[1]Patented Sept. 21, 1954 29689@440 U.NITED@@ gTA--.,-T-@ES PATE,NT 2-,689,440 TP.AHZNG@@MOP HAP.VESTING HITCH VICE ,P.aut @-&- iSchro6pp6l,@ Rockford, Ill., assignor,to J@,1. Case@Company, Racine, Wis., a corpomtionf% @of @Wisconsin,@ Aoplfcatidn@'96]-Dteniber 4, i948, Serial@;No. 47@793'@ 1 - Claim, (Cl. 56-25) My invention @relates @to hELrvegter @hitchesi one of @the objects,of niy inv-erition is @@to @provide@ a harvester hitclr'f(ir conriectilig' a harvester and tractor by raeans @ lbf@ @ which - the@ corners 'of the uncut area may:b6:mainta-iiied@@substantially - ,@5 reclv-angular notwith8tan'ding that.the: tradtor must travel in an arcuatelt)r our-Ved@path@@in@making the turn. A furthor object @is@,@-to providb.@on.liftiprovgd power take-off betweenla-tractor arfd'the@har- io vester drawn,'thereby which,'@will@'gvoid@ eXcOssiVe angularity between the 'swtioiis of 8hbfting,.wh6n ni aking turns. A further objedt is to provide iniproved'power means for adjusting the height (Jf-@ eut @of @the i,-) harvester. F-urther objects @and @ adVAntiiges @@@df 'the @invention will be apparent:from@thL-7d6scriptibn alid claim. In the drawings, in which'@an.@embbdiment,of 20 my invention is. shown, Mgure I is a perspective @PlEin view. showing a ti-actor@ porti6ns of a @windtower,, @a drawbar@ and power connections @between,@the ttadtor and windrower, the tractor beiiig - shown as @ @having 25 n,iade a@sharp turn; Fig. 2 @@is a rear 6levELtionAl -perspedtive view d,Z f ' @'t ;to @and)@tfieL shbwing the rea,r -en o @ a rae, r ifront end of the windrower, with.@@connectibns therebetnveen@ the reliA;ti-ve, positions coiiiesdonding 30 substantially to 'those -shown @ ydg@ 3 is a @ side @ 6levational view@@! @howing the rear end of the tractor,and,the,front,,end.@6t.the wind@ower and the connections ;therebetween, the tractor bein@ @@h6wn as @travelling @ @traight 30 ahead; Fig@ 4 is an@ enlarged side 6levational. persp - ee tive view showing the drawbar connected @With the rear end of .'the @tractor -hit'&h @ andi " sh6wing on; the ram in ektend6d positi 40 Mg@ 5 is a view similfir to@-'-F'ig,. 4-- but@sh6Wing the drawbdr disconnected -ftbm :thi" tractor, the ram being in withdrawn,position-, Fig@ 6@ is a view similar to I@ig.. @ 4 @but showing the stand in ilus elevated @v,ositi6n and'the rani 45 in its collapsed position for efftcting a,low cut; Fig. 7 is an @enlarged @elevationiii @erspective view showiilg a manueil adjustrhent,for 'height of cut, substituted for the powerram @shown 2 the,position of--,oatts@-v@hian:.the'@tvitotor@:.'I'S rnbking a left-hand -turn" Fig. lo @@ s a diAgran-imqtic-,.-plan'@vieW @ showing the vapious pogitions@'Whidh the pEitts@'of,.thL-@:tractor:and windrower@"8ume@@wlj:en@@the'.mT!ndrower is -cutting a sliarp@ corrier,@and@the tractor@is accordillgly making,Ar,shorp -tlirn, @oneof @the@@windrower vtheels 'beiiyg 2renioved d@@ Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic plan view,,.in@@general similar to Fig@ 10,@but,,,shawing,@the@parts@on a reduced scale:iii@order-- to@bring@in@:a larger@Portion of the field@@ Reforring to the@ the @ construction shoivn comprises,@'a @tractor II ' aild',-a: Win@dr,oWer: 2 drawn;thereby@ @The@@trgctor@'cornpriges,,a @i2@hassis a' provided with @front and@7:reEir . wlheels ,4 @land 51 a s(,,at 5a@, a 4st-eering wheel@-.6i an @engine for driving the @traotorl, @ a draf@t a6ifstruction @ cOnnecting the traetor @'and ,w-iiidtower, and A,,%power @Llake-off,@for 8upplyiiig I)ower:@.fr'om the :engine to actuate the reel 7, sickle -8" con-veyor 9,, etc,, of the windrower. 'Thel,,wiiidr-owi--r:- @comprises a carriage or. chassi@ IO 'pr@ovid0d,,@vith@ a,-pair Of coaxial @ground@- enga@ing@.wlieels' r6tatablb about th-- axis II a (Ftg's.@'lo@fand@' 11) I a sickle 8 'mountedr:for reliprocatf6n@ @tliereon@, a @ conventional conveyor 9 @,'extendihgl ti-an8versel,y of the line of travel 4if the WindroNvar 'f or i receiving @ cut materi@,l and de@liv6fing@@it-@ih',Windrow form at tile end tl- o f the conve, 76r reihote'froxh@the stand ing -grain, and a r;ael 17 for bending@ the rst-alks, of gra-in toward the sickle-,and rw6epirY.- @the:cut grain onto the conveyor@ A4draft con6truction is provided @f6r @ oonnecting, th-e-@, wihdrowi@r ti@ac@or in a manner, to @ena' i6lative,:Iy@ @short, sub8t-antially rectangi@lar turn's of -,the @windrower. 'The transi-nission @ fr Om, tlie@ povier @take-7orl; on the tractor to the@ driven by@ tlie windrower indludes ted sh@ift sections. e gn d o,@ ent:exces nee @d -Si e -,t @@prev sive angular displacenieiii@;-of-.the7sections:with res,,)ect illo each other,@in-making@thialshort turns@ The draft @connections betweeir@@'the lwindrower and@trac+vor,comprise a,:,Irusslike,hitch@.'or@tongue 12 rockably, connected@.,@t @@ 1 3 lo forMrardl-y-@extendi @ ar @l 4 @rigid with'respect@, o 'the.windrower n@ ssi-rns @t @ clia s 10@ a@:draivbar'15"pivbtall@y-@connected,@at IS to svving @ Eibout vertical. axis.,-on @ai crossbar i7 of 'the@windro@,ver hitch,@a coill:tenqion@st)ring in Mgs. 4, 5 and 6 i 5o l'o connected@@at 19@.@with.@allatere@l;@arm.20i.,,@onthe Fig. 8@is@an enlarged@lplan.'view showing@varihit ch-drawbar@@15'@pnd,conneettd'j@at 21 :with the ous Dositions-of the tractor and windrower@hitch windrower hitch 12 for biasing and urging@@the POand the drawbar c6nnecticin bi--tween@theni, @how piv 6ted'draivbar '15:'-to,.itsf-extreinb@loft-lig;nd@, ing the tractor@rntaking@ a@@-ri@ht-hand,tur-n'- siti 6n,, a. tractor hitoh'@'22 @piv6tklly, adjuttg@ble -to '8 s F,lg. 9 is 1 a view'sirhileir't cpig biit @ showitg, 55 diff 6rent, 'gottelble @,.Ijo itions @avout
[2]3 as at 22' showp- in Iqg. 2, on the tractor and pi-votally connected at 23 to the drawbar 15, and a chain 24 having one end secured at 24a to the rearward lateral extension 25 of the tractor hitch 22 and its other end connected at 25a with a crossbar 26 on the windrower hitc-h 12. Means are provided which may be either power means or manually operated means for adjiisting the connections between the tractor a-@id windrower to vary the height of the cut of the sickle 8 and also to facilitate the connection and disconnection of the windrower with respect to the tractor drawbar 22. The power mears showr comprises a hydraulic ram having a cylinder 27 rockably mounted at 28 on the hitch 12 and a piston operating in the cylinder 27 havin-. a piston rod 29 pivotally connected at 30 with the forward portion of one of the ari-is 14 of thewindrower, varying its angular relation to the hitch 12 and drawbar 15. As shown in Fig. 3, varying the angular relation of the arm portion 31 with respect to the hitch 12 and drawbar i 5 causes raising or lowering of the sicl7.le 0. The manner in which the ability to vary this sngular relation facilitates the connection and disconnection of the windrower with respect to the tr2@etor and &awbar 22 is described later in connection with the adjustable stand 52 shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. The manually operable means which nlay be subs,bituted for the above-described power means comprise a lever 32 which may be rigidly secured with respect to the arn-1 portion 31 of the -%vindrower, the operating handle 33 of which Dro-ects - j to a position in which it may be readily graspefl by the driver sitting in the tractor seat Ua, and a quadrant 34 mounted on the grain side leg of the hitch 1,2 and cooperating with the adjusting lever 32 which has a latch 35 wh---ch may engage and be secured in any one of the notches on the quadrant 34. Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 7, in inaking the substitution, the ram 27 and associated parts shown in Fqg. 3 are removed, an arrn 351, is secured to one of the@ bars of the windrower hitch 12, an anchorage braclcet 35b is secured to the arm 14, and a pair of tension springs 35c -nre conner,ted between the arm 351, and the bracket. This spring arrangement will tend to draw Lhe arms 35a and 14 toward each other with a qcissors action about - the pivotal point 13. Ti'lls tendency to bring the arms 14 and 35a together Nvill tend to raise the pivotal point 13 o..n(J will thus assist the operator in raising the sickle C by means of the handle 33. The universal joint connected shaft section transmission between the power take-off 36 on the tractor and the windrower mounted shaft 3, which drives the sickle 8, reel 7, and conveyor 9 of the windrower comprises a shaft section 3'0 having a universal joint connection 39 with the power take-off shaft, a telescoping shaft having two squared telescoping sectibns 40 and 41, one of which is connected with the shaft 38 by means of a universal joint 42 and which is mounted in a bearing 43 trunnioned at 44 on a yoke 45 which is swivelly mounted at 86 in a rock arm 47 which is rockable on a trunnion 48 on the sviingable drawbar 15, and a universal joint connection 49 between the hollow squared shaft section 41 and the shaft 37 which drives the mechanisms on the windrower. Before describing in further deta-11 the construction, a brief description of the operation of 2,689,440 A of grain having a rectan'gular corner will be described. This operation is shown diagramraatically in Pigs. 10 and 11. Successive positions occupied by certain portions of the tractor and windrower, for example, the traetor wheels 5, hitch extension 25, and the windrower sickle 8, are shovm at A, B, C, D, E in Fig. I I and at F, G, H, I, J and K in Mg. 10. The paths of the two rear wheels 5 of the tractor are indicat10 ed in fine dot-and-dash lines at L and M. As indicated, the grainward rear tractor wheel 5 travels close to the edge of the standing grain in inoving up to position F of Fig. 10. At this point the operator turns the tractor sharply clock15 -wise as viewed in plan, causing the rear tractor whbels to follow the arcuate portions of the paths L and M, the tractor in effect swinging about the point N as a center. Up to this point of turning the pivotal ppint 23 and the connect20 ing point 24a have been travelling in straight lines parallel to the edge of the uncut grain as indicated at 0 and P. As soon as the tractor begins to swing about the center N, the -ooints 23 and 24a will begin to move in the circular 25 arcuate paths Q and R until they have arrived atposition I. At this point the operator quickly changes the direction of curvature of the wheel -oaths, causing the tractor to, swing counterclockwise about the center S indicated in Fig. 11. The 30 Doints 23 and 24a are thus constrained to move in arcuate paths U and V, breaking sharply froir. the arcs Q and R which they had been travelling. This counterelocl@iwise swing is continued until the rear tractor wheels 5 are in position J, trav35 elling parallel to the straight boundary line T of the uncut grain. At this point the driver straightens up the steering wheel so as to cause the tractor to travel parallel to the edge of the uncut grain. 40 As the points 23 and 241, move from position F to position G, the sickle 8 also will move from position F to position G, travelling substantially straight forwardly and reriaining parallel to its original position at P. The substantially straight-forward movement of the sickle, notwithstanding the substaritially 30-degree swinging movement of the tractor about the point N, is accounted for by the fact that the poi-nts 23 and 24a are a.subsantial distance in the rear of @he rear axle I of the tractor and also to the fact that the point 241, is offset to the left of the point '23. As previously stated, this wi-ii causethepoints23and24atotravelinthecircular paths Q and R, thus arriving at the point shown in position G, which will bring the sickle 8 substantially to the position shown at 0. As the movement of the tractor continues progressively to pbsitions H and I, the points 23 and 24a will occupy the respective positions shown at 60 these points H and I and will exert a pulling action on the chain 24 and drawbar 15 to bring the sickle 8 to the respective positions shown at positions H and I. At position I, the reverse change in curvature takes place s(y that the c5 roints 23 and 241, will thereafter follow the paths U and V. The ef.Lect of this is for the point 24a to "pay out" on the chain 24, allowing the spring I 8 to effect a counterclockwise movement of the sickle 8 about a point adjacent the stubbleward 70 wheel of the windrower which shortly brings the si-ckle to the position shown at J, in which position the grainward wheel 5 of the tractor is travelling substantially parallel to the edge of the uncut area. At this point the driver straighthandling the apparatus in going around a field 75 ens up the steering wheel to cause the trac-
[3]tor to travel parallel to the uncut edge T of the grain, causing the sickle to move to the position shown at K. It will be noted that this will leave a substantially rectangular corner (f uncut grairi as indicated at W and X. Figs. 8 and 9 show various positions which maY be occupied by the windrower hitch 12, tractor hitch 2 21 drawbar I 5, chain 2 4, and associated elements. Mg. 8 shows in general the positions occupied by the hitch connections in making a right-hand tum. Fig. 9 shows the position occupied by these parts in making, a left-hand turn. In Fig. 8, position I shows the relative positions of the parts when the tractor is travelling straight ahead. Position m shows the relative position of parts when the tractor has been turned to the right to bring the points 23 and 241, to the Position shown. Position n shows the relation of parts when the tractor has been swung still further to the right to bring the points 23 and 24a to the positibn shown. In position n the drawbar 15 has moved to its extreme right-hand Position in which it engages the forward end of the bar 50 of the windrower hitch. In position I the tension of the spring 18 is such that it will hbld the drawbar 15 against the front end of the bar 5 I of the hitch 12, or conversely, will hold the front end of the bar 5 I against the edge of the drawbar 15. In Mg. 9 the tractor has been turned to the left to bring the tractor drawbar to the position shown in which the drawbar 15 is in its extreme left-hand position bearing against the front end of the bar 51 of the windrower hitch, and the chain 24 has been slackened by the movement 6f the point 24a. When the tractor is turned further to the left tO move the tractor drawbar from position o to position p, the chain 24 will be further slackoned and the windrower hitch wfll be turned further to the left due to the left-hand urge of the tractor hitch 22, on the pivotal connection 23 of the drawbar 15, and the engagement of the drawbar 15 with the front edge of the windrower bar 5 11 which drawbar 15, in this part of the movement, becomes, in effect a rigid extension of the windrower hitch 12. ngs. 4, 5 and 6 show various Positions of the hitch and drawbar connections between the tractor hitch extension 25 and the forwardly-extending arms 14 and 31 of the windrower. Mg. 4 shows th e drawbar 15 connected with the tractor hitel. 25, with the ram 27 in extended position to take the pressure off the adjustable stand 52 so that it can, if desired, be moved to its lowermost position forengagement with the ground and secured in this positiorl by means of a cotter pin 53. - Thei-eupon by collapsing the ram the parts may be brought to the p6sition shown in Fig. 5, in which the forward end of the drawbar 15 will be elevated to move the pin 23 out of engagement with t'he tractor hitch 25, the weight and distribution of the windrower being such as to dip the left-hand end of the windrower hitch 12 at 13 about the stand 52 as a fulcrum, thus elevating the Tight-hand end of the drawbar 15. Going back to the position shown in Fig. 4, the parts may be brought to this position by extendIng the ram 21. If, with parts in the position shown in Fig. 4, it is desirable to start field operations, the stand 52 is raised to its dotted-line position and the desired height of cut can then be secured by prol>er manipulation of the ram. Ing. 4 sbows the ram in fully-extended position which would caluse the windrower to cut at its maximum height. Flgl 6 shows the stand 52 raised and held up 9)689,440 6 by the cotter pin 53 inserted through the stand 52 above the sleeve 54 and the ram completely collapsed, which sets the sickle in its lowermost position. By proper manipulation of the ram, the sickle position may be set at any desired Point between the extreme upper and lower positions. The windrower reel 7 which forms no part of the present invention is rotatably mounted in a bearing bracket 55 which ir-cludes a sleeve 56 ver10 tically adjustable on a post 57 adjustably secured to the windrower by a brace 59 connecting it with the forwardly-extending arm 3 1. In order to give an idea as tb the propbrtion of parts, it is stated that in using a tractor with 15 a windrower which cuts a nine-foot swath, it has been found satisfactory to make: The distance between the points 16 and 23 about 40inches 20 The length of the chain which connects the points 24a and 25a about 30 inches The distance between the front ends of the bars 50 and 51 of the windrbwer hitch about 12 inches 25 The distance from the pivot I 6 to the front end of the bar 51 about 16 inches The distance from the pivotal point I 6 to the front end of the bar 50 about 15 inches The width of the drawbar 15 about 21/2 inches The angle of the extension 25, with respect to the 30 bar 22 about 150 degrees The dimensions shown in the drawings in all of the figures are approximately to scale, although the scales may be different in different figures. 35 Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is desired, therefore, that the invention be limited only by the sco-De of the appended claim. Having thus described my invention, what I 40 claim and desire tG secure by
