Abstract: A mowing sickle drive system comprises a knife bar supported by a frame and drive apparatus operable to drive the knife bar in a reciprocating linear motion at a variable drive frequency. A spring is coupled to the knife bar for applying a restoring force to the knife bar toward a neutral position when in motion. The spring has a variable modulus of elasticity that is controlled dependent upon the drive frequency.

Abstract: A control system for an implement hitch of an agricultural vehicle, wherein the hitch is mounted to the vehicle and includes one or more hydraulic cylinders or other actuators operable to raise and lower the hitch between minimum and maximum heights relative to the vehicle and hold the hitch static at one or more heights between the minimum and maximum heights. The control system includes a rocker control device having a first operating position and being movable in a first direction to a first limit position and in a second direction to a second limit position. An electronic control unit connected to the rocker control device is configured to control operation of the or each of the hydraulic cylinders or actuators and thereby control raising and lowering of the hitch in response to user operation of the rocker control device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a throughput of a crop cut from a field. The system may include, and the method may be performed at least in part using, a combine harvester including a feeder box, a main body, a threshing mechanism, and an organic material throughput sensor provided within the feeder box. The system may also include a data management system. The organic material throughput sensor senses organic material throughput data including at least one of a volume of the organic material, and a weight of the organic material, and the data management system outputs an organic material throughput map or other information based on the organic material throughput data. Using the organic material throughput data or the organic material throughput map, a producer or other operator can make a more informed planting or treatment decision for a field.

Abstract: A joystick control device including a base and a teeter board supported on the base by at least first and second pivoting mounts, with each pivoting mount guiding relative rotary motion between the base and the teeter board about a respective axis of rotation, and the respective axes of rotation of the first and second pivoting mounts are spaced apart and extend parallel to each other. A handle effects movement of the teeter board, which movement is detected by a sensor arranged to generate an output signal indicative of the position and orientation of the teeter board relative to the base. Third and fourth pivoting mounts having respective axes of rotation perpendicular to those of the first and second pivoting mounts are suitably also provided to enable the device to provide two-axis control.

Abstract: An agricultural/utility vehicle has as its motive power source one or more electric motors supplied by one or more rechargeable batteries to drivingly rotate a shaft of the vehicle driveline. To recharge the batteries, an external power source is applied to cause the driveline shaft to rotate, resulting in at least one of the electric motors acting as a generator to recharge the batteries. The external power source may include a source of fluid pressure that drives a hydraulic pump of the driveline as a hydraulic motor. The external power source may be an external source of rotational energy coupled to a power take-off shaft of the vehicle.

Abstract: A hood assembly for an agricultural vehicle such as a farm tractor has a first hood panel and a second hood panel pivotably attached to the first hood panel and movable from a first closed position to a second open position relative to the first hood panel. The first hood panel is an elongate body mounted above an engine of the vehicle and having a front end and a rear end joined by two side portions. The second hood panel wraps around the front end of the first hood panel and extends along the two sides thereof to respective pivotal attachments. The attachments have a common pivot axis which traverses the first hood panel in spaced-apart relation to the first hood panel front end. Opening the second hood panel provides maintenance access to a cooling package of the vehicle without opening or disassembling the remainder of the hood assembly.

Abstract: A bale binding mechanism is configured to wrap twine around a bale of severed crop material. The bale binding mechanism broadly includes a baling needle, a twine tensioner, and a sensor. 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.

Abstract: A rotary thresher for a combine harvester including at least a first concave and a second concave, which may be rotated around a rotor to move to or from a threshing position or one or more of one or more resting positions. The concaves are mounted in a frame that is configured to rotate around the rotor such that the second concave moves during rotation from a first resting position to the threshing position while the first concave is moved from the threshing position to a second resting position.

Abstract: A tillage implement has a frame with a center section and first and second outer wing sections hingedly attached the center section such that the wing sections can be operably raised and lowered between a field-working position and a transport position. The sections each carry tillage tools for working the soil. Controlling a precharge in a secondary side of a hydraulic circuit enables the operator of the implement to adjust the downward pressure precharge provided by a plurality of hydraulic cylinders based on a desired stiffness of the implement. A pressure-reducing valve is configured such that flow from the hydraulic supply applies downward pressure precharge on the plurality of tillage tools. Once this desired precharge has been achieved, flow from the hydraulic supply is shut off and a check valve holds the pressure such that the plurality of hydraulic cylinders holds the tillage tools in position.

Abstract: A method of operating a cleaning process on a filter in a vehicle air intake includes passing air through the filter from an upstream side to a downstream side, and providing an exhaust duct having an inlet end adjacent the upstream side of the filter and an outlet end adjacent a cooling fan or other air-extraction device of the vehicle arranged to draw air through the exhaust duct from the inlet end to the outlet end. In a periodic cleaning subroutine, the rotational speed of the fan is increased from a first speed to a second speed, while a pulse of pressurized fluid is applied to a downstream side of the filter. The exhaust duct carries away material dislodged from the upstream side of the filter by the applied pulse, and the rotational speed of the fan is reduced to its original level.

Abstract: A method of brake steering in a four-wheel drive utility vehicle having a driven front axle carrying at least two front wheels, a driven rear axle carrying at least two rear wheels, a powertrain delivering torque to the front and rear axles via a connecting shaft, independently operable service brakes on each of the front and rear wheels, and independently operable parking brakes on each of the rear wheels. The method includes, on the vehicle entering a turn, applying the service brakes of the front and rear wheels on the inside of the turn and applying also, and to a controllably varied level of braking force, the parking brake on the rear wheel on the inside of the turn.

Abstract: An agricultural vehicle has an operator environment with a roof portion, and an air treatment apparatus installed within the roof portion. The air treatment apparatus includes a vehicle HVAC system having an inlet plenum, other HVAC components and an outlet to the operator environment. The air treatment apparatus further includes an air filtration system having at least one external inlet and first and second filtration devices located between the external inlet and the HVAC inlet plenum. The roof portion is a hollow structure having upper and lower surfaces and front, rear, left and right sidewalls, and the first and second air filtration devices are disposed along one of the left and right sidewalls within the hollow structure of the roof portion. The HVAC system is preferably disposed along the rear sidewall within the hollow structure of the roof portion.

Abstract: A baling apparatus including a bale forming chamber in which an agricultural bale is formed, wrapped and subsequently released. The baling apparatus also includes a support extending adjacent the bale forming chamber, the support incorporating a plurality of sensors arranged upon the support, wherein the sensors are adapted to measure a surface property of at least one surface of the bale. Since the surface property of an unwrapped bale will differ from the surface property of a wrapped bale, the baling apparatus can detect whether the wrapping material is sufficiently wrapped around the formed bale to release of the bale without the bale falling apart.

Abstract: A sealing device for banjo fittings including a sealing ring, a gasket and one or more straps attaching the sealing ring to the gasket.

Abstract: An agricultural machine includes a frame having a tongue hitch for attachment to a towing vehicle, the tongue hitch being oriented along a longitudinal axis inline with the direction of travel. The agricultural machine has an axle mounted to the frame and an arm mounted to the axle. A front spindle is mounted at the front end of the arm with a front tire mounted to the front spindle and a rear spindle is mounted at the rear end of the arm with a rear tire mounted to the rear spindle. The tires are positioned on a same side of the swing arm. The front tire has a different diameter than a diameter of the rear tire.

Abstract: An auger cover for an auger conveyor for a grain bin of a combine harvester includes a cover plate that is hingedly attached to the auger conveyor. The hinge attaching the cover plate to the auger conveyor has a hinge plate that includes a flexible material.

Abstract: An agricultural implement (10) includes a frame supported by a plurality of wheels and carrying a toolbar (22) and at least one central hopper (20), a plurality of material applicators (204) carried by the toolbar (22), and a plurality of flow lines (26) fluidly connecting the at least one central hopper (20) to the material applicators (204). Each flow line (26) includes at least one composite elbow (210), and each composite elbow (210) has a polymeric body (302) and a wear-resistant plate (314) within the polymeric body (302). The outlet of the polymeric body (302) has an orientation different from the inlet (304) thereof, and the wear-resistant plate (314) is oriented to deflect material traveling along a central longitudinal axis (A1) of the inlet (304) toward a direction of a central longitudinal axis (A2) of the outlet (306). A method of forming a composite elbow (210) includes disposing a wear-resistant plate (314) within a polymeric body (302) as disclosed.

Abstract: A combine harvester is provided with a conveyance system for transporting crop material discharged by overhead grain separating apparatus to a grain cleaning shoe. The conveyance system comprises a series of oscillating pans which move the grain in a generally longitudinal direction. A return pan conveys the collected material forwardly to a front discharge edge from where the material falls onto a stratification pan below. The stratification pan conveys the collected material rearwardly to a rear discharge edge from where the material falls into the grain cleaning shoe. At least one of the return pan and the stratification pan is non-rectangular and has a non-transverse discharge edge.

Abstract: An air treatment apparatus for an operator environment of an agricultural vehicle in which air to be filtered is drawn into an air filtration system, filtered and directed to an agricultural vehicle HVAC system. The air filtration system includes first and second filtration devices having respectively coarser and finer levels of filtration. Each filtration device is provided with a respective bypass permanently connected with an inlet end downstream of a valve mechanism that selects between the filtration devices, and an outlet end upstream of the valve mechanism and adjacent the respective filtration device. In use a portion of air flow downstream of the valve mechanism may be recirculated to purge the respective filtration device, and each bypass includes a respective non-return valve opposing transit of air from the outlet to the inlet ends.

Abstract: A filtering apparatus is configured to receive pressurized fluid from a pump. The filtering apparatus has a main inlet, a main outlet, and a filtering branch comprising a first filter. An agitator of a tank from which the pump draws is configured to receive fluid flow from the filtering branch via a proportional valve and an inlet connection. A method of operating a filtering system includes influencing fluid flow from a tank to one or more nozzles via a filtering apparatus; and diverting a portion of the fluid flow through plural filters of a different mesh size back to an agitating mechanism through a lower portion of the tank.