Abstract: A multi-purpose garden tool (10) including a pair of blade assemblies (20)(20?) wherein, each blade assembly (20) includes a handle portion (21), a shank portion (22) and a contoured blade portion (23) wherein, the shank portions (22)(22?) are pivotally secured to one another as at (28); and, wherein each of the contoured blade portions (23)(23?) define one-half of a hollow frustro-conical configuration and the rear edges (24)(24?) of the blade portions (23)(23?) and the interior faces of the shank portions (22) (22?) are sharpened to function as scissors.

Abstract: A rear-engine type riding lawn tractor having a frame, an engine carried on the frame, a cutting mower driven the engine, a seat set on the frame, a caster wheel supported on the front frame, a pair of drive wheels supported on the rear frame, axles connected with the pair of drive wheels, a HST for drive and a HST for steering included in the transmission, a transmission case arranged on the left and right direction in the frame, a drive belt transmitting power to the cutting mower from the engine over the axle.

Abstract: An arrangement for the withdrawal of samples from a flow of harvested crop flowing in a conveying channel in a harvesting machine includes a guide element mounted so as to cover a sample withdrawal opening provided in a wall of the channel. The guide element is mounted for movement between a first position wherein it blocks the withdrawal opening, and in a second position wherein it opens the withdrawal opening and includes a region that is inserted into the conveying channel so as to forcibly deflect a crop sample through the withdrawal opening.

Abstract: A lawnmower comprising a mower deck having a discharge outlet for discharging grass clippings. The mower deck includes an aperture and slot defined by the mower deck adjacent opposite sides of the discharge outlet. A chute is pivotally connected to the mower deck above the discharge outlet and may pivot between a stowed condition and an operable condition. An extension portion is removably connectable to the mower deck adjacent the discharge outlet. The extension portion includes a fixed pin engageable with the aperture and a latch engageable with the slot. The latch is movable between an engaged position, in which the latch engages the slot, and a disengaged position, in which the latch is removed from the slot. The extension portion extends beyond the chute while the chute is in the stowed condition. A grass catcher is connectable to extension portion opposite the mower deck.

Abstract: A combine harvester has at its rear end separate chaff and crop residue discharge openings. A chopper is provided for cutting the crop residue into small pieces, and a chaff discharge device serves to disperse the chaff exiting from the chaff discharge opening. The chaff discharge device is movable between a first position, in which chaff can fall to the ground without passing through the chaff discharge device to lie in a string behind the combine harvester, and a second position, in which the chaff passes through the chaff discharge device and is dispersed laterally away from the combine harvester. The chaff discharge device is further movable to a third position in which chaff leaving the chaff discharge device is directed to enter the chopper through an opening that is different from the opening through which the crop residue is admitted into the chopper.

Abstract: Seaweed is picked up from the surface of a beach with general purpose earth moving machinery by installing a series of fingers extending forwardly and downwardly from the blade or bucket of the machine. By driving the machine forwardly along the beach, the fingers pass through the sand and seaweed on the beach travels up the incline of the fingers. The fingers accordingly act as a separator to separate most of the seaweed from most of the sand. Several embodiments of each moving machines are adapted for seaweed handling or removal.

Abstract: Low energy non-interference unbiased shear process employing a thin dull blade laterally moving between upper and lower stators. Blades and stators are not biased or pressed together while cutting, as is done with a pair of scissors. Instead, the dull cutting blade is guidingly supported by said upper and lower stators, and the upper and lower stators are sized and formed such that a thickness of a cutting zone (M) formed therebetween exceeds the thickness of a blade zone (VZ) formed by the dull cutting blade, by a total controlled gap (Z) of preferably between 1 and 5 mils (0.0254-0.127 mm). The cutting blade is preferably thin in relation to grass cross section, preferably 10 to 50 mils (0.254 mm-1.27 mm). This arrangement provides two true shearing sites for grass at upper and lower leading edges of the blade. Adequate blade swipe frequency is provided, with gentle C-shape blade profiles yielding self-cleaning blades with lower running friction. Tensile failure of the grass is avoided.

Abstract: A nurse receiver header for an agricultural planting implement is cooperable with a nurse mechanism that conveys seeds entrained in an air stream from a central hopper. A receiver is positioned at the planting mechanism to receive the seeds entrained in the air stream and accumulate a supply of seeds for utilization by the associated planting mechanism. The receiver header includes a plurality of legs and a rotatable baffle positioned internally at an uppermost position of at least one leg of the receiver header. The baffle is pivoted by an external lever that is positioned in the same orientation as the baffle to indicate the position of the baffle. The header can be placed in a closed configuration by positioning the baffle across the leg to be blocked. When in an open configuration, the baffle is positioned parallel to the leg and all of the legs of the header are open.

Abstract: An implement quick coupling mechanism for a work vehicle includes a frame having a cross member and left and right side members projecting from the cross member. The cross member and side members have mounting parts which permit different implement coupling parts to be mounted thereon. A first set of hook members having a first type of dimensional characteristics may be mounted on the frame to form a first category of coupling mechanism. A second set of coupling members having a second type of dimensional characteristics may be mounted on the frame to form a second category of coupling mechanism.

Abstract: Hand control levers with ergonomic grip members. Such hand control levers are used on vehicles, preferably lever-operated mowing machines. The hand control levers can reduce anatomical stress, fatigue or discomfort experienced by users of such vehicles.

Abstract: A bucket tooth capable of preventing a bolt from being loosened during operation is provided. In order to allow the bucket tooth to generate a resilient return force after attachment, a warp is caused by resilient deformation so that a face on the bucket lip side becomes a concave face. As another means, a spot facing portion is formed around a bolt hole into which a fastening bolt is inserted, on the side facing the bucket lip.

Abstract: An airboat having aquatic vegetation shredder includes an airboat having a buoyant hull and an aquatic vegetation shredding assembly supported on the hull. The airboat is driven by a propulsion assembly including a propeller that revolves in the air. These features cooperatively provide a low draft vessel that is capable of relatively higher forward speeds than other aquatic vegetation shredders and particularly effective in shallow water environments. Various alternative configurations of the shredding assembly are disclosed including upright and fore-and-aft shaft orientations for the cutting assembly and a drum and knife cutting assembly.

Abstract: In a motor grader, controls for running the vehicle at a constant speed are provided when a work for improving a land surface with a blade is started by running a working vehicle at a low speed from the low idling start. With this operation, it is possible to perform the work for improving a land surface by maintaining an actual revolution speed of the engine 5 at a value obtained by subtracting a prespecified revolution speed from the revolution speed for low idling to run the working vehicle at a low speed. With this feature, it is possible to continue the work at a constant speed and also to prevent occurrence of engine stop during the work at a low speed, when a higher duty of the engine is required and the actual revolution speed drops like in the case where an ascending slope of the land to be improved becomes large or where the cutting rate temporally increases due to local irregularities of the land surface during the land surface improvement work.

Abstract: A load cell is provided for interconnecting first to second structures with a desired amount of force. The load cell includes a screw that has a body. The body includes a threaded portion along a first end and a head at a second end opposite the first end. The load cell includes a spring received over the body. The spring has first and second ends opposite one another and is configured to exert a desired amount of force when compressed. The load cell includes a spring retention member that has an opening therethrough receiving the body of the screw. The spring retention member includes a bushing secured to at least one of the spring and the body and a washer that extends outward from the bushing. The first and second ends of the spring press against the washer and the head respectively.

Abstract: Device for a soil cultivating machine, comprising a rotor. A plurality of tools are mounted on the rotor. At least one tool of the plurality comprises a fixing end, a soil engaging portion, and a connecting portion which connects the fixing end to the soil engaging portion. The at least one tool is movably mounted to the rotor.

Abstract: A combine harvester is provided with a feeder housing; A separation unit including a rotor driven by a shaft is arranged in a rotor housing. The separation unit a feed end and a discharge end; and a transfer mechanism located in the region of the intersection of the feeder housing and the feed end of the separation unit; The transfer mechanism includes a plurality of auger blades connected with the rotor in the region of the feed zone; A rotating element located in the feeder housing has an axis of rotation perpendicular to the axis of the rotor and above the feed end of the rotor. The rotating element feeds harvested crops to the separation unit from underneath the rotating element's axis of rotation.

Abstract: An apparatus for use with a planting assembly including a mounting member and comprising a hopper including first and second wall members that form first and second hopper external surfaces wherein first and second forces applied perpendicular to the first and second surfaces include at least components along first and second opposing trajectories, respectively, a first elongated bearing member rigidly linked to the mounting member and forming a first bearing surface that applies a first applied force to the first hopper surface wherein the first applied force includes at least a first compressing component along the first trajectory, a second elongated bearing member forming a second bearing surface and having a first end and a retainer linked to the first end of the second bearing member and rigidly linking the second bearing member to the mounting member in any of several different positions relative to the first bearing member so that the second bearing surface applies a second applied force to the second

Abstract: A connection device in which a hook member is carried in a casing member for both rotation about an axis of the hook member and movement longitudinally of the hook member inwardly and outwardly relative the casing. An actuating member is provided to displace the hook member simultaneously for rotation and axial movement. The connection device is particularly adapted to be used as an element of a releasable joint for modular frame construction of frame members having T-shaped longitudinally extending slots. With the hook member in an unlocked position, the hook member extends from one frame member carrying the hook member and permits passage into a slot of another frame member with the hook member in the slot in the unlocked position, the hook member may be moved to a locked position by rotation and withdrawal of the hook member relative the frame member by which it is carried so as to catch the head of the hook member in the T-shaped slot and draw the two frame members together.

Abstract: A seeding machine comprises a main frame segment and left and right wing frame segments. In its working configuration the wing frame segments extend transversely. In its transport configuration the wing frame segments are folded forwardly. The wing frame segments are provided with a rear rank of planting units that are mounted to the wing frame segments by pivot arms that extend downwardly and rearwardly. The pivot arms are pivotally mounted to the wing frame segments by a rock shaft. The rock shaft is provided with an actuator bell crank that is coupled to a linear actuator for rotating the rock shaft relative to the wing frame segments. The pivot arms have a working position, wherein the planting units are in their working position, and a transport position, wherein the planting units have been pivoted on their noses into their substantially vertical transport position to reduce the transverse transport width of the seeding machine.

Abstract: The expansible baling chamber of a large round baler is constructed so as to have chamber-forming elements that act to bias a forming bale away from the chamber inlet so that harvest entering the inlet will be more easily wrapped onto the bale, these chamber-forming elements, in some embodiments, also acting to increase the tension of tensioning mechanism forming part of the baling chamber. Also aiding in the delivery of harvest to the baling chamber is a conveyor having portions located within the chamber inlet.

Abstract: A process for producing sponge iron from iron ore is described, which is reduced to sponge iron in a reduction shaft furnace by means of a hot reduction gas. For this purpose reduction gas at a temperature in the range 750.degree. to 900.degree. is introduced into shaft furnace (1) level with bustle plane (5) having been produced in a gasifier (2) then cooled and purified in a cyclone separator (12). Reduction gas is introduced below the bustle plane (5) at a temperature below that of the reduction gas introduced in the bustle plane and is preferably introduced into the shaft furnace (1) between 650.degree. and 750.degree.. Increased carburization of the sponge iron is obtained. Increased carbon separation also results through a volume increase, particularly by increasing the cross-section through the lower part of the shaft furnace.