Crop conditioning apparatus and method
First Claim
1. Crop conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a frame having a passage for crop to be conditioned; and
first and second conditioning devices positioned substantially opposite each other on opposed sides of the crop passage;
in which each crop conditioning device is in the form of a rotor and comprises a brush-like structure having a multiplicity of stiff, resilient, elongate conditioning elements for conditioning the crop by an action consisting predominantly of surface damage to the crop, the elements being yieldable in response to engagement with the crop, and being yieldable at least predominantly by bending of the elements along at least part of the crop engaging portions of the lengths thereof, and the elements being sufficiently stiff to return to their undeflected dispositions when free from engagement with crop at least predominantly by virtue of the stiffness of the elements; and
in which the rotors are arranged to be rotated in contra-rotation with the same peripheral speed at the tips of the elements, and the rotors are sufficiently close and the elements sufficiently stiff to cause conditioning of the crop predominantly by a spiking action of the tips of the elements in which the stiff elements of each rotor force crop onto the tips of the stiff elements of the other rotor.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In apparatus for conditioning crops such as grass, one or more conditioning devices engage crop passing through a passage and condition the crop by relative movement between the conditioning device and the crop. Preferably each conditioning device is a brush having a multiplicity of stiff, resilient, elongated elements which are yieldable in more than one plane in response to engagement by the crop by bending of the elements. One brush may form a rotary conveying device for conveying crop through the passage, and another brush may accelerate or retard the crop relative to the first brush. The second brush may be stationary or may be another rotary brush. The conditioning apparatus may be mobile or stationary, and when mobile may include cutting means for cutting crop to be conditioned.
25 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. Crop conditioning apparatus comprising:
-
a frame having a passage for crop to be conditioned; and first and second conditioning devices positioned substantially opposite each other on opposed sides of the crop passage; in which each crop conditioning device is in the form of a rotor and comprises a brush-like structure having a multiplicity of stiff, resilient, elongate conditioning elements for conditioning the crop by an action consisting predominantly of surface damage to the crop, the elements being yieldable in response to engagement with the crop, and being yieldable at least predominantly by bending of the elements along at least part of the crop engaging portions of the lengths thereof, and the elements being sufficiently stiff to return to their undeflected dispositions when free from engagement with crop at least predominantly by virtue of the stiffness of the elements; and in which the rotors are arranged to be rotated in contra-rotation with the same peripheral speed at the tips of the elements, and the rotors are sufficiently close and the elements sufficiently stiff to cause conditioning of the crop predominantly by a spiking action of the tips of the elements in which the stiff elements of each rotor force crop onto the tips of the stiff elements of the other rotor. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 15, 25)
-
-
2. Crop conditioning apparatus comprising:
-
a frame having a passage for crop to be conditioned; and two rotors positioned substantially opposite each other on opposed sides of the crop passage for movement of crop between the rotors; in which one of said two rotors is a crop conditioning device comprising a brush-like structure having a multiplicity of stiff, resilient, elongate conditioning elements for conditioning the crop by an action consisting predominantly of surface damage to the crop, said elements being yieldable in response to engagement with the crop, and being yieldable at least predominantly by bending of the elements along at least part of the crop engaging portions of the lengths thereof, and said elements being sufficiently stiff to return to their undeflected dispositions when free from engagement with crop at least predominantly by virtue of the stiffness of the elements; and in which said rotors are arranged to be rotated in contra-rotation with the same peripheral speed, and said rotors are sufficiently close and said conditioning elements sufficiently stiff to cause conditioning of the crop by the elements of said one rotor predominantly by a spiking action in which the other rotor of said two rotors forces crop onto the tips of the stiff conditioning elements of said one rotor. - View Dependent Claims (4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
3. Crop conditioning apparatus comprising:
-
a frame having a passage for crop to be conditioned; and two rotors positioned substantially opposite each other on opposed sides of the crop passage for movement of crop between the rotors; in which one of said two rotors is a crop conditioning device comprising a brush-like structure having a multiplicity of stiff, resilient, elongate conditioning elements for conditioning the crop by an action consisting predominantly of surface damage to the crop, the elements being yieldable in response to engagement with the crop, and being yieldable at least predominantly by bending of the elements along at least part of the crop engaging portions of the lengths thereof, and the elements being sufficiently stiff to return to their undeflected dispositions when free from engagement with crop at least predominantly by virtue of the stiffness of the elements, said conditioning elements being arranged in rows transverse to the direction of said crop movement between the rotors, the other of said two rotors having gaps in its perimeter, said gaps running transverse to the direction of said crop movement between the rotors; said rotors being positioned sufficiently close together for the outer perimeters to overlap and said rotors being arranged to be rotated in rotation with the same peripheral speed and with said transverse rows of elements on said one rotor intermeshing into said transverse gaps on said other rotor, said conditioning elements being sufficiently stiff to cause conditioning of the crop by the elements of said one rotor predominantly by a spiking action in which said other roof forces crop onto the tips of the stiff conditioning elements of said one rotor. - View Dependent Claims (24)
-
Specification