Abstract: A forage harvester is provided with a cutterhead frame (34), mounted on a support (40) which can be pivoted about an cylindric beam (80) at the top thereof. The cutterhead frame (34) can be pivoted about the axis (39) of the cutterhead (36) under the action of hydraulic cylinders (90). Lower feedrolls (26, 27) are installed in a lower feeder frame (24), attached to the cutterhead frame (34), and upper feedrolls (20, 21) are installed in an upper feeder frame (18), which can be tilted forwardly about a cylindric beam (67) attached to the front of the lower feeder frame (24). A coupling arrangement (61, 62) for the coupling of a crop collecting apparatus (10) also serves to support the upper feeder frame (18), when the latter is separated from the lower feeder frame (24). This arrangement (61, 62) enables the attachment of the upper feeder frame (18) to a tractor (110). Thus can be gained access for inspection and servicing between the upper (20, 21) and lower feedrolls (26, 27) and to the cutterhead (36).

Abstract: A face plate to be affixed to the interior of the operator's cab of an agricultural tractor around the electronic control devices within the reach of the operator is disclosed wherein the face plate is provided with an outwardly projecting hand brace affixed to the face plate. The face plate is mounted around the electronic device such that the hand brace is positioned below the electronically controlled device to provide a brace against which the operator's hand can be steadied to permit the manipulation of the control device while the tractor is operating through uneven terrain. By resting the hand against the hand brace the fingers can be steadied sufficiently to allow the electronic controls to be properly manipulated, irrespective of the unevenness of the terrain over which the tractor is traversing.

Abstract: A sealing apparatus for a tractor having a rearwardly pivotable hood for enclosing a tractor engine is disclosed wherein the top radiator seal is a closed cell foam seal affixed by adhesive to the hood structure to be compressed against the radiator when the hood is moved to the closed position. The radiator side seals are formed by rubber flapper seals bolted to the lateral sides of the radiator and compressed against the hood structure when the hood is moved to the closed position. The radiator side seals are oriented such that the pressure differential caused by the engine fan urges the side seals against the hood member. The sealing apparatus prevents hot air from re-circulating from the engine compartment to be passed back through the radiator.

Abstract: An adjustable sieve mechanism for an agricultural harvesting machine comprising louvres positioned behind one another and being movable through a range of positions between a fully closed and a fully opened position. Consecutive louvres define an opening when in an opened position. An adjustment mechanism is provided for changing the opening. Also provided is an opening indicator including a movable part which is unitarily moved with one of the louvres when the opening is adjusted. The indicator permits verification of the sieve opening even when the louvres are not accessible for measurement with gauges, and a direct link between the louvres and the movable part avoids the inaccuracies which are conceivable when the indicator is sensing the movement of further, intermediate components of the adjustment mechanism.

Abstract: A shift fork assembly for a tractor transmission is disclosed wherein the shift fork assembly is mounted directly to the transmission cover to be removable therewith. The shift fork assembly includes shift forks mounted directly to the shift rails for movement therewith, the shift rail detent mechanism, the shift fork position adjustment mechanism and shift fork position sensors, and is removable from the transmission housing as a unit to facilitate the servicing thereof at a location remote from the transmission housing. The transmission cover onto which the shift fork assembly is mounted is also provided with a secondary cover to permit access to the shift fork position adjustment mechanism to allow positional adjustment of the shift forks relative to both the corresponding shift rail and the corresponding shift collar engageable by the shift forks.

Abstract: A screen member for the hydraulic system of an agricultural tractor is disclosed wherein the screen member is formed with a threaded opening to permit mounting thereof on a stationary stud fixed to the interior wall of the hydraulic system reservoir. The screen member is sealed against the stationary stud by a sealing washer and against the opposing reservoir wall by an O-ring surrounding an access opening through which filtered hydraulic fluid is drawn from the interior of the screen member. The screen member is also formed with a handle projectable through the access opening in the reservoir to facilitate the rotation of the screen member for mounting on the stationary stud. The handle can be formed with an optional square opening for engagement with a standard rachet head to effect rotation of the screen member.

Abstract: An agricultural baler for making cylindrical bales of crop material. The baler includes a sledge assembly moveable between core starting and full bale positions. A plurality of rollers on the sledge assembly cooperate with an apron to define a bale forming chamber. Wrapping is accomplished via a system that includes a dispensing mechanism carried on the sledge assembly for dispensing sheet material, such as net or the like, into the bale forming chamber whereupon it is wrapped circumferentially around a formed cylindrical package of crop material as it is rotated in the chamber. A baffle is mounted on the dispensing mechanism between the sheet material and the bale forming chamber to shield the sheet material from stray crop material and other debris.

Abstract: A power-takeoff apparatus for use on a compact tractor equipped with a compound steering mechanism is disclosed wherein the chassis includes a front chassis member having an opening formed therein to allow the passage of a power-takeoff shaft therethrough for connection to a front-mounted implement mounted to the steerable axle for lateral movement therewith. The opening in the front chassis member having a sufficient transverse width to accommodate the lateral swinging movement of the power-takeoff shaft in unison with the movement of the front-mounted implement. The front chassis member is also adapted for mounting a front-mounted implement thereto for providing an alternative mounting thereof so that the implement will not move with the steerable axle.

Abstract: A compound steering mechanism for use on a compact tractor is disclosed wherein the chassis is provided with alternate mounts for the selective connection of the inboard tie rod ends at transversely spaced apart locations. The inboard ends of the tie rods are pivotally connected to a triangular mounting plate that is detachably connectable to a selected one of the alternative chassis mounts to vary the transverse spacing of the inboard ends of the respective tie rods. Greater lateral spacing is utilized whenever additional clearance is required for the swinging motion of a PTO shaft connected to an implement mounted to the laterally movable front axle. The smaller lateral spacing is otherwise selected to keep the tie rods as long as possible and, thereby, minimize angular deflection in the tie rod ball joints when the front axle oscillates.

Abstract: An agricultural baler (1) having a duct (26) for the transportation of crop material to a bale case (10), wherein it is compressed into bales. Above the duct (26) is provided a loading device comprising a pair of cyclically rotating cranks (74), pivotably connected to a pair of levers (72) of a stuffing fork assembly (66). During operation the levers (72) are moved along journals (88) which fit in oblong slots (90) of said levers (72). The journals (88) are installed on pivotable members (94) which are forced upwardly in a first position against stop members (98, 100) by springs (99). Upon rotation of the cranks (74) the tines (70) of the fork follow a generally kidney-shaped path (92). When the tines enter the duct (26), the pivot members (94) are forced downwardly to a second position by the abutment of the journals (88) against plugs (106) in the slots (90), whereafter they are force upwardly by the cam member (102) of the cranks (74).

Abstract: A round baler having a pickup, a chamber for forming a cylindrical package of crop material and a generally transverse opening for feeding crop that has been picked up into the chamber. The baler includes a twine handling assembly having at least one twine arm with a twine dispensing end from which twine is dispensed in the vicinity of the transverse opening for applying a plurality of helical wraps on the cylindrical package of crop material formed in the chamber. Twine cutting apparatus is provided for cutting the twine, and a twine guide assembly is mounted to cooperate with the twine cutting apparatus to guide the twine to a cutting mechanism that is transferred to its operative position from a remote position after a predetermined amount of twine has been dispensed.

Abstract: A solenoid operated hydraulic valve for supplying a regulated hydraulic pressure to a load in dependence upon an electrical demand signal applied to the valve. The valve is operable to sense the temperature of the hydraulic fluid flowing through the valve and to determine the current applied to the valve solenoid in dependence upon both the demand signal from a sensor and the sensed temperature such that the regulated pressure supplied to the load is dependent only on the demand signal and is substantially independent of the temperature of the hydraulic fluid.

Abstract: A guide mechanism for controlling the pivotal positioning of a hydraulic control lever on tractors is disclosed wherein the guide mechanism incorporates a positive neutral lock in the form of a tab that is projectable into an opening within the control lever that is alignable therewith when in a neutral position. The guide mechanism includes a thumb wheel portion that projects upwardly through the control panel for manipulation by the operator for selectively rotating the guide mechanism to align a slotted opening therein with the control lever to limit the movement thereof in a preselected manner. The guide member is rotatable to four orientations to correspond to a neutral lock position, a float lockout position, a hydraulic motor mode position, and an unrestricted free range of movement position for the control lever.

Abstract: Twine wrapping apparatus for a round baler having a bale forming chamber with a generally transverse crop infeed opening. The apparatus is mounted forward of the opening and includes a twine arm for dispensing twine into the chamber to wrap cylindrical packages of crop material formed therein. Coupling means provide for swinging movement of the arm through a predetermined path during at least a portion of which the arm dispenses twine in the vicinity of the opening. The twine arm includes a clamp having one member affixed to the outer end of the twine arm and a second member that is moveable relative to the first member and is urged thereagainst by a spring assembly to provide a clamping force for holding the twine. The spring assembly includes a spring maintained in compression.

Abstract: An agricultural tractor is disclosed wherein a base frame and an operator's cab mounted on the base frame includes a wall having a passage which is normally sealed with a removable window panel. The panel has a generally rectangular shape, except for a triangular cut-out in one of its corners. In one position of the panel, the cut-out is covered whereas in another position the cut-out is uncovered so as to form an aperture for accommodating the passage of a control cable for the remote operation of external equipment through the cab wall.

Abstract: An agricultural baler for making cylindrical bales of crop material having a sledge assembly moveable between bale starting and full bale positions. The sledge assembly includes a plurality of rollers which cooperate with an array of belts to define a bale forming chamber. A dispensing mechanism is provided for dispensing web material, such as net or the like, into the bale forming chamber whereupon it is wrapped circumferentially around a cylindrical package of crop material in the bale forming chamber. Included along the path of the net prior to being fed into the chamber is a severing assembly for cutting the net after it has been wrapped around the cylindrical hay package formed in the chamber. The net severing assembly includes a unique severing element that provides improved net cutting.

Abstract: An oscillation stop mechanism for use in conjunction with a compound steering mechanism adapted for use on a compact tractor is disclosed wherein an elongated stop link is positioned on opposing sides of the steering axis about which the pivoted axle rotates to effect a compound steering action as a function of the amount of steering movement of the steerable wheels. The elongated stop links are provided with upper and lower cupped flanges that are engageable with corresponding upper and lower brackets affixed, respectively, to the chassis and the front axle to stop the pivotal movement of the front axle about its oscillation axis. The upper flange on each stop link is positionally adjustable along the length of the stop link for selectively varying the linear distance between the upper and lower flanges and, thereby, vary the amount of permissible oscillation of the front axle relative to the chassis.

Abstract: A compound steering mechanism for improving the turning radius of a compact tractor is disclosed wherein the front axle is pivotally mounted to the tractor chassis by upper and lower pivot joints, the lower pivot joint being transversely swingable relative to the upper pivot to accommodate a vertical oscillation of the steerable wheels mounted to the front axle. A support link mounts the lower pivot joint and fixes the longitudinal spacing thereof relative to a rear pivot joint. The lower pivot joint and the front axle oscillate about an oscillation axis passing through the upper and rear pivot joints. The front axle pivots in the direction of steering in response to the steering movement of the steerable wheels as a result of the connection of a respective tie rod interconnecting the chassis and each of the steerable wheels.

Abstract: A round baler, having a pair of spaced side walls mounted on a main frame, is supported on wheels and adapted to be pulled across a field. A crop confining apron is mounted between the side walls for defining an expandable chamber that is adapted to rotatably form a cylindrical package of crop material between the side walls. A pickup picks up crop material and conveys it into the chamber through a generally transverse crop infeed opening operatively associated with the pickup. A transverse starter roll extends between the side walls to provide the upper limit of the infeed opening. A crop severing device extends into the expandable chamber in the vicinity of the starter roll to cut crop material on the surface of the cylindrical package as it is being formed.

Abstract: A round baler having a main frame, a tailgate pivotally connected to the main frame and an apron extending around a plurality of guide rolls disposed in the main frame and the tailgate. A pair of take up arms, rotatably mounted on the main frame, carry at least one additional guide roll for the apron. A bale forming chamber, including the apron, varies in size from a bale starting position to a full bale position. A crop loading monitor is provided for signaling the operator when the compactness of the crop material in at least one portion of the bale being formed in the bale forming chamber reaches a predetermined acceptable level.