Abstract:
A hood receives a stream of material including a mix of cotton, air and debris from an air delivery system on a cotton harvester. A forward deflector directs the mixture towards the rear of an accumulator. The deflected mixture passes under finger grates which retains cotton but allows some of the air and light trash to pass through out of the stream. A curved rear deflector forces the remaining mix downwardly towards the accumulator and prevents build-up on receptacle walls. Air and light debris change direction abruptly at the bottom of the rear deflector and exit through an inlet area and upwardly directed path at the back of the deflector. The momentum of the heavier cotton prevents cotton from making the tight turn around the bottom of the deflector and directs the cotton towards the receptacle or accumulator. The inlet area can be adjusted or closed completely to prevent cotton loss in certain conditions.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to hood structure for separating air and debris from cotton as harvested material is conveyed to a receptacle or accumulator. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   On self-propelled cotton harvesters, air is used to convey cotton from the picking units to the basket. Once the cotton enters the basket, the air is separated from the cotton so the cotton stays in the basket as the air exits the basket. On current picker designs, the cotton entry area to the basket includes separation structure such as finger grates to allow the air and fine trash to pass through while retaining the cotton. Side screens on the basket also allow excess air to pass out of the basket. 
   Previously available designs work well for large baskets which have a large surface area and relatively low cotton velocity rates across the grates and screens. However, if the basket or other receiving area has a smaller effective area there is less surface area to discharge the air, and relative air flow is increased. For example, the harvester shown in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,650 COTTON HARVESTER WITH ACCUMULATOR includes a receptacle which has an effective area only a fraction of that of a conventional harvester wherein an air system directly feeds a large basket. With the smaller effective area, the air velocity increases through the grates and screens. Cotton often is forced through the openings which results in lost crop and blocked screens and grates which have to be cleaned periodically. In addition, the excess air will increase the pressure in a small volume basket or accumulator and reduce the air system performance. The excess air also causes adverse flow patterns which recirculate and blow cotton away from the intended destination. 
   In a harvester accumulator, the upper portion of the receiving area may require sloping wall structure diverging in a downward direction to feed the relatively small opening while providing sufficient hood separation area. Propelled cotton and debris can easily build up on the sloping wall structure and result in cotton dams and blockages that have to cleared. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A hood receives a stream of material including a mix of cotton, air and debris from an air delivery system on a cotton harvester. A forward deflector directs the mixture towards the rear of a receptacle or accumulator. The deflected mixture passes under finger grates which retain cotton but allow some of the air and light trash to pass through out of the stream. A curved rear deflector forces the remaining mix downwardly towards the basket or accumulator and prevents build-up of material on sloping wall structure feeding a receiving area. Air and light debris at the bottom of the rear curved deflector change direction abruptly and exit through an upwardly directed air outlet at the back of the deflector. The momentum of the heavier cotton prevents cotton from making the tight turn around the bottom of the deflector and directs the cotton towards the receptacle or accumulator. Air and debris exit the hood away from the receptacle through the air outlet to thereby reduce air pressure and air turbulence in the receptacle. The increased air discharge area prevents pressure build-up in the receptacle for improved air system performance and improved cotton quality by allowing more of the light trash and dirt to be separated from the cotton prior to entry into the receptacle. 
   The curved deflector is adjustable and can be moved to a closed position in certain harvest conditions to prevent cotton loss through the outlet. The deflector continues to direct cotton towards the receiving area and helps prevent any material build-up on wall structure around the receiving area, particularly on sloped wall sections that lead into the lower portion of the accumulator. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a cotton harvester with an on-board processor and a hood system located over a receptacle/accumulator. 
       FIG. 2  is a right rear side perspective view of the hood structure on the harvester of FIG.  1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a left front side perspective view of the hood structure of FIG.  2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a side view, partially in section and with parts removed, of the hood structure and upper portions of the air system and accumulator. 
       FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  but with arrows showing the path of the cotton and debris. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIG. 1  therein is shown a cotton harvester  10  having a main frame  12  supported for movement by forward drive wheels  14  and rear steerable wheels  16 . A cab  18  is supported at the front end of the main frame  12  above forwardly mounted harvesting structure indicated at  20  which removes cotton from plants and directs the removed cotton into a telescoping air duct system  22  with ducts  23  having upwardly directed outlets  24   
   An upright telescoping accumulator system  30  includes an upper inlet or separating hood structure  31  and an opposite lower portion or metering floor  32 . The accumulator system  30  is supported on the forward end of the frame  12  behind the cab  18  for receiving the cotton from the air duct system  22 . A processor or module builder  34  is supported rearwardly of the accumulator system  30 . The accumulator system  30  stores cotton as necessary to facilitate continuous harvesting, and the metering floor  32  distributes the cotton to the module builder  34  which first forms a mat of material and then rolls the mat into a compact round bale or module  36 . The accumulator and processor system may be generally of the type shown and described in the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,996 entitled Harvester with Bale Forming Chamber Having a Transport Mode and in our aforementioned co-pending application Ser. No.10/687,256 entitled Baler Gate Linkage and Latch Structure, filed 15 Oct. 2003. 
   A bale or module handling system  40  is located rearwardly of the processor  34  for receiving a formed bale or module  36  from the processor  34 . The handling system  40  temporarily supports the module  36  ( FIG. 1 ) for transport during field-working operations and then discharges it from the harvester  10  at the desired location in the field. The module builder  34  includes a baler  42  having a clamshell type of housing  44  having first and second (front and rear) upright or frame sections  46  and  48 . The sections  46  and  48  are connected together by a control linkage structure  50 . In a field-working position (FIG.  1 ), the top portions of the sections  46  and  48  are located at or slightly above the level of the top of the accumulator system  30  to establish a maximum working height of the harvester  10 . The accumulator structure  30  has upper and lower telescoping sections  30   a  and  30   b , and cylinders  51  on each side of the accumulator structure move the section  30   a  vertically (arrow of  FIG. 1 ) between a raised operating position ( FIG. 1 ) and a lowered transport position over the section  30   b  for transport and shipping. The sections  30   a  and  30   b  are rectangular in cross section with front and rear walls  30   f  and  30   r  connected by opposite side walls  30   g , and the section  30   a  opens upwardly into the hood structure  31 . By way of example, the upper section  30   b  is about twelve feet wide and the lower section  30   a  tapers to a width of approximately eight feet in the area of the metering floor  32 . For a more detailed description of the telescoping accumulator structure, reference may be had to the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,650. 
   The module builder  34  includes a bale-forming chamber with a round baler belt and roller structure which receives material from the accumulator system  30  when the builder  34  is in the upright field-working position shown in FIG.  1 . The baler structure  60  operates in a manner generally identical to that of a conventional round baler and rolls the material into a compact round bale. It is to be understood that various types of delivery systems for conveying the material to the baling device may be utilized with the present invention. 
   When a complete bale is formed, the rear or gate section  48  of the clamshell housing  44  is rocked rearwardly and upwardly to release the bale from the chamber onto the handling system  40  (FIG.  1 ). The accumulator system  30  facilitates continued operation of the harvester  10  while the bale  36  is released from the chamber. The handling system  40  is positioned to receive, support and transport the completed bale while the harvesting continues. When the desired location such as the end of the field is reached, the system  40  is activated to lower the bale  36  and release it from the harvester  10 . 
   The front frame section  46  is pivotally connected to the harvester frame  12  by a pivot  56  for rocking between an upright field-working position (FIG.  1 ), a rearwardly and downwardly directed transport position, and a shipping position wherein the bale handler is at ground level. Hydraulically operated latch or securing structure  58  is mounted on the frame  12  and the lower forward portion of the front frame section  46  to lock the front frame section in an upright field-working position. Cylinder structure (not shown) located on each side of the baler includes a first end connected to the frame section  46  and a second end connected to the linkage structure  50 . 
   With the front frame section  46  latched in the upright position and the cylinder structure fully retracted (FIG.  1 ), the sections  46  and  48  define the bale forming chamber extending upwardly from the harvester frame  12 . The top of the chamber is approximately level with the top of the extended accumulator system  30 . Automatically operable gate lock structure  60  supported by the frame sections  46  and  48  rearwardly adjacent the front frame pivot  56  latches the sections together as the bale forming chamber is closed during retraction of the cylinder structure. Upon initial activation of the cylinder structure to open the chamber, there is initial relative vertical motion of the sections  46  and  48  to release the gate lock structure  60 . 
   To open the bale forming chamber, the cylinder structure is extended to initially release the gate lock structure  60  and then to rock the section  48  upwardly relative to the section  46  to open the housing and release the formed bale  36 . The released bale  36  can then be carried by the harvester  10  ( FIG. 1 ) to a convenient deposit area in the field while the harvesting operation continues uninterrupted. To move the housing  44  to the transport or the shipping position, the section  48  is rocked upwardly and the bale handling system  40  moved to the upright position. The cylinder structure is retracted to rock the section downwardly towards the closed position. However, hook structure  62  on the upright handling system  40  is in the path of travel of a mating member  63  the section  48  and latches to the section  48 . Thereafter, the cylinder structure is put into a float condition. The latching structure  58  is operated to release the front frame section  46 , and the handling system  40  is then moved downwardly. The sections  46  and  48  move downwardly primarily under the influence of gravity with the system  40 . Since the section  48  is positively latched to the handing system  40  at  62  and  63 , the system  40  can exert a pull on the sections if necessary. 
   The air duct system  22  is supported by a duct lift system indicated generally at  70  which can be retracted to telescope the ducts and move the uppermost duct outlets  24  to a position generally level with the top of the cab  18 . The lift system can be of the type shown and described in copending and commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 09/987,242 entitled DUCT SUPPORT AND TRANSITION STRUCTURE FOR A HARVESTER filed 13 Nov. 2001. The ducts  23 , accumulator  30  and housing  44  can all be lowered to a level generally aligned with the top of the cab for transport or shipping. 
   The volume of the accumulator structure  30  is less than that of a conventional basket. The accumulator front to rear depth dimension is, as best seen in  FIG. 1 , only a fraction of the length of the frame  12  and of a corresponding fore-and-aft dimension on a typical basket. Therefore the amount of conveying air per unit storage volume that has to be released in the accumulator area is much more than with a conventional harvester with a full capacity basket. 
   To better handle the conveyed material over a relatively small open area of the accumulator and to separate dirt, debris and air from the cotton, the hood structure  31  is provided with a special deflector and grate structure  100  (FIGS.  2 - 4 ). The hood structure  31  extends completely over the open top of the section  30   a  and an air delivery system propels air, cotton and debris in a path generally horizontally towards the rear wall of the section  30   a . Each duct outlet  24  opens upwardly and rearwardly towards a front deflector  110  which extends the width of the hood structure  30  between hood side walls  104 . The deflector  110  and includes three rearwardly and upwardly angled panels  110   a ,  110   b  and  110   c , and the rearmost panel  110   c  terminates rearwardly of the front wall of the section  30   a.    
   Grate structure  114  extends horizontally from the rearmost panel  110   c  to a location above the rear wall of the section  30   a . The grate structure  114  is shown as three finger grate panels  114   a ,  114   b  and  114   c  each having a row of fingers sloping slightly downwardly in the rearward direction. The fingers are spaced to allow air and small dirt and debris entrained in the conveyed material to escape through the top of the hood structure  31  while retaining the cotton within the hood structure. 
   A rear deflector  116  is supported near the top aft portion of the hood structure  31  between the side walls  104 . As shown, the deflector  116  includes a forwardly concave panel  118  extending downwardly from the aft edge of the rear finger grate panel  114   c  and terminating forwardly and above a rearwardly angled, downwardly converging top portion  120  of the rear wall  30   r . A rearwardly angled aft wall panel  124  offset behind the forwardly concave panel  118  extends between the side walls  104  of the hood structure  31  and defines an air and debris outlet  130  extending upwardly and rearwardly from the lowermost edge or extremity of the deflector  116 . The rear deflector  116  is located in the material flow path downstream of the grate structure  114  for intercepting the propelled cotton and remaining air and debris that remain unseparated from the cotton after the material stream passes the grate structure  114 . The outlet  130  is adjustable and opens behind the deflector  116  in a direction generally opposite to the direction of the steam of material at the concave face of the panel  118 . The lower portion of the deflector  116  is supported in slots  131  in the side walls  104  and in fore-and-aft support plates  134  spaced between the side walls and is adjustable from a closed position generally blocking flow of material to a fully open position offset several inches forwardly of the aft wall panel  124 . 
   The panel  118  deflects the cotton downwardly towards the open top of the section  30   a  of the accumulator system  30  and prevents build-up of material around the top portion  120  which converges downwardly into the accumulator. Air and light debris change direction abruptly at the bottom of the curved deflector panel  118  and exit through the outlet  130  at the back of the deflector  116  when the deflector is in an open position. The momentum of the heavier cotton prevents cotton from making the tight turn around the bottom of the deflector  116  and carries the cotton towards the receptacle. The increased air discharge area prevents pressure build-up in the receptacle for improved air system performance and improved cotton quality by allowing more of the light trash and dirt to be separated from the cotton prior to entry into the receptacle. In some conditions, the deflector may be moved to the closed position to prevent cotton loss through the outlet  130 . The deflector  116  directs the propelled material towards the receiving area and prevents any build-up of material in areas around the input to the receiving area, such as around the diverging top portion  120 . The walls of the accumulator structure  30  include openings  140  with screen (not shown) at locations  140  to provide additional release areas for air and debris. 
   Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.