Abstract: Drum mowers having flat L-shaped blades in which the vertical portions are spring mounted relative to the rotating drums of drum mowers are disclosed having a spring mounting providing yielding of the horizontal portion of the blade in both a vertical and horizontal direction when it strikes an obstruction and automatic return of the blade to its mowing position. The flat blades provide greater strength and less vertical obstruction than prior blades. In a preferred embodiment, the end cutting portions of the blades attached to adjacent drums of multiple drum mowers do not overlap adjacent discs and are twisted with respect to the flat horizontal portion so the sharpened leading edge is downward.

Abstract: A multiple rotor mower having a plurality of substantially side-by-side vertically disposed rotors each having a horizontally disposed disc at their lower ends and mowing blades beneath the discs, the discs being segmented into readily detachable and replaceable disc portions for easy replacement of any disc portions damaged by contact with rocks. Closed ground engaging skids are provided beneath discs, the ground engaging skids being formed from two dish-shaped portions having a fastening flange extending outwardly from their adjacent open ends so that the bottom portion of each disc is readily detachable and replaceable providing replacement of the bottom portion of the ground engaging skid when damaged or to obtain different height adjustments of the mower rotor assemblies. The mower rotor assembly is spring suspended from an overhead support arm from the mower frame reducing the force of the ground engaging skids upon the ground.

Abstract: A cooperative roll hay conditioner in which the rolls are pneumatic tired wheels and one of the pneumatic tired wheels is snuggly surrounded by a steel cage to effect the crimping of harvested hay as the hay passes between the cooperative pneumatic tired wheels.

Abstract: A mower of the multiple rotor type in which each rotor has radial mowing blades extending into the transverse plane of adjacent rotors and the blades of adjacent rotors being vertically offset from one another. More specifically the multiple rotors are transversely aligned and are provided with horizontally disposed discs all aligned in a horizontal plane. The mowing blades on alternate discs are associated with the top side of the discs and the mowing blades on the intermediate alternate discs are associated with the under side of the discs. Thus the cooperative blades of any adjacent discs are vertically offset from one another.

Abstract: "L" shaped spring wire blades for use on drum type mowers. The upper ends of the vertical leg portions of the L-shaped members are fastened to the drum near its upper end and arcuately spaced apart around its cylindrical surface. The vertical portion of each blade projects downwardly at a position closely adjacent the outer cylindrical surface of the drum and passes through an opening in the disc at the base of the drum whereafter the horizontal portion of each blade extends radially outwardly beneath the disc. A hay cutting end of each blade projects radially outwardly beyond the disc to effect cutting of hay as the drum and its unitary disc rotate. The spring wire blade can yield rearwardly about its vertical leg as an axis of torsional twist when its horizontal leg strikes an obstruction. The inherent spring nature of the L-shaped blade will cause it to automatically resume its cutting position when the obstruction is cleared.

Abstract: A quickly detachable mounting link and its accompanying flail blades from sleeve lug mounts on a rotor drum. The link is U-shaped and has axially aligned oppositely disposed extensions at the upper end of the U. The depending portion of the U link is adapted to loosely carry the flail blades. One of the extensions is longer than the other and carries a coil spring therearound. The oppositely disposed extensions are adapted to slidably engage spaced apart, axially aligned sleeve lug mounts on the rotor drum. The coil spring in its normal extension keeps the mounting link in its sleeve mounts on the rotor drum. Quick detachment is accomplished by sliding the mounting link in a direction to compress the coil spring and effect removal of the short extension from its sleeve lug mount, whereupon the entire link may be removed from the rotor and the flail blades slid off the link over its short extension.

Abstract: A generally vertically disposed bin arranged to receive grain to be dried. Moist grain enters the bin through the top at which point it is distributed relatively uniformly over the full planar area thereof. The bin is equipped with a first floor having air passage perforations therein. The first perforated floor is adapted to carry a substantial column of the moist grain thereon which is subjected to the passage of hot air moving upwardly therethrough. An auger sweep is arranged and constructed to regularly remove portions of the grain lying closest to the surface of the perforated first floor and discharge that grain downwardly through a passageway in the first floor where it is distributed relatively uniformly over a substantial column of grain carried on a second floor spaced beneath the first floor in the bin. The second floor also has air passage perforations therein to permit passage upwardly therethrough of cool air.

Abstract: A drive for a mower of the type having a multiple number of vertically disposed drum cutters. The cutting elements are at the bottom of each drum and cut in a horizontal plane. A horizontally disposed pneumatic tired wheel is associated with and acts to impart rotation to each of the drum cutters. External drive is imparted to effect rotation of one of the pneumatic tired wheels. The other pneumatic tired wheels are mounted to have frictional circumferential engagement with each other and with the driven wheel to cause all of the wheels to be driven.

Abstract: A flail type shredder for farm crops employing an elongated frame which is adapted to be mounted at the front end thereof on the three point hitch of a conventional farm tractor and which travels along the terrain supported by a pair of wheels mounted at the rear end of the frame which are adjustable with respect to the terrain to adjust the distance between the terrain and the frame. The chopper has a central elongated flail type crop severing unit mounted on and below the frame at the rear thereof and two elongated wing flail type crop severing units extending outwardly from opposite sides of the frame. The two wing units have housings open at the bottom and provided with a top, and each of these units is mounted on one of the side rails of the frame by a hinge located at the top of the unit, and each of the wing units is provided with a rotatable wheel adjustably mounted at the rear thereof to determine the distance between the terrain and each of the wing units separately.

Abstract: The grain is cleaned prior to heating. Then it moves downwardly as a column between perforated walls and is traversed by several airstreams of differing temperatures which provide three or more heating zones and a cooling zone. The temperature of each heating zone beneath the uppermost is less than that of the heating zone next above it. In the cooling zone, the air is drawn inwardly through the grain and into a duct by an exhaust fan. Any fines dislodged during cooling are filtered from the spent cooling air as it emerges from the exhaust fan. The filter is a fine mesh circular screen. A continuously rotating suction shoe removes the fines from the screen. The initial grain cleaning device has two concentric tumbling screens, one for collecting large particles and the other for screening out the fines. The fines are then conveyed through a heating zone and dried, and then run through a dust collector together with the fines from the filter.