Abstract: An improved windrow pickup attachment for a forage harvester having crop processing apparatus including an input opening for receiving crop material. The attachment includes a main frame positioned on the front of the forage harvester adjacent the input opening. A transverse reel assembly and an auger conveyor are mounted on the main frame for picking up crop material from the ground, consolidating it and conveying it to the forage harvester base unit via the input opening.

Abstract: In a scattered objects collector, air which has inducted scattered object is extracted and treated to minimize the release of dust into the ambient. The scattered objects collector has a power source driving an induction fan, a scattered objects induction portion through which scattered objects are inducted by the fan, a scattered objects collection vessel, and an air discharge duct through which, for enhanced induction efficiency, extracted air is directed from the collection vessel back to the induction portion. A cutter can be installed at the induction fan.

Abstract: A debris collection vehicle including a vehicle chassis mounted on wheels, a motor carried on the vehicle and a debris pick-up apparatus mounted on the vehicle and powered by the motor for collecting debris off of the ground. The debris pick-up apparatus includes an elongate sweeper driven by the motor for sweeping debris in the path of the vehicle and three pick-up fans powered by the motor and mounted downstream of the sweeper for receiving debris swept from the ground by the sweeper. A grinder is powered by the motor and mounted downstream from the three pickup fans for receiving debris picked up by the pick-up fans and grinding the debris into smaller-sized debris. The vehicle includes a collection container for the ground up debris carried on the rear of the chassis.

Abstract: A mechanized harvesting machine, particularly suitable for picking or harvesting vegetables such a peppers or tomatoes employs a harvesting member having a rotating shaft aligned transversely to the direction of movement of the machine above the row of plants which are to be harvested. First and second picking members are mounted in spaced relationship on the shaft on opposite sides of a row of plants having a crop to be harvested. The picking members are simultaneously rotated, and each have a plurality of arcuate picking elements on them. The picking elements extend into the space between the two picking members, and operate to strip the crop from the plants while leaving the plants in a relatively undisturbed condition after they have been picked.

Abstract: A cotton harvester machine having a plurality of cotton harvesting units and a system for mounting the harvesting units at a front end of the cotton harvester. The harvesting units are connected to a frame of the cotton harvester machine in a manner allowing vertical displacement of the harvesting units with respect to the frame. The mounting system arranges the harvesting units forwardly of the frame at different distances in a manner improving weight distribution for the machine while facilitating narrow row cotton harvesting.

Abstract: A support arrangement and discharge structure for individual picking units of a four-row cotton picker. The outboard picking units are transversely cantilevered from the inboard units using telescoping cross members which are adjustable to properly position the units for various row spacings. The cross members are tied between upper rigid beam structure on adjacent inboard and outboard units, the structure including an upper plate, cam support and transverse and fore-and-aft stiffeners. Each outboard unit includes a diagonal brace connected to the rigid beam structure to absorb fore-and-aft loading and thereby eliminate need for a lower stabilizer. Two high volume picker drums on adjacent inboard and outboard units are serviced by a single discharge structure supported from the inboard unit and connected to a single cotton conveying duct. A hinged baffle plate extends rearwardly from the outboard unit to the discharge structure, and pivots to permit the units to be adjusted with respect to each other.

Abstract: To pick up crop or other strewn materials from ground or other level, a bladed rotor is travelled closely over the materials so as to flick them into a carrier bin, a conveyor chute or the like. The rotor blades are of pliant sheet material each fixed by one longitudinal edge to a rotor shaft so as to be able to extend radially from the shaft, under centrifugal force, when the shaft is rapidly rotated; the back or trailing faces of the distal edge marginal portions of the blades are eccentrically weighted so that, upon rotation, the margins are centrifugally induced to incline angularly in the direction of blade rotation so to exercise a spooning or up-scooping action on the matters to be picked up.

Abstract: The pickup assembly has an upright loading duct with a primary conveying impeller located between the upper outlet and the lower inlet of the duct. A secondary crop pickup impeller adjacent the inlet combs through crop stubble as the machine advances and lifts severed crop materials up to the primary impeller where the latter propels the materials upwardly through the duct and out the outlet. Flexible rubber fingers on the secondary impeller are generally T-shaped, having heads that are releasably clamped against the hub of the impeller by an inverted channel which is capable of retaining a series of the fingers at the same time. The secondary impeller floats independently of the duct and has one or more gauge wheels associated therewith to keep the fingers of the impeller from digging into the ground during rotation.