Abstract:
A square baler has a generally horizontally disposed baling chamber, a reciprocating plunger within the chamber, and an underslung loading duct projecting downwardly and forwardly from the bottom of the chamber to a pickup apparatus. A stuffer is operable through successive stuffing strokes within the duct to both transfer material from the pickup apparatus into the baling chamber and precompress the material within the duct. The stuffer includes a pair of fore-and-aft mutually spaced apart forks presenting a leading fork and a trailing fork with respect to the direction of travel of the stuffer during a stuffing stroke. The leading fork has a generally kidney-shaped path of travel that begins its upstroke rearwardly of the forwardly facing inlet of the duct, while the trailing fork has a generally kidney-shaped path of travel that begins its upstroke forwardly of the inlet of the duct. The stuffer is operable in timed relationship with the plunger so that the leading fork precompresses a charge of material against the bottom of the plunger as it is retracting and then stuffs the precompressed charge into the chamber when the plunger is sufficiently retracted. The trailing fork, on the other hand, sweeps new material into the inlet of the duct and advances it up to the bottom of the plunger path of travel as the leading fork carries out and completes its stuffing stroke. The trailing fork is narrower than the leading fork, providing room for center-gathering stub augers to deliver materials from the pickup to an inboard position generally under the center prongs of the trailing fork.
Abstract:
A harvesting header having a flexible cutterbar assembly utilizes draper belts behind the cutterbar assembly to gently consolidate the severed crop materials and deliver them to a point of discharge and delivery, such as to the feederhouse of a combine harvester. One embodiment has draper assemblies and a central conveyor fixed relative to the flexible cutterbar assembly, while another has the draper assemblies and central conveyer flexible with the cutterbar assembly.
Abstract:
A harvesting header having a flexible cutterbar assembly utilizes draper belts behind the cutterbar assembly to gently consolidate the severed crop materials and deliver them to a point of discharge and delivery, such as to the feederhouse of a combine harvester. The cutterbar assembly is supported by pivotable support arms such that it is operable to flex along the length thereof in response to changes in terrain as the header is advanced. One embodiment has draper assemblies and a central conveyor fixed relative to the flexible cutterbar assembly, while another has the draper assemblies and central conveyer flexible with the cutterbar assembly.
Abstract:
A harvesting header having a flexible cutterbar assembly utilizes draper belts behind the cutterbar assembly to gently consolidate the severed crop materials and deliver them to a point of discharge and delivery, such as to the feederhouse of a combine harvester. One embodiment has draper assemblies and a central conveyor fixed relative to the flexible cutterbar assembly, while another has the draper assemblies and central conveyer flexible with the cutterbar assembly.
Abstract:
A mower vehicle includes a vehicle frame and single front and rear driven wheels. First and second blade housings are pivotally connected to each other along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle frame and are attached to first and second side frames, respectively. Each side frame is pivotally attached to the vehicle frame near the rear thereof with a hydraulically retractable and extendable cylinder assembly urging each side frame downward or upward in response to changes automatically sensed in the slope of the terrain. Ground engaging outrigger wheels attached to each side frame contact the terrain and the vehicle frame is thus maintained in a generally upright position. Two pivot point joints connect the blade housings and are located at approximately the same height as a plane containing the blades and the driven wheels include tires with a tread which is generally semi-circular in lateral cross-section with a center of the radii of the lowest part of the tread being located at approximately the average blade mowing height. Each blade housing is linked to a corresponding side frame by a mechanical linkage arm and a floatable connection that eliminate the need for rear caster wheels.
Abstract:
A buckle for use in securing a band around a bale of material comprises a socket member having an aperture formed therein and a wedge member having a portion shaped to maximize friction with a band and a rounded portion opposite the portion shaped to maximize friction with a band. The wedge member is initially connected to the socket member by at least one frangible link in an initial orientation having the rounded portion oriented toward the aperture in the socket member and the portion shaped to maximize friction with a band oriented away from the aperture. The buckle is used in an automated method wherein both ends of a band extending around a bale are clamped to the wedge member, the wedge member is rotated to a final position wherein the portion shaped to maximize friction with a band of the wedge member is oriented toward the aperture and urged into the aperture, thereby capturing both ends of the band between the portion shaped to maximize friction with a band of the wedge member and the socket member.
Abstract:
A harvesting header having a flexible cutterbar assembly utilizes draper belts behind the cutterbar assembly to gently consolidate the severed crop materials and deliver them to a point of discharge and delivery, such as to the feederhouse of a combine harvester. The header includes laterally spaced support arms attached to and cooperatively supporting the flexible cutterbar assembly. The support arms are pivotally coupled to the frame for swinging movement about a laterally extending axis so that the cutterbar assembly is operable to flex along the length thereof in response to changes in terrain as the header is advanced.
Abstract:
A buckle for use in securing a band around a bale of material includes a socket member having an aperture formed therein and a wedge member having a portion shaped to maximize friction with a band and a rounded portion opposite the portion shaped to maximize friction with a band. The wedge member is initially connected to the socket member by at least one frangible link in an initial orientation having the rounded portion oriented toward the aperture in the socket member and the portion shaped to maximize friction with a band oriented away from the aperture. The buckle is used in a automated method wherein both ends of a band extending around a bale are clamped to the wedge member, the wedge member is rotated to a final position wherein the portion shaped to maximize friction with a band of the—wedge member is oriented toward the aperture and urged into the aperture, thereby capturing, both ends of the band between the portion shaped to maximize friction with a band of the wedge member and the socket member.
Abstract:
A harvesting header includes a header frame, a flexible cutterbar assembly, and a plurality of laterally spaced apart support arms that are attached to and cooperatively support the flexible cutterbar assembly. The header also includes a draper assembly with a side draper carried on multiple ones of the support arms so as to flex with the cutterbar assembly. The side draper includes an endless flexible draper belt presenting laterally endmost margins, with upper and lower crop-conveying runs extending between the margins. The header further includes pivoting structure mounted relative to the header frame at a rear pivot location so that the pivoting structure projects forwardly from the rear pivot location.
Abstract:
A harvesting header having a flexible cutterbar assembly utilizes draper belts behind the cutterbar assembly to gently consolidate the severed crop materials and deliver them to a point of discharge and delivery, such as to the feederhouse of a combine harvester. One embodiment has draper assemblies and a central conveyor fixed relative to the flexible cutterbar assembly, while another has the draper assemblies and central conveyer flexible with the cutterbar assembly.