Abstract: A crop converging apparatus for a round baler having a pickup unit wider than the bale chamber. The converging apparatus comprises a pair of converging augers laterally situated along a common axis on opposing sides of the pickup unit feed table and forwardly adjacent to the bale chamber infeed opening. The converging augers and related shrouds are configured to shift the lateral converging zone of the augers rearward in relation to the auger structure to a position behind the plane of the infeed opening.

Abstract: An end wrap adjustment that may be used with an agricultural baler twine wrapping system. More particularly, an end wrap adjustment for improved adjustment of the end wrap location, without the use of tools. The end wrap adjustment provides for the adjustment of the location of the twine at the ends of the bale depending on one or more factors, such as the crop type, storage conditions, operator preference, etc. On one side, the twine dispensing assembly may include a first end wrap adjustment for controlling the position of the twine arm, and hence the twine with respect to an end or side of the bale when the bale wrapping system is in an extended position. On an opposite side, the twine cutting assembly may include a second end wrap adjustment for controlling the position of the twine with respect to an opposite end or side of the bale when the bale wrapping system is in a home position.

Abstract: A control system for managing the operation of a tractor PTO using input conditions occurring in a connected baler. Baler conditions such as tailgate position, crop pickup position, bale wrapper status, and driveline torque are sensed in the baler, and communicated to an implement-mounted controller whereupon control signals are initiated and communicated to a tractor-mounted controller to manage operation of the tractor's PTO. Safety may be maintained through the use of operator acknowledgements in order to prevent unexpected engagement of the PTO and a manual override capability allows an operator to suspend automated operation at any time.

Abstract: A control system controls a pair of vehicles in coordination to traverse a respective pair of trajectories. The control system is configured to specify a plurality of successive waypoints, a safe stopping interval and an intermediate interval greater than the safe stopping interval, and exchange waypoints between vehicles. The system controls each vehicle in coordination with the other, senses a rate of exchange of waypoint data between the vehicles, and determines the safe stopping interval. The control system updates positions with additional waypoints as the respective vehicles pass by waypoints of the forecasted trajectory, determines the length of the forecasted trajectory remaining and compares it with the intermediate interval and the safe stopping interval. The system generates a warning signal if distance is less than the intermediate interval, and if the distance is less than the safe stopping interval, stops within the safe stopping interval.

Abstract: A split spacer ring that is connectable to a cutterbar PTO drive shaft and works in conjunction with an anti-wrap shield to reduce the effects of crop debris accumulating on the drive shaft. Radial removal of the split spacer ring allows the anti-wrap shield to be axially displaced to enable sufficient telescoping movement of the drive shaft to disengage an end from a rotary cutterhead connection and thereby remove the drive shaft or other cutterbar components for repair or replacement. Improved axial clearance provided by the removed spacer ring also facilitates installation and removal of a crop conveying drum that may be installed on the drive shaft.

Abstract: A system, and method of use thereof, for enabling short range intercommunication and the exchange of logistical information between and among a plurality of authorized agricultural machines that are designed to be operable in conjunction with one another to effect, as a specific identified group, a given agricultural operation, including a plurality of individual agricultural machines each of which has a communications control portion operable to transmit and receive short distance communications signals and each of which also has authentication credentials associated therewith establishing such machine's entitlement to share in the logistical information and to be considered and treated as a member of the specific identified group involved in the performance of the given agricultural operation, with such individual agricultural machines, when positioned in range of the short distance communications signals of the individual agricultural machines, forming a peer-to-peer network in which such individual agricu

Abstract: An tine reel for a round baler pickup unit allows tine position to be altered dependant of rotational position of the tine reel and the lateral position of the tine on the pickup. A plurality of tine bars are mounted on the tine reel, with separate tine bars provided for the centrally located tines and the outboard located tines. A linkage connects the centrally located inboard tine bars to the outboard tine bars so that rotation of the outboard tine bars by a tine reel cam and cam follower mechanism is transferred to the inboard tine bar without the need for a second cam or second cam follower mechanism. The linkage configuration is adjusted to provide optimal tine extension position for both the centrally located and the outboard located tines.

Abstract: A crop pickup apparatus for a round baler in which the pickup apparatus substantially wider than the bale chamber inlet opening. The pickup includes a pair of large crop converging augers situated along a common axis, one each on opposing sides of the crop inlet, and forwardly adjacent to the bale chamber infeed throat. The pickup apparatus also include a secondary crop feeding roll having a plurality of generally radially extending fingers that upwardly extend into the crop mat in an area adjacent to the converging augers to convey crop material from a forwardly disposed pickup tine reel to the inlet opening. The fingers are arranged to partially overlap with tines on the tine reel so that the crop material is generally continuously urged along the entire longitudinal feed path into the inlet opening.

Abstract: A hitch pin assembly includes a first pin having a longitudinal axis, a first end and a second end. A second pin extends from the longitudinal axis in close proximity to the first end. A third pin extends from the longitudinal axis in close proximity to the first end. A fourth pin extends from the longitudinal axis in close proximity to the second end. The first pin is configured to be received between a hitched position and an unhitched position in a member having an upper portion, a lower portion, and a hitch area positioned between the upper portion and the lower portion. Upon installation of the second pin and the fourth pin to the first pin, travel of the first pin along the longitudinal axis is restricted in each of opposed directions so that the hitch pin assembly cannot be removed from the member.

Abstract: A device for detecting the absolute position of a cylinder rod is provided. A cylinder assembly has a cylinder body with a gland member positioned thereof. The gland member has a rod opening extending therethrough. An adjustable sensor is mounted on the gland member, the adjustable sensor being operable to read one or more detectable features of the cylinder rod. The adjustable sensor can be incrementally adjusted relative to the cylinder rod to optimize the gap provided between the adjustable sensor and the cylinder rod, allowing the sensor to detect the motion and absolute position of the cylinder rod. The detectable features may be three tracks of data including first timing data and position data.

Abstract: An automated method and system includes an automatic guidance system (AGS) and swath pattern. The AGS steers a vehicle towing a rotary baler in an “S”, or oscillatory pattern around a predetermined approximate centerline of the swath path. The oscillatory pattern may be user defined. By steering the vehicle in an oscillatory pattern referenced to the A-B line, a windrow of crop material may be distributed into an even and optimal bale size and density by the baler. Bale chamber sensors detect an imbalance of crop density and in response, AGS adjusts an interval or amplitude of oscillatory pattern.

Abstract: An improved tine and tine connection device for removably connecting a tine to a pick-up reel tine bar in an agricultural harvesting machine. The improved tine incorporates an elastomeric portion interconnecting the tine fingers and the tine bar which enables limited tines movement relative to the tine bar. The elastomeric portion may also be shaped to fit around the tine bar enabling the elastomeric portion to also function as the tine mount. The tine mount is configured to enable installation by hand or using only simple tools and, once installed, provide sufficient connection strength to retain the tine in position during reel operation.

Abstract: An electronic throttle control system for a motorized vehicle includes a sensor providing a signal corresponding to a relative position of an accelerator pedal between an undepressed position and a fully depressed position at a first predetermined time interval. A memory device is provided for storing a plurality of provided signals. A controller is provided for averaging a predetermined number of provided signals and sending the averaged signal to the motor at a second predetermined time interval for modulating operating speed of the motor. Upon the memory device storing the predetermined number of provided signals, provided signals are discarded from the memory device on a first in, first out basis.

Abstract: Apparatus for evacuating water and dirt from a cooler box of a cooling system, incorporated with a blow-off for an air screen of the system. The water and dirt will flow through an aperture in a lower region of the cooler box into a smaller box of the apparatus disposed therebelow. A fan operable for generating the air flow through the air screen and the cooler box, also blows a portion of the flow through a blow-off channel to the air screen for blowing debris away from the air screen. The channel and smaller box are cooperatively configured such that the air flow through the channel will generate a partial vacuum condition in the smaller box operable for evacuating the water and the dirt into the channel so as to be carried away with debris from the air screen.

Abstract: A drive control system of a crawler vehicle has a lever, a hydraulic distributor for feeding pressurized oil over a feed line to a hydraulic actuator. The hydraulic actuator can engage and release a central clutch. A cable has a first end fixed to a rod of the hydraulic actuator, and a second end connected to the hydraulic distributor. The cable activates and deactivates the hydraulic distributor, depending on the position of the rod. A main pulley is integral with the lever about which the cable is wound.

Abstract: A tine divider plate for use on a pick-up assembly for an agricultural harvester that is connected to the tine guard and pick-up assembly frame structure using a combination of hooks and slots to retain the divider plate in position once installed. An additional hat section may be provided adjacent to the one end of each tine divider plate to direct bent tines through spaces in the tine guard upon reverse tine reel rotation.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling the communication to and establishment among a plurality of generally like and like-purpose agricultural machines designed to perform generally similar agricultural operations within a given area generally like performance parameters, especially based upon the performance parameters of a particular agricultural machine that is considered or deemed to be the expert or exemplar machine, which system and method employ short range communications systems included in or associated with the operating systems of the individual agricultural machines to effect the distribution of the exemplar performance parameters to the plurality of agricultural machines, through a peer-to-peer wireless network between and among the plurality of agricultural machines for point-to-point communications, for use by the individual agricultural machines in controlling and performing the agricultural operation.

Abstract: To dissipate hydraulic shock created by the bouncing of an implement mounted on a wheeled vehicle, such as a towed tillage implement or the bucket of a vehicle, such as a wheel loader, an electronic control valve, which supplies hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic actuator that raises and lowers the implement, is actively controlled by an electronic controller. As the vehicle with an implement is transported at higher speeds, the implement tends to bounce creating pressure spikes in the hydraulic system that raises and lowers the implement. The pressure spikes are dissipated by actively generating random or cancelling hydraulic pulses in the hydraulic system.

Abstract: An improved tine reel for a round baler pickup unit that allows tine position to be altered dependant of rotational position of the tine reel and the lateral position of the tine on the pickup. A plurality of tine bars are mounted on the tine reel, with separate tine bars provided for the centrally located tines and the outboard located tines. Separate cams control rotation of the centrally located inboard tine bars and the outwardly located outboard tine bars so that outboard tine position can be optimized without limitation by the inboard tines.

Abstract: A control system controls a pair of vehicles in coordination to traverse a respective pair of trajectories. The control system is configured to specify a plurality of successive waypoints, a safe stopping interval and an intermediate interval greater than the safe stopping interval, and exchange waypoints between vehicles. The system controls each vehicle in coordination with the other, senses a rate of exchange of waypoint data between the vehicles, and determines the safe stopping interval. The control system updates positions with additional waypoints as the respective vehicles pass by waypoints of the forecasted trajectory, determines the length of the forecasted trajectory remaining and compares it with the intermediate interval and the safe stopping interval. The system generates a warning signal if distance is less than the intermediate interval, and if the distance is less than the safe stopping interval, stops within the safe stopping interval.