Abstract: Crop is carried into a feed opening of a harvester by two side drapers, two rear back sheets defining an opening between inner edges, a central feed draper and a roller with end flight portions and a central finger portion located above the feed draper. In this geometry, a bottom tangent to the flight portions has a position which is at a height below the rear edge of the side drapers. The roller axis of the feed roller is behind the rear edge of the side drapers and behind a common plane containing the back sheets. The inner guide roller of each of the first and second side drapers is located inwardly of the inner edge of the first back sheet and inwardly of an outer end of the end flight portion. A forward most tangent to the flight portions projects forward of or proud of the common back sheet plane.

Abstract: A crop discharge speed control system for a harvesting vehicle having a crop accelerator and a spout that receives crop material and directs the crop material to a targeted destination. The crop accelerator imparts an increased velocity to the crop material. The control system includes a crop velocity sensor, a controller, and a variable speed drive. The sensor is coupled to the spout of the vehicle for detecting a velocity of the crop material in the spout. The sensor produces a velocity signal representative of the velocity of the crop material. The variable speed drive is drivingly coupled to the crop accelerator. The controller varies the speed of the crop accelerator by controlling the variable speed drive, as it controls the variable speed drive to maintain a selected velocity of the crop material dependent upon a modulation of the velocity signal.

Abstract: An end effector for harvesting edible crowns of broccoli plants. The end effector may include a body, fingers pivotably coupled to the body, and a rotary actuator disposed in the body. The rotary actuator operably couples to the fingers via one or more linkages and is configured to transition the fingers between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, an edible crown is retained within the end effector, while in the open position, the edible crown is released from the end effector. A cutting mechanism of the end effector severs the edible crown from a stalk of the broccoli plant. A robotic arm may position the end effector relative to the edible crown for harvesting.

Abstract: Systems and methods for replacing a removable assembly from a harvester for collecting and separating harvested crop product from twigs, dirt, dust, and other debris. A removable assembly for picking up harvested crop product and a removable assembly for separating the picked up harvested crop product from twigs, dirt, dust, and other debris are mounted to be changed out quickly in the field. A removable pickup assembly is received for removably mounting in the harvester by an inclined slot formed in a sidewall of the harvester body frame, so that the removable pickup assembly with the worn belt is lifted up and out and a replacement removable pickup assembly with a new belt is dropped into its place.

Abstract: A header for an agricultural harvester comprising a chassis and an auger having a tube extending in end to end relation with and rotatably supported by the chassis. The header further includes a drive mounted adjacent a mid-portion of the auger and operatively engaged with the mid-portion of the auger for driving rotation thereof. The header thus provides an auger which is driven at its mid-portion, thereby eliminating the hydraulic complexities of augers that are driven at their ends. In addition, when the auger tube is continuous, the mid-portion driven, continuous tube auger eliminates the crop dead spot that typically occurs when split augers are deployed.

Abstract: A combine (10) including a cutting wheel for harvesting crop, a separating system (24) for threshing the harvested crop to separate grain from residue, at least one of a yield monitor (115) or a loss monitor (113), a crop cleaning system (26) including a cleaning fan (52), and a controller (310) coupled to the at least one of the yield monitor (115) or the loss monitor (113). The controller (310) controls the crop cleaning system (26), and is configured to determine at least one of a throughput from the yield monitor (115), or a loss from the loss monitor (113), compare the determined throughput or loss to a respective throughput threshold or loss threshold, and control a speed of the cleaning fan (52) based on the throughput or loss comparison.

Abstract: A transportable agricultural combine header includes a frame and a wheel assembly attached to the frame. The wheel assembly includes: (a) at least one spindle to which a wheel is configured to be mounted; (b) a rotatable arm connected to and extending from the spindle; (c) a frame attachment structure attaching the at least one spindle and the rotatable arm to the frame; and (d) a suspension system interconnecting the rotatable arm and the frame attachment structure for reducing stress on the frame as the agricultural combine header is transported.

Abstract: Harvesting device, having cutting members (14) for separating the crop material and/or having receiving members for collecting the crop material, having at least one transverse conveying device (19) for delivering the separated and/or collected crop material in a transverse conveying direction (20) running transversely to the harvesting direction, wherein the at least one transverse conveying device (19) is configured as a screw conveyor (21), comprising a trommel (22) and spiral conveying elements (23) sticking out from the trommel (22) in its radial direction. The respective screw conveyor (21) is conical or cone shaped, such that an envelope surface (24) of the spiral conveying elements (23) subtends a cone, which expands in conical or cone-shaped manner looking in the transverse conveying direction.

Abstract: A lawn mower includes a cutter blade having flaps and a flap drive mechanism. The flap drive mechanism includes a flap drive source and an intermediate power transmission unit. The intermediate power transmission unit is provided on a power transmission path between the flap drive source and the flaps and provided coaxially with a blade rotation axis. An output axis of a motor is provided coaxially with a blade rotation axis and the intermediate power transmission unit.

Abstract: A combine harvester including a frame and two axial-flow crop processing rotors mounted to the frame. An inner support structure is located between the two rotors and is mounted to the frame by a first linkage. Two outer support structures are located outboard of the two rotors and are mounted to the frame by respective second and third linkages. The inner support structure and two outer support structures carry first and second pluralities of concave grate segments at a radial distance from the respective rotors. A concave adjustment system includes a first actuator coupled to the first linkage which is configured to raise and lower the inner support structure. A second actuator is coupled to one of the second and third linkages and is configured to raise and lower at least one of the two outer support structures.

Abstract: A harvest header for a harvesting machine includes a carrying frame, a mechanism for receiving or cutting harvest material from a field, a control device, a power-operated actuator operably controlled by the control device, and a transverse conveyor screw movably controlled between two or more positions. The position of the transverse conveyor screw is adjustably controlled by the actuator in order to transport the harvest material to a discharge opening. The control device independently controls the actuator based on at least one harvest material property.

Abstract: An example system includes a vacuum generating device, a robotic arm, and a harvesting device coupled to the robotic arm. The harvesting device includes an end-effector having an inlet; a vacuum tube coupled to the inlet of the end-effector and to the vacuum generating device, where the vacuum generating device is configured to generate a vacuum environment in the vacuum tube; an outlet mechanism coupled to the vacuum tube; and a deceleration structure configured to decelerate fruit that has traversed at least a portion of the vacuum environment.

Abstract: A combine harvester has multiple working mechanisms for carrying out specific treatment subprocesses of an overall treatment process for processing crop, and a driver assistance system for controlling the working mechanisms, which includes a memory for storing data and a computing device for processing the data stored in the memory, wherein the driver assistance system, together with the particular working mechanisms provided for carrying out the treatment subprocesses, forms independently operating automated adjusting mechanisms which are utilized for optimizing the control of the working mechanisms for carrying out the treatment subprocesses, wherein a process supervisor is assigned to the driver assistance system for controlling individual automated adjusting mechanisms and a data exchange of the automated adjusting mechanisms with one another.

Abstract: A longitudinal axial flow drum structure having an adjustable threshing diameter includes a threshing drum, a transmission mechanism, a diameter regulating mechanism and a regulating steel wire pulling mechanism. The transmission mechanism delivers power to regulating devices of the diameter regulating mechanism. The diameter regulating mechanism is connected with the transmission mechanism and the threshing drum to enable threshing diameter regulation. The transmission mechanism and the diameter regulating mechanism are installed inside a feeding cylinder of the threshing drum. The threshing diameter is regulated in real-time and stepless manner by adjusting the regulating steel wire pulling mechanism to pull a regulating steel wire in the transmission mechanism.

Abstract: Measurements of pea tenderness comparable to those provided by mechanical tenderometers are provided through analysis of an infrared spectrum of shelled peas. These measurements may be output directly or used to control real time harvesting of peas to prevent mixing of peas with different tenderness values.

Abstract: A process for conveying a flow of harvested crop along a first conveyor, which is configured to convey the flow along a first direction, and a second conveyor arranged downstream of the first conveyor and which is configured to convey the flow along a second direction different from the first direction. The process includes operating the first conveyor at a variable conveyor speed presenting a cycle of acceleration and deceleration, the cycle being operable to ensure a spatial repartition of the flow of harvested crop on the second conveyor, which receives the flow at a location that is variable according to the first direction.

Abstract: Pneumatic cushions for soft reception of harvested fruit on mechanized fruit harvesters, comprise an assembly that includes a reception tray and a rubber membrane, wherein the whole assembly has a polygonal shape. The rubber membrane is stretched over the upper side and side edges of the reception tray, and attached to the side surfaces of the tray. The membrane is glued around the entire side perimeter of the tray and may be secured by means of a safety tape. On the part opposite to the sides, on the bottom of the tray, are fitted blow-holes for release of air from underneath the membrane. On the corner of the tray, formed by sides, is fitted a mechanism for revolving connection of the tray to the support and to air supply pipe.

Abstract: A dust management system for an agricultural harvester includes a perforated tube extending transversely through a feeder housing of the harvester. The perforated tube has exhaust plenums at opposite ends directing any flow towards the ground over which an agricultural harvester operates. A longitudinal drive shaft mounts axial flow fans within the exhaust plenums and a drive shaft is driven through a pulley system so that rotation of the drive shaft induces flow through the perforated tube and out of the exhaust plenum.

Abstract: A combine harvester for carrying out an agricultural harvesting process has a plurality of working units and a driver assistance system for controlling at least some of the working units. The combine harvester accommodates as working units a chaff cutter for comminuting harvested produce and a produce distributing arrangement in the rear area of the combine harvester downstream of the chaff cutter for distributing harvested produce on the field soil in adjustable throw directions. The respective throw direction comprises vector components of a horizontal throw direction and a vertical throw direction. The driver assistance system is adapted to optimize the control of the produce distributing arrangement by at least one of the substrategies including “throw direction correction” and/or “inclination-dependent produce distribution” and/or “produce distribution in longitudinal direction” and/or “produce distribution in transverse direction” with respect to at least one optimization criterion.

Abstract: A harvesting platform is connected to a combine for movement with the combine over the ground surface. The harvesting platform includes a cutter bar that cuts a crop being harvested, and a reel that presses the crop against the cutter bar during harvesting. The cutter bar moves between a cutter bar harvesting position and a cutter bar transport position, and the reel moves between a reel harvesting position and a reel transport position. A controller receives a first signal from a user via a user interface, sends a second signal to the cutter bar to move the cutter bar between the cutter bar harvesting position and the cutter bar transport position in response to the first signal, and send a third signal to the reel to move the reel between the reel harvesting position and the reel transport position in response to the first signal.