Discharge conveying system for a cotton harvester

摘要

A discharge conveyor system for a cotton harvester which removes a commingled mixture of ripe and green bolls from cotton plants during a harvesting operation. The discharge conveying system includes duct structure having an inlet arranged proximate to an outlet on a harvesting head assembly from which the commingled mixture of harvested materials pass. An air system directs an air stream through the duct structure such that ripe or lighter bolls are drawn into the duct structure while heavier or green bolls fall from the outlet of the harvesting head assembly. A basket is mounted on the harvester for receiving the green bolls and includes a floor comprised of a plurality of louvers which combine with each other, in one position, to hold green bolls in the basket, and are movable to a second position wherein the louvers are arranged relative to each other for purposes of boll discharge. A conveyor assembly gravitationally receives and conveys green bolls away from the inlet to the duct structure thereby preventing them from interfering with the lighter bolls flowing into the duct structure.