Abstract: A baler includes a housing forming a baling chamber. The baling chamber has an inlet that defines an inlet width perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of the baler. A pre-cutter is disposed forward of the inlet along the central longitudinal axis and includes a cutter width perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis. The cutter width is substantially less than the inlet width. A crop distributor is disposed between the pre-cutter and the inlet and conveys the crop material from the pre-cutter to the inlet. A pick-up head is disposed forward of the pre-cutter and lifts the crop material from the ground and conveys it to the pre-cutter.

Abstract: A converging drum for a crop mowing implement includes a body that extends along a central longitudinal axis. The body rotates about the central longitudinal axis in a defined rotational direction. At least one ramp feature extends radially outward from the body, relative to the central longitudinal axis. The ramp feature is arranged to form an acute angle relative to a reference plane. The acute angle may open toward the defined rotational direction to move cut crop downward, or the acute angle may open away from the defined rotational direction to move crop upward, to position the cut crop for a conditioning system. The converging drum may include a first group of ramp features near a second end of the body for moving cut crop downward, and/or a second group of ramp features near a first end of the body for moving cut crop upward.

Abstract: A round baler includes a pick-up unit for picking up crop material from the ground, a baling chamber which receives the crop material from the pick-up unit, and a press mounted within the baling chamber for forming a bale during a bale formation cycle. The baler also includes a binding unit for dispensing a binding material for binding the bale, a tailgate displaceable by an actuator from a closed position at the beginning of a bale formation cycle to an open position to dispense the bale after the binding cycle. A sensor detects a first tailgate position after the bale formation cycle and before the binding cycle, and detects a second tailgate position after the binding cycle and before displacing the tailgate to the opened position. A controller is responsive to the sensor by determining a tailgate position change between the second tailgate position and the first tailgate position.

Abstract: A sensing system and method is provided for crop material in a harvester. The sensing system includes a conveyor auger device oriented in a substantially vertical direction and having an entrance aperture, an exit aperture located upwardly above a radially oriented sensing aperture disposed therebetween. The conveyor auger device includes a conveyor auger having a flight for moving crop material upwardly, wherein the flight has a reduced radial extension adjacent the sensing aperture. A sensor disposed at or adjacent the sensing aperture senses the essentially continuously upwardly moving crop material for determining a property thereof.

Abstract: A rotor assembly for harvesting a crop. The rotor assembly has a rotating portion defined along a rotation axis, a surrounding assembly at least partially surrounding the rotating portion, the surrounding assembly having at least one separation grate coupled to a support. The support defines an inner surface and has at least one interrupter receiver. The at least one interrupter receiver is selectively coupleable to an interrupter to position the interrupter radially inward of the inner surface towards the rotation axis.

Abstract: Belting with longitudinal cogs that includes belting and at least two longitudinal cogs. The belting has an upper surface, a lower surface and a first edge. The at least two longitudinal cogs are attached to the upper surface of the belting proximate the first edge. Each of the longitudinal cogs is substantially parallel to the first edge. A channel is defined between the at least two longitudinal cogs.

Abstract: A harvesting machine including a cutting head configured to provide cut crop for threshing. The harvesting machine includes a conveyer disposed adjacent to the cutting head and configured to move the cut crop to be threshed along a path. A thresher is configured to thresh the cut crop to provide threshed grain from the cut crop. A separator is disposed adjacently to the thresher and is configured to separate debris from the threshed grain. A feed accelerator is disposed between the conveyor and the thresher, wherein the feed accelerator is configured to advance the cut crop along the path from the conveyor to the thresher. A pre-threshing device is disposed adjacently to the feed accelerator, wherein the feed accelerator interacts with the pre-threshing device to provide threshed grain, and the pre-threshing device is configured to collect the threshed grain before the remaining cut crop is threshed at the thresher.

Abstract: A shield to prevent crop material from wrapping around the shaft of a rotary conveyor of a harvester, such as a baler, includes a body. The body is positioned between a stripper finger and a shaft of the rotary conveyor and has an end surface facing the shaft. A lug is positioned at the opposite end of the body from the end surface and is attached to the housing of the rotary conveyor. The body has opposite side surfaces positioned in spaced relation at a distance substantially equal to the width of the separation fingers of the rotary conveyor.

Abstract: When using a cross auger assembly on a crop harvesting header with a flexible frame having end frame sections pivotal relative to a centre frame section, mounting devices are coupled between the bearing housings at opposing ends of the cross auger assembly and the outer ends of the end frame sections. Each mounting device includes a first mounting structure fixed relative to the outer end of the end frame section, a second mounting structure fixed to a portion of the respective bearing housing, and a flexible mounting arrangement between the mounting structures to accommodate variation in lateral positioning of the bearing housings relative to the ends of the flexible frame as the flexible frame flexes over varying ground contours without requiring a telescoping shaft arrangement on the cross auger assembly.

Abstract: A roller is connected to a harvesting platform for movement with a combine over a ground surface in a direction of travel. The roller includes a first portion defining a first diameter and including a first material, and a second portion defining a second diameter and including a second material. The second diameter is greater than the first diameter. The second portion substantially surrounds the first portion, the second material has different material properties than the first material. The roller extends in the direction of travel and rotates about a second axis which extends generally parallel to the direction of travel.

Abstract: A reinforced feeder housing for an agricultural machine includes a housing body having a top surface, a bottom surface, and two opposing side surfaces each extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The housing body includes a front opening through which crop material is directed into the feeder housing from a header of the agricultural machine, and a rear opening that is substantially opposite the front opening through which crop is expelled from the feeder housing and is delivered to a threshing mechanism of the agricultural machine. Various panels of the housing body are reinforced to improve the structural integrity of the feeder housing and prevent damage to the welds in the housing body.

Abstract: A height control system for a front harvesting attachment, comprising a frame, at least one crop pick-up device, and a ground-conforming cutterbar which is situated on a plurality of supporting arms that can pivot about a horizontal axis and are articulated on the frame. The supporting arms can be pivoted, originating from a desired position to be set before the start of a harvesting operation, between an upper end position, which delimits a deflection of the supporting arms in the direction of the crop pick-up device, and a lower end position, wherein the upper end position has a first clearance and the lower end position has a second clearance from the desired position, wherein the desired position can be adapted, during the harvesting operation, to changing harvesting conditions and/or operating conditions depending on a deflection of the cutterbar, in order to minimize the first clearance and maximize the second clearance.

Abstract: A combine harvester includes a load-bearing undercarriage movable via a drivable device engaged in the ground, a threshing and separating device attached to the load-bearing undercarriage, and a feeder house attached to the load-bearing undercarriage. The feeder house includes an endless traction mechanism which circulates about a vertically movable lower deflection roller and a drivable upper deflection roller. A harvesting attachment is coupled to the feeder house for receiving or cutting off harvested crops which are lying or standing upright on a field and which are able to be supplied via the feeder house to the threshing and separating device. An actuator is actuated by an external force arranged for adjusting the vertical position of the lower deflection roller and is connected to a control device which is coupled to a sensor for determining a throughput by a transmission of a signal.

Abstract: A shutter assembly for a lawnmower can include a cutter housing, a shutter, and a lever. The shutter can be rotatably attached to the cutter housing so as to be movable between (a) a first shutter position in which a blocking panel is positioned such that the blocking panel opens the discharge opening, and (b) a second shutter position in which the blocking panel is positioned such that the blocking panel closes the discharge opening, and the second shutter position corresponds to a mulching position. The lever can be attached to the shutter and extend through the cutter housing slot. The lever can move the shutter between the first shutter position and the second shutter position. The lever can include a handle knob assembly that includes a button that is biased, by a spring, to lock in any one of a plurality of positions on the cutter housing.

Abstract: An agricultural header includes: a header frame; at least one cutting unit carried by the header frame and including a cutting element and a driveshaft coupled to the cutting element; and a gearbox configured to drive the cutting element. The gearbox includes a gearbox output rotatably coupled to the driveshaft; and a clutch including an intermediate shaft and at least one clutch shoe rotatably coupled to the intermediate shaft and displaceable between a non-engaging position where the at least one clutch shoe does not engage the gearbox output and an engaging position where the at least one clutch shoe engages the gearbox output. The clutch is configured such that the at least one clutch shoe displaces to the engaging position when a rotational speed of the intermediate shaft reaches a threshold value.

Abstract: A non-stop round baler is towed by a towing vehicle and is divided into a collection chamber and a baling chamber. The collection chamber is disposed between a pick-up unit and the baling chamber. The collection chamber momentarily stores the crop material before being transferred to the baling chamber. A feed control gate is functionally disposed between the collection chamber and the baling chamber. The feed control gate is selectively switchable between a flow restricting configuration during a bale binding cycle and a bale ejection cycle, and a flow facilitating configuration during a bale forming cycle. When in the flow restricting configuration, the feed control gate blocks crop movement into the baling chamber. When in the flow facilitating configuration, the feed control gate facilitates crop movement into the baling chamber.

Abstract: A harvesting apparatus includes a crop conditioning element and an associated hood for conditioning crop material. The hood is moveably mounted to a frame of the harvesting apparatus, at a position located above the crop conditioning element. The hood is moveably mounted to the frame for movement toward and away from the crop conditioning element to adjust a gap therebetween. A swathboard is attached to and moveable with the hood. The swathboard is moveable relative to the hood between a plurality of operating positions. The swathboard is operable to maintain its position relative to the hood during movement with the hood toward and away from the crop conditioning element to form a consistent swath while moving the hood relative to the crop conditioning element to adjust the gap therebetween.

Abstract: An Integrated dual-use machine is for harvesting and treating fruit on trees, in order to harvest the fruit when in season and treat the fruit on the tree with phytosanitary products. The machine includes a moveable structure, intended to shelter the fruit trees. The moveable structure includes a collection unit for the fruit that has been brought down, and is supported on one or two traction vehicles. The vehicles include at least one device for projecting and orienting air currents, at least one infrared camera, at least one collection belt, at least one load container, at least one conveyor belt that connects the collection belt to a load trailer, and a traction system that actuates tractor treads.

Abstract: A combine feeder assembly having conveyors and slats pivotally connected to the conveyors to rotate about respective slat pivot axes. Each slat has a paddle that is movable between a first position in which the paddle extends outside the travel path of the conveyor by a first distance, and a second position in which the paddle does not extend outside the travel path or extends outside the travel path by a second distance that is less than the first distance. A cam surface moves the slats to the first slat position along a delivery path of the conveyors. A first housing wall extends over the delivery path and is spaced from the travel path by at least the first distance. A second housing wall extends over a return path. The second housing wall is spaced from the travel path by less than the first distance.

Abstract: A cleaning system for an agricultural combine includes a cleaning shoe including a chaffer having an upstream extremity and a downstream extremity, a cleaning fan for establishing a flow of air upwardly through the chaffer, and a transverse chaffer dam mounted proximate to the downstream extremity transversely obstructing a crop layer flow path extending over the chaffer from the upstream extremity to the downstream extremity while permitting air and threshed crop material to flow thereover and thereunder through a transverse opening between the chaffer dam and the downstream extremity.