Agricultural harvesting head with a gauge and transport wheel arrangement

1. An agricultural harvesting head for an agricultural harvester comprising:

a left frame section disposed to receive crop harvested on a left side of the agricultural harvesting head;

a right frame section disposed to receive crop harvested on the right side of the agricultural harvesting head;

a center frame section that is coupled to and disposed to receive the crop harvested from the left frame section and from the right frame section; and

a first gauge wheel assembly coupled to at least one section of the left frame section and the right frame section that is convertible from (A) a harvesting position in which the first gauge wheel assembly supports the at least one section during crop harvesting, to (B) a transport position in which the first gauge wheel assembly supports the at least one section for road transport,

wherein the first gauge wheel assembly is pivotable about a first pivot axis parallel to a direction of travel “V” of the agricultural harvester when in the transport position and is pivotable about a second pivot axis perpendicular to the first pivot axis between the harvesting position and the transport position; and

wherein the first gauge wheel assembly comprises: an elongate truss having a first end and a second end; a first wheel fixed to the first end of the elongate truss; and a second wheel fixed to the second end of the elongate truss.

2. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , further comprising: a first pivot joint coupled between the elongate truss and the at least one section that permits the elongate truss and the first and second wheels to pivot as an assembly about a first pivot axis that extends parallel to a longitudinal extent of the at least one section; and a second pivot joint coupled between the elongate truss and the at least one section that permits the elongate truss and the wheels to pivot as an assembly about a second pivot axis that extends vertically while a floor of the at least one section of the left frame in the right frame section remains in a crop harvesting orientation.

3. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , wherein the elongate truss comprises a bottom chord, a first top chord fixed to the bottom chord, and a web interconnecting the bottom chord and the first top chord when the first gauge wheel assembly is in the transport position.

4. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 3 , wherein the elongate truss comprises the bottom chord, and a second top chord fixed to the bottom chord wherein the second top chord is different than the first top chord.

5. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 4 , wherein the first pivot joint is coupled to an apex of the first top chord to permit the elongate truss to pivot about a vertical axis when the first gauge wheel assembly is in the transport position.

6. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , wherein the first gauge wheel assembly comprises a first truss and a second truss, wherein the first truss and the second truss share a bottom chord, and wherein the first truss has a first top chord, and the second truss has a second top chord.

7. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 6 , wherein the first truss and the second truss are fixed at a right angle to each other, and further wherein the bottom chord extends parallel to a direction of travel “V” of the agricultural harvester in the harvesting position and extends perpendicular to the direction of travel “V” of the agricultural harvester in the transport position.

8. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 6 , wherein the first truss is erect when the first gauge wheel assembly is in the transport position, and wherein the second truss is erect when the first gauge wheel assembly is in the harvesting position.

9. An agricultural harvester comprising: an agricultural combine; and an agricultural harvesting head supported on the front of the agricultural combine, wherein the agricultural harvesting head comprises:

a left frame section disposed to receive crop harvested on a left side of the agricultural harvesting head;

a right frame section disposed to receive crop harvested on the right side of the agricultural harvesting head;

a center frame section that is coupled to and disposed to receive the crop harvested from the left frame section and from the right frame section; and

a first gauge wheel assembly coupled to at least one section of the left frame section and the right frame section that is convertible from (A) a harvesting position in which the first gauge wheel assembly supports the at least one section during crop harvesting, to (B) a transport position in which the first gauge wheel assembly supports the at least one section for road transport,

wherein the first gauge wheel assembly is pivotable about a first pivot axis parallel to a direction of travel “V” of the agricultural harvester when in the transport position and is pivotable about a second pivot axis perpendicular to the first pivot axis between the harvesting position and the transport position; and

wherein the first gauge wheel assembly comprises: an elongate truss having a first end and a second end; a first wheel fixed to the first end of the elongate truss; and a second wheel fixed to the second end of the elongate truss.

10. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , wherein the first and second wheels are spaced apart a first distance in the harvesting position and are spaced apart the same distance in a transport position.

11. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , wherein the first and second wheels are fixed in position relative to each other as they move from the harvesting position to the transport position.

12. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second wheels are supported on an offsetting link that in turn is supported on the elongate truss such that each of the wheels rotates about an axis that is generally parallel to and offset from a bottom chord of the elongate truss.

13. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , wherein the elongate truss is generally triangular and has an apex disposed midway between and above the first end and the second end.

14. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 2 , wherein the second pivot axis is disposed equidistant to the first wheel and the second wheel.

15. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 13 , wherein a weight of the at least one section is supported on the apex of the elongate truss when the elongate truss is in the transport position.

16. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , wherein the elongate truss has a longitudinal extent, and further wherein a second pivot joint, forming the second pivot axis, constrains the elongate truss to pivot about a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the elongate truss and equidistant from the first wheel and the second wheel.

17. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , further comprising a first pivot joint forming the first pivot axis and a second pivot joint forming the second pivot axis, wherein the first pivot joint is pivotable about the second pivot axis.

18. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one section of the left frame section and the right frame section comprises a floor to underlie conveyed crops, and a rear wall having a rear face to face the agricultural harvester, wherein the second pivot axis intersects the floor.

19. The agricultural harvesting head of claim 1 , wherein the first pivot axis directly underlies a floor of the at least one section of the left frame section and the right frame section.