Modern cotton harvesters typically include a relatively large high volume receptacle mounted to the frame of the harvester. Recently, the receptacle or basket assembly of cotton harvesters has been designed such that the height and, thus, the capacity of the basket assembly is adjustable. The receptacle or basket assembly on recent cotton harvester designs includes a lower basket portion mounted on the frame of the harvester with an upper basket portion being movably mounted and supported for elevational movement relative to the lower basket portion under the influence between an extended field working position and a retracted storage position.
A conventional cotton harvester further includes a plurality of harvesting row units arranged across a front end of the harvester. Each harvesting unit has duct structure operably associated therewith for receiving cotton materials harvested by the respective harvesting unit and for delivering the cotton materials into the receptacle. To optimize receptacle capacity, the cotton conveying structure extends upwardly from a respective harvesting row unit to a top forward portion of the upper basket portion of the receptacle wherein one or more openings are provided in registry with an exhaust end of the cotton conveying duct structure. To promote the delivery of cotton from the duct structure into the receptacle, the upper basket portion of the receptacle can include hood structure that extends vertically over and in operable combination with the discharge end of the duct structure.
Although beneficially increasing the capacity of the receptacle, maintaining the upper basket portion in an extended field working position presents certain problems and drawbacks. Because of shipping size limitations, the upper basket portion must be moved to its retracted storage position when the harvester is freighted by rail or truck. Because of power lines and the like, the increased height of the receptacle, with the upper basket portion in a raised field working position, makes it difficult to transport the harvester from one location to another. Moreover, the normal height of barn doors makes moving the harvester indoors for repairs or storage a problem because of the increased height added to the receptacle by the upper basket portion. Thus, and after the cotton materials are removed from the receptacle, the upper basket portion of the receptacle is lowered into its retracted position to facilitate transportation of the harvester.
While the height of the duct structure can exceed the height of the cab region, it is beneficial for transportation purposes to lower the height of the duct structure along with reducing the height of the receptacle. Some cotton harvesters have a plurality of duct structures extending upwardly toward the opening in the receptacle from each harvesting row unit. As will be appreciated, removing portions of each duct structure to reduce the height thereof is a labor intensive manual process. Reassembling each duct structure to return the machine to an operational condition also involves a labor intensive effort. A customer, for example, who desires to transport his cotton harvester from one location to the other must often spend a considerable number of man hours in tearing down and setting up the receptacle, thereby reducing the overall productivity of the harvester.
Thus, there is a need and a desire for a large capacity receptacle for a cotton harvester having arranged in combination therewith duct structure designed to accommodate shipping and transportation of the harvester and which obviates the need for tearing down and setting up the entire duct structure in response to the position of the upper basket portion of the receptacle.