Abstract: Roll opening apparatus for separating the crop conditioning rolls of a mower conditioner is presented. The mower conditioner is of the type wherein a wheel supported main frame has mounted thereto by pivotal linkage a transversely disposed header having a sickle spanning its forward edge, a rotary reel for rearwardly sweeping the crop cuttings across a platform, and an auger at the rear of the platform for delivering the crop cuttings to the nip of a pair of laterally extending upper and lower crop conditioning rolls. The lower conditioning roll is rotatably mounted to the header on a fixed axis. The upper conditioning roll is mounted on lever arms pivoted to the header and biased by tension springs to an operating position adjacent the lower roll. Each lever arm is fitted with a hydraulic cylinder mounted so that extension of its piston causes the upper conditioning roll to open against the force of the tension springs.

Abstract: A hydraulically actuated endgate is presented which places a panel directly in front of the beaters of a manure spreader. The endgate retains all of the manure within the spreader box until the spreading site is reached. The panel is hinged mounted along its top edge to a generally U-shaped structural member. The central portion of the U-shaped member spans the box just in front of the beater. The legs of the U-shaped member are of equal length and extend forward along the sides of the spreader. The very ends are pivotally attached to the box, one on the left, the other on the right. A hydraulic piston attached to an arm secured to one of the pivot points makes it possible to move the structural member upward through an arc of about 100 degrees, then back down to the rest position.

Abstract: A flail auger assembly is disclosed which is useful for unloading semi-liquid material from a holding tank mounted on a tractor drawn trailer. A rotatably mounted shaft extends lengthwise through the lower portion of the tank. One end of the shaft penetrates the front wall of the tank enabling connection with the power takeoff of the tractor. The second end penetrates the rear wall of the tank where it connects with the impeller of the discharge pump. A plurality of flails extend radially outward at regular intervals along the shaft. The flails are pivotally attached via pins which secure them to brackets welded to the rotatably mounted shaft. The pivotal axis of each flail allows it to aggressively attack the material in the tank while at the same time limiting the power drain on the tractor since the radius of effectiveness decreases as a function of increasing load.

Abstract: Apparatus is presented for slicing a large round bale into two or more parts prior to discharge from the baler. Slicing is accomplished by inserting a knife blade into the bale-forming chamber during or subsequent to the tying-off event while the bale rotates. The cutting means is inserted into the sidewalls of the baler and into the baling chamber. As the bale is rotated, the cutting means cuts the bale. Typically, a ring and core are formed. The preferred configurations of the core are cylinders or conical structures.

Abstract: A material unloader is presented having a cargo box structure with front and side walls. There is a beater mechanism rotatively mounted transversely at the rear of the cargo box and an endless apron conveyor disposed along the bottom for conveying material rearwardly to the beater. A main drive shaft powered from the PTO of the towing vehicle extends along one side of the cargo box where it interconnects with gear boxes for both the beater and the conveyor. The interconnection includes clutches and levers to actuate the clutches, together with drive coupling means. The positioning of the levers is simultaneously affected by a cam actuated control assembly mounted on the front wall of the cargo box. The control assembly comprises a rotatably mounted control shaft on which there is secured a multilobe cam plus a pawl and ratchet mechanism indexed by a pull rope for sequentially establishing a multiplicity of conveyor and beater unit drive conditions using a cam follower to relay commands via a control cable.

Abstract: A crop retainer unit is presented which prevents crop material from blocking the entrance throat of a cylindrical bale forming machine. The crop retainer unit mounts in the entrance throat of a baler having a fixed size horizontally oriented baling chamber. The gate comprises a shaft which spans the length of the chamber at a location near the top of the entrance throat. A plurality of rod-like elements project outwardly at spaced intervals from the shaft. All elements are in line. All extend radially outward from the shaft in a single direction. The shaft is mounted for rotation in the sidewalls of the machine. However, motion is restricted so the free ends of the elements are able to readily swing inward into the baling chamber but their outward motion is stopped at the point where the elements are tangentially in line with the circumferential periphery of the baling chamber.

Abstract: A tractor drawn and powered machine is disclosed for forming large round bales of fibrous agricultural crops in a chamber of fixed size. The baling chamber consists of a lower and an upper section. The lower section includes a wheel mounted main frame, along with a pickup reel and a bottom conveyor comprising side by side belts entrained on four transversely extending rollers. The upper section is supported on a subframe which is hinge mounted along its front edge to the main frame allowing thereby the rear portion of the upper section to open as a rearward facing tailgate for discharge of a completed bale. Situated within the subframe of the upper section are all of the conveying elements which make up the rear, top and front of the generally cylindrical periphery of the baling zone. Each conveyor element in the upper section comprises a plurality of side by side belts entrained on spaced apart transversely mounted upstream and downstream rollers.

Abstract: A latch mechanism is presented which is useful with a machine which gathers crop material from a windrow and forms it into large round bales. The latching mechanism senses bale density while holding the opposing faces of the tailgate closed during the bale forming operation. Density is sensed by spring mounting the latch slides so that the tailgate comes slightly ajar when pressure in the baling chamber builds up. The amount of separation of the opposing faces of the tailgate is sensed and when it exceeds a specified amount, initiates a bale discharge sequence. The tailgate lifting mechanism is interlocked with the latch release to assure safe operation of the system.

Abstract: A latching mechanism is described which senses when a bale is ready for discharge from the bale forming chamber. As implemented, the enclosure for the baling chamber was hinged along the front edge to allow the upper portion to open like a rearward facing clam shell for discharge of a completed bale through a tailgate. The latching mechanism holds the opposing tailgate faces of the enclosure together while the bale forming process is being completed. The latching mechanism senses bale density while allowing only a slight opening of the tailgate in response to application of large compressive forces within the baling chamber. The profile of the slot in each latch is uniquely cut so that the forces tending to force open the tailgate can be matched to a spring. The spring is adjustable so as to allow the latch assembly to begin rotation toward the released condition as the bale density reaches a pre-established level.

Abstract: An ejection mechanism is described which automatically assists in the discharge of completed bales from the bale-forming chamber. As implemented the ejection mechanism forms a part of a baler which produces generally cylindrical bales in a chamber of fixed size having closed sidewalls adjacent the ends of the bale. The baling chamber is divided into two parts with one portion being hinge mounted along its front edge to allow its second or rear edge to swing open upwardly to provide a gate through which completed bales can be discharged. The second portion of the baling chamber contains a bottom conveyor for imparting rotational motion to the bale during the crop gathering and bale forming process. When the bale in the chamber is completed and ready for discharge, the gate swings open and the bottom conveyor continues moving in a front to rear direction.

Abstract: This invention relates to the inlet throat of a machine for forming large round bales of fibrous agricultural material. The machine includes a single axle chassis and a tongue enabling it to be towed along a windrow by a tractor. On top of the chassis is a generally cylindrical housing containing a baling chamber of fixed size having a horizontal axis. Around the periphery of the baling chamber is a plurality of serially arranged conveying elements. The rear portion of the housing swings upward from a hinge point at the top to enable rearward discharged of a completed bale. A pickup mechanism is transversely mounted across the lower front of the chassis. Behind the topside of the pickup mechanism there is a conveyor which forms the bottom of the front part of the baling zone. The conveyor consists of a plurality of side-by-side belts entrained on four parallel rollers which extend horizontally across the entire bottom of the machine.

Abstract: The steerable wheels of a hydraulically driven vehicle are provided with fixed displacement type auxiliary motors which are connected in parallel both with each other and with the motor which powers the main drive wheels. A selector valve permits the motors for the steerable wheels to be optionally connected and disconnected from the reversible, variable displacement main pump. Flow dividers in the hydraulic lines limit the maximum flow of fluid to any one auxiliary drive motor. To prevent large power losses when the steerable wheel assist mode is not being utilized, the selector valves are placed in close proximity to each fixed displacement motor. This allows the motors to circulate large quantities of fluid around a closed loop at minimum pressure drop.

Abstract: The steerable wheels of a hydraulically driven vehicle are provided with auxiliary motors which are connected in parallel both with each other and with the motor which powers the main drive wheels. A selector valve permits the motors for the steerable wheels to be optionally connected and disconnected from the reversible, variable displacement main pump. Flow dividers in the hydraulic lines limit the maximum flow of fluid to any one hydraulic motor. The auxiliary motors are of the variable displacement type, enabling them to be destroked to neutral when disconnected from the main pump. Destroking to neutral eliminates energy loss due to the pumping of large quantities of hydraulic fluid through a closed loop when the motors are driven by the wheels.

Abstract: A pair of generally parallel snapping rolls are disclosed which mount beneath a stripper plate having a fore and aft extending slot through which stalks of corn may pass. The snapping rolls rotate in opposite directions and serve to draw stalks downwardly until the ears thereof strike the stripper plate and are snapped free. Each snapping roll has longitudinally extending flutes, the flutes of one roll being interleaved with those of the second roll. On each roll, the odd numbered (1, 3, 5, etc.) flutes extend radially outward while the even numbered (2, 4, 6, etc.) flutes extend outward at a non-radial angle. Rotating the two rolls in synchronism thus results in the generation of a cyclic narrow and wide spacing sequence between opposing flutes. This cyclic action provides improved efficiency in the harvesting operation.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed which provides automatic height control for the header of a multi-row crop harvester. The crop processing header has a series of row dividers hinge mounted along its front edge. Under at least two of the row dividers is a ground engaging wheel which causes the leading edge of each to float up and down as the terrain changes. Servo actuating sensors mounted between the divider and the header respond to changes in the angle of attack therebetween. The servo system actuates hydraulic valves allowing oil pressure to automatically raise and lower the header. This means of height control maintains the cutter bar or ear stripper plates a predetermined distance above ground regardless of changes in terrain.