Abstract: The bulk materials cart has a dual unload system including at least two inclined belt conveyors bounding an enclosed cavity. A first belt conveyor is operable for conveying bulk materials from the cavity to an unloading conveyor extendable from that side of the cart. A second belt conveyor is operable for conveying bulk materials upwardly and over another side of the cart. The dual unload system is automatically operable in a first mode operating the first belt conveyor and the unloading conveyor for conveying the bulk materials away from the cart, and in a second mode operating the second belt conveyor for conveying the bulk materials over the side of the cart.

Abstract: A self-cleaning blow-off for a rotary air screen, includes a blow-off channel including an inlet disposed for receiving a flow of air from a pressurized air source, and a movable blow-off channel section configured and supported to be movable between an operational position disposed adjacent to a portion of the air screen for directing the flow of air for blowing debris and dirt from the screen, and a cleaning position disposed away from the screen such that accumulated debris and dirt in the blow-off section will be released. And, an actuator is connected to and controllably operable for moving the movable blow-off section between the operating position and the cleaning position. The actuator can be controlled to move the movable blow-off section to the cleaning position periodically, as desired, or responsive to an input.

Abstract: An exemplary floor module suitable for inclusion in the modular floor assembly comprises a support and an overlaying floor sheet. The support includes a support leading edge portion, a support trailing edge portion, and a floor support portion disposed therebetween. The support leading edge portion attaches to the cutter bar of a header. The support trailing edge portion includes a first resilient projection, and the floor support portion includes a second resilient projection. The floor sheet includes a floor sheet leading edge portion, a floor sheet trailing edge portion, and a substantially planar floor portion disposed therebetween. The first resilient projection and the floor sheet trailing edge portion define a trailing slot configured to receive a header frame projection. The second resilient projection and the substantially planar floor portion define a side slot configured to receive a side edge portion of an adjacent floor module.

Abstract: A stabilization system used with a crop harvesting header includes a frame carrying a belt to deliver a crop to the header. The frame is independently movable between a first angle between the frame and the header and a second angle between the frame and the header. A member has an inside surface connectable in substantially non-rotational contact to a first structure of one of the frame or the header, and an outside surface connectable in substantially non-rotational contact to a second structure of the other of the frame or the header. In response to rotational movement of the first structure in substantially non-rotational contact with the inside surface, rotational movement of the first structure occurring with respect to the second structure in substantially non-rotational contact with the outside surface, the member provides a stabilizing torsional force between the frame and the header between the first and second angles.

Abstract: A crop harvesting header for use with a work vehicle includes a shaft extending substantially transverse to a direction of travel of the header, the shaft rotates about its axis in response to a portion of a member contacting a first arm when the header is in the first operating mode. The shaft does not rotate about the shaft axis when the header is in a second operating mode. A second arm rotates about the shaft in response to ground undulations when the header is in the second operating mode. A sensor, operatively connected to the second arm and to a controller, senses when the second arm is located at a predetermined position when the header is in the second operating mode. The sensor communicates with the controller to effect movement of the header with respect to the ground when the header is in the second operating mode.

Abstract: A method for coupling a load to a power source by means of a clutch, the method having the steps of initially increasing the pressure of the actuator to bring the pressure plates of the clutch into contact with the clutch plates gradually increasing the pressure of the actuator even further to allow the clutch plates to be engaged with the pressure plates while decreasing at least ones the pressure during a short time to create pressure dips such that the torque generated over the load is at least temporarily decreased, and levelling the pressure of the actuator to maintain the engagement of the pressure plates with the clutch plates to allow the load to be driven by the power source.

Abstract: A biomass cleaner, of a harvesting machine, includes at least a first sieve for sieving biomass and having one or more first sieve apertures that are openable and closeable in dependence on control commands. The biomass cleaner also includes an air fan, the speed of which is adjustable in dependence on control commands. The biomass cleaner has one or more control devices that generate the control commands. The first sieve defines a support for biomass that is sieveable via the sieve, and the biomass cleaner includes one or more pressure sensors for generating one or more signals that are related to the pressure of air in the vicinity of the biomass. At least one pressure sensor is operatively connected to supply the signals to a control device that derives therefrom further estimates of the sieve losses and/or the MOG content of the biomass, as defined herein, during operation thereof.

Abstract: A system for supporting a cutterbar of a crop harvesting header includes a first arm pivotably secured to the header. The first arm includes a first portion configured to support the cutterbar. The first arm includes a second portion including a torsion device having a mass of elastic material connected to an adjustment assembly. The second portion is configured to be pivotably rotatable about an axis by the adjustment assembly to selectably increase or decrease a force appliable to the first portion in order to raise or lower the first portion with respect to the header.

Abstract: An unloading conveyor apparatus and system for an agricultural harvester including a spout controllably directable for enabling distributing grain in a desired manner within a region of a receiving storage container, or a transporting truck, wagon, or other vehicle, and configurable as a closure for the conveyor for preventing entry of contaminants and the like. The spout can advantageously extend both the distance and range of variability of grain delivery location, and the free end of the spout can include a cover for improving grain delivery accuracy and wind resistance, and a break open feature to prevent damage. The spout can also be rotatable laterally about the end of the conveyor.

Abstract: A system for supporting a cutterbar of a crop harvesting header includes a first arm pivotably secured to the header and including a first portion configured to support the cutterbar, and a second portion including a torsion device connected to an adjustment assembly, the second portion configured to be pivotably rotatable about an axis by the adjustment assembly to selectably increase or decrease a force appliable to the first portion in order to raise or lower the first portion with respect to the header. The adjustment assembly includes a second arm interconnecting the torsion device and a first adjustment device having a first segment, the first adjustment device configured to movably receive a second adjustment device. The first segment follows a predetermined path in a first or second direction with respect to the axis in response to movement of the second adjustment device with respect to the first adjustment device.

Abstract: An active crop residue spreader for an agricultural combine including two horizontal rotor impellers for guiding and uniformly distributing the crop residue on a field, a triangular nose divider with a pyramidal shape which is wider at the base and an extension near or into the chopper. The spreader further comprises a straw guiding plate provided with specially shaped rakes on each side of the guiding plate.

Abstract: A harvest header includes a transport system for converting the harvest header between a harvesting configuration and a transport configuration. The transport system may be retrofitted to existing headers or may be integrally constructed with a header. The transport system includes wheels that are retracted or rotated into a compact storage position against the rear wall surface of the header in a harvest configuration so as not to substantially increase the width of the header.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the speed of a combine harvester (10) includes one or more sensors (48) each generating one or more signals that correspond during use of the combine harvester to variables of a harvesting process. The apparatus further includes a processor and one or more control devices operatively connected in a feedback arrangement including two loops. In a first loop, a first signal (28) corresponding to the ground speed of the combine harvester (10) is fed back as an input to a first control device (42) that is capable of adjusting the ground speed relative to a set value. In a second loop, the first signal (28) is fed together with a second signal (34) indicative of the flow rate of crop through the combine harvester to a second control device (32) that generates as a third signal (31) the set value, the third signal being input to the first control device (42).

Abstract: The draper canvas of the header includes a strip of a resilient material that stands outwardly and forwardly of a front edge thereof and has an outer barrier surface, an inner barrier surface, and a front barrier surface received and contained in structure of a cutter bar and a front draper support plate having a plurality of barrier elements in face-to-face closely spaced relation with the barrier surfaces to form a multiple sided barrier interface between the cutter bar and draper fabric for excluding cut crop from the interior of the header. The strip runs within the container structure with minimal contact to reduce friction and wear.

Abstract: A work vehicle includes a frame, a cab structure pivotably connected to the frame and an implement connected to the frame. A body is disposed between the cab structure and the implement to sufficiently limit pivotal movement of the cab structure with respect to the implement to prevent damage to the cab structure by the implement.

Abstract: A cleaning system for an agriculture work vehicle including a combination of a grain cleaning sieve having a limited region containing larger apertures providing increased grain throughput and also increased air throughput relative to the other regions of the sieve, utilized with a fan system that provides a substantially higher air flow rate through the region relative to the other regions of the sieve, such that a downward airborne flow of crop material above and flowing toward the limited region is subject to an air flow having a substantially higher flow rate compared to the other regions above the sieve, which operates to aggressively separate material other than grain from the grain above the limited region, and such that substantially only grain will fall onto and pass through the limited region of the grain cleaning sieve.

Abstract: A procedure and system for unloading a compacted cotton module from an on-board module builder of a cotton harvester, which in an automatic mode utilizes a controller to automatically monitor ground speed and operate unloading apparatus at a synchronized ratio to ground speed, for maintaining integrity and shape of the module, and which is quickly and easily switchable between the automatic mode and a manual mode that allows an operator to position and operate the unloading apparatus independent of ground speed for purposes such as placing the module at a precise location such as next to an already unloaded module or the like.

Abstract: A forage harvester having a header for harvesting crop from a field, a chopper for comminuting the crop harvested by the header, a spout from which the chopped crop is discharged and a rotary blower (10) for propelling the chopped crop from the chopper along an intake chute (18) leading to the spout. A deflector plate (14a) is provided at the entrance of the blower. The deflector plate (14a) is pivotable between a first position in which the crop is guided to flow in a substantially tangential direction relative to the trajectory of the blades (10a) of the blower (10) and a second position in which the crop is deflected radially inwards from the tangential direction to impact the blades (10a) of the blower (10) at a point along their length.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the lateral tilt of a header of an agricultural plant cutting machine, such as, but not limited to, a combine, windrower or the like, and more particularly, to an automatic lateral tilt control system for precisely controlling an angle of lateral tilt of the header relative to the machine based on a lateral tilt angle of the machine relative to a reference and at least one additional characteristic such that, when the machine is disposed on a laterally inclined surface, and the machine is at a tilt angle differing from an angle of the laterally inclined surface, the angle of lateral tilt of the header relative to the machine is responsively adjusted so an angle of the lateral tilt of the header relative to the reference is substantially equal to the angle of the laterally inclined surface, the system especially useful when operating in a stubble mode and traversing inclined surfaces.

Abstract: A guard for a sickle of an agricultural plant cutting machine includes a forwardly extending finger including a longitudinally extending, upwardly facing surface extending over the sickle, which includes a rearwardly facing air discharge nozzle therein located above and/or forwardly of the sickle, and the finger includes an air flow passage extending internally therethrough from an air inlet adjacent to a base of the finger to the nozzle, for delivering a flow of pressurized air thereto, the nozzle being at least mostly flush with or recessed into the upwardly facing surface. As a result, the nozzle is operable for discharging the flow of air rearwardly over the finger without obstructing plant material flow thereover, the air flow being sufficient to blow at least a substantial amount of loose grain and other plant material located forwardly of the front edge of a header floor of the machine, onto the floor for collection by a conveyor of the header for processing.