Abstract: A pull-type harvesting machine is adapted for laterally offset attachment to a tractor. The machine has a frame and a harvesting head supported by the frame including a cutting apparatus for cutting crops as the machine is towed across a field, and a gear box operably connected with the cutting apparatus. A pull tongue is pivotally coupled to the frame about a first vertical axis for varying the position of the machine relative to the tractor. A mechanical drive line extends along and is rotatably supported by the pull tongue for supplying driving power to the cutting apparatus through the gear box. The gear box is pivotally mounted on the header about a second vertical axis spaced from the first vertical axis. The drive line includes a fixed position portion and a telescoping portion supported at fore and aft ends by the tongue and the gear box, respectively.

Abstract: A rotary mower is mounted onto a skid steer loader through a four bar linkage on each side of a mower housing. The linkage is arranged to pivot relative to a mounting bracket on the skid steer loader and relative to a mower housing, with differential lengths between upper and lower sets of links of the four bar linkage. The upper link on each side of the mower is slidably connected to the mower housing to permit the mower housing to pivot a limited amount about a traverse axis during normal operation. The links include stop members that engage when the mower is raised a selected amount to stop relative movement between the links and also to shut off power to the motor driving the mower. The forward end of the housing has depending chains mounted with a channel and providing a shield.

Abstract: A suction dredge for the planned taking up of suction material, particularly for excavating soil from underground pipes, has a pneumatic suction hose for taking up the suction material and at whose lower end is provided a suction stub. At its opposite, upper end the suction hose issues into a collecting tank. To simplify the handling of the suction stub, it is provided with a guide body fitted to the suction hose and a suction nozzle axially movable relative thereto and which by means of a drive mechanism can be retracted into and extended from the guide body. As a result the stroke frequency of the suction nozzle and/or its stroke length and/or the impact energy on the soil can be adjusted.

Abstract: An excavation tooth point longitudinally extending along an axis and having a pocket area extending inwardly through a rear end thereof is telescoped onto a nose portion of an adapter structure by inserting the nose portion into the tooth point pocket area. The inserted nose portion has a tapered side opening therein that is positioned between a corresponding pair of similarly tapered tooth side wall openings. The tooth point is removably coupled to the adapter nose using an elongated, wedge shaped connector member which is inserted, small end first, through the generally aligned tooth and adapter openings. An internal passage longitudinally extends through the large connector member end and receives an inner portion of a force exerting member which compresses a spring within the passage, the spring in turn resiliently biasing an outer portion of the force exerting member into abutment with an interior surface portion of the tooth.

Abstract: A lawn mower including a liquid-cooled engine having a radiator grille positioned over the radiator thereof. The radiator grille includes a perforated screen member having a series of alternating grooves and ridges formed therein which run downwardly and rearwardly from the forward end of the screen member. The design of the screen member and the radiator grille permit the perforated screen member to self-clean and also provides a convenient means by which the screen member may be manually cleaned, if necessary.

Abstract: A new and improved rake apparatus and methods are provided for the easy and safe exchange of process equipment towed behind the rake for combined raking and processing agricultural operations. The rake may be mounted on a large frame with a substantial extension PTO shaft capable of transferring power from the power source (usually a tractor) to a baler, fluffer rake, or other towed farm implement attached to the end of said frame, through connection to a tractor's PTO shaft via the use of a telescopic PTO shaft. Once connected to the power source, one has a combination of a rake having mounted swing arms that extend outwardly from the framed device and a PTO shaft driving the baler, tedder rake, or other towed farm implement, enabling the rake to swing hay and other cut materials into the path of the towed implement for further processing.

Abstract: A locking device has a lower concave housing suitable to receive and hold an upper end of an element to be attached to a drill stem. The housing forms a conical surface. A number of blocks slides along the conical surface. Each block has an outside sliding surface that is parallel to the conical surface and has an inside surface suitable to engage the elements to be held. The blocks are mounted to slide along the conical surface. The blocks are moveable from a first, free position in which the blocks are pushed toward the lower, outside surface of the conical surface to a second, locked position in which the blocks are radially clamped against the element to be hold.

Abstract: A mower comprising a frame, a deck with a discharge located forwardly of at least one cutting blade, a baffle in the deck disposed between the blade and discharge that is spaced from the top wall of the deck defining a discharge aperture in the deck that creates suction and focuses clippings toward the discharge, and wheels coupled to the frame by a suspension preferably of independent construction. Each blade is massive for high inertia, generally planar, and disc-shaped having at least three cutting arms that each have a tab extending below the plane and having a cutting edge. Each arm preferably also has an upwardly extending suction-increasing flap. The suspension has a pair of control arms pivotally mounted to the frame with each arm having a mounting arm extending above the frame capturing a biasing element that urges the arms away from each other to keep the wheels in contact with the ground.

Abstract: A harvesting machine with an automatic steering mechanism consists of a self-propelled machine with a cutterbar mounted in the driving direction. The harvesting machine also has generally-known locating devices to scan the crop edge, in particular, the border between the mowed and unmowed crops. The location devices produce signals that are processed by a controller and, via devices well-known in the art, are utilized by the automatic steering mechanism. The crop edge is scanned in at least two variable distances in front of the cutterbar. The controller processes at least two locating signals received in variable scanning distances in front of the cutterbar. The locating signals are used by devices well-known in the art for the automatic steering mechanism.

Abstract: A picking finger assembly is insertable into and withdrawable from a canopy of a fruit tree during a mechanical harvesting. The picking finger assembly provides for, during the withdrawal, a gathering of fruit growing upon the fruit tree where a picking pressure may be applied during to sever the fruit from the tree. A finger extending from an arm producing this gathering and application of the picking pressure to the fruit. The finger is displaceable relative to the arm in response to engagement of an obstruction, such as a large branch. This displacement provides for an initial relatively strong resistance to displacement, then a significantly lesser resistance. In one embodiment a transfer shaft moves within a transfer channel to provide for this dual resistance pressure feature. An angular change in the transfer channel provides for immediate transfer of transfer shaft within transfer channel once such transfer commences.

Abstract: The present invention provides a riding lawn mower comprising: two pairs of ground engaging wheels 2, 2 and 3, 3 disposed at front and rear portions of a vehicle frame 5; a cutter blade 9 supported by the vehicle frame 5; a drive source 7 mounted on the vehicle frame 5 and having an output shaft 8 extending downwardly; a transmission 20 including i) a casing 21; ii) an input shaft 22 substantially vertically supported by the casing 21, and iii) a pair of axles 4, 4 extending substantially horizontally in opposite directions, the pair of axles supporting each one of the two pairs of ground engaging wheels, the transmission 20 being arranged below the drive source 7 and having the input shaft 22 coupled substantially coaxially with the output shaft 8 of the drive source 7 non-rotatably relative thereto; and power transmitting members 10 and 11 for the cutter blade 9, the power transmitting members 10 and 11 being provided to rotate with the output shaft 8.

Abstract: A zero turning radius power lawn mower for operation by a standing occupant includes first and second independently driven and controlled rear drive wheels mounted on separate drive axles. A riding platform for supporting the standing occupant or operator is located between the first and second rear drive wheels. The rear drive wheels are independently driveable in both the forward and reverse directions at variable speeds so as to allow for substantially zero radius turning of the mower about a central turning point. The riding platform is positioned near this turning point or axis so that the standing occupant remains substantially unaffected by centrifugal force created during approximate zero radius turning of the mower thereby allowing the mower to take such turns at higher speeds. The low center of gravity created by the position of the riding platform for the standing operator also results in the mower having improved traction and being less likely to pop "wheelies" upon acceleration.

Abstract: A zero-turning-radius power lawn mower for operation by a standing-occupant includes first and second independently driven and controlled rear drive wheels mounted on separate drive axles. A riding platform for supporting the standing-occupant or operator is located between the first and second rear drive wheels. The rear drive wheels are independently driveable in both the forward and reverse directions at variable speeds so as to allow for substantially zero-radius-turning of the mower about a central turning point. The riding platform is positioned at this turning point so that the standing-occupant remains substantially unaffected by centrifugal force created during approximate zero-radius-turning of the mower thereby allowing the mower to take such turns at higher speeds.

Abstract: A trimming device carriage system for allowing a user to conveniently utilize a conventional trimming device without requiring significant effort by the user. The inventive device includes a support structure secured to a second base, a pair of handles secured to a first base, and a pair of brackets attached to each of the first base and the second base for removably engaging a trimmer shaft of a conventional trimmer. The support structure comprises a pair of upper legs secured to the second base and slidably positioned within a corresponding pair of lower legs. A plurality of adjustment apertures within the upper legs catchably receive a detent springably attached to the pair of lower legs. The upper legs are pivotally attached to the second base by a pair of second wing fasteners. The pair of handles are pivotally attached to the first base by a pair of first wing fasteners thereby allowing adjustment of the angle of the handles.

Abstract: A piste-preparation device for preparing a half-pipe comprises at least one tool adjustably mounted on a piste vehicle, and lateral members which are laterally disposed relative to the tool and can essentially be assigned to side walls of the half-pipe. To prepare a half-pipe even in cases where the surface is hard and, at the same time, to remove a large amount of material, in particular from the half-pipe side walls, each lateral member comprises removal means designed with removal tools which can move substantially transversely to the direction of travel of the piste vehicle.

Abstract: An excavating device has conical milling tools each having a longitudinal center axis. At least one motor is provided for rotatingly driving the milling tools about their longitudinal center axis. The milling tools each have a mantle surface. The mantle surfaces are positioned at one circumferential point adjacent to one another at a minimum spacing defining a working play between the milling tools such that the mantle surfaces form a continuous working plane. The longitudinal center axis of the milling tools are positioned angularly to one another and to a vertical axis extending between the milling tools. Each longitudinal center axis is positioned at an angle of between 50.degree. and 70.degree. to the vertical axis. Each one of the longitudinal center axes is positioned at an angle of less than 90.degree. relative to the advancing direction of the excavating device.

Abstract: A hose connecting structure includes a hose whose central and engaging portion having a thermal flexibility resin which is molded by a blow molding method and a mating member which is inserted into the edge opening of the hose. The hose connecting structure further includes a ring-shaped sealing material and a first engaging portion which is disposed in the axial direction by a predetermined distance to the sealing material at either the edge portion of the hose or the mating member and second engaging portion which is directly or indirectly engaged with the first engaging portion at either the edge portion of the hose or the mating member. The central and the engaging portion of the hose connecting structure includes a thermal flexibility resin which is molded by a blow molding method. Therefore, the most suitable soft and hard resin for the appropriate portion can be used. When the engaging portion with the mating member and the central portion are molded integrally, the working efficiency is improved.

Abstract: A reel-type cutting unit including a reel blade for cutting grass in cooperation with a fixed blade. The reel blade is rotatable about a horizontal axis extending transversely of a vehicle body, to move from front to rear relative to the fixed blade with respect to a forward traveling direction of the vehicle body. The cutting unit has a main case surrounding the reel blade to define a space for carrying grass clippings in a rotating direction of the reel blade to a top level of the reel blade. A guide member is connected to the main case for receiving the grass clippings carried to the top level. The guide member defines a grass receiving space having a grass discharge opening. The grass discharge opening is connected to a grass catcher through a duct.

Abstract: A vehicle snowplow system with an adjustable-bias tripping mechanism. The system includes a snowplow blade or moldboard which is pivotally mounted to a frame, the latter being adapted for mounting to a vehicle. The moldboard "trips" or pivotally moves between a normal plowing position and a displaced position when a lower region of the moldboard contacts a rigid obstruction. The system includes at least one biasing assembly operable to bias the moldboard toward the normal position with a biasing force, the biasing assembly configured so as to provide an adjustment to the biasing force to compensate for variances in roadway or environmental conditions.

Abstract: A round baling press for baling harvested crops has a device for storing a roll of netting web for binding bales. Stones and other foreign bodies thrown into the housing of the baling press can lead to breakdowns and damage to the mechanism for feeding netting web into the baling press. A flexible and plastic web, preferably made of transparent material, is used as an inexpensive and simple housing cover to prevent stones and foreign bodies from entering the housing of the baling press.