Patent ID: 7472481

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a cotton picker basket comprising: positioning a lower basket portion below an upper basket portion, each of the upper basket portion and lower basket portion having a volume for receiving cotton therein; connecting the upper basket portion through a pivot to the lower basket portion to allow the upper basket portion to move between a raised position and a lowered position; supporting a first end of a compactor within at least one of the volumes on a pivot to allow pivotal motion of the compactor between a lowered position and a raised position; and connecting at least one actuator between the upper basket portion and the compactor to move the upper basket portion between the lowered position and the raised position and to move the compactor between the lowered position and the raised position, wherein the actuator is at least in part supported by a stand configured to engage a base of the lower basket portion to support the actuator when moving at least one of the lower basket portion and the upper basket portion between the lowered position and the raised position.