Continuous harvester with crop supply chamber
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A harvester comprising:
- a pair of oppositely facing sidewalls;
a pickup assembly;
a bale chamber, positioned between the pair of sidewalls, comprising a crop inlet at the front end of the bale chamber, and an outlet at the rear end of the bale chamber;
a crop supply chamber, positioned between the pair of sidewalls and in front of the bale chamber, comprising a supply inlet at the bottom of the crop supply chamber and a movable control plate positioned for moving crop within the crop supply chamber; and
a conveyor system, positioned between the front of the crop inlet of the bale chamber and the pickup assembly, further positioned below the supply inlet of the crop supply chamber;
wherein the conveyor system comprises a front roller, a rear roller, at least one conveyor belt, capable of endless rotation around the front and rear rollers.
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Abstract
The disclosure relates to a harvester capable of continuous bailing of crop material, particularly to a harvester comprising a crop supply chamber positioned in front of a bale chamber, capable of storing crop material during the wrapping of a bale of harvested crop material, and a conveyor system, capable of transporting crop material into the bale chamber. The crop supply chamber further comprises a supply inlet at the bottom of the crop supply chamber and a movable control plate positioned within the crop supply chamber.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A harvester comprising:
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a pair of oppositely facing sidewalls; a pickup assembly; a bale chamber, positioned between the pair of sidewalls, comprising a crop inlet at the front end of the bale chamber, and an outlet at the rear end of the bale chamber; a crop supply chamber, positioned between the pair of sidewalls and in front of the bale chamber, comprising a supply inlet at the bottom of the crop supply chamber and a movable control plate positioned for moving crop within the crop supply chamber; and a conveyor system, positioned between the front of the crop inlet of the bale chamber and the pickup assembly, further positioned below the supply inlet of the crop supply chamber;
wherein the conveyor system comprises a front roller, a rear roller, at least one conveyor belt, capable of endless rotation around the front and rear rollers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of harvesting crop material comprising:
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(a) collecting crop material by a pickup assembly; (b) preventing entry of crop material into a crop supply chamber by a control plate and allowing entry of crop material into a bale chamber by a conveyor system, the bale chamber comprising a crop inlet at the front end of the bale chamber, and an outlet at the rear end of the bale chamber and the crop supply chamber, positioned in front of the bale chamber, comprising a supply inlet at the bottom of the crop supply chamber and having a movable control plate; (c) detecting when crop material has formed a bale of predetermined size; (d) wrapping and ejecting the bale while supplying and controlling entry of crop material into the crop supply chamber with the control plate; (e) detecting when the bale of crop material has been ejected from the bale chamber; (f) ejecting crop material from the crop supply chamber with the control plate while continuing to collect new crop material by the pickup assembly; (g) allowing entry of crop material from both the crop supply chamber and the pickup assembly into the bale chamber by a conveyor system positioned between the front of the crop inlet of the bale chamber and the pickup assembly, further positioned below the supply inlet of the crop supply chamber;
wherein the conveyor system comprises a front roller, a rear roller, at least one conveyor belt, capable of endless rotation around the front and rear rollers. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification