Abstract: A method and means for adjusting a forage harvester shear bar relative to its rotating cylinder. The outer end of the shear bar, the central portion of the shear bar and the inner end of the shear bar can all be selectively adjusted while the cylinder is rotating, these adjustments being made from the outer or operator's side of the harvester and at a common location. All of the shear bar adjusting means are located at one convenient and safe area at the outer or operator's side of the machine and the operator can accurately adjust the outer, central or inner end of the bar by noting the "tick" noise created when the particular end or portion of the shear bar being adjusted touches or comes in contact with the rotating knife of the cylinder.

Abstract: A forage harvester for harvesting crops and reducing them to forage by means of a rotary chopping cylinder which has a plurality of blades around its periphery which cooperate with a shear bar carried on the frame of the harvester. A sharpening device is provided above the cylinder for sharpening the cylinder blades and brackets are also provided for mounting the shear bar when it is to be sharpened, above the cylinder so that the same sharpening device that is used to sharpen the blades of the cylinder can also be used to sharpen the shear bar. Bracket mounting structure is provided for the shear bar to ensure that it is sharpened at the proper angle.

Abstract: A support structure for a cutter bar for use in a forage harvester, the support structure adjustably supporting the opposite ends of the cutter bar and providing a convenient readily adjustable structure for supporting the central portion of the cutter bar to prevent movement of the central portion of the cutter bar relative to the cutting cylinder of the forage harvester and to afford adjustment of the position of the central portion of the cutter bar relative to the blades of the cutting cylinder.

Abstract: A forage harvester connectable to a vehicle such as a tractor for being towed by the tractor. The forage harvester includes a transmission having a horizontal rotatable input shaft and a horizontal output shaft separated by an angle of 100.degree. such that the input shaft can be positioned at an angle of approximately 10.degree. relative to the direction of motion of the forage harvester and generally co-axial or positioned at a small horizontal angle relative to the rotatable drive shaft extending from the tractor power take-off shaft to the input shaft. The forage harvester also includes a rotatable cutting cylinder and a blower for blowing out forage into a forage wagon towed by the forage harvester, the rotatable cutting cylinder and the blower being laterally spaced apart.