Rotary Cutting Disk Patents (Class 56/157)
  • Patent number: 11110672
    Abstract: A method of producing an exercise weight structure comprises mixing a particulate material with a binder material and molding the resulting mixture to an appropriate shape. An outer skin for the exercise weight structure is firstly formed of a resilient material, and forms a mold into which an inner weight section or body is molded or cast. The inner weight section and the outer skin are both formed of recycled material and include a common binder material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: ESCAPE ENVIRO LIMITED
    Inventors: Gary Lister, Richard Januszek
  • Patent number: 11097146
    Abstract: Training equipment includes a hollow shaft having a sidewall defining an internal cavity and at least one polymer material filling at least a portion of the internal cavity. The polymer material may fill the entire internal cavity of the hollow shaft. The polymer material may be a visco-elastic polymer material or polyurethane. A spacer or a filler may fill at least a portion of the internal cavity. A method of making weighted training equipment with a hollow shaft having a sidewall defining an internal cavity may include injecting a curable composition into at least a portion of the internal cavity. The method may further include curing the curable composition into a polymer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: CAXY SPORTS, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas J. Langston
  • Patent number: 10543650
    Abstract: A method of producing an exercise weight structure comprises mixing a particulate material with a binder material and molding the resulting mixture to an appropriate shape. An outer skin for the exercise weight structure is firstly formed of a resilient material, and forms a mold into which an inner weight section or body is molded or cast. The inner weight section and the outer skin are both formed of recycled material and include a common binder material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Escape Enviro Limited
    Inventors: Gary Lister, Richard Januszek
  • Patent number: 8959881
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted on a cutter bar for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common rotary member with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. The common rotary member includes two portions connected at a center location driven at one end and supported at the center location by a bearing and support plate connected to the cutter bar attached to one portion and a universal joint between the end of the supported portion and the other portion to allow flexing of the cutter bar to be transmitted through the universal joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: MacDon Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Daniel Victor Kaethler
  • Publication number: 20140283493
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted on a cutter bar for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common rotary member with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. The common rotary member includes two portions connected at a center location driven at one end and supported at the center location by a bearing and support plate connected to the cutter bar attached to one portion and a universal joint between the end of the supported portion and the other portion to allow flexing of the cutter bar to be transmitted though the universal joint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: MacDon Industries Ltd
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Daniel Victor Kaethler
  • Patent number: 8833047
    Abstract: A rotary conditioning header has upright end panels that project forwardly from opposite ends of the rotary cutter bar. A top panel structure spans the end panels across their upper ends to define a crop receiving space between the end panels and beneath the top panel structure that is open at the front to define a mouth into the header. An upright rotary shear on at least one of the ends panels is located within the crop receiving space at the edge of the mouth but is exposed at the front such that its forwardmost cutting extremity is generally aligned with but underneath a transverse lean bar across the front edge of the top panel structure. The rotary shear severs and separates tangled crop stalks in the vicinity of the end panel to enable the stalks to be properly acted upon by the lean bar and received into the mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: AGCO Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Matousek, Brian D. Olander
  • Patent number: 8833046
    Abstract: A crop harvesting header, the top conditioning roll is set back from a conventional position slightly leading the bottom roller so as to instead reside directly over or slightly rearward of the bottom roller, whereby rejection of crop material back into the cutting zone by the top roller is reduced. A rear deflector compensates for a resulting lack of upward trajectory of crop material from the nip, acting to impart a lifting action to same as it exits the rear of the header. Concentrated streams of crop material from pairs of counter-rotating disks may be broken up by a rotational action of the deflector. A front deflector may be included to further prevent crop rejection by the top roller by directing lifted crop material downwardly toward the nip to avoid contact with an upper front quadrant of the top roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Inventor: Neil Gordon Barnett
  • Patent number: 8601778
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, a harvesting header includes a helper roll having an auger flighting configured to move crop material laterally inward. The auger flighting may be outboard of a crop receiving area. The helper roll may be placed rearward of a cutter mechanism and forward of a conditioning roll of the header. The axis of rotation of the helper roll may be positioned slightly above a cutting plane of a cutting bed so that the auger flighting extends vertically past the cutting plane. In an example embodiment, at least a portion of the auger flights are positioning outboard of a conditioning roll of the header. The helper roll may be supported within the cutting zone and comprised of a plurality of sub-helper rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: AGCO Corporation
    Inventors: Martin E. Pruitt, Brendon Nafziger
  • Publication number: 20130160414
    Abstract: A rotary conditioning header has upright end panels that project forwardly from opposite ends of the rotary cutter bar. A top panel structure spans the end panels across their upper ends to define a crop receiving space between the end panels and beneath the top panel structure that is open at the front to define a mouth into the header. An upright rotary shear on at least one of the ends panels is located within the crop receiving space at the edge of the mouth but is exposed at the front such that its forwardmost cutting extremity is generally aligned with but underneath a transverse lean bar across the front edge of the top panel structure. The rotary shear severs and separates tangled crop stalks in the vicinity of the end panel to enable the stalks to be properly acted upon by the lean bar and received into the mouth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: AGCO Corporation
    Inventor: AGCO Corporation
  • Patent number: 8468789
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: MacDon Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Geoffrey U. Snider
  • Patent number: 8434290
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: MacDon Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Geoffrey U. Snider
  • Publication number: 20130042592
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, a harvesting header includes a helper roll having an auger flighting configured to move crop material laterally inward. The auger flighting may be outboard of a crop receiving area. The helper roll may be placed rearward of a cutter mechanism and forward of a conditioning roll of the header. The axis of rotation of the helper roll may be positioned slightly above a cutting plane of a cutting bed so that the auger flighting extends vertically past the cutting plane. In an example embodiment, at least a portion of the auger flights are positioning outboard of a conditioning roll of the header. The helper roll may be supported within the cutting zone and comprised of a plurality of sub-helper rolls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: AGCO Corporation
    Inventor: AGCO Corporation
  • Patent number: 8341927
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening and a transfer roller is mounted behind the disks and in front of the nip. At each end, two disks are mounted outwardly of the discharge opening each rotating so that its blade moves inwardly and each carries an impeller to carry the crop inwardly. A third disk is arranged so that a line forward of the end of the discharge opening intersects the third disk inward of the axis of the third disk. The third disk rotates so that its blade moves outwardly so that the crop tends to pass between the second and third disks. A pair of impellers are mounted behind the second disk and move inwardly to carry the cut crop to the discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: MacDon Industries Ltd
    Inventor: Neil Gordon Barnett
  • Patent number: 8307620
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: MacDon Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Geoffrey U. Snider
  • Publication number: 20120279190
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Geoffrey U. Snider
  • Publication number: 20120279189
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening and a transfer roller is mounted behind the disks and in front of the nip. At each end, two disks are mounted outwardly of the discharge opening each rotating so that its blade moves inwardly and each carries an impeller to carry the crop inwardly. A third disk is arranged so that a line forward of the end of the discharge opening intersects the third disk inward of the axis of the third disk. The third disk rotates so that its blade moves outwardly so that the crop tends to pass between the second and third disks. A pair of impellers are mounted behind the second disk and move inwardly to carry the cut crop to the discharge opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventor: Neil Gordon Barnett
  • Patent number: 8297033
    Abstract: In an example embodiment a harvesting header has a cutter mechanism to cut crop material, a discharge opening through which the crop material may be discharged, at least one conditioning roll to condition crop material cut by the cutter mechanism that passes through the discharge opening, and a helper roll extending laterally outward of the discharge opening. A support may be provided at the discharge opening for rotatably supporting the helper roll. In one example embodiment the helper roll comprises a first sub-helper roll and a second sub-helper roll that are rotatably coupled to a bearing assembly mounted at the discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: AGCO Corporation
    Inventors: Martin E. Pruit, Brendon Nafziger
  • Patent number: 8291685
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, a harvesting header includes a helper roll having at auger flighting configured to move crop material laterally inward. The auger flighting may be outboard of a crop receiving area. The helper roll may be placed rearward of a cutter mechanism and forward of a conditioning roll of the header. The axis of rotation of the helper roll may be positioned slightly above a cutting plane of a cutting bed so that the auger flighting extends vertically past the cutting plane. In an example embodiment, at least a portion of the auger flights are positioning outboard of a conditioning roll of the header.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: AGCO Corporation
    Inventors: Martin E. Pruit, Brendon Nafziger
  • Patent number: 8286411
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: MacDon Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Geoffrey U. Snider
  • Publication number: 20120216498
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Geoffrey U. Snider
  • Patent number: 8240114
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening and a transfer roller is mounted behind the disks and in front of the nip. At each end, two disks are mounted outwardly of the discharge opening each rotating so that its blade moves inwardly and each carries an impeller to carry the crop inwardly. A third disk is arranged so that a line forward of the end of the discharge opening intersects the third disk inward of the axis of the third disk. The third disk rotates so that its blade moves outwardly so that the crop tends to pass between the second and third disks. A pair of impellers are mounted behind the second disk and move inwardly to carry the cut crop to the discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: MacDon Industries Ltd
    Inventor: Neil Gordon Barnett
  • Patent number: 8225589
    Abstract: A crop harvesting header includes a cutter bar mounted on a frame carrying a plurality of generally horizontal cutter disks. The cutter bar includes a first longitudinally extending hollow gear case and a second longitudinally extending hollow gear case divided at a position along the length of the cutter bar so as to form first and second separate sections. Each gear case includes a gear train of spur gears to drive the cutter disks. On each section the outermost disk is connected to an upstanding drive shaft with a right angle gear box connected to an upper end with a drive transfer shaft connecting the first and second gear boxes, an input hydraulic drive motor to the first gear box and an output shaft and the second gear box for driving the conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: MacDon Industries Ltd
    Inventor: Neil Gordon Barnett
  • Patent number: 8220238
    Abstract: A coppice header for a forage harvester adapted to be mounted on and powered by a forage harvester. The header including at the front side two circular rotatable knives, a feeding drum being mounted above each knife, said drums being rotatable about the same rotation axis as the respective knives. The header may also be provided with a front feed roll placed behind the knives and two additional feed rolls placed behind the front feed roll, wherein the front feed roll is equipped with guiding blades along the length of the feed roll. The blades have a central protrusion, so that the blades are longer in a region around the middle of the blade than at the lateral ends of the blades. The central protrusion is an inclined surface bent rearwardly away from the rotatable knives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Pierre E. Teetaert, Didier O. M. Verhaeghe, Sandor W. van Vooren
  • Patent number: 8161719
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: MacDon Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Geoffrey U. Snider
  • Patent number: 8117811
    Abstract: A cutting system for a forage harvester includes a source of rotational movement for each of the pair of substantially planar counterrotating blades and for a pair of substantially planar counterrotating gripping members. Each blade of the pair of blades is configured to rotate about a substantially parallel axis. Each gripping member of the pair of gripping members is configured to rotate about a corresponding rotational axis of one blade of the pair of blades. The source of rotational movement is separated from each blade of the pair of blades by an inner shaft. The source of rotational movement is separated from each gripping member of the pair of gripping members by a tube surrounding the shaft. The tube includes a gripping portion secured to a periphery of the tube between the source of rotational movement and the pair of gripping members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Larry D. Hall, Douglas S. Fitzkee, Christopher A. Foster, John H. Posselius
  • Patent number: 8117810
    Abstract: A cutting system for a forage harvester including a pair of planar counterrotating blades, each blade of the pair of blades configured to rotate about a substantially parallel axis. A portion of the pair of blades at least partially overlap each other, but are spaced from each other in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axes. A pair of planar counterrotating gripping members with each gripping member of the pair of gripping members configured to rotate about a corresponding rotational axis of one blade of the pair of blades. The pair of gripping members are aligned with each other in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axes. The pair of blades rotate at a different rotational speed than the pair of gripping members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Larry D. Hall, Douglas S. Fitzkee, Christopher A. Foster, John H. Posselius
  • Publication number: 20120031064
    Abstract: A crop harvesting header includes a cutter bar mounted on a frame carrying a plurality of generally horizontal cutter disks. The cutter bar includes a first longitudinally extending hollow gear case and a second longitudinally extending hollow gear case divided at a position along the length of the cutter bar so as to form first and second separate sections. Each gear case includes a gear train of spur gears to drive the cutter disks. On each section the outermost disk is connected to an upstanding drive shaft with a right angle gear box connected to an upper end with a drive transfer shaft connecting the first and second gear boxes, an input hydraulic drive motor to the first gear box and an output shaft and the second gear box for driving the conditioner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventor: Neil Gordon Barnett
  • Publication number: 20120017557
    Abstract: A coppice header for a forage harvester adapted to be mounted on and powered by a forage harvester. The header including at the front side two circular rotatable knives, a feeding drum being mounted above each knife, said drums being rotatable about the same rotation axis as the respective knives, wherein each feeding drum is equipped with one or more flat hook-shaped extensions adapted to grab the cut stems in the region immediately above the rotatable knives. The header may also be provided with a front feed roll placed behind the knives and two additional feed rolls placed behind the front feed roll, wherein the front feed roll is equipped with guiding blades along the length of the feed roll. The blades have a central protrusion, so that the blades are longer in a region around the middle of the blade than at the lateral ends of the blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Pierre E. Teetaert, Didier O.M. Verhaeghe, Sandor W. van Vooren
  • Patent number: 8091328
    Abstract: A coppice header for a forage harvester adapted to be mounted on and powered by a forage harvester. The header including at the front side two circular rotatable knives, a feeding drum being mounted above each knife, said drums being rotatable about the same rotation axis as the respective knives, wherein each feeding drum is equipped with one or more flat hook-shaped extensions adapted to grab the cut stems in the region immediately above the rotatable knives. The header may also be provided with a front feed roll placed behind the knives and two additional feed rolls placed behind the front feed roll, wherein the front feed roll is equipped with guiding blades along the length of the feed roll. The blades have a central protrusion, so that the blades are longer in a region around the middle of the blade than at the lateral ends of the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Pierre E. Teetaert, Didier O. M. Verhaeghe, Sandor W. van Vooren
  • Patent number: 8069640
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: MacDon Industries Ltd
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Geoffrey U. Snider
  • Publication number: 20110277437
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Geoffrey U. Snider
  • Patent number: 8015784
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: MacDon Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Geoffrey U. Snider
  • Patent number: 8006469
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening and a transfer roller is mounted behind the disks and in front of the nip. At each end, two disks are mounted outwardly of the discharge opening each rotating so that its blade moves inwardly and each carries an impeller to carry the crop inwardly. A third disk is arranged so that a line forward of the end of the discharge opening intersects the third disk inward of the axis of the third disk. The third disk rotates so that its blade moves outwardly so that the crop tends to pass between the second and third disks. A pair of impellers are mounted behind the second disk and move inwardly to carry the cut crop to the discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: MacDon Industries Ltd
    Inventor: Neil Gordon Barnett
  • Publication number: 20110146219
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, a harvesting header includes a helper roll having at auger flighting configured to move crop material laterally inward. The auger flighting may be outboard of a crop receiving area. The helper roll may be placed rearward of a cutter mechanism and forward of a conditioning roll of the header. The axis of rotation of the helper roll may be positioned slightly above a cutting plane of a cutting bed so that the auger flighting extends vertically past the cutting plane. In an example embodiment, at least a portion of the auger flights are positioning outboard of a conditioning roll of the header.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: AGCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin E. Pruitt, Brendon Nafziger
  • Publication number: 20110146220
    Abstract: In an example embodiment a harvesting header has a cutter mechanism to cut crop material, a discharge opening through which the crop material may be discharged, at least one conditioning roll to condition crop material cut by the cutter mechanism that passes through the discharge opening, and a helper roll extending laterally outward of the discharge opening. A support may be provided at the discharge opening for rotatably supporting the helper roll. In one example embodiment the helper roll comprises a first sub-helper roll and a second sub-helper roll that are rotatably coupled to a bearing assembly mounted at the discharge opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: AGCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin E. Pruit, Brendon Nafziger
  • Publication number: 20110005182
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Geoffrey U. Snider
  • Publication number: 20110005181
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Geoffrey U. Snider
  • Publication number: 20110005183
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Geoffrey U. Snider
  • Publication number: 20100307122
    Abstract: A lawnmower including a cut grass storage container for storing cut grass. The lawnmower also includes a cutting blade, a downwardly-opening housing, and a cut grass conveyor passage. The cut grass storage container is provided to the cut grass conveyor passage. Grass that has been cut is delivered to the cut grass conveyor passage while revolving about a shaft inside the housing. A guide member is provided inside the housing. The guide member guides the revolving grass to the cut grass conveyor passage while guiding the grass to the outer periphery of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fumio Minami, Hiroshi Hojo, Hiroshi Kobayashi, Kenzo Shimada, Kazuki Shimozono
  • Publication number: 20100269475
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Neil Gordon Barnett, Geoffrey U. Snider
  • Patent number: 7669391
    Abstract: A mower-conditioner implement is equipped with a rotary disc cutter bar and associated with the cutter bar are a plurality of crop-lifting units that cooperate to define an upright lip that works together with transversely spaced ramp sections, of the respective lifting units, that incline downwardly to the front from transversely spaced locations along the top of the lip for lifting and directing cut crop to the conditioner. In one embodiment, the crop-lifting units are releasably coupled to the cutter bar, and, in a second embodiment, are formed integrally with the cutter bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Jason Chad Eubanks, Roger William Frimml, Daniel James Meyer, Allan Wesley Rosenbalm, Matt Jay Scott
  • Patent number: 7571592
    Abstract: A machine is provided for harvesting stalk-like crop, with a frame, to which in each case at least three mowing and intake arrangements are attached of which the first mowing and intake arrangement that is directly adjoining the longitudinal center plane of the machine and can be driven in such a way that their forward regions of the machine, as seen in the forward operating direction, move towards the outside. The second mowing and intake arrangements, that follow the first mowing and intake arrangement to the outside move in the opposite direction to the first mowing and intake arrangements. The third mowing and intake arrangements, which follow the second mowing and intake arrangements to the outside, are driven in the same direction as the first mowing and intake arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Kemper GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Clemens Rickert, Martin Hüning, Leo Schulze Hockenbeck, Klemens Weitenberg
  • Publication number: 20080256920
    Abstract: A mower conditioner includes a cutter bar supported on its frame transverse to the forward working direction and conditioning tools, which may be either tines or conditioning rollers, supported on the frame to span a distance transverse to the forward working direction. Auger flights are supported on the frame beyond opposite ends of the distance traversing the forward working direction for rotation about respective axes also traversing the forward direction, the auger flights beyond one end of the distance spanned by the conditioning tools being pitched in a direction opposite the auger flights on the opposite end of the distance spanned by the conditioning tools to convey cut crop material toward the conditioning tools. The auger flights are driven in a direction upward and forward from a lowermost point on their rotational path and are positioned over the cutter bar to effect clearing of the cut crop material therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventor: Aaron Yanke
  • Publication number: 20080120956
    Abstract: A material-guiding device in a mower-conditioner surrounds an upper front region of a crop processing rotor and is composed of an upstream-situated portion and a downstream-situated portion. The downstream-situated portion is adjustable relative to the upstream situated portion and is connected thereto such that the adjustment of the upstream-situated portion simultaneously leads to an adjustment of the downstream-situated portion, such that an adjustable angle ? present between the two portions is maintained and thus a uniform material flow is enabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventors: Bruno Gradoz, Heinrich Tepe
  • Patent number: 6959529
    Abstract: A forage harvester is equipped with a harvesting platform including a plurality of side-by-side mounted rotary collection and mowing drums that operate to feed stalk-like crops into a transport conduit located behind the collection and mowing drums. A pair of transport devices are mounted for rotating about respective axes located on opposite sides of a feed channel leading to an infeed channel of the forage harvester. The axes of rotation of the transport devices are tilted forward from the vertical and the transport devices include entrainment elements formed of disks having a plurality of long teeth formed thereabout, the long teeth projecting into the transport channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Kemper GmbH & Co.KG
    Inventor: Richard Wübbels
  • Patent number: 6718744
    Abstract: A mower-conditioner includes a header or platform which is equipped with a rotary disc cutter bar having a relatively long length with at least two cutting units being outboard of a central discharge passage where a pair of conditioner rolls are mounted for receiving the cut crop. Aiding in conveying crop to the discharge passage are right- and left-hand sets of three crop converging drums provided at each side of the discharge passage. The outer drums of the two sets are respectively mounted to the top of the right- and left-hand end cutting units of the cutter bar while the other two drums on each side are located behind an inward and rearward extending line that is tangent to the cylindrical path traced by the outer and inner ones of the drums on each side of the discharge passage. In one embodiment, a direct drive transmission is provided, and in a second embodiment a hydraulic motor is provided, for driving the inner two converging drums of each set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Allan Wesley Rosenbalm, Michael Joseph Verhulst
  • Patent number: 6701698
    Abstract: An apparatus for finely pulverizing lawn debris has a central drive shaft driven by a gasoline or electrical power source. Lawn debris is drawn into a sucking chamber by a fan impeller blade mounted on the central drive shaft. The fan impeller blade initiates pulverization of the debris in the suction chamber. A grinding blade is mounted for rotation on the central drive shaft below the fan impeller blade. The grinding blade carries a plurality of blade elements operative to effect additional pulverization of the initially pulverized debris. A distributing plate mounted for rotation on the central shaft has a plurality of inclined apertures therein for dispensing a high velocity stream of the pulverized debris uniformly over said lawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Inventors: Michael U. Nwosu, Eric S. Ndumele
  • Patent number: 6264554
    Abstract: A cutter is provided for attachment to each end of a horizontally extending agricultural cutting bar. Each cutter includes a rotor having blades mounted about a periphery thereof for rotation about a horizontal rotor axis extending between the cutters. The rotor is driven by a hydraulic motor such that the blades engage the crop at high speed. The cutting apparatus cuts in a vertical direction for use in cutting entangled crops such as canola and peas and preventing the crop from being entangled on the ends of the cutting bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Inventor: Merlin Badry
  • Patent number: 6158201
    Abstract: A mower conditioner includes a rotary style cutter bed and a pair of laterally extending crop conditioning rolls spaced rearwardly from the cutter bed. Crop flow is improved in the machine by a laterally extending conveying roller located between the cutter bed and the nip defined by the conditioning rolls. In particular, the conveying roller serves to lift cut crop up from the cutter bed and convey the crop rearwardly to the nip. This ensures that the cut crop moves in a steady stream from the cutter bed to the conditioning rolls, and thereby reduces the risk of cut crop being thrown forwardly by the cutters. A downwardly open area is preferably defined between the conveying roller and the cutter bed to provide a space through which dirt and debris can drop out of the machine. The conveying roller preferably has a rotational axis that is lower than the rotational axis of the lower conditioning roll and generally vertically aligned with the substantially planar cutting zone defined by the cutter bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Hay & Forage Industries
    Inventors: Martin E. Pruitt, Kurt Graber, Cecil L. Case, Michael L. O'Halloran
  • Patent number: RE40604
    Abstract: A mower conditioner includes a rotary style cutter bed and a pair of laterally extending crop conditioning rolls spaced rearwardly from the cutter bed. Crop flow is improved in the machine by a laterally extending conveying roller located between the cutter bed and the nip defined by the conditioning rolls. In particular, the conveying outer roller serves to lift cut crop up from the cutter bed and convey the crop rearwardly to the nip. This ensures that the cut crop moves in a steady stream from the cutter bed to the conditioning rolls, and thereby reduces the risk of cut crop being thrown forwardly by the cutters. A downwardly open area is preferably defined between the conveying roller and the cutter bed to provide a space through which dirt and debris can drop out of the machine. The conveying roller preferably has a rotational axis that is lower than the rotational axis of the lower conditioning roll and generally vertically aligned with the substantially planar cutting zone defined by the cutter bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: AGCO Corporation
    Inventors: Martin E. Pruitt, Kurt Graber, Cecil L. Case, Michael L. O'Halloran