The row-crop attachment

One-row and two-row attachments are used for cutting standing corn. Both chain-operated gatherers and auger gatherers are used in the different designs. The latter type has two almost vertical spirals between which the corn moves as it is cut. One gatherer chain moves the butts while the spirals move the tops.

The chain-type has three or four gathering chains to move the corn into the throat of the harvester; the construction is like that in the corn picker.

The tension bars (or throat springs) are adjusted to hold tall, heavy corn tightly and to hold short, light weeds loosely.

The corn butts travel between two long stationary knives before being severed by the large serrated knife section. The knife is driven by a pitman and flywheel, the flywheel by a universal shaft, belt, or chain.

The butts of the corn are then moved back and up to the cutting reel or flywheel. One machine has a low vertical cylinder to prevent the corn from traveling far up or back before it is chopped.

The gathering points are quite similar to those on the corn picker.

One attachment has a shelf about halfway up and on one side, affording space to prevent ears from being knocked off.

Because cornstalks enter the cutter lengthwise, they are usually cut quite uniformly in length. But many of the leaves go through crosswise.

They may be cut several inches long when the harvester is set for a 1/2-inch cut.

Gathering chains may be driven by universal-joint shafts – as many as seventeen universal joints on one machine. Make sure the universal fittings are well lubricated.

Do not try to pull or push material through the attachment unless the entire machine is stopped.

VARIATIONS

Almost all forage harvesters use cylinder or flywheel cutters. But one design clips the forage close to the ground with flailing hammers or knives. The knives work against the direction of travel and force the forage against shredding bars in the hood. On one machine, the centrifugal force of the flying hammers blows the shredded forage into a trailing wagon. In another, the cut material is thrown under the hood and into a trough at the rear. Two end spirals move the material to the center, where it drops into a blower that blows it out the discharge spout.