Abstract: Apparatus for harvesting broccoli or other standing vegetable plants comprising a mobile frame (11) adapted to be advanced along a row of plants to be harvested, a harvesting head (15) for gripping the stems of respective plants in turn as the mobile frame is advanced along the row and for conveying the gripped stems of plants rearwardly relative to the direction of movement of the mobile frame, a stem severing mechanism (19) for severing the stems of plants from plant rootstock and a plant trimming mechanism (20) adjacent the trailing end of the conveying means for trimming the plants.

Abstract: A harvester (1) comprises an engine and machinery housing (2), a discharge chute (6) which is movably mounted on the engine and machinery mounting (2) and which carries a first outfeed point (7) and a second outfeed point (12) for harvested crop, and means for switching a flow of harvested crop from one of the outfeed points (7, 12) to the other.

Abstract: A harvester (1), and in particular a forage harvester, has an engine and machinery housing (2) and a discharge chute (10) which is mounted to be movable at a discharge opening (9) from the engine and machinery housing (2). The discharge opening (9) is able to be adjusted in height at the engine and machinery housing (2).

Abstract: A mobile harvesting apparatus and method utilizes a stream of liquid, propelled under hitch pressure through at least one nozzle, to harvest produce. Preferably, a plurality of nozzles is provided. Additionally, it is preferred that, for each nozzle provided, there is an associated diverter plate. With this configuration, a stream of liquid exiting a nozzle will, after harvesting all item of produce, strike its associated diverter plate.

Abstract: A harvesting apparatus comprising a first conveyor (30) for conveying seedling trays (10), a cutting station (40) adjacent the first conveyor (30) to cut the leaves of the seedlings and a second conveyor (41) for taking cut leaves away from the cutting station (40). A stationary plate or grill (82) is placed in the gap (82A) between the first conveyor (30) and the cutting station (40) for supporting the trays (10). The cutting mechanism at the cutting station (40) may be adjustable in height above the plate or grill (82). A method of harvesting leafy vegetables and legumes using this apparatus is also described.

Abstract: A harvesting header having a flexible cutterbar assembly utilizes draper belts behind the cutterbar assembly to gently consolidate the severed crop materials and deliver them to a point of discharge and delivery, such as to the feederhouse of a combine harvester. One embodiment has draper assemblies and a central conveyor fixed relative to the flexible cutterbar assembly, while another has the draper assemblies and central conveyer flexible with the cutterbar assembly.

Abstract: A cutting platform for use with an agricultural harvesting machine includes a plurality of platform sections. At least one platform section includes a cutterbar assembly movable in a localized manner in upwards and downwards directions, an endless belt having a leading edge, a plurality of belt supports mounted to the cutterbar assembly, and a plurality of belt guides. Each belt support is at least partially positioned under the leading edge of the endless belt, and includes at least one upwardly extending clip. Each belt guide partially overlies the leading edge of the endless belt. Each belt guide includes at least one clip hole for receiving a corresponding clip, and a rear surface which is attached to a belt support or the cutterbar assembly.

Abstract: A new and improved conveyor feeder house chain slat having a unique shape and structure that provides sufficient structural rigidity to improve crop throughput while reducing clogging of crop material. The unique slat also provides additional support to the chain. Because the chain rides on the rear of the elongated section of the slat, the slat contacts the feed house, rather than the chain, reducing chain wear, overheating and lubricant evacuation. Because of the new slat configuration, the slats can be secured to the chain with removable securing means, enabling easier replacement of an individual slat if necessary.

Abstract: A header for a combine or harvester has a frame with a longitudinal dimension transverse to a direction of travel of the combine or harvester. Two moving belts are disposed on the frame to receive cut crop from a cutter and to move the crop from outer portions of the header towards an inner portion of the header. Each of the belts has a leading edge oriented towards the direction of travel of the combine or harvester and a trailing edge oriented away from the direction of travel and each of the belts has an inner aspect disclosed in spaced relation to an inner aspect of the other of the belts such as to define a gap therebetween, the gap receiving cut crop being transported longitudinally and inwardly from the belts. An auger with a cylinder and two end cones around an axis is disposed to urge crop from the gap and from the inner aspect of the belts towards a feeder house position behind the gap. The axis of the auger is forward of the trailing edge of the belt.

Abstract: A header for a combine or a harvester comprising a center portion of said header having a feeder house position disposed to direct cut crop from the center portion to a feeder house when the header is mounted on the feeder house. At least one lateral portion of the header is attached to the center portion by a frame hinge. A draper comprised of a frame and a belt disposed to rotate over the frame extends from the lateral portion to the center portion having a draper hinge. A cutter having a curving portion is disposed at a leading aspect of the header to cut crop. The frame hinge, draper hinge and curving portion along the same axis are parallel to a direction of travel of the combine or harvester. The lateral portion can raise and lower relative to the center portion by rotation around the axis.

Abstract: Travelling device (20) particularly for self-propelled mower comprises a frame (1) provided with several identical travelling units (21) arranged on its circumference. Each travelling unit (21) comprises a flexibly suspended travelling wheel 92) rotating on its horizontal and vertical axes. A motor unit (3) with a driving shaft (13) is arranged on said frame (1) for driving a working device and said travelling wheels (2). Said travelling wheels (2) are arranged in said travelling units (21) turnably on vertical axis in an unlimited angular range of 360°.

Abstract: A crop harvesting header has a cutter bar with a plurality of generally horizontal flail disks mounted thereon for driven rotation about generally upright axes spaced along the cutter bar. At least one of the disks is mounted outwardly of the discharge opening and carries an “hour glass” shape impeller to carry the crop inwardly. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in the discharge opening and a transfer roller is mounted behind the disks and in front of the nip for transferring the crop upwardly and rearwardly from the disks to the nip. The transfer roller is of the same diameter as the bottom roll and carries high ribs preferably forwardly inclined for an aggressive action on the crop. The roller is mounted with its axis above the cutting plane and its uppermost edge of the ribs at or above the axis of the bottom roll.

Abstract: An auger stripper assembly for a combine head has first and second auger stripper fixed to a wall of the combine head, wherein one auger stripper is disposed above the other auger stripper.

Abstract: A draper header for a combine harvester includes two side drapers each running from an outer end guide roller at a first end of the header to an inner end guide roller adjacent the discharge location of the header and a central feed draper located at the discharge location and including a front guide roller just behind the cutter bar and running to a rear guide roller in front of the feeder house of the combine harvester. An auger is located between the discharge rollers with a front edge of the flight forward of the rear end of the discharge rollers to feed the material inwardly and underneath the auger to the inlet of the feeder house. A pan is located underneath the auger and is mounted on a common structure with the feed draper for common pivotal movement about a transverse horizontal axis.

Abstract: A harvester for harvesting stalks of sugarcane having a plurality of harvest chambers. Each harvest chamber has a pair of opposing side walls that forming a V-shaped forward opening for receiving sugarcane stalks to be cut for harvest and a plurality of revolving, opposing, resilient conveyor belts for grabbing, holding and feeding the sugarcane stalks through the chambers in a substantially upright position. Each harvest chamber has a plurality of adjustable blowers to selectively direct a high velocity air stream onto the sugarcane stalks to remove unwanted foliage from the sugarcane stalks and a vacuum system to suction unwanted foliage from the harvest chambers to a foliage collection chamber located within the harvester.

Abstract: A baler for making rectangular crop bales has a generally horizontally disposed fore-and-aft extending baling chamber. The pickup of the baler is disposed underneath the baling chamber in line with the path of travel of a reciprocating plunger in the overhead chamber. An in-line transfer duct leads generally upwardly and rearwardly from the pickup to the bottom of the chamber. An enclosed crop flow passage is defined from a point immediately behind the pickup to a point located at the opening in the bottom of the baling chamber and presents a forwardmost cutting zone, a packing zone behind the cutting zone, and an accumulating zone behind the packing zone. Cutter apparatus within the cutting zone reduces the crop materials into smaller pieces as they flow through the cutting zone, whereupon a separate packer takes the materials from the rear side of the cutter apparatus and packs them in a downstream direction toward the accumulating zone where they form into a charge.

Abstract: A vehicle, in the form of a self-propelled forage harvester, has a three-point hitch assembly mounted to its forward end in place of the cutter head. A mower together with a rotary tine crop conditioner is coupled to the three-point hitch. Located in a zone between the upper and lower three-point hitch links, as viewed from the side, is a belt conveyor mounted to a hitch support structure for vertical pivotal movement between a raised, non-operative position and a lowered operative position. When in its non-operative position, the conveyor parallels the upper link and is disposed for letting cut crop discharged by the conditioner fall to the ground along a path that passes between front and rear pairs of support wheels of the forage harvester.

Abstract: Each crop consolidating auger assembly of a harvester includes an elongated, inner, stationary support that is mounted on the sidewall of the header in a cantilevered manner and extends inwardly from the sidewall into overlying relationship with the floor of the header. A longer, flighted housing of the assembly circumscribes the support and is rotatably carried thereby in coaxial relationship therewith. A hydraulic motor carried by the support adjacent its inboard end is drivingly connected to the interior surface of the wall of the housing by structure in the form of an annular connecting member and appropriate fasteners.

Abstract: The novel invention provides a smooth, continuous, positive uninterrupted flow of more material with less congestion and even feeding of the harvested crop from the row unit to the cross auger to the retrieving area of the feeder house. More efficient harvesting at higher speeds is now possible in both ideal and adverse conditions. This novel corn harvesting unit strategically shapes the floor of the lateral conveying chamber as a convex, non-radius or nonconcaved surface. The new floor surfaces more nearly conform to the natural glide path of the material exiting the row units while retaining maximum allowable elevation imparted by the row units or a first conveyor system. The novel arrangement of floor, planes and added novel directional vanes combined with a changed spatial relationship between the powered and umpowered conveying chambers or systems will also encourage the harvested material to better disengage from the transverse cross auger flighting and change direction.

Abstract: A header includes a generally C-shaped cutter bar supporting the sickle knife assembly across a front edge of the header. A draper assembly is carried behind the cutter bar and includes a pair of rollers at right angles to the beam carrying a continuous draper canvas band around the rollers with the front edge of the canvas underneath the cutter bar. The rollers and a support plate between the rollers for the upper run of the canvas are both recessed relative to the front edge of the canvas to leave a cantilever portion at the front edge of the canvas which projects under the cutter bar to form a seal. The position of the draper canvas on the rollers is guided by a pair of longitudinally extending ribs one adjacent but spaced rearwardly from the front edge and abutting the trailing edge of the cutter bar and the other adjacent but spaced forwardly from the rear edge and abutting a front edge of a rear plate. The ribs are formed integrally with transverse slats.

Abstract: A mechanism for manually and automatically adjusting the front support drum of an endless conveyor within the feederhouse of an agricultural combine. The front drum is rotatably affixed to the remote end of a pivot arm that is pivotably affixed to the side sheet of the feederhouse. The relative position of the drum to the floor of the feederhouse is manually adjustable by manipulation of a cam that moves the pivot arm toward and away from the floor to preset positions. In combination with the adjustment mechanism, is a pivot mounting for the pivot arm that allows the drum to move upwardly and rearwardly when a bulk or lump of crop material enters the opening between the drum and the floor, thereby preventing damage to the components of the feederhouse.

Abstract: A pull-type mower-conditioner has a windrow grouper mounted to its main frame by a mounting frame that is swingable between lowered working and raised non-working positions. The grouper includes a conveying arrangement defined in part by a belt conveyor mounted to the mounting frame for free pivotal movement, between angularly spaced stops, about a transverse horizontal axis. When the mounting frame is in its working position, the crop-receiving surface of the conveyor is inclined at a slight angle downward toward the rear of the mower-conditioner with gravity holding the conveyor in position against one of the stops. When the mounting frame is in its non-working position, gravity holds the conveyor in a position rotated against the other of the stops, the crop-receiving surface then being almost vertical so that the grouper is almost within the length of the mower-conditioner.

Abstract: A mowing arrangement includes a tractor carrying a front-mounted mower unit and towing a mobile carrier frame having left and right mower units mounted to opposite sides of the carrier frame. In a first embodiment, the carrier frame is box-shaped in plan view. A pair of mower unit support arms are respectively mounted to forward outer locations of the carrier frame for pivoting vertically between horizontal first positions, wherein they dispose the mower units in respective operating positions, and vertical second positions, wherein they dispose the mower units in raised transport positions.

Abstract: A two-row cane harvester 10 simultaneously harvests two rows of sugar cane in a green tropical cane field. Gatherer chains 62, 64 lift fallen cane stalks upwardly and support the fallen cane stalks as the harvester 10 moves through the cane field. A pair of topper mechanisms 54 top the cane stalks while base cutters 80 base cut the cane. A pair of transversely spaced turnaround devices 62 each move the cane transversely past the respective topper mechanism and toward a centerline 22 of the harvester, and thrust the topped cane stalks in a direction away from the harvester movement such that the topped cane stalks do not interfere with the cane moving toward the topper mechanisms by the gatherer chains. Base cut cane is received base first into the harvester intake.

Abstract: For conveyance of mowed material a conveyor device comprised of a conveyor belt (26) is employed between the mowing mechanism and collection container. The conveyor belt (26) is comprised of two equally paced oppositely driven endless conveyor belts, which run about drive (40, 44) and guide rollers (36, 46), which are mounted on horizontal axles (41, 47, 53). The conveyor belts (32, 34) exhibit two conveyor segments (56, 58) which are parallel and lie opposite to each other, which in the absence of mowed material to be conveyed (22) lie against each other, which receive mowed material (22) from the mowing mechanism (14) and of which the spacing with respect to each other can be increased by the mowed material (22) and of which their respective separation is increased by the spreading force of the mowed material (22) against the spring force (54).

Abstract: A draper belt tensioning mechanism for a harvesting platform includes a linkage having a bell crank coupled to the belt idler roller to move the idler roller away from the drive roller when the bell crank is rotated to tension the draper belt. A strut coupled to the bell crank and a spring biasing the strut produces the force to tension the belt. The linkage, except for the spring, is enclosed within the belt envelope. A spring gauge is positioned adjacent the spring to readily determine if the spring is compressed to the desired length. In a preferred embodiment, the spring and gauge are located to be visible by a machine operator.

Abstract: A system for removing plant stalks from a field and shredding the plant stalks. The plant stalks are cut and passed through feed rollers which directly feed the plant stalk to a shredder. Compression of the plant stalks by the feed rollers increases as the plant stalks slide between the feed rollers in a variable nip formed by the feed rollers.

Abstract: A conventional header of a combine is modified by the addition of a second sickle knife positioned rearwardly of the pan of the header. The second sickle knife is mounted on a bar which is connected to a pair of arms extending under the pan to a forward end pivotally mounted just behind the conventional sickle knife of the header. The arms and the second sickle knife can thus pivot upwardly and downwardly and are mounted on suspension springs carried on the frame of the header. A simple drive from the conventional shaft of the header is connected through a belt to a drive wobble box carried on the second sickle knife at a position partway along its length.