This invention relates generally to agricultural machines having a rotatable pick-up reel for lifting crop from the ground into the machine, and, more particularly, to an improved device for connecting individual tine assemblies to rotating tine bars of the pick-up reel.
Pick-up reels used in agricultural machine comprise a plurality of parallel tine bars arranged in a cylindrical pattern which is rotated about a central axis. Individual tines are connected to the bars and extend generally outwardly to engage the crop material. The tine bars may be individually rotated dependent upon the reel rotational position vary the position of the tines relative to the reel rotational position, such as for folding the tines inwardly at a point in the rotation to release the crop material for feed into the machine. Tines are typically connected to the tine bars using a variety of bolts, clips, or cast mounts, all of which increase the total part count of the reel and hence, increase production costs. Moreover, replacement of tines mounted in such a manner is often made more difficult as connection fasteners are prone to rusting in place.
It would be advantageous to have an alternate tine and/or tine mounting apparatus that could be installed and removed from a reel by hand or using only simple tools (e.g., a hammer or a screwdriver), yet provide sufficient connection strength to withstand the loading typically applied to the pick-up tines during machine operation. Still more advantages would be realized by an alternate tine mounting that relied on corrosion-resistant parts to reduce the likelihood of tines rusting in place.
Accordingly, the present invention, in any of the embodiments described herein, may provide one or more of the following advantages:
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved mount for connecting a tine to a pick-up reel that may be removed or installed by hand without the use of tools.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved tine mount for use on pick-up reels that may be removed or installed by hand using only simple tools, such as a screwdriver or a hammer.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tine for a pick-up reel that incorporates non-ferrous materials in the connection to reduce the likelihood that the tines will rust in place on the tine reel.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved tine for a pick-up reel in which an elastomeric element disposed between the tine and the tine bar on the reel allows the tine to move under load.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved tine for a pick-up reel that allows limited tine movement, but maintains the tine orientation sufficiently fixed in relation to the tine bar for proper pick-up reel operation.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved tine and tine mounting device for connecting a tine to a pick-up reel that is compatible with current production tine reel configurations used in agricultural balers, windrowers, and other agricultural equipment using pick-up reels.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved tine and mounting arrangement for connecting a tine to a tine bar in a pick-up reel that is durable in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, carefree of maintenance, easily assembled, and simple and effective to use.
These and other objects are achieved in accordance with the instant invention by providing an improved tine assembly for removable connection to a pick-up reel tine bar in an agricultural harvesting machine. The improved tine assembly incorporates a flexible portion interconnecting pick-up tine fingers and a tine bar mount. The intermediate flexible member enables limited tine finger movement relative to the tine bar upon which the tine bar mount is affixed. The flexible member may also be shaped to fit around the tine bar enabling the member to also function as the tine bar mount. The tine mount is configured to enable installation by hand or using only simple tools and, once installed, provide sufficient connection strength to retain the tine in position during reel operation.
The advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed disclosure of the invention, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Many of the fastening, connection, processes and other means and components utilized in this invention are widely known and used in the field of the invention described, and their exact nature or type is not necessary for an understanding and use of the invention by a person skilled in the art, and they will not therefore be discussed in significant detail. Also, any reference herein to the terms “left” or “right” are used as a matter of mere convenience, and are determined by standing at the rear of the machine facing in its normal direction of travel. Likewise, “forward” and “rearward” are determined by the normal direction of travel. “Upward” and “downward” orientations are relative to the ground or operating surface as are any references to “horizontal” or “vertical” planes. Furthermore, the various components shown or described herein for any specific application of this invention can be varied or altered as anticipated by this invention and the practice of a specific application of any element may already be widely known or used in the art by persons skilled in the art and each will likewise not therefore be discussed in significant detail. When referring to the figures, like parts are numbered the same in all of the figures.
Referring now to the drawings and particularly to
The tine bars 10 may also include followers 12 at one or both ends which engage a cam 8 in order to rotate the tine bars about their longitudinal axes 12 as the reel rotates thereby altering the angular extension of the tines 20 during rotation of the reel 5. Such features are generally included on machines in which the tines must be repositioned in order to aid in crop handling or to clear portions of the machine at some point on the tine path. In a typical baler application, the tines are ideally fully extended (substantially radially) in the portion of the rotation adjacent to the ground and angled toward amore tangential orientation in the portion of the reel rotation at which crop material is to be released from the reel.
Now referring to
Multiple tine assemblies 20 are secured to the tine bars 10 of reel 5 using a tool less mounting bracket 24 connection of the embodiment shown in
Referring finally to
While tine bars 10 having circular cross-sections are presented herein, a skilled artisan will recognize that tine bars having other cross sections, such as polygonal cross sections, offer the same functionality provided the mounting bracket 24 or mounting clamp 34 interface is configured to match the cross section profile of the particular tine bars. Such variations are anticipated and considered within the scope and spirit of this invention. Reference to the diameter of a tine bar in connection with a non-circular cross-section generally means the spacing between opposite faces of the tine bar.
Naturally, the invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments, but it can also be modified in many ways without departing from the basic concepts. It will be understood that changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention will occur to and may be made by those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure within the principles and scope of the invention. The foregoing description illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, concepts, as based upon the description, may be employed in other embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.