초록 ▼

A cotton picker row unit includes a specially configured access door which is pivotally connected to the front structural post of the unit so that forward movement of the door against an adjacent row of cotton plants will act to close the door, even if the door is unlatched. The front pivot also pro

A cotton picker row unit includes a specially configured access door which is pivotally connected to the front structural post of the unit so that forward movement of the door against an adjacent row of cotton plants will act to close the door, even if the door is unlatched. The front pivot also provides more unrestricted access to the rear harvesting structure. The door has an offset cross section so that the cotton passage defined by the door is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom to provide a funnelling effect of cotton toward the discharge area leading into the conveying duct. The offset cross section strengthens the door and increases the accommodation space for the adjacent row of cotton plants so that cotton planted in very narrow row spacings can be harvested with minimal plant damage and cotton loss.

대표청구항 ▼

In a cotton harvester for harvesting cotton planted in rows in a field, a fore-and-aft extending row unit adapted for forward movement through the field, the row unit comprising: a fore-and-aft extending row unit housing having a top and a bottom and defining a row receiving area; a cotton conveying

In a cotton harvester for harvesting cotton planted in rows in a field, a fore-and-aft extending row unit adapted for forward movement through the field, the row unit comprising: a fore-and-aft extending row unit housing having a top and a bottom and defining a row receiving area; a cotton conveying duct supported adjacent the housing; a harvesting drum supported by the housing for rotation about an upright axis beside the row receiving area, the drum including a plurality of spindles for picking cotton from a first row of cotton plants in the row receiving area; door structure connected to the housing and extending rearwardly from a forward location outwardly adjacent the drum toward the aft end of the row unit, the door structure including a discharge area opening into the cotton conveying duct; a doffer column located near the harvesting drum for removing picked cotton from the spindles and directing the cotton outwardly to the door structure; and wherein the door structure includes an access door pivotally connected to the housing, the access door swingable from a closed harvesting position to an open access position and providing an inwardly opening area to facilitate access to the harvesting drum when in the access position, said access door having a rigidifying section comprising an inwardly offset area.