Abstract: A large capacity en masse conveyor for bulk materials includes a centrally positioned link type conveyor chain (26) with transverse flights (71) connected to the underside of the chain links (61) at regular intervals. The flights (71) include a main V-shaped angle member (72) with wear shoes (91, 92), which may be replaceable shoes (172), at its outer ends engageable with longitudinal wear strips (93, 94) adjacent the side walls (41, 42) of the conveyor casing (11). An idler roller (29) is upwardly removable from its support (111) upon removal of the cover (49) and fastening bolts (126) and nuts (127). The roller support (111) is upwardly removable from the casing (11) upon removal of the cover (49) and bolts (132) and nuts (131) by which the support (111) is releasably secured to the casing side walls (41, 42).

Abstract: A harvester header (12) of the detachable type is provided with a transverse hollow beam (46) at its lower rear which optimizes available space. The beam (46) is of quadrilateral cross section with its rear wall (51) presenting openings (71, 72, 111, 112) beneath the header discharge opening (19) for centering and latching the header (12) to the feeder conveyor housing (13). The top wall (53) of the beam (46) slopes forwardly and downwardly in parallel supporting relation to the rear portion (39) of the header floor (36).

Abstract: A screen door assembly (61) on the bottom of a combine serves to screen large pieces of foreign material from air flowing to a fan (49) and to provide access for service personnel to an interior cavity (53) of the combine. A screen (62) is moved between a closed horizontal position and an open position, shown by broken lines (62"), by a crank arm member (63) which can be operated (pivoted) by a wrench (91) engaged with the hex head (89) of a shaft portion (86). A pin (111) locks the crank arm member (63), and the screen in their screen closed position in which the screen and arms rest on laterally inward extending flanges (106, 107). The rear edges (116, 117) of the flanges (106, 107) serve to guide the screen (62) to its open position as the crank arm member (63) is rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2 from its full line screen closed position to its screen open position shown by broken lines (63").

Abstract: The floating cutter bar (37) of a harvester is mounted on the header by a series of laterally spaced parallel linkages (60). The cutter bar (37) is counterbalanced by the combination of compression springs (104) acting on the lower link (62) of each linkage (60) and overlapping sheet springs (111, 112) which also serve as an access ramp for harvested crop. The front ends of the links (61, 62) of the parallel linkages (60) are connected to the cutter bar skids (41, 43, 45, 47) by ball and socket joints (71, 76 and 72, 77).

Abstract: A double door fan inlet screen (56, 57) on the bottom of a combine serves to screen foreign material from air flowing to a fan (46) and provide access for service personnel to an interior cavity (103) of the combine. The screen doors (56, 57) are held in their closed position by a latch mechanism (74, 79) which is releasable by operation of a rod (94) having a handle portion (97') extending to one lateral side of the combine.

Abstract: A sling belt conveyor has a pair of individually tensioned cables (209, 224) with transverse slings (51) pivotally connected to the cables (209, 224) which support a low tension conveyor belt (61) without being connected thereto. The belt (61) extends beyond the path of the support cables (209, 224) and is tensioned independently of the latter.

Abstract: A combine (11) is provided with a feed reverser mechanism (81) to drive a pair of feeder conveyors (23, 24) and a header conveyor auger (46) in reverse when the operator detects a jammed condition in the feeder conveyors or auger. The reversing mechanism (81) includes a hydraulic drive motor (92), a wrap spring clutch (93) and a hydraulic actuator (142), which automatically increases the tension on a drive belt (68) when the conveyors (23, 24) and auger (46) are driven in a reverse direction by the hydraulic motor (92). A pump relief valve (191) prevents delivery of excessive torque to the conveyors (23, 24) and auger (46) during a feed reversing operation.

Abstract: A row crop planter unit (11) is supported by a pair of laterally spaced wheel and disc assemblies (56, 57) mounted on corresponding ends of a pair of walking beams (58, 59). The other corresponding ends of the walking beams (58, 59) are interconnected by an equalizer mechanism (76) which includes a cable (91) and vertically adjustable pulley (77).

Abstract: An implement frame (12) is supported by two pairs of laterally spaced wheels (36, 37 and 38, 39) whose vertical position relative to the frame is controlled by a pair of parallel master cylinders (61, 62) connected to one pair of wheels (36, 37) and a pair of parallel connected slave cylinders (63, 64) connected to the second pair of wheels (38, 39). The master and slave cylinders are series connected to provide even raising and lowering of the implement frame. The parallel connections between corresponding ends of the master and slave cylinders (61, 62, 63, 64) provide a walking beam effect with resulting equal loading on the wheels (36, 37, 38, 39).

Abstract: The electrical collector unit (41) and the overhead conductor entrance (26) are designed so that four collectors (63, 64, 66, 67) can properly enter the conductor slots (18, 19, 21, 22) without manual assistance and with the vehicle, not shown, carrying the collection unit (41) traveling at near a walking speed. Two collector subassemblies (42, 43) are mounted on the vehicle, not shown, each of which carries two collectors and includes spring biased parallel links (73, 74, 76, 77) between a pair of pivot posts (71, 86), a guide roller (61) engageable with side walls (28, 29, 36, 67) of the entrance chute (26) and equalizer beams (134, 136) supporting the collectors (63, 64 or 66, 67).

Abstract: A divider structure for a row crop harvester which includes a hood (8) and point (9) having flexible plastic sheathing (106, 37) supported on subframes (12, 13) which in turn are mounted on adjacent row units (131, 132).

Abstract: In order to provide a high cutting speed for a crop-cutting harvester (11), a torsion bar (101) is connected to the nondriven end of a crop-cutting sickle (28). The torsion bar (101) is connected to the sickle (28) by a lever (111 or 211) pivoting on the axis of the torsion bar. Counterweights (94, 131) may be added to adjust the resonant frequency, and hence, the resonant cutting speed. The use of a torsion bar on the nondriven end of the sickle, and none on the driven end, is believed to provide a high speed resonant sickle drive in which peak sickle forces are reduced.

Abstract: A harvester in the form of a self-propelled combine (11) has a crop header (24) and conveying means (31, 32) feeding crop material to a threshing rotor (34). The speed of rotation of the rotor (34) is adjustable by changing the speed of a variable speed belt drive (50) in the drive train from an engine (16) to the threshing rotor (34). The variable speed belt drive (50) is of a type whose speed ratio cannot be changed unless it is running. A special rotor clutch (71) is interposed between the variable speed belt drive (50) and the threshing rotor (34) to permit the variable speed drive to be disconnected from the threshing rotor. Thus, when the rotor (34) stops rotating because of excess crop material, the rotor clutch (71) may be operated to break the power train between the variable speed belt drive (50) and the threshing rotor (34) and the variable speed belt drive (50) may be run and adjusted to a lower output speed.

Abstract: An automatic mechanical brake adjuster for a walk-behind lift truck includes a lever (59) with two relatively pivoted parts (58,76) including a ratchet mechanism (96) therebetween. The ratchet mechanism (96) includes a ratchet wheel segment (77) and cooperating pawls (101-104). The brake adjuster also includes an extensible link (126) which determines the brake shoe back-off distance and cooperates with the ratchet mechanism (96) in effecting pivotal adjustment between the lever parts (58,76).

Abstract: A mobile, portable crushing and screening plant includes a crusher (17), a screening device (31), and a conveyor (46) mounted on the trailer having a main frame (11) and support wheels (21-24). The screening device (31) is hinged for vertical swinging movement between a raised operating position and a lowered transport position. The conveyor mechanism (46) includes an elevating section (95) having a pair of hinged segments (103, 104) which are connected to the elevatable end of the screening device (31) so that both the hinged segments (103, 104) are raised and lowered between their operating and transport positions when the screening device (31) is moved by hydraulic actuators (121, 122) between its operating and transport positions. The main conveyor belt (48) passes rearwardly between the laterally spaced trailer wheels (21, 22 and 23, 24) with the working run being above and the return run being below the transverse wheel axles (73, 74).

Abstract: An agricultural planter having a seed singulating plate (28) rotatable about a vertical axis (30) to disperse seeds stored in a gravity flow hopper (12). A replaceable wear ring (38) of wear resistant material increases the useful life of the hopper and permits the renewal of a high wear surface without replacement of the hopper lower portion (14).

Abstract: The bin unloader belt drive for a combine includes a clutching idler mechanism in which the start-up torque delivered by the belt (11) from a drive pulley (12) to a driven pulley (13) is limited by using a dampener (51) which retards the spring biased movement of a clutching idler pulley (21) from its drive disestablishing position to its drive establishing position.

Abstract: A sling belt conveyor has a pair of individually tensioned cables (209, 224) with transverse slings (51) pivotally connected to the cables (209, 224) which support a low tension conveyor belt (61) without being connected thereto. The belt (61) extends beyond the path of the support cables (209, 224) and is tensioned independently of the latter.

Abstract: A seal (41 or 141) is provided at the pivot joint between a deflector (19) and a snow chute (18) which has spaced fingers (42 or 142) permitting the leading edge of the seal (41 or 141) to conform to a reduced linear dimension when the deflector (19) is pivotal to a forward position of adjustment about its pivot axis (22).

Abstract: A pivot joint between a crop cutting sickle (13) and an offset drive arm (12) includes a pivot pin (37) which is connected to the sickle by antifriction bearings (23) and to the sickle drive arm (12) by a tapered wedging sleeve (43). Both ends of the pin (37) are threaded to receive nuts (57,58) which, when tightened, insure a tight joint which does not become loose when subjected to the reversing shock loads encountered in a crop cutting operation.