Abstract: An automotive diesel engine is provided with pistons which carry two compression rings and an oil control ring in the conventional manner, the cold end clearance of the second compression ring being greatly exaggerated compared to the cold end clearance of the top compression ring and the annulus defined by the second land of the piston, the two compression rings and the engine cylinder wall having an empirically determined volume, preferably in the range of about 0.12 cubic inches to about 0.35 cubic inches. The top land of the piston is preferably set back to provide exaggerated diametrical clearance with the cylinder wall.

Abstract: A forage harvester having a rotary reel cutterhead disposed within a housing to operate against a shear bar, peripheral shielding being disposed on the inlet side of the cutterhead except for a material entry gap in the region above the shear bar is provided with a crop reinjection chamber disposed in the peripheral shielding immediately above the material entry gap, the chamber comprising a transversely extending cavity wherein the cavity wall in the direction of rotation includes an arcuate portion for redirecting the flow of crops escaping the cutterhead periphery back into the cutterhead at a substantial angle to the cutterhead periphery.

Abstract: An axial flow combine having a crop harvesting header including a feeder for cutting a crop and feeding it rearwardly into a threshing and separating mechanism. The mechanism includes a casing for receiving the crop material and a rotor within the casing for threshing and separating grain from the crop material. The rotor has a central drive shaft driven through a gear case behind the rotor. The gear case is partially enclosed within a cover having a smooth exterior surface. The end of the rotor is configured in a smooth exterior surface which is complementary to the surface of the cover to inhibit collection of chaff about the drive shaft. Impeller blades are secured on the rotor for creating an air flow directing crop material away from the drive shaft to prevent crop material wrapping about the shaft or accumulating in the drive system.

Abstract: An axial flow combine having a crop harvesting header including a feeder for cutting a crop and feeding it rearwardly into a threshing and separating mechanism. The mechanism includes a casing for receiving the crop material and a rotor within the casing for threshing and separating grain from the crop material. A plurality of crop material directing vanes is disposed within the casing and cooperate with the rotor in directing the material generally helically along the casing. Means are included for selectively and simultaneously adjusting the position of the vanes to change the rate of movement of the crop material through the casing.

Abstract: A corn snapping header frame having transverse beam assemblies pivotally mounted at each end of a transverse main frame, the transverse beams being forwardly offset from the frame and having corn snapping units mounted thereon.

Abstract: A mower conditioner which is attached to its mobile carrying frame by an upper link and two laterally spaced lower swing links, is provided with a lateral floatation lockout device in the form of a torque transmitting bar selectively rigidly attached at each end to the lower swing links coaxially with the pivotal connection of the latter to the laterally elongated crop harvesting header.

Abstract: A device that includes a bracket, a hydraulic cylinder having an end pivotally mounted on an axis of the bracket, a first link pivotally mounted on the bracket on one side of the cylinder and pivotally connected to the extension end of the cylinder, a support structure pivotally mounted on the axis and having a plurality of earth working tools, and a second link pivotally mounted on the support structure on the other side of the cylinder and pivotally connected to the extension end of the cylinder. The device, including the bracket, is particularly arranged and constructed to be mounted on a multi-hitch structure for a plurality of grain drills to remove a tractor track prior to planting. The cylinder rotates the device from a working position to a transport position that is substantially in excess of 90.degree. therefrom. Tool depth adjustment and levelling means are also provided.

Abstract: A control system is provided for a plow including forward and rearward hingedly connected frame sections each carrying a plurality of plow bottoms and forward, intermediate and rearward linkage assemblies each including a hydraulic actuating cylinder, supporting the forward end of the forward frame section, the junction between the frame sections and the rearward end of the rearward section. The control system includes electrical circuitry which controls solenoid-actuated valves of a hydraulic system with separate portions of the circuitry being operable for controlling the respective linkage assemblies but with an operation such that only one hydraulic cylinder is operable at any one time to minimize load requirements. In a raising operation, the forward and intermediate linkage assemblies are sequentially operated. Another feature is a draft control arrangement which includes a dither circuit operative to alternately adjust the forward and intermediate linkage assemblies.

Abstract: A self-propelled axial flow combine having a crop harvesting header for supplying crop material to a longitudinally oriented rotor power-rotated within a generally cylindrical casing. The casing includes a grate through which crop material is impelled at high speed by the rotor. The combine includes a grain cleaning system having a chaffer sieve reciprocably mounted to receive crop material from the grate for sifting the material as a part of the cleaning process. Crop sensors are mounted on the chaffer sieve to sense material flow from the grate. In addition, crop sensors are mounted at the rear of the chaffer sieve for sensing crop losses from the sieve.

Abstract: A crop harvesting header for a self-propelled combine. The header includes a "floating" flexible cutterbar movable vertically relative to the header frame to cut a standing crop (soybeans, for example) close to the ground to minimize crop losses. The cutterbar is connected to a plurality of runner structures pivotally mounted on the header frame. A spring system is operative on the runner structures to resiliently counterbalance the cutterbar. Elongated skids are connected between adjacent pairs of runners to effectively extend along the length of the header. The skids are mounted to permit individual movement of the runners relative to each other as the cutterbar flexes over uneven ground across the harvesting path. The skids are selectively shiftable to vary the cutting height of the cutterbar.The combine includes a hydraulic system for raising and lowering the header. An automatic system raises and lowers the header in response to sensing the position of the cutterbar relative to the header.

Abstract: Power steering mechanism for a vehicle having a pair of front driving wheels and a rear steerable guide wheel assembly including a vertical pivot shaft pivoted on the vehicle frame, the steering mechanism including an actuating arm attached to the pivot shaft and a double acting hydraulic cylinder with a double ended piston rod, the body of the cylinder being pivotally mounted on the actuating arm and one end of the piston rod being pivotally attached to the vehicle frame.

Abstract: A hay conditioner is provided with a crop deflecting baffle having an operative position for deflecting crops for deposit in a swath. Rearwardly converging deflector vanes are mounted on the baffle, preferably about halfway respectively between the transverse edges of the baffle and the center of the crop stream. Preferably, the angle of convergence of the vanes is less than that of the fixed side deflectors of the preferred windrowing apparatus.

Abstract: A hay conditioner is provided with a crop deflecting baffle having a raised inoperative position and a lowered operating position for deflecting crop downwardly for deposit in a swath. The baffle position control includes a transverse rod having chains attached to its periphery and to the baffle, a ratchet and pawl for holding the rod against the force of gravity, and a handle selectively engageable for rotating the ratchet.

Abstract: A self-propelled windrower having a crop cutting header mounted forwardly thereof by a pair of laterally spaced lower suspension links and an upper centrally located stabilizing link, is provided with lifting linkages including upper lift arms mounted on the frame and lifting links interconnecting the lift arms and the lower suspension links wherein the upper lift arms are actuated by hydraulic cylinders connected hydraulically in a master-slave relationship, the rod end of the cylinders being connected to the lift arms through axially acting lost motion connections. Stops are provided to limit the upward motion of the lift arms at the transport position thereby rendering the lost motion connections ineffective.

Abstract: A crop harvesting header for a self-propelled combine. The header includes a "floating" flexible cutterbar movable vertically relative to the header frame to cut a standing crop (soybeans, for example) close to the ground to minimize crop losses. The cutterbar is connected to a plurality of runner structures pivotally mounted on the header frame. A spring system is operative on the runner structures to resiliently counterbalance the cutterbar. Structure is adjustably operative on the runner structures to selectively limit the range of movement of the cutterbar or to lock it against movement. Elongated skids are connected between adjacent pairs of runners to effectively extend along the length of the header. The skids are mounted to permit individual movement of the runners relative to each other as the cutterbar flexes over uneven ground across the harvesting path. The skids are selectively shiftable by crank pins to vary the cutting height of the cutterbar.

Abstract: A crop harvesting header for a self-propelled combine. The header includes a "floating" cutterbar which is flexible and movable up and down so as to cut a standing crop (soybeans, for example) close to the ground to minimize crop losses. The flexibility and movement enable the crop to be cut closely to the ground even though the ground is uneven or undulating across and along the harvesting path. The cutterbar is mounted on a plurality of ground-engaging structures including runners upon which a counterbalancing system imposes pre-selected forces to control the ground pressure of the cutterbar as ground and crop conditions vary. The counterbalancing system provides a substantially constant ground pressure throughout cutterbar movement. The effect of the system is to moderate or eliminate the variations which come from spring force changes.

Abstract: A crop harvesting header for a combine wherein the header includes a transversely elongated frame having opposite side walls. A cutterbar extends between the side walls and is supported from the header frame for floating movement relative thereto as induced by varying ground profile. The cutterbar is connected to the forward ends of a plurality of transversely spaced runners pivotally connected to the header frame. One of the runners is disposed at an end of the header frame adjacent to one of the side walls. Reciprocating drive for the cutterbar is provided by a wobble drive mounted on the end runner and a belt drive therefor mounted on the adjacent side wall. A belt tightener pulley assembly is pivotally mounted on the side wall.

Abstract: A cotton harvester having a hydrostaticly steered rear guide wheel assembly is provided with a steering arm having a raised horizontal segment which moves with the guide wheel. When the guide wheel off center, the raised horizontal segment contacts one of a pair of contact arms and grounds an electric circuit from one of a pair of indicator lamps in the operator's compartment turning the lamp on and informing the operator of the direction in which the harvester will steer.

Abstract: A right side discharge mower mounted on a tractor having a rear, clockwise-turning power take off shaft is provided with a belt drive including a drive pulley on the power take off shaft, a pair of upper idlers above the drive pulley, a pair of lower idlers below the drive pulley and an endless belt entrained about the lower side of the drive pulley and having its advance and return runs extending upwardly around the upper idlers, downwardly rearward of the drive pulley to the lower idlers, and forwardly to loop around the clockwise-turning mower input pulley.

Abstract: A variable width furrow-spacing plow system embodied in an implement having a laterally adjustable tractor hitch, an angularly adjustable plow-carrying main frame, and hydraulic means for correlating the lateral movement of the hitch and angular position of the frame, to the end that for any given furrow spacing the hitch point of the implement will fall closer to the line of pull than has heretofore been possible, and minimum pulling force will be required to motivate the implement. The system embodies a pull bar or frame which has its forward end pivoted to the adjustable tractor hitch and its rear end pivoted to a medial region of the plow-carrying frame. A hydraulic ram controls the lateral adjustment of the hitch, while a second ram controls the angularity between the pull frame and the main frame. The two rams are phased for operation in unison under the control of a valve in the cab of the tractor.