Roc RT 1150, the loading merger
Roc doesn't pull any punches when it comes to the ROC RT 1150 merger, which is considered the symbol of a revolutionary concept of raking. The main difference is represented by the harvesting system: the RT 1150 loads the crop and then transports it on a merger belt, while conventional side delivery rakes drag the crop across the field to the windrow. This difference, first and foremost, leads to less leaf loss and higher quality. In fact, after sun drying, the small stalks of alfalfa that support the leaves become extremely fragile and thus more subject to breakage during the windrowing process carried out by rotary-rakes. With the Roc system, the crop is loaded and deposited on the merger belt to be transported laterally, causing it to incur less damage.
Furthermore, in the case of rails or holes, traditional mergers tend to lose a portion of the crop during dragging, whereas with the new system, according to Roc, this doesn't occur because the crop is moved onto a conveyor belt and not in contact with the ground. Finally, the Rimini-based company emphasizes the reduced damage to regrowth. Under normal conditions, just two to three days after mowing, some crops like alfalfa already have regrowth consisting of small stalks with a few leaves. In this condition, when using rotary rakes, there's often a tendency to break them, resulting in the loss of significant days that can make a difference of even weeks at the end of the season, especially when five cuts are performed.
For the RT 1150, only a 110 Hp tractor is needed to form a windrow every 11.5 meters, resulting in a significant reduction in consumption. Furthermore, not being constrained by the width of the machine allows for two, three, four, or five passes, picking up the previously formed windrow without compromising the crop's quality and even creating a single windrow every 40 meters. Compared to all the other mergers on the market, the RT 1150 is equipped with hydro-pneumatic suspension with 11 hydraulic cylinders and mechanical suspension with 12 wheels placed in a staggered tandem configuration with mechanical spring suspension.
The RT 1150 has a working width of 11.5 meters, an overall width of 10.25 meters, a transport width of 3 meters, a length of just over 5 meters, and a weight of 6.3 tonnes.
