Abstract: Speed control in agricultural vehicle guidance systems may be provided. First, an auto-guidance processor may be loaded with a wayline and topographical data of an area where an agricultural vehicle may be located. A drive component coupled to the auto-guidance processor may be engaged to cause the agricultural vehicle to traverse the wayline. The wayline may define a path for the agricultural vehicle to travel within the area. The agricultural vehicle's speed may be altered as the agricultural machine traverses the wayline based upon the topographical data.

Abstract: Speed control in agricultural vehicle guidance systems may be provided. First, an auto-guidance processor may be loaded with a wayline. A drive component coupled to the auto-guidance processor may be engaged to cause the agricultural vehicle to traverse the wayline. The wayline may define a path for the agricultural vehicle to travel within an area. The auto-guidance processor may receive inclination data. The agricultural vehicle's speed may be altered as the agricultural machine traverses the wayline based upon the inclination data.

Abstract: A method for detecting zonal operator presence includes receiving a sensor output from a sensor. The sensor may be located on an agricultural machine and the sensor output indicates an operating state of the agricultural machine. Once the sensor output has been received, the operating state of the agricultural machine is determined based on the sensor output. The operating state includes an operator being located within a work area of the agricultural machine. The work area is divided into a plurality of zones. An operating parameter is adjusted based on the operating state.

Abstract: A powered square baler is operable to be powered by a prime mover to form a bale by compressing loose material. The powered square baler broadly includes a chassis, a plunger assembly, a flywheel, and a planetary gear train. The chassis includes a baler frame that presents a baling chamber to receive the loose material. The plunger assembly includes a reciprocating plunger head slidably mounted relative to the baler frame and operable to reciprocate into and out of the chamber and apply a compressive force to the loose material. The flywheel is rotatably mounted on the chassis and is operable to be driven by the prime mover. The planetary gear train is drivingly attached to the flywheel and is drivingly attached relative to the plunger assembly to transmit power between the flywheel and the plunger assembly and thereby drive the plunger head.

Abstract: Speed control in agricultural vehicle guidance systems may be provided. First, an auto-guidance processor may load a wayline and topographical data of an area where an agricultural vehicle may be located. A drive component coupled to the auto-guidance processor may be engaged to cause the agricultural vehicle to traverse the wayline at a speed. The wayline may define a path for the agricultural vehicle to travel within the area. The speed may be based upon the topographical data. The auto-guidance processor may receive inclination data. The agricultural vehicle's speed may be altered as the agricultural machine traverses the wayline based upon the inclination data.

Abstract: A harvesting header frame has a top beam, a bottom beam, and a diagonal truss member. A first end of said diagonal truss member is structurally connected to the top beam and an opposing second end of said diagonal truss member is structurally connected to the bottom beam. The header frame also has a diagonal truss length adjustment mechanism that adjusts the length of the diagonal truss member to selectively lengthen or shorten the effective length of the diagonal truss member to modify the concavity of the header frame after the top and bottom beams and diagonal truss member have been connected. In one embodiment, the diagonal truss length adjustment mechanism is a telescoping compression member.

Abstract: A vehicle guidance system includes a location determining component for determining locations of the vehicle; a weight sensor for sensing a weight associated with the vehicle; a steering actuator for steering at least one wheel of the vehicle; and a computing device in communication with the location determining component, the weight sensor, and the steering actuator. The computing device receives cartographic data representative of a desired path for the vehicle, receives location information from the location determining component, controls operation of the steering actuator in order to guide the vehicle along the desired path, and adjusts a steering parameter at least partially based on the weight sensed by the weight sensor.

Abstract: A powered square baler is operable to form a bale by compressing loose material. The powered square baler broadly includes a chassis, a plunger assembly, and a plunger drive. The chassis includes a baler frame that presents a baling chamber to receive the loose material. The plunger assembly includes a reciprocating plunger head and a pair of connecting arms attached to the plunger head. The reciprocating plunger head is slidably mounted relative to the frame and is operable to reciprocate into and out of the chamber and apply a compressive force to the loose material. The plunger drive includes a pair of planetary gear trains and a common drive shaft that powers both of the gear trains, with each gear train drivingly connected to a corresponding one of the connecting arms to cooperatively power the plunger assembly.

Abstract: An accumulating method comprising conveying crop material on a rotating first conveyor past a screed toward a baler while the baler is traversing a field, the screed configured in a raised position; and obstructing the flow of the crop material to the baler by lowering the screed while the first conveyor is rotating, the obstructing implemented while the baler continues traversing the field.

Abstract: An exhaust system for an agricultural and/or industrial tractor (10) having an internal combustion engine (11) located in an engine compartment covered by an engine hood (11a). The system includes an exhaust gas treatment unit (16) located inside the engine compartment hood and having a main chamber (18) fed by an inlet pipe (15) which receives exhaust gases from the engine and an outlet pipe (17) which passes treated gases into a final portion (14a,14b) of the exhaust system. The inlet and outlet pipes (15,17) are non-aligned and extending alongside the main chamber (18) in opposite directions to reduce the overall length of the treatment unit. The treatment unit (16) may be installed above the engine (11) with the exhaust gases passing through the unit either generally normal or parallel to the direction of driving (D) of the tractor.

Abstract: A continuous baling method comprising conveying crop material on a rotating conveyor toward a baler while the baler is traversing a field, the conveyor comprising a conveying surface having an entire crop material-carrying width of a first distance; narrowing the flow of the crop material to transition the crop material flow from the conveyor to the baler; and receiving the narrowed flow at an inlet to a baling chamber of the baler, the inlet comprising a width having a second distance smaller than the first distance.

Abstract: A metering device having an obstruction within its metering chamber to prevent inputs such as seeds from passing from a seed sump to other areas within the metering chamber and causing to the metering device to become overfilled with seeds when the metering device is raised out of the planting position. In one embodiment, the obstruction includes one or more hingedly connected flaps that move due to the changing orientation of the metering device. In one or more positions of the metering device, the obstruction is positioned to prevent the seeds from leaving the seed sump. The seeds are prevented from leaving the seed sump without having to manually shut a gate on each metering devices of a planter.

Abstract: A working vehicle has a castor wheel assembly selectively providing steering assist. A pivoting caster spindle coupled with a caster wheel and an engagement plate connected to the caster spindle in a fixed manner such that the engagement plate pivots with the caster spindle. A pivoting steering arm is rotatably connected to the caster spindle and a steering cylinder is connected to an outward end of the steering arm with a tie rod configured to pivot the steering arm. A keyed connecting mechanism selectively couples the steering arm with the engagement plate. In an engaged position, the keyed connecting mechanism couples the steering arm with the engagement plate such that the steering cylinder pivots the caster spindle and caster wheel. In a disengaged position, the steering arm is uncoupled with the engagement plate such that the caster spindle and caster wheel are free to pivot independent of the steering cylinder.

Abstract: A vehicle folding rear view mirror support mechanism having first (15) and second (16) pivotally interconnected support arm means. A first end (15b1) of the first support arm means is pivoted on a mounting bracket (18) for attachment to the vehicle, a second end (15c1) of the first support arm means is pivotally connected with a first end (16b1) of the second support arm means, and a mirror mount (22) is pivotally connected to a second end (16c1) of the second support arm means. The first and second arm means (15, 16) are movable between a retracted reduced width position in which the two arm means are in a side by side substantially parallel relationship and an extended increased width position in which the two arm means are substantially end to end and the mirror mount (22) is supported at its maximum distance from the mounting bracket (18).

Abstract: A crop baler has a plunger reciprocable through compression and retraction strokes for compressing charges of crop material into bales within the baler. The crop baler also includes a rotatable flywheel operably coupled with the plunger for transferring kinetic energy to the plunger during reciprocation of the plunger. An output shaft is operably coupled with the flywheel for rotating the flywheel and driving the plunger through its compression and retraction strokes and an input shaft is adapted to be coupled with a power takeoff shaft of a towing tractor for receiving driving power from the tractor. The crop baler also includes a continuously variable transmission operably coupled between the input and output shafts for adjusting the ratio of the angular velocities of the shafts in response to changes in the angular velocity of the flywheel while maintaining the input shaft at a substantially constant angular velocity.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to precisely meter and dispense two or more crop inputs with a common metering disc is presented to achieve proper placement in the soil relative to one another. In one embodiment, dry granular or granulized fertilizer is metered from one side of the disc and seed is metered from the opposite side of the same metering disc. The fertilizer is placed in a concentrated “pulse” approximately equal distances between seeds within a common seed furrow and/or between seed furrows to improved nutrient use efficiency by minimizing soil to fertilizer contact and subsequent chemical reactions that make applied supplemental nutrients less available to plants. Pressurized air may be utilized to assist discharge of both the seed and fertilizer from the disc meter to assure precise spacing in the soil. A cover may be placed on the meter and metering disc to recirculate air and thus minimize potential atmospheric contamination from seed coatings and fertilizer materials.

Abstract: A tractor braking system (10) having independent brake circuits (L,R) for each of a left and a right wheel is provided. Each circuit is activated by a respective brake pedal (16,17). The system comprises a releasable locking mechanism (25) to lock the two pedals together and sensors (50) to detect depression of the respective pedals (16,17). In response to a detection of only one pedal being depressed, warning means are provided to indicate to a driver that the pedals are in an unlocked state. A sensing of simultaneous depression of the pedals may be used to indicate that the pedals are in a locked state.

Abstract: A bearing support assembly (10) comprising a bearing (12) supported within a bearing block (14) is provided. A shaft (26) is arranged to rotate within the bearing (12) and a disc member (34) is carried on the shaft (26) proximate to the bearing block (14). A ring member (20) is secured to the bearing block (14) so that in the event of bearing failure the disc member (34) engages with the ring member (20) so as to support the shaft (26) in rotational motion. The disc member has a diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the ring member. The ring member (20) is at least partially recessed into the thickness of the disc member (34). The assembly may be utilized in agricultural machinery which include rotors (30) which are supported on rotating shafts. The ring member (20) may provide a labyrinth seal which inhibits the ingress of particulate matter into the bearing.

Abstract: A system and method improve guidance system performance. An accuracy improvement module (AIM) can be configured to compare observed and expected inclination compensation factors (ICFs) at a plurality of inclination angles to detect an inaccuracy in antenna height. In response to detecting an inaccuracy, an AIM can determine a revised antenna height that more accurately represents the height of an antenna above ground. A proposed antenna height can be determined using an observed ICF. A fixed vehicle body height can be subtracted from the proposed antenna height to provide a proposed tire radius. The proposed tire radius can be compared to a table of standard tire radii to determine a tire radius value, which can then be added to the fixed vehicle body height to provide a revised antenna height. The revised antenna height can improve the accuracy or calculated ground positions, thereby improving guidance system performance.