Deere + Company

Orthman Manufacturing, Inc.

Raymond Dean Vardeman

Wendell Keith Vardeman

Timothy Arthur Deutsch

Joel M Schreiner

Russell D Copley

Wendell Dean Vardeman

Wendell D Vardeman

A cotton harvester includes up to eight or more brush type row units mounted on a cross auger system having a split cross auger structure with two auger portions for moving material inwardly toward a central location. Cotton is conveyed through the rear of the central location into two separation chambers, one for each auger portion, and into the lower portions of two corresponding conveying ducts which extend upwardly and outwardly at bend locations located just above the rockshaft and below the cab floor. Each duct includes a nozzle directing air upwardly above the bend location so that cotton is sucked into the bend. The ducts extend upwardly at an angle to the vertical direction and include uppermost sections extending rearwardly over the input sections of the two cleaners. The uppermost sections are angled from the horizontal and distribute the cotton evenly over cleaner inlets. A special slip joint with a hinged door on the duct structure permits a greater vertical range of vertical cross auger motion than with previously available devices for better ground clearance and better automatic ground following ability. The cleaners include outermost drives located near operator platforms which extend from the centrally located cab. Drive shield structure is movable to an access position and effectively extends the width of the platforms for maintenance, inspection and repair. A variable speed hydraulic drive is connected to a transverse shaft which in turn is connected at its ends by belts to the outermost drives on the cleaners.

High capacity cotton harvester

A steering probe for controlling the steering of an agricultural vehicle along a path corresponding to a crop row includes a yoke pivotally mounted to the vehicle and having arms extending downwardly on opposite sides of the crop row. The yoke is pivotally mounted adjacent its upper end for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis. A sensor is connected to the probe adjacent its pivotal mounting to the vehicle, and senses the rotational position of the yoke. The lower ends of the yoke engage the opposite sides of the crop row, and the yoke pivots from its neutral position about the pivotal axis whenever the vehicle becomes misaligned with the crop row. The sensor senses the rotation of the yoke and causes the vehicle to be steered to compensate for the misalignment with the crop row.

Vehicle steering control system

Growing community of inventors

Slaton, TX, United States of America

Raymond Dean Vardeman