Abstract: A mowing machine which has a rotary cutting member rotatably journalled to a shaft received in a drive housing. The drive housing has connected to it a supporting skid extending under and forward thereof for engagement with the ground. The skid defines, with the drive housing, a space which is filled with a lightweight material such as foam. The material prevents foreign matter from getting into the space, strengthens the skid, reduces the connective welding required and alters the weight and other characteristics of the machine. A plurality of like rotary cutting members with supporting skids are mounted side-by-side.

Abstract: A harvester strips seeds from a standing crop while essentially leaving the stems of the crop attached to the soil. The harvester comprises a mobile main frame and a vertically adjustable harvesting header carried thereby. A first axially transverse rotor is mounted on the header with its axis generally below the level of substantially all the seeds on the standing crop. The first rotor includes a hub and outwardly projecting stripper elements. The stripper elements define longitudinally spaced openings on the rotor periphery of a width greater than upper seed-bearing heads of the crop, permitting the introduction of the seed-bearing heads into the rotor interior as the machine advances so that the seeds are impacted by sides of the stripper elements interiorly of the outer end thereof. A second axially transverse rotor is disposed parallel to, above and forwardly of the first rotor and has a generally cylindrical outer periphery adjacent the periphery of the first rotor.

Abstract: Apparatus detachably mounting to the header platform of a combine in aligned relation to the sickle bar assembly for converting over to sunflower harvesting. The assembly comprises a plurality of sunflower pans attached in spaced apart, slightly elevated relation to a tubular support member that mounts to the header platform via a plurality of chainbuckle and stop members. Assembly requires only the aligning of the attachment to the header platform and the tightening of the turn buckles.

Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a mobile main frame adapted to advance over a field of standing crop and including a forward header having an axially transverse stripping rotor with stripping elements that impact the seeds on the standing crop and deliver them rearwardly to a crop converging auger, which discharges the separated crop material through a housing to a blower type elevator. The elevator delivers the material to a rotary type cleaner that separates the seeds from some of the other crop material, the partially clean seeds then being delivered to a conventional combine cleaning shoe that finishes the separation of the seeds from the rest of the crop material, the seeds then being delivered to a clean grain conveying system.

Abstract: An improved crop divider assembly (14) for crop harvesting equipment is disclosed. A preferred embodiment of the invention is a combine attachment (12) for operative engagement with a combine (10). The combine attachment (12) includes a plurality of crop divider assemblies (14) that form a plurality of slots which guide the crop into the combine (10) as the combine (10) progresses through the field. The widths of crop divider assemblies (14) are adjustable, thereby making the widths of the slots adjustable. Each of the crop divider assemblies (14) also preferably includes a hingedly-connected snout (16). Each snout (16) is vertically adjustable to permit adjustment of the minimum included angle (31) formed by a pan longitudinal axis (30) and snout longitudinal axis (32). Each snout preferably includes a shoe (18) at its forward end, the shoes (18) upwardly deflecting the snouts (16) if uneven soil, for example, is encountered during the forward progression of the combine (10).

Abstract: A combine attachment for harvesting radish seeds and the like includes a fixed lower harvesting roll and an upper roll spaced vertically therefrom and mounted for spring-biased movement toward and away from the lower roll. The rolls are spaced a distance sufficient of split seed-containing pods, but not so close as to crush the seeds. The upper and lower rolls are carried by a frame mounted to a forward portion of the combine rearward of a pick-up belt and forward of an auger. The frame is detachably mounted to the frame by fastening means for easy attachment to and detachment from the frame. The split pods are conveyed to a thresher which separates the seeds from the preconditioned pods.

Abstract: A seed harvester is provided for harvesting seeds from a standing crop without cutting the crop. The harvester is particularly designed for harvesting grass seed. The harvester includes a header assembly for stripping from the crop, and a seed separator for drawing the seeds from the header assembly in an air stream and for separating the seeds from the air stream. The header assembly includes a frame assembly having a transverse inlet which communicates with the seed separator. An endless revolving stripping surface is mounted across this transverse opening to contact the seed heads of the crop and strip the mature seeds from the crop. A rotating reel is mounted to rotate parallel to, and above and forwardly of, the seed stripping surface. On rotation, the reel guides the crop into contact with the seed stripping surface and holds it there for a time to permit the seed stripping surface to remove mature seeds from the crop. The seed separator includes a duct, curved between its ends.

Abstract: An apparatus for increasing the efficiency of sunflower harvesting by combine consists of a sunflower header attachment secured over a reciprocating sickle bar assembly at the front end of the combine. A plurality of spaced apart pans are secured over the sickle bar assembly to extend forwardly from the combine. Pivotally mounted at the forward end of each pan is an elongated snout tapered to a rounded tip at its front end. The snouts have smooth sides and rounded edges to allow the combine to gently engage sunflower stalks during the harvesting operation. A reel is rotatably mounted transversely over the pans and is driven to rotate on a generally horizontal axis for urging sunflowers into the combine. Preferably, the reel has only two wings, the axes of which are substantially coplanar, so that in operation the reel does not prevent a combine operator from observing a significant degree of the sunflower gathering and cutting operations.

Abstract: An elongated hollow housing is provided including front and rear sides and opposite ends. The housing defines an air passage extending therethrough including an inlet end opening through and extending longitudinally of the front side of the housing. The housing also defines an outlet for the passage opening outwardly of the housing remote from the inlet. Seed separating structure is provided within the air passage intermediate the inlet and outlet and is operative to separate seeds from the air flow moving through the passage. The inlet is defined between opposing generally parallel longitudinal marginal portions of the housing and one marginal portion is disposed forward and above the other marginal portion, whereby the inlet opens outwardly of the housing in a foward and downward direction. An elongated seed stripping rotary brush is journaled in the housing for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally thereof with between 30.degree. and 90.degree.

Abstract: Quick or instantaneous stopping of rapidly rotating members places severe stress loads on components. These loads are substantially reduced by providing a quick-stopping apparatus including a damped member having an attached element which is movable into engagement with a rotating member. In response to such engagement, the energy of the rotating member is rapidly decelerated through the damped member thus reducing peak stress loads associated with almost instantaneous deceleration.

Abstract: A plurality of divider pans are secured to the front of the header just above the reciprocating knife thereof, to collect the heads as they are severed. The pans are adjustable angularly relative to the ground and are supported by bracing means underneath the pans. Pan tail portions are adjustably secured to the underside braces and extend underneath and to the rear of the header where they are secured to the header. A reel and shield are secured over the auger and brushes extend across the gaps between the adjacent pans to catch sunflower seeds which separate from the heads as they are deposited onto the pans. Dividers are secured one to each end of the header and to the conventional reel arms which are disconnected when this attachment is secured to the header.

Abstract: Mower with an elongated housing supporting bottom-driven cutter discs and with a hollow stiffening beam inside the housing, the beam extending from the connection end of the housing and being situated between the axes of rotation of the discs and the rearmost positions of the elements pivoting the cutters to the discs, the beam extending the whole length of the housing and being filled with foamed synthetic plastics material.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for harvesting a crop of the character having stalks which carry seed pods, such as the sesame plant. The apparatus includes a harvesting vehicle which mounts at its front end a header structure. The header structure includes side-by-side guide units adapted for movement along individual rows of the stalks. Each guide unit includes a pair of forwardly diverging guide members which gently guide the stalks for relative movement toward rotary cutter units disposed generally at the apex of the guide members. Horizontally extending, spaced-apart stabilizer fingers are mounted for movement along each guide unit in a path toward the cutter units for stabilizing the stalks prior to and during the time that they are cut off. Drive apparatus is provided for controlling rearward movement of the fingers at a rate substantially equal to the rate of forward vehicle travel whereby the fingers maintain registry with the stalks up to the point at which they are cut off.

Abstract: A mechanized harvesting machine particularly suitable for picking or harvesting vegetables such as peppers and tomatoes uses a single rotating helical guide member carried on a shaft aligned longitudinally above the row of plants to thread its way through the plants with minimal disturbance. Arcuate picking elements are attached between the helical guide and the shaft for pushing and pulling the vegetables or other crops to be harvested from the plant, as the helical guide member is rotated through the row of plants. The guide member is operated parallel to the ground and turns in a single direction, leaving the plants in a relatively undisturbed condition after they have been picked so that the plants may be used to grow a subsequent crop. The harvesting machine includes conveyor belts located on opposite sides of the helical guide member for catching the vegetables after they have been picked to convey them to a convenient storage bin on the machine.

Abstract: A peanut combine is provided with an improved thrashing or picking system having longitudinally spaced thrashing cylinders rotating at different speeds in combination with vine flow control apparatus for directing the vines through the thrashing chamber and for intercepting the vines as they are moved by the cylinders to cause greater shredding of the vines and more efficient detachment of the peanuts from the vines.

Abstract: The improvement incorporated by a harvesting machine is a shock-isolated electric actuator interconnected between the header and the frame of the machine and being operable to move the header between field operating and transport positions relative to the frame. Electrical circuitry is provided for interconnecting the actuator to a source of electrical power and a switch is disposed in the circuitry for controlling the transmission of power to the actuator and thereby the operation of the actuator. Also, the electric actuator at one end is operably connected to the header and a shock isolator assembly interconnects the other end of the actuator to the machine frame. The shock isolator assembly includes a support bracket rigidly mounted on the frame, an elongated member connected to the other end of the actuator and a shock absorbing body formed of resilient rubber-like material supporting the elongated member and, in turn, itself being mounted to the support bracket.

Abstract: A row crop rogue vehicle for removing rogue crops such as shatter cane, rye, weeds or the like. The seed heads of the rogue crops are taller than the cultivated crops in a field. The rogue vehicle is self-propelled with wheels mounted on the ends of hydraulic cylinders. The cylinders are used for raising the frame of the vehicle above the height of the cultivated crops. The wheels and cylinders are transversely adjustable on the vehicle frame to the direction of travel of the vehicle so that the wheels can ride between the crop rows of fields having different crop row widths. The front of the vehicle includes a cutting sickle and reel for cutting the rogue crops which are conveyed to a storage hopper mounted at the rear of the vehicle.

Abstract: Vacuum device moves seeds and debris from an orchard floor to a troughed screen where flexible rotating fingers vibrate screen which separates the seeds from the debris and rotating rigid fingers move debris to a point of discharge. An auger may also be provided beneath the screen for moving separated seeds and fines to a cleaner for removing fine particles from the separated seeds, if desired.

Abstract: A mower is provided having an engine, handle bar assembly, and handle height adjustment braces connected to the mobile housing of the mower through resilient shock mounts for reducing engine noise and vibration; and for isolating the operator from the engine vibrations, as well as from ground induced vibrations and shocks while at the same time utilizing certain of the shock mounts for resiliently urging the handle height adjustment braces against the handle bar assembly to aid in retaining the braces coupled to the handle bar assembly.

Abstract: A pull-type mower conditioner type harvester has a mobile main frame carrying a vertically adjustable header or subframe which carries a plurality of harvesting components that extend between the opposite sides of the header, including a reciprocating sickle type cutter bar. The cutter bar includes a transverse support member that spans the width of the header and carries the cutter bar components, including a wobble type drive at one end of the cutter bar.

Abstract: A harvester-thresher has a frame adapted to be pulled along the ground and formed with a forwardly-opening slot which is flanked by a pair of flailing elements that are displaced back and forth relative to this slot without cutting or pulling up this crop in order to thresh grain or the like from a crop passing upwardly through the slot. The flailing elements can be a pair of vibratorily reciprocal elements operated by a crank arrangement. It is also possible to use a pair of rotatable supports which each carry a pair of polygonal-section rollers that are orbited next to the slot and are themselves rotated about their own axes to flail the grain off the crops. The two assemblies are interconnected by a pair of gears and the individual rollers are themselves rotated by means of a V-belt or an internal gear connected to the ends of these rollers.

Abstract: This invention provides a self-propelled hop picking machine including a hop bine draw-through device which, as the machine moves forward, pulls bines in the path of movement of the machine rearwardly, preferably at a speed greater than the forward speed of travel of the machine, so as to pull such bines from their supporting wires and to convey the bines to picking elements for removal of the hop cones from the bines.

Abstract: In an apparatus for increasing the yield of beans or grain wherein a primary harvesting machine or header is mounted forward of the combine with a secondary harvesting device located immediately to the rear of the primary harvester. The secondary harvesting device is vacuum operated to pick up beans or grain knocked to the ground under the primary harvester. The vacuumed up beans or grain are fed into the onboard chaffer and separator mechanism of the combine for cleaning and combining with the beans or grain picked up by the primary harvester.

Abstract: Mounting apparatus for connecting a sickle bar mower to a hitch frame adapted for attachment to a tractor comprising a pair of laterally spaced links interconnecting the hitch frame with the drag bar and cutterbar assembly to form a generally horizontal four bar linkage having one rigid corner, the link adjacent the rigid corner being resilient in the transverse direction.

Abstract: A pitman mower has a hitch frame, a drag bar, a cutterbar pivotally attached to the drag bar for pivotal movement in the transverse vertical plane and a drive mechanism for the cutterbar mounted on the drag bar. A pair of fore-and-aft extending links interconnect the hitch frame and drag bar in a generally horizontal four bar parallel linkage, the left link being resilient in the transverse direction, preferably comprising a leaf spring, having one end rigidly connected to its adjacent member. The right link comprises a breakaway pull bar assembly rotatable about an axis generally longitudinal thereof and has a float spring and lifting chain connected thereto and disposed to rotate the pull bar against the load imposed thereon by a gag link connected to the pull bar away from the axis of rotation thereof and extending to the cutterbar to control its rotation about the drag bar.

Abstract: Quick or instantaneous stopping of rapidly rotating members places severe stress loads on components. These loads are substantially reduced by providing a quick-stopping apparatus including a damped member having an attached element which is movable into engagement with a rotating member. In response to such engagement, the energy of the rotating member is rapidly decelerated through the damped member thus reducing peak stress loads associated with almost instantaneous deceleration.