Abstract: A coupler (11) for connecting a dipper arm (3) of an excavator to a bucket (1) without need for the operator of the excavator to leave the cab of the excavator, the coupler (11) having a device for connecting it to the end of the dipper arm (3), and a latching hook (17) for connecting it to a bucket (1), wherein the latching hook (17) has a special internal profile (56, 57, 61) so that when it is supporting the weight of a bucket (1), it will tend to move to a latching position, not to an unlatching position.

Abstract: Apparatus for depositing material within a trench including a hopper and an elongated chute extending down from the hopper which is configured to fit within the trench. The apparatus includes a gate between the hopper and the chute for controlling flow of material out of the hopper through the chute. The apparatus preferably is mounted with a variably positionable mount on the back of a tractor and can include a laser guided control system to maintain the deposit of material at a predetermined grade.

Abstract: A crop residue chopper and spreader for an agricultural combine. The chopper and spreader includes a disk mounted for rotation in a predetermined rotational direction about an axis oriented horizontally or at a small acute angle to horizontal, the disk including at least one radially outwardly extending impeller having a radial outermost periphery. The chopper and spreader includes a housing at least partially containing the disk and including an upwardly facing inlet opening located generally above the disk for receiving a flow of crop residue from a threshing mechanism of the combine, and a radially facing discharge opening located generally below the disk for discharging the flow of crop residue. The chopper and spreader additionally includes cutting elements mounted on the housing and on the radially outermost periphery of the at least one impeller cooperable for cutting the crop residue when passing through the housing from the inlet opening to the discharge opening.

Abstract: A self propelled, steerable, vertically adjustable, hydraulicly driven, ganged mowing machine for trimming nursery products. The machine generally includes a horizontal platform that supports a staggered array of mower decks. Each mower deck is driven by a hydraulic motor operatively connected to a mower blade for trimming the nursery products. The platform is slideably connected to right and left vertically stationary frames such that the platform is vertically adjustable with respect to the ground, via a hydraulic cylinder interconnecting the platform and each frame. Each vertical frame includes an independently controllable hydraulically driven traction drive motor operably connected to a drive wheel for propelling the machine. The mowing machine also includes a prime mover. The prime mover drives a number of hydraulic pumps. At least one of the hydraulic pumps drives the hydraulic motors which drive the mower blades.

Abstract: A grain cleaner has an indent cylinder assembly which includes a removable cylinder. The cylinder is removed by unwrapping it from around a frame. The grain cleaner also includes at least some augers with drop away troughs. The grain cleaner also includes grain cleaning assemblies such as, for example, indent cylinders and rotary screen drums and/or grain cleaning assemblies drive systems which are mounted on framework members capable of pivoting outwardly from the machine allowing access to machinery and components positioned centrally within the grain cleaner.

Abstract: A mult-tier crop residue flow guide for a rotary crop residue spreader of an agricultural combine including an element disposed in a housing and rotatable in a predetermined direction about an axis which is oriented horizontally or at a small acute angle to horizontal for driving a flow of crop residue through a discharge opening of the housing located at a predetermined angular position around the axis, the flow guide including at least two guide surfaces or tiers having inlet ends disposed in at least generally axially side by side relation adjacent to the discharge opening in position for directing portions of the flow of crop residue in generally the predetermined direction radially outwardly.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for pivoting the dividers of an agricultural machine for the harvesting of row crops. A multiple-part attachment having feeder housings to receive the row crops is attached to the front of the agricultural machine. The multiple-part attachment has side frames that are pivotable from a working position to a non-working position. Outer row crop dividers are arranged on the side frames in such a way that when the side frames are pivoted, the outer row crop dividers move relative to the adjacent inner row crop dividers. The relative movement of the outer row crop dividers prevents them from colliding with each other when the side frames are in a non-working position and allows for maximum feeder housing width when the side frames are in a working position.

Abstract: A cutting device for agricultural harvesting machines, such as, for instance, self-loading forage boxes or baling presses with a conveyor channel, in which a number of cutting blades mounted in rotatable fashion, arranged at least in a single row and protruding into the conveyor channel in a cutting position interact with a driven rotating conveyor mechanism equipped with conveying prongs and aligned along a horizontal axis crosswise to the travel and work direction for the purpose of cutting stalk products. A support mechanism provides elastic support to each individual cutting blade in the cutting position, and a control device releases the support mechanism, thereby allowing all or a number of cutting blades to rotate into a non-cutting position.

Abstract: A flex wing rotary cutter includes wheel axles on each of the center and wing deck frames which are linked together for simultaneous rocking by a lift cylinder coupled between the center deck frame and the center axle. Each of the support wheels of the cutter is mounted to a spindle carried at the rear end of a rocker arm that is pivotally attached, at a location between its ends, to a rear location of a respective strut cantilevered from one or the other of the axles. An air spring is coupled between the strut and a forward end of the rocker arm and a shock absorber is coupled between the rocker arm and the strut at a location between the air spring and the connection of the rocker arm with the strut.

Abstract: A leaf stripper includes several nozzles mounted at the end of branch pipes that are radially integral with a rotary compressed gas dispenser. The nozzles move along concentric circles with different radii behind a vegetation deflector. The deflector includes gas jet circulating and controlling structures such as circular slots with radii corresponding to that of the circumferences described by the nozzles.

Abstract: An electric riding mower which integrates an electric generator and inverter driven by an internal combustion engine, an operator/drive with an electric motor driving each of the two wheels and a mowing deck that has electric motors driving the cutting blades and a motor for raising/tilting the deck is disclosed. The generator is mechanically driven by the output shaft of an internal combustion engine to generate the electrical power for energizing the electric motors and the inverter. A computer in the master controller communicates with each of the controllers for the motors and the generator/inverter and processes the data necessary to co-ordinate the drives.

Abstract: A variably positionable chaff pan for attachment to an oscillating element of a cleaning apparatus or system of an agricultural combine for oscillation therewith for conveying chaff from the oscillating element to a non-oscillating chopper or spreader mounted to a fixed frame of the combine. The chaff pan is also sidewardly tiltable with the cleaning apparatus or system, if so capable.

Abstract: A three-cone rock bit employing a non-plugging center jet nozzle with a plurality of staggered inlet orifices leading to side passageways to reduce bit balling. The nozzle defines a tapered cavity through which drilling mud flows and exits in streams. Streams are directed from the nozzle through a main exit aperture of sufficient size to avoid plugging and from side passageways boring through a sidewall of the nozzle. Jetting streams promote washing of voids within the bit and of cutting surfaces. The nozzle uses staggered inlet orifices leading to side passageways, in conjunction with a tapering shape of a central passageway to facilitate maintenance of drilling mud velocity within the central passageway and thus of stream velocity to targeted regions of the drill bit.

Abstract: A user interface for a harvesting machine, such as a combine harvester, having a position adjustable header implement. Specifically, the user interface is operationally connected to a microcomputer that controls a position adjusting apparatus for positioning the position adjustable header implement. The user interface includes two rocker key switches for selecting between, and subsequently adjusting, two operational modes for the position adjusting apparatus, being a stubble height mode and a pressure compensation mode of operation.

Abstract: A plow of the type used to clear snow and like debris from roadways and similar surfaces has a plastic moldboard secured to a rigid frame adapted to be mounted to a vehicle. The frame has at least one vertically extending brace member spaced from the moldboard to define a vertically extending gap between frame and moldboard. At least a portion of the gap is at least partially filled with a resilient material so that the moldboard is able to resiliently flex into the gap during heavy snow removal while preventing the gap from being filled with foreign matter including ice otherwise preventing desired flexing of the moldboard.

Abstract: In a working apparatus, a recessed portion is formed at an end surface of a pin provided at a boom to house a case of an angle sensor in the recessed portion. A flange is projected from the case along the direction of the axis of an input shaft so as to enclose the input shaft outside the movement range of a lever. By projecting the flange further out than the distance over which the input axis projects out, the protection provided by the flange for the input shaft is enhanced.

Abstract: A foldable chaff pan for attachment to an oscillating element of a cleaning apparatus or system of an agricultural combine for oscillation therewith for conveying chaff from the oscillating element to a non-oscillating chopper or spreader mounted to a fixed frame of the combine. The chaff pan is also sidewardly tiltable with the cleaning apparatus or system, if so capable.

Abstract: The rotary beater has a number of untwisted, flat, feeding plate segments angularly disposed about its periphery. The plates are arranged in a left-hand group and a right-hand group so oriented that they converge the crop material centrally as they feed and accelerate the crop material rearwardly toward and through the inlet of an axial flow threshing rotor assembly. The feeding segments of each group are arranged in diametrically opposed sets containing at least one segment each, and the sets of one group are offset circumferentially 90° from the sets of the other group. Each segment has a hardened crop-engaging face, and the segments are all detachably bolted to the drum of the beater to facilitate removal and replacement when worn or damaged.

Abstract: The apparatus is a trimmer and mower deck combination comprising a trimmer resiliently positioned with respect to the mower deck for horizontal movement with respect to the mower deck. A resilient member holds the trimmer in an extended position away from the mower deck and allows the trimmer to move to a retracted position adjacent the mower deck when the trimmer meets a fixed obstacle. A drive for operating the trimmer is adapted to move with the trimmer. As a result, an operator may mow in a straight line and do the edging without interfering with the mower of the main deck.

Abstract: Crop harvesting headers include a sickle knife having a cutter bar defining a flange projecting forwardly from the header frame structure and extending across the header frame structure with a plurality of knife guards mounted on the cutter bar at spaced positions thereon so as to project forwardly therefrom. Each knife guard has at least one guard carrier lug for attachment to the flange by a bolt passing through a hole in the lug and a corresponding hole in the flange with a head on one end of the bolt and a nut on the other end of the bolt for clamping the lug to the flange. On crop harvesting headers of this type, it is often desirable to have the ability to change the knife guard angle to suit the crop and ground condition and this is obtained by providing a first elongate bar type shim located between the lug and the flange and a second shim located on the bolt.