Abstract: A farm tractor is automatically guided along a row of stalks to harvest the crop from the stalks. Every 30 ms the average of 10 ms readings of the distance or deviation of the tractor from the row of stalks is calculated. The angles of the guiding wheels are measured. These two are compared. If the wheels are not angled correctly according to this comparison, a correction is made to the steering wheel, which is the manual steering wheel normally used to guide the tractor. For Auto-Track the deviation is averaged for 7/8ths of a second. If this average shows that the tractor is deviating consistently to one side or another the deviation will be corrected according to the controls. The 7/8ths second calculation is repeated every 7/8ths of a second. At any time that the 7/8ths calculation shows that there is a persistent deviation a correction will be made. These corrections will remain as a permanent correction until a subsequent correction changes them.

Abstract: A guidance system is provided for a cotton picker. The cotton pickers commercially on the market have lifting plates on each of the gathering heads to lift the lower limbs of the cotton plant. To make the wands of the detection of the position of the row operate satisfactorily the limbs are bunched together by bunching plates above the lifting plates. The effective width of the bunching plates is adjustable by an adjustment plate on top of the bunching plate. The wands are straps of metal made from plate rather than rods, as generally used for crop detection purposes. The wands are mounted for pivoting about a shaft which extends from the bunching plate to the lifting plate.

Abstract: A carrier for a row follower is pivoted to the front of an agricultural tractor by a horizontal carrier pivot which is at right angles to the direction of travel of the tractor. This pivot permits the carrier to pivot away from the tractor in the event the tractor is reversed in direction of travel while the row follower is in the operating position. The row follower is connected to an encoder housing. The encoder housing is mounted upon an assembly pivot bolt so that it may be tilted to a carry position which raises to horizontal position, a shank which carries the row follower. The tilting of the encoder is accomplished by a solenoid which is primarily controlled from the cab of the tractor. The row follower shank is biased to be in a position aligned with the direction of travel. Also, the row follower shank is limited by the prongs of a fork to a maximum limited deviation from the alignment with the direction of travel so that it does not swing wildly.

Abstract: An encoder is mounted upon a vehicle within a sealed, tubular housing. The encoder is mounted within the housing by a shock absorbing mount. Stub shafts extend from each end of the tubular housing which are co-axial and which are aligned with a direction of movement of the vehicle. The stub shafts are sturdy and carry a row follower upon them. The row follower contacts a path to be followed along the ground. At least one of the sturdy stub shafts are connected to the encoder by a shock absorbing, flexible coupling. The encoder translates signals by which the vehicle is guided along the path contacted by the row follower.

Abstract: A cable analyzer is capable of having a group of 25 pairs of wire from a telephone cable connected by a module to the analyzer. By a central processing unit or computer in the analyzer, a series of relays connect any one of the pair of wires to a routing board. At the routing board, a plurality of analog tests may be directed to be conducted upon the pair of wires and ground, or the wires may be routed within the analyzer for other purposes. The results of the analog tests are converted to binary digital format so that they may be analyzed by the central processing unit. The results are visually displayed or printed. The central processing unit has the capabilities, through different programs, to conduct a plurality of tests upon each pair, and upon the completion of the plurality of tests, proceed to a subsequent pair for a plurality of tests.

Abstract: A cable analyzer is capable of having a group of 25 pairs of wire from a telephone cable connected by a module to the analyzer. By a central processing unit or computer in the analyzer, a series of relays connect any one of the pair of wires to a routing board. At the routing board, a plurality of analog tests may be directed to be conducted upon the pair of wires and ground, or the wires may be routed for other purposes. The results of the analog tests are converted to binary digital format so that they may be analyzed by the central processing unit. The results are visually displayed or printed. The central processing unit has the capabilities through different programs to conduct a plurality of tests upon each pair and upon the completion of the plurality of tests, proceed to a subsequent pair for a plurality of tests.

Abstract: A cable analyzer is capable of having at least 3 pairs of wire from telephone cables connected to the analyzer. By a central processing unit or computer in the analyzer, a series of relays connect any one of the pair of wires to a routing board. At the routing board, a plurality of analog tests may be directed to be conducted upon the pair of wires and ground, or the wires may be routed within the analyzer for other purposes. The results of the analog tests are converted to binary digital format so that they may be analyzed by the central processing unit. The results are visually displayed. The central processing unit has the capabilities, through different programs, to cause the analyzer to conduct a plurality of procedures upon each pair and to connect the pairs. Two analyzers, physically separated, are connected as master and slave so that the master analyzer controls the slave analyzer.