Patent ID: 7530776

Claim:
A sugar cane chain piler assembly, comprising: a piler frame supporting at least first and second upright chain piler units respectively including first and second chain support structures that are spaced transversely from each other so as to define a piler pocket between them; said support structures having respective front surfaces, which as viewed in profile from a right-hand side of said piler assembly are curved from top to bottom so as to be generally C-shaped and include an upper portion which extends upwardly and forwardly; first and second horizontal, transversely extending head shafts being respectively mounted to upper regions of said first and second chain support structures; first and second horizontal, transversely extending tail shafts being respectively mounted to lower regions of said first and second frame sections; at least a first pair of sprockets being mounted, one each to each of said first head shaft and said first tail shaft so as to be in alignment with each other, and at least a second pair of sprockets being mounted, one each to each of said second head shaft and said second tail shaft so as to be in alignment with each other; first and second endless roller chains being respectively trained about said first and second pairs of sprockets; each chain supporting a plurality of outwardly projecting conveyor teeth; a drive assembly being coupled to said first and second head shafts; and first and second chain guide assemblies respectively being carried by said first and second chain support structures and respectively associated with said first and second endless chains such that forward runs of said first and second endless chains are located substantially parallel to, and located behind, said front surfaces of said chain support structures, with said conveyor teeth projecting forwardly of an adjacent one of said surfaces, whereby said conveyor teeth act together with said upper portions of said front surfaces so as to cause cane stalks to be rolled forwardly onto a pile of cane being formed during forward movement of said piler assembly along a windrow of wholestalk sugar cane.