Abstract: A sickel guard air system for assisting in moving grain about to be cut over a cutter assembly of a harvester thereby preventing grain waste and shatter. The inventive device includes a guard having a pair of extended members and retainer members, a passageway extending through each of the extended members, a nozzle fluidly connected to the passageway for dispersing pressurized air between the extended member and the retainer member. An air pressure system is fluidly connected to the passageways for providing a continuous flow of pressurized air. The pressurized air assists in the feeding of the crop being harvested and also forces shattered bean pods and beans into the header of the combine. In an alternative embodiment, a pair of nozzles are fluidly connected to the passageway and extend outwardly from the extended member in a V-shaped pattern.

Abstract: An apparatus towed behind a conventional farm tractor has a vacuum section ahead of a conventional mowing section so that litter and other debris are vacuumed into a rear hopper before entering into the mowing section. A conventional power take-off unit on the tractor distributes power via a transmission unit to a pair of centrifugal fans for the vacuuming stage and power to three mower blades. The apparatus may optionally have a sorting section in the discharge tube from the centrifugal fans to separate heavier recyclable debris from lighter debris such as grass clippings.

Abstract: Vacuum mower with a device to create a suction air stream for sucking blades of grass (14) into an intake opening (16). The intake opening (16) can be applied at an angle of up to 80 degrees to the direction of the growth of the grass blades which creates a deep reaching effect of the vacuum so that grass can be effectively sucked in and cut especially close to walls, trees, roadside posts (1), etc. The invention can be used by itself or as an attachment to conventional lawn mowers.

Abstract: A cutting apparatus, such as a lawn mower is described comprising a substantially endless housing having an open bottom, air intake opening and a discharge port. The housing cooperates with a plate member projecting inwardly from a bottom part of the housing to define a substantially enclosed centrifuge chamber. A rotatable cutting blade is mounted in the chamber and an air impeller is provided for pressurizing air in the chamber. The plate member and impeller enhance the centrifugal movement imparted to the cuttings by the rotating cutting blade. A mulch recycling system is provided for receiving the grass cuttings and for delivering the cuttings to a predetermined location adjacent the housing for mulching. The mulch recycling system is adapted for use in connection with cutting apparatus supported by wheels, or roller members, as well as air-floated cutting apparatus.

Abstract: A power lawn mower of a mulching type with no opening for releasing mowed pieces sidewardly and having a housing with a short peripheral side wall with an inwardly protruding at a rear substantially half portion of a lower edge of the peripheral wall in the direction of forward movement of the lawn mower. The protruding portion temporarily retains mowed lawn pieces, or cuttings within the housing for chopping by a cutter rotatable in the housing. Chopped lawn pieces or cuttings are dropped through a lawn drop opening defined by the peripheral wall and deposited between blades of the cut lawn grass. The moved pieces are chopped to a moderate extent and dropped through the blades of the cut lawn grass to promote growth of the lawn grass.

Abstract: A crop blower for a combine harvester. An elongated, tubular housing has a convex outer surface on a first side and a concave outer surface on a second side. There is a fan having a central shaft extending parallel to the housing and spaced-apart from the concave surface thereof. The fan has a plurality of groups of blades. Each group of blades has a plurality of spaced-apart blades which are generally parallel to the shaft and operatively connected thereto. There is a bearing support for the fan mounted on the housing near each end of the housing and between adjacent groups of blades. Each bearing support between adjacent groups of blades includes a U-shaped member extending about the convex surface of the housing. The shaft is rotatably mounted on the bearing supports. There is a motor for rotating the fan and a mount on each end of the housing for mounting the crop blower on a combine harvester.

Abstract: An air-floated cutting apparatus is described comprising a substantially endless housing having an open bottom, an air intake opening and a discharge port, the housing cooperating with a plate member beneath the housing to define a substantially enclosed chamber. A rotatable cutting blade is mounted in the housing, and an air impeller is provided for pressurizing air in said chamber sufficient to float the housing above the ground. The rotatable cutting blade and the air impeller are designed for co-rotation. According to the invention, a mulch recycling system is attached to the discharge port for receiving grass clippings produced by the rotatable cutting blade and for delivering the grass clippings to a predetermined location adjacent the endless housing for mulching. The system may include an applicator for treating the grass clippings with enzymes and/or bacteria to facilitate composting and fermentation.

Abstract: A lawn mower includes a cutter blade rotatably disposed in a cutter housing, for cutting grass, a discharge fan rotatably disposed in the cutter housing upwardly of the cutter blade, for discharging grass clippings cut off by the cutter blade, a power source disposed outside of the cutter housing, and a speed reducer mechanism disposed outside of the cutter housing upwardly of the discharge fan, for transmitting mechanical power from the power source at a reduced speed to the discharge fan to rotate the discharge fan at a speed lower than the speed at which the cutter blade rotates. The cutter blade comprises a flat member and lies substantially horizontally.

Abstract: A mobile harvester of leafy produce has two harvesting sections with a cutter located forwardly for severing the produce from the ground. A continuous belt having a large number of openings moves in a closed path presenting an upwardly facing surface. A low pressure plenum underneath the belt provides a vacuum attraction to the belt upwardly facing for picking up severed produce. An enclosure ove the belt protects against wind removal of produce leaves from the belt. The two harvesting sections are individually adjustable for proper height above the ground.

Abstract: A weed remover (14) for eradicating, killing, collecting and dispensing weeds without the user having to touch the soil or weeds comprises a frame (22), a handle (16), a foot bar (34), a digging blade (36), a vacuum inlet tube (40), a vacuum blower (86), an outlet hose (94), and a weed collecting housing (48) secured to frame (22). A weed disposal bag (44) is secured to the weed collecting housing (48) and tubes (40, 42) provide a track for weeds to be sucked into a disposable weed bag (44) by vacuum generated from an electric motor (28). A battery charger (100 ) is provided as well as a tank (26) for weed killer or other fluids and delivery tubing is provided (50, 58, 150) for delivering the weed killer to soil near the severed weed root.

Abstract: A single pivot and ledge structure located on the back wall of a lower duct of cotton harvester duct structure supports an upper telescoping duct section and facilitates free movement of the sections relative to each other, for example, when the row unit which is serviced by the duct is moved transversely or raised and lowered relative to the harvester frame. The pivot includes a bushing which extends rearwardly from an angle forming a ledge on the lower duct section. The upper duct section extends over the lower duct section and includes a U-shaped bracket which rests on the ledge. An aperture in the U-shaped bracket is received over the bushing to help position the duct sections and permit free pivoting of the upper duct section in both the fore-and-aft and the transverse directions.

Abstract: A crop blower apparatus includes a blower for providing a stream of forced air. There is a mechanism for powering the blower and a discharge duct connected to the blower for providing a directed curtain of air and a frame for mounting the blower forwardly of the knife of a harvester. There may be a plurality of blowers having discharge ducts which are juxtaposed so as to discharge a substantially continuous curtain of air. The blowers may have coaxial drive shafts which are interconnected.

Abstract: A process and machine for gathering products such as fruit from the ground and being of the type comprising a source of pressurized air connected to a delivery conduit having a nozzle near the ground, a chassis carrying an inclined ramp (12) resting on the ground opposite the nozzle, receiving means arranged near the upper end of the ramp, the delivery conduit and nozzle being arranged in such a manner that the nozzle delivers the flow of air toward the ramp (12) in a direction opposite the direction of travel of the machine, and the inclined ramp (12) is carried by articulation means adapted to confer upon the ramp a displacement movement such that its lower edge is displaced with respect to the chassis along a trajectory of which the tangent forms with the ground an acute angle opening toward the rear.

Abstract: Air assisted harvesting means having a manifold extending transversely across the cutter bar platform of a harvester with a plurality of tubes depending therefrom, and nozzles on the tubes arranged to discharge air streams some of which at least partly overlie the air streams of others, so as to provide a deep rearwardly moving air curtain.

Abstract: The harvesting system has a crop cutting device disposed transversely of the direction of travel of the harvesting machine. A crop combing device is disposed adjacent to and extends forwardly of the cutting device. There is provided a pneumatic arrangement for generating a bed of air moving across the combing device in the direction towards the cutting device and generally parallel to the cutting plane of the cutting device. The moving bed of air facilitates gathering of the crop and reduces grain loss. The pneumatic arrangement includes nozzles for discharging air whereby to create said bed and a delivery system for delivering air under pressure to the nozzles. The nozzles are located in the plane of the bed and the delivery system is disposed generally beneath the combing device. Also disclosed is a finger attachment for a known harvesting system of agricultural machines. The finger attachment facilitates conversion of the known harvesting system to a harvesting system according to the invention.

Abstract: A downwardly opening generally circular plan-shaped horizontal housing is provided including opposite side maximum width portions and having a driven rotary vacuum blade assembly journalled therein about a central upstanding axis. The lower end of the downwardly opening housing is at least substantially closed throughout an annular zone extending about and inwardly from the outer periphery of the housing lower end and a depending skirt structure is provided establishing a substantial barrier to the longitudinal flow of reduced pressure air inward toward the center of the annular zone immediately beneath the latter from all horizontal directions, except those horizontal directions extending inwardly toward the center of said annular zone from said opposite side maximum width marginal portions.

Abstract: A high speed blower feeds airstreams to a plurality of lower ducts that produce sheets of high velocity lower air stream moving upward through various gaps in a rake plate through which tines of a rotary pickup drum pass as the drum lifts a windrow of dry, brittle sesame seed crop, creating a lower "air seal" that prevents loss of large numbers of sesame seeds that pop out of the dry pods as a result of snapping and cracking of the dry crop material. The air seal prevents the seeds from falling through the gaps to the ground. The blower also feeds a plurality of upper ducts that produce a high velocity air stream flowing rearward over the upper surface of the matt, intercepting large numbers of sesame seeds that pop outward and upward from the pods and otherwise would be lost as a result of the snapping and cracking of the dry crop material.

Abstract: A cutting assembly including a plurality of blade elements concurrently rotated throughout a circular cutting path about a substantially centrally disposed drive shaft and independently about a central, transverse axis of rotation of each of the plurality of cutting blades and including a planetary gear assembly serving to interconnect the plurality of cutting blades to a drive shaft and a secured driven drive arm for at least partially supporting and positioning the plurality of cutting blades.

Abstract: A harvesting machine has a mobile main frame with a forwarding harvesting header that includes an axially transverse stripping rotor that is rotated with the front side moving upwardly to engage the grain bearing heads of a standing crop and separate the grain from the crop by impact while leaving the stem attached to the field. The impact with the stripping elements projects the grain rearwardly on the header to a crop collecting mechanism, which conveys it to a grain cleaning means in the body of the harvesting machine. An upper drum-type rotor is mounted on the header above and parallel to the stripping rotor and is provided with vanes and an arcuate hood, the upper rotor being rotated in the opposite direction from the lower rotor and generating an air flow between the drum and the hood that exits from the hood in a downward and rearward direction to assist in directing the grain heads into the stripping rotor and to convey the stripped grain rearwardly to the crop collecting mechanism.

Abstract: An improved pressure air manifold and outlets system for grain header or harvester cutting platforms comprising a manifold which extends across and above the cutting platform, the manifold being adjustable for height position and angularity and being provided with a plurality of relatively narrow shaped outlet tubes which depend from the manifold and which terminate nominally above the cutter bar of the cutting platform, each outlet tube being directed to discharge pressure air substantially in a rearward direction also some air in a lateral direction to form a continuous curtain of air and a blower to impart an air flow through the manifold to discharge through the outlet tubes.

Abstract: A main shroud is open at the bottom, and carries a housing on the upper end thereof. An annular director ring is mounted to extend in spaced relationship about the bottom of the main shroud, and a vertical shaft extends upwardly through the shroud and the housing and is connected with a power unit. An upper blower fan is mounted on the shaft within the housing, and generates an upward flow of air through the harvester. An impeller is mounted on the lower end of the shaft, and includes a mounting ring having external blades thereon which project into the annular space defined by the director ring. The impeller external blades generate a downward flow of air through the annular space, which is directed downwardly and inwardly to dislodge macademia nuts found in ground crevices, so they can be entrained in the upward air flow and discharged from the harvester.

Abstract: An improved rotary lawn mower utilizing a novel cutting apparatus for increased safety. The cutting apparatus comprises a cutting wheel disposed within a blade cover, a protective housing releasably suspended by the blade cover beneath the cutting wheel, and a fan incorporated into the cutting wheel for drawing grass upwardly through slots in the protective housing and discharging the grass cuttings. The cutting wheel comprises a central hub for attachment to the drive shaft of the lawn mower engine, a plurality of radially-extending, horizontally-oriented rotary cutting blades, and a peripheral rim. A radial-flow fan is formed by the rim, and the cutting blades form an axial-flow fan, both of which produce an air flow which draws grass through the slots and discharges the cuttings through a discharge port of the blade cover.

Abstract: A harvester for beans and like crop includes a pick-up reel having a width equal to the overall width of the harvester and leading to a first, cleaning, conveyor which terminates at an air passage incorporating a fan for generating a generally vertical air flow. Where the vertical air passage meets the cleaning conveyor, a rotary valve is provided which permits the passage of the beans and other parts of the crop but prevents or at least restricts the passage of the air flow into the space above the upper run of the conveyor. The rotary valve may take the form of a rotary vaned assembly having six vanes each of which is secured to one face of a hexagonal shaft and various forms of rotary valve are also described.

Abstract: The disclosure embraces an improved blade arrangement for a power mower which includes four blade arms mounted on a shaft together with a curved plate which is mounted on the same shaft a selected perpendicular distance from the blades; air deflection surfaces are provided both on the trailing edge of each of the blades as well as on the plate so that, when in use, the resulting noise produced by the rotating blades will be reduced.

Abstract: The disclosure is of a grass-cutting and air-impelling means for a rotary scythe lawn mower comprising at least one rotary cutter body below a coaxial disc furnished with upstanding radial vanes and air suction slots or openings immediately at the rear of the vanes.

Abstract: A pickup head for a machine which picks strawberries, and like crops, has a frame moveable along a crop row by a picker chassis on which the frame is mountable. A severing assembly is mounted on the frame for cutting a crop in the crop row from a plant associated with the crop. The crop is lifted into the severing assembly by an arrangement including a duct disposed for directing a gaseous stream beneath the crop and lifting same into communication with the severing assembly for cutting of the crop. The gas is directed under pressure just above the ground so as to put pressure against the crop and thereby bringing the crop into communication with the severing assembly.

Abstract: There is disclosed a technique for modifying a conventional rotary lawn mower to provide the capability of cleaning a paved area such as a sidewalk or driveway. Basically, the only modification to the lawn mower is the provision of a depending skirt extending downwardly from a peripheral wall of the lawn mower frame. Three embodiments are illustrated. The first embodiment comprises a skirt mounted on the lawn mower frame for adjusting movement between an upper or grass cutting position and a lower or sweeping position in which the lower edge of the skirt is spaced only slightly above the bottoms of the lawn mower wheels. The second embodiment comprises a skirt fixed to the lawn mower frame. Adjustment of the skirt to a lower sweeping position is accomplished by the provision of conventional adjustable wheels which effectively lower the lawn mower frame relative to the ground. The third embodiment comprises a skirt which is attached to the lawn mower only when it is desired to perform a sweeping function.

Abstract: An improved pressure air manifold and outlets system for grain header or harvester cutting platforms comprising a manifold which extends across and above the cutting platform, the manifold being adjustable for height position and angularity and being provided with a plurality of relatively narrow shaped outlet tubes which depend from the manifold and which terminate nominally above the cutter bar of the cutting platform, each outlet tube being directed to discharge pressure air substantially in a rearward direction also some air in a lateral direction to form a continuous curtain of air and a blower to impart an air flow through the manifold to discharge through the outlet tubes.

Abstract: A mobile harvester of leafy produce has two harvesting sections with a cutter located forwardly for severing the produce from the ground. A continuous belt having a large number of openings moves in a closed path presenting an upwardly facing surface. A low pressure plenum underneath the belt provides a vacuum attraction to the belt upwardly facing for picking up severed produce. An enclosure ove the belt protects against wind removal of produce leaves from the belt. The two harvesting sections are individually adjustable for proper height above the ground.

Abstract: A mobile harvester of leafy produce has two harvesting sections with a cutter located forwardly for severing the produce from the ground. A continuous belt having a large number of openings moves in a closed path presenting an upwardly facing surface. A low pressure plenum underneath the belt provides a vacuum attraction to the belt upwardly facing for picking up severed produce. An enclosure over the belt protects against wind removal of produce leaves from the belt. The two harvesting sections are individually adjustable for proper height above the ground. .Iadd.A method for harvesting leafy produce using the mobile harvester is also disclosed..Iaddend.