Abstract: A wide agricultural implement includes a pair of pivotally interconnected frame sections which allow the implement to better follow the contour of the ground. Each frame section is supported by vertically adjustable wheels and a master/slave hydraulic system is employed to adjust the wheels.

Abstract: The threshed material passing through the foraminous cage and concave of the processor section of the combine falls by gravity to a distribution auger in a trough at the bottom of the processor housing. The threshed material passes through a slot in the trough to a pair of accelerator rolls which throw the threshed material downwardly to the cleaning section of the combine. In order to help the distribution auger to distribute the threshed material to the slot whereby the threshed material is spread along the trough and discharges at a relatively even flow rate along the length of the slot, one or two movable trough extensions are added to reduce the width of the slot along a portion of its length.

Abstract: A seed singulator for an agricultural planter uses a housing with a seed cavity to which seed and compressed air is delivered and a disc with seed pockets which, in rotating, pick up seed kernels from the seed cavity and drop them at equally spaced intervals. A wear ring prevents the rotating disc from wearing the singulator housing and a resilient air cutoff pad has radial extensions which extend between sealing surfaces on the housing and the wear ring whereby seeds are prevented from wedging between the air cutoff pad and the side walls of the groove in which the pad is installed. The trailing edge of the air cutoff pad has coplanar segments in angular relation to one another which serve to accurately space the seed when using a seed disc with multiple annular rows of seed pockets.

Abstract: A pair of plastic skid plates are secured to the underside of skid pads at opposite lateral ends of a floating cutterbar and are connected at their forward ends to the dividers, at laterally opposite ends of a combine header, by elastic connectors.

Abstract: A wide farm implement is provided with a swingable tongue which permits endwise to and from fields. A pair of transport wheels are provided for supporting the implement for endwise transport and the support wheels, on which the implement is supported during a field working operation, are raised so as not to interfere with endwise transport. In order to prevent the automatic lowering of a row marker when the support wheels are thus raised relative to the frame, a blocking valve is provided in the row marker hydraulic circuit which moves to its closed position when the tongue is moved from its field working position thereby preventing lowering of the row marker.

Abstract: Three versions of a gear box for a combine corn head are illustrated. The gearing to drive a pair of snapping roll shafts and a pair of gathering chain drive shafts are housed in two casings releasably secured to one another in an end-to-end relationship.

Abstract: A wide multi-row planter has a tongue which upon being disconnected at one point from the planter frame can be pivoted from its field position to an endwise transport position wherein the tongue and planter frame are within the tread width of the transport wheels. In its transport position, the tongue is secured to the planter frame by a releasable latch.

Abstract: An upright metering panel is installed on the cleaning shoe assembly of a combine which has a configuration to distribute the grain being cleaned over a substantial portion of the lateral width of the chaffer part of the shoe assembly.

Abstract: A cage sweep for a foraminous cage of an axial flow combine having axially extending tines which are moved in an arcuate path by an oscillating mechanism having a pitman arm drive. The cage sweep is supported on the cage for movement in an arcuate path by rollers engaging arcuate guide rails.

Abstract: The sidewall of the zero pressure tire of a combined gauge wheel and slicing disc assembly includes an annular sealing surface in axial engagement with the disc which is not pulled away from the disc by flexing of the tire tread during operation of the agricultural equipment on which the assembly is used.

Abstract: A combine is provided with a ground speed control having manual and automatic operating modes. In the automatic operating mode, ground speed is adjusted to achieve a predetermined level of combine harvesting efficiency. A manual lever for controlling the ground speed includes a lost motion connection with a ground speed control member permitting it to be shifted between automatic and manual operating modes. Manual movement of the lever in a speed controlling direction while harvesting in the automatic operating mode will diestablish the automatic operating mode and reestablish a manual operating mode. Subsequent release of the lever allows resumption of an automatic operating mode.

Abstract: An agricultural implement is equipped with a plurality of earthworking tools spaced from one another in the fore and aft direction. One of the tools is adjustable between working and nonworking positions on a main frame by a hydraulic actuator connected to the main frame by a resiliently cushioned support which includes a spring loaded link. The one tool includes a coulter gang supported on a subframe by a pair of U-shaped springs. The deflection of the U-shaped springs and the spring loaded link allows the coulter gang to pass over relatively large boulders or the like without raising the implement frame to a significant extent and without causing the relief valve in the actuator hydraulic system to open.

Abstract: An adjusting device permitting the operator of a planter to easily and accurately adjust the depth of planting by vertically adjusting the height of the planter frame through use of an adjustable spacer device in the support for the gauge wheels. The adjustable spacer has two main parts, one of which has a multiple series of axially spaced steps affording selective adjustment of the planter frame relative to the ground.

Abstract: An axial flow combine having a foraminous cylindrical cage with a radial inlet through which crop material is fed by a feeder conveyor. The crop material is engaged by a threshing rotor having rasp bars with diagonal flanges tending to move the crop material axially in a direction away from the inlet. Helical ribs on the inside of the cage also urge the crop material in the same axial direction. A crop directing plate at the side of the inlet toward which the incoming crop material is urged forces the crop material to move circumferentially about the interior of the cage and across a substantial portion of the concave which is the same width as the inlet.

Abstract: The crop material or straw discharged from the rear of a combine is spread by a pair of counterrotating spreaders which are vertically and laterally offset from one another and are operative to evenly spread the crop material over a header cut of substantial width. The speed of rotation of the spreaders can be adjusted to change the width of spread. The spreaders can also be adjusted to make them more or less aggressive in throw of discharged crop material. The bottom spreader uses a disc and blades to facilitate catching and spreading discharged material.

Abstract: An axial flow combine receives a crop material through a radial feeder opening at one axial end of a foraminous cage in which a coaxial rotor rotates. The cage is disposed within a processor housing and threshed material passing through the radial openings in the cage is accelerated downwardly to the cleaning section by accelerator rolls at the bottom of the processor housing. A portion of the space within the processor housing above the feeder opening is closed off in a unique manner to prevent threshed material from entering the area directly above the feeder opening and to divert threshed material passing through perforations in the cage near the closed-off space axially inward so it slides and falls downward alongside the feeder housing to the accelerator rolls. An overfeed auger is eliminated and a portion of the cage above the feeder opening is solid rather than perforated thus reducing the initial cost of the combine and maintenance expenses without significant reduction in harvesting capacity.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester has a grain bin with an oblique side wall section at one lateral side of the grain bin presenting a discharge opening, an unloading tube with an end portion pivotally mounted on the oblique side wall section for swinging movement about the axis of the discharge opening, and a linear hydraulic actuator and support structure therefor disposed in a pocket in the one lateral side of the grain bin. The cylinder and piston components of the actuator are pivotally connected, respectively, to the support structure and the unloading tube. A grain bin auger is disposed in the bottom of the grain bin, an unloading auger is disposed in the unloading tube and an inclined intermediate auger has its opposite ends connected to ends of the grain bin auger and the unloading tube auger by universal joints. An alignment adjustment joint is provided in the unloading tube to permit offsetting the effect of tolerance buildup occurring in manufacture of the unloading tube and its support structure.

Abstract: A downwardly swinging air filter from the roof overhang of a vehicle cab to allow replacement of the air filter. The filter is carried in the tray pivotally supported and latched in an operating position which seals the filter on the inlet and outlet surfaces.

Abstract: A single axis multi-speed planetary transmission of the epicyclic type is provided in which a single rotating housing encloses and carries three epicyclic gear sets. Hollow end portions of the rotating housing are carried on a stationary housing by bearings and quill shafts extend from the end portions and are connected to brakes carried on the stationary housing. Two fluid operated clutches are provided within the rotating housing to selectively interconnect certain of the components of the epicyclic gear sets and together with the two brakes provide controls to effect one reverse and five forward speeds. The output shaft is a quill shaft and the input shaft extends through the transmission, and through the output shaft, to provide a power takeoff shaft at the output end of the transmission.

Abstract: An axial flow combine employs a pair of counterrotating and vertically offset accelerator rolls to accelerate the threshed material from the threshing section downwardly and forwardly toward the grain pan of the cleaning section. A laminar flow air stream is directed downwardly and rearwardly through the accelerated threshed material to effect efficient separation of chaff and lightweight stalk material from the grain.