Lateral float apparatus for windrow pick-up attachment

摘要

An improved windrow pick-up attachment (9) for a forage harvester (10) having crop processing means including an input opening (22) for receiving crop material. The attachment (9) includes a main frame (11) positioned on the front of the forage harvester (10) adjacent the input opening (22) with a transverse reel (12) and an auger conveyor (16) mounted on the main frame (11) for picking up crop material from the ground, consolidating it and conveying it to the forage harvester (10) base unit via the input opening (22). An intermediate frame assembly (26) is mounted on the forage harvester (10). The main frame (11) of the attachment (9) is pivotally mounted on the intermediate frame for rotation of the reel (12) and conveyor (16) about an axis (53) extending in a generally for and aft direction to permit the position of the reel assembly (12) to change from a home position under conditions where the ground is substantially level to left or right tilt positions in response to the contour of the ground. Plates (32-35) and wear pads (56-62) are provided for dampening the rotation of the reel assembly (12) about this axis.