Patent ID: 7162856
Filing Date: 2007-01-16
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
1. A cotton receiver for a mobile cotton harvesting machine, comprising: structure having a forward end and defining a cotton compacting chamber, a precompacting area above the compacting chamber, and an upwardly facing opening above and connecting with the precompacting area; at least one duct connecting with the precompacting area through which harvested cotton is received into the precompacting area; compactor apparatus supported in the compacting chamber, the compactor apparatus being configured and having an extent only marginally smaller than an extent of the compacting chamber so as to be capable of holding cotton in the precompacting area above the compacting chamber, and so as to be capable of being driven downwardly against cotton accumulated in a lower portion of the compacting chamber for compacting the accumulated cotton into a unitary body, the compactor apparatus including at least one element controllably operable for conveying cotton held thereabove therethrough from the precompacting area into the compacting chamber; support structure supporting the compactor apparatus for reciprocal movement downwardly against cotton accumulated in the compacting chamber and upwardly therefrom; and an accumulator disposed in the upwardly facing opening, the accumulator including an upper wall substantially covering the opening and upstanding side walls extending downwardly from the upper wall enclosing an area therebeneath, the accumulator having a forward end pivotally mounted to the forward end of the structure to allow movement of the accumulator from a stored position wherein at least the side walls thereof are at least substantially contained in the precompacting area, and a deployed position wherein the walls extend upwardly therefrom and the upper wall is located above the upwardly facing opening thereby increasing a capacity of the precompacting area for receiving cotton held therein by the compactor apparatus, and at least one actuator controllably operable for raising and holding the accumulator in the deployed position.