Patent ID: 7694501

Claim:
A work machine for harvesting a cane crop having a lower crop material gathering device, the work machine having a direction of travel, 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 configured to substantially surround a stalk of a cane crop plant as said at least one moving device moves, the at least one moving device being further configured to bend the head of the cane crop plant in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of travel; a stalk cutting device positioned proximate to said at least one moving device, said stalk cutting device being configured to cut the peduncle of the cane crop plant; and, a support member connecting said chassis to said upper crop material gathering device, said support member including an internal grain moving device for receiving the heads and grain from said grain gathering tunnel, said support member being configured to change a height that said upper crop material gathering device is above the ground while maintaining said at least one moving device substantially parallel to the ground.