Abstract: A chopper assembly for harvesting equipment including a rotary chopper device with a plurality of knives and a cylindrical chopper grate assembly spaced from the rotary chopper to form a passageway for crop residue. The chopper grate assembly includes a plurality of slots extending in the direction of crop residue flow. A knife bank assembly includes a plurality of knife elements aligned with and insertable in the slots with the knife bank assembly being displaceable toward and between a position where the bank knife elements are fully inserted through the slots into the passageway and a position where they are substantially clear of the passageway. A deflector is provided for covering the slots and the deflector is displaceable with the knife elements to uncover the slots as the knife elements are displaced through the slots and into the passageway.

Abstract: A cleaning system for use in an agricultural harvester includes a sieve and an auger arrangement positioned below the sieve. The auger arrangement includes an auger, an end plate carrying the auger and having a curved slot positioned radially outside of the auger, a deformable seal associated with the curved slot, a trough having an inner side wall, and an elongate removable pull out which is slidable through the curved slot adjacent to the inner side wall. The removable pull out and the deformable seal together being configured to prevent exit and entry of loose particles through the curved slot.

Abstract: An agricultural harvesting system including a chassis, an agricultural product moving device coupled to the chassis, an airflow system, a cleaning system and an airflow characterizing system. The cleaning system is configured to receive the agricultural product from the moving device. The cleaning system is configured to receive an airflow from the airflow system. The airflow characterizing system is at least partially positioned in the airflow, and is configured to measure an airflow profile across the cleaning system. The airflow characterizing system includes a plurality of sensors that determine airflow by measuring a thermal transfer from the sensors to the airflow. The airflow characterizing system being configured to maintain a substantially constant electrical resistance of the sensors as the airflow varies. The airflow characteristics are measured in the cleaning system and are used to improve the cleaning capacity of the harvesting system.

Abstract: A combine side-shaking control system includes a sieve for separating crop material from other materials and a movable side-shaking mechanism coupled to the sieve and configured to move the sieve in a side-to-side motion. The control system also includes also includes first and second grain loss sensors configured to sense amounts of grain loss from separate portions of the sieve. The control system further includes a controller configured to: (i) receive a first grain loss value corresponding to the sensed first amount of grain loss and a second grain loss value corresponding to the sensed second amount of grain loss; and (ii) cause the side-shaking mechanism to control movement of the sieve in the side-to-side motion based on at least one of the received first grain loss value and the received second grain loss value.

Abstract: A combine side-shaking control system that includes a sieve for separating crop material from other material, located in a plane having an X dimension and a Y dimension and configured to move in a fore-aft direction in the X dimension, in a side-to-side direction in the Y dimension and in an up-down direction in a Z dimension. The system also includes a side-shaking assembly configured to move the sieve in the side-to-side direction in the Y dimension. The fixed arm is attached to the sieve and configured to move with the sieve in (i) the fore-aft direction in the X dimension, (ii) the side-to-side direction in the Y dimension and (iii) the up-down direction in the Z dimension. The side-shaking coupling portion comprises a moving portion configured to move in a diagonal direction having a fore-aft component in the X dimension and an up-down component in the Z dimension.

Abstract: A combine side-shaking control system includes a sieve for separating crop material from other materials and configured to move in a fore-aft direction. At least one side-shaking assembly includes a mounting device attached to a combine chassis, a lower plate configured to rotate about a lower plate axis and an upper plate configured to (i) have an upper plate rotational motion and rotate responsive to the rotation of the lower plate and (ii) have an upper plate substantially linear motion in a substantially linear direction. A fixed arm is rotatably coupled to the upper plate and attached to the sieve. An actuation device is configured to rotate the lower plate about the lower plate axis. Responsive to the rotation of the upper plate, the sieve is controlled to move diagonal to the fore-aft direction in the substantially linear direction of the upper plate substantially linear motion.

Abstract: A combine side-shaking control system and a method for controlling operation of a side-shaking mechanism in a combine. The control system includes at least one sieve for separating crop material from other materials and a movable side-shaking mechanism coupled to the at least one sieve and configured to move the at least one sieve in a side-to-side motion. The control system also includes at least one sensor for sensing at least one operating condition of a combine system. The control system further includes a controller for receiving the at least one operating condition and causing the side-shaking mechanism to stop moving the at least one sieve in the side-to-side motion or start moving the at least one sieve in the side-to-side motion based on the at least one operating condition.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester with a flexible crop residue management system. A pivotal swath door and displaceable windrow chute are coordinated to be displaced between positions in which all of crop residue is spread laterally and another position in which straw in the crop residue is directed in a windrow by a windrow chute and the chaff is directed laterally. The windrow chute and swath door are each pivotally mounted and a linkage is provided between the windrow chute and swath door in the form of bars extending in between rollers to displace the windrow chute in coordination with the displacement of the swath door.

Abstract: An agricultural machine includes: a base member; a residue assembly; a support member assembly being pivotally coupled with the base member and being connected to the residue assembly, the support member assembly supporting the residue assembly and being configured for moving the residue assembly relative to the base member between a residue assembly operating position and a residue assembly service position about a pivot axis substantially without raising an elevation of the residue assembly when the residue assembly is in the residue assembly service position.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester with a flexible crop residue management system. A pivotal swath door and displaceable windrow chute are coordinated to be displaced between positions in which all of crop residue is spread laterally and another position in which straw in the crop residue is directed in a windrow by a windrow chute and the chaff is directed laterally.

Abstract: An evaluation tool related to operation of a combine is provided to aid an operator of the combine. A processing device implements the evaluation tool by receiving an input related to an evaluation to be performed from the operator of the combine. The processing device initializes the evaluation to be performed. A plurality of sensors are operably connected to the processing device and collect data related to the operation of the combine during the evaluation. The processing device analyzes the collected data and presents the analyzed data to the operator of the combine. As such, the operator may review the analyzed data and make an informed choice in proceeding with the combine operation, such as changing settings or operating components to affect the combine performance.

Abstract: A chopper assembly for harvesting equipment including a rotary chopper device with a plurality of knives and a cylindrical chopper grate assembly spaced from the rotary chopper to form a passageway for crop residue. The chopper grate assembly includes a plurality of slots extending in the direction of crop residue flow. A knife bank assembly includes a plurality of knife elements aligned with and insertable in the slots with the knife bank assembly being displaceable toward and between a position where the bank knife elements are fully inserted through the slots into the passageway and a position where they are substantially clear of the passageway. A deflector is provided for covering the slots and the deflector is displaceable with the knife elements to uncover the slots as the knife elements are displaced through the slots and into the passageway.

Abstract: A combine side-shaking control system and a method for controlling operation of a side-shaking mechanism in a combine. The control system includes at least one sieve for separating crop material from other materials and a movable side-shaking mechanism coupled to the at least one sieve and configured to move the at least one sieve in a side-to-side motion. The control system also includes at least one sensor for sensing at least one operating condition of a combine system. The control system further includes a controller for receiving the at least one operating condition and causing the side-shaking mechanism to stop moving the at least one sieve in the side-to-side motion or start moving the at least one sieve in the side-to-side motion based on the at least one operating condition.

Abstract: A combine side-shaking control system that includes a sieve for separating crop material from other material, located in a plane having an X dimension and a Y dimension and configured to move in a fore-aft direction in the X dimension, in a side-to-side direction in the Y dimension and in an up-down direction in a Z dimension. The system also includes a side-shaking assembly configured to move the sieve in the side-to-side direction in the Y dimension. The fixed arm is attached to the sieve and configured to move with the sieve in (i) the fore-aft direction in the X dimension, (ii) the side-to-side direction in the Y dimension and (iii) the up-down direction in the Z dimension. The side-shaking coupling portion comprises a moving portion configured to move in a diagonal direction having a fore-aft component in the X dimension and an up-down component in the Z dimension.

Abstract: A combine side-shaking control system includes a sieve for separating crop material from other materials and configured to move in a fore-aft direction. At least one side-shaking assembly includes a mounting device attached to a combine chassis, a lower plate configured to rotate about a lower plate axis and an upper plate configured to (i) have an upper plate rotational motion and rotate responsive to the rotation of the lower plate and (ii) have an upper plate substantially linear motion in a substantially linear direction. A fixed arm is rotatably coupled to the upper plate and attached to the sieve. An actuation device is configured to rotate the lower plate about the lower plate axis. Responsive to the rotation of the upper plate, the sieve is controlled to move diagonal to the fore-aft direction in the substantially linear direction of the upper plate substantially linear motion.

Abstract: An evaluation tool related to operation of a combine is provided to aid an operator of the combine. A processing device implements the evaluation tool by receiving an input related to an evaluation to be performed from the operator of the combine. The processing device initializes the evaluation to be performed. A plurality of sensors are operably connected to the processing device and collect data related to the operation of the combine during the evaluation. The processing device analyzes the collected data and presents the analyzed data to the operator of the combine. As such, the operator may review the analyzed data and make an informed choice in proceeding with the combine operation, such as changing settings or operating components to affect the combine performance.

Abstract: A combine side-shaking control system and a method for controlling operation of a side-shaking mechanism in a combine. The control system includes at least one sieve for separating crop material from other materials and a movable side-shaking mechanism coupled to the at least one sieve and configured to move the at least one sieve in a side-to-side motion. The control system also includes at least one sensor for sensing at least one operating condition of a combine system. The control system further includes a controller for receiving the at least one operating condition and causing the side-shaking mechanism to stop moving the at least one sieve in the side-to-side motion or start moving the at least one sieve in the side-to-side motion based on the at least one operating condition.

Abstract: A rasp bar assembly is disclosed that includes a rasp bar having a plurality of rotation stops that contact the rasp bar mount. The plurality of rotation stops stabilize the rasp bar upon the rasp bar mount and prevent the rasp bar from rotating from its assembled position.

Abstract: A spreader disk assembly for spreading crop residue such as straw discharged from an agricultural harvesting machine, and more particularly, which has a bat support mechanism that enables the bats to be quickly and easily hingedly or pivotally convertible from a deployed spreading mode to a flattened stowed mode for windrowing, which does not require removal of the bats, or the disk from the spreader. A locking mechanism is provided that enables the quick and easy conversion and securely holds the bats in both modes.

Abstract: A spreader disk assembly for spreading crop residue such as straw discharged from an agricultural harvesting machine, and more particularly, which has a bat support mechanism that enables the bats to be quickly and easily hingedly or pivotally convertible from a deployed spreading mode to a flattened stowed mode for windrowing, which does not require removal of the bats, or the disk from the spreader. A locking mechanism is provided that enables the quick and easy conversion and securely holds the bats in both modes.