Abstract: The adjustment of operating parameters such as the sieve opening, concave opening, chaffer opening, rotor speed and/or fan speed is/are accomplished under the control of a microprocessor operating in response to the striking of keys on a keyboard. The combine harvester operator may select a particular parameter for adjustment by striking a key corresponding to that parameter. The desired setting of the selected parameter is then keyed into the keyboard and an ADJUST key struck to activate the adjustment process. Alternatively, the operator may strike a key corresponding to the crop to be harvested, a further key corresponding to the ambient moisture level of the crop, and then the ADJUST key. In this case the microprocessor reads from a stored table the values for adjusting all parameters so as to obtain a satisfactory sample and a maximum yield for the crop being harvested.

Abstract: Disclosed is metal detector apparatus for protecting the crop processing unit of a forage harvester. A magnetic field is provided in the area through which crop material is being fed. The field is produced by magnets mounted in a pattern that creates lines of flux at an angle to the general direction of movement of material. A unique pick-up coil arrangement with windings in the magnetic field provides induced signals responsive to the presence of metal objects in the field.

Abstract: A time delay device for the seat interlock mechanism on a skid-steer loader is disclosed wherein the boom structure will not be rendered inoperable for vertical movement, until the passage of a short predetermined period of time after the seat switch has indicated that the operator has left the loader seat. A solenoid valve is operable to stop the flow of fluid to the hydraulic cylinders moving the boom structure along a generally vertical path. A seat switch connected in the electrical circuit to the solenoid valve activates the solenoid valve to stop the fluid flow if the operator leaves the loader seat. The time delay device includes a capacitor, a resistor and a diode in series-parallel with both the source of electrical current and the solenoid valve and prevents the solenoid valve from restricting the flow of fluid through the hydraulic circuit to the boom lift cylinders for a short period of time after the seat switch has indicated that the operator has left the seat.

Abstract: The crop discharge spout of an agricultural machine is continuously adjusted so that the crop material discharge therefrom is always directed into an associated, but not necessarily connected, collector vehicle. An electro optical device affixed to the crop discharge spout illuminates a scanning area with an optical signal. A passive retroreflective target affixed to the collector vehicle and disposed within the scanning area reflects the optical signal back to the electro optical device. The electro optical device receives the reflected optical signal and causes logic means to generate control signals, such that appropriate utilization means aligns the crop discharge spout with the associated but not necessarily attached collector vehicle.

Abstract: Metal detectors having parallel magnetic fields produce signals which vary depending upon the shape and orientation of a metal object passing through the field. An improved metal detector sensor includes a magnet of special configuration having a multi-directional magnetic field resulting in a detector which is insensitive to orientation of the detected metal. One embodiment of the magnet is a pattern of cylindrical poles with the opposing pole central to the cylinder, thus creating a multiplicity of radially extending magnet fields. An alternate embodiment of the invention is an offset pattern of opposite poles which create two groups of fields, each at an angle to the general direction of movement of the material fed into the machine.

Abstract: In an infeed housing for a harvesting and threshing machine there is provided an improved infeed housing design that redirects the flow of crop material along its predetermined path of travel at a selectively creatable discontinuity in the floor of the infeed housing to ensure the ejection of stones and other non-frangible objects subsequent to their detection and prior to their reaching the threshing and separating apparatus of the combine.

Abstract: An illustrative embodiment of the invention provides an acoustic sensor for detecting stones and other hard foreign objects mixed within crop material in a harvesting machine susceptible to damage thereby. The acoustic sensor comprises a sensing surface disposed within an input path in the harvesting machine for impacting engagement with the flow of crop material therein and an acoustic sensing device coupled to the sensing surface for detecting acoustic vibrations induced within the sensing surface as a result of impact therewith by stones and other foreign objects mixed within the crop material. The sensor provides electrical signals in response to the acoustic vibrations indicative of the impact of the crop material and the foreign objects with the sensing surface and includes isolation means for obviating the effects of extraneous acoustical signals of the same character as the foreign object impacting signals to accentuate the foreign object impacting signals and thereby reduce the false alarm signals.

Abstract: A guidance assist system is mounted on an agricultural machine for directing the lateral movement thereof with respect to the severed edge of the crop material being harvested thereby. The crop, including the severed edge, is periodically, optically, scanned and an output signal, in response to the reflected illumination therefrom, is generated having a discontinuity therein representative of the severed crop edge. The deviation of this discontinuity from a predetermined point along the scan is determined by the apparatus and an error signal representative thereof is coupled to the utilization means for directing the lateral movement of the agricultural machine such that the error signal is reduced towards zero.

Abstract: The crop discharge spout of an agricultural machine is continuously adjusted so that the crop material discharged therefrom is always directed into a wagon connected to the rear of the agricultural machine. A sensor disposed on the agricultural machine cooperates with a mechanical follower which is coupled therefrom to the wagon to provide a signal indicative of the angle between the agricultural machine and the wagon. The signal is compared with a signal from a second sensor indicative of the angle of the direction of the crop discharge from the spout with respect to the agricultural machine and an error signal is developed from the difference therebetween. The error signal is coupled to a motor which rotates the discharge spout accordingly until the error signal is reduced to zero.

Abstract: A static magnetic field detector for harvesting machines senses the passage of ferrous or magnetic objects utilizing a balanced magnetic field excitation configuration which provides substantial self-cancellation of spurious background signals. A novel filtering means provides normalization of the fluctuations in the background noise due to the variations in the angular velocity of the rotating harvesting machine components. Additionally, the detector apparatus is disposed within a compressor feed roll of the machine thereby reducing the area which must be scanned and increasing the sensitivity of the device.