Patent ID: 7805916

Claim:
A work machine for harvesting a cane crop having a lower crop material gathering device, the work machine comprising: a chassis; and an upper crop material gathering device coupled to said chassis, said upper crop material gathering device including: at least one moving device having a plurality of stripper plates including a first stripper plate and a second stripper plate, configured to substantially surround a stalk of a cane crop plant as said at least one moving device moves; a stalk engaging device in the form of a roller rotating about a generally horizontal axis and being located generally beneath said at least one moving device, said roller being configured to pull the stalk in a generally downward direction from said at least one moving device thereby stripping grain from a head of the cane crop plant the stalk being substantially surrounded by said first stripper plate and said second stripper plate prior to said stalk engaging device pulling the stalk from between said first stripper plate and said second stripper plate; and, a grain gathering tunnel positioned adjacent to said at least one moving device and said roller to receive the grain, the grain gathering tunnel having a top plate, a back plate and a bottom plate, said top plate being hingedly connected to said back plate, said back plate being hingedly connected to said bottom plate.