Patent ID: 6381937
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
Cotton harvester header assembly containing two or more header units wherein each header unit comprises(1) a paddle chain frame unit having a length and a width and operatively attached to a (2) stripper bar unit having a plurality of stripper bars and an upper surface to harvest cotton by stripping cotton bolls from cotton stalks, and (3) a height sensing unit which senses and maintains the distance of the stripper bar unit relative to the ground, wherein the paddle chain unit comprises two parallel frame members having a front end and rear end, the rear end of the frame members have rotatably mounted thereon two drive sprockets, the front end of the frame members have mounted thereon two idler sprokets, the rear drive sprockets turn around an axle and the front idler sprockets turn around an axle, the drive sprockets and idler sprockets have wrapped around them conveyor chains comprising chain links which chains rotate around the front and rear sprockets, the conveyor chains have attached to them, evenly spaced apart, two or more paddles, the paddles are attached to the chain links by hinges, the hinges allow by gravity the movement of the paddles through a 90Â° arc as the conveyor chain paddles rotate around the front and rear sprockets, wherein when the paddles are disposed below the chain the paddles are at an angle of about 90Â° relative to the chain and when the paddles are disposed above the chain they rotate by gravity about 90Â° forward in the direction of the rotation of the chain to assume a position about parallel to the conveyor chain, the paddle chain unit is operatively connected to the stripper bar unit to push cotton bolls stripped by the stripper bar unit rearward along an upwardly inclined upper surface of the stripper bar unit.