US3901008A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Crop gathering apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-11-05
•
Granted: 1975-08-26
•
Expires: 1993-11-05
Abstract
Abstract A crop gathering apparatus comprising a crop pickup unit having flails rotated about an axis transverse to the direction of movement of the apparatus and operable to pick up the crop either from a windrow or crop refuse and throw it rearwardly through a crop receiving chamber axially of the said direction, and with the chamber passing the crop into the center of a crop blowing unit which includes a blower rotating in a vertical plane about an axis co-axial with said direction, the blower operable to throw the crop upwardly and rearwardly.
Inventors
- 👤 Howard W Taylor
- 👤 Richard C Pedersen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 07:46
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D90/00; A01D85/00; A01D85/001; A01D85/004; A01D87/00; A01D87/10; A01F; A01F29/00; A01F29/01
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
250 words
A crop gathering machine comprising: frame means; crop gathering means pivotally mounted on said frame means and adjustable between vertically spaced positions, said gathering means having a rotatable unit extended transversely to the normal direction of travel of the machine and operable to pick up and throw the crop rearwardly thereof relative to the said normal direction, said rotatable unit including a plurality of flails rotatably connected to a shaft of said unit, a housing extending around said rotatable unit and having an opening at the bottom and at the rear thereof; crop receiving means including a receiving means housing connected in direct communication to the rear opening of said gathering means housing for transferring the gathered crop rearwardly and co-axially of the said normal direction of travel, said crop receiving means consisting of an enclosed chamber substantially free of obstructions to the passage of gathered crops, said enclosed chamber extending substantially horizontally and rearwardly of said gathering means and in line with the center of said gathering means, said enclosed chamber converging in transverse width as it extends rearwardly; crop blowing means connected in direct communication with said receiving means to the rear thereof, said blowing means including a vertically disposed chamber having an inlet and an outlet and having a fan rotatably mounted therein for rotation about a horizontal axis co-axial of the said normal direction of travel, said chamber of said crop receiving means being in direct communication with the inlet of the crop blowing means chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
250 words
A crop gathering machine comprising: frame means; crop gathering means pivotally mounted on said frame means and adjustable between vertically spaced positions, said gathering means having a rotatable unit extended transversely to the normal direction of travel of the machine and operable to pick up and throw the crop rearwardly thereof relative to the said normal direction, said rotatable unit including a plurality of flails rotatably connected to a shaft of said unit, a housing extending around said rotatable unit and having an opening at the bottom and at the rear thereof; crop receiving means including a receiving means housing connected in direct communication to the rear opening of said gathering means housing for transferring the gathered crop rearwardly and co-axially of the said normal direction of travel, said crop receiving means consisting of an enclosed chamber substantially free of obstructions to the passage of gathered crops, said enclosed chamber extending substantially horizontally and rearwardly of said gathering means and in line with the center of said gathering means, said enclosed chamber converging in transverse width as it extends rearwardly; crop blowing means connected in direct communication with said receiving means to the rear thereof, said blowing means including a vertically disposed chamber having an inlet and an outlet and having a fan rotatably mounted therein for rotation about a horizontal axis co-axial of the said normal direction of travel, said chamber of said crop receiving means being in direct communication with the inlet of the crop blowing means chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A crop gathering machine as described in claim 1, and wherein said gathering means includes a generally cylindrical housing for said rotatable unit, and further wherein means is provided on said frame for adjustably raising and lowering said housing and unit together relative to the ground.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A crop gathering machine as described in claim 2, and further wherein said housing includes a ground engageable roller vertically adjustably connected thereto.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A crop gathering machine as described in claim 3, and further wherein said housing has an elongated opening formed therein across the upper rear end thereof through which the gathered crop is discharged by operation of said rotatable unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A crop gathering machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the inlet of the crop blowing means chamber has a vertical height of less than half the diameter of the fan of the crop blowing means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A crop gathering machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the width of the inlet of the crop blowing means chamber is less than the diameter of the fan of the crop blowing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
A crop gathering machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the chamber of said crop receiving means is an auger-free chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A crop gathering machine as described in claim 1, and wherein said chamber is formed by a housing which is pivotally connected at its upper front to said crop gathering means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
A crop gathering machine as described in claim 1, and wherein said chamber is disposed generally horizontally within a housing, and further wherein said gathering means includes a cylindrical housing to the upper rear of which the Front upper portion of said receiving means housing is pivotally connected.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A crop gathering machine as described in claim 1, and wherein said blowing means chamber is enclosed in a housing which extends upwardly, having an outlet at the upper end thereof vertically above the remainder of the machine.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
A crop gathering machine as described in claim 10, and wherein said housing has an opening formed in the front thereof centrally and just below the axis of said fan, and further wherein said receiving means also includes a rearwardly extended housing open at the rear end thereof, which rear end registers with said opening.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A crop gathering machine as described in claim 11, and wherein said receiving means housing is pivotally connected at its upper rear end to said blowing means housing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
137 words
A crop gathering machine as described in claim 2, and wherein said adjustable means comprises a shaft rotatably mounted to the upper front of the gathering means housing, a pair of rocker arms each secured at one end to said shaft and connected at the other end to said housing within a slot formed therein, a piston and cylinder device connected between said frame and said shaft, and lost motion means linking said piston and cylinder device to said crop gathering machine housing for allowing the piston and cylinder device to pull the crop gathering means housing upwardly but allowing the crop gathering machine housing to move upwardly beyond the point moved by the piston and cylinder device when the crop gathering means passes over an elevated surface in the terrain over which the machine is traversing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
A crop gathering machine as described in claim 13, and wherein a pair of parallel links are pivotally connected at one end thereof to said frame means at a point spaced from said shaft and at the other end thereof the lower portion of said housing, said links working in conjunction with said rock arms to move said gathering means vertically while maintaining its horizontal disposition over the ground.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1346433A
Cited
US2955403A
Cited
US3664099A
Cited
US3732672A
Cited
US3748840A
Cited
US3782086A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-25 | 1979-02-24 | 1979-08-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-25 | 1983-02-24 | 1983-08-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-25 | 1987-02-24 | 1987-08-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |