Pivot tongue harvester with lateral transport

Claim 2

In a harvesting machine having a mobile frame adapted for movement over the ground; harvesting apparatus supported by said frame to harvest crop material; a drawbar having one end pivotally connected to said frame for pivotal movement through an operative range of generally longitudinally extending angular positions relative to said frame and a distal end adapted for connection to a prime mover said range of angular positions being limited by first and second stops mounted on a support plate; and an actuator interconnecting said drawbar and said frame to effect the movement of said drawbar through said operative range, the improvement comprising: said support plate being movable from a first position corresponding to said operative range and a second position in which the corresponding positioning of said stops permits said drawbar to be positioned in a transversely extending direction.

Claim 3

The harvesting machine of claim 1 further comprising locking means for releasably connecting said support plate to said frame for selectively retaining said support plate in said first and second positions.

Claim 4

The harvesting machine of claim 2 wherein said frame is provided with first and second retention holes corresponding, respectively, to said first and second positions, said support plate having an opening extending therethrough and being selectively alignable with said first and second holes in said frame, said locking means having a pin engageable through said opening and one of said holes to lock said support plate in the corresponding position.

Claim 5

The harvesting machine of claim 3 wherein said locking means includes a spring-loaded biasing mechanism to urge said pin toward engagement with said support plate and said frame by extending said pin through said opening and one of said holes.

Claim 6

The harvesting machine of claim 3 wherein said actuator includes a hydraulic cylinder operable to swing said drawbar about the pivotal connection thereof with said frame.

Claim 7

The harvesting machine of claim 3 wherein said harvesting machine is transportable in a transverse direction by utilizing said drawbar when said harvesting machine is loaded on a wheeled carrier, the longitudinal length of said harvesting machine being less than the transverse width thereof.

Claim 8

The harvesting machine of claim 3 wherein said drawbar is extendable over said harvesting apparatus through at least a portion of the operative range of movement thereof.

Claim 9

The harvesting machine of claim 7 wherein said drawbar is pivotally connected to said frame proximate to the longitudinally extending centerline of said harvesting machine.

Claim 10

A crop harvesting machine comprising: a mobile frame adapted for movement over the ground; harvesting apparatus supported by said frame and extending forwardly thereof to engage and harvest crop material; a drawbar pivotally mounted at one end on said frame for movement through an operative range of generally longitudinally extending positions, said drawbar having a distal end adapted for connection to a prime mover, the pivotal movement of said drawbar through said operative range providing varying positions of said crop harvesting machine relative to said prime mover; a support plate movably supported on said frame and having first and second stops affixed mounted thereon, said stops being engageable with said drawbar to provide extreme limits of said operative range of movement, said support plate being movable between a first position to provide said operative range of movement and a second position to shift the positioning of said stops to permit said drawbar to extend in a generally transversely extending direction; locking means supported by said frame for selectively locking said support plate relative to said frame in said first and second positions; and means for selectively actuating the pivotal movement of said drawbar.

Claim 11

A crop harvesting machine comprising: a mobile frame adapted for movement over the ground; harvesting apparatus supported by said frame and extending forwardly thereof to engage and harvest crop material; a drawbar pivotally mounted at one end on said frame for movement through an operative range of generally longitudinally extending positions, said drawbar having a distal end adapted for connection to a prime mover, the pivotal movement of said drawbar through said operative range providing varying positions of said crop harvesting machine relative to said prime mover; a support plate movably supported on said frame and having first and second stops affixed mounted thereon, said stops being engageable with said drawbar to provide extreme limits of said operative range of movement, said support plate being movable between a first position to provide said operative range of movement and a second position to shift the positioning of said stops to permit said drawbar to extend in a generally transversely extending direction; locking means supported by said frame for selectively locking said support plate relative to said frame in said first and second positions; and means for selectively actuating the pivotal movement of said drawbar.

Claim 12

The crop harvesting machine of claim 9 wherein drawbar is pivotally mounted proximate to the longitudinally extending centerline of said crop harvesting machine to permit operation of said crop harvesting machine on either side of the prime mover.

Claim 13

The crop harvesting machine of claim 10 wherein said locking means includes a pin engageable through an opening in said support plate and a hole in said frame corresponding to each respective position of said support plate.

Claim 14

The crop harvesting machine of claim 11 wherein said locking means further includes a spring-loading mechanism mounted on said support plate and engageable with said pin to selectively bias said pin into engagement between said support plate and said frame.

Claim 15

The crop harvesting machine of claim 12 wherein the longitudinal length of said crop harvesting machine is less than the transverse width of said crop harvesting machine, said crop harvesting machine being transportable in a transverse direction when supported on a mobile carrier by utilizing said drawbar extending in a generally transverse direction as the towing member.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14 wherein said positioning step further includes the step of: releasing a locking mechanism releasably positionally fixing said support plate to the frame of said crop harvesting machine before said shifting step.

Claim 19

The method of claim 15 wherein said shifting step includes the step of: driving said prime mover to a position transverse of said crop harvesting machine after said releasing step to engage said drawbar with one of said stops and positionally move said support plate.

Claim 20

The method of claim 16 wherein said positioning step further includes the step of: re-engaging said locking mechanism for releasably positionally affixing said support plate relative to said frame after said shifting step.

Claim 21

The method of claim 17 wherein said loading step includes the step of: backing said crop harvesting machine up a loading ramp to position said crop harvesting machine on an elevated platform of said wheeled carrier.