The scope of this subclass is composed of five separate parts, relating to the five parts of the subclass title. For ease of reference each section of these definitions is separated under five corresponding simplified headings: "Threshing", "Baling", "Bundling", "Cutting" and "Storing".

Threshing (relating to main groups A01F 5/00-A01F 12/00 and A01F 17/00-A01F 21/00):

Methods and apparatus for separating grains or seeds from harvested plants or plant parts by mechanical action.

Baling (relating to main groups A01F 13/00-A01F 21/00):

Methods and apparatus for forming bales of straw, hay or like harvested products of plant origin.

Bundling (relating to main group A01F 1/00):

Stationary apparatus or hand tools for forming or binding bundles of straw, hay or like harvested products of plant origin.

Cutting (relating to main groups A01F 3/00 and A01F 29/00):

Apparatus specially adapted for cutting or disintegrating straw, hay or like already harvested products of plant origin.

Storing (relating to main group A01F 25/00):

Mechanical aspects (e.g. material handling aspects) of apparatus (e.g. silos) or methods that are specially adapted for storing harvested agricultural or horticultural crops.

Threshing

Main groups A01F 5/00-A01F 12/00 and A01F 17/00-A01F 21/00 provide for threshing devices and for accessories that are directly connected with threshing. Combines, and details of combines that are not directly connected with the threshing action (e.g. mowing, feeding or vehicular features) are covered by A01D.

Baling

Main groups A01F 13/00-A01F 21/00 are application-oriented places for methods or apparatus for baling that are specially adapted for straw, hay or like harvested products of plant origin. Baling of compressible fibrous material in general is provided for in B65B 27/12. Baling presses in general is provided for in B30B 9/30. Bales of material are provided for in B65D 71/00.

Bundling

Main group A01F 1/00 is an application-oriented place for stationary apparatus or hand tools for bundling, which are specially adapted for straw, hay or like harvested products of plant origin. Binding of harvested products by mobile apparatus in the field is provided for in A01D, for example in A01D 37/00, A01D 39/00 and A01D 59/00. Bundling of compressible fibrous material in general is provided for in B65B 27/12. Bundling of articles in general is provided for in B65B 13/00.

Cutting

Main groups A01F 3/00 and A01F 29/00 are application-oriented places for apparatus or methods that are specially adapted for cutting up or disintegrating straw, hay or like already harvested products of plant origin. Mowing and other cutting down of standing plants is covered by A01D and A01G. Cutting in general is covered by B26. Disintegrating in general, e.g. by rotating knives, is covered by B02C.

Storing

Main group A01F 25/00 is an application-oriented place for mechanical aspects (e.g. material handling aspects) of apparatus or methods that are specially adapted for storing harvested agricultural or horticultural crops. Containers for storage of articles or materials in general is covered by B65D. Storing and associated handling of bulk material or articles in general is covered by B65G. Civil-engineering aspects of silos or similar bulk storage containers are covered by section E, for example E04H 7/00.

As the title describes, documents concerning devices which are hand-operated (i.e. by hand) to cut straw, hay or the like should be classified here.

Illustrated example of subject matter classified in A01F 3/00

Hay Cutter

Any document including canvas or tray to be put on the ground to measure loss of grain must be classified/searched here.

As the title describes, documents concerning devices which are hand-operated (i.e. by hand) to bale straw, hay or the like should be classified here.

Presses (i.e. machines which are not hand-operated) capable of producing a bale (material on which a substantial compression has been carried out).

Reducing the size of a bale by re-compressing it after it has been formed a first time.

Devices in which the product is introduced in a box in order to produce a bale, but without compression means which compress the material after its introduction in the box (e.g. rams, compression belts, etc)

Illustrated example of subject matter classified in A01F 15/02

Example from US5193449 by Ransom Woodbury S.

Illustrated example of subject matter classified in A01F 15/04

Example from US4782651 by Hay and Forage Corp.

If the documents classified in this group (or subgroups) comprise anti-return means, then they must be also indexed in the group A01F 2015/048

Baling devices comprising a plunger which compresses material when moving in either direction.

Illustrated example of subject matter classified in A01F 15/06

Example from FR1381197 by Sperry Rand Corp.

The construction of the rotobaler for the purpose of winding the material in order to form a cylindrical bale. Typically they also bind or wrap the bale once finished, but those aspects are dealt with in other subgroups, in the same way as some other particular aspects of the construction not directily related to the configuration of the baling chamber (e.g drives, feeding devices, etc).

Illustrated example of subject matter classified in A01F 15/07

Example from EP2269440 by CNH Belgium NV

Some special aspects of the documents classified in this group must be also indexed (if applicable) in the groups A01F 2015/077 (chamber formed by belts and rollers), A01F 2015/0775 (fix volume chambers), A01F 2015/078 (chamber delimited only by flexible elements), A01F 2015/0785 (locking means for the chamber), A01F 2015/079 (rollers' sledge) and A01F 2015/0795 (variable volume chambers)

Rotobalers which do not need to stop after having finished a bale before starting a new one.

Example from EP1264532 by Deere&Co.

This group includes wrappers which travel around static bale on a wrapping table or similar.

Example from EP2123145 by Idough Invest Company.

All devices for wrapping bales individually (including square bales) must be classified here, even if they are not integrated in a baler.

Wrapping requires covering, but not necessarily covering 100% of bale surface.

Some special aspects of the documents classified in this group must be also indexed (if applicable) in the groups A01F 2015/0725 (film dispensers), A01F 2015/073 (rotating arms), A01F 2015/0735 (combinations of bale press and wrapper), A01F 2015/074 (discharge), A01F 2015/0745 (wrapping material), A01F 2015/075 (wrapping with open baling chamber), A01F 2015/0755 (wrapping table), and A01F 2015/076 (sensors)

Illustrated example of subject matter classified in A01F 15/0715

Example from EP1707046 by Deere&Co.

If the documents classified in this group include braking means for the film, then they must be also indexed in the group A01F 2015/072 . If they include sensors, then they must also be indexed in the group A01F 2015/076

This head group should only be used for details which do not have a proper group available under the subgroups of this class, and which do not relate to the general principle behind the previous head groups (A01F 15/005, A01F 15/02, etc), but to details of such devices which could be applicable to different types of presses (plunger presses, rotobalers, etc). E.g. a counter of bales mounted on a square baler and based on an image-processing system which detects the bale once dropped on the field.

If the documents classified in this group (or subgroups) include an inclinometer, they must be also indexed in the group A01F 2015/0808

Devices which regulate or control density or shape of a bale which is being produced in a baler.

If the documents classified in this group include a clu tch for the knotter and/or a bale-length measuring device, then they must be also indexed in the group A01F 2015/0866

Devices to discharge a bale from a baler.

Platforms and the like to discharge the bale from the baler onto the field.

Example from EP1935232 by CNH Belgium NV.

If the documents classified in this group (or subgroup) comprises a bale weighing device, then they must be also indexed in the group A01F 2015/0891

Pick-ups, feeding rollers, conveyors, cutters, etc particularly adapted for feeding material to balers.

Example from EP1562739 by AGCO Corp.

Some special aspects of the documents classified in this group must be also indexed (if applicable) in the groups A01F 2015/107 (withdrawing knives, rotors, walls), and A01F 2015/108 (cutter and counter-cutter)

The feeder which introduces material directly into the pressing chamber at right angle to the compression stroke.

Example from EP1769674 by Usines Class France SAS.

Some special aspects of the documents classified in this group must be also indexed (if applicable) in the groups A01F 2015/102 (bottom feeding), A01F 2015/103 (side feeding), and A01F 2015/105 (top feeding)

Device for feeding ties in a baler.

E.g. container of twine, tensioning mechanisms at the delivery point of twine, guiding devices.

Example from EP1234495 by Lely Machinenfabrik GmbH.

Devices for tying bales once finished

Includes devices for connecting the ends of binding material around the bale (even if ends are only produced after the material has been cut in order to eject the tied bale).

Illustrative Example of subject matter classified in this subgroup:

If the documents classified in this group comprise guiding fingers for the twine, then they must be also indexed in the group A01F 15/141

Blocks which separate consecutive bales inside a baler.

Example from FR458020 by Louis Francois Simon.

Endless belts, rolls or the like elements which are used to delimit a pressing chamber in a rotobaler.

Some special aspects of the documents classified in this group must be also indexed (if applicable) in the groups A01F 2015/183 (belts), and A01F 2015/186 (rollers and their bearings)

Conveyors for transporting straw along relatively long distances in order to reach the thresher or baler. E.g. to cover the distance between two machines, or two parts of the machine.

Example from DE1026230 by Arnold Spethmann.

Bases for threshing machines and balers in order to work in a fixed position on the field, and also levelling devices for ensuring a certain orientation with regards to horizontal.

Example from FR412731 by Gaston Lebled Amilhat.

Devices intended to protect human beings from any risk, including noise protection.

An application disclosing a baler with a housing surrounding the mechanisms should not be classified here since all balers comprise a housing. Unless the application discloses a new housing which is intended to increase safety according to it (e.g. covering an area which until then was never covered).

This group concerns the construction of "basic" or "mechanical" storage places, without artificial refrigeration and without complex chemical preservation.

Not for the chemical aspects of fruit storage which go beyond a simple drying in racks, or beyond ventilation of stacks or silos.

A clamp is characterised by being covered with earth, so it may be "above ground level" but would still be "underground" by definition. It might be for other products than potatoes.

Example from US1629392 by Ballard Killion James

All stacks of loose material (i.e. not stacks from bales)

Devices for distributing product when creating a haystack.

All devices for transporting hay racks, including hay racks having means for changing its location and apparatuses for handling hay racks, should be classified in this group.

Devices for covering harvested produce on one or more sides, but not completely surrounding it. Also for bales which are covered just on the top side.

Example from US2006010783 by Evans Timothy D.

Containers completely surrounding and enclosing the product, in loose or baled form. E.g. baggers. Wrappers or baggers for groups of bales.

Example 1 from EP1826150 by Tabstar LTD T A Silasock R&D.

Example 2 from US6748724 by SRC Innovations LLC.

Some special aspects of the documents classified in this group must be also indexed (if applicable) in the groups A01F 2025/142 (for groups of bales), A01F 2025/145 (baggers for loose material), A01F 2025/147 (under vacuum)

Silos for forage which are made in the ground or above it in order to preserve said forage for future feeding or bedding of cattle.

Silos which are built as a trench in the ground, or between two longitudinal walls above ground level.

Example from EP1166618 by Gilbert Duhamel.

Loading any kind of forage silos, including bags of forage.

Example 1 from US2002168253 by Musser Kenneth D.

Example 2 from US2005097868 by Miller ST Nazianz Inc.

Devices for distributing product when loading a forage silo.

Illustrated example of subject matter classified in A01F 25/2027

Example from FR2776164 by Mailleux SA

Some special aspects of the documents classified in this group must be also indexed (if applicable) in the groups A01F 2025/2045 (transferring conveyor), A01F 2025/2054 (cutting layers), A01F 2025/2063 (shredding layers), A01F 2025/2072 (scoops), A01F 2025/2081 (hydraulics), and A01F 2025/209 (manual tools)

Cutting a complete block out of the forage silo and/or handling such block.

Example from EP087588 by Busatis Werke KG.

Devices for ventilating product which is stored in forage silos.