Hay harvesting machine
AssigneePequea Machine, Inc.
InventorsKenneth R. Underhill, Jacob M. Fisher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hay harvesting machine in which previously cut crop material in a windrow or swath on the ground is picked up and inverted to position a damp side up and a dry side down; as the crop is inverted, it is directed laterally toward one side of the machine and rearwardly; after inversion, the crop is turned further and conveyed for discharge back onto the ground laterally displaced from its original position on the ground.
Claims23
A hay harvesting machine for picking up previously cut crop material in a windrow or swath on the ground, inverting the crop to position a damp side up and a dry side down and then conveying the inverted crop toward one side of the machine and depositing the crop back on the ground laterally displaced from its original position while maintaining said damp side up, comprising:
- a frame moveable in a forward direction of travel over the crop material on the ground;
- wheels supporting said frame;
- pick up conveyor means carried on a rearward portion of said frame having elements which engage and elevate the crop from the ground, invert the crop during elevation and discharge the inverted material forwardly toward a forward portion of the frame;
- cross conveyor means carried on said forward portion of said frame and positioned to receive the inverted crop from said pick up conveyor means and direct the crop laterally at an angle relative to said forward direction of travel;
- said pick up conveyor means and said cross conveyor means being coextensive transversely relative to said frame travel and both of said means having generally the same operative width.
A hay harvesting machine for picking up previously cut crop material in a swath or windrow on the ground, inverting the crop to position a damp side up and a dry side down and then conveying the inverted crop toward one side of the machine and depositing the crop back on the ground laterally displaced from its original position while maintaining said damp side up comprising;
- a frame moveable over the ground in a forward direction of travel;
- pick up conveyor means carried on a rearward position of said frame and having an endless chain conveyor provided with tines to engage the crop material on the ground;
- drive means for the pick up conveyor means to move said tines downwardly into the crop material, thus forwardly and then upwardly;
- said endless chain conveyor traveling over including double idlers adjacent the ground so that said tines have a forward horizontal component of movement along the ground as the crop is engaged and picked up;
- said pick up conveyor means having a forward flow pan and rearward hay guards which extend upwardly from adjacent the ground and then forwardly toward a hay discharge location;
- said flow pan and hay guards defining a passage and being cooperative to guide the crop material upwardly and then forwardly as the crop is elevated by said tines;
- said endless chain having an upper forwardly projecting section which with said flow pan and hay guards define a chamber for receiving inverted crop material;
- an endless cross conveyor mounted on said frame on a forward portion thereof to receive elevated and inverted crop material and move the crop transversely relative to the direction of travel of the machine toward said one side of the machine;
- a chute above a portion of said cross conveyor to direct the crop material laterally as it comes from said pick up conveyor;
- said chute having a diagonal discharge edge above said endless cross conveyor;
- said pick up conveyor means and said cross conveyor being generally coextensive and of similar operative width;
- and
- discharge guide rods to receive crop material from said cross conveyor and deposit it on the ground while maintaining the crop inverted, damp side up.
A method of harvesting previously cut hay laying on the ground in a swath or windrow with a dry side up and a damp side down comprising;
- traveling in a forward direction over the hay;
- moving tines downwardly, forwardly and then upwardly at a speed faster than ground speed to engage and pick the hay off of the ground;
- elevating the picked up hay with the dry side facing forwardly and the damp side rearwardly;
- directing the elevated hay forwardly to invert the hay with the dry side down and the damp side up;
- engaging the hay as it is being directed forwardly and turning the hay at an angle to one side and rearwardly while maintaining said damp side up;
- then, as the hay is moving laterally and rearwardly at an angle discharging the hay back onto the ground along side the original position of the hay on the ground while maintaining the damp side up.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.