Cotton harvester

A support arrangement and discharge structure for individual picking units of a four-row cotton picker. The outboard picking units are transversely cantilevered from the inboard units using telescoping cross members which are adjustable to properly position the units for various row spacings. The cross members are tied between upper rigid beam structure on adjacent inboard and outboard units, the structure including an upper plate, cam support and transverse and fore-and-aft stiffeners. Each outboard unit includes a diagonal brace connected to the rigid beam structure to absorb fore-and-aft loading and thereby eliminate need for a lower stabilizer. Two high volume picker drums on adjacent inboard and outboard units are serviced by a single discharge structure supported from the inboard unit and connected to a single cotton conveying duct. A hinged baffle plate extends rearwardly from the outboard unit to the discharge structure, and pivots to permit the units to be adjusted with respect to each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a cotton harvester and more specifically to the 
support arrangement and discharge structure for individual row units of 
the harvester. 
Conventional cotton harvesters of the type shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. 
Nos. 3,373,547, 3,378,309, 3,464,191 and 3,515,437 utilizing individual 
row units with vertical picker drums and doffer assemblies have for the 
most part been limited to harvesting two rows at a time. Each row unit is 
relatively heavy, and adequately supporting more than two units while 
maintaining a narrow chassis and keeping the proper wheel spacing in 
relation to the rows of cotton has been a continuing source of difficulty. 
Each picking unit includes two picker drums with numerous picker bars 
mounting a plurality of gear-driven spindles for removing cotton from the 
plant. In addition, a doffer assembly with numerous doffer pads is 
provided for each picker drum to remove the cotton from the spindles. 
Although the weight of the components has been reduced by using lighter 
materials and smaller sizes, the individual units are still relatively 
heavy and put a considerable amount of mass in motion during operation 
thereby necessitating a sturdy support structure. 
Typical of previous self-propelled two-row cotton pickers, the individual 
row units are supported forwardly of and between transversely spaced drive 
wheels by inner and outer lift arms connected to a transverse rock shaft 
near the forward end of the harvester frame. The row units include a 
housing having a sheet and panel construction of the type shown in U.S. 
Pat. No. 2,803,938. The housing has an upper box-like structure from which 
depend a pair of compartments each containing a picking drum and 
associated mechanism. Stabilizer bars extend from the harvester frame 
between the wheels to the lower rear of each compartment of the picking 
units for fore-and-aft support to prevent the unit from collapsing if it 
strikes an obstruction or is grounded, and also for adjusting the front to 
rear slope of the units. To add outboard units to increase capacity from 
two to four rows without widening the frame has heretofore been a problem 
since there has been no practical way to support and provide stabilization 
for the outboard units. Previous designs for a four-row harvester included 
transverse horizontal beams mounted at the rear of the main frame and 
carrying rock shaft and lower support braces for supporting the outboard 
picking units outwardly of and behind the forward wheels. Such a harvester 
is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,176,451. Rear-mounted units are difficult 
for the operator to view, and the horizontal beams widen the rear of the 
main frame making the harvester harder to maneuver. The widened rear end 
adds too much weight to the rear steering wheels and also prevents a 
cotton receiver from being moved in closely to the basket during dumping. 
In another four-row harvester, described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,031,828, a pair 
of unitary housing structures, each carrying two picking units, are 
mounted on opposite sides of the center line of the harvester. A pair of 
upper lift arms connected to a rock shaft and a lower stabilizer inside 
the drive wheels support each housing on the frame. The unitary housing 
structure is heavy and difficult to assemble and mount. The gears that 
drive the four picker drums often become misaligned as the large housing 
twists or bends slightly. Adjusting the units for varying row widths is 
not possible, and servicing the picker drums and doffers is difficult 
because of the unitary structure. The four-row harvesters typical of the 
prior art present problems during transportation because of their width. 
Narrowing the harvesters for transport is very time consuming and requires 
large equipment particularly when a unitary two-row housing structure is 
utilized. 
It is known to provide a single compartment rearwardly of the housing 
structure that is adapted to receive cotton from a pair of upright 
harvesting drums that are positioned inwardly of a pair of adjacent rows 
of cotton plants. Such a housing is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 
3,464,191. Doffing mechanisms associated with each of the drums removes 
the cotton from the spindles on the drums and discharge it rearwardly to 
the compartment through openings in the housing. An air duct then sucks 
the cotton from the compartment and conveys it upwardly to a basket on the 
harvester. Forwardly of the first harvesting drums are a second pair of 
harvesting drums located outwardly of the adjacent rows of parallel cotton 
plants, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,262. Commonly, a side 
compartment associated with each of the forward drums is provided for 
receiving cotton from the doffing mechanisms. The spindles on the forward 
drums are the first to contact the rows of cotton plants and therefore 
remove a higher volume of the cotton from the plants than do the spindles 
on the rear drums. The side compartments, which must be of adequate size 
to receive the high volume of cotton from the harvesting area, extend 
outwardly from the units thereby widening the front of the cotton 
harvester. The side compartments decrease maneuverability and prevent 
mounting of additional harvesting units to increase cotton harvester 
capacity to greater than two rows. Moving the compartments rearwardly of 
the harvesting unit results in the units extending too far forwardly on 
the harvester frame, and making the harvester front heavy. 
In the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,031,828, there is shown a four-row 
cotton harvester in which a rear wall structure in the unitary housing 
structure receives cotton doffed from a pair of forward harvesting drums. 
Side compartments for receiving doffed cotton are eliminated, but assembly 
of the harvester and servicing of the doffers and drums are very difficult 
because of the structure. To service the doffers and the drums on such a 
harvester, the operator often has to crawl under or on top of the 
compartment. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved 
cotton harvester which eliminates the aforementioned disadvantages. 
It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved support 
arrangement and discharge structure for individual row units of a cotton 
harvester. 
It is still another object of the invention to provide a means for mounting 
a plurality of individual harvesting units on a row crop harvester, 
wherein the outermost harvesting units are supported entirely from the 
adjacent inner units and are adjustable with respect thereto. It is still 
another object to provide such a means for mounting a plurality of 
harvesting units wherein the outermost units do not require a stabilizer 
or similar device extending from the lower part of the harvester frame to 
the lower part of the harvesting unit. 
It is a further object to provide a cotton harvester in which the outermost 
harvesting units are adjustable with respect to and removable from the 
inner units. It is another object to provide such a harvester with a 
common discharge structure which services two forward picker drums on 
adjacent inner and outer units to reduce the number of cotton conveying 
ducts required, and which permits the adjacent units to be easily 
assembled and transversely adjusted with respect to each other. 
It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved 
discharge structure which permits convenient access to the picker drums 
and the doffer assemblies. 
A pair of individual harvesting units are supported near the forward end of 
a main frame for independent vertical adjustment with respect thereto by 
lift arms connected to a pair of rock shafts. Each unit has lower 
stabilizing bars connected thereto for absorbing fore-and-aft loading and 
adjusting the angle of attack. Each inboard harvesting unit has an 
outboard harvesting unit transversely mounted thereon in cantilever 
fashion by an adjustable tie assembly. The outboard unit can be adjusted 
with respect to the inboard unit to accommodate different row spacings. In 
addition, the outboard unit can be easily removed for narrowing the 
harvester during shipping or to provide access to the inner unit for 
servicing. Each outboard unit includes a diagonal brace for absorbing 
fore-and-aft loading and eliminating the need for a lower stabilizing bar. 
The adjustable tie assembly features upper telescoping cross members 
connected to the upper box-like structure of each of the adjacent units. 
One end of the diagonal brace is connected to the upper box-like structure 
and the opposite end to the forward part of a floor panel so that if the 
unit is run into the ground, it will not collapse for lack of a lower 
stabilizer but will be held solidly by the rigid upper structure. The two 
inboard harvesting units accommodate two rows between the traction wheels 
of the implement while the outboard units each accommodate a single row 
adjacent the outside edge of the corresponding drive wheel. Therefore, 
four rows can be harvested simultaneously with the traction wheels running 
between two pairs of the rows. Bracing extending from the frame to the 
outboard units which would otherwise obstruct the side of the harvester is 
eliminated. 
A high volume discharge structure is supported between each pair of 
inboard-outboard harvesting units directly behind and for receiving picked 
cotton from the leading picker drums and doffer assemblies associated with 
two adjacent rows of cotton. The structure is located generally between 
two rear picking drums and doffer assemblies in an accommodation space 
provided between the units. A pair of conventional lower volume discharge 
structures are located behind the rear doffers and receive cotton picked 
by the drums. This arrangement provides a relatively narrow pair of 
complete picking unit assemblies which can be mounted just forwardly of 
the harvester drive wheels on the main frame so that the harvester is not 
front heavy. Two of the complete units are positioned side-by-side to 
provide a four-row cotton harvester. The high volume discharge structure 
reduces the number of discharge structure doors that have to be serviced 
during operation. The discharge structure is supported from the inner 
harvesting unit thus reducing the weight carried by the outer unit. The 
outer harvesting unit includes a hinged baffle plate extending rearwardly 
to the structure which permits the outer unit to be transversely adjusted 
with respect to the inner unit without having to adjust the structure. 
Therefore, adjustments of the outboard unit with respect to the inboard 
unit can be made easily to accommodate changes in the spacing between the 
rows, and the outboard unit can be completely removed without disturbing 
the discharge structure. Also, the discharge structure can be quickly 
removed from the rear of the harvesting unit so that the operator has easy 
access to the picking drums and doffer mechanisms. Only one cotton 
conveying duct is required for each pair of high volume picker drums, 
thereby reducing the number of ducts required on the harvester. 
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become 
apparent to those familar with the art as the present invention is 
described in relation to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings, there is shown a cotton harvester 10 having a 
fore-and-aft extending frame or body shown partially at 12 supported near 
its forward end by a pair of transversely spaced drive wheels 14 and 16. 
The drive wheels are spaced an equal distance from the center line of the 
harvester 10 and in the preferred embodiment accommodate two rows of 
cotton therebetween as the harvester is propelled forwardly through the 
field. The rear of the frame 12 is supported on a pair of steerable wheels 
(not shown) in a conventional manner for guiding the harvester 10 over the 
field. An operator's station 18 is located on the frame and has numerous 
controls for operating the harvester. A conventional hydraulic system is 
carried by the frame 12 for various functions including raising and 
lowering the harvesting units. 
Positioned forwardly of the frame 12 are a plurality of individual picking 
or harvesting units 20, 22, 24, and 26. Each harvesting unit includes a 
housing assembly 28 defining a crop-receiving opening or passage 30 and 
carrying a pair of stalk lifters 32 on either side of the opening. In each 
housing assembly 28 are a forward and a rearward upright packing spindle 
drum 34 and 36, respectively, located on either side of the crop opening 
30. Adjacent the spindle drums 34 and 36 are conventional upright doffing 
assemblies 38 and 40 which remove cotton from the spindles 41 of the 
drums. Conventional upright discharge structures 42, 44, 46, and 48 (FIG. 
2) are provided near the rear doffers 40 to receive cotton bolls removed 
from the drums 36 by the doffers 40 and directed through upright openings 
49 in the rear of the units. Cotton conveying ducts 50, 52, 54, and 56 
(FIG. 1) direct the cotton from the discharge structures near the rear 
doffers into a basket 58. 
The housing structures and ducts associated with the rear doffers 40 may, 
for example, be of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,515,437. An air 
nozzle 59 is provided near the lower portion of each of the ducts 50 and 
56, while blower nozzles (not shown) are provided near the lower portion 
of the innermost discharge structures 44 and 46. A high volume suction 
door or discharge structure 60 receives the cotton from the forward 
spindle drums 34 and doffers 38 on the adjacent picking units 20 and 24 
while a similar discharge structure 62 receives cotton from the 
corresponding picker drums and doffers on the units 22 and 26. The cotton 
is sucked from the discharge structures 60 and 62 through lower portions 
of the cotton conveying ducts 64 and 66 and then is blown into the basket 
58 by air from nozzles 67 connected near the lower portion of the ducts 64 
and 66. If a more complete description of the structure and operation of 
the air nozzles 59 and 67 is desired, reference may be had to co-pending 
application Ser. No. 100,318, filed concurrently herewith and entitled 
"Air Duct System for a Cotton Harvester". 
The spindle drums 34 and 36 and the doffers 38 and 40 are driven by a 
conventional drive assembly located in a gear housing or cam support 70 in 
an upper box-like structure 71 of each housing assembly 28. A gear box 72 
is located on the top of each housing assembly 28 and includes a bevel 
gear transmission which is operably connected by a vertical drive shaft to 
the drive assembly in the gear housing 70. Drive shafts 74 and 76 extend 
forwardly from the frame and operate the gear boxes 72 on the inner 
harvesting units 20 and 22. Telescoping transverse shaft members 78 and 80 
(FIG. 2) operably connect the gear boxes on the outboard units 24 and 26, 
respectively, with gear boxes on the adjacent inboard harvesting units. 
Shields 79 and 81 (FIG. 1) cover the shafts 78 and 80, respectively. 
As seen best in FIG. 2, a support assembly indicated generally at 82 is 
provided for mounting the harvesting units 20-26 on the forward end of the 
frame 12 and for moving the units vertically with respect to the frame. 
The assembly 82 includes a pair of axially aligned, transverse rockshafts 
84 and 86 supported from the frame 12 by brackets 87. Welded to and 
extending forwardly from each rockshaft are a reinforced outer lift arm 90 
(FIG. 5) and an inner lift arm 92. The inner lift arms 92 are connected to 
the corresponding units 20 and 22 by adjustable brackets 94 bolted to the 
inwardly facing sides of the upper box-like structures 71. A transverse 
pivot pin 96 extends through bushings in the bracket 94 and the lift arm 
92. The outer lift arms 90 are connected to the housing assemblies 28 of 
the inner units by upright brackets 98 and transverse pins 100 extending 
through the corresponding brackets and arms. A hydraulic cylinder 102 is 
connected between reinforcing members 104 on each outer lift arm 90 and 
the frame 12. As best seen in FIG. 5, the outer lift arms 90 are secured 
to the rockshafts 84 and 86 so that they are angled or preloaded upwardly 
with respect to the inner lift arms when the harvesting units are 
disconnected. In other words, with the lift arms unloaded, the outer lift 
arms 90 are positioned higher than the inner lift arms 92. As will be 
discussed in detail later, the upward preloading prevents the outboard 
harvesting units from dropping lower than the inboard units from which 
they are supported. The slots in the brackets allow the inwardly facing 
sides of the inner units to be adjusted vertically so that the units can 
be levelled in the transverse direction. 
Stabilizer bars 108 extend between lower rear brackets 110 on the inboard 
units 20 and 22 and arms 112 carried by a pair of rockshafts 114 supported 
on the frame 12. The stabilizer bars 108 provide lower support for and 
determine the front to rear slope of the harvesting units 20 and 22. As 
best seen in FIG. 2, stabilizer bars are connected only between the 
inboard units 20 and 22 and the frame. Two bars are provided for each 
inboard unit, one connected to the bottom frame of the compartment inboard 
of the plant passage 30 and the other connected to the bottom frame 
outboard of the passage. 
In the preferred embodiment, the outboard harvesting units 24 and 26 are 
supported entirely from the inboard units 20 and 22, respectively. Each 
outboard unit is cantilevered from the inboard unit by an adjustable tie 
assembly indicated generally at 116. A front telescoping cross member 118 
(FIG. 3) connects the upper forward portion of the outboard unit with the 
forward end of the corresponding inboard unit. A rear telescoping cross 
member 120 connects the rear portions of the adjacent units. Front and 
rear lower tie plates 122 and 124 are bolted to and maintain a preselected 
spacing between the lower portions of the adjacent inboard and outboard 
units. The cross members and tie plates connected to the inboard units not 
only space the adjacent units but also provide fore-and-aft support for 
the inboard compartment associated with the forward spindle drums 34 on 
the outboard units 24 and 26. The adjustable tie assemblies 116 are 
identical for the left- and right-hand pairs of harvesting units. The 
outer harvesting units 24 and 26 are essentially the mirror images of the 
inner units 20 and 22 from which they depend, as best seen in FIG. 2. An 
accomodation space 125 (FIG. 2) is provided between the adjacent pairs of 
units just ahead of each of the wheels 14 and 16 wherein are located the 
discharge structures 60 and 62. 
The upper box-like structure 71 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 6) of each housing assembly 
28 includes a top plate 130 and a center sheet 132 spaced below and 
substantially congruent with the top plate 130. The space between the top 
plate 130 and the center sheet 132 form a compartment 134 (FIG. 3) 
extending substantially the entire width of the row unit. A sheet metal 
stiffener 136 extends in the fore-and-aft direction through the 
compartment 134 and includes top and bottom flanges 138 and 140, bolted to 
the top plate 130 and center sheet 132, respectively. The sheet metal 
stiffener 136 is notched at the top as shown generally at 142 in FIG. 3 to 
accommodate the pan-shaped gear housing or cam support 70 which extends 
diagonally across the top of the unit. The cam support 70, as best seen in 
FIG. 6, which is a view looking upwardly into the box-like structure above 
the center sheet 132 with the arrow indicating the forward direction of 
travel, includes side walls 144 with upper flanges 146 welded or otherwise 
secured to the top plate 130. The ends of the cam support 70 are generally 
closed by front and rear end walls 148 and 150 essentially parallel to 
front and rear top plate edges 152 and 154, respectively, and by side end 
walls 156 and 158 which extend upwardly just inside downturned flanges 160 
and 162 on the respective outer and inner edges of the top plate 130. 
Conventional side panels, which are removed in FIG. 6 for purposes of 
clarity but are shown at 164-168 in FIG. 4, are connected by bolts 170 and 
172 between the downturned flanges 160 and 162 of the top plate 130 and 
corresponding upturned flanges 174 directly below on the center sheet 132. 
The side end walls 156 and 158 of the cam support 70 are connected to 
corresponding side panels by bolts 176. The adjustable bracket 94 is 
connected to the inner units by four bolts which extend through the 
vertical slots in the bracket and through the panel into the side end wall 
156 on the inboard unit. 
Front and rear cam castings 180 and 182 connected to the bottom 184 of the 
cam support 70 by bolts 186 at a plurality of angularly spaced points 
afford a reinforcing characteristic to the support 70. The notch 142 in 
the stiffener 136 which accommodates the cam support 70 is flanged at 188 
and the bottom 184 of the support is connected to the flange by bolts 190. 
A flanged transverse structural sheet 192 is bolted between the top plate 
130 and the center sheet 132 and is also bolted to the stiffener 136. 
A more detailed description of a typical housing structure made of sheets 
and panels may be found in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 2,803,938. The 
present structure is shown in sufficient detail to adequately describe the 
attachment of the telescoping cross members 118 and 120 for cantilevering 
an outboard harvesting unit from the adjacent inboard unit. The right-hand 
inner harvesting unit 20 is substantially the mirror image of the 
left-hand inner unit 22, so only the attachment of the members to the 
inboard unit 20 and corresponding outboard unit 24 will be described in 
detail. The symmetry of the inboard-outboard unit pairs and the inboard 
and outboard units results in increased standardization of components. 
Referring to FIG. 3 wherein the general location of the adjustable tie 
assembly 116 with respect to the housing assembly 28 for the unit 24 is 
shown diagrammatically, and to FIG. 6, the front telescoping cross member 
118 includes a first tubular beam 200 having a flanged end 202 connected 
to the sheet metal stiffener by bolts 204. The beam 200 extends 
transversely from the stiffener and through notches at 206 and 208 in the 
cam support side wall 144 and side end wall 158, respectively. The bottom 
184 of the cam support 70 extends under the tubular beam 200 to a juncture 
with the front end wall 148 of the support which extends upwardly adjacent 
the forward side of the beam and terminates in a flange 210 which is 
bolted at locations 212 to the top plate 130. The support may also be 
spot-welded to the plate 130. The beam 200 is rigidly connected to the cam 
support 70 by welding the beam to the wall 148 and support bottom 184. The 
beam 200 extends outwardly beyond the flange 162 and the corresponding 
side panels. 
The adjacent outboard unit 24 (FIG. 3) supports a second tubular beam 216, 
essentially identical to the beam 200, in substantially the same manner as 
the beam 200 is supported in the unit 20. The upper box-like structure 71 
for the unit 24 is the mirror image of the structure 71 for the adjacent 
unit 20 and for brevity, many of the corresponding parts are numbered 
identically in both FIGS. 3 and 6. Many of the components in the housing 
assemblies are identical because of the symmetry of the units. The first 
tubular beam 200, however, carries a jack bracket 218 (FIG. 6) for 
providing a leverage point to be used when the adjacent units are adjusted 
transversely with respect to each other. A forward bar 220 with 
transversely spaced apertures 222 is secured within the tubular beam 216 
of the unit 24 by a bolt 224 extending through holes in the upright walls 
of the beam and through one of the apertures 222. When the outboard unit 
is attached to the inboard unit, the bar 220 is received by the first 
tubular beam 200. The outboard unit can then be adjusted with respect to 
the inboard unit by extending a lever or similar tool through a hole 226 
in a forward wall 228 of the jack bracket 218 and into one of the 
apertures 222 and moving the tool to slide the bar 220 into or out of the 
beam 200. A bolt is inserted through holes 230 in the beam 200 and through 
another of the apertures 222 to maintain the deserved spacing after the 
units are adjusted. 
The rear telescoping cross member 120 is also rigidly tied into the upper 
box-like structure 71 of the adjacent inboard and outboard units. The 
cross member 120 includes a square tubular beam 240 rigidly attached to 
the inner unit and a tubular beam 242 attached in substantially the same 
fashion to the outboard unit. The tubular beams 240 and 242 are actually 
attached to rear panel assemblies 244 and 246, respectively, which are 
tied to the top plate 130, center sheet 132, cam support 70, and stiffener 
136, as well as to a vertical channel post 248 on each unit as described 
in detail below. A square bar 250 with apertures 252 is positioned within 
the square tubular beam 242 of the outboard unit and secured therein by a 
bolt 253. The bar 250 is inserted into the beam 240 as the outboard unit 
is attached to the corresponding inboard unit. A jack bracket 254, similar 
to the jack bracket 218 but having a hole 256 in an upper plate 258 for 
easier access, is welded to the beam 240. Holes 260 receive a bolt which 
also passes through one of the apertures 252 to maintain the selected 
spacing between the inboard and outboard units. The adjustable tie 
assembly 116 includes the front horizontally disposed tie plate 122 
extending between and bolted to adjacent bottom frames 264 and 266 which 
run from the front to the back of each unit and form the floor structure 
below the forward spindle drums 34 and doffing assemblies 38. The tie 
plate 122 is bolted through one of two sets of transversely spaced holes 
268 depending on whether relatively widely or narrowly spaced rows of 
cotton are being harvested. The rear tie plate 124 is bolted between the 
rear flanges of the channel posts 248, either in a horizontal position as 
shown in FIG. 3 for widely spaced rows or alternatively in a vertical 
position rotated 90.degree. from that shown in FIG. 3 for narrower rows. 
Holes 270 in the channel posts 248 accommodate the bolting of the plate 
124 in either position. 
The rear panel assemblies 244 and 246 which carry the tubular beams 242 and 
244, respectively, will now be described. Welded to the front face of the 
beam 240 is a panel 272 (FIGS. 6-8) having an inner end portion 274 with 
an upper flange 276 aligned with and extending forwardly from the top of 
the beam 240. The end portion 274 extends below the beam 240 terminating 
in a forwardly extending flange 278 directly below the flange 276. The 
distance between the flanges 276 and 278 is equal to the distance between 
the bottom 184 of the cam support 70 and the center sheet 132. The flange 
278 is connected to the center sheet 132, and the flange 276 is connected 
to the bottom 184 of the cam support 70 by bolts 280. An end flange 282 on 
the panel 272 is connected to the stiffener 136 by bolts 284. 
An outer end section 286 of the panel 272 is a continuation of the portion 
274 but extends upwardly therefrom to the top plate 130 terminating in a 
top flange 288 connected to the plate 130 by four bolts 290. The lower 
part of the panel section 286 is bolted to a flange (not shown) on the 
center sheet 132 at locations 292. The lift brackets 98 are welded to the 
section 286 of the panel 272 and to the beam 240. A leg 294 extends 
forwardly from and at a right angle to the section 286 and is connected to 
the top plate flange 162 by a bolt 296. The leg 294 is also connected to 
the vertical channel post 248 by a bolt 298 and to the center sheet 132. 
The channel post 248 is connected at its lower end to the bottom frame 
264. To provide additional strength in the area where the beam 240 is 
connected to the cam support 70, an upper bracket 300 is connected to the 
top plate 130 and the cam support side wall 144. A rear bracket 302 is 
bolted to the side wall 144 and bracket 300 and is connected to the 
section 286 of the panel 272. 
The rear panel assembly 246 (FIG. 3) for the outboard unit is essentially 
identical to the above-described assembly 244. Since no lift arms are 
connected to the outboard unit, a single brace 304 is welded between the 
beam 242 and the panel rather than lift arm brackets. 
Additional strength is provided by double-channel posts shown at 306 
connected at the outer rear corners of the outboard units extending 
between the upper box-like structure 71 and the corresponding bottom 
frame. Reinforcing channel posts 308 and corner angles 310 also extend 
between and space the structure 71 and the bottom frame. The various posts 
and angles are structurally tied to the bottom frames, center sheet and 
top plate of each unit by conventional means such as by bolting to flanges 
provided on the various components. 
The outboard units are supported entirely from the inboard units. To 
provide fore-and-aft support for the outboard units without utilizing 
lower stabilizers, a diagonal brace 312 (FIG. 4) is connected between the 
rigid upper box-like structure 71 and the front of the outer bottom frame 
314. The upper end of the brace 312 is connected to the panel 168 and the 
cam support 70 by a bolt 316. The brace 312 extends downwardly through a 
hole in a corner support 318 and terminates in a flattened end which is 
connected to the frame 314 by a bolt 320 inwardly of a front support 322. 
The corner and front supports 318 and 322 are connected between the 
structure 71 and the frame 314. The respective bottom frames are supported 
from the structure 71 by the supports and channel posts. 
If an outboard unit is grounded or strikes an obstacle while the harvester 
10 is moving forwardly through the field, the fore-and-aft force acting on 
the outer bottom frame 314 (FIG. 4) of the housing assembly frame that 
would otherwise distort and collapse the unit is transferred to the rigid 
structure 71. Therefore, to collapse the unit the structure 71 would have 
to bend. However, the above-described rigid box construction of the 
structure 71 provides a very strong beam which will not yield to the force 
transferred through the diagonal brace 312. Fore-and-aft support for the 
harvesting unit structure located inwardly of the crop receiving opening 
30 on the outboard units 24 and 26 is provided by the telescoping cross 
members 118 and 120 which are rigidly tied to the box-like structure 71 on 
the units and on the corresponding inboard units 20 and 26, and by the 
lower tie plates 122 and 124. 
The upright opening 49 in the housing assemblies 28 are provided in a 
conventional manner behind the doffers 38 and 40, such as by leaving 
uncovered an area generally extending vertically between the upper 
box-like structure 71 and the bottom frame and horizontally between the 
upright structural supports. The discharge structures 42-48 (FIGS. 2 and 
4) are of a conventional design well known to those skilled in the art and 
are attached by suitable brackets or the like to the rear of the 
harvesting units 20-26 and open forwardly into the upright opening 49. The 
discharge structure 48 (FIG. 4) is connected to the unit 26 by a flanged 
connection at the bottom frame and is clamped to the center sheet at 320. 
Referring now primarily to FIGS. 2, and 9-14 there are shown the high 
volume suction door assemblies or discharge structures 60 and 62 which 
receive the cotton from the forward doffers 38. Since the suction doors 60 
and 62 are substantially identical, only the right-hand structure 60 will 
be described in detail. Corresponding parts on the left-hand structure 62, 
shown attached to the inboard harvesting unit 22 in FIG. 12, are numbered 
identically for brevity. 
The assembly 60 includes a pair of upright, forwardly diverging side walls 
324 and 326, preferably formed from sheet metal and including forwardly 
bent lips or U-shaped portions 328 and 330. The side walls 324 and 326 
define a forward opening in the assembly 60. A metal strap 332 spaces and 
provides upper support for the side walls 324 and 326. The strap 332 
extends around the side walls thereby reinforcing the top portion of the 
assembly 60 which opens upwardly. A rear wall or partition 334 connects 
the side walls 324 and 326. The partition 334 extends downwardly from the 
strap 332 and terminates above the bottom of the assembly 60 to define a 
cotton receiving opening 338. The lower portion of the assembly 60 between 
the side walls 324 and 326 is closed by a bottom panel 340 which is angled 
slightly upwardly from the horizontal. 
A rearwardly and outwardly extending duct 342 is fixed to the rear of the 
rear partition 334 and defines a passageway connecting the opening 338 
with a duct-connecting portion 344. The connecting portion 344 receive the 
lower portion of the cotton conveying duct 64 or 66 which extends 
rearwardly to the cotton receptacle 58 on the harvester. The duct 342 
includes opposite lower side walls 350 extending rearwardly from the side 
walls 324 and 326. A clean-out door 352 is connected by a hinge 354 to the 
rear of the bottom panel 340 and forms a closure behind the opening 338. A 
latch 356 releasably secures the clean out door 352 so the door can be 
lowered to clean out any trash build-up near the lower portion of the 
assembly 60. The duct 342 extends upwardly from the side walls 350 and is 
generally rectangular in cross-section having a rear wall 358 and opposite 
side walls 360. A forward duct wall 362 is connected between the side 
walls 360 generally parallel to the partition 334. As is evident from FIG. 
10, the duct 342 angles outwardly toward the right (toward the left in 
FIG. 12) so that the left most side wall 360 is located near the center of 
the partition 334 at the top of the assembly 60. The connecting portion 
344, which is generally rectangularly shaped, extends substantially 
straight upwardly from the top of the duct 342. A pair of transversely 
extending pins 366 receive a pair of mating connectors attached to the 
conveying duct 64 or 66 to hold the duct in position on the connecting 
portion 344. A bracket 368 is connected to the upper portion of the 
assembly 66 and is connected by bolts 371 to a bracket 369 welded to the 
tubular beam 240 of the right-hand inner harvesting unit 20. A lower 
bracket 370 is welded to the bottom panel 340 and is connected to a plate 
372 by bolts 373. As best seen in FIG. 12, the plate 372 is bolted to the 
vertical channel post 248, and, together with an extension plate 374 (FIG. 
9) bolted thereto and the rear tie plate 124, close the lower area between 
the bottom panel 340 and the post 248. Support for the double-door 
assembly 60 is therefore provided by the inner harvesting unit for 
reducing the weight carried by the outer unit, and for ease in assemblying 
the units and in adjusting the units transversely with respect to each 
other. The outer unit can be detached, as shown in FIG. 12, without 
removing the double-door assembly. The slope of the duct 342 permits the 
connecting portion 344 and the corresponding conveying duct 64 or 66 to be 
outwardly offset so that the two outermost ducts 50 and 62, or 56 and 66, 
are spaced more closely, and better cab clearance and operator visibility 
are provided. More room is also provided for the outer lift arm 90 by 
offsetting the duct. 
As best seen in FIG. 9, a vertical baffle plate 380 extends from a point 
beside the right-hand doffer 38 to the rear of the unit 24. The baffle 
plate 380 is pivotally connected at its forward edge 384 to a 
substantially vertical hinge 382 and extends rearwardly to a rear vertical 
channel portion 386 (FIG. 13) which extends on either side of the lip 330 
of the discharge structure side wall 326. A second baffle plate 390 is 
hinged at 392 to the inboard unit 20 and extends rearwardly, terminating 
in a vertical channel 394 (FIG. 14) which extends on either side of the 
lip 328 of the side wall 324 of the door assembly 60. The baffle plates 
380 and 390 define one boundary of each upright opening 49 which opens 
onto the front portion of the structure 60. Cotton removed by the doffers 
38 is conveyed rearwardly through the openings 49 as indicated by the 
arrows in FIG. 9. The cotton strikes the rear partition 334, dropping 
downwardly to the opening 338 where it is sucked upwardly through the duct 
342 and 344 and rearwardly through the duct 64 or 66 into the harvester 
basket. An upright fore-and-aft extending divider panel 398 is provided 
between the side walls 324 and 326 to prevent cotton from one of the 
doffers 38 from being thrown into the opposite doffer area. A deflector 
400 (FIG. 11) is connected to the structure 60 just above the opening 338 
to improve the flow of cotton and air from the forward portion of the 
housing assembly 60 to the duct 342. The forward portion of the structure 
between the harvesting units 20 and 24 and above the closure formed by the 
plates 124, 372 and 374, is opened to the atmosphere to provide the air 
for the suction door. 
As the outer unit 24 is adjusted transversely with respect to the inner 
unit 20, the discharge structure 60 which is fixed to the inner unit 
changes position with respect to the outer unit. The panel 380 can pivot 
about the hinge 382 to accommodate the change in position, thereby 
eliminating need to change or otherwise readjust the panel. 
The double-door assemblies 60 and 62 handle the entire volume of cotton 
picked by the forward spindle drums 34. Each double-door assembly allows a 
single air duct to service a pair of spindle drums. By attaching the 
double-door assembly to the inboard unit and hinging the baffle plate 380 
to the outboard unit, assembly and adjustment of the row units with 
respect to each other is simplified. The entire structure 60 can be easily 
removed during servicing of the units by removing the bolts 371 and 373. 
Various conventional types of connectors well known to those skilled in 
the art can be used to attach the structures 60 and 62 to the unit. 
The brackets 94 connecting the lift arms 90 and 92 with the inboard units 
20 and 22 include adjustable lift arm pins which allow each harvesting 
unit to be adjusted laterally with respect to the corresponding arms so 
that the spacing between the two inboard units can be varied to 
accommodate the particular row spacing in the field to be harvested. In 
addition, the brackets 94 which are bolted to the harvesting units include 
vertical slots 410 for transversely leveling the units. The lower 
stabilizer bars 108 (FIG. 2) include an adjusting turnbuckle (not shown) 
for adjusting the front to rear slope of the harvesting units. The bars 
220 and 250 of the tie assembly 116 are telescoped within their 
corresponding beams and the tie plates 122 and 124 are connected so that 
the desired spacing between the inboard and outboard units may be 
achieved. 
Each rockshaft 84 and 86 can be controlled independently by the hydraulic 
cylinder 102 so that the height of the pair of harvesting units 20 and 24 
can be controlled independently of the height of the harvesting units 22 
and 26. Automatic height sensing assemblies 412 which may be of the type 
shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,407, are provided near the inside of each 
inboard unit and on the outward side of the outboard unit and are 
connected through a hydromechanical valve to the control system for the 
hydraulic cylinders 102 to automatically raise and lower each 
inboard-outboard harvesting unit pair and maintain it a predetermined 
distance above the ground during harvesting of the crop. The individual 
units for each pair are tied together by a rod 414 so that the individual 
harvesting unit that is closest to the ground at any given time will 
control the operation of the automatic height adjustment mechanism. 
The drive shaft assembly connecting the outboard gear box assembly with the 
inboard gear box assembly for each inboard-outboard pair of harvesting 
units telescopes at splined connections 416 (FIG. 2) to facilitate 
transverse adjustment of the units with respect to each other. The drive 
shafts 74 and 76 receive power through a conventional belt and pulley 
arrangement connected to the main drive shaft of the harvester 10. Air is 
supplied to the conveying ducts 50, 52, 54, 56, 64, and 66 by a blower 
which may be of the type described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,450. A 
pair of flexible air supply conduits 420 receive air from the blower and 
direct it to the nozzles 67. The nozzles 67 are also connected by conduits 
422 to the adjacent nozzles 59 on the outermost ducts 50 and 56 to supply 
air thereto. 
In preparation for harvesting, the inner harvesting units 20 and 22 are 
transversely adjusted on the pivots 94 to properly space the plant 
passages 30 for the particular row spacings. The tie asemblies 116 are 
adjusted to space the outer units 24 and 26 with respect to the adjacent 
inner units. 
The drive wheels 14 and 16 embrace two rows of cotton plants which are 
harvested by the inner units 20 and 22. The outer units 24 and 26 harvest 
the rows immediately outward of the drive wheels. 
The tie assemblies 116 maintain the outer units at approximately the same 
level as the corresponding inner units. The height of the pairs of units 
20-24 and 22-26 are individually adjustable by the two cylinders 102 which 
during harvesting are controlled automatically by the height sensing units 
412. The upwardly preloaded lift arms 90 prevent the outer units from 
dropping below the level of the adjacent inner unit as the inner lift arms 
92 are torqued upwardly with respect to the arms 90. The stabilizers 108 
maintain the desired front-to-rear slope of the inner units 20 and 22. The 
tie assemblies 116 keep the slope of the outer units substantially the 
same as the adjacent inner units. Upright channel-shaped rub plates 424 
and 426 (FIGS. 1 and 2) are bolted to the inner side panels of the inboard 
units 20 and 22, respectively, to maintain the proper spacing between the 
units while allowing the units to move up and down freely with respect to 
each other. The outward force exerted on the lower portion of the units 20 
and 22 as the rub plates are forced into contact with each other tends to 
pivot the inboard-outboard pairs of units about the lift arms and thereby 
provide a lifting effect which helps to maintain the outboard unit level 
with respect to the inboard unit. 
While only one form of the invention has been shown, it should be 
recognized that other forms and variations will occur to those skilled in 
the art. Therefore, while the present disclosure was shown and described 
in detail for purposes of fully and concisely illustrating the principles 
of the invention, it should be understood that such was the purpose of 
this disclosure and was not intended to limit or narrow the invention 
beyond the broad concepts set forth in the appended claims.