PRINCIPLES OF

FARM MACHINERY
Third Edition
 7 6 . 2 m m ( 3 in.)
Paths of ledger-
plate corners

.Stalk
'paths

Cutting
line (EF)
I52mm
( 6 in.)

Forward
travel

Cutting
Cutting 4 4 mm
(I | in.)
portion
portion of of ledger
knife section plate

6 4 mm \*—35 mm —*-\
r- (2^in.) (ifin.)
PRINCIPLES OF
FARM MACHINERY
Third Edition

R. A· Kepner
Professor of Agricultural Engineering,
University of California,
Davis, California
Roy Bainer
Emeritus Dean of the College of Engineering,
and Emeritus Professor of Agricultural Engineering,
University of California,
Davis, California
and
E. L. Barger
Former Director of Product Planning,
Massey-Ferguson, Ltd.

CBS Publishers & Distributors Pvt. Ltd.

New Delhi · Bengaluru · Chennai · Kochi · Kolkata · Mumbai
Hyderabad · Nagpur · Patna · Pune · Vijayawada
Disclaimer
Science and technology are constantly changing fields. New research and experience broaden the scope of information and
knowledge. The authors have tried their best in giving information available to them while preparing the material for this 
book. Although, all efforts have been made to ensure optimum accuracy of the material, yet it is quite possible some errors 
might have been left uncorrected. The publisher, the printer and the authors will not be held responsible for any inadvertent 
errors, omissions or inaccuracies.

eISBN: 978­81­239­xxxx­x
Copyright © Authors and Publisher

First eBook Edition: 2017

All rights reserved. No part of this eBook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or 
mechanical, including  photocopying,  recording,  or  any  information  storage  and  retrieval  system  without  permission,  in 
writing, from the authors and the publisher. 

Published by Satish Kumar Jain and produced by Varun Jain for 
CBS Publishers & Distributors Pvt. Ltd.
Corporate Office: 204 FIE, Industrial Area, Patparganj, New Delhi­110092
Ph: +91­11­49344934; Fax: +91­11­49344935; Website: www.cbspd.com; www.eduport­global.com; 
E­mail: eresources@cbspd.com; marketing@eduport­global.com

Head Office: CBS PLAZA, 4819/XI Prahlad Street, 24 Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi­110002, India.
Ph:  +91­11­23289259,  23266861,  23266867;  Fax:  011­23243014;  Website:  www.cbspd.com; 
E­mail: publishing@cbspd.com; eduportglobal@gmail.com.

Branches
• Bengaluru: Seema House 2975, 17 th Cross, K.R. Road, Banasankari 2 nd Stage, Bengaluru ­ 560070, Karnataka
Ph: +91­80­26771678/79; Fax: +91­80­26771680; E­mail: bangalore@cbspd.com
• Chennai: No.7, Subbaraya Street Shenoy Nagar Chennai ­ 600030, Tamil Nadu
Ph: +91­44­26680620, 26681266; E­mail: chennai@cbspd.com
• Kochi: 36/14 Kalluvilakam, Lissie Hospital Road, Kochi ­ 682018, Kerala
Ph: +91­484­4059061­65; Fax: +91­484­4059065; E­mail: kochi@cbspd.com
• Mumbai: 83­C, 1 st floor, Dr. E. Moses Road, Worli, Mumbai ­ 400018, Maharashtra
Ph: +91­22­24902340 ­ 41; Fax: +91­22­24902342; E­mail: mumbai@cbspd.com
• Kolkata: No. 6/B, Ground Floor, Rameswar Shaw Road, Kolkata ­ 700014
Ph: +91­33­22891126 ­ 28; E­mail: kolkata@cbspd.com

Representatives
• Hyderabad
• Pune
• Nagpur
• Manipal
• Vijayawada
• Patna
Preface To The Third Edition

The primary objective in preparing a new edition of Principles of Farm

Machinery at this time was to incorporate SI (metric) units of measure.
Engineering colleges and schools in many universities are moving rapidly
toward the use of the SI system in teaching engineering courses. In this
Third Edition, U.S. customary units are also shown in most places because
responses to a questionnaire sent to all agricultural engineering departments
in the United States and Canada were overwhelmingly in favor of the dual-
unit presentation. Customary units have been omitted in some places where
the significance of the numbers is in their relative values rather than their ab­
solute magnitudes or where including dual units would unduly complicate
the presentation of a graph. Problems have only SI units.
The portion of Chapter 2 dealing with costs has been updated and rewrit­
ten. New material has been added pertaining to large-hay-bale systems,
axial-flow threshing cylinders and rotary separation in grain combines, and
handling and storing seed cotton. Minor updating has been done where ap­
propriate throughout the remainder of the book. We did not make an ex­
haustive search of all pertinent literature published since the Second Edition
was prepared in 1971, but papers appearing in the Transactions of the
ASAE during this period were reviewed and appropriate ones are cited.
Principles of Farm Machinery emphasizes functional requirements, prin­
ciples, and performance evaluation of field machines, but also includes some
design-related material. It is intended primarily as a textbook for an upper-
division engineering course in field machinery. Prerequisites should include
a course in static mechanics. Knowledge pertaining to strength of materials
and dynamics would be helpful but is not essential.
Reference lists at the ends of the chapters indicate the source of much of
the technical material in the book and provide a handy guide for more
detailed study of a particular subject. Such information should be helpful to
the practicing agricultural engineer as well as to others in the farm
machinery industry.
In 1975, agricultural engineering students at the University of Missouri-
Columbia, under the direction of Professor C E . Goering, developed a page-
by-page SI conversion supplement for the Second Edition. Having their
results available as a means of checking our conversions for the Third Edi­
tion was most helpful. Massey-Ferguson, Inc., Des Moines, Iowa, provided
feeds for typing, drafting, and other incidental expenses. Special
appreciation is expressed tp Karin Clawson for typing the revised portions of
the manuscript, to James Bumgarner for preparing the line drawings, to
vi PRINCIPLES OF FARM MACHINERY

Dennie Kepner (wife of the senior author) for assistance in proofreading,

and to electronics engineers for developing pocket computers such as the
HP-55.

R. A. KEPNER
ROY BAINER
E. L. BARGER
April, 1978
Preface To The Second Edition

There has been a tremendous amount of research and development in the

area of farm machinery since the First Edition was published 17 years ago.
Several thousand technical reports have been published during this period.
Reviewing a substantial portion of these and deciding what information
should be included in the Second Edition has been a formidable task.
To provide space for new information without greatly increasing the
length and cost of the book, four chapters and most of the appendix material
included in the First Edition have been deleted. No ASAE standards or rec-
ommeiidations are included in their entirety because these are now readily
available and kept up-to-date in the Agricultural Engineers Yearbook. The
chapter on construction materials was deleted because of the considerable
amount of space that would be required to cover this subject adequately.
Several new chapters or major portions of chapters have been added.
Although much of the basic information from the First Edition has been
retained, the entire book has been rewritten and up-dated. Substantial
changes have been made in the organization and sequence of presentation in
çome subject areas. Half of the line drawings and 60% of the halftones are
new in the Second Edition.
As in the First Edition, some problems are included at the ends of most
chapters. Instructors are urged to develop additional problems appropriate
to their specific teaching objectives.
R csponses to a questionnaire sent to all agricultural engineering depart­
ments in the United States and Canada in 1970 provided valuable guidance
regarding the general subjects to be included and the manner of presenta­
tion. Some instructors would prefer that the book be design-oriented, but the
predominant use appears to be in more general farm machinery courses. Ac­
cordingly, the Second Edition continues to emphasize functional require­
ments, principles, and performance evaluation, but with some design-related
material included. Ideally, there should be two textbooks, one on principles
and one on design.
We wish to acknowledge the assistance of the following persons, each of
whom reviewed preliminary drafts of one or more chapters: N.B. Akesson,
K.K. Barnes, G.P. Barrington, A.M. Best and members of his engineering
staff, D.C. Bichel, H.D. Bruhn, B.J. Butler, D.M. Byg, W.J. Chancellor,
G.F. Cooper, T.E. Corley, J.B. Dobie, K.J. Fornstrom, R.B. Fridley, W.R.
Gill, J.R. Goss, R.C. Hansen, E.D. Hudspeth, Jr., D.R. Hunt, W.H.
Johnson, J.J. Mehlschau, M. O'Brien, J.G. Porterfield, C.B. Richey, C.E.
Schertz, W.L. Sims, B.A. Stout, H.E. Studer, G.R. Tupper, P.K. Turnquist,

VII
viii PRINCIPLES OF FARM MACHINERY

J.C. Vance, and W.E. Yates. Comments and suggestions from these experts
were extremely helpful and represent significant contributions to the final
product;
Massey-Ferguson, Ltd., Toronto, Canada, provided funds for typing,
drafting, and other incidental expenses. Without this support, the revision
probably would not have been undertaken. We are grateful to the University
of California for providing facilities and especially to the Department of
Agricultural Engineering for permitting part of the writing to be done on
University time. Special appreciation is expressed to Karin Clawson and
Joanne Weigt, who typed the manuscript, and to James Bumgarner who
prepared the line drawings.

R. A. KEPNER
ROY BAINER
E. L. BARGER
December, 1971
Preface To The First Edition

In preparing this textbook, the authors have attempted to present the sub­
ject of farm machinery from the engineering viewpoint, emphasizing
functional requirements and principles of operation for the basic types of
field machines. Where feasible, machines for a particular cultural practice
(such as planting) have been treated on the basis of the unit operations per­
formed by the functional elements of the machine. Methods for testing or
evaluating the performance of certain types of field machinery are included
in the appropriate chapters.
Principles of Farm Machinery is designed primarily as a textbook for an
upper-division course in farm machinery that might be required of all
professional agricultural engineering students, regardless of their expected
field of specialization. Prerequisites should include a course in static
mechanics. Knowledge pertaining to strength of materials and to dynamics
would be helpful but is not essential.
In discussing the various machines, only a minimum amount of descrip­
tive material has been included. We have assumed that the reader will be
generally familiar with the common types of farm machinery, either from
actual experience or from other course work. A student without this
background should, from time to time, consult references of a more descrip­
tive nature (trade literature, non-technical textbooks, etc.). The laboratory
provides additional opportunity for the student to become familiar with the
details of specific machines.
This book represents a summarization and integration of a vast amount öf
engineering information not heretofore available in one volume. Reference
lists at the ends of the chapters indicate the sources for much of the material
and provide a handy guide for more detailed study of any particular subject.
Such information should be helpful to the practicing agricultural engineer as
well as to others in the farm machinery industry.
The subject matter deals primarily with the more common types of field
machines but also includes general discussions of materials, power transmis­
sion, economics, and hydraulic controls, as applied to farm machinery. The
chapter on seed cleaning is included only because of its relation to the
separating and cleaning functions in seed-harvesting equipment. There are
many examples of specialty equipment and localized special problems that
require engineering attention and offer a real challenge to the farm
machinery development engineer, but space does not permit their considera­
tion in this book.
It is recognized that there is considerable variation in the type of approach
and technical level of treatment for the various subjects presented. Unfor-
X PRINCIPLES OF FARM MACHINERY

tunately, this inconsistency is an indication of the present status of farm

machinery engineering. For some types of equipment, considerable
engineering information and analytical material are available in the
literature, but for other types there is little or nothing other than descriptive
material. This situation, however, is changing rapidly and will continue to
improve in the future.
Lack of standardization of nomenclature is one of the difficulties con­
fronting a person who writes about farm machinery. The authors have given
considerable thought to this problem in an attempt to select the most
descriptive and logical terms and perhaps contribute in some degree to
future standardization of nomenclature. For example, what we describe as a
vertical-disk plow is known in the industry by any one of half a dozen names,
including the one we selected.
In a group of closely related books such as The Ferguson Foundation
Agricultural Engineering Series, some overlapping of subject matter is un­
avoidable and perhaps even desirable. For example, the subject of hydraulic
controls is discussed in our book as well as in the tractor book of this series.
This duplication is felt by the authors to be justified because of the increas­
ing importance of the subject and because of the direct relation of hydraulic
controls to farm machinery and its design.
The authors wish to express their appreciation to the many individuals
and organizations whose material we have freely used in preparing this
manuscript. Farm machinery manufacturers and others have been most
cooperative in supplying illustrative material. We are particularly indebted
to the Ferguson Foundation, Detroit, Michigan, for sponsoring this work,
and to Mr. Harold Pinches of the Foundation for his encouragement and
assistance. Credit is given to the University of California for providing the
services and facilities so necessary in such an undertaking.
The preliminary, offset-printed edition was reviewed by many of the
leading agricultural engineers, both in industry and in state colleges and
universities. Specific suggestions received from approximately fifty of these
reviewers, over half of whom werefrienin industry, represent an important
contribution to the accuracy and completeness of the book. We are sincerely
grateful for the help received from these men. Our special thanks go
to Messrs. N.B. Akesson, A.W. Clyde, and F.W. Duffee for assistance with
the subject matter in their respective fields of specialization. Appreciation is
expressed to Mrs. Hazel Porter for her cooperation and patience in typing
the manuscript, to Messrs. Maurice Johnson and Gerald Lambert who
prepared most of the line drawings for illustrations, and to all others who
assisted in any way.
ROY BAINER
R. A. KEPNER
E. L. BARGER
October, 1955
Contents

CHAPTER PAGE
1. Research and Development in Farm Machinery 1
2. Implement Types, Field Capacities, and Costs 23
3. Mechanical Power Transmission and Power-Take-Off Drives 48
4. Hydraulic Power Transmission and Implement Controls 80
5. Soil Tillage and Dynamics 112
6. Moldboard Plows 136
7. Disk Implements 160
8. Hitch Systems and Hitching Tillage Implements 177
9. Chisel-type and Multipowered Tillage Implements 195
10. Crop Planting 209
11. Row-Crop Cultivation, Flaming, and Thinning 237
12. Applying Fertilizers and Granular Pesticides 259
13. Spraying and Dusting 282
14. Hay Harvesting: Cutting, Conditioning, and Windrowing 313
15. Packaging and Handling Hay 341
16. Forage Chopping and Handling 368
17. Grain and Seed Harvesting 392
18. Corn Picking and Shelling 432
19. Cotton Harvesting 446
20. Root Crop Harvesting 464
21. Fruit and Vegetable Harvesting and Handling 479
Appendices
A. Draft, Energy, and Power Requirements 506
B. Typical Operating Speeds for Implements 508
C. Coefficients of Rolling Resistance for Pneumatic Tires 509
D. Graphic Symbols for Fluid Power Diagrams 510
E. SI Units, Customary Units, and Conversion Factors .512
Index 515

XI
Research and Development
In Farm Machinery

1.1. Introduction. The application of machines to agricultural production

has been one of the outstanding developments in American agriculture dur­
ing the past century. The results are to be seen in many aspects of American
life. The burden and drudgery of farm work has been reduced and the output
per worker has been greatly increased. Farm mechanization has released
millions of agricultural workers to other industries, thus contributing to
America's remarkable industrial expansion and to the high standard of liv­
ing that now prevails in this country.
Our constantly expanding population has required arid will continue to de­
mand an ever-increasing agricultural production of foods and fibers. Some
of the increased production that has been realized during the past century
must be credited to advances in nonengineering phases of agricultural
technology such as better crop varieties, the more effective use of fertilizers
and pesticides, and improved cultural practices. A major factor, however,
has been the increased utilization of ncmhuman energy and of more effective
machines and implements.
Mechanization has been aided by, and in some cases made feasible only
because of, the contributions of plant scientists and others in the biological
sciences. Plant breeders have produced varieties better suited to mechanical
harvesting. Examples are dwarf varieties of grain sorghum having uniform
growth, stormproof cotton, hybrid corn varieties with less tendency to lodge,
and tomatoes that all ripen over a short period of time and can withstand the
rough treatment from a mechanical harvester. Cultural practices for some
crops have been changed to modify growth habits and obtain plants better
suited to mechanical harvesting.
1.2. Reasons for Mechanization. Reduction of labor requirements has
been the principal motivating force in agricultural mechanization. Whereas
in 1870 over half of the entire labor force in the United States was still on
farms,7 only one U.S. laborer out of 12 in 1960 and one out of 26 in 1976 was
engaged in agriculture.22 Mechanization is particularly advantageous when
it can minimize a high peak labor demand that occurs over a relatively short
period of time each year, as in harvesting certain fruits and vegetables.
Historically, advances in farm mechanization have been made where a
strong demand for labor in other industries has withdrawn workers from the
1
2 PRINCIPLES OF FARM MACHINERY

land and forced wage rates up. Severe labor shortages and high wage rates
during World War I and World War II, together with the simultaneous de­
mands for increased agricultural production, have had a marked influence
on the mechanization of certain operations in the United States. Before
World War II, for example, the mechanization of sugar beet harvesting was
held back by the reluctance of processors to accept the product obtained
with mechanical harvesters. But the labor shortage resulting from the war
forced the industry to modify its standards, improve processing equipment,
and accept mechanically harvested beets in order to prevent a drastic reduc­
tion in crop area. Current labor problems are forcing mechanization of fruit
and vegetable harvesting at an abnormally fast rate.
Mechanization encourages better management of farm enterprises and
makes it possible by providing more free time for planning and study. The
average size of farms in the United States doubled between 1945 and 1969,
while the total crop area remained approximately the same.22 The increased
size and the higher level of mechanization, with resulting large capital invest­
ments, require increased emphasis on management.
Mechanization contributes to timeliness which, in turn, often increases
profits. Many field operations must be performed within rather short
periods of time if optimum results or maximum returns are to be obtained.
With high-capacity mechanized units, operated 24 h per day if necessary
during these critical periods, such operations can be completed in a
minimum of time. Other contributions or objectives of farm mechanization
are the improvement of working conditions and the performance of jobs that
would otherwise be difficult or impossible by hand methods.
Overall cost reduction as a result of mechanization is highly desirable but
not always imperative. In some situations farmers may prefer to mechanize,
even though their net profits may be slightly reduced, to avoid problems in­
herent in procuring and managing large labor forces.
1.3. Mechanization in the Future. History indicates that the process of
mechanization is dynamic, with no ultimate goal in sight. Under our system
of competitive free enterprise, each manufacturer must continually improve
his products and develop new ones in order to maintain a profitable position
and grow or survive. Safety, comfort, and convenience for the operator will
continue to receive a great deal of attention. As operators are isolated morç
and more from the functional portions of a machine, monitoring systems
and automatic controls for complex machines become increasingly impor­
tant. Automation of certain field operations, including automatic guidance
systems, is already beyond the dream stage.
As larger and larger tractors are introduced, tillage tools must be designed
for higher speeds or to efficiently utilize other than drawbar power so that
traction is not a limiting factor. There is a great deal of room for developing
more efficient tillage tools that will require less energy per hectare to
 Principles Of Farm Machinery

Author : R. A. Kepner, Roy

Publisher : CBS Publications ISBN : 9788123909776
Bainer, E. L. Barger

Type the URL : http://www.kopykitab.com/product/11971

Get this eBook