US4384444A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bean cutting device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1981-11-02
•
Granted: 1983-05-24
•
Expires: 2001-11-02
Abstract
Abstract A bean cutting device to cut beans when harvesting a bean crop. The device is mountable on the front of a tractor and includes a frame carrying a plurality of generally upright but forwardly inclined columns. Each column carries a cutting assembly including a cutting blade mounted on a shaft rotated by a hydraulic motor. The cutting blade is comprised as a spherical segment and has a leading edge disposed in slightly penetrating relationship relative to the soil surface. The cutting blades operate in counter-rotating pairs to cut and windrow rows of beans. Deflector units are mounted at the bases of the columns to deflect cut beans into a windrow located between pairs of counter-rotating blades.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank W. Rossler, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 13:39
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D34/00; A01D34/01; A01D34/412; A01D34/63; A01D34/64; A01D34/66; A01D34/661; A01D34/662
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
320 words
A bean cutting device mountable on the front of a tractor for cutting bean plants arranged in a field of soil in parallel spaced apart rows upon forward advancement of the tractor, comprising: a frame mountable on the front of a tractor; said frame carrying a plurality of spaced apart, tubular columns, means mounting said columns on the frame with axes in a generally upright orientation and slightly forwardly inclined from the lower end of the column to the upper end of the column; a cutting blade assembly mounted on each column, each said cutting blade assembly including a rotatable cutting blade mounted at the lower end of the column, said blade comprised as a spherical segment having a cutting edge defining a circular plane and rotatable about an axis coincidental with the inclined axis of the column whereby the circular plane defined by the cutting edge is disposed at an acute angle with respect to the ground surface; means for counter-rotation of the cutting blades in cooperating pairs whereby the leading edges of cutting blades in cooperating pairs rotate toward each other; means positioning the cutting blades whereby the leading edge of the cutting blade slightly penetrates the ground surface upon rotation of the cutting blades and forward advancement of the tractor; a deflector and scraper unit mounted at the lower end of each column poised just above the cutting blade, said deflector and scraper unit including an elongated deflector plate extending rearwardly and angularly inward, said deflector plates mounted on columns carrying cooperating pairs of cutting blades extending inward toward one another to deflect bean vines that are cut by the cutting blades and carried along the surface of the cutting blades to a single row disposed between a pair of cooperating cutting blades, each said deflector plate having a lower edge with an upwardly directed curvature shaped to conform to the upper surface of the cutting blade.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
320 words
A bean cutting device mountable on the front of a tractor for cutting bean plants arranged in a field of soil in parallel spaced apart rows upon forward advancement of the tractor, comprising: a frame mountable on the front of a tractor; said frame carrying a plurality of spaced apart, tubular columns, means mounting said columns on the frame with axes in a generally upright orientation and slightly forwardly inclined from the lower end of the column to the upper end of the column; a cutting blade assembly mounted on each column, each said cutting blade assembly including a rotatable cutting blade mounted at the lower end of the column, said blade comprised as a spherical segment having a cutting edge defining a circular plane and rotatable about an axis coincidental with the inclined axis of the column whereby the circular plane defined by the cutting edge is disposed at an acute angle with respect to the ground surface; means for counter-rotation of the cutting blades in cooperating pairs whereby the leading edges of cutting blades in cooperating pairs rotate toward each other; means positioning the cutting blades whereby the leading edge of the cutting blade slightly penetrates the ground surface upon rotation of the cutting blades and forward advancement of the tractor; a deflector and scraper unit mounted at the lower end of each column poised just above the cutting blade, said deflector and scraper unit including an elongated deflector plate extending rearwardly and angularly inward, said deflector plates mounted on columns carrying cooperating pairs of cutting blades extending inward toward one another to deflect bean vines that are cut by the cutting blades and carried along the surface of the cutting blades to a single row disposed between a pair of cooperating cutting blades, each said deflector plate having a lower edge with an upwardly directed curvature shaped to conform to the upper surface of the cutting blade.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The bean cutting device of claim 1 wherein: said tractor is the type equipped with a forward mounting bar and wherein said frame means includes a horizontal support beam, a plurality of linkage assemblies connecting the horizontal support beam to the tractor mounting bar, said columns being mounted to the horizontal support beam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The bean cutting device of claim 2 including: a plurality of wheel assemblies assembled to the horizontal support beam to support the horizontal support beam with respect to the ground.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
97 words
The bean cutting device of claim 2 or 3 wherein: said means mounting the columns at a slightly forwardly inclined orientation includes a plurality of brackets, one bracket being associated with each column, each bracket being secured to said horizontal support beam and having an angular holding member secured to the beam, a flat positioning plate fixed to the angular holding member, said positioning plate being disposed at the angle of inclination of the column, means clamping the column to the positioning plate and the horizontal support beam whereby the column is held at the desired inclination.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The bean cutting device of claim 4 wherein: said positioning plate is positioned at an angle of approximately 4 degrees to vertical.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
67 words
The bean cutting device of claim 4 including: a plate-like scraper member attached to each of the deflector plates and extending rearwardly and inwardly, said scraper having a contoured lower edge to conform to the upper surface of the cutting blade and being in light surface contact with the upper surface of the cutting blade to remove clinging matter from the upper surface of the cutting blade.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
195 words
The bean cutting device of claim 2 or 3 wherein: said linkage assembly includes a first mounting block connected to the tractor mounting bar, a second generally upright mounting block connected to the horizontal support beam, a lower connecting link pivotally connected to one end to the lower end of the first mounting block and pivotally connected at the opposite end to the lower end of the second mounting block, an upper connecting link pivotally connected at one end to the upper end of the first mounting block and pivotally connected at the opposite end to the upper end of the second mounting block, a transverse pivot bar extending in parallel relationship to the mounting bar of a front tractor and passing through openings provided in the first blocks of the linkage assemblies, each linkage assembly having a lift bar fixedly connected at one end to the pivot bar and connected at the opposite end to the lower connecting link such that rotation of the pivot bar rotates the linkage assemblies, and including means for rotation of the pivot bar to rotate the linkage assemblies to lift the cutting blades clear of the ground surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The bean cutting device of claim 3 wherein: said horizontal support beam is split into a first section and a second section, said sections being of substantially equal length.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The bean cutting device of claim 8 including: means on the wheel assemblies for adjustment of the height of the horizontal support beam above the ground surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
The bean cutting device of claim 12 wherein: means for counter-rotation of the cutting blades in cooperating pairs comprises a plurality of hydraulic motors, one hydraulic motor being mounted at the upper end of each column, a shaft connecting the hydraulic motor and the cutting blade, said shaft extending axially along said column.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
The bean cutting device of claim 7 wherein: means for counter-rotation of the cutting blades in cooperating pairs comprises a plurality of hydraulic motors, one hydraulic motor being mounted at the upper end of each column, a shaft connecting the hydraulic motor and the cutting blade, said shaft extending axially along said column.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The bean cutting device of claim 11 wherein: said means for rotation of the pivot bar to rotate the linkage assemblies comprises hydraulic cylinder assemblies.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The bean cutting assembly of claim 11 including: a plurality of wheel assemblies assembled to the horizontal support beam to support the horizontal support beam with respect to the ground.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1894740A
Cited
US2521417A
Cited
US2576886A
Cited
US3017732A
Cited
US3857225A
Cited
US3830047A
Cited
US4048790A
Cited
US4237681A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-05-23 | 1986-11-22 | 1987-05-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-05-23 | 1990-11-22 | 1991-05-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-05-23 | 1994-11-22 | 1995-05-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |