The Claas Cougar is a self-propelled mower built by the German agricultural machinery maker Claas and first presented in 2003. With five mowing units and a maximum cutting width of 14 metres it is classed as the largest self-propelled mower in the world.
Claas Cougar at a glance
| Maker | Claas, Harsewinkel, Germany |
|---|---|
| First shown | 2003 at Agritechnica, where it was named Machine of the Year |
| Model | Cougar 1400, offered in several equipment variants |
| Mowing units | five: a triple combination in front and one outrigger on each side |
| Cutting width | up to 14 metres |
| Work rate | up to 22 hectares per hour |
| Engine | Mercedes-Benz OM 457 LA six-cylinder diesel |
| Output | 350 kW (480 hp) |
| Drive and steering | four-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, crab steering mode |
| Transport dimensions | 11.5 m long, about 3.96 m high, 3 to 3.5 m wide |
| Fuel tank | 960 litres |
| Weight | about 18,500 kg; 21 km/h in the field and 40 km/h on the road |
History of the Claas Cougar
The Cougar was developed for contractors and large farms that needed to cover ground quickly. Claas showed the Cougar 1400 with five disc mower units at the Agritechnica fair in 2003 and it was awarded Machine of the Year there; at the SIMA show in Paris in 2005 it took a silver medal.
The layout is unusual for a mower. The machine has four large wheels of equal size, four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering, and it can also travel in crab steering mode. The front triple combination carries three mowing units, while the two side units are mounted on telescoping booms between the axles. Every unit can be moved up, down, left and right on its own, so the driver can mow narrow strips with fewer units, follow uneven ground, or lift a unit to clear an obstacle. Active hydropneumatic balancing keeps the decks level, and the two outriggers have hydraulic collision protection that swings them back when they touch something.
For the road the machine is folded in a few seconds: the front and side mowers lift and fold, and the cab turns through 180 degrees so that the folded units end up behind the driver. The cab is air-conditioned, has air-sprung seats and a wiper for each window. In 2006 Claas added a version with five flail mowers instead of disc mowers for mulching, for example corn stubble; the flail decks are supplied by Spearhead Machinery of Salford Priors and the combination is sold as the Trident 12600 HD, with a working width of 12.6 metres. The Cougar also appeared in the tenth season of the British television programme Fifth Gear, on 30 October 2006.
Why the width matters
A 14-metre cut lets the Cougar mow up to 22 hectares in an hour, which is why the machine is aimed at contractors and large farms. The price of that capacity is size: in transport order the Cougar is 11.5 metres long, nearly four metres high and between 3 and 3.5 metres wide, and it travels between fields at no more than 40 km/h.
Design and features
- Five individually controlled mowing units: a front triple combination and two side outriggers on telescoping booms.
- Four-wheel steering and crab mode: the machine can move sideways as well as turn tightly.
- Automatic folding: the cab rotates 180 degrees so that the folded mowers sit behind the driver.
- Collision protection: the outriggers swing back when they meet an obstacle.
Claas Cougar versions
- Cougar 1400: the standard machine with five disc mower units.
- Cougar 1400 flail version (2006): five flail mowers for mulching, 12.6 metres wide, decks weighing 4,700 kg in total.
- Cougar 1400RC: mowing units with roller conditioners.
- Cougar 1400C: mowing units with tine conditioners.
More Claas machines are in our Claas collection, among them the Lexion combine harvesters and the Dominator.
Video: Claas Cougar in the Alps
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Claas Cougar, English Wikipedia: dimensions, engine, mowing units, history, media appearance
