A VEHICLE FOR SUPPORTING A CROP PICKING HEAD WITH AN ADJUSTABLE SUSPENSION

摘要

A vehicle for supporting a crop picking head attached to a self- propelled harvester during over-the-road transportation in order to reduce t he load on the wheels of the harvester in order to meet regulatory requirements. The vehicle is attached to the crop picking head in preparation for road travel and detached before harvesting a field. The vehicle features a mount and at least one whe el supported downward from the mount. Furthermore, the wheel is suspended from the mount through a spring element capable of absorbing irregularities in th e road surface. Preferably the spring element is a hydraulic cylinder connected to a pressure reservoir, wherein the pressure reservoir operates independently of the harvester's hydraulic system, provides damping for the hydraulic cylinder, a nd may be set at various pressures based on the load and road conditions.