Abstract: A rotary combine is equipped with a rotor that has a separating portion having at least one ramp segment mounted to the rotor. The ramp segments provide an inclined face that directs the grain radially outward as the ramp segments move through the crop material. The ramp segments are intermixed with tines on the separator section of the rotor. The ramp segments provide a face that is trapezoidal in shape, having inwardly inclined front and rear edges so that the radially distal edge of the face is shorter than the proximal edge of the face. The trapezoidal shape of the ramp segments assists the ramp segments in shedding crop material and thereby preventing the crop material from becoming entangled thereon.

Abstract: An offshore structure which is resistant to wave, earthquake and ice loads and can be quickly installed and abandoned in response to changing environmental conditions includes a caisson having an upper section and a lower foundation section which are separated by a structural diaphragm. When installed, the lower foundation section extends downwardly a distance from the seafloor to provide sufficient lateral and vertical soil resistance to resist lateral and vertical loads on the structure. The upper section is adapted to support a deck structure. The structural diaphragm is adapted to rest on the seafloor when an offshore structure has been fully installed to enhance the lateral and vertical load carrying capacity of the offshore structure. During installation, the structural diaphragm and a pump are used to form suction in the lower foundation section, thus enhancing the penetration of the lower foundation section into the seafloor.

Abstract: A trimmer head assembly of a string trimmer mower apparatus has a stack of plates with a ground engaging member on one end of the stack. At the other end, the stack of plates is fastened to a rotating shaft that is driven in rotation by the motor or engine of the trimmer/mower. The plates of the stack have line retaining devices to which one or more lengths of cutting line are secured. Each plate is of a sufficient thickness to spread the respective line retaining devices axially or vertically apart from one another in suitable increments for providing cutting height adjustment selectively by securing a cutting line at the appropriate height. The line retaining devices enable the cutting line to be secured without tools and without disassembly of the trimmer head. Further, the line does not need to be clamped in place to ensure that it remains secured during high speed rotation of the trimmer head.

Abstract: A harvester incorporating at least one force balanced shaker vibratory brush as the harvesting apparatus uses a sensing system connected to a plurality of spring feelers carried on a shaft to generate a torque value responsive to the location of the shape and position of a tree. The feeler springs may be of differing lengths to assist in tuning the harvester. Apparatus and a method for mounting the shaker head on the vehicle as well as system of steering the harvester are disclosed.

Abstract: A trench rig (1) for excavating continuous monolithic brattices or bases, presenting a self-propelled crawler truck (2), a chain-driven excavating tool (6) provided with a central column (9) which extends along a working axis (A), and a control unit (8) for the column (9) presenting a fixed gripper (15) in relation to the truck (2) and a mobile gripper (16) in relation to the fixed gripper (15) itself; the two grippers (15, 16) are slidingly coupled to the column (9), and can be selectively engaged to the column (9) itself in order to move the tool (6) along the working axis (A), and are connected to each other by a linear step actuator (17).

Abstract: A shaft driven trencher including a mobile powered base, a boom assembly, a chain digging assembly, a drive assembly and a linkage. The boom assembly includes a first boom member pivotally mounted to the base at a first pivot and a second boom member pivotally mounted to the first boom member. The chain digging assembly has a plurality of buckets. The drive assembly operably interconnects the mobile base and the chain digging assembly, with the drive assembly including a drive shaft connected to the mobile base for powered rotation of the drive shaft. The drive assembly further includes a right angle gear unit with input and output shafts, with the right angle gear unit being pivotally mounted to the boom assembly for rotation about the output shaft. The linkage interconnects the right angle gear unit with the base and pivots the right angle gear unit during rotation of the first boom member. The linkage also maintains the input shaft of the right angle gear unit facing the first pivot.

Abstract: A cutter assembly positioning mechanism provides an improved positioning mechanism and control for a riding lawn mower. Specifically, the mechanism optimizes the speed and accuracy of positioning the cutter assembly in the desired position and allows the operator to raise and lower the cutter assembly without sacrificing control of the mower. The lawn mower has a frame including an actuator adapted to be coupled to the frame, a cutter assembly adapted to be movable relative to the frame for adjusting a cutting height and a first flexible member interconnecting the actuator and the cutter assembly. The actuator is operable to extend and retract thereby raising and lowering the cutter assembly.

Abstract: A quick connect coupling incorporates several improvements including the combination of several functions into a single component. A single stop member provides a structure for holding a check valve spring, and also provides a stop for the check valve. The single component further provides positioning for an o-ring. The coupling also includes a pilot which includes compressible ribs at its outer peripheral surface such that the pilot is self-centering preventing excessive off-centering of the tube. In addition, the position of an o-ring relative to a retainer is tightly controlled such that upon insertion of a tube into the connector, the tube will initially encounter a resistance force by compression of the seal. Once this resistance force is overcome, the tube will immediately begin to encounter a resistance force from the retainer. Thus, an installer does not see two separate resistance forces, but rather sees a continuous single resistance force.

Abstract: A straw and chaff spreader including a pair of counter-rotating spreader plates having fan-shaped blades attached to the top surface of each spreader plate. The spreader plates being located beneath the straw and chaff chute of a combine. A rear shield is mounted to the combine to the rear of the spreader plates. The shape of the blades and the direction of rotation of the spreader plates being selected to throw the straw and chaff received from the straw and chaff chute against the rear shield to propel the straw and chaff outwardly on either side of the combine.

Abstract: A harvesting machine, such as a combine, has a number of laterally equispaced, side by side, rotatable augers (14) extending in a forward direction, each auger having a rotatable auger shaft (16) which is included upwardly towards the rear and an auger flight on the shaft. Inclined troughs (32) are located beneath each auger (14) with the auger flight (18) being rotatable in the trough. Inclined slots (28) are also provided which extend rearwardly from respective slot entrances at the forward end of the header, the slots being sufficiently wide to allow passage of stalks of material to be harvested but too narrow to allow passage of crop ears or other material to be collected so that the crop ears or other material to be collected can be stripped from the stalks by the action of the slots during forward movement of the header. The augers are rotated by a drive.

Abstract: A self-propelled rotary excavator having a plurality of booms forming a boom assembly attached to a chassis, with a rotary cutting device attached to the end of the boom assembly. The boom assembly positions the rotary cutting device at a desired position in regard to the chassis or moving portion of the self-propelled rotary excavator. The position of the rotary cutting device is maintainable (preferably controlled by lasers) so as to provide a ditch which has a constant grade regardless of the undulations of the land upon which the self-propelled rotary excavator traverses. An operator of the self-propelled rotary excavator can also independently control both the depth of the cut produced by the rotary cutting device and the distance in a direction perpendicular to the depth of the cut produced by the rotary cutting device.

Abstract: A round baler for agricultural harvested crop and including a variable volume bale chamber having a delivery opening and limited, in an axial direction, by side walls of the baler housing and, in a radial direction, by at least one flexible transporting and pressing belt, which is guided over deflection rolls, and by at least one pressing roller which is arranged adjacent to a respective deflection roll, a pivot device supported in the baler housing for pivoting the transporting and pressing belt, with increase of a bale diameter, from a start position of the transporting and pressing belt into its end position, and elements for positively shifting a radial position of at least one pressing roller or the respective deflection roll relative to the bale chamber dependent on the pivotal movement of the pivot device.

Abstract: A zero turning radius power lawn mower for operation by a standing occupant includes first and second independently driven and controlled rear drive wheels mounted on separate drive axles. A riding platform for supporting the standing occupant or operator is located between the first and second rear drive wheels. The rear drive wheels are independently driveable in both the forward and reverse directions at variable speeds so as to allow for substantially zero radius turning of the mower about a central turning point. The riding platform is positioned near this turning point or axis so that the standing occupant remains substantially unaffected by centrifugal force created during approximate zero radius turning of the mower thereby allowing the mower to take such turns at higher speeds. The low center of gravity created by the position of the riding platform for the standing operator also results in the mower having improved traction and being less likely to pop “wheelies” upon acceleration.

Abstract: A kit is provided for assembling a closed-loop toy simulation of a roadway comprising at least four curved road segments and at least two straight road segments, each road segment having an upper non-skid surface and at least one marking on such surface that simulates roadway lane markings. A method is provided for constructing a closed-loop toy roadway of a desired shape and length. The method comprises positioning two road segments so they are in substantial longitudinal alignment, connecting the adjacent road segments together by engaging a plurality of loops on one segment with a plurality of hooks on an adjacent segment, and repeating such steps until the desired closed-loop play roadway has been configured. Also provided is a segment for constructing a closed-loop play roadway having a desired shape and length and having on its non-skid upper surface at least one marking that simulates a roadway marking.

Abstract: A heated bucket system for significantly reducing the accumulation of frozen mud and ice within a bucket thereby maintaining the bucket's dirt moving capacity. The inventive device includes a bucket attachable to a pair of arms of the tractor or dozer, a pump attached to the coolant system of the tractor or dozer, an inflow tube fluidly connected to the pump, a heat tube attached to the back member of the bucket preferably in a sinusoidal pattern and fluidly connected to the inflow tube, and an outflow tube fluidly connected to the heat tube opposite of the inflow tube and fluidly connected to the coolant system of the tractor or dozer. In operation, the pump draws the heated coolant within the coolant system and pumps it through the heat tube attached to the bucket. The heat from within the coolant is exchanged with the bucket thereby maintaining the temperature of the bucket above freezing. The coolant is then returned to the coolant system through an outflow tube.

Abstract: A dredge supporting a pivotal ladder with a suction auger on its free end. A shroud assembly including front, center and rear sections surrounds a large portion of the periphery of the auger. The shroud assembly is pivotal about the axis of the auger and the front and rear sections are each independently pivotal relative to the center section so that the center section can be maintained at a relatively constant attitude independent of the inclination of the ladder and only a leading one of the front and rear sections, depending on the direction of movement of the dredge, is necessarily opened while the trailing section can remain closed adjacent to the auger. The articulation of the several shroud sections enables the suction auger head to operate in both directions with reduced turbidity and, therefore, increased efficiency.

Abstract: A roadway marker device for marking a roadway with marker embedded in the roadway. The roadway marker device includes an elongate member having a first end and a second end. The elongate member has a top wall and a bottom wall. A reflective strip enhances night time visibility of the elongate member. The reflective strip has a first side and a second side. The first side of the strip is adapted to reflect light. The second side of the strip has adhesive thereon. The second side of the strip is adhesively coupled to a surface of the top wall of the elongate member. The elongate members are placed in the roadway such that the top wall of the elongate member is generally flush with the roadway.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a 360 degree rotatable trimmer assembly 10 mounted on the side of a conventional lawn tractor 12 having a plurality of cutting members 26, 92 mounted onto a platform 70 being connected to a motorized rotatable shaft 50 by a plurality of belts 32 and pulleys 34. A bumper guard ring is 28 provided above each cutting member 26, 92 to act as a guide around obstacles such as trees and poles 16. A multiple lobed cam member 56 having a communicating cam roller 78 is provided for properly re-positioning the platform 70 following rotation of the platform around an object 16. A gasoline motor 24 and alternatively a hydraulic motor 104 are disclosed for providing power to the rotatable shaft 50.

Abstract: A zero-turning radius self-propelled power lawn mower includes a standing platform structure for supporting a standing operator during mower operation. The mower has a combination parking brake and pump lockout structure which, when actuated, simultaneously applies a braking force to rear drive wheels and prevents hydro pumps from being moved from their neutral positions. The mower also includes a biasing system for automatically returning hand control levers to their neutral positions when they are not being manipulated by an operator. Unique cutter deck structure, caster structure, grass catcher structure, and steering control levers are also provided.

Abstract: A hinged snow plow for an off-road vehicle is provided wherein a cowling is pivotally secured to the free end of an adapter. The adapter attaches to a tubular mounting means of a universal nature. The tubular mounting means which is modified, depending upon the off-road vehicle to which the snow plow is to be mounted. The combination of the adapter and tubular frame make the snow plow mountable to almost any off-road vehicle.