Universal crop head assembly and its use in harvesting crops
AssigneeTribine Industries LLC
InventorsBen N. Dillon, Dillon M. Thompson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A universal crop head assembly is carried at the front of and by a harvester. The new crop head assembly includes a frame assembly, an intermediate multi-crop reel assembly carried by the frame assembly and having selectively extendable and retractable fingers for small grain harvesting. A lower cutter bar assembly is carried by the frame assembly and for cutting grain stalks. An upper forward cutter bar assembly is carried by the frame assembly and supports an upper cutter bar for cutting corn stalks about an upper end, an adjustable air knife assembly for blowing against severed corn stalks upper ends; and a lower draper belt assembly carried by the frame assembly and for moving grain cut by the lower cutter bar assembly.
Claims12
A universal crop head assembly carried at the front of and by a harvester, which comprises:
- (a) a frame assembly;
- (b) an intermediate multi-crop reel assembly carried by the frame assembly and having fingers that are selectively extendable for small grain harvesting and retractable for corn harvesting;
- (c) a lower cutter bar assembly carried by the frame assembly and for cutting grain stalks;
- (d) an upper cutter bar assembly for corn harvesting carried by the frame assembly and supporting:
- (i) an upper cutter bar for cutting corn stalks about an upper end;
- and
- (ii) an adjustable air knife assembly for blowing against severed corn stalks upper ends;
- and
- (e) lower grain belt assemblies carried by the frame assembly and for moving cut grain to a feedhouse of a harvester.
Method for harvesting crops with a universal crop head assembly carried at the front of and by a harvester, which comprises the steps of:
- (a) adjusting the height of an intermediate multi-crop reel assembly carried by the frame assembly and having fingers that are selectively extendable for small grain harvesting and retractable for corn harvesting;
- (b) adjusting the height of a lower cutter bar assembly carried by the frame assembly and for cutting grain stalks;
- (c) adjusting the height of an upper cutter bar assembly for corn harvesting carried by the frame assembly and supporting:
- (i) an upper cutter bar for cutting corn stalks about an upper end;
- and
- (ii) an adjustable air knife assembly for blowing against severed corn stalks upper ends;
- and
- (d) moving the harvester across a crop field for harvesting of crop growing thereon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.