Abstract: A crop harvesting machine configured to move cut crop positively across a cutterbar and toward a conditioner element using an undershot rotating element or undershot auger. The crop harvesting machine includes a cutterbar having a plurality of rotary cutters having rotational axis aligned along a line transverse to a moving direction of the crop harvesting machine. The undershot rotating element is subtended by portions of the rotary cutters and is located between rotational axis lines of the rotating cutters and an exit of the crop harvesting machine. The undershot rotating element moves cut crop between the undershot rotating element and the plurality of rotary cutters and to a conditioner element which conditions the cut crop for placement of the conditioned cut crop in swaths on a field.

Abstract: A hitch mount assembly includes a drawbar receiver with a drawbar cavity and a pin opening and a pin removably received within the pin opening. A latch that is supported for movement between a first position and a second position. The latch, in the first position, is configured to engage the pin and retain the pin in a retracted position. The latch, in the second position, is configured to disengage the pin and release the pin for movement of the pin from the retracted position to the extended position. Furthermore, the hitch mount assembly includes a biasing member that biases the latch toward the first position and a pin rest configured to support the pin when the latch is in the second position. The pin rest is configured to release the pin as the latch biases from the second position to the first position and engages the pin.

Abstract: A hitch mount assembly includes features configured to facilitate hitching of a drawbar receiver to a drawbar. The hitch mount assembly includes an alignment member supported for movement relative to the drawbar receiver. The alignment member is configured to abut the drawbar and consequently move the drawbar receiver relative to the drawbar to substantially align the pin opening of the receiver with the pin hole of the drawbar. The hitch mount assembly also includes a view window in the drawbar receiver for viewing movement of the drawbar within the drawbar cavity.

Abstract: A hitch mount assembly includes a drawbar receiver configured to receive a drawbar and a pin receiver that is supported by the drawbar receiver. Furthermore, the assembly includes a pin that is received within the pin receiver and a latch that is supported for movement between a first position and a second position. The latch, in the first position, is configured to engage the pin and retain the pin in a retracted position. The latch, in the second position, is configured to disengage and release the pin for movement of the pin from the retracted position to an extended position. Moreover, the assembly includes a biasing member configured to bias the latch toward the first position to retain the pin in the retracted position.

Abstract: A pin-drop hitch mount assembly includes a drawbar receiver that defines a drawbar cavity and a pin opening that is open to the drawbar cavity. The assembly also includes a pin that is supported for movement within the pin opening between first and second unhitched positions and a hitched position. The hitch mount assembly further includes a latch that is supported for movement relative to the drawbar receiver between a first position, an intermediate position, and a second position. The latch, in the first position, engages and supports the pin in the first unhitched position. The latch, in the second position, disengages the pin for movement toward the hitched position. The hitch mount assembly includes a biasing member that biases the latch from the intermediate position toward the first position to return the pin to the first unhitched position as the drawbar moves out of the drawbar cavity.

Abstract: A tractor assembly includes a tractor having a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels, a mower-conditioner assembly coupled to the tractor, a shield coupled to the conditioner at a location rearward thereof, and a crop moving assembly coupled to either the tractor or mower-conditioner assembly. The mower-conditioner assembly includes a mowing mechanism configured to cut a crop and a conditioner configured to crimp the crop. The shield deflects the crimped crop rearwardly therefrom and forms a windrow of a first width. The windrow is disposed directly behind the tractor and includes a device for spreading the windrow in at least one direction to form a second width. The second width is greater than the first width.

Abstract: A work vehicle for working a swath of crop has at least one ground-engaging wheel or track mounted to the work vehicle and movable in a travel direction along a tread path. A first redistribution device is mounted to the work vehicle to move crop that is ahead of the at least one ground-engaging wheel or track relative to the travel direction. A second redistribution device is mounted to the work vehicle to move crop that is behind the at least one ground-engaging wheel or track relative to the travel direction. The first redistribution device is configured to open the swath of crop along substantially only the tread path ahead of the at least one ground-engaging wheel or track relative to the travel direction, and the second redistribution device is configured to close the swath of crop along the tread path behind the at least one ground-engaging wheel or track relative to the travel direction.

Abstract: A hitch mount assembly includes a drawbar receiver with a drawbar cavity and a pin opening and a pin removably received within the pin opening. A latch that is supported for movement between a first position and a second position. The latch, in the first position, is configured to engage the pin and retain the pin in a retracted position. The latch, in the second position, is configured to disengage the pin and release the pin for movement of the pin from the retracted position to the extended position. Furthermore, the hitch mount assembly includes a biasing member that biases the latch toward the first position and a pin rest configured to support the pin when the latch is in the second position. The pin rest is configured to release the pin as the latch biases from the second position to the first position and engages the pin.

Abstract: A pin-drop hitch mount assembly includes a drawbar receiver that defines a drawbar cavity and a pin opening that is open to the drawbar cavity. The assembly also includes a pin that is supported for movement within the pin opening between first and second unhitched positions and a hitched position. The hitch mount assembly further includes a latch that is supported for movement relative to the drawbar receiver between a first position, an intermediate position, and a second position. The latch, in the first position, engages and supports the pin in the first unhitched position. The latch, in the second position, disengages the pin for movement toward the hitched position. The hitch mount assembly includes a biasing member that biases the latch from the intermediate position toward the first position to return the pin to the first unhitched position as the drawbar moves out of the drawbar cavity.

Abstract: A hitch mount assembly includes features configured to facilitate hitching of a drawbar receiver to a drawbar. The hitch mount assembly includes an alignment member supported for movement relative to the drawbar receiver. The alignment member is configured to abut the drawbar and consequently move the drawbar receiver relative to the drawbar to substantially align the pin opening of the receiver with the pin hole of the drawbar. The hitch mount assembly also includes a view window in the drawbar receiver for viewing movement of the drawbar within the drawbar cavity.

Abstract: A hitch mount assembly includes a drawbar receiver configured to receive a drawbar and a pin receiver that is supported by the drawbar receiver. Furthermore, the assembly includes a pin that is received within the pin receiver and a latch that is supported for movement between a first position and a second position. The latch, in the first position, is configured to engage the pin and retain the pin in a retracted position. The latch, in the second position, is configured to disengage and release the pin for movement of the pin from the retracted position to an extended position. Moreover, the assembly includes a biasing member configured to bias the latch toward the first position to retain the pin in the retracted position.

Abstract: A tractor assembly includes a tractor having a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels, a mower-conditioner assembly coupled to the tractor, a shield coupled to the conditioner at a location rearward thereof, and a crop moving assembly coupled to either the tractor or mower-conditioner assembly. The mower-conditioner assembly includes a mowing mechanism configured to cut a crop and a conditioner configured to crimp the crop. The shield deflects the crimped crop rearwardly therefrom and forms a windrow of a first width. The windrow is disposed directly behind the tractor and includes a device for spreading the windrow in at least one direction to form a second width. The second width is greater than the first width.

Abstract: A work vehicle for working a swath of crop has at least one ground-engaging wheel or track mounted to the work vehicle and movable in a travel direction along a tread path. A first redistribution device is mounted to the work vehicle to move crop that is ahead of the at least one ground-engaging wheel or track relative to the travel direction. A second redistribution device is mounted to the work vehicle to move crop that is behind the at least one ground-engaging wheel or track relative to the travel direction. The first redistribution device is configured to open the swath of crop along substantially only the tread path ahead of the at least one ground-engaging wheel or track relative to the travel direction, and the second redistribution device is configured to close the swath of crop along the tread path behind the at least one ground-engaging wheel or track relative to the travel direction.

Abstract: A crop harvesting machine configured to move cut crop positively across a cutterbar and toward a conditioner element using an undershot rotating element or undershot auger. The crop harvesting machine includes a cutterbar having a plurality of rotary cutters having rotational axis aligned along a line transverse to a moving direction of the crop harvesting machine. The undershot rotating element is subtended by portions of the rotary cutters and is located between rotational axis lines of the rotating cutters and an exit of the crop harvesting machine. The undershot rotating element moves cut crop between the undershot rotating element and the plurality of rotary cutters and to a conditioner element which conditions the cut crop for placement of the conditioned cut crop in swaths on a field.

Abstract: A mowing implement includes an improved crop and forage material converging arrangement for a wide mowing implement equipped with a rotary cutter bar and powered converging drums. One or more stripper elements are mounted for rotation with one or more converging drums so as to limit the tendency for cut material to wrap around the converging drums, and to more consistently transfer the cut material to the material discharge zone. Each stripper element can be located and dimensioned to sweep a path a near an adjacent converging drum and pass in close proximity to an auger of the mowing implement to effectively guide and converge material. Each stripper elements can be an oblong plate configured and arranged to strip cut material from an adjacent converging drum and deflect the stripped material towards a material discharge zone of the implement.

Abstract: A material processing machine includes a rotary conveyer for delivering material to a material conditioner. The conveyer has a rotatable body and a paddle is mounted on the body. The paddle includes a support portion having a radially outer end and a radially inner end which is attached to the body. The outer end is not ahead of the inner end with respect to a direction of rotation of the body. The paddle also includes a lip portion which is supported by the support portion. The lip portion is forward or advanced with respect to the outer end of the support portion, with respect to the direction of rotation of the body.

Abstract: A mowing implement includes an improved crop and forage material converging arrangement for a wide mowing implement equipped with a rotary cutter bar and powered converging drums. One or more stripper elements are mounted for rotation with one or more converging drums so as to limit the tendency for cut material to wrap around the converging drums, and to more consistently transfer the cut material to the material discharge zone. Each stripper element can be located and dimensioned to sweep a path a near an adjacent converging drum and pass in close proximity to an auger of the mowing implement to effectively guide and converge material. Each stripper elements can be an oblong plate configured and arranged to strip cut material from an adjacent converging drum and deflect the stripped material towards a material discharge zone of the implement.

Abstract: A material processing machine includes a rotary conveyer for delivering material to a material conditioner. The conveyer has a rotatable body and a paddle is mounted on the body. The paddle includes a support portion having a radially outer end and a radially inner end which is attached to the body. The outer end is not ahead of the inner end with respect to a direction of rotation of the body. The paddle also includes a lip portion which is supported by the support portion. The lip portion is forward or advanced with respect to the outer end of the support portion, with respect to the direction of rotation of the body.

Abstract: A wide cut harvesting platform includes a rotary cutter bar having right- and left-hand outer and inner cutting units having respective inner and outer cutting discs at its opposite ends rotating in appropriate opposite directions for conveying cut crop from outer ends of the cutter bar to a central crop discharge path leading to a crop conditioning arrangement extending across the path. A first embodiment includes horizontal, right- and left-hand converging augers mounted so as to diverge forwardly above inner and outer cutting discs at the opposite ends of the cutter bar from locations at opposite sides of the discharge path and forward of the conditioner arrangement. A second embodiment includes first and second forwardly diverging augers like the first embodiment but being shorter and respectively terminating outwardly adjacent right- and left-hand converging drums respectively mounted to, and for rotating together with the right- and left-hand outer cutting discs.

Abstract: A wide cut harvesting platform includes a rotary cutter bar having right- and left-hand outer and inner cutting units having respective inner and outer cutting discs at its opposite ends rotating in appropriate opposite directions for conveying cut crop from outer ends of the cutter bar to a central crop discharge path leading to a crop conditioning arrangement extending across the path. A first embodiment includes horizontal, right- and left-hand converging augers mounted so as to diverge forwardly above inner and outer cutting discs at the opposite ends of the cutter bar from locations at opposite sides of the discharge path and forward of the conditioner arrangement. A second embodiment includes first and second forwardly diverging augers like the first embodiment but being shorter and respectively terminating outwardly adjacent right- and left-hand converging drums respectively mounted to, and for rotating together with the right- and left-hand outer cutting discs.