Abstract: Wrapped cotton bales transported from a cotton harvest area to a receiver at the gin are moved intact to a position generally above a receiver upstream of the ginning equipment. As the bales are supported and conveyed, knife or similar cutting structure severs a portion of the wrap allowing egress of the cotton from the wrap into the receiver. Wrap removal structure prevents the wrap from entering the ginning equipment. In one embodiment of the invention, the wrap is conveyed to a wrap processor after the cotton falls into the receiver. The bale handler can include transversely adjustable cantilever supports to tension wrap for efficient cutting.

Abstract: A wear shin for a shank of a tillage tool such as a ripper includes a profile having a narrow leading edge with forwardly concave sides extending rearwardly and outwardly from the leading edge to sides generally aligned with the sides of the shank. Upper and lower ears extend on opposite sides of the upper and lower portions of the shank, and fasteners extend through the ears and shank to releasably secure the shin to the leading edge of the shank. The shin has a narrow profile with width approximately equal to the width of the shank other than at the connecting ears. The narrow leading edge of the shin provides good soil shearing characteristics so the implement slices through the soil, while the forwardly concave sides provide an increasing rate of soil deflection in the rearward direction for better wear, better soil and trash deflection characteristics, and reduced draft requirements.

Abstract: A tillage implement includes straight bar ripper structure with a main forward toolbar supporting subsoiler shanks from special brackets which can also support coulters ahead of the shanks independently of additional toolbar structure. An optional rear or secondary toolbar is attached by four-bar linkages to the main toolbar. The four-bar linkages allow the operator to adjust the height of the secondary toolbar relative to the main toolbar to accommodate changes in the operating depth of the rippers. The linkages may also be released to allow the secondary toolbar to float relative to the main toolbar. The secondary toolbar accommodates different attachments behind the rippers, such as disk bedders, lister bedders and strip till rigs which can operate at optimum attack angles and penetration regardless of the operating depth of the ripper.

Abstract: Integral hitch and standard mounting structure for a toolbar includes a first embodiment having a hitch tube connected to a three point hitch and to a rear toolbar. Brackets located a substantial distance outwardly of the hitch connect the hitch tube to the toolbar in parallel, rearwardly offset relationship to provide sufficient space between the tube and toolbar for lateral adjustment of tool brackets. Upright plate structure fixed relative to the front face of the toolbar has slotted extensions which project above and below the toolbar. Tool standard mounting bracket structure includes an upper L-shaped member having a horizontal leg positioned against the top of the toolbar and an upstanding bolt-receiving leg positioned against the upper slotted extension. A lower L-shaped member having a downturned bolt-receiving leg is fixed to the top of the tool standard and is positioned against the bottom of the toolbar and against the lower slotted extension.

Abstract: Tube bracket structure for a toolbar includes a pair of identical bracket halves connected by bolts to positively grip first and second fore-and-aft spaced tubes. The bracket halves include angles with horizontal flanges which embrace the top and bottom of the tubes and project forwardly of the front tube and rearwardly of the aft tube. Upright flanges project vertically above and below the tubes and mount tube gripping portions having short projections which engage the tubes near the tube corners to positively hold the tubes in fixed offset and parallel relationship relative to each other. The projections are shaped for positive gripping despite variations in tube sizes. The bracket structure is repositionable along the tubes to avoid interference with tool mounts and accommodate virtually any desired tool spacing.