Sperry Rand Corporation

New Holland North America, Inc.

Ford New Holland, Inc.

Sperry Corporation

New Holland Inc.

Sperry-new Holland

Bryant F Webb

Kenneth R Underhill

Philip J Ehrhart

Charles A Parrish

Edward H Priepke

Adrianus Naaktgeboren

Joseph C Hurlburt

Donald O Bigelow

Robert R Todd

Robert M VanGinhoven

Emmett G Webster

Jan Van Groenigen

Roger H Van Eecke

Edward A Blakeslee

Stanley J Makofka

LeRoy A Crawford

Robert E Jackson

Bruce D Schwalm

An agriculture baler having a bale-forming mechanism; a pick-up assembly disposed forward of the bale-forming mechanism to pick up a cut crop material and convey the crop material towards the bale mechanism, the pick-up assembly having: (a) a pick-up apparatus; (b) a conveying rotor disposed to receive cut crop material from the pick-up apparatus and to move the cut crop material towards the bale forming mechanism; (c) a floor having a first slot formed therein; (d) a cutting mechanism including a first knife disposed to rotate from a first resting position to a second cutting position extending through the first slot in the floor; and (e) a first guide plate disposed adjacent to the first slot.

Non-trash sensitive rotor knife guide plates

The invention consists of an offset kingpin in the rear steering axle of a self-propelled combine harvester. Attached to the rear axle is a knuckle. The kingpin is pivotally attached to the knuckle and the spindle is rotationally attached to the knuckle. The kingpin is positioned forward of the spindle allowing the rear tires equal clearance with the combine side shielding. This positioning of the kingpin relative to the spindle improves the turning radius of the combine. It also aids tire stability at road speeds.

Offset kingpin for a rear steering axle on an agricultural combine

A round baler having a main frame including opposing sidewalls, and an apron assembly comprising crop engaging elements disposed between said sidewalls for defining a bale forming chamber having a generally cylindrical shape with a transverse inlet. The crop engaging elements move along a path having an inner course contiguous with a major portion of the fixed periphery of the cylindrical chamber. The baler also includes a pickup assembly for feeding crop material to the chamber through the inlet whereby crop material accumulated in the chamber is engaged by the crop engaging elements and formed into a compacted cylindrical package. A supply of net material is selectively dispensed via a dispensing assembly into the chamber for wrapping the periphery of the formed cylindrical package of crop material in the chamber. A supply of twine fed to a twine dispensing assembly is also selectively dispensed into the chamber for wrapping the periphery of the cylindrical package of crop material. Cutting means is adapted to severe the net under conditions where the twine is being dispensed into the chamber.

Dual purpose cutting apparatus for round bale

A round baler, having a pair of spaced side walls mounted on a main frame, is supported on wheels and adapted to be pulled across a field. A crop confining apron is mounted between the side walls for defining an expandable chamber that is adapted to rotatably form a cylindrical package of crop material between the side walls. A pickup picks up crop material and conveys it into the chamber through a generally transverse crop infeed opening operatively associated with the pickup. A transverse starter roll extends between the side walls to provide the upper limit of the infeed opening. A crop severing device extends into the expandable chamber in the vicinity of the starter roll to cut crop material on the surface of the cylindrical package as it is being formed.

Crop cutting apparatus for a round baler

Method of forming a segmented round bale

A flotation mechanism for use on a crop harvesting machine having a header suspended from the frame thereof by flotation springs is disclosed wherein a hydraulic cylinder interconnects the frame and at least one of the springs to allow selective adjustment of the weight of the header supported from the frame. The extensible hydraulic cylinder is operable to vary the length of at least one of the flotation springs while the crop harvesting machine is in operation and movable over the ground.

Adjustable header flotation mechanism

Windrow inverter

An agricultural baler comprises a bale case having an inlet opening in one side wall thereof; a plunger mounted for reciprocation within the bale case and back-and-forth across the inlet opening; a feeder duct communicating at one end with the inlet opening in the bale case and curving forwardly therefrom; the feeder duct comprising a pair of curved opposed wall means of which is movable relative to the other; and feeder means cooperable with the feeder duct to accumulate a charge of crop material therein and then stuff that charge into the bale case. The movable wall means is movable relative to the other wall means along substantially its entire length such that one cross sectional dimension of the feeder duct is variable along substantially the entire length of said feeder duct to ensure that, in use and as a charge of crop material is being accumulated in the feeder duct, said opposed wall means generally maintain contact with said crop material.

Variable feeder duct for balers

A frame for a machine operable to invert and laterally displace a windrow of crop material is disclosed wherein the frame includes a support portion having a windrow pickup mechanism and a windrow inversion mechanism mounted thereon and being mobilely supported over the ground by a pair of ground wheels. The frame also includes a hitch portion pivotally connected to the support portion for articulation about a transversely extending horizontal pivot axis. A latching mechanism is operable to interengage the hitch and support portions of the frame to positionally fix the pivotal motion therebetween to lock the frame into an elevated transport position. The hitch and support portions are free to pivotally move relative to one another during operation to permit the pickup mechanism to floatingly follow the contours of the ground. Tension springs interconnecting the hitch and support portions of the frame provide flotational characteristics for the pickup mechanism by biasing the frame components toward the raised transport position.

Frame for windrow inverter

A baler feed assembly includes a stuffer mechanism having a smooth acting lever or slotted member which moves between a substantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal position. The slotted member pivots about a fixed shaft and includes an upper slot and a lower slot. A crank shaft having a roller member associated therewith, engages the upper slot by means of the roller member to thereby impart motion to the slotted member so that the slotted member can move between the aforesaid positions. A spring is connected to the slotted member at one end and to a fixed support at another end. Preferably, the spring is connected so that its line of action is aligned with the center of the fixed shaft when the slotted member is in the substantially vertical position. By this construction, when the slotted member is moved from the vertical position, the spring insures that the roller member, associated with the crank shaft, is in engagement with only one side of the upper slot. This insures that the roller member is free of engagement with the other side of the upper slot, thereby insuring smooth and jitter-free motion of the stuffer mechanism.

Baler stuffer mechanism

A twine needle is provided particularly for use on large crop balers. The twine needle includes a body portion and a tip portion detachably secured to the body portion. The tip portion is designed to break off, if a predetermined force is exerted thereon, without damaging the body portion. A broken tip portion may be easily replaced without replacing the entire twine needle.

Baler twine needle with breakoff tip portion

Crop divider mechanism for attachment to a knockdown bar of an agricultural harvesting or conditioning machine and comprising a pair of similar interchangeable left-hand and right-hand rod members bent into substantially trapezoidal shape with parallel opposite long and short sides and intervening sides sloping from said long side to said short side, pairs of bracket members attachable respectively in spaced relation along opposite end portions of said knockdown bar and each pair pivotally receiving one of said intermediate sides of said rod members, similar positioning plates respectively fixed to one bracket of each pair thereof and having several spaced holes to receive selectively one end of a positioning pin selectively to support said rod members in upstanding inoperative position or forwardly extending operative position, and supplemental flat links connected to a second plate adjacent each positioning plate in positions to engage said knockdown bar in a manner to hold said rod members no lower than in said forwardly extending operative position thereof and thereby prevent the same from accidentally falling from upstanding inoperative position toward and lower than said forwardly extending operative positions, said spaced holes selectively receiving bolts to fix said flat links in operative position upon said second plate whether interchanged between the right-hand or left-hand positions of said rod members upon said knockdown bar.

Universal crop divider mechanism

A crop harvesting machine has a crop harvesting header, a mobile frame and improved header stabilizing system. The frame is adapted to move across a field in a forward direction and includes upper frame structure extending transversely to the forward direction and a lower wheel frame assembly. The assembly includes a transverse cylindrical member being rotatably mounted to and supporting the upper frame structure. Lift means is provided, being actuatable for moving the lower assembly, and thereby rotating the cylindrical member thereof, relative to the upper frame structure to effectuate raising of the upper frame structure and the cylindrical member relative to the field. A header suspension and lift means includes upper means pivotally interconnecting an upper portion of the header with the upper frame structure and lower elongated means pivotally interconnecting a lower portion of the header with the cylindrical member of the wheel frame assembly. The lower means has a portion which projects rearwardly of the pivotal connection of the lower means with the cylindrical member and underlies the member so as to be engaged by the latter to effect lifting of the header upwardly by the lower means upon rotation of the cylindrical member when the lift means is actuated so as to effectuate raising of the upper frame structure and the cylindrical member relative to the field. A telescoping link extends between and pivotally interconnects the central portion of the cylindrical member and the lower central portion of the header to stabilize the header against excessive lateral movement. The telescoping link may also limit the upper and lower position of the header.

Header suspension and stabilization means

A crop harvesting machine has a crop harvesting header, a mobile frame and improved header suspension and lift means. The frame is adapted to move across a field in a forward direction and includes upper frame structure extending transversely to the forward direction and a lower wheel frame assembly. The assembly includes a transverse cylindrical member being rotatably mounted to and supporting the upper frame structure. Lift means is provided, being actuatable for moving the lower assembly, and thereby rotating the cylindrical member thereof, relative to the upper frame structure to effectuate raising of the upper frame structure and the cylindrical member relative to the field. The improved header suspension and lift means includes upper means pivotally interconnecting an upper portion of the header with the upper frame structure and lower elongated means pivotally interconnecting a lower portion of the header with the cylindrical member of the wheel frame assembly. The lower means has a portion which projects rearwardly of the pivotal connection of the lower means with the cylindrical member and underlies the member so as to be engaged by the latter to effect lifting of the header upwardly by the lower means upon rotation of the cylindrical member when the lift means is actuated so as to effectuate raising of the upper frame structure and the cylindrical member relative to the field.

Header suspension and lift means

A crop harvesting machine includes a mobile frame, a header movably suspended from the frame, a pair of upper and lower conditioner rolls rotatably mounted on the frame rearwardly of the header, and drive means for operating the conditioner rolls and the cutterbar and reel of the header. The drive means includes a gearbox assembly mounted on the frame and having rotary input drive transmission means and a transversely extending rotary output shaft drivingly coupled to the input means. An upper telescopible shaft articulately intercouples one end of the output shaft with the upper roll for rotatably driving the latter which accommodating movement thereof relative to the lower roll. Gear means is drivingly coupled between an opposite end of the output shaft and lower transversely extending shaft means which, in turn, is drivingly intercoupled to the lower roll, such that the lower roll is rotatably driven in a direction opposite to that of the upper roll. Drive mechanism for operating the cutterbar and reel, being located on the side of the header adjacent the gearbox assembly, is intercoupled to the opposite end of the gearbox assembly output shaft by drive transmission means which includes a forward telescopible shaft which provides rotary power to the header drive mechanism while accommodating movement of the header relative to the mobile frame.

Growing community of inventors

Ephrata, PA, United States of America

Bryant F Webb