Self-adjusting deck plate of an agricultural harvester
View Patent ↗A row unit of an agricultural harvester is disclosed for the automatic adjustment of a gap size of the row unit stripping plates. The row unit includes first and second longitudinally extending stripping plates mounted on a frame and having opposed stripping edges which define a gap between them. The row unit further includes a gap adjustment mechanism for adjusting a size of the gap between the first and second stripping plates. The gap adjustment mechanism includes a control arm, a rocker assembly operatively connected to one of the first and second stripping plates and slidably connected to the control arm, and a biasing member for biasing the rocker assembly along the control arm toward a predetermined position corresponding to a predetermined gap size.
1. A row unit of an agricultural harvester comprising:
first and second longitudinally extending stripping plates mounted on a frame and having opposed stripping edges which define a gap between them; and
a gap adjustment mechanism that adjusts a size of the gap between the first and second stripping plates comprising:
a control arm,
a rocker assembly operatively connected to one of the first and second stripping plates and slidably connected to the control arm, and
a biasing member that biases the rocker assembly slidably along the control arm.
2. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the rocker assembly comprises:
a rocker shaft connected to said one of the first and second stripping plates; and
an adjuster arm having a first end rigidly connected to the rocker shaft, and an opposite end slidingly connected to the control arm.
3. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is a spring, an elastomer, or a magnet.
4. The row unit of claim 3 , wherein the spring is a coil spring circumscribing the control arm.
5. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the gap adjustment mechanism further comprises a second rocker assembly operatively connected to the other of the first and second stripping plates.
6. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the control arm extends in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal direction of the row unit.
7. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the rocker assembly is slidable along a longitudinal axis of the control arm.
8. A row unit of an agricultural harvester comprising:
first and second longitudinally extending stripping plates mounted on a frame and having opposed stripping edges which define a gap between them; and
an adjustment mechanism pivotably connected to one of the first and second stripping plates, the adjustment mechanism comprising:
a control arm,
a linkage assembly slidably connected to the control arm and pivotably connected to said one of the first and second stripping plates, and
a biasing member for biasing the linkage assembly slidably along the control arm.
9. The row unit of claim 8 , wherein the linkage assembly comprises:
a first linkage connected to said one of the first and second stripping plates; and
a second linkage connected to the first linkage and the control arm.
10. The row unit of claim 9 , wherein the second linkage is slidably connected to the control arm and rigidly connected to the first linkage.
11. The row unit of claim 8 , wherein the adjustment mechanism further comprises a pair of stops along the control arm about opposite sides of the linkage assembly.
12. The row unit of claim 11 , wherein each of the pair of stops is fixedly attached to the control arm about a lateral side of the frame of the row unit.
13. The row unit of claim 8 , wherein the biasing member is a spring, an elastomer, or a magnet.
14. The row unit of claim 8 , wherein the adjustment mechanism further comprises a second linkage assembly operatively connected to the other of the first and second stripping plates.
15. The row unit of claim 8 , wherein the control arm extends in a widthwise direction of the row unit.
16. The row unit of claim 8 , wherein the linkage assembly is slidable along a longitudinal axis of the control arm.
17. A row unit of an agricultural harvester comprising:
first and second longitudinally extending stripping plates mounted on a frame and having opposed stripping edges which define a gap between them; and
a gap adjustment mechanism that adjusts a size of the gap between the first and second stripping plates comprising:
a control arm,
a rocker assembly operatively connected to one of the first and second stripping plates and connected to the control arm, including:
a rocker shaft connected to said one of the first and second stripping plates, and
an adjuster arm having a first end rigidly connected to the rocker shaft and an opposite end slidingly connected to the control arm, and
a biasing member that biases the rocker assembly slidably along the control arm.
18. The row unit of claim 17 , wherein the rocker assembly further comprises a pair of stops along a length of the control arm about opposite sides of the adjuster arm and the biasing member.
19. The row unit of claim 17 , wherein the rocker assembly further comprises a pair of stops along a length of the control arm about opposite sides of the adjuster arm.
20. The row unit of claim 19 , wherein the length corresponds to a range of gap sizing between the first and second stripping plates.
21. The row unit of claim 19 , wherein the adjuster arm slides along the length of the control arm and is biasable by the biasing member.
22. The row unit of claim 19 , wherein the pair of stops is fixedly attached to the control arm.
23. The row unit of claim 19 , wherein each of the pair of stops is fixedly attached to the control arm about a lateral side of the frame of the row unit.
24. A row unit of an agricultural harvester comprising:
first and second longitudinally extending stripping plates mounted on a frame and having opposed stripping edges which define a gap between them; and
a gap adjustment mechanism that adjusts a size of the gap between the first and second stripping plates comprising:
a control arm,
a rocker assembly operatively connected to one of the first and second stripping plates and slidable along the control arm, and
a biasing member that biases the rocker assembly slidably along the control arm.