Crop pick-up mechanism

Claim 2

In a harvester having a crop-receiving unit, a crop pick-up for removing crop from the ground and delivering it rearwardly to the crop-receiving unit comprising: a frame including a pair of side members secured to the crop-receiving unit and extending forwardly therefrom; a pair of ground wheels journaled to the side members for rotation upon forward movement of the harvester at a circumferential rate corresponding to the rate of forward movement, a first drum journaled between the side member and having a plurality of radially extending fingers secured thereto; the fingers being of a length to have their outer ends in close proximity to the ground surface when extending downwardly; drive means interconnecting the first drum with at least one of the wheels to drive the fingers thereon at a tip rate slightly less than the rate of forward movement of the harvester and in the same direction as the wheels; a second drum journaled between the side walls rearwardly of the first drum and having a plurality of radially extending fingers whose outer ends are spaced from the ground when extending downwardly; and drive means connected to the second drum for driving the fingers thereon at a tip rate greater than the tip rate at which the fingers on the first drum are driven and in the opposite direction.

Claim 3

The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outer ends of the fingers on the first drum are bent slightly to the rear with respect to the direction of rotation of the first drum.

Claim 4

The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein the drive means connected to the second drum interconnects the second drum with a rotating member on the harvester to drive the second drum at a rate proportional to the rate of the rotating member.

Claim 5

In a crop harvester adapted to advance forwardly and having a transverse forwardly disposed harvesting platform including a generally horizontal bottom with a transverse leading edge, an auger supported above the platform bottom rearwardly of the leading edge and operative to transversely converge crop material and deliver it rearwardly, drive means on the harvester interconnected with and for driving the auger, the improvement residing in a crop pick-up for removing crop from the ground and delivering it rearwardly for placement on the platform bottom comprising: a frame including a pair of side members secured to the platform and extending forwardly therefrom; a rear finger drum journaled between the side members directly in front of the leading edge of the platform bottom; means interconnecting the rear finger drum with the drive means for driving the rear finger drum at a speed proportional to the speed of the drive means, a front finger drum journaled between the side members; a pair of wheels journaled to the side members and supporting the pick-up in a vertical position with the front finger drum in close proximity to the ground; and endless flexible drive means interconnecting the front finger drum with one of the wheels to drive the front finger drum in the same direction as and at a speed proportional to the speed of the wheels and at a peripheral speed less than the forward speed of the combine.

Claim 6

In a crop harvester adapted to advance forwardly and having a transverse forwardly disposed harvesting platform including a generally horizontal bottom with a transverse leading edge, an auger supported above the platform bottom rearwardly of the leading edge and operative to transversely converge crop material and deliver it rearwardly, drive means on the harvester interconnected with and for driving the auger, the improvement residing in a crop pick-up for removing crop from the ground and delivering it rearwardly for placement on the platform bottom comprising: a frame including a pair of side members secured to the platform and extending forwardly therefrom; a rear finger drum journaled between the side members directly in front of the leading edge of the platform bottom; means interconnecting the rear finger drum with the drive means for driving the rear finger drum at a speed proportional to the speed of the drive means, a front finger drum journaled between the side members; a pair of wheels journaled to the side members and supporting the pick-up in a vertical position with the front finger drum in close proximity to the ground; and endless flexible drive means interconnecting the front finger drum with one of the wheels to drive the front finger drum in the same direction as and at a speed proportional to the speed of the wheels and at a peripheral speed less than the forward speed of the combine.

Claim 7

The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein the front finger drum includes a plurality of generally radially extending fingers whose outer ends extend slightly to the rear with respect to the direction of rotation of the front finger drum.

Claim 8

In a combine adapted to advance forwardly and including a forwardly extending feeder house having its rear end supported on a transverse pivot, power means for raising and lowering the forward end of the feeder house about the transverse pivot, a transverse platform secured to the forward end of the feeder house and having a bottom wall with a transverse leading edge, an auger supported above the platform bottom wall rearwardly of the leading edge and operative to transversely converge crop material and deliver it rearwardly to the feeder house, and drive means on the combine connected with and for driving the auger, a crop pick-up comprising: a pair of side walls rigidly secured to and extending forwardly of the platform; a pair of wheels journaled on the side walls for supporting the platform and pick-up when the forward end of the feeder house is lowered; a first forward drum journaled between the side walls and including a plurality of generally radially extending fingers of a length to have their outer ends in close proximity to the ground surface when extending downwardly and the pick-up is supported by the wheels; power transfer means interconnecting the first drum with one of the wheels for imparting rotary motion to the first drum in the same direction as the rotary motion of the wheels and at a fingertip speed less than the forward speed of the combine; a second rear drum journaled between the side walls intermediate the first drum and the leading edge of the bottom of the platform; the second drum including a plurality of generally radially extending fingers having outer ends spaced from the ground surface; and means interconnecting the second drum with the drive means to selectively impart a rotary motion to the second drum in a direction opposite to the rotary motion of the first drum and at a fingertip speed greater than the fingertip speed of the first drum.

Claim 9

In a combine adapted to advance forwardly and including a forwardly extending feeder house having its rear end supported on a transverse pivot, power means for raising and lowering the forward end of the feeder house about the transverse pivot, a transverse platform secured to the forward end of the feeder house and having a bottom wall with a transverse leading edge, an auger supported above the platform bottom wall rearwardly of the leading edge and operative to transversely converge crop material and deliver it rearwardly to the feeder house, and drive means on the combine connected with and for driving the auger, a crop pick-up comprising: a pair of side walls rigidly secured to and extending forwardly of the platform; a pair of wheels journaled on the side walls for supporting the platform and pick-up when the forward end of the feeder house is lowered; a first forward drum journaled between the side walls and including a plurality of generally radially extending fingers of a length to have their outer ends in close proximity to the ground surface when extending downwardly and the pick-up is supported by the wheels; power transfer means interconnecting the first drum with one of the wheels for imparting rotary motion to the first drum in the same direction as the rotary motion of the wheels and at a fingertip speed less than the forward speed of the combine; a second rear drum journaled between the side walls intermediate the first drum and the leading edge of the bottom of the platform; the second drum including a plurality of generally radially extending fingers having outer ends spaced from the ground surface; and means interconnecting the second drum with the drive means to selectively impart a rotary motion to the second drum in a direction opposite to the rotary motion of the first drum and at a fingertip speed greater than the fingertip speed of the first drum.

Claim 10

A combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein the outer ends of the fingers on the first drum extend slightly to the rear with respect to the direction of rotation of the first drum.

Claim 11

A combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein a top wall extends between and interconnects the side walls and has a fore-and-aft dimension sufficient to overlie both the first and second drums.