System of laying swath of cut crop for improved dry down time and method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10448570-B2
Application number	US-201715701944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2017
Priority date	Oct 28, 2016
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

A tractor assembly includes a tractor having a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels, a mower-conditioner assembly coupled to the tractor, a shield coupled to the conditioner at a location rearward thereof, and a crop moving assembly coupled to either the tractor or mower-conditioner assembly. The mower-conditioner assembly includes a mowing mechanism configured to cut a crop and a conditioner configured to crimp the crop. The shield deflects the crimped crop rearwardly therefrom and forms a windrow of a first width. The windrow is disposed directly behind the tractor and includes a device for spreading the windrow in at least one direction to form a second width. The second width is greater than the first width.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tractor assembly, comprising:
a tractor including a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels;
a mower-conditioner assembly pivotally coupled to the tractor to be positioned on either a right side or left side of the tractor, the mower-conditioner assembly including a mowing mechanism configured to cut a crop and a conditioner configured to crimp the crop;
a first shield coupled to the conditioner at a location rearward thereof and biased towards a first side, a second shield coupled the conditioner at a location rearward thereof and biased towards a second side, the first and second shield configured to deflect the crimped crop rearwardly therefrom and form a windrow of a first width; and
a crop moving assembly coupled to either the tractor or mower-conditioner assembly, the crop moving assembly being disposed directly behind the tractor;
wherein, the crop moving assembly includes a device for spreading the windrow in at least one direction to form a second width;
wherein, the second width is greater than the first width.

2. The tractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first width is less than a first distance defined between the first set of wheels and a second distance defined between the second set of wheels.

3. The tractor assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second width is greater than or equal to the first distance or second distance.

4. The tractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the crop moving assembly comprises an electrically powered brush.

5. The tractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the crop moving assembly comprises a fan, a wheel rake, a basket rake, or a combination thereof.

6. The tractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the crop moving assembly moves only a top portion of the windrow as it passes over the windrow.

7. A tractor assembly, comprising:
a tractor including a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels, the first set of wheels spaced apart by a first distance and the second set of wheels spaced apart by a second distance;
a disc mower assembly pivotally coupled to the tractor to be positioned on either a left side or a right side of the tractor, the disc mower assembly including a cutting mechanism configured to cut a crop;
a first shield and a second shield coupled to the disc mower at a location rearward thereof, the first shield biased towards a first side of the disc mower and the second shield biased towards a second side of the disc mower, the first and second shield configured to deflect the crop rearwardly therefrom and form a windrow having a first width; and
a crop moving assembly coupled to the tractor or disc mower at a location rearward of the tractor;
wherein, the crop moving assembly includes a device for spreading the windrow in one direction to form a second width;
wherein, the second width is greater than the first width.

8. The tractor assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first width is less than the first distance and the second distance.

9. The tractor assembly of claim 7 , wherein the second width is greater than or equal to the first distance or second distance.

10. The tractor assembly of claim 7 , wherein the crop moving assembly comprises an electrically powered brush.

11. The tractor assembly of claim 7 , wherein the crop moving assembly comprises a fan, a wheel rake, a basket rake, or a combination thereof.

12. A method of forming a swath of crop for improved dry down time, comprising:
providing a tractor including a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels, a mower-conditioner assembly pivotally coupled to the tractor and configured to be positioned on a left side or a right side of the tractor, a first and second shield coupled to the mower-conditioner assembly on opposing sides thereof, and a crop moving assembly coupled to either the tractor or mower-conditioner assembly;
operably pulling the mower-conditioner assembly and crop moving assembly in a forward direction of travel during a first pass to cut the crop;
cutting the crop with a mowing mechanism of the mower-conditioner assembly;
crimping the crop with a conditioner of the mower-conditioner assembly;
forming a narrow windrow of the crop by adjusting a first and second turn screw of the first and second shield, the narrow windrow having a first width;
straddling the narrow windrow with the first and second set of wheels during a second pass; and
spreading the windrow in at least one direction with the crop moving assembly after the straddling step.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising spreading the windrow in the at least one direction so that the windrow comprises a width that is greater than the first width.

14. The tractor assembly of claim 1 , further wherein the first shield and the second shield are rake wheels.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Graeve Joshua D
• Stephenson Roger D
• Gnewuch Joshua

Classifications

• A01D43/04 Primary

  with haymakers, e.g. tedders · CPC title

• A01D57/28

  Windrower attachments with tines · CPC title

• A01D78/14

  the tines rotating about a substantially horizontal axis · CPC title

• A01D43/10

  with means for crushing or bruising the mown crop · CPC title

• A01D34/032

  drawn by an animal or a vehicle · CPC title