Crop-conditioning apparatus having hydraulic tension mechanism
US8166736B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 9, 2011 |
| Grant date | May 1, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 9, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA01D43/102
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
As crop materials are severed from the field, they pass through two successive pairs of counter-rotating conditioning rolls before being returned to the ground. The front rolls are preferably ribbed, metal rolls wherein the ribs of one roll are intermeshed with those of the other roll so as to crimp the stems of the crop materials as they pass between the rolls. The hard metal ribs also aggressively feed the materials rearwardly into the second set of rolls, which are preferably compressive surface rolls made of rubber or the like and provided with wide, intermeshed bars about their periphery. The tension mechanism for the rolls includes single-acting hydraulic cylinders that squeeze the rolls together to the extent permitted by adjustable stop structure used to set gaps between the rolls. An accumulator is hydraulically connected to the hydraulic cylinders for cushioning the tension mechanism.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.