GB674569A - A collecting machine for cut crops, especially grass or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

674,569. Hay-making machines. CLARK, J. July 26, 1950 [July 15, 1950], No. 17768/50. Class 6(iii) Cut crops such as grass are lifted by being subjected to an airflow of at least 1,500 feet per minute at the inlet 10 of a conduit 7 leading to a fan 6 driven from a tractor power take-off shaft and provided with rotor blades widely spaced from each other and sloped slightly rearwardly from root to tip relatively to the direction of rotation. As shown, the machine is mounted on a mower and the crop is carried along a conduit 13 and is discharged into a cylindrical container 26 of reticulated material, the bottom of the container opening into a cart (not shown). The fan creates an airflow speed at the inlet of about 6,000 feet per minute enabling the machine to collect a wide variety of crops and the cross-sectional area of the inlet 10 is about 130 to 140 per cent of the cross sectional area of the loose bulk of cut crop at the inlet. The inlet 10 is adjustable and for lifting previously cut crops the mower which is driven from a land wheel is removed and replaced by metal fingers or alternatively the mower blades are covered by a metal sheath. When the mower is directly mounted on the tractor the fan is mounted on a frame attached to the tractor. When making silage the fan is provided with means for tearing or lacerating the crop. The conduit 13 may discharge into a cyclone of large diameter and short vertical height. The machine may be used in conjunction with a rake extending throughout the length of the orifice.