Windrow fluffing roll assembly for an agricultural machine
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsKellen B. Hill, David V. Rotole, Thomas A. Nichols
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mower-conditioner assembly of a self-propelled windrower includes a frame, a cutting mechanism coupled to the frame for cutting crop, a conditioner rotatably coupled to the frame at a location rearward of the cutting mechanism, and a fluffer assembly rotatably coupled to the frame at a location rearward of the conditioner. The fluffer assembly includes at least an elongated roll and a crop moving element. The conditioner crimps the crop after it is cut, and the fluffer assembly fluffs or moves the crop during operation.
Claims20
A mower-conditioner assembly of a self-propelled windrower, comprising:
- a frame;
- a cutting mechanism coupled to the frame and configured to cut crop;
- a conditioner rotatably coupled to the frame at a location rearward of the cutting mechanism, the conditioner configured to crimp the crop;
- a fluffer assembly rotatably coupled to the frame at a location rearward of the conditioner, the fluffer assembly including at least an elongated roll and a crop moving element;
- a hood positioned partially around the fluffer assembly;
- and
- a deflector pivotally coupled to the hood and positioned partially around the fluffer assembly;
- wherein, an angle of the deflector relative to the hood is adjustable;
- wherein, crop is projected from the conditioner to the fluffer assembly and directed to the ground through the hood and deflector;
- further wherein, the fluffer assembly configured to fluff the crop.
An agricultural machine, comprising:
- a windrower including a main frame, a front axle, and a first set of wheels coupled to the front axle;
- a mower-conditioner assembly coupled to a front end of the windrower, the mower-conditioner assembly including a frame and a cutting mechanism coupled to the frame for cutting crop;
- a conditioner rotatably coupled to the frame at a location rearward of the cutting mechanism, the conditioner configured to crimp the crop;
- and
- a fluffer assembly rotatably coupled to the frame at a location rearward of the conditioner, the fluffer assembly including at least an elongated roll and a crop moving element configured to move the crop;
- wherein, the fluffer assembly is rotatably driven at a speed that is different from the conditioner.
A method of fluffing crop during a mowing operation, comprising:
- providing a windrower including a cutting mechanism, a conditioner, a fluffer assembly, a hood, a deflector, and a shield, the fluffer assembly including at least a fluffer roll and crop moving element;
- selecting an angle of the deflector relative to the hood to reduce dry down time of cut crop;
- travelling in a forward direction along an underlying surface and cutting crop with the cutting mechanism;
- crimping the crop with the conditioner after the cutting step;
- projecting the crop from the conditioner to the fluffer assembly;
- rotatably driving the fluffer assembly at a different speed than the conditioner;
- moving the crop with the crop moving element as the fluffer assembly is rotatably driven;
- directing the crop with the hood as the crop enters the fluffer assembly and directing the crop with the deflector as the crop exits the fluffer assembly;
- directing the crop in a crop flow direction with the shield;
- distributing the crop on the underlying surface to form a windrow arrangement;
- and
- fluffing the crop during the moving step, distributing step, or both.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.