Abstract: A combine harvester includes one or more threshing rotors (5) mounted in the harvester, a grain pan (7) and a set of sieves (8), and a drive mechanism configured to drive a longitudinal reciprocating motion of the grain pan (7) and superimpose a lateral reciprocating motion component on the longitudinal reciprocating motion.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester including a chassis, a threshing and separating system for separating grain from MOG, and a grain cleaning system for further separating grain from residual MOG. The grain cleaning system has a main grain pan, an intermediate grain pan located beneath and rearward of the main grain pan, and at least one sieve located beneath and rearward of the intermediate grain pan. The main grain pan, the intermediate grain pan, and the at least one sieve are so arranged that the mixture of grain and residual MOG undergoes a first fall step from the main grain pan to the intermediate grain pan and a second fall step from the intermediate grain pan to the at least one sieve.

Abstract: A work machine with an internal combustion engine is provided with an air inlet for receiving combustion air, wherein an air pre-cleaner is mounted in the inlet, a radiator, a cooling air fan and a debris removal means, configured to remove debris from a flow of air produced by the cooling air fan through the radiator, the removal means comprising a screen for collecting the debris, and an aspirator for aspirating the debris away from the screen, and a venturi element mounted downstream of the aspirator, and having an inlet portion, a throat portion and an outlet portion, wherein a duct is mounted between the engine air pre-cleaner and the throat portion, so that particles removed by the pre-cleaner flow towards the throat portion, and out through the outlet portion of the venturi element, together with the aspirated debris.

Abstract: An apparatus that controls the position of a component of a mechanical system, such as an adjustable concave in a combine harvester, while at the same time exhibiting a safety function that is reversible without requiring a long downtime of the combine. The apparatus includes a control part and an auxiliary part, both pivotable about the same axis, and a force transmission part to maintain these two parts in an assembled state by a spring force, as long as the component is subjected to forces below a given limit. When the forces exceed the limit, the auxiliary part and the control part are configured to become separated in such a manner that they can be reassembled by the intervention of an actuator. The safety function of the apparatus resembles the operation of a shear bolt.

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.

Abstract: An Agricultural vehicle has a frame supported by a front pair of wheels and a back pair of wheels, wherein the back pair of wheels are steerable and wherein each wheel of the back pair of wheels is connected to the frame via a respective intermediate support element that is pivotable with respect to the frame in such a manner that the back pair of wheels are movable between a first position wherein the back pair of wheels defines a first track width and are positioned at a first distance from the front pair of wheels, and a second position wherein the back pair of wheels defines a second track width and are positioned at a second distance from the front pair of wheels, wherein the first track width is larger than the second track width and wherein the first distance is smaller than the second distance.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a grain processing section having a crop material handling assembly. The crop material handling assembly is driven in fore and aft oscillation by a device while permitting side to side movement. A pivotal link mechanism structurally connected to the crop material handling assembly midway between its side members and to the agricultural harvester chassis drives linear side to side movement of the crop material handling assembly while permitting fore and aft movement thereof.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester including a feeder. The feeder is pivotally mounted to an intermediate frame with respect to a first axis of motion. The intermediate frame is pivotally mounted to a header mounting frame with respect to a second axis of motion. Pivoting around the first axis of motion and the second axis of motion allows a fore-aft movement and a lateral tilt movement. At least one lateral tilt actuator is provided to actuate the header mounting frame in the lateral tilt movement. At least two fore-aft actuators are provided for extending between a first set of mounting positions at the feeder and a second set of mounting positions at the header mounting frame to actuate the header mounting frame in the fore-aft movement.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester with crop residue spreaders distributing crop residue laterally. Each crop residue spreader has a plurality of radially extending bats rotatable within a housing for directing residue from an axially directed inlet radially outward through an outer outlet. The housing has an outer wall with a height that increases axially in a uniform fashion around the periphery to minimize if not eliminate recirculation of residue to the inlet.

Abstract: A residue handling system of an agricultural harvester includes a straw beater for receiving material other than grain from a threshing and separating system. A subsequent residue treatment device receives the material from the straw beater and breaks down larger parts of the material prior to discharge from the agricultural harvester. At least one wind generating system is located at an end of the straw beater and directs a flow of air from the vicinity of the straw beater to the subsequent residue treatment device. The flow of air is directed to pass substantially through an upper rearward part of the residue handling system. The flow of air operates to further entrain, render airborne, and transport material other than grain proceeding from the straw beater to the subsequent residue treatment device.

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 harvesting machine crop unloading spout assembly includes an unloading tube elbow terminating at a first end in a first flange that is secured to the outlet of a harvesting machine crop tank. The first flange includes one or more bearings permitting it to swivel about a swivel axis and the unloading tube elbow includes a cranked portion terminating at a second end in an opening. The spout assembly further includes a fixed member adjacent the unloading tube elbow, the unloading tube elbow connected to the fixed member by way of a pivot the axis of which coincides with the swivel axis. The spout assembly includes a rotatable drive gear and a motor drivingly engaged therewith for causing rotation of the unloading tube elbow about the swivel axis, the axis of rotation of the drive gear also coinciding with the swivel axis.

Abstract: A combine harvester has an inclination module coupled to the straw walker control system. The inclination module provides information on the inclination of the combine harvester. The straw walker control system is further configured to control the controllable frequency of the oscillating movement in function of the information on the inclination of the combine harvester.

Abstract: A spreader arrangement for an agricultural harvester includes a pair of spreader discs, at least one cover plate and a windrow chute. The spreader discs are generally horizontally arranged and rotatable in a counter rotating manner. Each cover plate is positioned at a location above a respective spreader disc, and is operable to inhibit a flow of crop material to the respective spreader disc when positioned above the respective spreader disc. The windrow chute has an entrance end positioned below the pair of cover plates and above the pair of spreader discs, whereby crop material is discharged from the top of the cover plates into the windrow chute.

Abstract: A rotor housing assembly for a harvester has at least one cover plate forming part of a generally cylindrical shaped rotor housing, a central longitudinal axis, and an inner surface, which, when mounted, faces the central longitudinal axis and has a first radius, and one or more rotatable vanes which each are rotatably mounted on an inner surface of the cover plate facing the central longitudinal axis at a rotation point. The one or more rotatable vanes have a contact surface with the inner surface. The contact surface has a second radius that is larger than the first radius of the cover plate. The inner surface of the top cover plate, per rotatable vane, has a symmetrically curved shape such that, during a rotation of the respective vane, the contact surface of the vane with the inner surface of the cover plate substantially follows the shape of the inner surface.

Abstract: In a combine harvester the cleaning arrangement is placed above the threshing and separation system so that the sieves of the cleaning arrangement can be 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 the cleaning arrangement.

Abstract: A feeder for a combine harvester. The feeder includes a housing and a conveyor assembly mounted in the housing. The conveyor assembly includes a frame having lateral support arms, and moveable belts guided by sprocket wheels. The sprocket wheels are mounted on a drive shaft proximate an outlet section of the housing and on a conveyor shaft proximate an inlet section of the housing. The sprocket wheels are mounted on a drive shaft proximate an outlet section of the housing and on a conveyor shaft proximate an inlet section. The conveyor assembly is equipped with a first and second tensioning mechanism, the first mechanism being configured to push the conveyor shaft forward with respect to the frame, the second mechanism including spring-operated tensioning arms and tensioning rolls mounted above the support arms.

Abstract: A combine harvester is provided with a threshing system, a preparation arrangement and cleaning arrangement. The preparation arrangement comprises multiple preparation stages, each of said stages being configured to transport said mixture over a given distance between a front edge and a rear edge of the stage, with an air gap being present between each pair of consecutive stages. The preparation arrangement further comprises a blower, separate from the main blower, said blower configured to direct air towards at least one of said air gaps, to thereby blow at least a portion of said mixture towards the rear of the combine harvester. The preparation arrangement comprises a plate provided with fins mounted transversally with respect to the longitudinal direction of the harvester, each fin representing one of said preparation stages, the plate further comprising one or more openings between at least one pair of consecutive fins.

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; computing an engine power reserve value; and adjusting an orientation of a vane coupled to the cage responsive to the engine power reserve value and to the grain loss, a cleaning system load and/or a straw length.

Abstract: A spreader for a harvesting machine includes a pair of counter-rotating spreader units each having an impeller and a fan supported on a common shaft. A plenum routes at least part of the airflow from a first fan to merge with chaff exiting the opposite impeller and at least a part of the airflow from the opposite fan to merge with chaff exiting the impeller on the machine side of the first fan. In one embodiment all airflow from a fan is ducted to an impeller on the opposite side, while a second embodiment commingles airflow from both fans in a plenum from which portions of the mixed airflows is directed to the chaff exiting each impeller exit. In a third, embodiment an established airflow receives chaff from the impeller on the side on which that airflow is generated.