Abstract: A system for sensing harvested crop levels within a crop tank of an agricultural harvester includes a tank cover section movable between an open position and a covered position relative to an opening of the crop tank. The system includes a sensor array including crop level sensors configured to capture data indicative of a crop level of harvested crop. The sensor array is supported, at least in part, relative to the crop tank such that the sensor array is configured to have a first orientation when the tank cover section is in the covered position and a second orientation when the tank cover section is in the open position. The sensor array defines a first vertical dimension when the sensor array is disposed in the first orientation that is less than a second vertical dimension defined by the sensor array when the sensor array is disposed in the second orientation.

Abstract: A system for controlling the aggressiveness of a tailings processor that re-threshes tailings received from the grain cleaning system in an agricultural harvester is provided with at least one imaging device to image a grain sample. At least a portion of the grain sample has at least once passed through the tailings processor. A controller is connected to the imaging device and to an arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor. The controller is configured to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor using the arrangement, based on information provided by the at least one imaging device.

Abstract: A harvesting combine has a forward power processing unit (PPU) powered by an internal combustion engine, a rear grain cart for storage of harvested grain, a forward operator cab, a cleaning fan assembly located about the forward bottom of the PPU, and rotor and concaves assembly for threshing grain. The harvesting combine is improved by locating a charge fan assembly behind the forward operator cab and drawing air from about the top of the PPU and directing a portion of an air flow from the charge fan assembly downwardly into the cleaning fan assembly.

Abstract: A combine harvester has a thresher rotor assembly having a thresher rotor and a grate. At least one distribution device is disposed beneath the thresher rotor and is controllable to deflect grain falling from the thresher rotor assembly in a transverse direction. The distribution device may take the form of stub augers, pivoting plates or sliding plates. A cleaning shoe has a pan upon which grain falling from the thresher rotor assembly impacts. Plural sensors are disposed adjacent the pan and are each arranged to generate a signal indicative of crop load on the pan, wherein the distribution device is controlled automatically in response to the generated load signals.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing cracker roller discs comprises forming a disc blanks and machining to produce the final form. The disc blank has an axial bore through the centre, a first portion radially outward of the centre of substantially constant thickness, a second portion radially outward of the first portion which second portion tapers towards the periphery of the disc blank, and a plurality of upstanding ridges extending radially outward across the second portion on opposed faces of the disc. Machining, suitably by turning on a lathe, removes the top part of each ridge and leaves at least one sharp edge extending along it, with all ridges on a face being machined in a single operation.

Abstract: A separating apparatus for separating rind and pith of a stalk including: a working platform; a support frame connected to the working platform; a saw blade disposed on the working platform for gradually splitting the stalk in a longitudinal direction thereof with the movement of the stalk; a guiding member disposed on the working platform and located behind the saw blade for separating the stalk that is split; a brush located behind the guiding member and protruded from the working platform, the brush being connected to the support frame through a brush shaft, and an axis of the brush shaft being perpendicular to the stalk; and a first motor connected to the brush shaft for driving the brush shaft to rotate. A method for plasticizing and granulating cortical fiber of a stalk based on the above separating apparatus for separating rind and pith of the stalk is also disclosed.

Abstract: A steering axle assembly of a work machine such as an agricultural harvester includes telescoping axles and hub assemblies on the telescoping axles, with front and rear hydraulic cylinders for axially and angularly adjusting positions of the wheel hub assemblies, including steering the hubs to angles sufficient to minimize a width of the steering axle assembly for transport.

Abstract: A cab arrangement for a harvesting combine includes a harvesting combine having a body and a cab spaced-apart from the body. A platform is positioned between the cab and the body. The cab, the boy, and the platform define a passageway to allow an operator to visually monitor and access the body from the platform.

Abstract: An apparatus for installing and removing a harvesting combine rotor includes a harvesting combine having a frame portion. A linkage assembly is operatively connected to the frame portion A cab is operatively connected to the linkage assembly to allow the cab to be raised to allow the installation and removal of a combine rotor.

Abstract: A pressurized air cleaning system is provided for a harvesting apparatus having a grain tank for holding harvested crop. The cleaning system can include an air manifold and tubing network for receiving pressurized air and distributing the pressurized air to an outlet port near to the grain tank of the harvesting apparatus. The outlet port is located and configured for connecting a short portable air cleaning hose and wand to be wielded by an operator to clean the grain tank. The air manifold and tubing network can also include an outlet port near to the header, and/or next to the straw chopper, both accessible from grade level. The cleaning system can include air cleaning nozzles, fixed in position on the harvesting apparatus and connected to the network, the nozzles directing air streams onto hard-to-access areas of the harvesting apparatus. The nozzles can be located inside the grain compartment along the horizontal augers and in the unloader tube.

Abstract: A device for overloading products from a working machine having a driver's stand to a transporting vehicle has an overloading unit provided in the working machine, and a monitor assembly for monitoring overloading of the product from the working machine to the transporting vehicle, the monitor assembly including an analog monitoring camera associated with the overloading unit and filming an overloading process, an analog control monitor arranged in the driver's cabin of the working machine such that an indication of the monitoring camera is performed by the control monitor, a first microprocessor connected to the monitoring camera and digitalizing a video signal, a second microprocessor to which the video signal is transmitted, and a digitally operating graphic indicator to which the digitalized video signal is transmitted by the second microprocessor for indication.

Abstract: The threshing cylinder or rotor of a combine harvester is driven by a rotor hydraulic motor. A rotor pump, driven by an internal combustion engine supplies hydraulic fluid to the rotor hydraulic motor to drive the rotor. A variable speed traction drive propels the harvester over the surface of a field to harvest crops. A control system varies the ground speed of the harvester based upon the pressure of hydraulic fluid supplied to the rotor hydraulic motor to maintain a substantially constant crop material feed rate through the threshing cylinder or rotor. The control system can be an electronic system that measures the pressure of hydraulic fluid on the inlet side of the rotor hydraulic motor and varies the ground speed to keep the measured hydraulic fluid pressure substantially constant. A control system can also include a pressure control valve that varies the ground speed to maintain a constant rotor motor inlet hydraulic pressure.

Abstract: A combine including an improved HVAC control system. The frame of the combine supports an operator cab, a harvesting head and the other operational systems of the combine. The control system includes an operator control and a heat exchanger located in the cab. The control system also includes at least one sensor disposed to sense at least one of an ambient air temperature, a cab air temperature and solar loading, and to produce at least one sensed signal representative thereof. The operator control is configured to produce a set-point signal representative of a desired cab air temperature. An interface circuit is electromagnetically coupled to the valve assembly, the operator control, and the at least one sensor. A cooling coil may also be located in the cab, wherein the interface circuit is electromagnetically coupled to the associated coolant compressor.

Abstract: A grain combine for threshing grain from crop has a threshing rotor within a rotor housing, a front plate with a crop entry hole, a stationary ring mounted on the rearward side of the front plate, a plastic bearing pad mounted on the outer surface of the stationary ring, and a rotating ring mounted to the forward end of the rotor housing which lands on the bearing pad, thereby supporting the rotor housing. The bearing pad has a soft, elastomeric inner layer adjacent to the stationary ring, and a hard, elastomeric outer layer adjacent to the rotating ring. In addition, the rotating ring has a plurality of holes that allow dirt or other foreign material to exit the rotor housing.

Abstract: A tracked agricultural combine vehicle for harvesting, hulling and sorting grain includes integrated control means for left and right side propulsion track assemblies wherein individual track steering commands in the form of differential track speed control are derived from a common steering wheel input and vehicle speed is controlled by a single input means which controls the speed of both tracks.

Abstract: A portable device as disclosed for threshing grain to obtain a sample to be tested, for example, for its moisture content, disease, and protein content. The grain sampling device includes a housing with a handle enabling the device to be carried, an inlet for sampled grain, a chaff outlet and a collection drawer for the threshed grain kernels. Grain entering the inlet first passes through a declustering device consisting of a first group of stationary, transversely disposed pins and a second plurality of transversely disposed pins that are carried on a rotating first gear wheel. The threshing function is performed between a vertically disposed, stationary surface having a layer of resilient, frictional material, and a second gear wheel disposed in substantially parallel, spaced relation to the stationary surface, and which includes a layer of resilient, frictional material in disk form that defines a movable threshing surface.

Abstract: A combine including an improved HVAC control system is disclosed herein. The frame of the combine supports an operator cab, a harvesting head and the other operational systems of the combine. The control system includes an operator control located at the roof of the cab and a heat exchanger located at the floor of the cab. An interface circuit is electrically coupled to the control circuit and the heat exchanger valve to control the amount of heat output by the heat exchanger. A cooling coil may also be located at the floor of the cab, wherein the control and interface circuit cooperate to control the associated coolant compressor.

Abstract: A combine grain bin monitoring system includes a pair of detectors mounted on the upper edges of opposing side walls of a combine grain bin, for detecting the presence of grain. A visual display module mounted outside of the bin has a visual indicator which is operable in response to a signal received from either of the detectors. A third detector is preferably mounted on the upper end of a support located generally centrally within the bin, and is also electrically connected to the visual indicator such that the visual indicator will operate in response to a signal from either of the side wall detectors or the central detector. Additional detectors may be added to the central support to signal the level of grain within the bin. A visual alert device is electrically connected to the visual display module but spaced remote therefrom. The visual alert device is operable in response to the illumination of a lamp on the visual indicator.

Abstract: A lubricant tank structure for a cotton harvester wherein the tank is located at the rear of a harvester behind the engine and near the fuel and water tanks. The tank shares support with an adjacent tank and is shaped to optimize use of available space. A bladder is installed inside the tank with an opening exiting below the fluid level of the lubricant. The opening is connected to a relatively small diameter sight tube located externally of the tank. The bladder is filled to the bottom level of the gauge with a indicating liquid having a lower viscosity than the grease which is to be gauged and a specific gravity which is approximately the same as the high viscosity grease. When the lubricant tank is filled, the tank contents displaces the indicating liquid which rises in the sight tube until the height of the liquid is approximately the same as the height of the grease so pressures in the system are equalized.

Abstract: A harvester shield includes horizontal overlapping shingled panels supported by a framework between the drive tires and behind the cross axle of a harvester such as a cotton picker to protect otherwise vulnerable machine components and to allow the plants to smoothly pass under the machine with minimal crop damage. As the panels move and flex, residue on top of the panels drop out between the shingled surfaces to provide a self-cleaning effect. The panels are fabricated from polyethylene and can flex easily to avoid panel damage, for example, when the machine has to be backed up in tall standing crops. The shingling effect provides strength to resist flexing upwardly into the machine components as the rear portion of each panel contacts the forward supporting portion of the rearwardly adjacent panel. In an alternate embodiment, shortened panels are supported in non-overlapping fashion by angle structure having a substantial fore-and-aft component.

Abstract: A device with which mowed straw material is prepared, that is, broken up into fibers, in order to speed up the drying process. In order to create a compact device that effectively prepares the straw material, there is an aggregate 3 provided with a central roll 5, to which there are assigned planetary rolls 6, 7 arranged around part of the outer circumference and rotating in the opposing direction, and the straw material is led into the clearance zone between the planetary rolls 6, 7 and the central roll 5. In order to improve preparation, the central roll 5, as well as the planetary rolls 6, 7, are provided with a surface structure matched to one another. The aggregate 3 comprises all components necessary for preparation and can be pre-assembled and installed in a grass-matting machine in vibration-isolated fashion via the elastic support 20.

Abstract: A sampling arrangement for a grain stream to extract a grain sample for analysis from the grain conveyed into a grain tank. The sampling arrangement comprises a closed crop guide that is provided with a closing arrangement that can be operated for the controlled extraction of a crop sample and transports this to a sample container of a sample extraction arrangement.

Abstract: A cover apparatus for use with a combine harvester of the type including a grain tank having an opened top. The cover apparatus includes a cover for covering the opened top of the grain tank, the cover having a top portion for being positioned over the top portion of the grain tank; attachment structure for attaching the cover to the combine harvester, and a bow for extending across said opened top of the grain tank and for supporting the top portion of the cover.

Abstract: A sugarcane rind-slitting apparatus of the type having a pair of counter-rotatable cylindrical members with a multiplicity of intermeshing annular projections. The apparatus includes disks on each cylindrical member, each disk having axially-recessed sides such that the disks of one such member extend into the recession formed by a pair of disks of the other such member. Rind introduced to the apparatus is slit effectively and efficiently by the intermeshing action of the disks, without excessive wear on the disks.