Harvesting machine, especially a self-propelled pick-up chopper

The invention relates generally to a harvesting machine, and more particularly to a self-propelled pick-up chopper for picking up and chopping corn, wilted grass, green feed and similar harvested material. Such harvesting machines frequently are used for harvesting and for comminuting various harvested material to a size suitable for use. For example, when corn is chopped after it is harvested, it is necessary to break up the grains since they are otherwise indigestible for animals as animal feed. The breaking up of the grains takes place in a conditioning device, a so-called cracker, which is arranged after the chopping device and in which the harvested material is passed between nip rollers and broken up in the process. On the other hand, when strictly green feed, such as grass, is harvested, the subsequent passage through a conditioning device after the chopping is unnecessary and would even damage the very moist harvested material by squeezing it. Generic harvesting machines can therefore be operated with and without the conditioning device. Harvesting machine for picking up and chopping corn, wilted grass, green feed and similar harvested material including a feeding device, a chopping device arranged after the feeding device and a conditioning device for conditioning the harvested material arranged after the chopping device. The conditioning device optionally engages a conveying duct. Mounting and dismantling of the conditioning device is simplified because it is connected on one side to a duct pivotable about an essentially horizontal swiveling axis and on the other side rigidly but detachably to a rigid duct. Preferably, the swiveling axis is situated below the pivotable duct such that the swiveling motion of the pivotable duct is directed downward against the traveling direction of the harvesting machine to thereby enable removal of the conditioning device.