Two row cutter windrower harvesting machine

Claim 2

A cane severing machine for severing cane from two adjacent parallel rows and for subsequently orienting the severed cane in a single windrow between the two adjacent rows with the individual cane members extending parallel to the two rows, said machine comprising a power driven vehicle, cane positioning and guiding means mounted on the forward portion of said power driven vehicle for engaging the cane of each row and positioning and holding the cane for engagement with a cane bottom severing means for each row carried by the vehicle adjacent ground level for severing the cane of each row a small distance above ground level and severed cane deflecting and guiding means including two driven kicker rolls associated with each of the cane bottom severing means of each row for deflecting and guiding the severed cane into a single windrow extending parallel to and between the two rows from which the cane is being severed.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein said cane positioning and guiding means includes first and second inclined parting scroll means positioned with a forward end adjacent ground level in conjunction with each of the respective cane rows and power drive means for rotating said parting scroll means.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2 additionally including cane topping means for severing the tops of the cane of each of said rows prior to the severing of the lower ends of the cane.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 3 wherein said cane positioning and guiding means includes a pair of power driven chain members positioned to define a converging slot associated with each row of cane for guiding and holding the top portions of the cane of the respective rows with said cane topping means being positioned adjacent the rearmost portion of said slot for each of the rows.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 4 wherein said cane bottom severing means comprises a rotary disc having radially extending cutter blades.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 1 wherein the cane bottom severing means for each row comprises a rotary cutter disc oriented in substantially a horizontal plane and driven by power motor means.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 6 wherein said kicker rolls are mounted above their respective rotary cutter discs with their axes of rotation being parallel to the axis of rotation of said cutting discs.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 7 additionally including an inverted U-shaped trough positioned immediately behind and between the kicker rolls so that the lower ends of the severed cane are directed into said trough and a deflector shield inclined above the forward end of said trough engaged by the upper ends of the severed cane to deflect the forward ends downwardly to orient the cane in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the vehicle.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 8 wherein said cane positioning and guiding means includes first and second inclined parting scroll means positioned with a forward end adjacent ground level in conjunction with each of the respective cane rows and power drive means for rotating said parting scroll means.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 9 additionally including cane topping means for severing the tops of the cane of each of said rows prior to the severing of the lower ends of the cane.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 10 wherein said cane positioning and guiding means includes a pair of power driven chain members positioned to define a coNverging slot associated with each row of cane for guiding and holding the top portions of the cane of the respective rows with said cane topping means being positioned adjacent the rearmost portion of said slot for each of the rows.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 11 additionally including tangle parting severing means mounted adjacent the rearmost end of said parting scroll means for severing badly tangled cane to prevent uprooting of such tangled cane by continued forward motion of the vehicle.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 12 wherein said cane positioning and guiding means additionally includes a lifting shield means extending inwardly adjacent each of said parting scroll means along a substantial portion of the length thereof for lifting and guiding fallen cane upwardly into said parting scroll means.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 1 additionally including cane topping means for severing the tops of cane of each of said rows and guiding and deflecting means for guiding the severed cane tops downwardly for deposit on the ground immediately outward of the two rows being harvested.

Claim 16

The invention of claim 14 wherein said power driven vehicle includes ground engaging power driven track means for enabling movement of the vehicle over the field.

Claim 17

The invention of claim 15 wherein said severed tops are deposited immediately in front of the track means of the tracked vehicle to be overrun by subsequent forward movement of the vehicle.

Claim 18

The invention of claim 16 wherein said cane positioning and guiding means includes first and second inclined parting scroll means positioned with a forward end adjacent ground level in conjunction with each of the respective cane rows and power drive means for rotating said parting scroll means.

Claim 19

The invention of claim 17 wherein said cane positioning and guiding means includes a pair of power driven chain members positioned to define a converging slot associated with each row of cane for guiding and holding the top portions of the cane of the respective rows with said cane topping means being positioned adjacent the rearmost portion of said slot for each of the rows.

Claim 20

The invention of claim 18 wherein said cane bottom severing means comprises a rotary disc member, radially extending cutter blades extending outwardly from said rotary disc member and motor means for rotating said rotary disc member.

Claim 21

The invention of claim 19 wherein said cane positioning and guiding means includes rotary cane deflector rolls having radially extending deflector plates extending upwardly above said rotary cutter discs of each of the cane bottom severing means.

Claim 22

The invention of claim 19 additionally including tangle parting severing means mounted adjacent the rearmost end of said parting scroll means for severing badly tangled cane to prevent uprooting of such tangled cane by continued forward motion of the vehicle.

Claim 23

The invention of claim 21 wherein said cane positioning and guiding means additionally includes a lifting shield means extending inwardly adjacent each of said parting scroll means along a substantial portion of the length thereof for lifting and guiding fallen cane upwardly into said parting scroll means.

Claim 24

A cane harvesting machine for harvesting cane from two adjacent parallel rows and for providing the harvested cane from both rows in a single windrow extending parallel and between the two adjacent rows, said machine comprising a power driven vehicle having a vehicle frame, cane top severing means for severing the tops from the cane of both rows, a cutter-kicker unit positioned adjacent each row for severing the bottom of the cane of each row at or near ground level and kicking the severed cane into a deflecting and orienting means for positioning the cane from both rows in a windrow between the two rows with the individual cane components of the windrow extending parallel to the two rows wherein said cutter-kicker units each comprises a horizontal cutting disc, first and second kicker rolls positioned aboVe said cutting disc with their axes parallel to the axis of rotation of said cutter disc and power means for rotating said kicker rolls and said cutter disc.

Claim 25

A cane harvesting machine for harvesting cane from two adjacent parallel rows and for providing the harvested cane from both rows in a single windrow extending parallel and between the two adjacent rows, said machine comprising a power driven vehicle having a vehicle frame, cane top severing means for severing the tops from the cane of both rows, a cutter-kicker unit positioned adjacent each row for severing the bottom of the cane of each row at or near ground level and kicking the severed cane into a deflecting and orienting means for positioning the cane from both rows in a windrow between the two rows with the individual cane components of the windrow extending parallel to the two rows wherein said cutter-kicker units each comprises a horizontal cutting disc, first and second kicker rolls positioned aboVe said cutting disc with their axes parallel to the axis of rotation of said cutter disc and power means for rotating said kicker rolls and said cutter disc.

Claim 26

The invention of claim 23 additionally including deflector means for deflecting the severed cane tops into positions outward of and adjacent the rows from which the cane tops are severed.

Claim 27

The invention of claim 24 additionally including lifting and orienting means for lifting recumbent cane into substantially a vertical position to enable the cutting of the tops from the lifted cane.

Claim 28

The invention of claim 25 additionally including upper guide means for receiving the upper ends of the cane for guiding the cane into cane top severing means and for holding the cane until the cutter-kicker unit severs the cane at or near ground level.

Claim 29

A cane severing machine for severing cane from two adjacent parallel rows and for subsequently orienting the severed cane in a single windrow between the two adjacent rows with the individual cane members extending parallel to the two rows, said machine comprising a power driven vehicle, cane positioning and guiding means mounted on the forward portion of said power driven vehicle for engaging the cane of each row and positioning and holding the cane for engagement with a cane bottom severing means for each row carried by the vehicle adjacent ground level for severing the cane of each row a small distance above ground level, said cane positioning and guiding means including first and second inclined parting scroll means positioned with a forward end adjacent ground level in conjunction with each of the respective cane rows and power drive means for rotating said parting scroll means, a pair of power driven chain members positioned to define a converging slot associated with each row of cane for guiding and holding the top portions of the cane of the respective rows, cane topping means positioned adjacent the rearmost portion of each of said converging slots for severing the tops of the cane of each of said rows prior to the severing of the lower ends of the cane, said cane bottom severing means comprising a rotary disc having radially extending cutter blades and rotary cane deflector rolls having radially extending deflector blades extending upwardly above said rotary cutter disc of each of said cane bottom severing means for guiding the severed cane into a windrow extending parallel to and between the two rows from which the cane is being severed.

Claim 30

A cane severing machine for severing cane from two adjacent parallel rows and for subsequently orienting the severed cane in a single windrow between the two adjacent rows with the individual cane members extending parallel to the two rows, said machine comprising a power driven vehicle, cane positioning and guiding means mounted on the forward portion of said power driven vehicle for engaging the cane of each row and positioning and holding the cane for engagement with a cane bottom severing means for each row carried by the vehicle adjacent ground level for severing the cane of each row a small distance above ground level, said cane positioning and guiding means including first and second inclined parting scroll means positioned with a forward end adjacent ground level in conjunction with each of the respective cane rows and power drive means for rotating said parting scroll means, a pair of power driven chain members positioned to define a converging slot associated with each row of cane for guiding and holding the top portions of the cane of the respective rows, cane topping means positioned adjacent the rearmost portion of each of said converging slots for severing the tops of the cane of each of said rows prior to the severing of the lower ends of the cane, said cane bottom severing means comprising a rotary disc having radially extending cutter blades and rotary cane deflector rolls having radially extending deflector blades extending upwardly above said rotary cutter disc of each of said cane bottom severing means for guiding the severed cane into a windrow extending parallel to and between the two rows from which the cane is being severed.

Claim 31

The invention of claim 27 additionally including tangle parting severing means mounted adjacent the rearmost end of said parting scroll means for severing badly tangled cane to prevent uprooting of such tangled cane by continued forward motion of the vehicle.

Claim 32

The invention of claim 28 wherein said cane positioning and guiding means additionally includes a lifting shield means extending inwardly adjacent each of said parting scroll means along a substantial portion of the length thereof for lifting and guiding fallen cane upwardly into said parting scroll means.