Abstract: A pod combine includes a harvester and a thresher mounted in tandem on a self-propelled mobile frame. The harvester removes the unopened pods and a portion of the foliage from the plants. An inclined endless belt conveyor transports the harvested material through a cluster breaker assembly that picks up clusters of the foliage and product, individualizes the crop and returns it in even distribution to the endless conveyor. A suction fan is positioned rearwardly of the cluster breaker assembly and separates a portion of the foliage from the crop before the crop is conveyed to a product feed apparatus that conveys the harvested material to the thresher. The thresher includes a foraminous reel arranged to be driven in preselected, opposite direction and an axially positioned impeller having a plurality of beaters secured thereto. A product collecting device is positioned below the foraminous reel.

Abstract: A multiple row crop harvester is provided with two endless chain drives and associated endless belt conveyors for simultaneously handling the crop from all rows. Each endless chain drive comprises a number of chain sprockets at fixed radial spacings from each other, a chain tensioning idler, and an endless drive chain trained about the sprockets and idler. The idler of one chain drive and the idler of the other are operatively interconnected by a self-adjusting, one-way tensioning device.

Abstract: A lawn mower with two coacting spirals cooperating in a scissors-like manner. This mower is self-sharpening and self-cleaning since a torsional stress urges the coacting spirals together. At least one spiral cutter is mounted on a resilient torsion disc.

Abstract: A method of cutting sugar cane comprising the steps of passing in one direction through the growing cane a vehicle having mounted thereon two upwardly extending power driven combing elements spaced apart across the width of the vehicle; combing a narrow stretch of cane between the combing elements; flattening the cane beneath a flattening element mounted on the vehicle to the rear of the combing elements and spaced above the ground to extend transversely to the one direction; and severing the cane at its base by power driven rotating ground-following cutting means mounted on the vehicle to the rear of the flattening element.