Tractor Crop Spreading Mechanism for Reduced Drying Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the hay and forage industry, cutting and drying crops efficiently is hindered by the need to avoid running tractor wheels over the cut crop, which can pack down the swath and prolong drying time, especially when the swath is too wide.
Innovation Solution
A tractor assembly with a mower-conditioner and a crop moving assembly that forms a narrow windrow initially, allowing the tractor to straddle it, and then spreads the crop to a wider swath using devices like powered brushes, fans, or rakes to maximize exposure to sun and wind for faster drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the crop is spread as wide as possible to maximize exposure to sun and wind, then the dry down time is reduced, but the tractor wheel may run over the crop during subsequent passes and pack it down
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the crop deposition process into two distinct phases: first forming a narrow windrow that fits between tractor wheels, then subsequently spreading it to a wider swath. This segmentation allows the crop to be initially placed safely without wheel contact, then expanded to maximize drying surface area without risking wheel packing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs the windrow formation action first, creating a narrow concentrated pile of crop between the tractor wheels. This preliminary action establishes a safe initial configuration that avoids wheel contact, enabling subsequent spreading operations to achieve wider coverage without the risk of packing the crop down during the spreading process itself.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a narrow windrow is formed initially to avoid wheel contact, then the crop is protected from packing, but the exposure to sun and wind is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The narrow windrow formation serves as a preliminary protective action, establishing crop placement that avoids wheel contact. This initial narrow configuration is intentionally temporary, designed to be followed by a spreading operation that expands the crop to a wider swath, thereby maximizing sun and wind exposure while maintaining protection from wheel packing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamic, two-stage approach where the crop configuration transitions from narrow to wide. The system adapts its deposition strategy based on operational sequence: initially narrow for protection, then spread wide for maximum exposure. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by allowing both narrow and wide configurations at different stages of the process.
Data Source
AI summary
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.