Abstract: An agricultural machine, such as a haymaker, for the displacement of stalks, comprising a movable air-permeable screen and air displacing arrangement for inducing a pressure difference across the screen thereby to cause stalks to adhere to the screen under the effect of suction. In a preferred embodiment, a blocking member is disposed to prevent the application of suction at one region of the screen to allow stalks adhering to the screen to be deposited. The air displacing arrangement may to provide an air cushion under the machine to support the machine above the ground.

Abstract: A soil cultivating implement has a row of pivotable soil working members linked to a transverse beam of the frame and individual eccentrics are connected to the members to raise and lower soil engaging portions thereof. The portions are pivoted so that the rear parts thereof move through greater amplitudes than front parts of the portions. The frame can be supported by ground wheels which in transport position elevate the soil working members above the ground and this can be accomplished with hydraulic assemblies. The front of the frame can have a resilient coupling to a prime mover to reduce shocks induced by the eccentric drives. Dispensing mechanisms can be positioned to the rear of the soil working members to dispense and/or seed the worked ground.

Abstract: A soil working machine, such as a cultivator, has a frame beam to which a working element is connected by a support. The support is resilient or resiliently mounted and can deflect when the working element meets an obstruction, or heavy ground resistance, but the working element maintains its orientation in the soil. A control rod coextends with the support and four pivot points enable the element to be displaced without loosing its orientation. The working element is pivotally connected to the support by a pivot pin and the control arm also can be pivoted to that element. In a variant, the control arm is eliminated and a V-shaped share is hinged to pivot up and down between stops.

Abstract: A soil working machine pivotably mounts at least one rotor having serrated working elements. The rotor is pivotally connected at each end to a frame beam by a pin which can be inserted into either one of two holes located one above the other. The hole chosen governs the resistance to upward pivoting of the rotor. The machine can be hitched to a tractor either with the frame beam substantially transverse of the intended direction of operative travel, or with the frame beam inclined to this direction. Each rotor has end plates that mount forward blades and the outer plate supports a gear transmission to the rear of the respective blade.

Abstract: A mowing machine for connection to the three-point hitch of a tractor which extends laterally of the tractor. A drive of meshing pinions contained in a housing, the drive being powered via belts from the power take-off of the tractor. The drive rotates the cutting members about vertical axes which are supported by and disposed immediately above a plate-like supporting element. Plate-like connecting members connect the cutting members with the drive pinions, such connecting members rotating with the cutting members about the same axis. Adjacent cutting members rotate in opposite directions and adjacent connecting members co-operate to move cut crop to the rear relative the mowing machine in swaths by contact and air movement generated thereby. The drive pinions and the cutting members have roller bearings to minimize vibration.

Abstract: A torque converter has a housing for an input shaft and output shaft drivenly connected to one another with friction elements rotatably mounted on arms on pivotable holders. The holders are interconnected by the members so that rotation of the input shaft rotates its holder and, via the tie members, the output holder. The friction elements are thus flung outwardly into contact with annular control members within the housing on which they roll. The friction elements also abut and roll on one another, so that at least a major proportion of axial forces on the friction element in operation are held in equilibrium by the elements themselves. Rotation of the friction elements is transferred to the output shaft by planetary gearing on a common axis for the input and output shafts and on the rotation axes of the elements. The transmission ratio is varied by moving a control member towards and away from a second control member which changes the circumference of the path over which the elements roll.

Abstract: A tractor provided with three sets of twin pneumatic tires mounted on wheels on each side of the tractor, a track being received around three, in one embodiment and two in the other embodiment, pneumatic tires. In each embodiment only the rearmost set of wheels is powered. The track is a belt composed of a flexible material which in the first embodiment has a plurality of traction members secured thereto by bolts extending through the belt which are secured on the inner side by a strip opposite the traction members, such strip having a V-shaped portion which is received between the twin tires to retain the track in place. Each traction member includes a part flush to the belt through which the bolts are received, a further part extending from the first part outwardly and normally to the belt and a ground-engaging part extending from the second part in a direction parallel to the belt.

Abstract: A cultivating machine includes a forward row of subsoil tools and a pair of elongated cultivating rollers having support plates to which soil penetrating T-section bars or knife edged bars are attached. To the rear of the cultivating rollers, a trailing supporting roller is journalled on the frame and adjusting arms to the roller can be interconnected with the frame to raise or lower same and thereby set the soil working levels of the subsoil. Each cultivating roller can have its soil penetrating depth controlled through pivot arm connections that move the roller through an arc centered on the pivot axes which extend transverse to the direction of machine travel. The cultivating rollers can be moved towards or away from one another. The machine frame has a coupling that is connectable to the lifting hitch of a tractor and tanks of liquid soil treating material are at least partly supported by frame connections to the tractor, adjacent the coupling.

Abstract: A soil cultivating machine includes a frame and a plurality of cultivating members in one or more groups journalled to said frame. Each group is driven to rotate about a horizontal shaft extending substantially transverse to the direction of machine travel. The groups of cultivating members are preferably arranged in at least two groups located side-by-side and pivotable about transverse pivots to move vertically against spring opposition to avoid obstacles. Each cultivating member is made of semicircular plates fastened to rings on the horizontal shaft and the plates can have cuts that divide them into segment parts. The outer working portions of the plates can be offset so that neighboring members work paths that overlap or are closely adjacent one another. Each group has respective side plates and a hood supported by the plates and the hood is interconnected to the frame with a spring-loaded rod.

Abstract: A soil working machine has at least one, preferably two rotors, one of which is at a higher working level than the other to achieve a relatively large working depth. The rotors are driven through a drive gear transmission located about midway along the length of the rotors. An adjustable coupling of the machine can be used to establish either one of two positions which are offset about an axis which extends transverse to the normal direction of travel. The transmission includes change speed gears in a first gear box for connection to a tractor p.t.o. and an output of the transmission is geared to a gear wheel housed in a flat gear box, the gear wheel being in driving engagement with pinions on the rotor shafts. The entire frame can be rotated to a limited extent relative to the transmission gear box owing to a flange connection between the two gear boxes and a setting device for their relative positions to one another.

Abstract: An agricultural tractor with a hitching or lifting device which carries a farm implement. A control mechanism is provided on the tractor for adjusting automatically the height of the hitching device to enable the implement to follow irregularities in the underlying ground. The control mechanism includes a sensing member which, in one embodiment (FIG. 1), comprises two wheels which may pivot together about a common axis, such pivoting causing adjustment of the hitching device. In another embodiment, independently pivotable wheels or a further ground engaging member such as a skid may be located ahead of or behind the ground engaging wheels of a tractor which, by connection to the control mechanisms cause the hitching device to adjust to the height of the underlying ground.

Abstract: A haymaking machine has two tined raking heads driven to rotate about upwardly extending axes from respective mountings. The mountings are connected to the rear of beams that converge forwardly to a right-angled junction in a common gear box. A coupling near the junction is connectable to a three-point lifting hitch and a pair of spaced apart plates from a pivot connected at one side of the plates adjacent the junction. A retaining element secures the beams in operative positions about the pivot. Each rake head has two freely rotatable tubular or cylinder supporting members positioned thereunder, each of which is pivotably connected to a lower portion of their corresponding rake head. A rear crop guide is pivoted to each rake head near its mounting by a quadrilateral linkage which can be secured in any one of a plurality of guide positions.

Abstract: A torque converter comprises an input member and an output member that are interconnected by a planetary gear arrangement. A planet carrier of the planetary gear arrangement is driven by the input member and a sun wheel of the planetary gear arrangement is also driven by the input member, but through an infinitely variable change-speed mechanism which includes an adjustable pulley chain-drive mechanism using a chain. A preferred construction for the chain includes links pivoted to one another by members that bear on one another with convex surfaces. The torque converter can be used singularly or two torque converters can be employed, independently to drive the rear wheels of a tractor and to assist steering of the tractor.

Abstract: A cultivating machine has one or more trailing rollers that support the cultivating members at the desired height. Each roller has ends that are journalled via bearings to adjustable arms and the bearings are protected by profiled hoods having rims joined to scraping elements which fit within dished screens on the roller ends. The elements remain stationary while the screens rotate and the former conduct soil away from the bearings during operation. Each roller has support plates with circumferential recesses that receive elongated peripheral elements. The arms extend upwardly to the rear and their forward ends are pivoted to a frame portion. A forward coupling trestle has rear supports interconnected to the arms.

Abstract: A tractor with two engines arranged in tandem, each carried by a frame portion pivotable relative to the other counterbalances about a vertical axis under the rear engine. The body of the tractor is narrow forward and to the rear wherein axles for front and rear sets of ground engaging wheels extend laterally and mount six wheels each. The front engine and rear engines extend forward of the respective front and rear sets of ground wheels. The front frame portion is turnable axially relative to the rear frame portion under the rear engine and steering is accomplished by the relative pivoting of the portions about the aforesaid vertical axis. A fuel tank forms a guard over the rear set of wheels and includes a depression for an operator's seat. The fuel tank has a central partition and is optionally hinged in its outer portions whereby the width of the tractor is reduced by removing the outer wheels and pivoting the outer portions of the fuel tank to the rear.

Abstract: An implement has a row of plough bodies mounted to rotate about upwardly extending axes defined by shafts that are inclined in the normal direction of travel. The plough bodies are flat support members with side edges that taper downwardly. The side edges are bent over parts that releasably mount straight blades and the upper ends of the supports have fastening plate portions bolted to their shafts. A circular protective screen and circular plate interfit at the junction of the shaft and fastening portion of each plough body. The shafts have intermeshed pinions with a central one of the shafts extending into a lower gear box that houses exchangeable pinions. The central shaft mounts one of the pinions that engages a second pinion having a respective shaft that extends through a cover into a second gear box and a gear wheel housed therein. The gear wheel engages a further gear wheel on an input shaft that is connectable to the p.t.o. of a tractor.

Abstract: Removable lifting devices for tractors having horizontal front wheel axles which pivot relative to the contour of the ground, one device having tubes pivotably connected on each side of the tractor frame which rotatably and pivotably receive further tubes connected by a hinged structure to the tractor's forward axle and which tend forwardly thereof to be interconnected across the front of the tractor. The connecting hinged structure permits pivotable movement of the tube relative to the axle about substantially horizontal axes parallel and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tractor. The front structure connecting the tube portions extending forwardly from the axle includes a hydraulically operated three-point lifting device wherein hydraulic cylinders are disposed within a quadrangular arrangement of pivotable arms including the lower of the three-point lifting device's links.

Abstract: A soil cultivating machine has a row of cultivating members journalled in an elongated frame portion. The rear of the machine is supported by elongated rollers positioned side-by-side and pivotable arms interconnect the lateral roller ends to rear plates on the frame portion. The arms and working level of the rollers are settable and beam supports extend from the plates upwardly and forwardly to an apex connection to a trestle top. The trestle is a coupling with points connectable to the three point lift of a tractor.

Abstract: A torque converter has a driving shaft that frictionally drives an in-line driven shaft via rollers having transmission gears. The rollers are tapered and mounted on arms linked to a carrier that is splined to the driving shaft. The rollers are freely rotatable about axes inclined to the shafts and pivotable about respective pivotal shafts to engage a surrounding contact surface responsive to centrifugal forces. The contact surface is part of a control ring on a holder that is journalled to the driving shaft and the ring is connected to the converter housing to prevent turning. The contact surface, pivotal shaft axes and roller axes are all inclined to the center line of the driving shaft and if prolonged, intersect that line. The holder and ring can be axially displaced along the driving shaft to change the torque; the smaller diameters of the rollers turn the driven shaft slower.

Abstract: An agricultural implement for carding, combing and/or teasing crop lying on the ground by receiving same from the ground by comb-like structures and then engaging and conveying the crop through the implement by a rotating drum with tines extending therefrom or rotating discs which have substantially vertical axes, the crop being restrained as it is engaged to impart somewhat of a combing action. In embodiments having a rotary drum with tines which rotates about a horizontal axis, further rotating tines in the path of the conveyed crop tend to comb and disentangle the crop further. The latter such tines may be close to or actually within the cylinder of rotation traced by tines extending from the drum although direct contact between the two sets of rotating tines is avoided.