Abstract: A forage harvester and a method of operating the same which comprises a crop processor unit located in a crop flow between a cutterhead and a blower rotor, the crop processor unit being for handling crop material including kernels, the crop processor comprising a pair of counter-rotating processor rolls arranged to crack kernels between the rolls when the rolls are in a first position, both processor rolls being movable away from each other to move each roll substantially out of the crop flow into a second position. A cover plate is preferably arranged to move and cover the lower roll when the rolls are in a second position and to isolate the lower roll from the crop flow. The processor rolls are preferably driven by independent drives. One of the drives can be a hydraulic motor supplied with pressure from a hydraulic pump which can also work as a motor. When used as a motor the cutterhead may be driven in the reverse direction for maintenance purposes.

Abstract: An agricultural baler operable to produce square bales compries a bale case having an inlet opening formed therein, a feeder duct communicating at one end with the inlet opening in the bale case, and feeder tines operable to feed crop material into the feeder duct to form a wad of crop material for subsequent transfer to the bale case. The feeder duct is provided with an opening in a wall thereof, and releasable doors are provided for the opening in the wall of the feeder duct. Thus, in the event of the feeder duct becoming plugged, all that is necessary to remove the plug of crop material is for the doors for the opening in the wall of the feeder duct to be released and for the feeder tines to be driven so that the plug of crop material is dislodged and discharged through the opening in the feeder duct wall.

Abstract: A round baler is provided which comprises a bale chamber which is expandable between a bale start position and a full bale position and which comprises a first bale-forming means disposed generally circumferentially around a portion of the full size bale chamber when the baler is in its bale-forming condition, and a second bale-forming means which is movable relative to the first bale-forming means between two extreme positions. The second bale-forming means is cooperable, in one extreme position, with the first bale-forming means to form the bale start chamber of reduced dimensions for starting bale formation, and, in the other extreme position, with the first bale-forming means to define a generally cylindrical bale chamber generally corresponding to a full size bale. The first and second bale-forming means are cooperable to form a round bale of crop material during movement of the second bale-forming means from the one extreme position towards the other extreme position.

Abstract: A harvesting machine comprising a threshing mechanism, a transverse rotary separator mechanism having discharge outlets adjacent its opposite ends, and discharge channels in register with the discharge outlets leading to a common strawhood. The separator mechanism is arranged spirally to convey crop material received from the threshing mechanism toward each of its ends while submitting the crop material to a separating action and to forcefully eject crop material through said discharge outlets and through said discharge channels in the direction of the common strawhood. A crop material chopper device is associated with each discharge channel and is disposed out of the normal path of the crop materials through the respective discharge channel. A deflector device associated with each chopper device is adjustable between a position retracted from said normal path of the crop material and a further position across said normal path.

Abstract: A combine harvester is disclosed in which the threshing and separating means includes a rotor, a concave extending at least partially around the rotor at a location above the axis of rotation of the rotor, and sweepers disposed in the vicinity of the concave and operable to sweep crop material passing through the concave means away from the latter so as to prevent any excessive build up of crop material on the concave.

Abstract: A harvesting machine comprising a transversely extending threshing mechanism having a threshing cylinder cooperable with a threshing concave for threshing a layer of crop material fed therebetween and a separating mechanism having a first and a second separating component, operable to submit the layer of crop material received from the threshing mechanism to a first and a second separating action. The first component comprises a separator cylinder cooperable with a separator concave and has a plurality of beater means transversely spaced apart on the width thereof. The beater means are arranged to impact on sections of the layer of crop material received from the threshing mechanism, thus submitting said material to said first separating action and conveying it to the second component. The second component comprises at least one separator rotor cooperable with a separator housing including a separator concave.

Abstract: A combine harvester with a threshing, separating and cleaning device, the cleaning device comprising a grain pan (6), at least one cleaning sieve (7, 8) and a cleaning fan (9) operatively positioned relative to each other and pivotable in unison about a generally fore-and-aft extending axis (53) so that, when the combine harvester is transversely inclined relative to the horizontal, the cleaning device may be leveled to a transverse generally horizontal position.

Abstract: A harvesting machine comprising a transversely extending threshold mechanism having a threshing cylinder cooperable with a threshing concave for threshing a layer of crop material fed therebetween and a separating mechanism having a separator rotor cooperable with a separator housing including a separator concave and disposed parallel to the threshing mechanism. Crop layer dividing means are foreseen on the separator rotor for dividing the layer of crop material received from the threshing mechanism into two portions. Separator means extend lengthwise of the separator rotor and are arranged spirally to convey said portions of the layer received from the threshing mechanism around said rotor in opposite directions to the opposite ends of the separating mechanism while submitting the crop material to a separating action.

Abstract: A havesting machine comprising a separating mechanism having a separating rotor cooperable with a separator housing including a separator concave and arranged spirally to convey crop material to at least one end thereof while submitting said crop material to a separating action and cleaning means disposed below the separating mechanism for cleaning separated grain. Deflector means are provided which together with the separator concave define an open ended cavity having its open end facing to the cleaning means for leading grain separated through said separator concave to said cleaning means. An air inlet is provided in the deflector means defining the cavity at the upper portion of said cavity.

Abstract: A harvesting machine comprising a transversely extending threshing mechanism having a threshing cylinder cooperable with a threshing concave for threshing a layer of crop material fed therebetween and a separating mechanism having a separator rotor cooperable with a separator housing including a separator concave and disposed parallel to the threshing mechanism and being arranged spirally to convey portions of the layer of crop material received from the threshing mechanism towards each of its ends while submitting the crop material to a separating action. A rotary member with a plurality of beater means transversely spaced apart on the width thereof, is disposed between the threshing mechanism and the separating mechanism for orienting crop material in the layer of crop material received from the threshing mechanism generally lengthwise in the direction of movement of the layer.

Abstract: A combine harvester includes an auger, a rethresher rotor and an impeller for transferring crop material from the auger to the rethresher. A shaft, rotatably mounted in the harvester, carries the auger, the impeller and the rotor.

Abstract: A combine harvester with a threshing and a separating mechanism for threshing and separating crop material and a cleaning device for cleaning threshed and separated grain. The cleaning device comprises a cleaning fan structure with a fan housing and a fan therein. The fan housing comprises a generally cylindrical body extending transversely of the cleaning device with a pair of opposite end walls and an air inlet provided in each end wall and a further air inlet and an air outlet provided in the cylindrical body and extending transversely of the cleaning device.

Abstract: A combine harvester includes a conveyor attached tangentially to a rethresher rotor. An auger extends from the rethresher to a grain pan. A rotatable shaft carries the auger and also carries an impeller. The auger has a first diameter adjacent the rethresher rotor and has a second, larger diameter adjacent the grain pan.

Abstract: A rotor for an axial flow combine which is adapted to coact with conventional grate means in said combine, said rotor having on the forward end thereof interrupted infeed flight means which are spiral segments spaced both axially and circumferentially from each other, and certain of the leading ends of said flight segments in the direction of rotation of the rotor extending radially a limited distance beyond the outer edges of said segments to provide aggressive engagement of said segments with crop material being delivered to said flight from conventional elevator mechanism and the like normally employed in combines.

Abstract: In a combine harvesting machine comprising a plurality of interconnected sub-assemblies, there is provided the apparatus and the method for utilizing an entirely separate, self-contained, and self-supporting straw walker sub-assembly that may be mounted to a mobile chassis during the production line assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to combine harvesters having stone traps for collecting stones and other foreign objects before they reach the threshing means of the harvesters and enabling the trapped stones to be easily removed from the harvesters.