Harvester drive system

Claim 2

A crop harvesting machine adapted for powered operation by a tractor having a power take-off (PTO) means, comprising: a wheeled frame adapted for coupling to the tractor in trailing relation thereto; a crop harvesting platform on said frame including a pair of crop-conveying augers one behind the other disposed in a direction transverse to the forward direction of travel of the machine for conveying the crop in the transverse direction; means for driving one of said augers from the PTO at one side of said platform; and means for transmitting power from said one auger to the other of said augers at an opposite end of said platform.

Claim 3

The subject matter of claim 1, wherein said crop harvesting platform includes a crop-gathering reel disposed in parallel relation to said augers; and means for transmitting pOwer from said other auger to said reel at said opposite side of said platform.

Claim 4

A crop harvesting machine adapted for powered operation by a tractor having a power take-off (PTO) means, comprising: a wheeled frame adapted for coupling to the tractor in trailing relation thereto; a crop harvesting platform on said frame including a pair of crop-conveying augers disposed transversely to the forward direction of travel of the machine, said augers being disposed in parallel relation one behind the other; means for driving the rearmost of said augers from the PTO at one side of said platform; and means for transmitting power from said rearmost auger to the frontmost auger at an opposite side of said platform.

Claim 5

A crop harvesting machine adapted for powered operation by a tractor having a power take-off (PTO) means, comprising: a wheeled frame adapted for coupling to the tractor in trailing relation thereto; a crop harvesting platform on said frame including a pair of crop-conveying augers disposed transversely to the forward direction of travel of the machine, said augers being disposed in parallel relation one behind the other; means for driving the rearmost of said augers from the PTO at one side of said platform; and means for transmitting power from said rearmost auger to the frontmost auger at an opposite side of said platform.

Claim 6

The subject matter of claim 3, wherein said crop harvesting platform includes a crop-gathering reel disposed in parallel relation to said augers; and means for transmitting power from said frontmost auger to said reel at said opposite side of said platform.

Claim 7

A crop harvesting machine adapted for powered operation by a tractor having a power take-off (PTO) means, comprising: a wheeled frame adapted for coupling to the tractor in trailing relation thereto; a crop harvesting platform on said frame including a cutter disposed along the forward edge of said platform for cutting a standing crop and a pair of augers disposed behind and parallel to said cutter for consolidating the cut crop for deposit onto the ground in a windrow; means at one side of said platform for transmitting power from the PTO to one of said augers to rotate said one auger in such direction that its upper surface moves rearwardly to present an upper crop-conveying surface; and means at the opposite side of said platform for transmitting power from said one auger to the other of said augers to rotate said other auger in the same direction as said one auger, whereby the cut crop is conveyed on the upper crop-conveying surfaces for consolidation into a windrow.

Claim 8

A crop harvesting machine adapted for powered operation by a tractor having a power take-off (PTO) means, comprising: a wheeled frame adapted for coupling to the tractor in trailing relation thereto; a crop harvesting platform on said frame including a cutter disposed along the forward edge of said platform for cutting a standing crop and a pair of augers disposed behind and parallel to said cutter for consolidating the cut crop for deposit onto the ground in a windrow; means at one side of said platform for transmitting power from the PTO to one of said augers to rotate said one auger in such direction that its upper surface moves rearwardly to present an upper crop-conveying surface; and means at the opposite side of said platform for transmitting power from said one auger to the other of said augers to rotate said other auger in the same direction as said one auger, whereby the cut crop is conveyed on the upper crop-conveying surfaces for consolidation into a windrow.

Claim 9

The subject matter of claim 5, wherein said platform further includes a crop-gathering reel journaled thereon above said cutter for projecting the cut crop rearwardly onto said augers; and means at said opposite side of said platform for transmitting power from said other auger to said reel to rotate said reel in a direction opposite to that of said augers.

Claim 10

A crop harvesting machine, comprising: a mobile frame adapted to be coupled to a tractor in baiting relation thereto having power take-off (PTO) means; a crop harvesting platform on said frame adapted to cut a standing crop and deposit the crop onto the ground in a windrow; a cutter extending along the forward edge of said platform; a crop-gathering reel journaled on said platform above said cutter; a pair of crop-conveying augers disposed on the platform rearwardly of said cutter, said augers being disposed in parallel relation one behind the other; a pair of coacting crop conditioner rolls journaled on said platform rearwardly of said augers; a gearbox mounted on said platform at one side thereof and having a forwardly extending power input shaft means adapted to be drivingly connected to the PTO on the tractor, said gearbox including a transversely extending power output shaft; first drive means at said one side of said platform for driving said cutter from said power input shaft means; second drive means at said one side of said platform for driving said conditioner rolls from said power output shaft; third drive means at said one side of said platform for driving the rearmost of said augers from said power output shaft; and fourth drive means at the opposite side of said platform for driving the frontmost of said augers and said reel from said rearmost auger.

Claim 11

A crop harvesting machine, comprising: a mobile frame adapted to be coupled to a tractor in baiting relation thereto having power take-off (PTO) means; a crop harvesting platform on said frame adapted to cut a standing crop and deposit the crop onto the ground in a windrow; a cutter extending along the forward edge of said platform; a crop-gathering reel journaled on said platform above said cutter; a pair of crop-conveying augers disposed on the platform rearwardly of said cutter, said augers being disposed in parallel relation one behind the other; a pair of coacting crop conditioner rolls journaled on said platform rearwardly of said augers; a gearbox mounted on said platform at one side thereof and having a forwardly extending power input shaft means adapted to be drivingly connected to the PTO on the tractor, said gearbox including a transversely extending power output shaft; first drive means at said one side of said platform for driving said cutter from said power input shaft means; second drive means at said one side of said platform for driving said conditioner rolls from said power output shaft; third drive means at said one side of said platform for driving the rearmost of said augers from said power output shaft; and fourth drive means at the opposite side of said platform for driving the frontmost of said augers and said reel from said rearmost auger.

Claim 12

The subject matter of claim 7 wherein said power input shaft means includes a slip clutch for preventing overloading of the various components.

Claim 13

A crop harvesting machine adapted to be coupled to a tractor in trailing relation thereto having power takeoff (PTO) means and including a crop Harvesting platform adapted to cut a standing crop and deposit the crop onto the ground in a windrow, the improvement comprising: a cutter extending along the forward edge of said platform; a crop-gathering reel journaled on said platform above said cutter; a pair of crop-conveying augers one behind the other disposed on said platform rearwardly of said cutter; a pair of coacting crop conditioner rolls journaled on said platform rearwardly of said augers; power input means adapted to be drivingly connected from the PTO of the tractor to one side of the platform; first drive means at said one side of said platform for drivingly interconnecting said power input means with said cutter, one of said augers, and said pair of rolls; and second drive means at the opposite side of said platform for driving the other of said augers and said reel from said one auger.

Claim 14

A crop harvesting machine adapted to be coupled to a tractor in trailing relation thereto having power takeoff (PTO) means and including a crop Harvesting platform adapted to cut a standing crop and deposit the crop onto the ground in a windrow, the improvement comprising: a cutter extending along the forward edge of said platform; a crop-gathering reel journaled on said platform above said cutter; a pair of crop-conveying augers one behind the other disposed on said platform rearwardly of said cutter; a pair of coacting crop conditioner rolls journaled on said platform rearwardly of said augers; power input means adapted to be drivingly connected from the PTO of the tractor to one side of the platform; first drive means at said one side of said platform for drivingly interconnecting said power input means with said cutter, one of said augers, and said pair of rolls; and second drive means at the opposite side of said platform for driving the other of said augers and said reel from said one auger.