Importance

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Abstract

A mounting assembly of a gauge wheel for an implement, such as an agricultural crop harvesting header, the mounting assembly including a king pin member rotatably mounted in a king pin bushing housing and having a wheel spindle projecting substantially horizontally from one side of a king pin shaft for rotatably mounting the gauge wheel. The rotational axis of the king pin shaft is tilted rearwardly and upwardly relative to the vertical and sideways and upwardly relative to the vertical in a direction opposite to the side of the projecting wheel spindle. Accordingly, when the gauge wheel enters a caster turn in a direction corresponding to the direction of projection of the wheel spindle the axis of the wheel spindle swings from a substantially transverse direction in relation to the straight ahead travel direction towards a rearwardly and downwardly inclined orientation. A spring is arranged to bias the king pin shaft to turn in a direction counter to a caster turn, and stops are provided to limit the rotation of the king pin shaft between a substantially straight ahead travel condition and a caster turn of a preselected amount of turn. Effective castering of a gauge wheel at the inside of a turn is accomplished together with good straight ahead stability. The structure also allows positioning of the castering gauge wheel close to the framework of the header.

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First Claim