| US 7,562,517 B1 | ||
| Rotary crimping apparatus for elevated crop beds | ||
| Ted S. Kornecki, Aubum, Ala. (US) | ||
| Assigned to The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. (US) | ||
| Filed on Sep. 17, 2008, as Appl. No. 12/212,342. | ||
| Int. Cl. A01B 13/08 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 56—504 [56/500; 172/554] | 20 Claims |
| 1. A rotary crimper comprising:
a tubular inner roller;
a plurality of crimping members, each crimping member extending normal to the inner roller, the crimping members having:
(a) an inner side adjacent the inner roller; and
(b) an outer side opposite the inner side, the outer side having at least two projecting portions and at least one non-projecting
portion;
a plurality of bracing members, each bracing member extending between the projecting portions of two of the crimping members;
and
a plurality of crimping plates, each crimping plate extending normal to the bracing members, each crimping plate positioned
intermediate two of the crimping members;
whereby the crimping plates and the projecting portions of the crimping members are positioned to correspond with furrows
in a field of crops, and the non-projecting portions of the crimping members are positioned to correspond with relatively
elevated portions of the field of crops so that towing the rotary crimper across the field crimps the stalks of the crops
in the furrows as well as crimping the stalks of the crops in the elevated portions of the field.
|