Abstract: A system for controlling pump operation within a work vehicle includes a pump configured to discharge hydraulic fluid into a fluid supply conduit for delivery to first and second hydraulic loads of an associated agricultural implement. Furthermore, the agricultural vehicle includes a pump compensator assembly configured to control the operation of the pump. The pump compensator assembly, in turn, includes a pump regulation actuator and a flow compensator valve. Moreover, the pump compensator assembly includes an electronically controlled pressure compensator valve configured to at least partially control the flow of the hydraulic fluid to the pump regulation actuator for use in controlling the operation of the pump.

Abstract: A system for limiting plugging within an agricultural implement. The system includes a ground engaging tool configured to be supported by the agricultural implement. An actuator is coupled to the ground engaging tool. The actuator is operable to apply a down pressure on the ground engaging tool. A soil moisture sensor is positioned forward of the ground engaging tool. The soil moisture sensor is configured to measure a soil moisture forward of the ground engaging tool. A controller is communicatively coupled to the soil moisture sensor. The controller is configured to receive, from the soil moisture sensor, a signal that corresponds to the soil moisture forward of the ground engaging tool. The controller is further configured to adjust the down pressure on the ground engaging tool applied by the actuator based at least in part on the signal from the soil moisture sensor.

Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a rotor configured for threshing a crop material and a housing located at a distance radially away from the rotor and circumferentially encasing at least a portion of the rotor. The agricultural vehicle also includes a discharge chopper positioned downstream of the rotor in a direction of crop material flow, and a discharge deflector moveably connected to the housing, circumferentially disposed around at least a portion of the rotor, and located at a radial distance away from the rotor. The discharge deflector has a distal end that defines a discharge opening for allowing the crop material to pass from the rotor to the discharge chopper such that as the discharge deflector is moved a circumferential position of the discharge opening is correspondingly moved without changing the radial distance between the discharge deflector and the rotor.

Abstract: A system and method for capturing grain on a header of an agricultural vehicle either before, during or after raising the header in a headland sequence. The header includes (i) a cutter bar, (ii) either an auger or belt positioned adjacent the cutter bar, (iii) a reel positioned at an elevation above the cutter bar, and (iv) a device that is configured to adjust a gap between the reel and the cutter bar. During a harvest mode, the gap is set to a first distance, and, during the headland sequence, the gap is set to a second distance that is less than the first distance. At the second distance, tines on the reel are positioned to sweep crop off the cutter bar toward either the belt or the auger.

Abstract: A clutch assembly includes: a drive hub having a spline configured to couple to a gearbox; a clutch housing coupled to the drive hub and having an end face defining an opening therein; a clutch hub disposed within the clutch housing and having a portion that extends out of the opening, the clutch hub being rotatable with respect to the clutch housing during a slip condition; a primary seal disposed between the clutch housing and the clutch hub; a quantity of purging compound disposed between the clutch housing and the clutch hub; and an end washer coupled to the clutch hub and facing the end face, the end washer and the end face defining a purge gap therebetween such that rotation of the clutch hub relative to the clutch housing causes some of the purging compound to eject from the clutch housing through the purge gap.

Abstract: A clean out system of a header for an agricultural vehicle. The header includes a frame with a floor having at least one cutout for allowing an unwanted material to pass therethrough. The clean out system includes at least one door configured for pivotally connecting to the floor and selectively engaging with the at least one cutout, a latching mechanism connected to the at least one door and configured for securing the at least one door to the frame, and at least one actuating member operably connected to the at least one door and configured for selectively latching the latching mechanism and pivoting the at least one door in between an open position and a closed position.

Abstract: An agricultural machine system includes: a first mechanism; and an agricultural machine including a machine frame; a control system operatively coupled with the first mechanism and the agricultural machine frame, the control system including: a controller system operatively coupled with the first mechanism and the agricultural machine and configured for: learning from a prior harvesting episode; determining a first mechanism adjustment signal based at least in part on the prior harvesting episode; and outputting the first mechanism adjustment signal so as to adjust the first mechanism.

Abstract: A system for controlling implement orientation of a work vehicle includes a computing system configured to control an operation of a lift actuator of the vehicle such that an implement of the vehicle is moved from a first vertical position relative to a second vertical position. Furthermore, the computing system is configured to monitor the angle of the implement as the implement is moved from the first vertical position to the second vertical position. Additionally, the computing system is configured to determine an actual error value between the monitored angle and a selected angle of the implement. Moreover, the computing system is configured to determine a modified error value that is different than the actual error value and control an operation of a tilt actuator of the vehicle to adjust the angle of the implement relative to the driving surface based on the modified error value.

Abstract: A hydraulic arrangement for distributing a fluid in pressure coming from a source among multiple hydraulic units of a work vehicle. At least one of the hydraulic units provides an electronic load sensing signal and of the hydraulic units provides a hydraulic load sensing signal. The hydraulic arrangement includes a priority valve configured to divide the flow of fluid between the hydraulic units. The priority valve and source are hydraulically controlled by a first hydraulic load sensing signal resulting as the greatest of a plurality of hydraulic load pressure signals taken from the hydraulic unit. The hydraulic arrangement also includes a conversion unit configured to transform an electronic load sensing signal of at least one of the hydraulic units in an equivalent hydraulic load sensing signal so as to define the first hydraulic load sensing signal.

Abstract: An adjustable skid shoe enabling a flexible cutter bar of an agricultural combine harvester to follow the ground at a higher cut height during the flex cutter bar mode. The adjustable skid shoe is hinged and can be fixed so the curved aft end lowers the ground contact surface beneath the header, raising the cut height in flex mode. The adjusted skid shoe contacts the ground further back from the cutter bar, allowing the cutter bar to reach close to the ground by a front pivot of the header on the adjusted skid shoe. Also, an agricultural vehicle header and an agricultural combine harvester comprising the skid shoe.

Abstract: A tractor has a controller and at least one sensor-for sensing at least one swath line of crop material corresponding to a quantity of crop material per unit length of a swath. The controller operates in dependence on at least one output of the at least one sensor to operate a steering mechanism of the tractor such that a baler towed by the tractor follows a said swath line in a manner aligning ingestion of crop material into the baler for baling. The at least one sensor is operable to sense a swath line that is laterally offset from the direction of forward movement of the tractor.

Abstract: A system for sensing the angular position of a caster wheel includes a sensor mounted on a bearing which supports a shaft aligned with the rotational axis of the caster. A target on the shaft is detected by the sensor which generates signals indicative of the presence or absence of the target. The position of the target is coordinated with the position of the caster wheel such that the signals are indicative of the angular position of the caster wheel. The target may be a groove extending partially around the shaft and a remaining ungrooved portion of the shaft.

Abstract: A combine harvester includes a rotor cage surrounding a rotor, a threshing space defined between the rotor cage and the rotor, and a transition section defining an infeed to the rotor cage. The transition section is mounted to the rotor cage at a location upstream of the rotor cage. The transition section has an inlet for receiving the crop material. The harvester also includes a crop conveying drum for conveying crop material to the inlet of the transition section and beneath the rotor. The crop conveying drum is at least partially encased by a shroud. The transition section includes a bottom wall, two side walls each having lower portions extending substantially vertical with respect to the bottom wall, and curved side walls each extending between the bottom wall and one of the side walls. The bottom wall is substantially tangential to a lower portion of the shroud.

Abstract: An elevator assembly for a harvester may include an elevator housing and an elevator extending within the elevator housing between a proximal end and a distal end. As such, the elevator may be configured to carry harvested crops between its proximal and distal ends. Furthermore, the elevator assembly may include a storage hopper extending from the elevator housing at a location adjacent to the distal end of the elevator. The storage hopper may include a conveyor extending within the storage hopper between a first end and a second end, with the conveyor configured to carry the harvested crops between its first and second ends towards a discharge opening of the storage hopper.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a header height of a combine harvester that includes a header, a ground speed sensor, a ground height sensor configured to detect a ground contour directly beneath the header, a forward looking sensor (FLS) configured to detect a ground contour forward of the header, and a controller. The controller receives signals from the ground speed sensor, the ground height sensor and the FLS, and calculates a header height output as a function of (i) an output of the ground speed sensor, which represents a ground speed of the combine, (ii) an output of the ground height sensor, and (iii) an output of the FLS. The controller is further configured to weight the outputs of the ground height sensor and the FLS as a function of the speed of the combine harvester in calculating the header height output.

Abstract: An agricultural baler with a pre-compression chamber configured to introduce a slice towards a baling chamber. The baling chamber includes a plunger provided for reciprocally moving in the baling chamber, the reciprocal movement having a power movement. In use, during the power movement, slices of crop material are compressed into a bale and the bale is pushed through the baling chamber. The baling chamber further includes at least one movable wall for exercising a compression force to the crop material in a direction transverse to the propelling movement so that, in use, the at least one movable wall provides a counter pressure for the propelling through the baling chamber of the bale. The agricultural baler further includes a controller adapted to influence a compression force of the at least one movable wall at a predetermined moment of the power movement to reduce the counter pressure.

Abstract: A multi-axis linkage for use with a collapsible boom of an agricultural vehicle is disclosed. The collapsible boom includes a first boom segment having a first truss and a second boom segment having a second truss. The multi-axis linkage includes a first linear motor, a second linear motor, and a multipoint winged link. The first linear motor has a piston rod. An end of the piston rod is coupled to the first truss. The second linear motor has a second piston rod. An end of the second piston rod is coupled to the second truss. The multipoint winged link connects to the first linear motor, the second linear motor, the first boom segment, and the second boom segment.

Abstract: A system for detecting the levelness of ground engaging tools of a tillage implement including an agricultural implement including a frame and ground engaging tools supported relative to the frame. The system includes a first sensor and a second sensor configured to capture data indicative of a material flow past one or more first ground engaging tools and second ground engaging tools, respectively. The system includes a controller configured to monitor data received from the first sensor and the second sensor and compare one or more first monitored values and one or more second monitored values associated with the material flow past the first ground engaging tool(s) and the second ground engaging tool(s), respectively. The controller is further configured to identify that at least a portion of the ground engaging tools are not level when the first monitored value(s) differs from the second monitored value(s) by a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An agricultural application implement for delivering particulate product to a field. The implement includes a frame, a bin to hold product, a pneumatic conveying system fixed to the frame, a metering system operably connected between the supply compartment and the pneumatic conveying system, and a bin lift system. The pneumatic conveying system includes an airflow source to provide an airflow, and a delivery line operably connected to the airflow source and to the bin. The delivery line includes a plurality of outlets. The metering system meters product with the airflow to result in a mixed flow of airflow and product for the delivery line. The bin lift system includes hydraulic cylinders coupling the bin to the frame, and a bin lift controller to control the hydraulic cylinders to raise or lower the bin.