Abstract: A method of wrapping cylindrical bales of crop material with netting material for use with apparatus including a feed roller which may be selectively driven to dispense the netting material from a supply roll into a round baler. The apparatus has a home position and a cutting position wherein the feed roller is latched. The apparatus also has a feeding position wherein the feed roller is driven. The method includes the steps of latching the feed roller when the apparatus is in the home position, unlatching the feed roller when the apparatus is moved from the home position to the feeding position, relatching the feed roller when the apparatus is moved from the feeding position to the cutting position, and maintaining the feed roller latched as the apparatus is moved from the cutting position to the home position.

Abstract: An axial flow harvesting machine having at least one rotor operable within a casing to thresh and separate grain from straw material is disclosed wherein the rotor has an infeed portion, an adjacent threshing section, and a rearward separating section. The rasp bars on the threshing section immediately adjacent to the infeed portion are replaced by crop thinning elements cooperable with the casing to thin the straw material before being subjected to the threshing action of the remaining rasp bars in the threshing section.

Abstract: A pull type swather having double swath and enhanced operating to transport mode change capabilities. A subframe is mounted forwardly of a rear frame and the two are pivotally connected. The table of the swather includes a pair of draper decks operable to be independently moved relative to each other and to the table. A hitch is pivotally connected to the subframe and a hydraulic cylinder is operable to adjust the angle of the hitch relative to the table. The subframe is locked to the rear frame during operation and until the transport mode in desired wherein the subframe is unlocked and pivoted relative to the rear frame. Provision is made for automatically interchanging between the transport and operating modes.

Abstract: A combine harvester having an engine, a traction drive transmission, a header, a threshing and separating mechanism and a machine throughput control system is disclosed wherein a grain loss control loop is operable to produce a signal representative of grain loss and including a grain loss controller to which the grain loss signal and a reference grain loss signal are applied. A grain separation control loop is also provided to produce a signal representative of the grain separation in the machine. The grain loss controller is operable continuously to derive a reference grain separation signal from the grain separation signal, the grain loss signal and the reference grain loss signal. Means is also provided for algebraically summing the grain separation signal and the reference grain separation signal to produce a grain separation error signal which is used to control the machine throughput.

Abstract: An impact detector for use with a grain loss monitor of a harvesting machine includes a damped detector plate member and a transducer associated with a surface of said detector plate member. The detector plate member is provided with signal damping means only around its periphery, whereby a substantial area of the detector plate member is delimited which is void of any signal damping means.

Abstract: A rectangular baler has a density control for controlling the density to which crop material is compacted by a cyclically operating plunger, and a cyclically operating tying mechanism for tying loops of binding material around successive lengths of the compacted crop material to form bales. In order for the tying mechanism to function properly the binding material must slide between a tied bale and the crop material being compacted against the tied bale. If the sliding friction is too great, the binding material breaks or is pulled free of the tying mechanism thus resulting in failure of the tying process. To reduce the sliding friction, the compaction density is reduced for an interval of time following each cycle of the tying mechanism. The interval of time may be tolled by counting a number of plunger cycles immediately following a cycle of the tying mechanism, the density control being set for reduced compaction density until the number of plunger cycles has been counted.

Abstract: A blower for conveying material includes a housing and a spout. The housing has a front wall, a rear wall and an arcuate side wall extending between the front and rear walls. A plurality of arms with paddles mounted thereon are rotatable within the housing to discharge material through the spout. Springs are provided to urge a portion of the housing side wall into a normal position while permitting this side wall portion to be flexed outwardly if a foreign object such as a rock impacts against the inside of the housing side wall with enough force to overcome the springs. Permanent deformation to the housing is thus prevented by the springs.

Abstract: In a leaf loading method, leaves are picked up from the ground by operating a rotary beater and a rotary broom. The leaves are then delivered between the beater and the broom by rotating the beater and the broom in opposite directions. Next, the leaves are guided from between the beater and the broom toward an auger disposed rearwardly of the broom. Finally, the leaves are transferred from the auger into a thrower by rotating the auger and then the leaves are discharged by operating the thrower.

Abstract: A rectangular baler has a density control for controlling the density to which crop material is compacted in a bale case by a cyclically operating plunger, and a cyclically operating tying mechanism for typing loops of binding material around successive lengths of the compacted crop material to form bales. In order for the tying mechanism to function properly the binding material must slide between a tied bale and the crop material being compacted against the tied bale. If the sliding friction is too great, the binding material breaks or is pulled free of the tying mechanism thus resulting in failure of the tying process. To reduce the sliding friction, the density to which the crop material is compacted is reduced for an interval of time following each cycle of the tying mechanism. The interval of time is controlled by the rate at which crop material enters the bale case following a cycle of the tying mechanism.

Abstract: A crop harvesting machine having mounting arms engageable with a tractor to effect a mounting of the harvester on the tractor is disclosed wherein the hydraulic cylinders used to raise the crop gathering header are double-acting cylinders operable to orient the mounting arms relative to the crop gathering header to facilitate engagement thereof with the tractor. These hydraulic cylinders are converted from double-acting cylinders to single-acting cylinders after the header is mounted on the tractor by disconnection of the hydraulic hose powering a downward movement of the header and the subsequent connection thereof to the return line for the hydraulically driven motor powering operation of the crop gathering header.

Abstract: Apparatus for sensing moisture in crop material includes a probe mounted on a pickup of an agricultural baler for movement between a retracted position and an operative position. The probe has a pair of fingers arranged in a spaced apart relationship so that crop material picked up by the baler bridges the space between the fingers when the probe is in the operative position thus creating a signal path between the fingers. The moisture sensing apparatus also includes a cam roller carried on the pickup to move the probe from its retracted position to its operative position, and a computer connected to the probe to measure the conductance level of the crop material creating the signal path.

Abstract: An agricultural baler having a feeder mechanism operable to accumulate a charge of crop material in a feeder duct thent transfer an accumulated charge of crop material into a bale case. The feeder mechanism includes a plurality of tine bars provided with sets of tines so that at least two sets of tines are operative in the feeder duct at any given instant. A first tine bar carries two sets of packer tines while a second tine bar carries a set of packer tines and a set of stuffer tines. A third tine bar carries a set of packer tines along with a set of combination packer and stuffer tines. All of the packer tines have outer ends following a first path of movement and the stuffer tines have outer ends following a second path of movement which is offset relative to the first path of movement. The combination packer and stuffer tines have outer ends following a third path of movement which is offset relative to both the first and second paths of movement.

Abstract: A conditioning roll mechanism is disclosed for use on a mower-conditioner to provide uniform conditioning of crop material passing therebetween. Each conditioner roll is formed with a plurality of transversely extending lobes interspersed with corresponding troughs to provide an intermeshing configuration with the opposing conditioning roll. The configuration of the external surface of each conditioning roll permits the rolls to be mounted in a nominal working position in which a substantially uniform clearance is maintained between the conditioning rolls during rotation thereof to provide uniform conditioning of the entire crop material plant.

Abstract: A transmission particularly adapted for use on a Bidirectional.TM. tractor, is disclosed wherein the engine of the tractor drives an input shaft having first and second spline-mounted drive gears. An idler gear is connected to a power take-off output shaft and is driven by the second drive gear. The idler gear drives a first driven gear connected to a clutch mounted on an output shaft. The first drive gear drives a second driven gear connected to the clutch. The first and second driven gears rotate in opposite directions of rotation. The clutch is keyed to the transmission output shaft and is operable to select the direction of rotation by engagement of either the first or second driven gears.

Abstract: A potentiometer is driven by one of the serpentine arm assemblies used to maintain apron tension during formation of a round bale so that the output of the potentiometer continuously provides an indication of the size of a bale being formed in the baler. A microprocessor based control circuit senses the output of the potentiometer, converts it to a digital value, and compares the digital value with a value representing a desired bale size. When the two values are equal, the microprocessor computes the number of revolutions of a net feed roll that is required to wrap the bale a preselected number of times, energizes the net feed roll mechanism to feed net into the bale forming chamber, and counts the revolutions of the net feed roll. When the required amount of net has been dispensed, the microprocessor stops the net feed roll and activates a mechanism to cut the net. The size of a "full bale" is selected by actuating keys on a control panel.

Abstract: A method of conditioning forage crops utilizing a pair of counterrotating conditioning rolls mounted in a hay harvesting machine is disclosed wherein at least one of the conditioning rolls is transversely reciprocated relative to the other conditioning roll. An oscillating mechanism is provided to effect the transverse reciprocating movement of the conditioning rolls. The method of conditioning can be accomplished by a conditioning mechanism in which the entire conditioning roll is transversely reciprocated while being rotated or by a conditioning roll in which individual lobes circumferentially mounted for transverse reciprocation around the conditioning roll core effect the sliding action while being rotated.

Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing a preservative or other substance, in solid or liquid form, onto a crop material being baled, the substance being dispensed onto the crop material before it is baled at a rate which is dependent on the moisture content of the crop material and the bulk rate of flow of crop material through the baler. The apparatus, which may be mounted on a square baler or a round baler, includes a first sensor for sensing the moisture content of the crop material and producing a first signal, a second sensor for producing an output signal indicative of the bulk rate of corp flow through the baler, and a control circuit responsive to the first signal and the second signal for producing a pulse width modulated signal for controlling the speed of a motor. The motor controls the rate at which the substance is dispensed from a container onto the crop material.

Abstract: A method of dispensing a substance, in solid or liquid form, onto a crop material being baled, the substance being dispensed onto the crop material before it is baled at a rate which is dependent on the moisture content of the crop material and the bulk rate of flow of crop material through the baler. The method is applicable to round balers or square balers.

Abstract: A non-contact row crop sensor comprises one or more transmitter/receptor pairs mounted on two row separators of a harvesting machine. Each transmitter transmits an energy beam to one of the receptors and the energy beams cross at a point which defines a position of the harvesting machine relative to a row of crop stalks. A circuit produces steering control signals dependent upon the time of intercept of one beam of a pair relative to the time of intercept of the second beam of the pair. A discriminator circuit is provided for discriminating between crop stalks and weeds. Plural transmitter/receptor pairs permit discrimination between intercepts caused by leaves and those caused by stalks.

Abstract: A conditioning roll for use in a conditioning mechanism on a hay harvesting machine is disclosed wherein the conditioning roll is formed by a plurality of axially stacked lobed rings movably mounted on a core member rotatably supported by the hay harvesting machine. Key members affixed to the core and engaged with slots in the lobed rings effect a rotation of the lobed rings with the core. An oscillating mechanism is operatively associated with the lobed rings to position the lobed rings in a plane non-perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the core. The oscillating mechanism effects an oscillating movement of the lobed rings during rotation of the core to provide a transverse movement of the outer peripheral surface of the lobed rings while in engagement with the crop material to effect a more aggressive conditioning thereof.