Abstract: An air supply system on a vehicle having a tire. The system includes a compressor having a supply mode for supplying air to a consumer connected to the compressor. The consumer is provided with a reservoir and the compressor switches to an idle mode when the pressure of the reservoir attains a first predetermined reservoir pressure. During a supply period when the consumer is supplied with air from the compressor, the pressure of at least one tire is measured and prior to a subsequent tire pressure measurement, air is discharged from the reservoir so that the compressor remains in the supply mode and the consumer and/or reservoir continues to be supplied with air.

Abstract: A vehicle tank having an upper surface for mounting a fan and radiator to which is sloped between the fan and radiator mounting parts so that there is a difference in the relative height of the parts. The tank also has a horizontal lower surface that abuts the chassis or frame of a vehicle and the space between the upper and lower surfaces holds a fluid.

Abstract: An antenna mounting apparatus for a combine harvester where the apparatus includes a first grain tank extension panel mounted to a frame so as to be moveable between an open, extended, position and a closed, retracted, position. An antenna-supporting bracket is pivotally mounted to the grain tank extension panel around a first pivot axis. Actuation means are provided to pivot the antenna-supporting bracket with respect to the grain tank extension member when the grain tank extension panel moves between the open position and closed position.

Abstract: Steps to manufacturing a feed beater for a twin axial-flow crop processor in a combine harvester including cutting a flat state vane element from sheet material and bending along predetermined bend lines before being secured to a rotor core. The vane element includes a transverse vane section parallel to the rotation axis, and a directional vane section having an effective edge that extends at a non-zero angle to the rotation axis.

Abstract: A steering brake locking system for a vehicle, such as an agricultural tractor, has at least first and second adjacent steering brake pedals, and a locking pin arranged to selectively lock the pedals together. The locking pin and at least a portion of the first and second pedals are formed from a conductive material, such that an electrically conductive path is formed between the first and second pedals through the locking pin when the pin is used to lock the pedals together. The locking status of the pedals can be determined by measuring the electrical conductivity between the first and second pedals.

Abstract: A method of inflating and deflating a tire on a vehicle, said vehicle having a rotatable air passage connectable to a tire and a non rotatable air passage through which air is conducted from a pressurized air supply. One of the passages has an associated sealing means for co-operating with a contact component associated with the other passage and wherein prior to inflation and deflation of the tire, one of the passages is pressurized to ensure the integrity of the sealing means with the contact component.

Abstract: A grain cleaning system in a combine harvester including a frame, a chaffer sieve, and a lower sieve. A clean grain chute is located under the lower sieve to catch grain falling therefrom and is inclined to direct the caught grain to a clean grain trough. A tailings return chute is disposed under the clean grain chute and is configured to direct tailings to a tailings collection trough. A multi-configurable plate is mounted to the frame and positioned under a rear portion of the chaffer sieve. The plate is moveable between different operating positions. In a first operating position the plate is configured to guide material incident thereon to the tailings return chute. In a second operating position the plate is configured to guide material incident thereon to the clean grain chute.

Abstract: An agricultural vehicle and method of controlling the same are provided, the vehicle having a motive power unit providing a driving torque to at least one driven wheel and having at least one tire or track frictionally coupled with the periphery of the driven wheel. A vehicle operating parameter is controlled in dependence on the driving torque and a slippage characteristic relating the respective driving torque at which the frictional coupling between driven wheel and tire or track begins to slip for a range of vehicle operating parameter values. The operating parameter is suitably a tire pressure or track tension, and the control may involve reducing driving torque or increasing pressure/tension to prevent slipping.

Abstract: A vehicle having a linkage for attaching an implement including a control system for controlling a draft mode of operation in which the linkage is automatically raised and lowered depending on a draft force detected by the vehicle and a lifting cylinder, and when the vehicle travels at low speeds, or is driven in reverse or is stationary, the control system automatically sets the detected draft force to zero and the draft control mode of operation is maintained.

Abstract: An air supply system on a vehicle for inflating and deflating a tire. The system includes a compressor connected to a drier having drying material to extract water from the air and a deflation line connectable between the tire and the dryer. The air dryer is operable in a first mode in which air passing through the dryer in a first direction is dried by the dryer and a second regeneration mode in which air passes through the dryer in a direction opposite to the first to remove water collected by the dryer, characterized in that the air used for the regeneration is air deflated from the tire.

Abstract: There is described a HVAC pre-filter system for a vehicle. The pre-filter system acts to prevent relatively large or coarse debris from reaching a dedicated HVAC filter through the use of at least one pre-filter element, which is provided in at least one inlet/outlet connected to ambient air. The pre-filter system has an inlet to supply air to the HVAC system, and an outlet to allow for air to exit from a vehicle cab interior, and the inlet/outlet can be switched to be fluidly coupled with either the HVAC inlet or the cab outlet. Dependent on which inlet or outlet the inlet/outlet is coupled with, the flow direction in the inlet/outlet can be controlled. Accordingly, the pre-filter can be cleaned of accumulated dust and debris by reversing the direction of airflow through the inlet/outlet.

Abstract: A tractor control system, which controls an operating condition of an implement attached to the tractor. The control system includes a sensing means providing a force signal which indicates the pull force necessary to pull an implement in a desired position; a control which receives the force signal; and means for measuring at least one parameter associated with the tractor mode and/or the implement mode and the implement position is adjusted to a new position when the force signal varies. The control system includes pre-determined values associated with certain tractor and/or implement modes. A measured parameter is compared with a pre-determined parameter value and if the measured parameter would result in an undesired movement of the implement, the force signal is deactivated, or the response to the force signal is deactivated to prevent undesired movement of the attachment.

Abstract: A method for defining a contoured path for an automatic guidance system comprises defining a plurality of reference path segments; for each segment, determining one or more intersection points respectively with other segments; and subsequently defining a contoured path as a sequence of intersecting segments. An automatic guidance system based on the method is also provided.

Abstract: A method and system for assisting user selection of ballasting options for an agricultural vehicle when coupled to an agricultural implement. The user is presented with a selection menu of implement types, whereby each implement type defines operating ranges of discrete values for first, second and optionally third operational parameters of the vehicle, with the differing combinations defining a values subset. An optimal choice from the available ballasting options is made for each combination in the values subset, and a selection from the optimal choices based on prevalence or probability of occurrence is made and may be presented to the user. Operational parameters may include operating speed, loading due to implement weight and engine power.

Abstract: A combine harvester including a grain pan arranged to catch a crop stream from threshing or separating apparatus. The grain pan is driven in an oscillating manner to convey the crop stream rearwardly to a rear edge. A cleaning unit including a fan for generating a cleaning airstream which is directed under the rear edge of the grain pan. The grain pan comprises includes a transversely corrugated surface and longitudinal gullies having a curved profile for compensating for side-hill operation.

Abstract: A combine harvester with an axial flow crop processor with a rotor mounted for rotation inside a rotor housing arranged longitudinally with respect to the harvester. A feed beater is mounted for rotation on a substantially transverse axis and serves to tangentially impel crop material into the crop processor. A drive system drives the rotor and feed beater, wherein the drive system includes a rotor drive device for transmitting torque from a drive stage to the rotor, and a drive connection between the rotor drive device and the beater.

Abstract: A vehicle tire deformation device for determining the size of a deformed contact patch of a tire which contacts the ground, said device comprising a movement detector connected to an attachment body by means of a moveable indicator element wherein both the movement detector and the attachment body are attachable to an inside surface of the tire, and wherein the size of the deformed contact patch of the tire is determined by the detector sensing a change in angle of the moveable indicator element indicating the border between the deformed contact patch of the tire and a non deformed part of the tire which is not in contact with the ground.

Abstract: A system for performing an agricultural operation on a field, the system including a host vehicle, two or more autonomous agricultural machines configured for performing the said agricultural operation; and a control subsystem for path planning and controlling the movement of each autonomous agricultural machine relative to the host vehicle in the performance of the agricultural operation. The control subsystem is configured to dynamically re-plan the movement of one or more of the autonomous agricultural machines in response to a detected failure of an autonomous agricultural machine as indicated by its position relative to its planned path.

Abstract: An agricultural vehicle and method of controlling the same are provided, the vehicle having a motive power unit providing a driving torque to at least one driven wheel and having at least one tyre or track frictionally coupled with the periphery of the driven wheel. A vehicle operating parameter is controlled in dependence on the driving torque and a slippage characteristic relating the respective driving torque at which the frictional coupling between driven wheel and tyre or track begins to slip for a range of vehicle operating parameter values. The operating parameter is suitably a tyre pressure or track tension, and the control may involve reducing driving torque or increasing pressure/tension to prevent slipping.

Abstract: A method and system for assisting user selection of ballasting options for an agricultural vehicle when coupled to an agricultural implement. The user is presented with a selection menu of implement types, whereby each implement type defines operating ranges of discrete values for first, second and optionally third operational parameters of the vehicle, with the differing combinations defining a values subset. An optimal choice from the available ballasting options is made for each combination in the values subset, and a selection from the optimal choices based on prevalence or probability of occurrence is made and may be presented to the user. Operational parameters may include operating speed, loading due to implement weight and engine power.