Windrower and method of windrowing a grown product
AssigneeCrary Industries, Inc.
InventorDavid S. Majkrzak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A windrower with a frame that: a) has a front, a rear and laterally spaced sides; and b) is movable in an advancing direction. A processing mechanism is capable of: a) unearthing grown product; and b) separating foreign matter from the grown product as the frame is advanced. A cross conveyor assembly controllably discharges grown product from the processing mechanism to the underlying terrain. The cross conveyor assembly has a first discharge end and at least one section, including the first discharge end, that is selectively translatable laterally relative to the frame as the frame is advancing thereby to laterally change a location of the first discharge end and thus the lateral discharge location for the cross conveyor assembly at the first discharge end.
Claims21
A windrower comprising:
- a frame that:
- a) has a front, a rear and laterally spaced sides;
- and b) can be moved in an advancing direction parallel to field rows in underlying terrain in which a harvestable product is grown;
- a processing mechanism on the frame,
- the processing mechanism capable of:
- a) unearthing grown product;
- and b) separating foreign matter from the grown product as the frame is moved in the advancing direction;
- and
- a cross conveyor assembly for controllably discharging grown product from the processing mechanism to the underlying terrain at different selectable lateral discharge locations,
- the cross conveyor assembly having a first discharge end,
- the cross conveyor assembly having at least one section, including the first discharge end, that is selectively translatable laterally relative to the frame along a substantially horizontal line as the frame is advancing thereby to laterally change a location of the first discharge end and thus the lateral discharge location for the cross conveyor assembly at the first discharge end.
A method of windrowing a grown product in parallel field rows, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a windrower comprising:
- a) a frame with a front and rear and laterally spaced sides;
- b) a processing mechanism;
- and c) a cross conveyor assembly having a section with a first discharge end;
- advancing the windrower in a first direction;
- through the processing mechanism:
- i) unearthing grown product from a plurality of the field rows;
- ii) separating foreign matter from the grown product;
- and iii) delivering the grown product to the cross conveyor assembly;
- moving the section laterally along a substantially horizontal line as the windrower is advancing thereby to place the first discharge end at a desired lateral location;
- and
- discharging grown product to underlying terrain through the cross conveyor assembly at the first discharge end.
In combination:
- a) a windrower comprising:
- a frame that:
- a) has a front, a rear and laterally spaced sides;
- and b) can be moved in an advancing direction parallel to field rows in underlying terrain in which a harvestable product is grown;
- a processing mechanism on the frame,
- the processing mechanism capable of:
- a) unearthing grown product;
- and b) separating foreign matter from the grown product as the frame is moved in the advancing direction;
- and
- a cross conveyor assembly for controllably discharging grown product from the processing mechanism to the underlying terrain at different selectable lateral discharge locations,
- the cross conveyor assembly having a first discharge end,
- the cross conveyor assembly having at least one section, including the first discharge end, that is translatable laterally relative to the frame along a substantially horizontal line thereby to laterally change a location of the first discharge end and thus the lateral discharge location for the cross conveyor assembly at the first discharge end;
- b) a towing vehicle for advancing the windrower;
- and
- c) a control that is operable by an operator from the towing vehicle to thereby selectively laterally translate the at least one section relative to the frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.