Abstract: A spout is operably connected to a transferring material for transferring the agricultural material to the receiving vehicle. An imaging device faces towards the storage portion of the receiving vehicle and collects image data. A container module is adapted to determine a container position of the storage portion, or its container perimeter. A spout module is adapted to identify a spout of the transferring vehicle in the collected image data, or to determine a spout position. An alignment module is adapted to determine the relative position of the spout and the container position based on the collected image data and to generate command data or user interface data to facilitate placement of the spout and storage container in relative cooperative alignment for transferring of material from the transferring vehicle to the receiving vehicle.

Abstract: A lawn mower includes a mower device provided between a pair of right and left front wheels and a pair of right and left rear wheels and configured to mow grass on a traveling land surface; a grass collecting container provided rearwardly of a vehicle body, a conveyer duct extending between the mower device and the grass collecting container as extending through between the pair of right and left rear wheels and configured to convey grass clippings discharged from the mower device to the grass collecting container; and a belt conveyer configured to convey the grass clippings discharged from the mower device toward the grass collecting container. The belt conveyer forms a conveying bottom face of the conveyer duct.

Abstract: A crop harvesting machine has a machine body and a discharge spout attached to the machine body for overloading crop via a crop stream to a trailer. And electronic spout control and a discharge spout drive arrangement displaces the discharge spout relative to the machine body based on drive commands of the electronic spout control for guiding the crop stream to a target hit point at the trailer. A first sensor arrangement generates sensor information by optically identifying a reference feature at the trailer and detecting the position of the reference feature and/or space orientation of the reference feature. The second sensor arrangement generates sensor information by detecting a space orientation of the machine body, the discharge spout or both. The electronic spout control generates its drive commands for guiding the crop stream based on the sensor information.

Abstract: A lane departure warning system has a trailer detector for detecting that a trailer is attached to a vehicle, a lane boundary detector for detecting a position of a lane boundary on a roadway over which the vehicle is travelling, and an information processor including a calibrator for generating calibration parameters used in determining an unintended lane departure event with respect to the lane boundary. The information processor initiates a process for allowing an operator to provide trailer width information when the trailer detector indicates that the vehicle is towing a trailer. The lane departure warning system also includes a sensor for detecting a hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer. A controller determines a lateral offset of the trailer relative to the vehicle based on the hitch angle and a length of the trailer for generating a warning signal when the lateral offset crosses the lane boundary.

Abstract: In an automotive milling machine, with a machine frame with longitudinal axis, with a chassis with wheels or tracked travelling drive units which support the machine frame, with a controller for the travelling, steering and milling operation, with a height-adjustable working drum, with a slewable last or single transport conveyor of specified length arranged in front of or behind the working drum as seen in the direction of travel of the milling machine, where the transport conveyor is, as a minimum, slewable sideways about an essentially vertical first axis under a slewing angle, it is provided for the following features to be achieved: the controller comprises a detection and control system which, as a minimum, detects the steering angle of the steering controller for the chassis or, as a minimum, the steering angle of the steering controller and the distance traveled or the travel speed, and controls the slewing angle of the transport conveyor in accordance with this no less than one parameter.

Abstract: A high efficiency disposable cellulosic wiper includes (a) pulp-derived papermaking fiber; (b) up to 75% by weight regenerated cellulosic microfiber having a characteristic CSF value of less than 175 ml, the microfiber being selected and present in amounts such that the wiper exhibits a Laplace pore volume fraction at pore sizes less than 15 microns of at least 1.5 times that of a like wiper prepared without regenerated cellulose microfiber. The wipers of the invention exhibit remarkable residue removal efficiency.

Abstract: A grain transfer control system, and method of use thereof, for automatedly controlling the transfer of grain from a mobile transferor-type vehicle, such as a combine harvester, to a mobile transferee-type vehicle, such as a crop transport, by varying the position and speed of the transferor-type and transferee-type vehicles relative to one another during the transfer operation, especially by varying the position and rate of walk of the discharge spout along at least a portion of the length of a grain holding receptacle of the transferee-type vehicle, to effect a generally even fill of the grain holding receptacle of the transferee-type vehicle along the length of the grain holding receptacle.

Abstract: A transfer device for transporting parts includes a rotatable stand including first and second angularly spaced arms secured to the stand and able to rotate between a first location where parts are installed on the first arms and a second location where the parts are removed from the first arms, and actuators for raising and lowering the arms.

Abstract: A material handling apparatus is described including a vehicle having a front end, a rear end, a left side, a right side, a chassis, and a ground engagement device attached to the chassis for providing movement of the vehicle across ground; an engine constructed for propelling the vehicle; a loader assembly; a hydraulic system constructed for driving the loader assembly; and operator area including a cage for protecting an operator located within the operator area, and controls for controlling movement of the vehicle and for controlling operation of the loader assembly; and a forward tools area extending from the operator seating area to the front end of the vehicle. The material handling apparatus can include an entrance to the operator area through the rear end of the vehicle, a loader assembly that includes a tower that rotates relative to the chassis, and a dump box or work platform provided in the forward tools area. A method for operating a material handling apparatus is provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle (211) for moving separate pieces of luggage between a luggage depot and an aeroplane, which vehicle comprises a wheeled frame (214), which wheeled frame (214) is provided with conveying means comprising a number of conveying elements disposed above and/or beside one another for conveying separate pieces of luggage between ends of the respective conveying elements with respect to the frame, which vehicle further comprises a bridging conveyor (217) system for conveying pieces of luggage between the respective conveying elements and an aeroplane, wherein the bridging conveyor (217) system comprises a first bridging conveyor as well as a guide system for extending the first bridging conveyor from the vehicle to the aeroplane by means of said guide system, said first bridging conveyor being built up of a number of conveying units which are pivotable relative to each other in at least two perpendicular directions.

Abstract: A grain wagon includes a wheel supported frame on which is mounted a hopper or container for receiving grain, and the wagon is pulled by a tow vehicle or tractor. An inclined discharge auger conveyor has an outer section which folds between a stored position and an operating position projecting upwardly and forwardly and laterally outwardly from the container. The outer auger section has a pivotal discharge spout with a pivotal internal baffle, and the spout is actuated by a double acting hydraulic cylinder controllable through hydraulic lines from the cab of the tractor so that the tractor operator may fully load and “top off” the grain within an adjacent semi-trailer as the tractor operator pulls the wagon along the side of the semi-trailer. In one embodiment, the outer section of the auger conveyor has an outer telescopic housing extension which carries the discharge spout and extends and retracts automatically with folding of the outer auger conveyor section.

Abstract: A grain wagon includes a wheel supported frame on which is mounted a hopper or container for receiving grain, and the wagon is pulled by a tow vehicle or tractor. An inclined discharge conveyor or auger has a folding outer section which projects upwardly and forwardly and laterally outwardly from the container. The auger has a pivotal discharge spout and a pivotal internal baffle, and the spout is actuated by a double acting hydraulic cylinder controllable through hydraulic lines from the cab of the tractor so that the tractor operator may fully load and “top off” the grain within an adjacent semi-trailer as the tractor operator pulls the wagon along the length of the semi-trailer.

Abstract: The transfer device of an agricultural harvester, in particular a self-propelled forage harvester, is controlled to avoid crop loss and improve operating efficiency. The harvested crop is transferred from the agricultural harvester to a transport receptacle via an upper discharge chute. Apparatus controls the pivoting and vertical movement of the transfer device while the crop stream is spewed in a manner to avoid crop loss and improve the filling capacity during the transfer. The angle between the pivotable transfer device and the longitudinal direction of the agricultural harvester is calculated from the quantity of the correcting value to predetermine the direction of travel of the agricultural harvester. During travel, the apparatus is effective even during a curved path of travel.

Abstract: A baler for making parallelepiped bales is equipped with a bale ejector or thrower structure including a bale throwing pan supported by a four-bar linkage that is swung upwardly by a hydraulic throwing cylinder. A control valve structure including a solenoid-operated trip valve and a solenoid-operated pressure-relief valve is actuated for effecting pressurization of the throwing cylinder and throwing of a bale in response to a trip switch being closed in response to a trip pedal being rotated by a bale moving rearwardly on the throwing pan as it exits the baler bale chamber, the trip valve when actuated blocking a source of fluid pressure from normal communication with a fluid sump, and the pressure-relief valve when actuated being operable for maintaining the working fluid pressure at a value determined by a variable potentiometer connected in circuit with the solenoid of the pressure relief valve.

Abstract: A spout control system permits automatic and manual control of a forage harvester spout which directs crop to a receiving wagon. Under certain conditions, the control system automatically sweeps the spout in a stepwise manner through a series of positions to achieve uniform wagon filling. This and other functions are achieved with the use of a suitably programmed microprocessor.

Abstract: A crop-receiving wagon is pivotally attached to a forage harvesting machine with a pivotal crop discharging spout. A dual sensitivity spout-aiming control system maintains the spout-wagon angular relationship within first and second ranges during first and second ranges, respectively, of wagon-machine angles. A switching circuit switches the control system between its sensitivity modes in response to changes in the wagon-machine angle and includes a timer which delays the mode switching for a certain time period after a predetermined change in the wagon-machine angle. A gate circuit cooperates with the timer to reduce the delay period upon manual positioning of the spout.

Abstract: An automatic control system operates to control the spout position on a forage harvester as a function of the position of a crop-receiving wagon and as a function of the relative spout-wagon position. The system includes wagon and spout angle sensors and a variable gain error amplifier for generating an error signal representing the difference therebetween. The gain of the error amplifier is modified according to changes in the wagon position to provide a wagon position dependent amount of free play in the spout-wagon relative position.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring harvested material from a harvester into a trailer moving alongside the harvester at a slightly faster rate, for which purpose a conveyor inclined at an oblique angle to the direction of motion of the vehicles is loaded with harvested material and a shuttling means reciprocates the conveyor and its drive means in the conveying direction while a drive interrupting means causes the conveyor to be driven only during one sense of the reciprocating drive of the shuttling means.

Abstract: The crop discharge spout of an agricultural machine is continuously adjusted so that the crop material discharge therefrom is always directed into an associated, but not necessarily connected, collector vehicle. An electro optical device affixed to the crop discharge spout illuminates a scanning area with an optical signal. A passive retroreflective target affixed to the collector vehicle and disposed within the scanning area reflects the optical signal back to the electro optical device. The electro optical device receives the reflected optical signal and causes logic means to generate control signals, such that appropriate utilization means aligns the crop discharge spout with the associated but not necessarily attached collector vehicle.

Abstract: A positional control device for regulating the position of an object outlet adjacent a container having a floor and plurality of sides. The position of the outlet is regulated such that an object falling from the outlet would fall a distance not greater than a predetermined distance. The outlet may also be regulated such that should the outlet approach a wall closer than a predetermined distance an alarm will be activated and the position of the outlet also being regulated such that it is automatically caused to rise upward and out of the container when a predetermined condition exists.

Abstract: A vehicular forage harvester has a trailer wagon pivotally connected ther with a chute operating to deliver an agricultural crop cut by the forage harvester into the trailer wagon. The chute includes a flexible section which enables the discharge end of the chute to be maintained in a position to deposit the crop into the trailer wagon when the wagon is pivotally moved relative to the forage vehicle.

Abstract: A forage harvesting towing vehicle has a blower discharge tube extending generally vertically and terminating in a laterally rearwardly extending discharge spout for blowing forage material, which has been gathered, into a towed receiving transfer vehicle having an opening at its front end for receiving the material. The tube is mounted for adjustment to position the spout in various positions relative to the towing vehicle to keep its spout properly aligned with the opening in the front end of the towed vehicle.