Abstract: A crop cutting device including a crop guiding surface, a plurality of parallel knives, and an actuating mechanism for moving the knives between a retracted inoperative position below the crop guiding surface and an extended operative position. A portion of the knives projects above the crop guiding surface. A plurality of movable operating members is associated with respective ones of the plurality of knives and movable from a first position in which the knives are in the retracted inoperative position, to a second position in which the knives are in the extended operative position. A support frame holds the operating members in a sliding relation to the support frame. The knife insert assistant is coupled to the support frame and configured for blocking a sliding movement of the operating members relative to the support frame during a movement of the support frame from the retracted position to the employed position.

Abstract: A stomping shoe assembly for an agricultural harvester header including a stomping shoe having a substantially planar proximal end for connecting to an agricultural harvester header, and a curved distal end for engaging crop. The assembly further includes a stalk cutter having an elongated body mounted to the stomping shoe and extending from the stomping shoe from the curved distal end to the substantially planar proximal end. Also provided is an agricultural harvester header including the stomping shoe assembly.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a no-till stem and root extractor system that has directionality, extracting the root ball from the soil. A conveyor chain crop remnant extractor assembly has a pair of flexible conveyor chains, a pair of coupling conveyor arms, two pairs of rotatable wheels, a pinch cylinder, and a plurality of cross-slat bars. As the device moves along the crop remnants, the pair of flexible conveyor chains, guided and retained by the two pairs of rotatable wheels, pull the stalks and root balls from the earth, pinch, and pulverize the complete crop remnants.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dredging sediment from aquatic environments and cutting aquatic vegetation therein includes using a cutterhead mounted to a dredge. The cutterhead may be mounted to a shroud, the cutterhead including a rotating drum having an array of teeth assemblies which auger cut vegetation toward a port in the shroud for discharge via a pump. The shroud also includes stationary cutterbars having cutterbar teeth assemblies. The teeth assemblies preferably include back-to-back tooth pairs wherein individual teeth have a flat backside and a raised or convex front side which may be provided with serrated cutting margins. Using back-to-back tooth pairs enables cutting of more types and sizes of aquatic vegetation, reducing downtime due to clogging, bending or breakage versus conventional single teeth cutterheads. The shroud may include an upwardly and/or forwardly extending shield along its top front edge to deflect water and/or vegetation back toward the drum.

Abstract: A flail rotor head attachment for use with any type harvesting machine having crop residue processing elements and including an input opening for receiving crop residue. The attachment includes a frame structure for operatively coupling the attachment to the harvesting machine, a flail rotor and an auger each mounted on the frame structure and a drive mechanism for rotating the flail rotor and the auger. The flail rotor includes a plurality of cutting elements for picking up and chopping crop residue from a field. The auger includes at least two flightings positioned in opposite directions for funneling crop residue towards the opening of the harvesting machine. Another embodiment includes a rake positioned between the flail rotor and the auger, the rake and the flail rotor rotating in the same direction and the auger rotating in an opposite direction.

Abstract: A rechopper for chopped crop includes first and second rollers having axially parallel rotational axes, peripheral surfaces disposed opposite one another delimiting a comminution gap and truncated-cone shaped sections. The truncated cone-shaped sections have a base surface (G, G?), a top surface (D, D?) and peripheral surfaces extending at a slant relative to the rotational axis of the respective roller. The base surface (G, G?) and the top surface (D; D;) disposed on the first roller and the second roller have diameters that vary in an alternating manner as viewed in an axial direction (R).

Abstract: Corn stalk rollers, comprising a plurality of roller assemblies pivotally mounted to and spanning the corn head of a corn harvest combine; an apparatus to bias the plurality of roller assemblies into contact with the ground while the corn harvest combine is harvesting corn; and chevron-patterned protrusions on each of the plurality of roller assemblies for providing ground traction and for aiding in crushing harvested corn stalks to ground level corn-field-wide.

Abstract: A crop conditioner is equipped with an impeller including a rotor to which a plurality of conditioner tines are respectively pivotally mounted at one of their ends. The tines are contoured so that they release crop at an appropriate location for the crop to engage the forming shields and thus become part of a well-defined windrow.

Abstract: A cotton stalk remover apparatus is provided for attachment to a cotton harvesting machine. The removal apparatus is placed in-line behind each harvesting head or operated as a separate machine. The removal apparatus includes a blade section having a rotating blade that lifts and damages cotton stalks. The cotton stalks are released rearward from the blade section assisted by the rotating blade. The blade may have four peripheral blades, and the blade may be assisted in ejecting the cotton stalks by an directional device section having a rotating walker or alternatively a spiral auger that moves the top section of cotton stalks downward and rearward. The lifting and de-rooting of the cotton stalks by the blade may be assisted by a pulling section that includes rotating spindles with spiral flanges that grab, lift and release the stalks immediately prior to the stalks entering the blade section.

Abstract: The harvester adapter has a frame structure, for attachment to a combine harvester. At least two crop gathering units are secured to the frame structure. Adjacent crop gathering units are arranged such that a channel with an open leading end is formed between them, with a stalk gathering unit being disposed in driving connection with a harvesting mechanism on at least one side of the channels. The adapter has a collecting auger disposed rearward from the harvesting mechanism and at least one stalk shredder unit attached to the frame structure. The speed of the stalk gathering unit is continuously adjustable by control orders given by the combine harvester and/or by a speed meter disposed on the adapter and/or by the operator, and the stalk shredder units are attached to the frame structure such that their position is adjustable in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel.

Abstract: A rotor tine construction for a rotary element of a crop residue treatment system for effecting improved transport of crop residue along a material flow path and, if a counter knife assembly is spaced from the rotary element across the material flow path, for also effecting improved shear cutting of such crop residue by the knife elements of the counter knife assembly and more efficient operation of the crop residue treatment system, which rotor tine construction includes a base portion generally mountable to the rotary member of the rotary element, at least one rotor tine extending outwardly from such base portion and including three distinct blade edges, one of which forms a trailing edge and the other two of which are upper and lower edge portions forming a leading edge, with the lower and upper edge portions configured and intersecting with one another to form a notch-like indentation along the leading edge at an intersection point P defined to be the point of cut contact position, such that, as the rotar

Abstract: A hydraulic cutter device incorporates a rotatable base including a plurality of spaced cutter teeth. A protective shield covers at least a portion of the base. A fluid cooler is located adjacent the protective shield, and defines a window for movement of ambient air from a relatively high-pressure area upstream of the fluid cooler to a relatively low-pressure area downstream of the fluid cooler. A hydraulic motor is adapted for rotating the base, and includes a plurality of hydraulic lines communicating with the fluid cooler. Rotation of the base creates a pressure reduction downstream of the fluid cooler causing ambient air flow into and through the fluid cooler to cool fluid moving into and from the hydraulic motor.

Abstract: An agricultural machine, especially a field chopper, has a carrier vehicle (28) with an intake unit (18) mounted on and arranged to the carrier vehicle (28). The intake unit has an intake gearbox (19) and at least one feed roller (21, 21?; 24, 24?) to guide the harvested goods to a chopper drum (10). The intake gearbox (19) is drivingly connected to that at least one feed roller (21, 21?; 24, 24?). The intake unit (18) is at least partially detachably attached to the carrier vehicle (28). A hydraulic motor (17) is mounted on and arranged to the carrier vehicle (28). The hydraulic motor (17) drives the intake gearbox (19). The hydraulic motor (17) has a drive shaft (40) that is detachably and drivingly connected to an input shaft of the intake gearbox (19).

Abstract: The rotary crimper for elevated crop beds is designed to crimp and mulch a field of crops with an elevated bed-type structure. The rotary crimper has a tubular inner roller and a plurality of crimping members extending from the inner roller. The crimping members have at least two projecting portions and at least one non-projecting portion. Structural support braces are disposed between the crimping members and crimping plates extend from the support braces. Additional crimping structures also extend the length of the inner tubular roller between the crimping members. In operation, the non-projecting portions of the crimping members and the crimping structures crimp the crops on the elevated portion of the beds, and the crimping member projecting portions and the crimping plates crimp the crops in the furrows between the elevated beds.

Abstract: A chopper knife for a straw chopper has two side faces defining cutting edges. Each cutting edge is made up of two asymmetrical ground faces. The side faces are arranged at an angle with respect to the side faces. The cross section of the chopper knife in the region of the cutting edges is mirror-symmetric to the center plane of the chopper knife.

Abstract: A counter knife bank or knife rank for use with a stationary knife assembly, such as by attachment to a knife mounting assembly of the stationary knife assembly, of a chopper assembly of an agricultural combine, including a plurality of individual double-sided knife blades or elements joined together, such as by a spline connector that extends through aligned openings in the base body portions of the knife blades or elements, in an aligned columnar arrangement to form a knife formation that is connected to a support member, such as to an underlying member having an inverted U-shape, that is removably connectable to a depending side wall of the knife mounting assembly to permit initial use of the first cutting edges of the knife blades or elements, easy reversal of the counter knife bank or rank at a later time, and subsequent use of the second cutting edges of the knife blades or elements.

Abstract: A shredder head for passing over a terrain containing vegetation and rocks so as to silviculturally process said terrain. The shredder head includes an elongated support shaft, a rotor, and a plurality of first and second sections provided longitudinally along a peripheral support surface area of the rotor. The second sections are each disposed between pairs of first sections so as to have an alternation of first and second sections longitudinally along the rotor. Each section includes at least one supporting element for supporting at least one processing tool configured for cooperating with the terrain via a rotation of the rotor for processing the terrain and corresponding vegetation and rocks present therein.

Abstract: A forage harvester chopper arrangement is located within a housing provided with an access door mounted for pivoting vertically between a chopping position, wherein access to the chopping arrangement is prevented, and a grinding position, permitting access to the chopping arrangement by a grinding arrangement. A locking arrangement is associated with the access door and an actuator is coupled to the access door and the locking arrangement by a linkage containing lost-motion means which operates such that when moving the access door to its grinding position, the locking arrangement is moved to its unlocked position prior to the access door being raised to its grinding position, and such that when returning the access door to its chopping position, the access door is closed before the locking arrangement is moved to its locked position.

Abstract: A chopping blade includes a mounting portion defining a mounting plane, and a working portion connected to the mounting portion. The working portion includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a body extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The body includes a first surface adjacent the leading edge and at least partially oriented at a first angle relative to the mounting plane, a second surface adjacent the trailing edge and at least partially oriented at a second angle relative to the mounting plane, and an intermediate surface extending between the first and second surfaces. The intermediate surface has a first portion extending from the first surface at an angle relative to the mounting plane that is steeper than the first angle, and a second portion extending from the second surface and joining with the first portion to form a peak.

Abstract: A shredder head, and a mobile apparatus including the same, for carrying out various sylvicultural applications, such as land clearing and the like. Each of the shredding assemblies of the shredder head includes a protective element also operatively connected to the rotor for rotating therewith along the given direction of rotation, the protective element extending along the respective plane of its corresponding shredding assembly and defining a peripheral radius of action with respect to the axle when the rotor is rotated about the axle, the protective element being positioned upstream of and being aligned with the shredding knife during rotation of the rotor, and the peripheral radius of action of the protective element being substantially identical to the peripheral radius of action defined by the cutting edge of the shredding knife so that said shredding knife is protected by the passage of the protective element during operation of the shredding head.

Abstract: A cutting device is adapted for cooperating with a tined rotor that receives crop delivered by a pick-up. A selector mechanism is provided for selecting the number of effective knives for reducing the crop conveyed across the knife bed. This selector includes a selector rotor rotatably mounted to a pivoted lever arrangement which may be raised to a non-use position when all of the knives are to be used for crop reduction. The selector rotor includes four rows of different arrangements of selector tabs spaced equally about the axis of the rotor. Lowering the lever places the rotor in a working location where a selected one of the four different rows of selector tabs is positioned for blocking a desired number of safety trip devices, which are associated one each with each cutter knife, in a retracted position where it is prevented from interacting with its associated knife, whereby the knife remains in a non-working position.

Abstract: A fastening arrangement for fastening a blade to a rotor of a straw chopper. The fastening arrangement comprising a bolt that is inserted into a blade hole in the blade and into a plate hole in a mounting plate extending from the rotor and into a retaining element that retains the bolt in the holes. The retaining element can be separated from the bolt. The bolt and the retaining element are fixed against rotation by the mounting plate.

Abstract: A cutter head assembly comprising a first longitudinal member; a second hollow longitudinal member provided with at least one aperture, being coaxial with the first longitudinal member and radially spaced apart therefrom; cup-shaped elements fixedly mounted to a corresponding aperture and to the first longitudinal member; blade holders to removably secure a rotatable blade to the cutter head. These blade holders are designed so as to improve mulching action and resistance to impacts of the cutter head, for use in land clearing and in any operation involving mechanical vegetation cutting.

Abstract: A mounting assembly for fastening blades to a straw chopper rotor. The rotor is provided with a plurality of mounts each mount having a rotor mounting hole. The blades are secured to the mounts. Each blade is provide with a blade mounting hole. A pin is inserted into the rotor mounting hole and the blade mounting hole. The pin is provided with a locking element for holding the pin in place. The locking element having a trapping position where it is locked in place and a loosening position wherein the pin can be removed. The locking element is held in its trapping position by a spring. The locking element engaging a recess having an edge for holding the locking element in the trapping position.

Abstract: A cutting device for agricultural harvesting machines, such as, for instance, self-loading forage boxes or baling presses with a conveyor channel, in which a number of cutting blades mounted in rotatable fashion, arranged at least in a single row and protruding into the conveyor channel in a cutting position interact with a driven rotating conveyor mechanism equipped with conveying prongs and aligned along a horizontal axis crosswise to the travel and work direction for the purpose of cutting stalk products. A support mechanism provides elastic support to each individual cutting blade in the cutting position, and a control device releases the support mechanism, thereby allowing all or a number of cutting blades to rotate into a non-cutting position.

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: Apparatus and method for crushing plant residue remaining in a farm field following the crop harvest comprising a main frame moveable in a forward path, a yieldable residue knock-down drape suspended on the frame for knocking the plant residue to the ground and breaking the upstanding plant residue apart from its underground roots as the frame forwardly moves, and a transversely disposed residue crushing roller mounted on the frame rearwardly of the knock-down drape for crushing spaced-apart portions of the knock-down residue into a plurality of smaller crop residue segments.

Abstract: A cutting attachment is adapted to be mounted onto a vehicle, such as a skid steer loader, and includes a frame that is generally “V” shaped with diverging walls and open in direction of travel. The diverging walls of the frame support upright shafts. Each of the shafts has a rotating disk on the lower end thereof that has a circular cutting edge. The disks are preferably co-planar and closely adjacent to each other along a center longitudinal axis of the frame, and are not powered. When the disks are moved against standing vegetation with stalks or trunks, they rotate and sever the vegetation. Additionally, a lift plate is provided on the trailing side of the disks so after severing the vegetation the lift plate lifts the trunks of trees or stalks or the like upwardly from the disks. The lift plate is inclined to tend to cause the trees to tilt outwardly. Support arms can be closed to hold the cut tree or other vegetation in the frame until the arms are released.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for crushing plant residue remaining in a farm field following the crop harvest comprising a main frame moveable in a forward path, a yieldable residue knock-down drape suspended on the frame for knocking the plant residue to the ground and breaking the upstanding plant residue apart from its underground roots as the frame forwardly moves, and a transversely disposed residue crushing roller mounted on the frame rearwardly of the knock-down drape for crushing spaced-apart portions of the knock-down residue into a plurality of smaller crop residue segments.

Abstract: The invention relates to a harvesting machine, especially a self-propelled pick-up chopper for picking up and chopping corn, wilted grass, green feed and similar harvested material, with a chopper device disposed after pick-up and feed organs. The chopper device comprises a chopper drum (1) with cutting tools (3) disposed in the circumferential direction of the chopper drum (1) at a distance from one another. In order to be able to make available a harvesting machine with an advantageous vibrational behavior and lower power requirements, the cutting tools (3) are constructed with an overlapping dimension “U” with respect to the cutting tools disposed ahead and behind in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: A machine attachment of the type having a plurality of swinging blades and a rotor that rotates about a horizontal axis has a cylindrical tubular rotor with stub shafts and bearings at each end for rotation about the horizontal axis, so that the body of the rotor is a single piece, large diameter tubular section having improved structural stiffness and improved flywheel effect. The blade pivot shaft attachments are mounted directly on the external surface of the tubular rotor and inset mounting pockets allow the blades to swing through the rotor interior.

Abstract: A harvesting machine, especially a self-propelled pick-up chopper for picking up and chopping corn, wilted grass, green feed and similar harvested material includes a feeding housing, which is disposed ahead of a chopping device and accommodates feeding rollers, which can be driven. In order to have created a harvesting machine, which can be adapted to different use conditions, provisions are made so that more than two pairs of feeding rollers are provided, which are disposed consecutively in the feed-conveying direction and the upper rollers of which in each case can be driven over a common driving mechanism the common driving mechanism for adjusting the height of the upper rollers, having at least one driving element, which passes through the feeding housing and the position of which can be changed, and this driving element and the upper rollers being disposed so that they can be shifted by sliding in each case in guides at the side of the feeding housing.

Abstract: A straw chopper for a combine harvester having a chopper housing mounted to a combine for rotation about a transverse axis. The housing is movable from a chopping position, in which the chopper receives straw from the separator of the combine and chops and spreads the straw over a wide area, to a rearwardly raised windrowing position, in which straw falls from the combine to the ground in front of the chopper housing. By rotating the housing rearward and upward, increased access into the rear of the combine is possible. An electric motor driven lift actuator is provided to raise the chopper housing to the windrowing position where a mechanical latch locks the housing to the combine structure.

Abstract: A chopping apparatus for cultivating crop fields that mounts to at least one of the wheels of an agricultural vehicle, tractor or like vehicle comprising a plurality of blades attached to a plurality of spaced arms. The plurality of spaced arms extend outwardly and lock in a fully extended position to consecutively chop foliage and thereafter scoop, plunge and generally penetrate field soil when the agricultural vehicle is in motion and the corresponding wheel is rotating. A second locked arm position accommodates vehicle transportation by retracting the blades inwardly and proximate a center portion of the agricultural vehicle wheel. Each arm is spring biased to facilitate blade impact with a rigid object, such as a rock or the like, by allowing each arm to travel inwardly when a substantial force is imparted on any of the blades.

Abstract: A two-row cane harvester 10 simultaneously harvests two rows of sugar cane in a green tropical cane field. A pair of topper mechanisms 54 top the cane stalks while base cutters 80 base cut the cane. Base cut cane is received base first into the harvester intake. The cane is cleaned in a whole stalk condition with a cleaning mechanism 92 that includes a plurality of rotating tines 100 moving in a direction to engage and force the cane leaves toward a base of the cane stalk, thereby efficiently stripping the cane leaves. An extractor blower 106 removes the leaves from the rotating tines and the cleaned cane. A stalk cutter mechanism 120, 122 may be adjusted to cut the cleaned cane stalks into selected billet lengths. Cane is preferably fed into the cutter mechanism at a speed greater than the ground speed of the harvester moving through the field. Another blower or fan may be used to remove remaining leaves from the billets.

Abstract: An intense forage conditioning machine includes: a mower, either a cutter bar or disks, perpendicular to the direction of travel for cutting fresh forage off the ground to leave a stubble; a conveying unit to move the cut forage; a macerating unit composed of a series of grooved rolls rotating at different speeds to severely condition the conveyed cut forage; and a double track pressing unit to compress the macerated forage and to deposit the resulting thin mat on the stubble. The macerating unit can be used without the tracks and can comprise only three rollers arranged to form two nips. The rollers can be grooved and can rotate at different speeds.

Abstract: A drive transmission for the feed rolls of a forage harvester includes a planetary gear set arranged such that an input shaft drives the sun gear while a further input shaft is provided by a reversible, variable speed motor that is connected to the ring gear of the planetary gear set so as to effect speed and direction changes in the output of the planetary gear set that is defined by the planet carrier. Thus, the length of cut of crop products fed to the cutterhead by the feed rolls is controlled by varying the speed of the motor in order to vary the delivery speed of the feed rolls.

Abstract: A crop chopper for an agricultural machine has a rotor having a plurality of fingers displaceable on rotation of the rotor along the passage, and respective blades interleaved with the fingers and each having a front end pivoted about a horizontal axis and a rear edge formed with a rearwardly open notch so that crop pressed by the fingers between the blades is chopped and moved rearward along the passage. A rocker is pivotal about a horizontal axis and respective actuator plates juxtaposed with the rear edges of the blades are each formed with a rearwardly projecting arm. Respective abutment bodies on the plates are displaceable toward and away from the respective blades and respective springs braced between the bodies and the respective plates urge the bodies forward toward the blades.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for processing plant material in which a first rotatable crushing roller with an outer generally cylindrical surface cooperates with a second adjacent rotatable crushing roller also having an outer generally cylindrical surface. The rollers, mounted with their surfaces positioned in close proximity to each other, rotate in opposite directions to receive and crush plant material. A rotatable impact rotor having a plurality of outwardly extending projections is mounted rearwardly of the crushing rollers for impacting plant material that has passed between the rollers to macerate the plant material that has been previously crushed by the rollers. The crushed and macerated plant material is diverted and again impacted one or more times by the outwardly extending projections of the impact rotor.

Abstract: An agricultural harvesting machine, such as a forage harvester, comprises a feeder means for feeding crop material to crop processing means and a feeder arrest means for immediately arresting at least a portion of said feeder means upon detection of a foreign object. Said arrest means comprises a ratchet wheel mounted onto the drive line of said feeder means and an electrical actuator means for loading a pawl into engagement with said ratchet wheel.The harvesting machine comprises a means for automatically monitoring the good operative condition of the electrical actuator means and the means for generating an alarm signal upon detection of a bad operative condition by said monitoring means. The monitoring means checks the condition of the electrical actuator and its circuitry by applying a voltage thereto during a short interval and monitoring the response during or immediately after said interval. The length of this short interval is chosen to preclude actual engagement of the pawl.

Abstract: A vine cutter for cutting entangled vines of potato plants in front of a potato harvester so that the vines do not become entangled and accumulated upon a front portion of the potato harvester. The inventive device includes a frame having a pair of upper members and a pair of opposing lower members, a first disc journaled to the frame, a second disc journaled to the frame below the first disc and having a ground engaging rim attached coaxially, and a motor mechanically connected to the first and second discs. The first disc and the second disc are vertically orientated, and a portion of the discs overlap and are juxtaposed to one another. The pair of discs preferably include a plurality of notches projecting into their respective outer perimeters. The discs rotate at a differential to one another from 1.2 to 2.5 depending upon the type of vines being cut. The ground engaging ring attached to the second disc determines the depth of penetration by the second disc into the ground.

Abstract: A windrower (1) useful for collecting stalk material from a field (43) and depositing the material In a windrow (61). The collection of dust and debris in the windrow is minimized by the use of a screen (24) located above the auger (29) which transports the cut stalk material to a discharge chute (14). The screen (24) permits lighter airborne particles to escape from the region surrounding the auger (29) before they are entrained and deposited into the windrow. A screen (47) is also placed beneath the auger (29) to permit small, dense particles to fall from the region surrounding the auger and be deposited on the ground (43). A flexible barrier (48) is placed between the auger and the cutting assembly (32) so that material falling through the screen is not reintroduced to the cutting blades (39, 42). A second barrier (64) is positioned behind the auger so as to form a volume (66) within which material is confined so that it will not become airborne.

Abstract: A polyurethane sugar beet flail including one or more tapered arms which radiate from a hub that contains a hardened support bearing. One multi-arm flail includes a support hub containing a bored nylon bearing having a pair of co-planar arms which radiate from a tapered transition region of the hub. A channel separates the arms. Another multi-arm flail includes a pair of arms staggered about the circumference of the hub. Another flail provides a single arm.

Abstract: An adjustable chopper shaft is disclosed including a chopper shaft (14), a gear (18) concentrically mounted on the chopper shaft, the gear being accomodated in a gearbox (40). A setup (30, 32) for selectively allowing rotation of the chopper shaft relative to the gear are provided and this setup for selectively allowing rotation of the chopper shaft relative to the gear is located externally of the gearbox.

Abstract: A harvester thresher has a housing, a straw shaking means, a chopper drum arranged after the straw shaking means and provided with associated counter cutters for comminuting a threshed straw, a width distributing device arranged under the chopper drum for distributing the comminuted straw, the chopper drum being arranged at a height of the discharge end of the straw shaking means, the chopper drum having a drum casing, a shaft supporting the drum casing in the housing, and a plurality of parallel supporting rings arranged at a distance from one another on the drum casing, the chopper drum further having a plurality of impact plates, a plurality of transfer strips associated with the straw shaking means and inserted in ring gaps between the supporting rings, and a plurality of counter cutters which deviate under the action of an overload and extend in the ring gaps between the supporting rings at a different location.

Abstract: A mower and/or aerating device (7) exhibits a mower drum and/or aerating drum (8) rotating around a horizontal axis running perpendicular to the mower and/or aerating device advance direction. The mower drum and/or aerating drum (8) feeds cut material and/or material removed from ground to a transverse transport worm (16) rotating around a rotation axis running parallel to the aerating drum (8). The transverse transport worm (16) is disposed in a transport trough (15). A longitudinal transport worm (17) adjoins in the middle region of the transverse transport worm (16) at an angle of 90.degree. relative to an axis of the transverse transport worm (16). A transfer element (21) is disposed at the transport trough (15), which transfer element (21) separates the mower drum and/or aerating drum (8) and the transverse transport worm (16). The transfer element (21) is disposed such that the material from the mower drum and/or aerating drum (8) is at least nearly completely thrown into the transport trough (15).

Abstract: An improved skid steer vehicle that has a longitudinally extending main frame and wheels for supporting the main frame for movement over the ground. An operator's compartment spans substantially the entire lateral distance of the main frame in the fore and aft midportions thereof, An engine is contained within an engine compartment disposed rearward of the operator's compartment and includes an auxiliary hydraulic power supply driven off the engine. A pair of spaced apart actuating arms are operably coupled to the main frame at a first end and have a quick attaching mount disposed at a second end thereof. The improvement comprises a flail mower implement that has a quick attachment receiver that is adapted for selective engagement with the quick attaching mount of the pair of actuating arms.

Abstract: A foldable root crop defoliator wherein the implement has a central frame with lateral wings pivotally attached to the central frame. The front end of the central frame is adjustably attached to a hitch for towing the defoliator. Plant top cutting and shredding devices are mounted to the wing frames and are driven by a power train connected to the power-take-off (PTO) of the towing vehicle. In a use orientation, the two lateral wings are independently adjustable relative to the ground. Also, they have a range of free motion, and are able to "float" independently over the ground that they are immediately above. For a travel or storage orientation, each lateral wing is rotated upward to a vertical position by actuating a lifting device mounted on the central frame. The lifting device includes, for example, a piston and cylinder, and toggle linkage assembly. By being foldable, the defoliator may be reduced to a much smaller width, making it safer to transport and easier to store.

Abstract: A lawn care apparatus combining mowing, de-thatching, and mulching action with improved grass clippings and thatch removal characteristics, designed for operation over various types of lawn or turf, where the cutting assembly consists of a shaft with a plurality of readily replaceable blades mounted radially about the shaft which itself is mounted on the apparatus housing and rotating about a horizontal axis transverse to the direction of travel of the apparatus. The rotation of the cutting assembly being in the opposite direction to the rotation of the wheels of the apparatus. The housing designed to curve conformably near the outside edge of the blades over the top portion of the cutting assembly providing for improved gathering action for the grass clippings and thatch into a container attached to and removable from the apparatus. The apparatus having a power means mounted thereon to provide for rotation of the cutting assembly and propulsion of the apparatus.

Abstract: A blade for a flail type brush cutting machine. The blade is torch cut or cast from thick metal in a generally L shape to have any desired angle between its stem and floor, in the preferred embodiment the angle is ninety degrees to insure a close cut of brush. The thicker metal will cut thicker brush. A resharpenable cutting edge is also torch cut or cast on the floor of the blade making the cutting edge of the blade resharpenable and renewable by repeat torch cutting. An elliptically shaped attaching hole is also torch cut or cast in the stem of the blade for attaching the blade to a hanger to then be attached to the shaft of the flail cutter. This attaching hole can also be torch cut or cast into any desired shape. A method of providing a blade for a flail type brush cutting machine is also disclosed.