Abstract: The present invention is related to a self-propelled forage harvester (1) comprising one or more sensors (15) mounted on the spout (30) of the harvester, and configured to measure the speed of the crop flow passing through the spout. The harvester is further equipped with a feed roll control unit (8) configured to receive a signal from the sensor and further configured to stop the rotation of the feed rolls (4,5) when the speed is lower than a pre-defined threshold, indicating that a blockage has occurred in the spout. According to an embodiment, the harvester is further provided with a hatch door arranged in the bottom of the spout. The hatch door enables the removal of the blocked crops after a blockage has occurred. In this way, a blockage can be detected quickly and removal of the blockage may also be realised in a fast and efficient way.

Abstract: A tractor has a controller and at least one sensor-for sensing at least one swath line of crop material corresponding to a quantity of crop material per unit length of a swath. The controller operates in dependence on at least one output of the at least one sensor to operate a steering mechanism of the tractor such that a baler towed by the tractor follows a said swath line in a manner aligning ingestion of crop material into the baler for baling. The at least one sensor is operable to sense a swath line that is laterally offset from the direction of forward movement of the tractor.

Abstract: A crop discharge speed control system for a harvesting vehicle having a crop accelerator and a spout that receives crop material and directs the crop material to a targeted destination. The crop accelerator imparts an increased velocity to the crop material. The control system includes a crop velocity sensor, a controller, and a variable speed drive. The sensor is coupled to the spout of the vehicle for detecting a velocity of the crop material in the spout. The sensor produces a velocity signal representative of the velocity of the crop material. The variable speed drive is drivingly coupled to the crop accelerator. The controller varies the speed of the crop accelerator by controlling the variable speed drive, as it controls the variable speed drive to maintain a selected velocity of the crop material dependent upon a modulation of the velocity signal.

Abstract: A crop discharge speed control system for a harvesting vehicle having a crop accelerator and a spout that receives crop material and directs the crop material to a targeted destination. The crop accelerator imparts an increased velocity to the crop material. The control system includes a crop velocity sensor, a controller, and a variable speed drive. The sensor is coupled to the spout of the vehicle for detecting a velocity of the crop material in the spout. The sensor produces a velocity signal representative of the velocity of the crop material. The variable speed drive is drivingly coupled to the crop accelerator. The controller varies the speed of the crop accelerator by controlling the variable speed drive, as it controls the variable speed drive to maintain a selected velocity of the crop material dependent upon a modulation of the velocity signal.

Abstract: A tractor has a controller and at least one sensor-for sensing at least one swath line of crop material corresponding to a quantity of crop material per unit length of a swath. The controller operates in dependence on at least one output of the at least one sensor to operate a steering mechanism of the tractor such that a baler towed by the tractor follows a said swath line in a manner aligning ingestion of crop material into the baler for baling. The at least one sensor is operable to sense a swath line that is laterally offset from the direction of forward movement of the tractor.