Sugar cane combine

Claim 2

In a sugarcane combine formed of a harvester frame having a rotating ground knife for severing the cane stalks from the roots, a transversely mounted, rotating sickle bar cutter positioned rearwardly of the ground knife for cutting the severed stalks into short lengths and a hopper for receiving the cut up stalks, an improved pickup and feeding means comprising: a transversely mounted, rotating pickup drum having a plurality of radially outwardly open pockets, said pickup drum being positioned above said ground knife and forward of said sickle bar cutter, a pair of revolving, endless chain conveyors, one positioned on each side of said ground knife and extending forward from said pickup drum, said chain conveyors having a plurality of fingers extending outward from the chain to pickup cane lying transverse to the movement of the combine, a transversely mounted, rotating feeder drum having chordally extending arms positioned above and to the front of said pickup drum, and a transversely mounted, rotating backing and transfer drum positioned rearward of said pickup drum and beneath said sickle bar cutter, the pickup drum picking erect and down cane and feeding it to the backing and transfer drum where it is cut by the sickle bar cutter, said backing and transfer drum then transferring the cut up stalks to the hopper.

Claim 3

The sugarcane combine specified in claim 1 in which the rotating ground knife extends forward of the pickup drum for operation in a furrow.

Claim 4

The sugarcane combine specified in claim 2 in which there is a second pickup drum on top of the rotating ground knife.

Claim 5

The sugarcane combine specified in claim 1 including a transverse belt in communication with the hopper and a steep, inclined conveyor attached to the side of the frame to transport the cut cane out of the combine, the conveyor having opposed conveying means positioned to engage opposite parts of a body of cane being conveyed thereby to prevent tumble-back of the cane.

Claim 6

The sugarcane combine specified in claim 4 in which one of the opposed conveying means overlying the other to prevent tumble-back includes a hugger chain assembly formed of a T-bar having its arm end pivoted at the upper end of the conveyor and having a driven sprocket at the arm end and an idler sprocket at the other end, and a chain entrained over said sprockets to aid in moving the cane up the steeply inclined conveyor.

Claim 7

The sugarcane conveyor specified in claim 5 in which the other of the opposed conveying means has a separate endless belt extending the length thereof and being in communication with the transverse belt from the hopper.

Claim 8

Pickup and feeding means for a sugarcane harvester, whiCh harvester includes a harvester frame provided with a ground knife for severing the cane stalks from the roots, said pickup and feeding means comprising a transversely mounted, rotating pickup drum having a plurality of radially outwardly open pockets positioned above said ground knife, the lifting action of the pickup drum picking up standing cane and down cane and transporting it to the rear of the ground knife and the pickup drum a pair of revolving endless chain conveyors, one positioned on each side of the ground knife, said conveyors extending forward from the pickup drum to pickup cane which is transverse to the movement of the harvester, and a feeder drum having helically arranged arms positioned above said pickup drum.

Claim 9

Pickup and feeding means for a sugarcane harvester, whiCh harvester includes a harvester frame provided with a ground knife for severing the cane stalks from the roots, said pickup and feeding means comprising a transversely mounted, rotating pickup drum having a plurality of radially outwardly open pockets positioned above said ground knife, the lifting action of the pickup drum picking up standing cane and down cane and transporting it to the rear of the ground knife and the pickup drum a pair of revolving endless chain conveyors, one positioned on each side of the ground knife, said conveyors extending forward from the pickup drum to pickup cane which is transverse to the movement of the harvester, and a feeder drum having helically arranged arms positioned above said pickup drum.

Claim 10

A combine for the harvesting of sugar cane, comprising: a self-propelled vehicle having a front wheel and two rear wheels; a vertically adjustable top cutter for cutting the tops from the stalks attached to the front of said vehicle: a harvesting frame pivotally attached between the wheels of said vehicle; means to raise and lower said harvester frame; a rotating ground knife for severing the stalks from the roots attached to the front of said frame; a transversely mounted rotating sickle bar cutter for cutting the severed stalks into short segments mounted in said frame rearward and upward of said ground knife; a transversely mounted rotating feed drum in the frame forward and upward of said ground knife, said feeder drum bending the cane forward prior to cutting so that, when severed, the butt ends of the cane project rearwardly; a transversely mounted rotating pickup drum having radially outwardly open pockets positioned above said ground knife and between said feeder drum and said sickle bar cutter; a transversely mounted rotating backing drum positioned beneath said sickle bar cutter, the pickup drum receiving the butt ends of the severed cane and transporting such cane to the backing drum and sickle bar cutter; a transverse endless belt rearward of said sickle bar cutter, the backing drum transporting the cane cut by the sickle bar cutter to the transverse endless belt; a steeply inclined conveyor attached to one side of the frame and in communication with the transverse endless belt, the conveyor having an endless belt for transporting the cane upward and means to prevent tumble-back of the cane as it proceeds up the belt, the conveyor having means to deposit the transported cane to a transport wagon.

Claim 11

A combine for the harvesting of sugar cane, comprising: a self-propelled vehicle having a front wheel and two rear wheels; a vertically adjustable top cutter for cutting the tops from the stalks attached to the front of said vehicle: a harvesting frame pivotally attached between the wheels of said vehicle; means to raise and lower said harvester frame; a rotating ground knife for severing the stalks from the roots attached to the front of said frame; a transversely mounted rotating sickle bar cutter for cutting the severed stalks into short segments mounted in said frame rearward and upward of said ground knife; a transversely mounted rotating feed drum in the frame forward and upward of said ground knife, said feeder drum bending the cane forward prior to cutting so that, when severed, the butt ends of the cane project rearwardly; a transversely mounted rotating pickup drum having radially outwardly open pockets positioned above said ground knife and between said feeder drum and said sickle bar cutter; a transversely mounted rotating backing drum positioned beneath said sickle bar cutter, the pickup drum receiving the butt ends of the severed cane and transporting such cane to the backing drum and sickle bar cutter; a transverse endless belt rearward of said sickle bar cutter, the backing drum transporting the cane cut by the sickle bar cutter to the transverse endless belt; a steeply inclined conveyor attached to one side of the frame and in communication with the transverse endless belt, the conveyor having an endless belt for transporting the cane upward and means to prevent tumble-back of the cane as it proceeds up the belt, the conveyor having means to deposit the transported cane to a transport wagon.

Claim 12

The combine specified in claim 8 in which the means for preventing tumble-back includes a hugger chain assembly formed of a T-bar, the arms of which are pivoted at the upper end of the conveyor; a driven sprocket journaled at the arm end of the T-bar and an idler sprocket at the other end; a chain entrained over said sprockets, said chain having fingers to aid in the movement of the cane along the endless belt, the hugger chain assembly being free to accommodate itself to the loading on the belt.

Claim 13

The combine specified in claim 8 in which the hugger chain assembly includes means to limit its movement toward the endless belt.