Abstract: A chassis for a self-propelled agricultural machine adapted to travel in a predetermined longitudinal horizontal direction basically comprises a lower frame, a middle frame spaced above the lower frame and offset somewhat therefrom, and an upper frame spaced above the middle frame and offset horizontally therefrom. The lower frame has a pair of longitudinally extending rigid lower side beams having outwardly offset rear ends and a plurality of longitudinally spaced and transversely extending lower cross beams fixed to and bridging the lower side beams.

Abstract: The invention relates to an air-cooling system for a drive engine of an automotive agricultural machine, in particular a field chopper.It is a goal of this invention to provide a forced-air cooling system with considerable cooling capacity and a good cleaning effect for screens and the engine compartment. This object is attained by providing a cooling system where the warm air is blown upwardly and selectively to one side, a reversal of the cooling-air stream for cleaning the screens being possible, and a forced-air ventilating of the engine compartment being assured.The basis of the invention is that an air compartment is provided with two fans mounted between a pair of radiators each behind a respective screen. An air-deflector plate is so arranged in the air compartment that it is possible to alternate the fans between radiators so that the cooling-air stream can pass in either direction through each of the radiators and screens.

Abstract: A pickup head for long-stalk crops, generally grown in rows, such as corn, especially for a field chopper or harvester, has a multiplicity (more than three) of mouths each aligned with a respective row and adapted to guide the crop into the throat of the machine. According to the invention, each of the mouths is provided with a respective guide channel, two of the guide channels merging ahead of the throat along the path of the crop toward the latter. Along each of the guide channels prior to the merger, a respective chain or other advancing mechanism is provided, the advancing mechanism of one of the channels continuing beyond the merger point to the throat of the machine. The arrangement permits a large number of rows to be swept although the throat of the machine is substantially narrower than the width of the intake side of the pickup head.

Abstract: A stalk-crop harvester having a chassis displaceable along the ground in a transport direction and supporting a transverse conveyor having in turn a forwardly open transversely elongated intake has a pickup formed of a front drum and a rear drum. The front drum has a front axle centered on a horizontal front axis transverse to the transport direction and forward of the conveyor intake. This front axle carries a plurality of spring tines. The rear drum has a rear axle centered on a horizontal rear axis transverse to the transport direction and between the front axis and the intake. A plurality of axially spaced rigid rear tines is fixed on the rear axle axially offset from but engageable between the spring tines of the front axle. A plurality of strippers secured to the harvester chassis at the intake extend forwardly between the rigid tines and a crop holddown secured to the chassis extends backwardly from above the front axle to above the intake.

Abstract: A row-crop harvester has a frame displaceable in a predetermined travel direction and formed with a plurality of forwardly open throats each provided with a respective conveyor chain each in turn spanned over a respective drive sprocket. Each such drive sprocket is carried on a respective drive shaft having a drive gear that meshes with the drive gears of the conveyor chains to each side. Each drive shaft with its respective sprocket and gear are together mounted in a respective housing bolted to the frame of the harvester and having a mounting flange whose outer periphery corresponds to the pitch circle of the respective drive gear. A main gear meshing with one of the drive gears rotates all of these drive gears simultaneously, and each conveyor chain has a stretch exposed in a respective throat of the machine which is opposite the stretch of the flanking chains for backward advance of cut crop.

Abstract: A row-crop harvester has a frame displaceable along the ground and formed with a plurality of forwardly opening throats at each of which is provided an endless conveyor chain spanned over a drive sprocket and an idler sprocket. A fluid cylinder mounted on the frame is provided for each of the idler sprockets so that when this cylinder is pressurized it can urge the respective idler sprocket away from the respective drive sprocket and tension the respective conveyor chain. A pressure-responsive switch is connected to each of the fluid cylinders and to a magnetic clutch between the drive for the chopper and drive sprockets for the harvester. When the pressure drops suddenly in any of the cylinders, as happens when a chain breaks, his pressure-responsive switch will respond and open the clutch to shut down the harvester.

Abstract: A harvester for a multirow corn crop comprises a cutting head whose leading edge is formed with individual cutting members at each of a plurality of channels. The channels run rearwardly and unite at the rear portion of the head. Each of the channels is provided along one flank with a yieldable wall and along the other flank with a chain having entraining members reaching substantially across the full width and height of the channel. The entraining members are preferably of L-shape in plan view and have a pair of friction strips resting against the respective wall of the channel above and below the chains.