US2700265A - Tractor mounted windrower having adjustable ground engaging supports - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 25, 1955 K. A. SPIETH ET AL 2,700,265

TRACTOR MOUNTED WINDROWER HAVING ADJUSTABLE GROUND ENGAGING SUPPORTS Jan. 25, 1955 K. A. SPIETH ET AL 2,700,265 TRACTOR MOUNTED WINROWER HAVING ADJUSTABLE GROUND ENGAGING SUPPORTS zza Jan. 25, 1955 K. A. sPlETH ET AL 2,700,265

TRACTOR MOUNTED WINRWER HAVING ADJUSTABLE GROUND ENGAGING SUPPORTS Filed March 1e, 1951 5 sheets-sheet s MKM,

Jan. 25, 1955 K. A. sPlETH ET Al. 2,700,265

TRACTOR MOUNTED WINROWER HAVING ADJUSTABLE GROUND ENGAGING SUPPORTS Filed March 16, 1951 5 sheets-sheet 4 d2 '232 (ZM y 2569641/ a/WM,

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Jan. 25, 1955 K. A. sPlETH ET AL 2,700,265 TRACTOR MOUNTED WINDROWER HAVING ADJUSTABLE GROUND ENGAGING SUPPORTS Filed March 16, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ffy? 7570/ l ff War/Yayi.

a 2,700,265' Ice Patented Jan. .25 1955 TRACTOR MOUNTED WINDROWER HAVING ADJUSTABLE GROUND ENGAGING SUP- PORTS Karl A. Spieth, Omaha, Nebr., and Abram P. Balzer, Mountain Lake, Minn.

Application March 16, 1951, Serial No. 215,948

2 Claims. (Cl. 5623) This invention relates to improvements in swathers or windrowers which are adapted for attachment to a farm tractor for travel through a field. C

The principal object of the present invention 1s the^ provision of a novel means whereby the cutting blade or the swather is maintained at a substantially predetermined distance above uneven terrain so that the advance portion of the swather is prevented from contacting the ground during its normal travel.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a manually adjustable means whereby the swather may be selectively adjusted to cut grain at various distances from the ground.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for supporting the cutting blade of a swather at variable heights.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a swather having adjustable means whereby the headed material may be selectively delivered transversely in either direction across the swather to deliver the material in a windrow at either side of the swather.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a swather having a substantially rectangular frame, a sickle disposed at the leading edge of said frame, means at the rear portion of said frame for mounting said frame toa tractor for pivotal movement on a horizontal axis, and a sled member positioned beneath the central forward portion of said frame to adjustably carry said sickle above the ground level.

With these objects in view as well as other objects which will appear during the course of the specification reference will be had to the drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of a swather embodying this invention shown coupled to the rear end of a farm tractor for operation therewith and having some parts broken away and other parts not shown.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the swather shown in Fig. l with a fragmentary part of the tractor shown to indicate the connection of the swather to the tractor.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line Illlll of Fig. 2 looking toward the front or cutting edge of the swather with some of the parts omitted.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV--IV of Fig. 1 with some of the parts broken away and some in section.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line V-V of Fig. 2 with some of the parts in section and some broken away.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the sled structure and control parts.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the sled member shown in operative position on irregular terrain.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line VIIIHVIII of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a schematic view showing the swather as shown and used with a right hand pick-up combine.

Fig. 10 is a schematic view showing the swather as constructed for use with a combine having a left hand pick-up.

Throughout the several views of the drawings like reference characters refer to similar parts and the numeral 10 designates a vswather frame having two spaced apart parallel base members 12 and 14 which serve to tie the frame parts in operative relation, and also to hinge the swather to a farm tractor 16. Referring to Fig. 5 it will be noted that base members 12 and 14 are joined together in fixed relation by. cross bar 18 to present ay rigid base with rearwardly projecting arms having a hinge member 20 adapted to be hingedly joined in back to back relation to the tractor 16 by means of pintles 22 which connect the rear bifurcated ends 24 of coupling bars 26 to hinge members 20. Referring to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the coupling bars 26 are rigidly secured to the axle housing 28 of the tractor by means of bolts 30. The rear drive Wheels 32 of the tractor serve t0 support the axle housing at a uniform distance from the ground level, thus providing a relatively xed vertical hinge point for the rear hitch of the swather. Frame 1) is also provided with a tubular transverse frame member 34, a pair of end frame members 36 and 38 joined at their rear ends to transverse frame member 34. Vertically disposed frame members 40 join base members `12 and 14 with transverse frame member 34. The forward end portions of end frame members 36 and 38 are secured respectively to opposite end portions of transverse sickle support bar 42 which is supported adjacent its central portion by the base members 12 and 14. A centrally disposed frame work 46 spaced inwardly from the end frames 36 and 38 extend from a rear transverse member 44 supported on base members 12 and 14 to the sickle support bar 42. The sickle support bar carries a reciprocatably mounted sickle bar 48 provided with a series of blades 50 which when reciprocated provide a shearing action with the ledger plate guards 52 to sever the grain 54 in the usual manner. Reciprocating movement of sickle bar 48 is imparted by a rocker arm 56 pivoted intermediate its ends at 58 to 46 with its forward end positioned between two spaced` apart pins 60 rigidly fixed to sickle bar 48 whereby when the arm 56 is oscillated it will reciprocate said sickle bar 48. The rear end of rocker arm 56 is pivoted at 62 to one end of a pitman rod 64 which is operatively mounted at its other end on eccentrically positioned pin 66 of a pitman wheel 63 which is driven by jack shaft 7d mounted for rotation in bearings 72 fixed to crossbar 18. A jack shaft '74 mounted in parallel relation to shaft in bearings 76 mounted on crossbar 18 is driven by the power takeoff shaft 78 .driven by the tractor engine (not shown) by means not mounted at 92 adjacent opposite end portions of frame member 34 to ears 90 which are integral with said frame member. These arms are secured in the raised position by means of a transverse hollow rod 94 rotatably carried by bearing members 96, 98, and rigidly secured to frame member 34. Rod 94 is above and in lparallel relation with frame member 34 and has a tixed radially disposed levers 102 at each of its outer extremities. A connecting link 104 connects one of said levers 102 with reel arm 86 through pins 87 while connecting link 106 operatively joins the other of said levers 102 to reel arm S8 through like pins. Levers 102 are in parallel relation and of like length, so that the reel shaft 108 mounted in `bearings 110 fixed to reel arms 86 and 88 is parallel with rod 94 at all adjusted positions.

Jack shaft '74 is provided at its forward end portion with a pair of fixed belt wheels 112 and 114 which are driven whenever the tractor power take-oft' is operating. A shaft 116 rotatably mounted in bearings 118 carried by frame member 34 in parallel relation therewith. Shaft 116 is providedA at its inner end with a belt pulley 129 which is operatively connected with belt wheel 112 by a twisted belt 122. The outer end of shaft 116 has a iixed belt driving pulley 124 which is disposed in opera tive alignment with a pulley wheel 126 fixed to the outer extremity of reel shaft 108. A belt tensioning means for drive belt 128 which operatively interconnects pulleys 124 and 126 comprises an idling pulley 130 mounted on a standard 132 rigidly fixed to reel arm 86 for free rotation, and a rocker arm 134 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends by a pivot 136 mounted in standard 132. The upper end of rocker arm 134 is provided with a xed axle 138 on which is mounted an idler pulley 140 which is normally urged rearwardly by tensioning spring 142 which is mounted under tension between pin 144 mounted on arm 86 and pin 146 carried by the lower extremity of rocker arm 134. It will be noted that the pulleys 124, 126, 130, and 140 are in substantially planar alignment, and that the endless driving belt 128 passes from drive pulley 124 about idler pulley 130 then reverses its direction to pass about pulley 140 thence about reel pulley 126 and back to drive pullley 124. When so mounted the belt will be constantly taut due to the action of tension spring 142. This reel shaft 168 is provided with the usual reel spokes 148 to which are attached the conventional slats 150 which extend the full length of the sickle bar and serve to feed the grain to the moving belt platform 152. Reel shaft 188 is vertically adjustable relative to platform 152 by means of a manually operable lever 154 which is rigidly lixed to rod 94 whereby when the lever is adjusted along toothed segment 156, levers 102 will be raised or lowered to adjust said reel. Lever 154 is provided with an adjustable detent 158 by means of which the reel may be secured in a substantially uniform elevation. lt will be noted that toothed segment 156 is rigidly xed to transverse frame member 34 and receive rod 94 therethrough. A spring 168 secured at its one end to pin 162 mounted to bracket 164 which is fixed to vertical frame member 40 and at its other end to a dpin 165 fixed to lever 154. This spring is maintaine under tension and constantly urges the reel structure upwardly to counterbalance the reel load.

Referring now particularly to Figs. l and 2, it will be noted that the frame 10 is pivoted at 22 to coupling bars 26 whereby the frame may be raised vertically at its forward edge and secured in the desired position to conform to the height of the grain being harvested. The securing means for holding the frame in a raised position includes a spring 166 fixed at its one extremity to a standard 168 and at its other end to a chain 170 which is adapted to be adjustably anchored in a post 172 to vary the effective length of the spring. This post 172 is welded or otherwise secured to frame member 34 and is slit at 174 downwardly from the top thereof to receive a chain link therein in a manner to serve as an anchor. It will be noted that there is a similar spring provided at an equal distance at the opposite side of the medial longitudinal line of the tractor. These springs 166 serve to support the sickle of the swather at any desired height above the ground level and serve to counterbalance a desired portion of the torque force exerted by that portion of the swather in front of the pivotal pintles 22. A f

pair of conventional elevator arms 1-'76 operated by tractor mechanism, not shown, but contained within the transmission housing and adapted to rotate shaft 180 to which the arms 176 are xed. Free ends of elevator arms 176 are interconnected with vertical frame members 48 by means of a pair of links 182 and 184 pivoted together' at 186 and with link 182 connected to the free ends of arms 176 by pivot 188 and link 184 is pivotally connected with member 40 by pin 190.

It will be noted that the tractor 16 has its operators seat 192 reversed from its usual position facing the steering wheel so that the operator may be facing in the direction of frame 10. Furthermore, the tractor is to be driven in reverse to its usual direction of travel to properly operate the swather herein described. For operating the tractor with the seat 192 reversed, we provide a steering lever 194 and control pedals 196 and 198 which may be coupled respectively to the steering apparatus and other control apparatus of the tractor 16 in any suitable manner.

Belt platform 152 includes an endless canvas belt 260 provided with cross slats 202 and mounted at its outer end on an idler roller 204 and at its inner end to drive roller 206. These rollers are rotatably carried by frame 10 to support and drive the belt 200 in the direction indicated by the arrows on Fig. l. It will be noted that drive roller 296 is spaced inwardly from end frame member 36 to present a windrow space 208. It will be noted that grain delivered to moving belt 200 will be delivered over roller 206 to the windrow space and the grain cut by that portion of the sickle passing over the windrow space will be directly fed to said windrow space by the action of the reel.

This is a left hand swather and is adapted to be used -with a combine having a right hand pick-up. When the 4 combine has a left hand pick-up it is quite apparent that it must be operated with a right hand swather in which the platform belt is moved to the left hand portion of the swather with the windrow space moved to the right hand side of the swather. To accomplish this the idler roller 204 is moved to a position adjacent the end frame member 36 and the drive roller 206 is moved to a position to the right side portion of the swather to form a windrow space with the end frame member 38. Belt wheel 11.4

- serves to drive the endless belt 210 which passes over belt wheel 212 xed to the rear extremity of the shaft 214 xed in drive roller 206. A belt tightener comprising a sheave wheel 216 is adjustably carried by bracket 218 which is secured to a rear portion of frame 10. This sheave wheel 216 serves to adjust one of the reaches of belt 210 to maintain the belt in taut driving relation to the sheave wheels 114 and 212.

Referring now to the adjustable load carrying means whereby the partially balanced swather sickle structure is supported at a substantially distance from the contour of the ground to present a proper cutting of the grain. Due to the fact that the usual side tiller wheels ordinarily used to support this load are very objectional in the present type of swather it has been found .desirable to support the swather sickle structure adjacent central structure of the swather whereby it will not interfere with the standing grain during the cutting operation. This load carrying means shown in most of the figures of the drawings comprises two like sled members 220 and 222 disposed in spaced apart parallel relation and respectively pivoted by pins 224 to the upturned side flanges 226 of the respective sleds. These pins 224 are fixed to the free end of lever arms 228 having a looped end portion 230 which is rotatably mounted on crossbar 232 which extends at right angles to base members 12 and 14 in which its rounded end portions 234 are rotatably mounted. Stop pins 236 mounted in crossbar 232 prevent outward separation of lever arms 228 on crossbar 232. At the medial line of crossbar 232 a forwardly extending lever 238 is xed to rotate therewith and is provided with a rounded stem 240 which extends loosely through a hole 242 formed in a crossbar 244 which interconnects lever arms 228. Each of the lever arms 228 is provided with a bearing block 246 through which the reduced end portions 248 of the crossbar 232 are loosely litted.

A rearwardly extending lever arm 250 rigidly xed at its forward portion to crossbar 232 is provided at its rear end with a vertically disposed socket 252 in which the lower extremity of operating bar 254 is pivoted by pin 256. This bar 254 extends upwardly to pass through openings 258 formed in the legs of U-shaped bracket 260 which is fixed to bar 262 secured to frame member 34 and rod 94. Bar 254 is provided with a series of spaced apart holes 264 in its upper extremity to receive an anchor pin 266 which normally extends through a hole 268 formed in the vertical wall 270 of bracket 260 then through a hole 264 in the operating bar 254 and into a hole 274 in the bar 262. Mounted on pin 266 is a washer 276 which is positioned by a pin 278 to serve as a bearing for one end of a coil spring 280 which is mounted on pin 266 with its other end resting against bracket wall 270. The outer end of pin 266 is threaded to receive the nut 282 by means of which the foot lever 284 is adjusted. This foot lever is tted about pin 266 to rest against nut 282 and is pivoted at 286 intermediate its ends to a leg 288 depending from bracket 260. The lower end portion of 284 serves as a foot rest whereby the spring 280 may be compressed and the pin 266 removed from hole 264 in bar 254, so that the bar may be adjusted vertically to regulate the height of travel of the sickle bar above the terrain. When the desired position of the sled members 220 is obtained by the proper manipulation of elevator arms 176 the pin may be permitted to drop through the proper hole 264 to support the sled members in the desired elevation relative to the sickle blade. Since this operation of adjustment may be necessary during the movement of the swather across the field due to the variations in the height of the grain it is necessary that the one man operator be able to use both his hands and feet to carry out all the necessary operations in the proper sequence. Referring to Fig. 7 it will be noted that when the terrain is irregular transversely of the direction of travel of the swather across the field, that the relative vertical positions of sleds 220 and 222 will necessarily be varied. This side rocking movement is permitted .by the substantially universal connection of sleds to the crossbar 232 as shown and described.

Referring to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the central frame section including the frame work members 46 which join the sickle support bar 42 to the rear frame portion carried by base members 12 and 14 and the transverse arm 34, includes the transverse angle member 44 spaced apart at its opposite ends from end frame members 36 and 38 respectively. As shown in the present drawings the swather is formed to deliver the cut grain to the left to deliver a windrow to the left side of the swather through opening 208. When so constructed the backboard 292 is positioned so as to extend from drive roller 206 to temporary post 294 to close that portion of the back adjacent the moving platform belt 152. Also there is spliced to the right end of angle bar 44 a section of angle iron 296 which is attached thereto by splice member 290 and at its other end to post 294 and serves to carry one end of the idler roller 204 as shown. It is quite apparent that these back members could be reversed to the left end portion of the swather to support the idler roller 204 at the left end of the swather, and with the drive roller 206 positioned at the right side of the medial line of the swather. This would involve some slight rearrangements of the belt driving means for the drive roller.

To more clearly show the two forms of swathers, it will be noted that Fig. 9 shows the swather wherein the cut grain is delivered to the left side of the swather to form a windrow LW, adapted to be picked up by the right hand pick-up combine RC. Fig. 10 shows a swather wherein the cut grain is delivered to the right side of the swather to form a windrow RW adapted to be gathered up by a left hand pick-up combine LC. In both instances it will be noted that the combine will always be positioned in the cut portion of the field thus avoiding driving over unthreshed windrows.

What we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent 1. A windrow harvester for use in connection with a tractor having a power take-off, said harvester comprising a generally horizontal rectangular frame having forward and rearward edges and including rearwardly extending horizontal base members, means connecting said base members to said tractor for pivotal movement on a horizontal axis transverse to the line of travel of said tractor, a sickle bar mounted on the forward edge of said frame, an operative driving connection between said sickle bar and said power take-off, a pair of ground-engaging sled members spaced apart transversely to the line of travel of said tractor and disposed below the forward portion of said frame whereby to support the weight thereof, a pair of inclined arms of equal length, each pivoted at its lower end to one of said sled members and at its upper end in said frame, the axes of all of said arm pivots being parallel to the pivotal axis of said frame, and the pivotal connections of said arms to said frame being coaxial, a cross-bar generally parallel to the frame pivots of said arms and extending between said arms, said cross-bar being universally pivoted at its opposite ends to said arms respectively, at points intermediate the ends of said arms, and a member carried by said frame. and normally fixed with respect thereto, said last named member being universally pivoted to said cross-bar at the mid-point of said cross-bar.

2. The structure as set forth in claim l wherein said last named member engaging said cross-bar constitutes a lever universally pivoted at its free end to said cross-bar and pivoted at its opposite end in said frame on an axis coaxial with the frame pivots of said arms, and with the addition of means carried by said frame and operable to x said lever at various positions in its angular movement, whereby to adjust the elevation of said frame and sickle bar above the ground.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,816,519 Ewing et al July 28, 1931 1,917,352 Apel July 11, 1933 2,375,848 Hume May l5, 1945 2,435,910 Trinkle et al. Feb. 10, 1938 2,472,762 Sage .lune 7, 1949 2,502,599 Smart Apr. 4, 1950 2,514,764 Herigstad July 1l, 1950

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