Down Corn Snout

Down Corn Snout COMBINES Down Corn 9-1-33 Farmers crowded around to get a close look at a new "down corn" snout at a recent mid-western farm show. Invented by farmer Randy Mak, Fair Oaks, Ind., the snout permanently replaces existing snouts. In down corn, it gathers up stalks, feeding them into the head. In a standing crop, the snout chains are shut down and capped by a cover that looks like a conventional snout. Besides its unique gathering chains, each snout is hinged and fitted with a wheel under the end of the snout so it floats over uneven ground. "You don't have to continually maneuver the cornhead to slip it under stalks lying on the ground. Chains lift the stalks so the machine can glide in under them. The chains then prevent any plug-ups by feeding broken stalks directly into the cross auger," says Mak. The snout is built at a steeper angle than conventional snouts. "That results in a deep well so ears don't get thrown out when they hit the stripped plates. In the same way, the high-topped back end of the snout keeps the cross auger from throwing ears back out onto the ground," Mak notes. The new snout simply bolts inplace of the old snout. To power the chain, the top gathering chain sprocket is replaced with a double sprocket connected by a number 50 chain to a gear box. To disconnect the snout chain in a standing crop, you simply remove the chain. If a field has both down and standing corn, you simply remove the chain. If a field has both down and standing corn, you simply leave the gathering chains running. They won't affect normal operation in any way. "Just one ear lost every 25 sq. ft. adds up to 10 bu. per acre so it doesn't take long to pay for the added equipment," says Randy, noting that he developed the new snout on his own farm and has begun manufacturing it along with Larry Young, a Rensselaer, Ind., machine shop operator. The snout can be made to fit any corn head and sells for around $1,200 a row. It can be easily installed by the farmer himself, according to Mak, who says he's negotiating with a manufacturer to take over production of the units. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mak-Young, Randy Mak, Rt. 1, Box 138, Fair Oaks, Ind. 47943 (ph 219 987-3442 or 866-7091).

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