The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 07, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 04, 1997
Maynard M Herron, Hesston, KS (US);
Howard J Ratzlaff, Hesston, KS (US);
Ferol S Fell, Newton, KS (US);
Hay & Forage Industries, Hesston, KS (US);
Abstract
A non-row-sensitive forage harvesting header for attachment to a mobile frame carrying a chopper has a pair of rotatable cutting discs for severing stalks as the frame moves across a field. Positioned above the cutting discs are a pair of drum-shaped transfer devices rotatable in opposite directions about upright axes coaxial with the rotational axes of the respective cutting discs for gathering severed stalks to a central location between the devices. A pair of endless gripping elements extend about respective ones of the transfer devices and present opposed rearwardly moveable runs extending between the central location and the chopper when the header is attached to the frame. The opposed runs of the gripping elements are operable to cooperatively grip each gathered stalk therebetween while moving the stalk rearwardly from the central location to the chopper. The header may be provided with rotatable auger cylinders positioned adjacent opposite sides of the chopper inlet when the header is attached to the mobile frame, with each cylinder having flighting for directing crop material downwardly toward the chopper inlet.