Patent ID: 7392644

Claim:
A self-propelled cotton harvester, comprising: a chassis having at least one structural element, the structural element having an upper portion defining a generally horizontal plane, the upper portion of the structural element for supporting a cotton packager thereon, the chassis having a rear end including at least one mounting element located rearwardly of the structural element and disposed a predetermined distance below the plane or the upper portion of the structural element; and the cotton packager including cotton compacting structure having a bottom portion adapted to be supported on the upper portion of the structural element, the compacting structure including an open rear end and a cotton compacting chamber having at floor therein extending to the open rear end, the chamber containing a compactor operable for compacting the cotton received in the chamber to form a unitary body of compacted cotton within the chamber, the cotton compacting structure further including at least one pivot arm extending downwardly about the predetermined distance from the rear end of the cotton compacting structure and including a packager pivot connected to the mounting element of the chassis, to allow pivotal movement of the packager about the packager pivot between a generally horizontal position supported on the structural element of the chassis, and a tilted position wherein a front end of the packager is elevated above the chassis and a rear end of the floor is located rearwardly of and below the plane of the upper portion of the structural element of the chassis.