Abstract: A forage blower having a power transmission unit which is secured to the side wall of the blower housing and to the hub of the blower fan. The mounting arrangement eliminates components required in prior art machines. The unit can be reversed, end for end, to provide two different speeds to the blower fan.

Abstract: A rotary baling machine for forming large cylindrical bales of cut crop material, such as hay which uses a conveyor belt and an oppositely moving containing belt means arranged to rotate the hay and form the bale in a baling compartment as the machine moves over the crop being harvested. The endless containing belt means surrounds the bale as it progressively increases in size and acts to compact the crop being baled to thereby form a bale of proper density. This containing belt means is trained over suitable elongated rollers which extend across the machine and thereby acts to rotatably drive the rollers. Power means are also provided, such as chain and sprocket means to also power drive the rollers. An overrunning sprocket is provided on at least one of the rollers so that possible over-loading or slack in the containing belt means which is caused by differential belt driving speeds, is eliminated.

Abstract: A rotary baler for forming large cylindrical bales of cut crop material such as hay and which uses a conveyor belt and an oppositely moving compacting belt arrangement to rotate the hay and form the bale in a baling compartment. Adjustable hydraulic control means are provided for controlling the tension in the compacting belt to thereby control the density of the bale being formed. The hydraulic control means is such that a lower tension force is maintained in the compacting belts during the critical initial start-up phase, and a higher belt tension is provided during the early bale forming stage, resulting in a finished bale of high density.

Abstract: A machine for forming cylindrical bales of crop material such as hay in which the bale is formed between two oppositely moving endless belts. One of the belts wraps around the bale as the bale is being formed and the tensioned belt contributes to the density of the bale. A pressure roller helps support its bale and penetrates the periphery of the bale to increase its density. Crop deflector means are provided at each side of the interior of the machine so as to reduce the friction between the material and the sides of the machine and thereby prevent excessive tension on the belt and consequently excessive bale density.

Abstract: A bale disintegrating apparatus provides a cutter having a plurality of blades extending outwardly from an axis directed generally towards the bale with such knives being rotated about the axis for cutting the fibrous material at a face of the bale. A spider rotates about an axis generally directed towards the bale while one or more of the cutters are mounted to the spider for rotation at axes spaced from the spider axis and cut along the face of the bale. A quill is mounted upon the rotary shaft of the spider and is coupled to operate a cutter at a speed substantially different than the spider speed. The cutter is angularly oriented with respect to the spider while the spider is angularly spaced from a plane normal to the relative movement direction between the bale and the cutting assembly. A chamber surrounds the cutting assembly and a discharge conveyer while constricting panels confine the bale to be properly addressed to the cutting assembly.

Abstract: A forage wagon or the like having components driven by a power take-off shaft and including apparatus for selectively disengaging the power take-off shaft and the driven parts. The disengaging apparatus includes a safety clutch having a circular drive clutch plate supported on a drive shaft of a power take-off shaft for rotation with the drive shaft and a driven circular clutch plate freely rotatably supported on the drive shaft. The driven clutch plate functions to drive the various driven parts of the forage wagon. In the normal operating condition, a drive pin, aligned parallel to the axis of the drive shaft, is received through bores in both the drive plate and the driven plate such that the driven plate rotates with the drive plate.

Abstract: A baling machine for forming large cylindrical bates of cut crop material and including an improved means for adjusting the relative alignment of a plurality of transversely spaced, parallel belts and minimizing wear of the belts. The conveyor belts are supported for movement in a closed path by a plurality of parallel spaced apart rollers. Means are provided for adjusting the position of at least one end of one of said rollers such that the longitudinal axis of the roller can be moved generally in a plane perpendicular to the plane bisecting the angle defined by the belt wrapped around the roller whereby relative skewing of the belt and roller imparts a force on the belt during movement of the belt and in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the roller.

Abstract: A forage wagon or the like having components driven by a power take-off shaft and including apparatus for selectively disengaging the power take-off shaft and the driven parts. The disengaging apparatus includes a safety clutch having a circular drive clutch plate supported on a drive shaft of a power take-off shaft for rotation with the drive shaft and a driven circular clutch plate freely rotatably supported on the drive shaft. The driven clutch plate functions to drive the various driven parts of the forage wagon. In the normal operating condition, a drive pin, aligned parallel to the axis of the drive shaft, is received through bores in both the drive plate and the driven plate such that the driven plate rotates with the drive plate.

Abstract: A multiple row crop harvester is provided with two endless chain drives and associated endless belt conveyors for simultaneously handling the crop from all rows. Each endless chain drive comprises a number of chain sprockets at fixed radial spacings from each other, a chain tensioning idler, and an endless drive chain trained about the sprockets and idler. The idler of one chain drive and the idler of the other are operatively interconnected by a self-adjusting, one-way tensioning device.