Abstract: A bale binding mechanism is configured to form crop material into a bale. The bale binding mechanism includes a baling needle and a twine tensioner. A baler chassis presents a baling chamber in which the bale is formed. The baling needle is shiftable up and down relative to the baling chamber, with the needle being shiftable to advance twine upwardly along an end of the bale. The twine tensioner is configured to maintain tension on a tensioned twine section extending between the twine tensioner and the needle, with the tensioned twine section defining a twine feed axis. The twine tensioner includes a tension device that restricts upward advancement of the tensioned twine section. The twine tensioner also includes a shiftable guide element. The guide element is shiftable into and out of a twine feed position associated with upward advancement of the tensioned twine section, with the guide element operable to define an offset twine section offset from the twine feed axis in the twine feed position.

Abstract: A machine includes a chassis, a plurality of ground-engaging elements supporting the chassis above a ground surface, a motor for driving at least one of the ground-engaging elements and a plurality of assemblies supporting the chassis on the ground-engaging elements. Each of the assemblies is configured to selectively raise and lower the chassis relative to the ground surface and includes a first attachment component for attaching the assembly to one of the ground-engaging elements, a second attachment component for attaching the assembly to the chassis, an adjustment component for shifting the first attachment component between a plurality of operating positions relative to the second attachment component. A control system allows an operator to remotely control the adjustment components of each of the assemblies.

Abstract: A bale identification assembly for use with an agricultural baler (18) includes a first supply roll mounted on the baler providing a binding material (52) used by the knotter system to bind the formed bale, the binding material (52) on the first supply roll comprising identification tags (62) at spaced intervals along the binding material. The bale identification assembly includes a second supply roll mounted on the baler (18) providing a binding material without identification tags, wherein the knotter system combines the binding material with identification tags (62) from the first supply roll with the binding material without identification tags from the second supply roll to bind the formed bale. The bale identification assembly includes a read module with one or more antennas configured to transmit interrogator signals and also receive authentication replies from the identification tags (62).

Abstract: A dual path agricultural machine including a control system having a number of input sensors, status sensors, and output sensors, and a controller configured to operate the dual path machine in a stability control mode and a selective rear-steer engagement and actuation mode. In the stability control mode, the controller adjusts an actual drive output of the dual path machine according to data received from the input sensors and feedback received from the output sensors so as to reduce a difference between the actual drive output and a desired drive output. In selective rear-steer engagement and actuation mode, the controller engages rear-steer mechanisms with caster wheels of the dual path machine and actuates the caster wheels via the rear-steer mechanisms if a criterion is satisfied. The controller disengages the rear-steer mechanisms from the caster wheels or does not actuate the caster wheels if the criterion is not satisfied.

Abstract: A ladder system includes a first rail, a second rail parallel to the first rail, a ladder bracket supported by and configured to slide along the first rail and the second rail, a ladder coupled to the ladder bracket and configured to rotate with respect to the ladder bracket between a lowered position and a storage position, and an air spring coupling the ladder to the ladder bracket and configured to apply a force to the ladder when the ladder is in the lowered position to keep the ladder in the lowered position. Another ladder system includes a rail, a bumper stop below the rail, a ladder bracket, a ladder, a bumper, and an air spring. An agricultural vehicle includes a chassis supported by a plurality of wheels, and a ladder system carried by the chassis. Related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A control system for controlling a motion of an auger tube of a combine harvester comprises a dynamic pre-filter, a position controller, and a speed controller. The dynamic pre-filter receives a desired position value for the auger tube and generates a filtered desired position signal which changes the desired position value from an old value to a new value over a time period. The position controller receives a first difference between the filtered desired position signal and an actual position of the auger tube. The position controller generates a desired angular speed signal that varies according to the first difference. The speed controller receives a second difference between the desired angular speed signal and an actual speed of the auger tube. The speed controller generates an actuator signal that varies according to the second difference and is received by an actuating system that moves the auger tube.

Abstract: A system having a frame, an auger operably coupled to the frame, an auger wrapper fixed to the frame and proximal to the auger, the auger wrapper having a curved surface with a first rigidity, and a liner attached to the auger wrapper, the liner comprising a second rigidity that is less rigid than the first rigidity.

Abstract: A system comprises a mobile machine (14) for collecting a plurality of bales (10,12) dispersed across a ground surface and one or more computing devices. The one or more computing devices are configured to receive location and orientation information for the plurality of bales (10,12), the location and orientation information including a location and an orientation of each of the bales (10,12), automatically determine a preferred path for collecting the bales using the location and orientation information, and present information about the preferred path to an operator of the mobile machine (14).

Abstract: A bale binding mechanism is configured to secure a strand of binding material around a bale of severed crop material. The bale binding mechanism includes a chassis, a knotter head assembly, and a captive lock. The knotter head assembly is operable to form at least one knot in the strand of binding material. The knotter head assembly includes a knotter head frame swingably mounted relative to the chassis and rotatable into and out of an operating position where the knotter head assembly can form the at least one knot. The captive lock is shiftably supported by one of the chassis and the knotter head frame. The captive lock is removably engaged with the other one of the chassis and the knotter head frame to secure the knotter head assembly in the operating position, with the captive lock being releasable to permit rotation of the knotter head assembly out of the operating position.

Abstract: A system comprising a mobile machine for collecting a plurality of bales dispersed across a ground surface, and one or more computing devices. The one or more computing devices are configured to receive location and orientation information for the plurality of bales, the location and orientation information including a location and an orientation of each of the bales, using the location and orientation information, automatically determine a preferred bale stacking location and a preferred path for collecting the bales, the preferred path for collecting the bales including placing the bales in the preferred stacking location, and present information about the preferred path to an operator of the machine.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a row unit, comprising an upright frame portion comprising front and rear-facing sides, the front facing side configured to be coupled to a tool bar; a fore and aft extending frame coupled on one end to the rear-facing side, the fore and aft extending frame operably coupled to one or more disc openers and plural gauge wheels; a pair of arms pivotably and independently coupled to the fore and aft extending frame; a pair of closing wheels, each operably coupled to one of the pair of arms; and a pair of down force components, each coupled between the upright frame and the one of the pair of arms.

Abstract: An agricultural crop baler (20) includes a baling chamber (44), a crop pickup (26), and an adjustable partition mechanism (28). The crop pickup (26) is upstream from the baling chamber (44) to collect severed crop material and direct a flow of crop material toward the baling chamber. The partition mechanism is located between the crop pickup and the baling chamber to control the flow of crop material from the crop pickup to the baling chamber. The partition mechanism (28) includes a wall assembly (68) that at least partly defines a crop passage (76) extending along a crop-flow direction between the crop pickup (26) and the baling chamber (44). The wall assembly (68) includes a shiftable wall (74a, b) that is shiftable transversely to the crop-flow direction to adjustably vary the crop passage and thereby the flow of crop material to the baling chamber (44).

Abstract: In one embodiment, a suspension system for a vehicle cab, the suspension system comprising: a structural assembly; a cab mounted to the structural assembly; and plural suspension units arranged between the cab and the structural assembly, the plural suspension units comprising, fore and aft, a first pair of suspension units and a second pair of suspension units, wherein a lateral distance between the second pair of suspension units is greater than a lateral distance between the first pair of suspension units.

Abstract: A combine harvester including a cleaning shoe, having a tailings auger for collection of tailings, a tailings collection bin and apparatus for moving material from the tailings auger to the tailings collection bin.

Abstract: A row unit has a frame with an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion has a parallel linkage and the lower portion is coupled to plural gauge wheels. A first sensor is configured to provide an output signal and a controllable device is coupled to the upper portion and configured to provide an adjustable down force. A dampening device is coupled to the upper portion and configured to provide adjustable dampening of the row unit based on the output signal.

Abstract: There is described a wheel axle for an agricultural vehicle such as a combine harvester. The wheel axle has at least one wheel suspension (32a) arranged to maintain a wheel axle parallel to the supporting surface, through use of a linkage arrangement (36, 38, 40) which is pivotally coupled to the axle frame (30). The configuration of the wheel suspension allows for the wheel axis to passively follow the surface profile, as any loads transmitted through the wheel carrier act to level out the wheel suspension to align with the underlying surface. As the wheel axle is adjusted to lie parallel with the underlying surface, accordingly the ground-contacting surface area of the associated wheels is maximised.

Abstract: A baling system operable to receive loose material, form the loose material into an individual charge, and compress the individual charge with one or more other charges to form a bale. The baling system includes a forming chamber and a plunger operable to move in a reciprocating manner within the forming chamber from a front-dead-center position in which a plunger face is furthest re) from the bale to a rear-dead-center position in which the plunger face contacts and compresses the bale. The system includes a feeder component operable to pre-compress the loose material to form the individual charge and then move the individual charge into the forming chamber, the feeder component including a feeder chute having a feeder chute outlet connected to the forming chamber. The feeder component is operable to pre-compress the loose material into the individual charge and then move the individual charge into the forming chamber for compression by the plunger into the bale.

Abstract: A system and computer-implemented method for sensing an amount of free water in cut crop material and automatically adjusting an operating parameter of a mower conditioner to optimize the amount of free water. A sensor located at the exit of a conditioning mechanism measures an actual free water content value of the material as it exits the conditioning mechanism, a processor compares the actual value to maximum and minimum values, and if the actual value is outside this range, automatically adjusts an operating parameter, such as a gap between pairs of conditioning rollers, a pressure exerted by the rollers, or a speed of the mower conditioner, to optimize the actual value. Another sensor may be located at the entrance of the conditioning mechanism. The processor may take into account an operator-selectable value weighting the actual free water content versus a dry down time when adjusting the operating parameter.