Narrow row crop harvester with lateral conveying of cut row

A cotton harvester row unit having a unit frame and adapted for forward movement over a field of closely spaced rows of cotton plants for harvesting cotton from at least one of the rows of the plants, the row unit comprising:

• a first row receiving area for receiving a first row of the adjacent rows of cotton generally along a path parallel to the forward direction;
• drum structure including an upright spindle drum located in the path and rotatable about an upright axis;
• a row harvesting zone offset laterally from the first row receiving area;
• wherein the upright spindle drum includes spindles extending into the path and movable towards the harvesting zone, the drum structure facilitating movement of the plants laterally to the harvesting zone;
• wherein the row unit includes a second row receiving area adjacent the first row receiving area for receiving a second row of plants adjacent the first row;
• and
• wherein the second row receiving area is generally aligned with the harvesting zone and the spindles move the plants from the first row towards the second row, the spindles also removing cotton from the plants from the first and second rows in the harvesting zone.

A cotton harvester row unit having a unit frame and adapted for forward movement over a field of closely spaced rows of cotton plants for harvesting cotton from at least one of the rows of the plants, the row unit comprising:

• a first row receiving area for receiving a first row of the adjacent rows of cotton generally along a path parallel to the forward direction;
• drum structure including an upright spindle drum located in the path and rotatable about an upright axis;
• a row harvesting zone offset laterally from the first row receiving area;
• wherein the upright spindle drum includes spindles extending into the path and movable towards the harvesting zone, the drum structure facilitating movement of the plants laterally to the harvesting zone;
• a rear spindle drum located rearwardly of the first-mentioned spindle drum and in the path, the first and second spindle drums located on one side only of the harvesting zone and removing cotton from the severed row of cotton plants in the harvesting zone;
• and
• a second row receiving area adjacent the first row receiving area and receiving a second row of plants adjacent the first row, the spindles of the first drum moving the first row of plants into the second row so the spindle drums remove cotton from first and second rows of plants in the harvesting zone.

A harvester row unit adapted for movement in a forward direction through a field for removing crop from closely spaced row of plants, the row unit including:

• a first row receiving area for receiving a first row of plants;
• a second row receiving area for receiving a second row of plants;
• crop removing structure including an upright harvesting drum for removing the crop from the first and second rows of plants, the crop removing structure including movable crop engaging members having a substantial movement transverse to the forward direction and traversing a path which intercepts the first row of plants, the crop engaging members extending into a fore and aft extending harvesting zone;
• and
• wherein the second row receiving area is generally aligned with the harvesting zone, and the crop engaging members move the plants from the first row into the harvesting zone and remove crop from the first and second rows in the harvesting zone.

A cotton harvester row unit having a unit frame and adapted for forward movement over a field of closely spaced rows of cotton plants for harvesting cotton from at least one of the rows of the plants, the row unit comprising:

• a fore and aft extending first row receiving area for receiving a first row of the adjacent rows of cotton generally along a path parallel to the forward direction;
• drum structure including an upright spindle drum located in the path and rotatable about an upright axis;
• a crop removing zone offset laterally from the first row receiving area and aligned with a second row of plants;
• wherein the upright spindle drum includes spindles projecting into the path and movable towards the crop removing zone and into the zone for removing cotton from the second row of plants, the drum structure facilitating movement of the first row of plants laterally towards the second row and into the crop removing zone;
• and
• wherein the first row receiving area is aligned with the drum structure, and wherein the drum structure includes a forward drum intercepting the first row, and further including upright conveying structure forwardly adjacent the drum structure and cooperating with the forward drum to move the first row transversely towards the second row.

A cotton harvester row unit having a unit frame and adapted for forward movement over a field of closely spaced rows of cotton plants for harvesting cotton from at least one of the rows of the plants, the row unit comprising:

• a fore and aft extending row receiving area for receiving a first row of the adjacent rows of cotton generally along a path parallel to the forward direction;
• drum structure including an upright spindle drum located in the path and rotatable about an upright axis;
• a crop removing zone offset laterally from the first row receiving area;
• wherein the upright spindle drum includes spindles projecting into the path and movable towards the crop removing zone, the drum structure facilitating movement of the plants laterally to the crop removing zone;
• and
• including a second row receiving area offset laterally from the fore and aft extending row receiving area for receiving a second row of cotton plants next adjacent the first row, wherein the second row receiving area is generally aligned with the row harvesting zone so that the crop on both the first and second rows of plants is removed in the crop receiving zone.

A cotton harvester row unit having a unit frame and adapted for forward movement over a field of cotton plants in parallel rows closely spaced a preselected distance apart for harvesting cotton from two adjacent rows of plants, the row unit comprising:

• a first fore and aft extending row receiving area for receiving a first row of the adjacent rows of cotton;
• a second fore and aft extending row receiving area for receiving a second row of the adjacent rows of cotton;
• tandem drum structure supported by the unit frame and located adjacent the second second row receiving area, the tandem drum structure including spindles projecting into the second second row receiving area from one side only of the second row receiving area and defining a cotton removal zone;
• and
• a fore and aft extending stalk lifter having a width substantially less than the preselected distance and supported from the unit frame between the first and second row receiving areas, the stalk lifter guiding the first and second rows relative to the first and second row receiving areas;
• and
• wherein the first row receiving area is aligned with the tandem drum structure, and wherein the tandem drum structure includes a forward drum intercepting the first row, and further including upright conveying structure forwardly adjacent the tandem drum structure and cooperating with the forward drum to move the first row into the cotton removal zone with the second row so that the spindles project into the moved first row and the second row in the cotton removal zone.

A cotton harvester row unit having a unit frame and adapted for forward movement over a field of cotton plants in parallel rows for harvesting cotton from two adjacent rows of the plants spaced as closely as twelve inches (30 cm), the row unit comprising:

• a first fore and aft extending row receiving area for receiving a first row of the adjacent rows of cotton;
• a second fore and aft extending row receiving area for receiving a second row of the adjacent rows of cotton;
• tandem drum structure supported by the unit frame and located adjacent the second row receiving area, the tandem drum structure including spindles projecting into the second row receiving area from one side only of the second row receiving area and defining a cotton removal zone;
• a fore and aft extending stalk lifter having a width substantially less than twelve inches (30 cm) supported from the unit frame between the first and second row receiving areas, the stalk lifter guiding the first and second rows relative to the first and second row receiving areas;
• and
• wherein the first row receiving area is aligned with the tandem drum structure, and wherein the tandem drum structure includes a forward drum intercepting the first row, and further including upright conveying structure forwardly adjacent the tandem drum structure and cooperating with the forward drum to move the first row transversely towards the second row.