Abstract: A pick-up header for a combine is designed to improve the control of the material from a windrow as it is picked up from the ground and transported to the feeder housing of the combine. Immediately rearwardly of the pick-up fingers is provided an air transportation device including a plurality of openings through which air is forced to carry the material rearwardly toward the feeder housing while allowing the escape of stones. Rearwardly of the air transportation device is a sheet which inclines downwardly toward the curved feeding surface of the feeder housing with the pick-up, air transportation device and guide sheet all pivotally mounted relative to the feeder housing. A feed roller includes a plurality of fingers which rotate with the roller about an eccentric axis so that the fingers project outwardly at the front of the roller to a length extending just to the rear of the pick-up fingers and then retract at the rear of the roller.

Abstract: A wholestalk sugar cane loader apparatus for picking up and accumulating windrowed cane wholestalks from a cane field ground surface having heap rows and furrows includes a wheeled movable carriage adapted to travel along a path defined by the carriage longitudinal center axis, generally parallel to the longitudinally extending elongated heap rows. The carriage has wheels tracking in parallel furrows and an elevated platform surface positioned adjacent the carriage for movement therewith during gathering of windrowed wholestalk cane, for accumulating wholestalk cut cane from a resting position on the cane field ground surface into a heap. An elongated boom pivotally mounted at a rotary connection to the carriage extends away from the rotary connection along a radial line defining a boom longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Cotton harvester basket structure including an upper basket portion telescopingly received within a lower basket portion and first hydraulic actuators for moving the basket between harvesting and dump positions and second actuators for telescoping the basket portions between a retracted storage position and an extended field-working position. An unloading conveyor and compacting augers are connected to and movable with the upper basket portion, and the compacting augers also serve to meter cotton during the dump cycle. Telescoping cotton conveying ducts are movable with the upper basket portion between retracted transport and raised field-working positions. Hydraulic circuitry includes valves for selectively controlling the basket telescoping and dump functions and the conveyor and compacting auger operations.

Abstract: A removable tooth cap for use on the rotor of an agricultural feed bagger comprising a pusher plate selectively movably secured to each of the teeth on the rotor. The inner end of each of the pusher plates are removably received in an elongated opening formed in the leading edge of the associated rotor tooth. The outer end of each of the pusher plates embrace a portion of the outer end of the associated rotor tooth.

Abstract: Hydraulically driven compacting augers are supported within a cotton basket and are connected for operation to a hydraulic source through a remotely actuatable reversing valve. The augers are rotated a first direction to compress the cotton toward the front of the basket as the air duct system blows the cotton rearwardly into the basket. After the cotton is compacted toward the front of the basket, the reversing valve is actuated to cause the augers to rotate in the opposite direction and compress the cotton toward the rear of the basket. The augers additionally serve to help meter the cotton from the basket during dumping and are reversible during dumping.

Abstract: A piston type bailer for producing bales of agricultural material comprising a bailing chamber with a reciprocating pressing piston, a crank drive for reciprocating the pressing piston. A feeding element is arranged to feed agricultural material to the bailing chamber. As auxiliary drive changes a position of the feeding element from the crank drive. The auxiliary drive having a first crank unit associated with the feeding element and including a first crank pin rotatably supporting the feeding element, a crank axle and a first crank arm arranged on the crank axle, and a second crank unit associated with the crank drive of the pressing piston and includes a second crank arm driven from the pivot axle of the crank drive and a pivot pin driven by the crank arm.

Abstract: A baling machine for forming large cylindrical bales of hay has a gate which can be raised to enable a completed bale to pass under it for discharge. The bale initially rests on a horizontal support which is connected by a cable and link to the gate. On the gate being raised sufficiently to enable the bale to pass freely below it, the moving gate pulls the support via the cable and link downwardly to form a discharge ramp along which the bale rolls onto the ground. The support is contained entirely within the confines of the machine, and thus, does not extend behind it.

Abstract: An agricultural bag loading machine having an improved mechanical assembly for automatically effecting controlled, continuous compression and delivery of compacted animal feed material into a flexible agricultural storage bag via a compression and delivery chamber. The compressed, delivered feed material has a uniform, air tight side wall density throughout the bag-delivered, sausage shaped feed material mass. The loading machine has additional features, including a pneumatic bladder assembly for changing the forming chamber dimensions and configuration, an improved agricultural bag attachment and continuous feeding mechanism which eliminates bag fold-over and wrinkling problems during filling, and an integral forming chamber cleanout mechanism which enables clearing and cleaning of the forming chamber at the end of an agricultural bag loading operation.

Abstract: A loading vehicle having a pick-up drum with resilient fingers for picking up straw material from the ground and a conveyor drum with conveyor arms, fitted in rows for carrying the material into the vehicle. The pick-up drum and the conveyor drum are disposed with respect to each other so that the conveying direction of the material is abruptly changed when the material is introduced into the path of motion of the conveyors. This produces a damming-up effect causing the material to be distributed over the entire conveyor front, which minimizes the tendency of squeezing between conveyors and the housing wall defining the conveyor duct at one side. The change in conveying direction also causes a certain compaction of the material, resulting in a better utilization of the available volume. The structure allows short spacing between the conveyor arms and closely spaced knives are positioned in the conveyor duct so that the blades of straw can be cut in small pieces which are suitable for ensilage.

Abstract: Equipment for compacting trash, in particular cardboard cartons or the like, in upwardly open containers, characterized in that a compacting roll (4) moving to-and-fro on the trash (2) in the container (1) is provided which is rotatably supported from the free end of a pivot arm (5) mounted in articulating manner to a post (6) and of which the telescoped length (L) is adjustable.

Abstract: Equipment for compacting trash, in particular cardboard cartons or the like, in upwardly open containers, characterized in that a compacting roll (4) moving to-and-fro on the trash (2) in the container (1) is provided which is rotatably supported from the free end of a pivot arm (5) mounted in articulating manner to a post (6) and of which the telescoped length (L) is adjustable.

Abstract: An agricultural implement, particularly a pick-up wagon, comprises a pick-up member for picking up crop lying on the ground, an advance mechanism located behind the pick-up member, viewed in the intended direction of displacement of the crop and stationary cutters arranged behind the advance mechanism, between which stationary cutters the crop can be passed on with the aid of the advance mechanism, whereby the advance mechanism comprises a plurality of additional cutters adapted to rotate about a rotary axis during operation so that these rotating cutters displace the crop in the direction towards the stationary cutters and fingers adapted to reciprocate during operation and pushing the crop also in the direction towards the stationary cutters during operation, the arrangement being such that the rotating cutters move in between the reciprocating fingers.

Abstract: A device for baling agricultural crop comprising a compression chamber, a sidewall of which has an inlet port, a driven pressing member adapted to reciprocate along said port, an auxiliary space communicating with said inlet port for temporarily storing the crop to be compressed and a member periodically closing said inlet port and being rotatable about an axis transverse of the direction of movement of the pressing member in order to advance the crop out of the auxiliary space via the inlet port into the compression chamber, wherein the boundary of the auxiliary space near the transverse axis is formed by one or more elements having a circular circumference coaxial with the transverse axis, whereby it is avoided that crop is jammed between the rotatable member and the neighbouring boundary of the auxiliary space.

Abstract: In an agricultural bag loading apparatus (10), a primary shaft (52) has a plurality of teeth (46). Rotation of the primary shaft (52) causes the teeth (46) to force silage into an agricultural bag (12). Silage is fed toward the shaft (52) by the rotation of a feeder shaft (60) having a plurality of angle irons (62) mounted thereon. The brake force of a brake (110) is applied through a drum (20), a cable (18), and a backstop (16) to the end of the agricultural bag (12) to control the degree of silage compression within the bag.

Abstract: An agricultural machine for picking up and chopping crop, particularly green crop such as grass to be made into silage, and comprising a picking up device for collecting crop from ground over which the machine is travelling and at least one chamber to which the crop is delivered from said picking up device through a lateral opening and the chamber containing a reciprocable ram movable towards and away from stationary knives in an open end of the chamber, the ram preferably having knives on its face presented towards the stationary knives, the movement of the ram towards the stationary knives causing the knives to co-operate to chop up the crop, the cut crop being discharged from the open end of the chamber into a collector cage.

Abstract: A vehicular forage harvester has a trailer wagon pivotally connected ther with a chute operating to deliver an agricultural crop cut by the forage harvester into the trailer wagon. The chute includes a flexible section which enables the discharge end of the chute to be maintained in a position to deposit the crop into the trailer wagon when the wagon is pivotally moved relative to the forage vehicle.

Abstract: A sweeping machine with a hopper forming a compactor flap or plate is provided. The hopper has an opening which receives dirt and debris swept from a surface being cleaned by a rotatable brush of the sweeping machine. The compactor flap is pivotally mounted in the hopper and has an outer edge positioned close to an edge of the hopper opening when in a first position. The outer edge of the flap is spaced farther from the hopper opening and toward an end wall of the hopper when in a second position. The compactor flap is pivoted from the first position to the second position periodically to move dirt and debris away from the hopper opening and to compact it against the hopper end wall. The hopper also has a movable lip adjacent the lower edge of the opening. A flexible strip extends across the hopper and has an upper edge connected to the edge of the bottom wall of the hopper defining the lower edge of the opening.

Abstract: In an agricultural bag loading apparatus (10) having an output chamber tunnel (32), the improvement comprising a tunnel cleanout mechanism. The tunnel cleanout plate (82) is pivotally mounted on the output chamber tunnel (32) and is pivoted from a retracted position to an extended position by means of dual hydraulic cylinders (88). Compressed silage and material entrapped within the tunnel (32) is extracted by pivotal movement of the tunnel cleanout plate (82) from the retracted position, where the plate (82) does not interfere with the loading operation, to the extended position.

Abstract: The invention concerns a machine for cutting and gathering vegetables such as spinach, the machine consisting of a chassis having a wheeled front sub-chassis hinged to a wheeled rear sub-chassis about a vertical axis, means for varying the relative positions of the two sub-chassis around the axis, means carried by the front sub-chassis, for cutting and gathering a bucket for storage arranged on the rear sub-chassis, and a transporter device which joins the means for cutting and gathering to the bucket.

Abstract: A device for forming bales of hay, straw or similar crops includes a container in which there is yieldably mounted a holding member situated between the inlet end and the outlet end of the baling chamber of the container. The device picks crops up from the ground and advances the same into the inlet end of the baling chamber so that the crops form a bale thereat, and the holding member presses against the forming bale for the entire duration of the formation of the bale. The holding member retards the advancement of the forming bale toward the outlet end of the baling chamber and yields only after the material of the forming bale has reached a desired degree of packing. The holding member may be a flap pivoted in the container or a shield mounted on a tiltable frame for movement relative thereto and for tilting therewith.

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.

Abstract: A device for compressing crop into bales comprising a compression chamber having an inlet opening and a pressing member adapted to reciprocate along said opening and feeder mechanism for introducing the crop through the inlet opening into the compression chamber, which device is intended for making bales having a high specific weight; the device is able to be operated continuously.

Abstract: A stack-forming machine has a telescoping container defined by a vertically reciprocable, downwardly concave press that is received within an upwardly concave lower section that remains stationary during reciprocation of the press. When the press is raised and an upper door on the press and a lower gate on the lower section are opened, the stack may be discharged from the container. The upper door is normally held closed by an overlapping portion of the lower gate, the latter in turn being releasably latched in place, and while the lower gate is swung downwardly by gravity to its opened position as the press is raised, the upper door is powered to its open position through linkage that interconnects the door with the lower section of the container so as to utilize the upward movement of the press as the source of opening power for the door.

Abstract: A feeding wagon has a wheeled frame and a reinforced, enclosed receptacle with an entrance through which crop can be loaded. The receptacle can be attached to the frame by hydraulic cylinder and swash plate assemblies that engage coupling points on upwardly extending supports that are fastened at the sides of the receptacle. The swash plates are pivoted to lift the receptacle onto the frame with the aid of guides. A crop feeding device, including a pick up and advancing member on an auxiliary frame, is connected to the front of the receptacle frame adjacent the entrance. After the receptacle is loaded by the device, it is transported to a site and separated from the frame. The sidewalls of the receptacle have openings that can be exposed so that cattle can withdraw fodder until the receptacle has been emptied. In the meanwhile, a second receptacle can be loaded by the same feeding device and on the same wheeled frame.

Abstract: A device for compressing crop into bales comprising a compression chamber having an inlet opening and a pressing member adapted to reciprocate along said opening and feeder mechanism for introducing the crop through the inlet opening into the compression chamber, which device is intended for making bales having a high specific weight; the device is able to be operated continuously.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein is a debris bag for a push-type lawn comber. Such a lawn comber is representative of similar devices such as lawn mowers and sweepers, in are provided with a rearwardly extended push handle. The lawn comber carries an array of radial impact arms upon a transverse shaft within the body of the comber. Rotation of the shaft and impact arms upon it by a power drive throws debris through a chute at the rear of the machine. A bag is carried upon a frame which latches itself to the chute and cantilevers rearwardly from the chute to define the top of the bag. A closure cover fits over this bag top to enclose it when the unit is n operation. A lever is used to engage the impact arm shaft with the power drive. Whenever the lever is depressed rearwardly alongside the bag, engagement occurs.

Abstract: A towed type wheeled stack forming vehicle includes a vehicle body in which a cropped forage crop, such as hay, is compacted by a reciprocating roller device positioned within the vehicle body. The forage crop is discharged into the vehicle body through a telescopic tubular distributor which is shiftable longitudinally of the vehicle body to evenly distribute the crop in a longitudinal direction. The distributor mechanism is also provided with a lateral deflector which is continuously shiftable in a lateral direction to assure uniform distribution of the crop in the vehicle body in a lateral direction. A stack removing pusher member is positioned interiorly of the vehicle body and is shiftable rearwardly from a forward position, adjacent the front wall of the vehicle body, to progressively force the formed stack rearwardly from the vehicle body.

Abstract: An improved means for controlling movement of the discharge door on an agricultural machine between its open and closed position, wherein the movement of associated machine parts is utilized to incur controlled movement of the discharge door.

Abstract: In the interval between successive press cycles, crop material is picked up from the field and loaded into the stack-forming body of the machine. However, upon initiation of a press cycle, crop material, which continues to be picked up as the machine is advanced, is diverted into an accumulating chamber and collected within the latter until termination of the press cycle. Thereupon, the accumulation is discharged for recycling through the pickup and loading mechanism to be delivered into the forming body along with previously uncycled material. Alternative embodiments involve discharging the accumulation onto the ground ahead of the loader for pickup by the latter a second time, and discharging the accumulation either directly into the front or rear of the loader at a point above the ground.

Abstract: A towable wheel mounted frame structure for receiving blown roughage materials such as corn and hay silage, dry hay, corn stalks and the like serves as a form to create a stack of silage formed directly on the ground. The frame is hydraulically foldable into an efficiently compact form for transportation through gates and over bridges and roads and is hydraulically expandable to provide relatively wide, outwardly sloping closed sides with an open bottom and open ends for stacking operation. A separate frame associated foldable closed top is cable operated between the contracted and expanded positions of the frame and hingedly arranged frame supported baffle sections are movable from closed position for road travel to stack forming position where they form an enlarged baffle depending from the top of the expanded frame between the sides to intercept blown roughage and cause it to fill the confined area of the former.

Abstract: A stack-forming machine is provided with press reciprocating mechanism which tilts said press during reciprocation of the latter from a substantially horizontal position at or near the lower limit of press travel to a canted position at the upper limit of press travel wherein the front of the press adjacent the crop loader is above the rear of the press. A first embodiment of the invention utilizes interconnected two-bar linkages, one of which has a lost motion connection between its links; a second embodiment utilizes interconnected parallel and skewed four-bar linkages to tilt the press; while yet a third embodiment utilizes two-bar linkages of unequal length to accomplish press tilting.

Abstract: A crop deflection mechanism, interconnected to and actuated by the movement of a stack-forming implement compressor roof, the mechanism including a rockable deflector mounted in the delivery tube means, a spring-biasing and stop means for controlling the arc through which the deflector rotates, a cable linkage means interconnecting the deflector to the compressor roof lift mechanism, to cause the deflector to rotate in direct response to the initial cycle movement of the compressor roof.

Abstract: A crop gathering machine comprising a pick-up unit adapted to pick up previously cut crop and to discharge the same rearwardly through an outlet thereof. A container having an elevatable roof is coupled to the pick-up unit and is disposed rearwardly thereof such that the crop can be discharged into the container through the top thereof when the roof is elevated. A receiver with a pressurizing mechanism is positioned in front of the container and is operable to continuously receive discharged crop and force it into the container through a front opening therein. A guide mechanism is associated with a chute for selectively directing the discharged crop into the top of the container or into the receiver.

Abstract: A crop collection vehicle can be coupled to a prime mover for movement over the ground to collect and move crop to a desired site. A pick up and feeding mechanism at the front of the vehicle feeds crop to a chamber that is defined by a forward wall, a rear wall, side walls and a top. The chamber is enlarged with its walls bulged outwardly and a conveyor system within the chamber is positioned to receive and move crop received from the mechanism towards the rear of the chamber. The conveyor system includes a floor conveyor that slopes downwardly to the rear and articulated conveyors that coextend upwardly with a portion of the rear wall. The latter portion can be tilted together with the articulated conveyors to a downwardly extending position so that crop received from the floor conveyor can be formed and discharged as a coherent mass of crop intact. The rear wall and top of the chamber can be tilted by hydraulic piston assemblies and the mechanism together with conveyor system can be driven from the p. t. o.

Abstract: The discharge spout of the pickup in a stack-forming machine is provided with baffle structure inside the spout and adjacent the discharge opening that oscillates horizontally and continuously through a stream of crops being projected into the forming body of the machine in order to break up wads and clumps of matter in the stream and to evenly distribute the stream from side-to-side within the body. One embodiment utilizes a single, centrally disposed fin as the baffle structure, while another employs a pair of such fins angled acutely with respect to one another, centered in the spout and controlled to preclude swinging of each fin inwardly beyond a position parallel to the direction of crop flow.

Abstract: A stack forming apparatus comprising a chassis with a stack forming container thereon and a crop pick up means for directing harvested crop into the container. The stack forming container includes a pivoted roof having sloped forward and rearward sections and actuators for pivoting the same through varying arcs to provide a resultant stack sloped at the front and rear edges thereof. The container contains a pivoted floor and a push-out fork mechanism which moves the stack within the container causing pivoting of the floor. The pivoted rear door at the top edge of the container will be opened either by tilting of the container floor or operating of a latch means to engage a door pivoting linkages with raising of the roof to facilitate discharge of the stack after formation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a feeder rake for the feeding of cut material into the baling chamber of agricultural pick-up and other balers, which is arranged to be driven by a steadily rotating crank and is guided by a swinging rod, which is connected by a link and by a guide arm with two spaced pivot bearings of the tine carrier of the feeder rake, and the guide arm has an overload protection device, upon whose actuation the feeder rake is folded back into a position in which it cannot continue feeding and, when it is freed of its load, it is erected again automatically moving out of the above-mentioned inoperative position into its operating position.

Abstract: In the stacking of hay or other crops, a windrow or swath is lifted off the ground, fed into a pile collected by a vehicle-supported, stack-forming body and the pile compressed from time to time in the body, all in a continuous operation as the vehicle is advanced across the field, by virtue of the provision of an accumulator which receives the crop while the pile is being compressed, and from which accumulator the crop so accumulated is thereupon dumped onto the compressed pile as the latter is held against expansion by a holding assembly.