Abstract: A stalked crop harvesting header comprising multiple harvesting units each comprising a pair of deck plates defining a channel, a pair of snapping rollers mounted below the deck plates and adapted to pull stalks downwardly through the channel, a pair of gathering chains provided with cams, the gathering chains extending between a first pair of gears located at the front end of the harvesting unit and a second pair of gears located at a back end of the harvesting unit, wherein each harvesting unit further comprises a pair of stalk guiders positioned to rotate around axes coinciding with respective axes of the first pair of gears, wherein the stalk guiders each comprising an upper stalk guiding wheel and a lower stalk guiding wheel which are interconnected, and wherein a cutting element is provided below the lower stalk guiding wheel to cut stalks while being guided by the stalk guiders.

Abstract: A stalked crop harvesting header comprising multiple harvesting units each comprising a pair of deck plates defining a channel, a pair of snapping rollers mounted below the deck plates and adapted to pull stalks downwardly through the channel, a pair of gathering chains provided with cams, the gathering chains extending between a first pair of gears located at a front end of the harvesting unit and a second pair of gears located at a back end of the harvesting unit, wherein each harvesting unit further comprises a pair of stalk guiders positioned to rotate around axes coinciding with respective axes of the first pair of gears, wherein the stalk guiders each comprise an upper stalk guiding wheel and a lower stalk guiding wheel which are interconnected, and wherein a cutting element is provided below the lower stalk guiding wheel to cut stalks while being guided by the stalk guider.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester for harvesting a crop on a field. The harvester includes a chopping assembly configured to chop a crop residue of the harvested crop. The chopping assembly includes an inlet for receiving the crop residue, a rotor provided with one or more cutting tools and configured to chop the crop residue, a drive assembly configured to drive the rotor, and an outlet for outputting the chopped crop residue onto the field. The harvester further includes an image based sensor configured to generate a signal comprising an image of the chopped crop residue and a processing unit configured to receive the signal from the image based sensor, process the signal to derive a geometric parameter indicative of a geometry of the chopped crop residue, and determine a control signal for the drive assembly based on the geometric parameter.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for harvesting crops from a field and to a method for working a field by towing an apparatus such as a tilling apparatus, wherein the methods of the invention employ manned and unmanned vehicles. The operation and movement of the unmanned vehicles is controlled by the drivers of the manned vehicles which are continuously in the vicinity of the unmanned vehicles.

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 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 harvester including at least one straw walker extending in a longitudinal direction of the harvester and supported by a front and rear shaft. The shafts are rotatable about respective rotation axes, and each shaft provided with one or more eccentric portions. The straw walker is rotatably mounted on an eccentric portion of the respective front and rear shafts, so that the simultaneous rotation of the shafts actuates a reciprocating motion of the straw walker. The combine further comprises a pivot frame and one or more actuators, configured to adjust the angular position of the frame by pivoting the frame about a pivot axis oriented transversally to said longitudinal direction. The front and rear shafts are configured to rotate with respect to the pivot frame, so that the straw walker's angular position is adjustable while the straw walker executes said reciprocating motion.

Abstract: A combine harvester having a cleaning system with at least one cleaner assembly for cleaning the harvested and a drive assembly connected to the cleaning system to drive the cleaning system, thereby driving the at least one cleaner assembly to perform a reciprocating cleaner movement. The drive assembly comprises a variable speed drive assembly with a rotary drive comprising a rotatable output shaft for driving the cleaning system, a transmission to connect the rotatable output shaft to the at least one cleaner assembly, the transmission configured to convert an angular movement of the rotatable output shaft to the reciprocating cleaner movement, and a control unit to control an angular velocity of the rotatable output shaft based on an input signal.

Abstract: A controller for a harvester. The controller is configured to receive crop flow information representative of how crop is flowing through the harvester and generate display information for providing a visual display to an operator of the harvester. The visual display includes an animation of crop flowing through the harvester. The controller is further configured to set one or more properties of the animation of the crop flowing through the harvester based on the received crop flow information.

Abstract: A combine harvester comprising a pair of track units at a front of the harvester. The track units are suspended so that a frame of the units is pivotable about a centrally placed pivot axis, the axis dividing the track units between a front and rear portion. For each of the track units, the harvester comprises at least one variable length actuator mounted between the chassis of the harvester and the frame of the track unit, the actuator being mounted so that it is capable of actuating an upward or downward tilting of the front portion of the track unit. The actuator is operated to counteract an excessive downward or upward tilting of the front portion of the unit. The actuator may be operated by a control mechanism working on the basis of measurements performed by suitable sensor arrangements that monitor or predict the downward or upward tilting.

Abstract: An agricultural machine suitable for the harvesting of grain-like crops, comprising a header, the header comprising a first cutting device whose position is determined by the adjustable height of the header, and a second cutting device, comprising a knife drum that is rotatably mounted in a housing, which via rollers or equivalent supports can move over the ground at different heights of the header, and wherein the housing of the knife drum on the back of the header is connected via at least two coupling systems, each of these systems comprising a lower and an upper support arm pivotally connected to the header, and with the housing of the knife drum, whereby the position of the housing remains substantially unaltered by the different height settings of the header.

Abstract: A sensor arrangement for a forage harvester. The sensor arrangement includes a frame, a CCD or CMOS camera mounted to the frame in a first position, and a time-of-flight camera mounted to the frame in a second position. The CCD or CMOS camera is mounted to the frame in the first position such that, when a filling wagon is located with respect to the forage harvester in a filling position, a first image of at least a portion of the filling wagon is capturable by the first camera. The time-of-flight camera is mounted to the frame in the second position such that, when the filling wagon is located with respect to the forage harvester in the filling position, a second image of a segment of the portion is capturable by the second camera.

Abstract: An agricultural machine includes a first cutting or collection system, a height-adjustable feeder connected to the first cutting or collection system; and a hydraulic lifting device connected to the feeder. The hydraulic lifting device includes a pivotable element carried by the machine; a beam-shaped element hingedly connected at one end to the feeder and at the other end to the pivotable element; and a cylinder hingedly connected at one end to the beam-shaped element and at the other end to the pivotable element such that extension of the cylinder causes the pivotable element to pivot and a height of the feeder to change.

Abstract: A combine harvester having a sieve that is moveable by a sieve drive assembly to perform a reciprocating sieve movement having a sieving stroke and a sieve throwing angle, wherein the sieve drive assembly has: a rotary drive, having a rotatable output shaft, a transmission between the rotatable output shaft of the rotary drive and the sieve, which transmission comprises an eccentric device, at least one transmission element, a plurality of linkage pivots, a first non-adjustable transmission element which is pivotably connected to the eccentric device, wherein the first non-adjustable transmission element is further pivotably connected to the adjustable transmission element, which adjustable transmission element is further pivotably connected to the combine harvester chassis, and wherein the first non-adjustable transmission element is further pivotably connected to the sieve through at least one further non-adjustable transmission elements.

Abstract: A header for an agricultural vehicle. The header includes a header frame and an elongate sickle knife mounted along a leading edge of the header. The header further includes an actuator for reciprocally moving the elongate sickle knife in its longitudinal direction relative to the header frame between a first position and a second position over an intermediate position. At least one accumulator extends between the header frame and the elongate sickle knife to accumulate energy during a first movement of the elongate sickle knife from the intermediate position towards at least one of the first position and the second position, and to release accumulated energy during a second movement of the elongate sickle knife opposite to the first movement.

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.

Abstract: In a combine harvester the cleaning arrangement is placed above the threshing and separation system. Because more space is available there, the preparation means and the sieves of the cleaning arrangement can be made wider than the distance between the front wheels or tracks of the harvester. A supply such as one or more auger beds are provided underneath the threshing and separation system, for gathering the grain/residue mixture in a single location. From that location, an elevator transports the grain/residue mixture up towards the cleaning arrangement, where it is distributed over the width of said cleaning arrangement.

Abstract: A corn ear harvester which comprises two deck plates and two gathering chain devices. The gathering chain devices each comprise an endless chain which forms a chain loop which comprises a straight operational part; a corn ear paddle and paddle connector which connects the corn ear paddle to the chain. The device further comprises a corn stalk channel having a deck plate channel section extends between the deck plates and a gathering chain channel section between the gathering chain devices. The deck plate channel section is too narrow for a corn ear to pass through. The corn ear paddles are arranged adjacent to a deck plate on the side of the ear blocking surface of said first deck plate and the endless chains of the gathering chain devices are arranged adjacent to the deck plates on the opposite side.

Abstract: A sieve for a combine harvester that is moveable by a sieve drive assembly to perform a reciprocating sieve movement having a sieving stroke and a sieve throwing angle, wherein the sieve drive assembly has a rotary drive, having a rotatable output shaft, a transmission between the rotatable output shaft of the rotary drive and the sieve, an eccentric device, at least one transmission element, and a plurality of linkage pivots, wherein the eccentric device is an adjustable eccentric device in which the eccentricity is adjustable in order to adjust at least one of the sieving stroke and sieve throwing angle, the eccentric device comprising an input shaft, a flange, a gear, an output shaft, an annular gear, and an adjustment gear.

Abstract: A cleaning assembly for a harvester operable to clean a crop while moving along a direction of the crop flow and comprising multiple cleaning sub-assemblies has a control system coupled to each of the cleaning sub-assemblies and operable to control the operation of each of the cleaning sub-assemblies in function of separate cleaning sub-assembly control settings for each of the cleaning sub-assemblies.