Crop Divider Hinge Kit and Method

Abstract

Provided is a crop divider hinge kit and method of installation and use that facilitates do-it-yourself retrofitting of existing combine harvester heads to allow their crop dividers to pivot out of the way for transport. Hinge kits may be adapted for use with frames having a square tube portion and may comprise a replacement portion of square tubing pivotably connected with a sleeve portion adapted to receive therein and be affixed to a cut portion of the square tube frame. Quick-disconnect fastening mechanisms may be used in connection with hinge kits, including in connection with removably fastening crop divider support members.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A crop divider hinge kit adapted for use in a method of converting a crop divider fixedly connected to a harvester head into a crop divider pivotably connected to the harvester head, when the crop divider is fixedly connected to the harvester head by a frame comprising square tubing, when the method comprises the steps of removing the square tubing portion of the frame from the harvester head; cutting off a predetermined length of the square tubing from the end of the square tubing portion that was connected to the harvester heard; connecting a crop divider hinge kit to that portion of the harvester head to which the square tubing portion of the frame was connected; connecting the crop divider to the crop divider hinge kit by placing the square tubing comprising the end of the frame from which the predetermined length of square tubing was cut into the hollow portion of the sleeve and affixing said tubing to said sleeve; and alternately locking the crop divider in a first longitudinally extending position appropriate for use in dividing crops and a second position extending longitudinally approximately perpendicular to the first longitudinally extending position;
 the crop divider hinge kit comprising:
 a replacement portion of square tubing adapted to connect to that portion of the harvester head to which the square tubing portion of the frame was connected, and further adapted to replace the predetermined length of square tubing that was cut off from the frame; 
 a sleeve portion pivotably connected with the replacement portion of square tubing and defining a hollow portion having an inner profile approximating the outer profile of the square tubing and adapted to receive therein and be affixed to that part of the square tubing comprising the end of the frame from which the predetermined length of square tubing was cut; 
 the crop divider hinge kit adapted to alternately lock the crop divider in a first longitudinally extending position appropriate for use in dividing crops and in a second position extending longitudinally approximately perpendicular to the first position, when the replacement portion of square tubing is connected to the harvester head and the end of the frame from which the predetermined length of square tubing was cut is affixed to sleeve portion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 1 , further comprising the sleeve defining holes therein adapted to form a template to guide the drilling of holes through the tubing during the step of affixing said tubing to said sleeve. 
     
     
         3 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more fasteners adapted to affix said tubing to said sleeve. 
     
     
         4 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 1 , wherein said tubing and said sleeve are adapted to be affixed together by welding. 
     
     
         5 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve portion comprises second square tubing. 
     
     
         6 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 5 , wherein the second square tubing comprises a first portion comprising a top wall and a bottom wall separated by opposing first and second side walls, the first or second side wall being partially cut-away to form a pivot clearance window. 
     
     
         7 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 6 , wherein the replacement portion of square tubing is pivotably connected with the sleeve portion by a pivot member that passes from the top wall of the second square tubing, through the replacement portion of square tubing, to the bottom wall of the second square tubing, the pivot member positioned proximate the pivot clearance window such that the sleeve portion can pivot relative to the replacement portion of square tubing about the pivot member from a first position where the replacement portion of square tubing extends coaxially with the sleeve portion, to a second position where the longitudinal axis of the replacement portion of square tubing extends through the pivot clearance window and approximately perpendicularly to the longitudinal, axis of the sleeve portion. 
     
     
         8 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 7 , further comprising a locking member adapted to be inserted through the top wall of the second square tubing, through the replacement portion of square tubing, and through the bottom wall of the second square tubing, when the sleeve portion is pivoted, relative to the replacement portion of square tubing about the pivot member to the first position where the replacement portion of square tubing extends coaxially with the sleeve portion to lock the crop divider in a first longitudinally extending position appropriate for use in dividing crops. 
     
     
         9 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 8 , further comprising the locking member being adapted to be inserted through the replacement portion of square tubing and simultaneously adjacent to recesses formed in the outer edges of the top and bottom walls of the second square tubing adjacent the pivot clearance window, when the sleeve portion is pivoted relative to the replacement portion of square tubing about the pivot member to the second position where the longitudinal axis of the replacement portion of square tubing extends through the pivot clearance window and approximately perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve portion to lock the crop divider in a second position extending longitudinally approximately perpendicular to the first longitudinally extending position. 
     
     
         10 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 7 , wherein the pivot member consists of a fastener that passes through the top wall, through the square tubing, and through the bottom wall. 
     
     
         11 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 7 , wherein the pivot member comprises a fastener having a shaft circumferentially surrounded by a compression-limiting spacer. 
     
     
         12 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 8 , wherein the locking member is selected from the group consisting of a fastener, a pin, a button handle ball lock pin, a detent pin, a torsion clip, hair pin clip. 
     
     
         13 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 9 , wherein the locking member is selected from the group consisting of a fastener, a pin, a button handle ball lock pin, a detent pin, a torsion clip, hair pin clip. 
     
     
         14 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a quick-disconnect fastening mechanism adapted to replace a support member fastener, where the crop divider is further connected to the harvester head by a support member extending above the square tubing from the crop divider to the harvester head, the support member attached to the harvester head with the support member fastener, the quick-disconnect, fastening mechanism adapted to attach the support member to the harvester head when the crop divider is locked in the first longitudinally extending position, the quick-disconnect fastening mechanism adapted to detach the support member from the harvester head to allow the crop divider to be moved to the second position extending longitudinally approximately perpendicular to the first longitudinally extending position. 
     
     
         15 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 1 , further adapted to be connected to that portion of the harvester head to which the square tubing portion of the frame was connected using fasteners that had fastened the cut-off portion of the square tubing to the harvester head. 
     
     
         16 . The crop divider hinge kit of  claim 1 , wherein the square tubing comprises one-and-one-half-inch by one-and-one-half-inch nominal outside width and height ASTM A500 square tubing, and the sleeve portion comprises two-inch by two-inch nominal outside width and height ASTM A500 square tubing with 5 Gauge (0.220 inch) nominal wall thickness.