Knives rotate opposite to discs
Knives rotate opposite to discs
ROTARY maize header designs now dominate the market.
Claas took the opportunity to demonstrate its 4.5m (14.8ft) RU 450, a three disc six-row unit.
It differs from other makes in that the knives not only rotate in the opposite direction to the discs, they do so at a slower speed – 25mph compared with 125mph.
This method of operation not only lowers start up torque, maintains Claas, it allows the header to be put into reverse at its full working speed to clear blockages and reduces knife wear and damage.
When cutting the two outer discs transport the crop to the right and the left, while the middle one sends the crop to the centre of the intake roller. Each disc handles two rows, which are compressed by an auger before being fed over the shear bar, to maintain an even feed. Price of the RU 450 is £23,900. *