US 5,350,020 AGranted

Multi-crop harvester/windrower implement

OwnerBillie C. Vandever, Vicki Vandeverinventors

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Abstract

A multi-crop harvester/windrower farm implement may be pushed before a tractor or harvester, to harvest and/or windrow a crop. The implement includes a frame having a plurality of horizontal arms at ground level, which support and position a crop dissociating structure to uproot or sever the stalks of the crop. The implement may include a crop reel to move the uprooted or severed crop to a draper belt, which deposits the crop in a windrow outward of the tractor wheels. In one embodiment, the crop dissociating structure includes interchangeable rod weeder and sickle attachments, allowing a user to choose between uprooting the crop, or severing the stalks of the crop. A plurality of adjustment structure may be included to adjust the altitude of the crop dissociating structure with respect to the crop, facilitating use of the implement on multiple crops. The rod weeder, crop reel, sickle, and draper belt may be driven to rotate by hydraulic motors attached to the PTO system of the tractor or harvester.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A farm implement having interchangeable crop dissociating attachments for harvesting crops comprising:

a frame having a plurality of horizontal arms attached thereto each having releasable fastener means for alternately engaging various attachments;
crop dissociating attachments alternately attachable to said frame for harvesting said crops including,
a rod weeder attachment for uprooting crops comprising,
a plurality of horizontal arm extension for removable attachment of said rod weeder attachment to said horizontal arms by engagement of said releasable fastener means,
a square shaft rotatably attached to said horizontal arm extensions,
adjustment means for adjusting the altitude of said square shaft with respect to the roots of a crop, and
means for directing uprooted crops away from said square shaft, and
a sickle attachment, attachable to said frame when said rod weeder is detached from said frame, for severing the stalks of a crop comprising,
a plurality of horizontal arm extension for removable attachment of said sickle attachment to said horizontal arms by engagement of said releasable fastener means,
a sickle blade movably attached to said horizontal arm extensions,
adjustment means for adjusting the altitude of said sickle blade with respect to the stalks of crop, and
means for directing severed crops away from said sickle blade,
attachment drive means attached to said frame for urging said crop dissociating means to dissociate a crop from a field, said attachment drive means being adapted to attach to said rod weeder attachment to urge said square shaft to rotate, and to said sickle attachment to urge said sickle blade to move.

10 more elements

A farm implement for harvesting and windrowing a crop comprising:

a frame having a plurality of horizontal arms extending therefrom and a hitch for mounting said implement to a tractor said frame being adapted to alternately receive various crop dissociating means;
crop dissociating means detachably attached to said horizontal arms for dissociating said crop from a field;
a draper belt horizontally disposed in said frame for moving said dissociated crop laterally with respect to said dissociating means, said raper belt comprising an endless belt rotatable around end rollers;
draper belt drive means attached to said frame and drivingly interconnected to at least one of said end rollers for urging said draper belt to rotate around said end rollers;
a reel rotatingly attached to said frame having a plurality of rode protruding therefrom, said rods for engaging said dissociated crop and transferring it to said draper belt;
reel drive means attached to said reel and said frame for urging said reel to rotate around a reel rotational axis;
first adjusting means attached to said frame for adjusting the altitude of said crop dissociating means with respect to said crop;
and
second adjusting means attached to said frame for pivotally adjusting the altitude of said reel with respect to said crop dissociating means.

6 more elements

A push-type multi-crop combination cutter and windrower farm implement comprising:

a frame having at least three parallel, spaced apart horizontal arms each having releasable fastener means adapted to receive interchangeable crop dissociating means removably attached thereto;
a hitch attached to said frame for mounting said implement to a tractor;
crop dissociating means having a plurality of horizontal arm extensions corresponding in number to said horizontal arms of said frame and structured to detachably attach to said horizontal arms by interconnection with said releasable fastener means for pushing through a crop to dissociate the crop from the field;
a draper belt horizontally disposed in said frame for moving said dissociated crop laterally with respect to said dissociating means, and depositing said crop into a windrow outward of the wheels of said tractor, said draper belt comprising an endless belt rotatable around end rollers;
draper belt drive means attached to said frame and drivingly interconnected to at least one of said end rollers for urging said draper belt to rotate around said end rollers;
a reel rotatingly attached to said frame having a plurality of rods protruding therefrom, said rods for engaging said dissociated crop and transferring it to said draper belt;
reel drive means attached to said reel and said frame for urging said reel to rotate around a reel rotational axis;
first adjusting means attached to said frame for adjusting the altitude of said crop dissociating means with respect to said crop;
and
second adjusting means attached to said frame for rotatably adjusting the altitude of said reel with respect to said crop dissociating means.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.