Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a straw hood having a hollow interior space for receiving material other than grain (MOG) from a threshing and separating system of the harvester and chaff from a cleaning system of the harvester. A drive system is provided for powering a straw chopper and a weed seed mill. The drive system includes a single belt positioned outside of the straw hood that is wound at least partially around (i) a straw chopper pulley that powers the straw chopper, (ii) a weed seed mill pulley that powers the weed seed mill, and (iii) a power take off shaft of the harvester that receives power from an engine or other power source of the harvester.

Abstract: A agricultural vehicle includes a step assembly having a step and a tank that is movably mounted to the step. The step has a flat and horizontally oriented top side and an angled side extending from the top side. The tank is movably mounted to the step and is configured to move between a stowed position and a deployed position. In the stowed position of the tank, a first side of the tank is aligned with and parallel to the angled side to form a continuous angled surface. In the deployed position of the tank, a second side of the tank is aligned with and parallel to the top side to form a continuous horizontal step surface.

Abstract: A fan assembly for a cleaning system of a combine harvester includes a housing having a plurality of interconnected walls, the interconnected walls defining least one inlet opening through which air is delivered into the housing, and at least one outlet opening through which air is exhausted from the housing. A deflector is positioned either at or adjacent the outlet opening, the deflector being configured to affect a flow of air across a width dimension W of the outlet opening. The deflector may be a single, unitary body or the deflector may include a plurality of independently rotatably panels.

Abstract: In one aspect, a system for monitoring the operational status of passive lift supports includes an actuatable component configured to be moved across a range of movement between a first position and a second position, and an actuator coupled to the component and being configured to actuate the component across the range of movement. The system also includes a passive lift support coupled to the component and being configured to provide a supplemental actuation force as the actuator is being used to actuate the component across the range of movement. In addition, the system includes a computing system configured to monitor a load-related parameter indicative of a load being carried by the actuator. The computing system is further configured to determine an operational status of the passive lift support based at least in part on the monitored load-related parameter.

Abstract: A chopper arrangement for an agricultural harvester, having a housing and a plurality of rotatable knife rows in the housing. The chopper arrangement includes a counter knife arrangement including a first counter knife bank and a second counter knife bank downstream of the first counter knife bank. The counter knife arrangement is movable between an engaged position, in which the first and second counter knife banks at least partially overlap the plurality of rotatable knife rows, and a disengaged position, in which the first and second counter knife banks are retracted away from the plurality of rotatable knife rows. The counter knife arrangement also includes a mechanical linkage coupling the first counter knife bank to the second counter knife bank to provide for simultaneous movement of the first and second counter knife banks upon actuation of the counter knife arrangement between the engaged and disengaged positions.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a straw hood having a hollow interior space for receiving material other than grain (MOG) from a threshing and separating system of the harvester and chaff from a cleaning system of the harvester. A drive system is provided for powering a straw chopper and a weed seed mill. The drive system includes a single belt positioned outside of the straw hood that is wound at least partially around (i) a straw chopper pulley that powers the straw chopper, (ii) a weed seed mill pulley that powers the weed seed mill, and (iii) a power take off shaft of the harvester that receives power from an engine or other power source of the harvester.

Abstract: A feeder for an agricultural vehicle includes a feeder body defining a hollow interior space for receiving crop material from a header of the agricultural vehicle, a faceplate that is movably mounted to the feeder body, and a scissor jack assembly that is configured for rotating the faceplate with respect to the feeder body to adjust a fore-aft angle of the faceplate relative to the feeder body. The faceplate is configured to be removably coupled to the header of the agricultural vehicle.

Abstract: A agricultural vehicle includes a step assembly having a step and a tank that is movably mounted to the step. The step has a flat and horizontally oriented top side and an angled side extending from the top side. The tank is movably mounted to the step and is configured to move between a stowed position and a deployed position. In the stowed position of the tank, a first side of the tank is aligned with and parallel to the angled side to form a continuous angled surface. In the deployed position of the tank, a second side of the tank is aligned with and parallel to the top side to form a continuous horizontal step surface.

Abstract: A bubble-up auger for a combine harvester includes a rotatable shaft, a lower auger section either mounted to or forming part of the rotatable shaft, and an upper auger section that is removably connected to the lower auger section, and includes an opening through which the shaft is at least partially positioned. The upper auger section is moveable between a first position where the upper auger section is detached from the lower auger section and a second position where the upper auger section is connected to the lower auger section.

Abstract: A spreader system of an agricultural vehicle for spreading crop residue over a field includes a first spreader device including a plurality of first paddles configured to rotate about a first axis to define a first spread path; and a second spreader device including a plurality of second paddles configured to rotate about a second axis to define a second spread path. The second spreader device and the first spreader device are located side-by-side. The spreader system further includes deflector that include a first deflector portion for deflecting the first spread path and a second deflector portion for deflecting the second spread path. The spreader further includes a deflector driver connected to the deflector. The deflector driver is configured to move the first deflector portion and the second deflector portion of the deflector in a direction generally parallel to the first axis or the second axis in an oscillating pattern.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes an IC engine, a grain tank, and a fluid cooling system for at least one component onboard the agricultural harvester. The fluid cooling system has a cooling package positioned between the IC engine and the grain tank. The cooling package includes a housing, and a plurality of cooling units arranged in a side-to-side manner within the housing, transverse to a fore-aft direction of the harvester.

Abstract: A chopper arrangement for an agricultural harvester, having a housing and a plurality of rotatable knife rows in the housing. The chopper arrangement includes a counter knife arrangement including a first counter knife bank and a second counter knife bank downstream of the first counter knife bank. The counter knife arrangement is movable between an engaged position, in which the first and second counter knife banks at least partially overlap the plurality of rotatable knife rows, and a disengaged position, in which the first and second counter knife banks are retracted away from the plurality of rotatable knife rows. The counter knife arrangement also includes a mechanical linkage coupling the first counter knife bank to the second counter knife bank to provide for simultaneous movement of the first and second counter knife banks upon actuation of the counter knife arrangement between the engaged and disengaged positions.

Abstract: A grain cleaning system in an agricultural harvester, that includes a chaff pan with a pivotal axis near an end of the chaff pan. The chaff pan has a dual locking system coupled thereto for holding the chaff pan in two different positions. The dual locking system has a first over-center locking arrangement and a second over-center locking arrangement. The first locking arrangement is used to hold the chaff pan in an upward position when the first locking arrangement is locked. The first locking arrangement includes a first linkage element; and a second linkage element. The second locking arrangement holds the chaff pan in a locked downward position when the second locking arrangement is locked. The second locking arrangement includes a first linkage element; and a second linkage element. The first linkage element of the first locking arrangement is also the first linkage element of the second locking arrangement.

Abstract: A cleaning system for a combine harvester includes a fan, at least one duct having an interior passageway that is positioned to receive an air stream from the fan, and a surface defined within the interior passageway of the at least one duct that is configured to restrict a volume of the flow of air passing through the at least one duct and increase a pressure of the air stream passing through the duct.

Abstract: In a combine harvester (10), the forward-directed driveline from the combine is coupled to the transversely oriented header drive axle through a transverse gearbox (26) that is mounted on a moveable cradle frame (20) onto which the header is mounted. in addition, the housing (28) of the gearbox or at least the portion of the housing including the input axle of the gearbox is rotatably arranged relative to the cradle frame (20), about a rotation axis oriented transversely to the combine's forward direction. A mechanical link (45) is furthermore provided between the rotatable gearbox housing (portion) (28) and the feeder housing (11), configured to control the orientation of the input axle (29) of the transverse gearbox, so as to maintain the alignment of the input axle (29) relative to the driveline of the combine.

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: An agricultural vehicle crop feeder system having housings defining a crop passage, a conveyor assembly, a rotor, a guide plate, and one or more guide vanes extending from the guide plate. The conveyor assembly propels crop material along a feeder flow direction to the rotor. The rotor has inlet vanes that receive the crop material in a receiving region located below the rotor's axis. The leading edges of the rotor inlet vanes travel towards the receiving region on a first transverse side of the rotor axis and away from the receiving region on a second transverse side of the rotor axis. The guide plate is adjacent the receiving region. The guide vane extends into the crop passage on the first side of the rotor axis, and angled relative to the flow direction with its trailing edge closer to the first rotor axis, in the transverse direction, than the leading edge.

Abstract: An agricultural vehicle crop feeder system having housings defining a crop passage, a conveyor assembly, a rotor, a guide plate, and one or more guide vanes extending from the guide plate. The conveyor assembly propels crop material along a feeder flow direction to the rotor. The rotor has inlet vanes that receive the crop material in a receiving region located below the rotor's axis. The leading edges of the rotor inlet vanes travel towards the receiving region on a first transverse side of the rotor axis and away from the receiving region on a second transverse side of the rotor axis. The guide plate is adjacent the receiving region. The guide vane extends into the crop passage on the first side of the rotor axis, and angled relative to the flow direction with its trailing edge closer to the first rotor axis, in the transverse direction, than the leading edge.

Abstract: A method for controlling crop material speed through a rotor/cage assembly of an agricultural combine. The method includes the steps of monitoring a grain loss of the combine and adjusting an orientation of a vane coupled to the cage responsive to the grain loss, a cleaning system load and/or a straw length.

Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a chassis, at least one power take off member, and a folding header operably coupled to the agricultural vehicle and supported by the chassis. The folding header includes a center section operably coupled to the chassis of the agricultural vehicle. The center section includes a pair of lateral ends and at least one drive assembly operably coupled to the at least one power take off member of the agricultural vehicle. The folding header also includes at least one additional section pivotally coupled to one of the lateral ends of the center section and operably coupled to the at least one drive assembly. The at least one additional section is selectively pivotable between an operational position and a nonoperational position. The center section is configured to harvest a crop material in both of the operational position and nonoperational position of the at least one additional section.