Abstract: In a combine harvester, the header (1) is lifted up by the feeder (8) and secured thereto by a mechanism including a pair of securing pins (23) on the feeder's carrier structure (20,21). The securing pins are provided with stops (35) protruding towards the header and which include a sloped surface, configured to interact with positioning aids (39) on the header. The lateral outward or inward movement of the securing pins (23) is driven by a centrally placed actuator (24). As the actuator is extended, the positioning aids (39) roll or glide down the sloped surfaces, enabling a gradual approach of the header towards the feeder, up to a point where the securing pins (23) become aligned with slots (50) on the header. Continued actuation of the pin motion then establishes the securing of the header to the feeder.

Abstract: A threshing and separating system for an agricultural harvester includes a concave having a plurality of perforations; a rotor having an outer surface and at least partially enclosed by the concave; and a plurality of rasp bars connected to the outer surface of the rotor, each rasp bar having a working surface defining a working angle relative to a tangent of the outer surface. At least one of the rasp bars is an adjustable rasp bar with an adjustable working surface pivotably coupled to the rotor. The system further includes an actuator coupled to the adjustable rasp bar and configured to selectively pivot the adjustable working surface to adjust the working angle of the adjustable rasp bar.

Abstract: In one aspect, a system for filtering signal interference from sensors signals includes a header comprising a frame and a powered component supported relative to the frame, and a sensor configured to detect electromagnetic waves indicative of a parameter associated with the header. In addition, the system includes an electronic control unit operably connected to the sensor such that the electronic control unit is configured to receive signals from the sensor associated with the detection of the electromagnetic waves. The electronic control unit is further configured to filter interference from the signals deriving from motion of the powered component relative to the sensor.

Abstract: A controller for controlling a harvesting performance of an agricultural harvester. The controller receives automation settings, selected by an operator via a human-machine interface. The controller also receives data from on-board harvester sensors. The controller defines a target value for quality parameters based on the automation settings, and determines a current value of each of the quality parameters in dependence on the crop sensor data. The controller determines an actuator setting for actuators of the agricultural harvester when the current value of one or more of the plurality of quality parameters differs by greater than an acceptable amount from the associated target value. The actuator setting is determined in dependence on the automation settings and the target value. The controller controls the actuators to achieve the determined actuator setting.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a combine harvester. The monitoring system includes a sensor configured to provide a measurement wave to a flow of crop residue on the harvester and to receive a response wave from the flow of crop residue. The monitoring system further includes a processor having an input terminal for receiving a response signal of the sensor representative of the response wave. The processor is configured to determine a crop parameter associated with the density of the flow of crop based on the response signal of the sensor. The processor further has an output terminal for outputting a density signal representing the crop parameter.

Abstract: A system for controlling the aggressiveness of a tailings processor that re-threshes tailings received from the grain cleaning system in an agricultural harvester is provided with at least one imaging device to image a grain sample. At least a portion of the grain sample has at least once passed through the tailings processor. A controller is connected to the imaging device and to an arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor. The controller is configured to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor using the arrangement, based on based on the level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain determined from the image from the at least one imaging device by comparing the level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain to the desired level.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable media for detecting reel-crop engagement for a header of a harvester. The header includes a reel configured to draw crop from a crop field toward the header as the harvester moves through the crop field and at least one crop detector mounted to the reel. Data is received from the at least one crop detector mounted on the reel, processed, and used to detect reel-crop engagement.

Abstract: A header including a front and rear wheel assembly, each assembly having an axle and two wheels. Each wheel assembly is coupled to the main body of the header by an actuating system having an actuator mechanism for actuating a swivel movement of the axle and the wheels to bring the wheel assembly to or from a road transport position. The front and rear wheel assemblies are equipped with tie rod arrangements for steering the header when it is transported on the road. The wheels of the wheel assemblies are operated as caster wheels. The tie rod arrangement of the front wheel assembly is coupled to a pivotable base connected to, or connectable to, a drawbar. The wheel assemblies have respective actuators which are synchronized so as to synchronize the position of the front and rear wheels.

Abstract: A header that includes at least one support and transport wheel assembly having an axle and two wheels. The wheel assembly is coupled to the main body of the header by an actuating system that includes an actuator mechanism configured to actuate a swivel movement of the axle and the wheels, the swivel movement being configured to bring the wheel assembly to or from a position wherein the axle is transversal to the longitudinal direction of the header. The wheel assembly is equipped with a drawbar that is deployable from a storage position to a deployed position, wherein the movement of the drawbar between the positions is synchronized with the swivel movement of the wheel assembly.

Abstract: A header including at least one support and transport wheel assembly having an axle and two wheels. The wheel assembly is coupled to the main body of the header by an actuating system that has two actuator mechanisms. When changing from the field mode to the transport mode, the first actuator mechanism brings the wheel assembly forward from a position behind the header, after the header has been lifted up from the ground. After completion of this first movement, a second actuator mechanism swivels the wheel assembly to a position that is transversal to the header, after which the header is lowered to the ground. The two-step approach enables the changeover between field mode and transport mode without pivoting or otherwise moving the header relative to the feeder. The wheel axle may be pivotably suspended from a frame element that executes the swiveling movement.

Abstract: A system for controlling the aggressiveness of a tailings processor that re-threshes tailings received from the grain cleaning system in an agricultural harvester is provided with at least one imaging device to image a grain sample. At least a portion of the grain sample has at least once passed through the tailings processor. A controller is connected to the imaging device and to an arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor. The controller is configured to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor using the arrangement, based on information provided by the at least one imaging device.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a combine harvester having a header for harvesting a crop and a residue spreading system for spreading a crop residue. The monitoring system includes a sensing system configured to provide one or more measurement waves that intersect a flow of crop residue discharged by the spreading system and receive a plurality of response waves reflected from the crop residue. The system further includes a processing unit configured to receive a response signal of the sensing system; process the response signal; and determine, based on the response signal, a density and velocity distribution of the crop residue across a two-dimensional measurement area. The response signal is representative of the plurality of response waves reflected from the crop residue. The measurement area is at an end of a trajectory of the crop residue towards a deposit area.

Abstract: An agricultural vehicle header having a frame having a main truss extending in a lateral direction, at least one support arm extending from the frame in the forward direction, a cutter assembly attached to a respective distal end of each at least one support arm, and a linkage connecting a respective proximal end of each at least one support arm to the frame. The linkage includes a virtual pivot located below the main truss, and at or behind the main truss with respect to the forward direction. An agricultural vehicle having the header is also provided.

Abstract: In one aspect, a system for filtering signal interference from sensors signals includes a header comprising a frame and a powered component supported relative to the frame, and a sensor configured to detect electromagnetic waves indicative of a parameter associated with the header. In addition, the system includes an electronic control unit operably connected to the sensor such that the electronic control unit is configured to receive signals from the sensor associated with the detection of the electromagnetic waves. The electronic control unit is further configured to filter interference from the signals deriving from motion of the powered component relative to the sensor.

Abstract: A harvester header support for supporting a header of an agricultural harvester, having a forward travel mode and a rearward travel mode. In the forward travel mode a first coupling element is in a forward travel position relative to a second coupling element, and in the rearward travel mode the first coupling element is in a rearward travel position relative to the second coupling element, wherein the first coupling element is moveable from the forward travel position to the rearward travel position and/or vice versa by pivoting the first coupling element relative to the second coupling element about the first pivot axis. An agricultural harvester having the harvester header support and a method for operating the agricultural harvester are disclosed as well.

Abstract: An agricultural harvesting machine, equipped with a movable unloading apparatus to transport crop material to a container driven in the vicinity, so that the container, seen from the harvester, has a near upper border and a remote upper border, and wherein a 3D camera is provided on the harvester for capturing images in which at least the near border can be seen, to direct the unloading apparatus based on these images. The camera is rotatable mounted around a substantially horizontal axis. The angle of rotation of the rotatable camera can be arranged such that the near border always remains in the field of view of the camera. The unloading apparatus can be controlled such that the processed crop material is deposited in the container at a predetermined distance from the near border.

Abstract: A harvesting method includes the steps of operating a moveable harvesting machine in one or more fields to harvest plant matter and produce a secondarily processable harvest product for subsequent processing using secondary processing machinery; and while operating the harvesting machine to produce the secondarily processable harvest product, recording data that includes information on one or more characteristics of the secondarily processable harvest product. The method further includes transferring the recorded data from the harvesting machine to an external data store; causing moveable secondary processing machinery to retrieve at least some data on the secondarily processable harvest product from the data store; and controlling one or more controllable parameters of the secondary processing machinery based on the retrieved data during operation of the secondary processing machinery to process the secondarily processable harvest product.

Abstract: A method for analyzing the composition of a grain-MOG mixture comprising a kernel fraction and an MOG-fraction. The method includes steps of receiving a grain-MOG mixture, at a thermal excitation location, subjecting a sample volume of the grain-MOG mixture to a thermal excitation using a thermal excitator, generating a thermal image at an imaging location of at least a surface of the sample volume of the grain-MOG mixture that has been subjected to the thermal excitation, processing the thermal image and therewith obtaining data representing the temperature distribution over the thermal image, and relating the temperature distribution to the share of the kernel fraction in the grain-MOG mixture. A device for analyzing the composition of a grain-MOG mixture comprising a kernel fraction and an MOG-fraction is also provided.

Abstract: A combine having a feeder housing for receiving harvested crop, a separating system for threshing the harvested crop to separate grain from residue, a grain tank for storing the separated grain, a grain tank level sensor for detecting a level of grain in the grain tank, and a controller that controls the combine. The controller is configured to receive the level of grain from the grain tank level sensors, determine a volume of a grain base from the level of the grain, determine a volume of a grain heap above the grain base, determine a total volume by combining the volume of the grain base with the volume of the grain heap.

Abstract: A controller for an unloading system. The unloading system includes an unloading vehicle having an unloading apparatus and a collection vehicle having a container. The unloading apparatus is configured to direct material to the container driven in the vicinity of the unloading vehicle. The controller is configured to receive a user input signal representative of user operation of a vehicle input device associated with driving the unloading vehicle or the collection vehicle and set an attribute of the unloading system in accordance with the user input signal in order to direct the material from the unloading apparatus to the container.