Abstract: A harvester has a thresher for receiving at an intake a mixture of straw and grain and for separating the mixture into grain, straw, and tailings comprised of mixed grain and straw and a conveyor recirculates a stream of the tailings along a path back to the intake. A sensor is positioned in the path and intercepts at least a portion of the stream for counting a number of grains in the portion of the stream passing the sensor. The conveyor includes an elevator for raising the tailings stream to a location above the sensor and for dropping the tailings stream on the sensor. The thresher includes a main threshing drum and a cleaning unit downstream therefrom.

Abstract: A crop stream passes longitudinally at a feed velocity varying relative to a predetermined feed velocity in a harvesting machine between conveyor elements which transversely compress the stream and at least one of which is transversely deflectable. A stone in the stream is detected by continuously producing an output corresponding to the transverse deflection of the one conveyor element per unit of time, continuously monitoring the feed velocity and producing an output corresponding to actual feed velocity, and establishing for the predetermined feed velocity a predetermined threshold value for the transverse-deflection output. In addition for actual feed velocities different from the predetermined feed velocity respective threshold values are established that are equal to the predetermined threshold value multiplied by the quotient of the actual feed velocity squared divided by the predetermined feed velocity squared.

Abstract: Bales are produced by a baler having a pressing passage of predetermined cross section and from which emerges a succession of the bales that travel rearward from the press passage over an output guide and fall off a rear edge of the guide from the baler. The density of these bales is determined by weighing each of the bales in the guide and producing a weight output corresponding to a weight of the bale in the guide and measuring the length of each of the bales in the guide and producing a length output corresponding to a length of the bale in the guide. Then the volume of each of the bales is calculated by multiplying the respective bale length output by an area equal to the cross section of the passage and each calculated volume is divided by the respective weight output to derive the density of the respective bale.

Abstract: An agricultural machine has a cooling fan with an intake covered by a filter centered on and rotating about an axis. A cleaning apparatus for the filter has a hood nonrotatable about the axis and engaged over only a small portion of an outer face of the filter, a rotatable brush inside the filter fixed in axial alignment with the hood and having bristles engaging through holes in the filter at the hood so that the bristles free particles stuck in the holes, and a fan connected to the hood for exhausting air therefrom along with particles freed by the bristles. The filter has an axially directed and radially extending end and an axially extending and radially directed side. The rotatable brush engages an inner face of the end of the filter and the apparatus includes a second rotatable brush separate from the first-mentioned rotatable brush and engaging an inner face of the side of the filter. The first brush is generally frustoconical and the second brush is generally cylindrical.

Abstract: Square bales are produced by a baler having a pressing passage from which emerges a succession of the bales that travel rearward from the press passage over an output chute and fall off a rear edge of the chute from the baler. The bales are weighed by continuously monitoring the downward force with which the bales bear on the chute rear edge, continuously calculating an average of the monitored force, establishing as an individual bale weight the calculated average each time it peaks before a bale drops from the chute rear edge, and storing the individual bale weights.

Abstract: A baler has a frame, a shaft extending on the frame along and rotatable about an axis, and a knotter having a sleeve-like hub rotationally fixed to the shaft and of a predetermined outer diameter. A support journaled on the hub is fixed to the frame and carries movable knotting parts. A rim ring surrounding the axis is formed of a main C-shaped part having arms spaced apart by a distance greater than the hub outer diameter and a bridge part between the arms and closing the main part. The rim ring also has formations engageable with the parts for actuating same. Fasteners releasably fix the rim ring on the hub.

Abstract: A crop chopper for an agricultural machine has a rotor having a plurality of fingers displaceable on rotation of the rotor along the passage, and respective blades interleaved with the fingers and each having a front end pivoted about a horizontal axis and a rear edge formed with a rearwardly open notch so that crop pressed by the fingers between the blades is chopped and moved rearward along the passage. A rocker is pivotal about a horizontal axis and respective actuator plates juxtaposed with the rear edges of the blades are each formed with a rearwardly projecting arm. Respective abutment bodies on the plates are displaceable toward and away from the respective blades and respective springs braced between the bodies and the respective plates urge the bodies forward toward the blades.