Abstract: A mobile bale wagon has a pickup and throwing mechanism mounted on the forward end of the wagon and adapted to pick up bales lying on the ground and throw the bales into the wagon as the wagon moves in a forward direction. The pickup and throwing mechanism is mounted on the wagon end for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis which extends generally parallel to the direction of wagon movement. A hydraulic cylinder is provided to effect pivotal movement of the mechanism about the horizontal axis.

Abstract: Mixing apparatus having a frame on which a vertical mixing tank is mounted. A hammermill, carried on the frame, receives and chops different types of feed material. A transfer conveyor receives the resulting product and transports it to the mixing tank. Additives or other feed materials may be transferred to the tank via a secondary conveyor. A mixing assembly within the tank circulates material deposited therein to produce a well mixed homogeneous mass. The mixing assembly includes upper and lower material advancing portions, the lower of which comprises a conical shaped core member converging upwardly. Unique flighting is wound around this core member to elevate crop material to the upper material advancing portion. The width of the flighting increases as it advances upwardly to enhance the effectiveness of the mixing assembly. The pitch of the flighting may also be increased as it advances upwardly.

Abstract: In a loader having a boom structure that reciprocates along its sidewalls, at least one stop member, having a cam surface and an abutment surface, is disposed at a predetermined height adjacent one of the sidewalls and operative between first and second positions. In the first position, the stop member projects outwardly from the sidewall into the path of travel of the boom structure whereby a portion of the boom structure may be lowered into engagement with the abutment surface to prohibit further downward movement of the boom structure. As the boom structure is swung upwardly and engages the cam surface, the stop member retracts inwardly to the second position, thereby permitting the boom structure to be raised above the predetermined height. Preferably, a pair of stop members, each one disposed on opposite sidewalls of the loader, may be used.

Abstract: An improved directional control apparatus for a bale thrower on a baler includes an elongated arm pivotally mounted at one end to a side of the bale case of the baler and extending generally across and under the end of the thrower being pivotally mounted to the discharge end of the bale case for side-to-side lateral swinging movement. The control apparatus also includes a hydraulic cylinder interconnecting the bale case and the free end of the elongated arm and means for slidably interconnecting the arm to the thrower such that upon actuation of the hydraulic cylinder to pivot the arm, the interconnection established between the arm and the thrower by the slidable means will cause the thrower to also pivot or laterally swing and thereby vary the direction in which bales will be thrown away from the baler by the thrower.

Abstract: In a forage harvester having a rotatable cutterhead and adjacently-positioned shearbar, an upper rear feed roll is mounted above and forwardly of the shearbar for pivotal movement relative to an upper front feed roll by a pair of arms which interconnect the rolls. A tensioning assembly is coupled to each of the arms. An actuatable latching mechanism is connecting to the tensioning assembly and movable to a first position for placing the tensioning assembly in a first condition in which the rear feed roll is biased toward a lower operative position adjacent the cutterhead and shearbar.

Abstract: A baler has a mobile frame adapted to move across a field, means on said frame operable to receive and form crop material into bales, a pickup assembly including pivot means on said frame and pickup means disposed generally forwardly of and swingably mounted to the pivot means and operable to pick up crop material from the field and feed it to the receiving and forming means, and improved means to counterbalance the pickup means.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a bale retrieving and transporting apparatus used in conjunction with a tractor. This apparatus includes both a lower and rear supporting structure to retrieve and support the bales. Mounted to the rear supporting structure is a means for discharging the bale from the apparatus.

Abstract: A rotary mower comprising at least one rotary cutter unit mounted on a framework, the framework having at least one forwardly extending lower support for rotatably supporting the cutter unit at its lower end, and a freely rotatable shield disposed proximate to the foremost edge of the or each support and underneath the or each cutter unit for shielding said foremost edge.

Abstract: The invention relates to improvements to the starter flails and chain flails of a flail-type material spreader for making these flails more efficient particularly for spreading liquid or semi-liquid material. According to the invention the flails have cupped flail heads, respectively cupped starter elements on the starter flails for more aggressively attacking material reposing in the tank and for more efficiently ejecting said material through the discharge opening. According to another aspect, starter segments have been affixed to the starter impactors at an aggressive angle relative to the elongated axis of said impactors.