Abstract: A sectional control funnel box (36) includes a box body having an upper receiving member (44) for receiving particulate matter, a lower manifold (46) configured to be mounted on a distribution plate (24), and a funnel mechanism (42) disposed between the upper receiving member and the lower manifold. The lower manifold includes a plurality of chutes (100) configured to direct the particulate matter to apertures (38) in the distribution plate. The funnel mechanism includes supply sections (54, 76) that include directing slots (56, 90) configured to provide the particulate matter from the upper receiving member to the chutes. An actuator (48) is attached to the funnel mechanism (42) and configured to drive the funnel mechanism between at least a first position, where a first one of the plurality of supply sections is aligned with the upper receiving member (44), and a second position, where a second one of the plurality of supply sections is aligned with the upper receiving member.

Abstract: A continuously variable nozzle system includes a nozzle body (5) with an inlet and an outlet. A conduit is defined between the inlet and the outlet by a series connection of components which includes a flow meter (10). The flow meter (10) has a chamber (83) with internal helical splines (82) that are configured to interact with a spray liquid passing through the chamber (83) and create a cyclone-like effect. A sphere (52) is located inside the chamber (83) for free movement along a circular path (106). A sensor is located outside of the chamber (83) and configured to detect motion of the sphere (52) and generate an output (9) signal in response to detected motion.

Abstract: A dry-particulate monitoring system for a machine that distributes dry-particulate to the ground by metering product into a flowing airstream. The airstream is diverted into several tubes mounted on booms covering some horizontal distance. At the end of each tube is a deflector designed to direct the flow of material to a desired location with a particular coverage. An acoustic-based sensor of the preferred embodiment is placed on each deflector to detect material flowing through each tube or pipe or against the deflector. The information that is gathered from the sensors is sent to the dry-particulate spreader operator, who is able to view the real time operation of the dry-particulate flow. The system may be capable of detecting presence or absence of flow (i.e., blockage), or may detect variance of flow in individual pipes over time, or variances of flow between different pipes.

Abstract: A sectional control funnel box (36) includes a box body having an upper receiving member (44) for receiving particulate matter, a lower manifold (46) configured to be mounted on a distribution plate (24), and a funnel mechanism (42) disposed between the upper receiving member and the lower manifold. The lower manifold includes a plurality of chutes (100) configured to direct the particulate matter to apertures (38) in the distribution plate. The funnel mechanism includes supply sections (54, 76) that include directing slots (56, 90) configured to provide the particulate matter from the upper receiving member to the chutes. An actuator (48) is attached to the funnel mechanism (42) and configured to drive the funnel mechanism between at least a first position, where a first one of the plurality of supply sections is aligned with the upper receiving member (44), and a second position, where a second one of the plurality of supply sections is aligned with the upper receiving member.

Abstract: A grain facility has a grain receiving station and a grain transport line with a grain elevator, a distributor with at least one input spout, and at least one grain bin. The grain transport line moves grain from the grain receiving station to one of the at least one grain bins and the distributor directs the grain to a selected bin of the at least one grain bin. The grain facility further includes an optical sensing system having at least one optical sensor positioned in the grain transport line at or before the distributor, wherein the optical sensing system senses the type of grain in the grain transport line. A control system determines if the grain passing through the grain transport line is suitable for the selected grain bin and produces an alarm if the grain in the grain transport line is not suitable for the selected grain bin.

Abstract: An innovative spraying system, comprising features such as a weather station that senses environmental factors that may affect spraying operations, a system for creating and distributing droplets of a uniform and appropriate size, a flow management system that would allow the sprayer to control nozzle rate and direction individually, a high-rate flow system capable of filling the sprayer at rates of up to at least 400 gallons per minute, a modular chemical cartridge system, in which various chemicals are stored in pre-loaded, easy to install cartridges, a direct injection system, mixing chemicals and water as needed, optionally based on sensed changing conditions, electrostatic application of chemical to optimize the amount of chemical applied to plant matter.

Abstract: A grain facility has a grain receiving station and a grain transport line with a grain elevator, a distributor with at least one input spout, and at least one grain bin. The grain transport line moves grain from the grain receiving station to one of the at least one grain bins and the distributor directs the grain to a selected bin of the at least one grain bin. The grain facility further includes an optical sensing system having at least one optical sensor positioned in the grain transport line at or before the distributor, wherein the optical sensing system senses the type of grain in the grain transport line. A control system determines if the grain passing through the grain transport line is suitable for the selected grain bin and produces an alarm if the grain in the grain transport line is not suitable for the selected grain bin.

Abstract: A sectional control device controls the flow of particulate material from a meter assembly to a primary manifold of an air seeding system. The sectional control device includes a plate assembly having particulate openings extending between the meter assembly and the primary manifold and a shut-off mechanism configured to control the flow of the particulate material through the particulate openings. The shut-off mechanism includes a gate configured to slide between an open position, where particulate material can flow through the particulate opening, and a closed position, where particulate material is prevented from flowing through the particulate opening. The shut-off mechanism also includes an actuator configured to drive the gate between the open position and the closed position.

Abstract: An intelligent spray nozzle, comprising an input pressure sensor, a flow rate sensor, a flow modulator, a nozzle pressure sensor, a linear actuator, and an output orifice modulator, wherein an input pressure read from the input pressure sensor and a flow rate read from the flow rate sensor are used as inputs by the flow modulator to drive the at least one linear actuator to control an output spray rate from the intelligent spray nozzle, and wherein a nozzle pressure read from the nozzle pressure sensor is used as feedback for the output orifice modulator, wherein an output orifice is modified by the output orifice modulator to achieve optimal output spray.

Abstract: A harvesting machine capable of automatic adjustment, comprising a plurality of acoustic material flow sensors, a control system, a processor, and application software, wherein the plurality of acoustic material flow sensors are mounted internal to the harvesting machine at points of crop material flow and are capable of sensing an amount of crop material passing by them. The control system operates in a cause-and-affect mode for interactively enabling manual or automatic responses to Mass Material Distribution (MMD) information and equipment-related performance parameters. An interactive combine control method is also provided.

Abstract: A method of estimating the mass of crop entering into a grain tank on a harvesting machine, comprising the steps of mounting a load sensor on the upper bearing of a conveyor belt moving crop through the clean grain elevator into the grain tank, connecting the load sensor to a processor, using the load sensor to measure a load on the conveyor belt when no crop is present in the clean grain elevator, and also when crop is moving through the clean grain elevator, and comparing the load with no crop present to the load when crop is present to estimate the mass of crop moving through the clean grain elevator.

Abstract: A crop mass predictive sensor, comprising an imaging device, a laser-based device such as a LIDAR, a first radar emitting a frequency of energy that is absorbed by plant mass, and a second radar emitting a frequency of energy that passes through plant mass without being absorbed, wherein the imaging device, laser-based device, first radar, and second radar are focused on the crop material in front of an agricultural vehicle, and the information gathered from the imaging device, laser-based device, first radar, and second radar is used to calculate an estimated mass for the crop material that is about to enter the agricultural vehicle.

Abstract: A manifold system for balancing particle delivery from multiple discharge outlets includes a diverter subassembly movably mounted in a manifold for balancing discharge from the outlets. The manifold system is disclosed in an agricultural air seeder application, with the particles comprising tubes and the discharge outlets being connected to ground-engaging tools for depositing seeds in space, subsurface locations in a crop field. Automated and manually-adjustable embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A material flow sensor for a harvesting machine comprising an acoustic chamber comprising an impact plate and a housing, microphone, a pneumatic impulse line connecting the housing and the microphone, and an electronics module, wherein the housing is shaped so as to direct sound waves created by crop matter striking the impact plate into the pneumatic impulse line, wherein the sound waves move through the pneumatic impulse line into the microphone, which detects the sound waves and converts them into an electrical signal that is a representation of the sound power derived from the sound waves, which in turn is a representation of the mass of the crop matter striking the material flow sensor.

Abstract: A harvesting machine capable of automatic adjustment, comprising a plurality of acoustic material flow sensors, a control system, a processor, and application software, wherein the plurality of acoustic material flow sensors are mounted internal to the harvesting machine at points of crop material flow and are capable of sensing an amount of crop material passing by them, wherein the control system is capable of adjusting a plurality of internal elements of the harvesting machine, wherein the software is hosted on the processor, and the processor is operatively coupled to the control system and the acoustic material flow sensors, wherein the software uses information sensed by the acoustic material flow sensors to determine if the internal elements of the harvesting machine are set for optimal machine performance, and the software sends commands to the internal elements of the harvesting machine in order to improve the machine performance.

Abstract: A vehicle control and gateway module comprising an electronic control module controlling one or more vehicle systems, a vehicle communications bus, a wireless communications module, an electronic gateway module acting as a translator of information between the vehicle communications bus and the wireless communications module, and a software program, whereby an operator using a remote mobile device can send and receive wireless commands to and from the vehicle with the electronic gateway module translating messages from one data protocol to the other as required.

Abstract: A vehicle control and gateway module comprising an electronic control module controlling one or more vehicle systems, a vehicle communications bus, a wireless communications module, an electronic gateway module acting as a translator of information between the vehicle communications bus and the wireless communications module, and a software program, whereby an operator using a remote mobile device can send and receive wireless commands to and from the vehicle with the electronic gateway module translating messages from one data protocol to the other as required.