A drive system for a paddle belt conveyor comprises a drive shaft and a drive roller rotationally driven by the drive shaft about a first axis. The drive roller exerts traction on a belt of the belt conveyor. The belt comprises a plurality of paddles. The drive system includes a pinch roller mounted rotationally about a second axis parallel to the first axis. The pinch roller pinches the belt between the pinch roller and the drive roller to augment the traction of the drive roller on the belt. Either the drive roller or the pinch roller is a bobbin roller to accommodate the paddles on the belt. The drive system may further include a take-up roller rotatable about a third axis parallel to the first axis, and first and second idler rollers rotatable about fourth and fifth axes parallel to the first axis.

The present invention provides a system for processing a bale of straw to provide a hurd fraction, a fiber fraction and a dust fraction. The system comprises a bale cutting assembly configured to cut the bale into a plurality of vertically stacked cut bale segments by making one or more horizontal cuts through the bale and to eject a lowermost one of the plurality of the cut bale segments onto a first conveyor assembly, which separates the bale segment into straw wafers and convey them into a flail assembly comprising a plurality of flails/beaters to convert straw wafers into loose straw. The loose straw are discharged into a grinding assembly via a second conveyor assembly, to provide a mixture of hurd, fiber and dust. A separation assembly receives and separate the mixture of hurd, fiber and dust into the hurd fraction, the fiber fraction and the dust fraction.

The present invention provides a system for processing a bale of straw to provide a hurd fraction, a fiber fraction and a dust fraction. The system comprises a bale cutting assembly configured to cut the bale into a plurality of vertically stacked cut bale segments by making one or more horizontal cuts through the bale and to eject a lowermost one of the plurality of the cut bale segments onto a first conveyor assembly, which separates the bale segment into straw wafers and convey them into a flail assembly comprising a plurality of flails/beaters to convert straw wafers into loose straw. The loose straw are discharged into a grinding assembly via a second conveyor assembly, to provide a mixture of hurd, fiber and dust. A separation assembly receives and separate the mixture of hurd, fiber and dust into the hurd fraction, the fiber fraction and the dust fraction.

A machine for the harvesting of plants comprises an arm movable between work and transport configuration, a tool comprising lateral ends and being able to occupy a work position and another position, a connecting device via which the tool is connected to the arm and enabling a first movement of the tool relative to the arm, during which the lateral ends move vertically relative to the arm in the same vertical direction relative thereto, the connecting device can operate a second transverse and horizontal movement of the tool relative to the arm and making it possible to operate this second movement independently of the first movement. The connecting device comprises an arm articulated on the support arm about a first transverse and horizontal axis when the support arm is in the work configuration, and this arm can, by pivoting about the first axis, moved vertically relative to the support arm.

A machine for the harvesting of plants comprises an arm movable between work and transport configuration, a tool comprising lateral ends and being able to occupy a work position and another position, a connecting device via which the tool is connected to the arm and enabling a first movement of the tool relative to the arm, during which the lateral ends move vertically relative to the arm in the same vertical direction relative thereto, the connecting device can operate a second transverse and horizontal movement of the tool relative to the arm and making it possible to operate this second movement independently of the first movement. The connecting device comprises an arm articulated on the support arm about a first transverse and horizontal axis when the support arm is in the work configuration, and this arm can, by pivoting about the first axis, moved vertically relative to the support arm.

A merger, for picking up and distributing materials from a ground surface, includes a frame that provides support to the merger, a pick-up head affixed to the frame that lifts the materials from the ground surface, a height adjustor affixed to the frame that maintains a minimum clearance between the ground surface and the pick-up head, and a conveyor affixed to the frame that receives the materials from the pick-up head. The conveyor includes a first belt and a second belt that independently distributes the materials on the ground surface from at least one of a first side of the frame and a second side of the frame.

A merger, for picking up and distributing materials from a ground surface, includes a frame that provides support to the merger, a pick-up head affixed to the frame that lifts the materials from the ground surface, a height adjustor affixed to the frame that maintains a minimum clearance between the ground surface and the pick-up head, and a conveyor affixed to the frame that receives the materials from the pick-up head. The conveyor includes a first belt and a second belt that independently distributes the materials on the ground surface from at least one of a first side of the frame and a second side of the frame.

A drive system for a paddle belt conveyor comprises a drive shaft and a drive roller rotationally driven by the drive shaft about a first axis. The drive roller exerts traction on a belt of the belt conveyor. The belt comprises a plurality of paddles. The drive system includes a pinch roller mounted rotationally about a second axis parallel to the first axis. The pinch roller pinches the belt between the pinch roller and the drive roller to augment the traction of the drive roller on the belt. Either the drive roller or the pinch roller is a bobbin roller to accommodate the paddles on the belt. The drive system may further include a take-up roller rotatable about a third axis parallel to the first axis, and first and second idler rollers rotatable about fourth and fifth axes parallel to the first axis.

The present disclosure relates to a belt as a continuous tension means for conveyor belts including a fabric layer and a first and a second belt end interconnected via a belt connector, the belt connector comprising a first exterior end and second exterior end connected or connectable there to lying opposite one another in a longitudinal direction at the belt connector, where the first exterior end of the belt connector is connected to the first belt end and the second exterior end of the belt connector to the second belt end.

The present disclosure provides that between the respective exterior end of the belt connector and the respective belt end of the belt in each case a seam connection is formed, where in each case a thread penetrates both the respective exterior end and the respective belt end in multiple stitches.