Abstract: A header that includes at least one support and transport wheel assembly having an axle and two wheels. The wheel assembly is coupled to the main body of the header by an actuating system that includes an actuator mechanism configured to actuate a swivel movement of the axle and the wheels, the swivel movement being configured to bring the wheel assembly to or from a position wherein the axle is transversal to the longitudinal direction of the header. The wheel assembly is equipped with a drawbar that is deployable from a storage position to a deployed position, wherein the movement of the drawbar between the positions is synchronized with the swivel movement of the wheel assembly.

Abstract: A header including a front and rear wheel assembly, each assembly having an axle and two wheels. Each wheel assembly is coupled to the main body of the header by an actuating system having an actuator mechanism for actuating a swivel movement of the axle and the wheels to bring the wheel assembly to or from a road transport position. The front and rear wheel assemblies are equipped with tie rod arrangements for steering the header when it is transported on the road. The wheels of the wheel assemblies are operated as caster wheels. The tie rod arrangement of the front wheel assembly is coupled to a pivotable base connected to, or connectable to, a drawbar. The wheel assemblies have respective actuators which are synchronized so as to synchronize the position of the front and rear wheels.

Abstract: An agricultural residue depositing apparatus includes a human-controllable mobile vehicle that is capable of generating agricultural residue and depositing it on a ground surface over which the mobile vehicle is moveable. The vehicle includes an interface device that is capable of generating one or more output that is interpretable by a human operator. The apparatus include sensors of agricultural residue deposited by the mobile vehicle and processors to which the sensors are operatively connected. The processors are additionally operatively connected to the interface device such that the interface device generates one or more outputs, based on one or more signals generated by the one or more sensors, of or relating to agricultural residue deposited by the mobile vehicle. The processors are capable of adding human-interpretable augmentation to the outputs indicating one or more parameters of or relating to the deposition of residue.

Abstract: A residue collector is operable to receive residue from a combine harvester during a training harvesting operation. The residue collector includes a residue separator for separating the processed residue into a first portion and a second portion based on a property of the processed residue; one or more weight sensors for directly or indirectly determining the weight of the first portion and the second portion; and a controller configured to determine a quality factor for the processed residue based on the determined weight of the first portion in relation to the weight of the second portion.

Abstract: A spreader system includes two spreader rotors configured to rotate about upright rotation axes and to eject residue crop material centrally between the rotors in a direction tangential to the rotors. The spreader system further includes a first structure that is configured to undergo an oscillating movement, such as a rotating oscillation about a central axis oriented in the tangential direction. The spreader system further includes adjustable deflector blades. The first structure can be a main deflector having main deflector blades, wherein the adjustable deflector blades are parallel to the main deflector blades and adjustable by a translation relative to the main deflector blades in an upward or downward direction, to thereby influence a gap between the main deflector and a lower plane of the rotors. The adjustable blades may be each pivotable relative to a frame so that their angular position can be set to one of several positions.

Abstract: The cutting system includes knives attached to a continuously moving belt-type carrier. The carrier motion moves the knives past stationary counterknife fingers. Each knife is pivotably connected to the platform portion of a support bracket having also a wall portion that is fixed to the belt-type carrier. The knife is furthermore coupled to the bracket by a reversible force coupling that maintains the knife in a forwardly oriented operational position when the knife is subjected to lateral forces which exert a torque on the knife that remains below a predefined limit, encountered when the knife is cutting stalks or meeting small obstructions. When the knife is subjected to lateral forces resulting in a torque above the predefined limit, the force coupling is configured to be disengaged in a reversible manner, enabling the knife to pivot about a rotation axis towards a non-operational position.

Abstract: A cutting apparatus for a header of an agricultural harvester includes a first wheel and a second wheel. A drive source is configured to selectively drive the first wheel in a clockwise direction or an anticlockwise direction. A knife carrier, including a loop having a running side and a knife-carrying side, is tensioned around the first and second wheels for transmitting torque from the drive source to rotate the wheels and the knife carrier. A plurality of knives cut crop mounted to the knife-carrying surface of the knife carrier. A sensor monitors operation of the knives.

Abstract: A cutting system includes knives attached to a continuously moving belt-type carrier. The carrier motion moves the knives past stationary counterknife fingers which are attached to or uniform with a cutterbar, as the cutting system is driven through a field of crop stalks, which are cut by the interaction between the knives and counterknives. One or more sensing devices produce signals or images related to the condition of the knives when the knives are moving past the sensing devices. A processing unit processes the signals or images and derives therefrom one or more parameters representative of the condition of the knives, and compares the parameters to a reference, to thereby monitor the condition. An agricultural implement such as a combine harvester, can be equipped with the cutting system.

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a threshing system for an agricultural harvester. The method includes using a camera for obtaining images of a crop flow, processing the obtained images and controlling an operational setting of the threshing system. The images are obtained downstream of the threshing system, preferably somewhere between the threshing rotor or threshing drum and the residue spreader. The image processing aims at detecting grain ears in the obtained images, and to derive from those images at least one physical property of the detected grain ears. The operational setting of the threshing system are controlled in dependence of the derived at least one physical property.

Abstract: A controller for controlling a chopper arrangement of an agricultural harvester. The controller receives sensor data indicative of an intensity of chopping performed on crop material by the chopper arrangement, and sensor data indicative of a power consumption of the chopper arrangement. The controller has a processor to determine an actuator setting for a chopper arrangement actuator of the agricultural harvester in dependence on the received sensor data indicative of the intensity of chopping and the received sensor data indicative of the power consumption. The controller sends an actuator control signal to the chopper arrangement actuator to control the chopper arrangement actuator to operate in accordance with the associated determined actuator setting. The determined actuator setting includes an amount of insertion, and an angle of insertion, of at least one bank of counter knives of the chopper arrangement relative to rotatable knife rows of the chopper arrangement.

Abstract: A combine harvester includes a crop material sensor arrangement having a crop material sensor configured to monitor crop material downstream of a threshing and separating system of the combine, and having a sensor window through which the crop material sensor monitors the crop material. The sensor window is arranged adjacent to a flow path of the crop material such that crop material flows past the sensor window as it flows along the flow path, and the sensor window is arranged such that an angle is formed between a plane defined by the sensor window and a tangential projection that extends from a component of the combine harvester that influences the flow path immediately upstream of the sensor window. This ensures that the camera window remains sufficiently clean to allow the crop material sensor to monitor crop material through the window.

Abstract: A combine includes a feeder housing that include a movable cradle frame at the front, configured to receive a header, so that a controlled movement of the cradle frame may be imparted to the header during a harvesting run. The combine further includes a driveline for driving moving components of the combine header. The driveline includes a belt drive mounted laterally with respect to the feeder housing. The belt drive is configured to transfer a rotation of a first drive axle that is part of the driveline, to a rotation of a second axle to which a drive axle of the header can be coupled. The belt drive includes two pulleys which are maintained in a common plane regardless of movement of the header relative to the feeder housing. The pulleys are rotatably mounted in a longitudinally extendable bridge structure, and are coupled to the first and second axles.

Abstract: A combine includes a feeder housing that include a movable cradle frame at the front, configured to receive a header, so that a controlled movement of the cradle frame may be imparted to the header during a harvesting run. The combine further includes a driveline for driving moving components of the combine header. The driveline includes a belt drive mounted laterally with respect to the feeder housing. The belt drive is configured to transfer a rotation of a first drive axle that is part of the driveline, to a rotation of a second axle to which a drive axle of the header can be coupled. The belt drive includes two pulleys which are maintained in a common plane regardless of movement of the header relative to the feeder housing. The pulleys are rotatably mounted in a longitudinally extendable bridge structure, and are coupled to the first and second axles.

Abstract: A threshing and separating system for an agricultural harvester includes a concave having a plurality of perforations; a rotor having an outer surface and at least partially enclosed by the concave; and a plurality of rasp bars connected to the outer surface of the rotor, each rasp bar having a working surface defining a working angle relative to a tangent of the outer surface. At least one of the rasp bars is an adjustable rasp bar with an adjustable working surface pivotably coupled to the rotor. The system further includes an actuator coupled to the adjustable rasp bar and configured to selectively pivot the adjustable working surface to adjust the working angle of the adjustable rasp bar.

Abstract: A system and a method are provided for controlling a combine harvester. The method includes the steps of: receiving grain flow sensor signals from a plurality of grain flow sensors; based on the received grain flow sensor signals, determining a current load on a straw walker section; and based on the current load, adjusting an aggressiveness setting of a threshing and separation section of the combine harvester. The grain flow sensors are provided underneath and adjacent to a crop transfer surface of the straw walker section of the combine harvester and are distributed over a length of the straw walker section.

Abstract: In a combine harvester, the header (1) is lifted up by the feeder (8) and secured thereto by a mechanism including a pair of securing pins (23) on the feeder's carrier structure (20,21). The securing pins are provided with stops (35) protruding towards the header and which include a sloped surface, configured to interact with positioning aids (39) on the header. The lateral outward or inward movement of the securing pins (23) is driven by a centrally placed actuator (24). As the actuator is extended, the positioning aids (39) roll or glide down the sloped surfaces, enabling a gradual approach of the header towards the feeder, up to a point where the securing pins (23) become aligned with slots (50) on the header. Continued actuation of the pin motion then establishes the securing of the header to the feeder.

Abstract: A threshing and separating system for an agricultural harvester includes a concave having a plurality of perforations; a rotor having an outer surface and at least partially enclosed by the concave; and a plurality of rasp bars connected to the outer surface of the rotor, each rasp bar having a working surface defining a working angle relative to a tangent of the outer surface. At least one of the rasp bars is an adjustable rasp bar with an adjustable working surface pivotably coupled to the rotor. The system further includes an actuator coupled to the adjustable rasp bar and configured to selectively pivot the adjustable working surface to adjust the working angle of the adjustable rasp bar.

Abstract: A header including a front and rear wheel assembly, each assembly having an axle and two wheels. Each wheel assembly is coupled to the main body of the header by an actuating system having an actuator mechanism for actuating a swivel movement of the axle and the wheels to bring the wheel assembly to or from a road transport position. The front and rear wheel assemblies are equipped with tie rod arrangements for steering the header when it is transported on the road. The wheels of the wheel assemblies are operated as caster wheels. The tie rod arrangement of the front wheel assembly is coupled to a pivotable base connected to, or connectable to, a drawbar. The wheel assemblies have respective actuators which are synchronized so as to synchronize the position of the front and rear wheels.

Abstract: A header that includes at least one support and transport wheel assembly having an axle and two wheels. The wheel assembly is coupled to the main body of the header by an actuating system that includes an actuator mechanism configured to actuate a swivel movement of the axle and the wheels, the swivel movement being configured to bring the wheel assembly to or from a position wherein the axle is transversal to the longitudinal direction of the header. The wheel assembly is equipped with a drawbar that is deployable from a storage position to a deployed position, wherein the movement of the drawbar between the positions is synchronized with the swivel movement of the wheel assembly.

Abstract: A header including at least one support and transport wheel assembly having an axle and two wheels. The wheel assembly is coupled to the main body of the header by an actuating system that has two actuator mechanisms. When changing from the field mode to the transport mode, the first actuator mechanism brings the wheel assembly forward from a position behind the header, after the header has been lifted up from the ground. After completion of this first movement, a second actuator mechanism swivels the wheel assembly to a position that is transversal to the header, after which the header is lowered to the ground. The two-step approach enables the changeover between field mode and transport mode without pivoting or otherwise moving the header relative to the feeder. The wheel axle may be pivotably suspended from a frame element that executes the swiveling movement.