A windrow merger has a frame supporting first, second and third pickup assemblies, with the two outside pickup assemblies foldable between an extended use position and a retracted travel position. Each of the pickup assemblies includes a reversible conveyor providing multiple windrow merging configurations. The pickup assemblies are interchangeable and aligned to define an unobstructed pickup face.

A crop handling apparatus comprises a mobile chassis. The chassis is mounted on ground-engaging wheels. A tow-bar is provided at a front of the chassis for releasable attachment to a towing vehicle such as a tractor. A crop conditioning rotor is mounted on the chassis and has a plurality of outwardly projecting radial tines. Drive for the crop conditioning rotor can be by way of a drive transmission on the chassis which connects via a drive input with a PTO shaft on a tractor behind which the crop handling apparatus is drawn in use. A crop gathering conveyor is mounted on the chassis in front of the crop conditioning rotor. The crop gathering conveyor has a discharge end located in front of an inlet of the crop conditioning rotor to feed crop material to the inlet of the crop conditioning rotor in use.

Windrow mergers employ one or more design features as described herein in connection with a suspension assembly that allows the pickup head to rise or fall relative to a frame of the merger. One feature maintains a substantially constant force or pressure between a pickup head of the merger and the terrain regardless of a height of the head. Another feature maintains a substantially constant hydraulic pressure in a hydraulic actuator that connects the pickup head to a frame assembly of the merger. Still another feature employs a hydraulic pump driven by a power takeoff (PTO) of the tractor to charge and discharge a hydraulic actuator arranged to raise and lower the pickup head of the merger between an upper limit and a lower limit.

Windrow mergers employ one or more design features as described herein in connection with a suspension assembly that allows the pickup head to rise or fall relative to a frame of the merger. One feature maintains a substantially constant force or pressure between a pickup head of the merger and the terrain regardless of a height of the head. Another feature maintains a substantially constant hydraulic pressure in a hydraulic actuator that connects the pickup head to a frame assembly of the merger. Still another feature employs a hydraulic pump driven by a power takeoff (PTO) of the tractor to charge and discharge a hydraulic actuator arranged to raise and lower the pickup head of the merger between an upper limit and a lower limit.

Harvesting apparatus, namely merger or pickup head, with a loadbearing frame (11) which has a longitudinal carrier (12) and crossmembers (13, 14, 24, 25), with a chassis (16) which has wheels (17), with receiving members (18) which are configured as a pickup for receiving harvested crops, one receiving member (18) on a first side of the longitudinal carrier (12) and a further receiving member (18) on a second side of the longitudinal carrier (12) being received in each case on a crossmember (13, 14), and with cross conveying devices (19) which are configured as belt conveyors for conveying the received harvested crops in a cross conveying direction which runs transversely with respect to a longitudinal direction, one cross conveying device (19) on a first side of the longitudinal carrier (12) and a further cross conveying device (19) on a second side of the longitudinal carrier (12) being received on the respective crossmember (13, 14), and it being possible for a transfer region (22) for the harvested crops to be configured between the cross conveying devices (19) which are arranged on different sides of the loadbearing frame (12). In the working position, the cross conveying devices (19) and receiving members (18) which are arranged on the different sides of the loadbearing frame (12) can be pivoted about in each case one pivot axis (28, 29) which extends in the longitudinal direction, the respective pivot axis (28, 29) being arranged in the region of the chassis (16) adjacently with respect to the transfer region (22).

A crop handling apparatus comprises a mobile chassis. The chassis is mounted on ground-engaging wheels. A tow-bar is provided at a front of the chassis for releasable attachment to a towing vehicle such as a tractor. A crop conditioning rotor is mounted on the chassis and has a plurality of outwardly projecting radial tines. Drive for the crop conditioning rotor can be by way of a drive transmission on the chassis which connects via a drive input with a PTO shaft on a tractor behind which the crop handling apparatus is drawn in use. A crop gathering conveyor is mounted on the chassis in front of the crop conditioning rotor. The crop gathering conveyor has a discharge end located in front of an inlet of the crop conditioning rotor to feed crop material to the inlet of the crop conditioning rotor in use.

The embodiments herein provide a double windrow converter assembly. The double windrow converter assembly is removably attachable behind a towing vehicle or a swather. The converter enables creation of a double windrow of freshly cut hay (with high moisture content). The converter picks up the freshly cut hay windrow using a pickup head which is then diverted to a trough. The hay collected in the trough is discharged on one side of the field to create a first half of the double swath. The swather and the double windrow converter assembly are then operated in opposite direction to generate second half of double swath. Thus, use of the double windrow converter assembly along with swather helps in accomplishing two tasks/operations in a single pass. The assembly also eliminates need for using a rake to pick up dried hay from the field on waiting for a few days after swathing.

A windrow merger has a frame supporting first, second and third pickup assemblies, with the two outside pickup assemblies foldable between an extended use position and a retracted travel position. Each of the pickup assemblies includes a reversible conveyor providing multiple windrow merging configurations. The pickup assemblies are interchangeable and aligned to define an unobstructed pickup face.