Continuous feeding for stack forming loaders

Claim 2

In a stacking machine: a crop feeder; a stack forming body for receiving the crop from said feeder; and a press, vertically reciprocable rectilinearly for compacting the crop received by said body, said press having means for accumulating the crop emanating from the feeder during each successive vertical descent of the press, said press being retractable from beneath the accumulated crop after the press reaches its lowered position for discharging each crop accumulation

Claim 3

A stack forming machine as claimed in claim 1; and means for holding the compacted crop against expansion while the accumulated crop is being discharged into the body and while an additional quantity of said crop is

Claim 4

A stacking machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said crop gravitates from the feeder into the body and said accumulating means is swingable laterally of its path of vertical movement to and from a position

Claim 5

A stacking machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein said crop gravitates from the feeder into the body and said accumulating means is disposed to intercept the crop gravitating from the feeder during vertical descent of

Claim 6

A stacking machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said accumulating means swings laterally into the body with the compacting means and thereupon,

Claim 7

A stacking machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said compacting means and said accumulating means are retractable laterally without vertical movement from between the compacted crop and the accumulated crop after

Claim 8

A stacking machine as claimed in claim 6; and means swingable laterally to a position over the top of the compacted crop prior to said retraction for holding the compacted crop against upward expansion while the

Claim 9

In a stacking machine: a crop feeder; a stack forming body for receiving the crop from said feeder; and a press, swingable laterally into and out of the body, shiftable downwardly in the body along a linear path for compacting the crop from time to time in the body as the crop is being fed thereinto and shiftable upwardly outside the body along a linear path toward a position for beginning the next compacting stroke, the axis of swinging movement of the press being vertically shiftable with the latter during its vertical travel, said press being provided with an accumulator swingable and reciprocable therewith for receiving the crop from the feeder during each compaction, and said body being provided with means for releasing the accumulated crop from the accumulator to the compacted crop after each compaction as the

Claim 10

In a stacking machine: a crop feeder; a stack forming body for receiving the crop from said feeder; and a press, swingable laterally into and out of the body, shiftable downwardly in the body along a linear path for compacting the crop from time to time in the body as the crop is being fed thereinto and shiftable upwardly outside the body along a linear path toward a position for beginning the next compacting stroke, the axis of swinging movement of the press being vertically shiftable with the latter during its vertical travel, said press being provided with an accumulator swingable and reciprocable therewith for receiving the crop from the feeder during each compaction, and said body being provided with means for releasing the accumulated crop from the accumulator to the compacted crop after each compaction as the

Claim 11

A stacking machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein the press and its accumulator are swingable from between the compacted crop and the accumulated crop after the press and accumulator have reached the end of

Claim 12

A stacking machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein said press and its accumulator are disposed exteriorly of the body when retracted and the

Claim 13

A stacking machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein, at the cessation of each vertical stroke of the press and its accumulator, the same are swung

Claim 14

In a stacking machine: a crop feeder; an elongated stack forming body for receiving the crop from said feeder; a vertically reciprocable and horizontally swingable press having its axis of swinging movement vertically shiftable during said reciprocation; power means operably coupled with said press for effecting said reciprocation thereof; and structure coupled with the press for guiding the latter through a closed loop of travel during said reciprocation in which loop the press is sequentially raised linearly, then swung arcuately to a position above a predetermined quantity of said crop previously fed into the body, thereupon lowered linearly while it is in said position to compact said quantity of the crop, and then retracted arcuately from said position.

Claim 15

In a stacking machine: a crop feeder; an elongated stack forming body for receiving the crop from said feeder; a vertically reciprocable and horizontally swingable press having its axis of swinging movement vertically shiftable during said reciprocation; power means operably coupled with said press for effecting said reciprocation thereof; and structure coupled with the press for guiding the latter through a closed loop of travel during said reciprocation in which loop the press is sequentially raised linearly, then swung arcuately to a position above a predetermined quantity of said crop previously fed into the body, thereupon lowered linearly while it is in said position to compact said quantity of the crop, and then retracted arcuately from said position.

Claim 16

A stacking machine as claimed in claim 12, said press being disposed within the body at all times during descent while the same is in said position and exteriorly of the body at all times during ascent while the

Claim 17

A stacking machine as claimed in claim 13, said press having an accumulator movable therewith, said accumulator being disposed to receive the crop being fed into the body while the press is in said position and disposed exteriorly of the body when the press is retracted to deposit the crop accumulated thereby onto the compacted quantity of said crop, said press and accumulator including a series of spaced elements extending

Claim 18

A stacking machine as claimed in claim 14; and a series of spaced retention devices extending longitudinally of the body throughout the length thereof, responsive to vertical movement of said elements and shiftable to a position above the compacted crop for holding the latter

Claim 19

A harvesting machine including a vehicle adapted for continuous advancement across a field having a crop thereon, said vehicle being provided with: a crop receiving body; apparatus for lifting the crop off the field and feeding the same into said body as the vehicle is advanced; a compressor for compacting the crop from time to time as the crop builds up in the body to produce a stack conforming substantially in size and shape with the body; means operable after compaction for releasing into the body that portion of said crop emanating from said apparatus and accumulating on the compressor during compaction; and means restricting the compression to linear descent along a vertical path

Claim 20

A harvesting machine including a vehicle adapted for continuous advancement across a field having a crop thereon, said vehicle being provided with: a crop receiving body; apparatus for lifting the crop off the field and feeding the same into said body as the vehicle is advanced; a compressor for compacting the crop from time to time as the crop builds up in the body to produce a stack conforming substantially in size and shape with the body; means operable after compaction for releasing into the body that portion of said crop emanating from said apparatus and accumulating on the compressor during compaction; and means restricting the compression to linear descent along a vertical path

Claim 21

A harvesting machine as claimed in claim 16 wherein said compressor is also swingable about a horizontal axis rendering the same extensible into the body prior to compaction to a first position overlying the crop built up in the body, and retractable out of the body after compaction to a

Claim 22

A harvesting machine as claimed in claim 17; and means movable into the body from opposed sides thereof after compaction to a position overlying the compacted crop for holding the latter against expansion after

Claim 23

In a stack producing method: feeding a crop into an elongated pile; compacting the entire pile throughout the length thereof to increase the density thereof; accumulating all of the crop being fed throughout the time said pile is being compacted; and discharging all of the accumulated crop to the pile after it has been

Claim 24

In a stack producing method: feeding a crop into an elongated pile; compacting the entire pile throughout the length thereof to increase the density thereof; accumulating all of the crop being fed throughout the time said pile is being compacted; and discharging all of the accumulated crop to the pile after it has been

Claim 25

A stack forming method as claimed in claim 19; and compacting the discharged accumulation into said pile throughout the length of the

Claim 26

A stack forming method as claimed in claim 20 wherein said crop gravitates into said pile for a prolonged period of time prior to

Claim 27

A stack forming method as claimed in claim 21 wherein said accumulated crop gravitates onto the compact pile throughout the length of the latter

Claim 28

A stack forming method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the compaction is linear and downwardly against said pile and against the accumulation

Claim 29

In a harvesting method: continuously lifting a crop off a field; dropping the lifted crop into a pile and transporting the latter while the crop is being lifted; exerting a continuous, steady, linear pushing or thrusting force or pressure downwardly throughout the entire upper surface of said pile to condense the latter into a single, compact unit during continuous lifting and feeding of the crop and during continuous transportation of the pile; continuously accumulating the fed crop above the pile during condensation of the latter; and releasing the accumulation for gravitation onto said unit while continuing to transport the latter and without interrupting said lifting or said

Claim 30

In a harvesting method: continuously lifting a crop off a field; dropping the lifted crop into a pile and transporting the latter while the crop is being lifted; exerting a continuous, steady, linear pushing or thrusting force or pressure downwardly throughout the entire upper surface of said pile to condense the latter into a single, compact unit during continuous lifting and feeding of the crop and during continuous transportation of the pile; continuously accumulating the fed crop above the pile during condensation of the latter; and releasing the accumulation for gravitation onto said unit while continuing to transport the latter and without interrupting said lifting or said

Claim 31

In a harvesting method as claimed in claim 24; and compressing said released accumulation against said unit to combine the same therewith.

Claim 32

In a harvesting method as claimed in claim 24; and proceeding, while interrupting the condensation step, to feed the crop into the body during continued transportation for collection upon said released accumulation.

Claim 33

In a harvesting method as claimed in claim 24; and compressing said collection and said released accumulation against the crop in the body to

Claim 34

A harvesting machine including a vehicle adapted for continuous advancement across a field having a crop thereon, said vehicle being provided with: an elongated crop receiving body having front and rear ends and opposed sides; apparatus for lifting the crop off the field and feeding the same through the front end of the body for gravitation into the latter; a row of spaced compressor elements extending along each of said sides respectively of the body throughout the length and exteriorly of the latter; means mounting said elements for upward, vertical movement after the body is filled with the crop, thence inwardly into the body along an arcuate path to a position above the crop, then downward, vertical movement against the crop to compact the latter, and thereupon outwardly out of the

Claim 35

A harvesting machine including a vehicle adapted for continuous advancement across a field having a crop thereon, said vehicle being provided with: an elongated crop receiving body having front and rear ends and opposed sides; apparatus for lifting the crop off the field and feeding the same through the front end of the body for gravitation into the latter; a row of spaced compressor elements extending along each of said sides respectively of the body throughout the length and exteriorly of the latter; means mounting said elements for upward, vertical movement after the body is filled with the crop, thence inwardly into the body along an arcuate path to a position above the crop, then downward, vertical movement against the crop to compact the latter, and thereupon outwardly out of the

Claim 36

A harvesting machine as claimed in claim 28, the elements along one of said sides meeting with the elements along the other of said sides when the elements are within the body, presenting a barrier for accumulating crop emanating from said apparatus during said downward movement of the

Claim 37

A harvesting machine as claimed in claim 29; a row of spaced holding members extending along each of said sides respectively of the body throughout the length and exteriorly of the latter; and means mounting said members for swinging movement inwardly into the body into overlying relation to the compacted crop for maintaining the latter in its compacted

Claim 38

In a stack producing method: continuously feeding loose crop material into an elongated container without compacting the material until the latter is filled; thereupon exerting a continuous, steady, linear pushing or thrusting force or pressure downwardly within the container against the loose crop therein throughout the entire upper surface thereof to compress the same into a compact unit while continuing to feed additional loose crop material into the container; loosely accumulating said additional material in the container while compaction of said unit and feeding of additional loose material continues without interruption; withdrawing said pressure and simultaneously discharging said accumulated loose material on top of the compact unit without interrupting said feeding; continuing said feeding until the container is again filled; and repeating the compressing step to combine the loose material with the

Claim 39

In a stack producing method: continuously feeding loose crop material into an elongated container without compacting the material until the latter is filled; thereupon exerting a continuous, steady, linear pushing or thrusting force or pressure downwardly within the container against the loose crop therein throughout the entire upper surface thereof to compress the same into a compact unit while continuing to feed additional loose crop material into the container; loosely accumulating said additional material in the container while compaction of said unit and feeding of additional loose material continues without interruption; withdrawing said pressure and simultaneously discharging said accumulated loose material on top of the compact unit without interrupting said feeding; continuing said feeding until the container is again filled; and repeating the compressing step to combine the loose material with the

Claim 40

A hay wagon comprising: a receptacle for receiving loose hay, a compacting mechanism reciprocally supported by at least one side of the receptacle for periodically engaging and compressing hay, power means for generally vertically lowering and elevating the compacting mechanism in respect to hay in the receptacle and in respect to said spaced sides causing the compacting mechanism to engage and compact hay when lowered, means for continuously picking up loose hay from a ground-engaging position while simultaneously compacting the hay, and for intermittently delivering

Claim 41

A hay wagon comprising: a receptacle for receiving loose hay, a compacting mechanism reciprocally supported by at least one side of the receptacle for periodically engaging and compressing hay, power means for generally vertically lowering and elevating the compacting mechanism in respect to hay in the receptacle and in respect to said spaced sides causing the compacting mechanism to engage and compact hay when lowered, means for continuously picking up loose hay from a ground-engaging position while simultaneously compacting the hay, and for intermittently delivering

Claim 42

A crop wagon comprising: a bed for receiving a crop; a compactor disposed remotely above the bed; a crop delivery unit for picking up the crop from a field and delivering it to and spreading it along the bed; power means for reciprocating the compactor between said remote disposition and a contiguous compacting relation with the crop within the wagon; crop accumulator means interposed between the delivery unit and the bed to temporarily store the incoming crop while the compactor moves between its remote and compacting positions and thereafter deliver the stored crop to the bed, thereby accommodating continuous pick up of the crop from the field concurrent with compaction of the crop on the bed.

Claim 43

A crop wagon comprising: a bed for receiving a crop; a compactor disposed remotely above the bed; a crop delivery unit for picking up the crop from a field and delivering it to and spreading it along the bed; power means for reciprocating the compactor between said remote disposition and a contiguous compacting relation with the crop within the wagon; crop accumulator means interposed between the delivery unit and the bed to temporarily store the incoming crop while the compactor moves between its remote and compacting positions and thereafter deliver the stored crop to the bed, thereby accommodating continuous pick up of the crop from the field concurrent with compaction of the crop on the bed.