable portion in the event the distance of the working means at one of said selected points therealong is less than a predetermined minimum from the adjustable portion as the machine travels along the terrain, the sensing means having a second set of positions providing a second set of signals for activating the power control means to effect said lowering movement of the adjustable portion in the event the distance of the working means at all of a plurality of said selected points therealong is greater than a predetermined maximum from the adjustable portion as the machine travels along the terrain.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
352 words
In an agricultural machine including a main body having means for transporting the body over agricultural terrain and an adjustable portion movable with respect to the main body for raising and lowering movements relative to the terrain independently of movement of the main body along the terrain, the adjustable portion including working means for operation closely above the terrain and disposed extensively along a direction transversely of that of the travel of the machine along the terrain, the working means depending from and being floatably connected to the adjustable portion for raising and lowering movements relative thereto between predetermined limits independently of said movements of the adjustable portion and the main body, and power means for effecting said movements of the adjustable portion, the power means having electrically activated control means for operating the same, the improvement comprising: a plurality of sensing means carried by one of the adjustable portion and the working means and spaced from each other along said transverse direction, the sensing means being responsive to the distance of the working means from the adjustable portion at selected points along said transverse direction and operable independently of each other, and an electrical and electronic control circuit electrically interconnecting each sensing means and the power control means for automatically activating the latter in response to signals provided by the sensing means, the sensing means having a first set of positions providing a first set of signals for activating the power control means to effect said raising movement of the adjustable portion in the event the distance of the working means at one of said selected points therealong is less than a predetermined minimum from the adjustable portion as the machine travels along the terrain, the sensing means having a second set of positions providing a second set of signals for activating the power control means to effect said lowering movement of the adjustable portion in the event the distance of the working means at all of a plurality of said selected points therealong is greater than a predetermined maximum from the adjustable portion as the machine travels along the terrain.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein the sensing means have a third set of positions intermediate the first and second sets of positions corresponding to the difference between said minimum and maximum predetermined distances and providing a null set of signals whereby the power control means are not activated by the sensing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
86 words
The combination of claim 2 wherein the electrical and electronic control circuit includes a plurality of first circuit making means interconnecting respective ones of the sensing means and the power control means in circuit parallel relation to allow said first set of signals to activate the power control means, and a plurality of second circuit makIng means interconnecting respective ones of the sensing means and the power control means in circuit series relation to allow said second set of signals to activate the power control means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
The combination of claim 3 wherein the sensing means include a plurality of circuit making members having first positions providing said first set of signals, second positions providing said second set of signals, and third positions intermediate the first and second positions providing said null set of signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination of claim 4 wherein each of the sensing means includes one of the circuit making members having said first, second and third positions, each sensing means comprising a single pole, double throw switch.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The combination of claim 3 including switch means for optionally barring the second set of positions of the sensing means from activating the power control means while allowing the first set of positions of the sensing means to activate the power control means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
158 words
The combination of claim 4 wherein the first and second circuit making means respectively include first and second sets of solid state devices associated with the circuit making members, each of the devices having a base, an emitter and a collector, the emitters and collectors of the first set of devices being connected in circuit parallel relation to each other and in circuit series relation between an electric power source and the power control means, the respective bases of said set of devices being connected in circuit series relation with the first positions of respective ones of the circuit making members, the emitters and collectors of the second set of devices being connected in circuit series relation to each other and between an electric power source and the power control means, the respective bases of the second set of devices being connected in circuit series relation with the second positions of respective ones of the circuit making members.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination of claim 7 including amplifier means interposed in circuit series relation between the output of each of said sets of devices and the power control means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
67 words
The combination of claim 4 wherein the sensing means are fixed to the adjustable portion, each of the sensing means having an extending arm in operative engagement with the working means and including one of said circuit making members operatively associated with the arm providing said first, second and third positions thereof responsive to raising and lowering movements of the working means relative to the adjustable portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The combination of claim 9 wherein the working means is flexible in a vertical plane relative to the terrain.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
348 words
For use with an agricultural machine including a main body having means for transporting the body over agricultural terrain and an adjustable portion movable with respect to the main body for raising and lowering movements relative to the terrain independently of movement of the main body along the terrain, the adjustable portion including working means for operation above the terrain and disposed along a direction transversely of that of travel of the machine along the terrain, and power means for effecting said movements of the adjustable portion, the power means having electrically activated control means for operating the same, a control system for automatically effecting said movements of the adjustable portion when the distance between the adjustable portion and one of the working means and the terrain becomes respectively less than a predetermined minimum or greater than a predetermined maximum as the machine moves along the terrain, the system comprising: a plurality of self contained individual sensing means adapted to be fixed relative to the adjustable portion at spaced locations along said transverse direction, each of the sensing means being adapted to be responsive to said distance at a selected point along said transverse direction and operative independently of each of the other of the sensing meaNs, and a self contained electrical and electronic control circuit electrically interconnectable directly to each sensing means and the power control means for automatically activating the latter in response to signals provided by the sensing means, the sensing means having a first set of positions effective to provide a first set of signals to the control circuit when said distance at one of said selected points is less than said minimum, the sensing means having a second set of positions effective to provide a second set of signals to the control circuit when said distance at all of said selected points is greater than said maximum, the sensing means having a third set of positions intermediate the first and second sets effective to provide a null set of signals to the control circuit when said distance is between said minimum and maximum.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
348 words
For use with an agricultural machine including a main body having means for transporting the body over agricultural terrain and an adjustable portion movable with respect to the main body for raising and lowering movements relative to the terrain independently of movement of the main body along the terrain, the adjustable portion including working means for operation above the terrain and disposed along a direction transversely of that of travel of the machine along the terrain, and power means for effecting said movements of the adjustable portion, the power means having electrically activated control means for operating the same, a control system for automatically effecting said movements of the adjustable portion when the distance between the adjustable portion and one of the working means and the terrain becomes respectively less than a predetermined minimum or greater than a predetermined maximum as the machine moves along the terrain, the system comprising: a plurality of self contained individual sensing means adapted to be fixed relative to the adjustable portion at spaced locations along said transverse direction, each of the sensing means being adapted to be responsive to said distance at a selected point along said transverse direction and operative independently of each of the other of the sensing meaNs, and a self contained electrical and electronic control circuit electrically interconnectable directly to each sensing means and the power control means for automatically activating the latter in response to signals provided by the sensing means, the sensing means having a first set of positions effective to provide a first set of signals to the control circuit when said distance at one of said selected points is less than said minimum, the sensing means having a second set of positions effective to provide a second set of signals to the control circuit when said distance at all of said selected points is greater than said maximum, the sensing means having a third set of positions intermediate the first and second sets effective to provide a null set of signals to the control circuit when said distance is between said minimum and maximum.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
69 words
The system of claim 11 wherein the electrical and electronic control circuit includes a plurality of circuit making means connectable as aforesaid with respective ones of the sensing means in circuit parallel relation to receive said first set of signals, and a plurality of second circuit making means connectable as aforesaid with respective ones of the sensing means in circuit series relation to receive said second set of signals.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
65 words
The system of claim 12 wherein each sensing means includes a circuit making member having first, second and third positions, the first positions of the circuit making members being effective to provide the first set of signals and the second positions the second set of signals, the third positions being intermediate the first and second positions and effective to provide the third set of signals.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
155 words
The system of claim 13 wherein the first and second circuit making means respectively include first and second sets of solid state devices connectable as aforesaid with the circuit making members, each of the devices having a base, an emitter and a collector, the emitters and collectors of the first set of devices being connected in circuit parallel relation to each other and in series with means for amplifying the output of said set, the respective bases of said set being connectable as aforesaid in circuit series relation with the first positions of respective ones of the circuit making members, the emitters and collectors of the second set of devices being connected in circuit series relation to each other and with means for amplifying the output of said set, the respective bases of said set being connectable as aforesaid in circuit series relation with the second positions of respective ones of the circuit making members.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-06-02 | 1978-12-02 | 1979-06-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-02 | 1982-12-02 | 1983-06-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-02 | 1986-12-02 | 1987-06-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |