Abstract: A system and method for conveying agricultural material in a harvester. One harvester includes a rotor which rotates to separate a plant into a first agricultural material and a second agricultural material. A grate is disposed vertically below the rotor and further separates the first and second agricultural materials from one another. A first conveyor receives the first and second agricultural material directly from a trailing end of the rotor and a trailing end of the grate.

Abstract: An agricultural vehicle includes a chassis defining a rear; a header carried by the chassis and configured to collect crop material from a field; a track carried by the chassis; and a shredding assembly carried by the chassis that receives crop material collected by the header. The shredding assembly includes a shredder configured to shred received crop material; and a shredder pan carried by the chassis under the shredder that includes a shred assister configured to cooperate with the shredder to shred crop material and at least one track follower in contact with the track that allows the shredder pan to move along the track toward the rear of the chassis.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a header with an infeed assembly including a driving element configured to rotate; a hollow tube rotationally coupled to the driving element and having a plurality of openings formed therein; and at least one finger unit rotatably held within the hollow tube. Each finger unit includes: a finger hub having at least one pivoting aperture formed therein and at least one driving aperture formed therein; a pivoting finger pivotally held within the at least one pivoting aperture and configured to at least partially extend out of one of the openings of the hollow tube during rotation; and a driving finger fixedly held within the at least one driving aperture and configured to at least partially extend into one of the openings of the hollow tube to rotate the finger unit by the hollow tube.

Abstract: An airflow directional control system in an agricultural harvester having a grain tank or other structure, an internal combustion engine and a cooling system cooler box disposed between the grain tank or other structure and the internal combustion engine includes a cooler box cover over the cooler box between the grain tank or other structure and the internal combustion engine, at least one air director between the cooling box and the internal combustion engine and a panel adjustment system controlling tilt of side panels of the harvester.

Abstract: An unloading conveyor arrangement for an agricultural machine includes a conveyor having a discharge end, and a spout arrangement at the discharge end of the conveyor. A range for the position of the spout is determined from one or more factors such as topography and the physical characteristics of the material being handled through the conveyor. The actual position of the spout is ascertained and a warning or an adjustment is made if the actual position is not within the range.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a grain processing section having a chaff pan with a discharge end adjacent aft steerable wheels for the combine. The main chaff pan has a deflector positioned across its discharge end. The deflector has articulated end sections that are displaceable between a first position where they are fully deployed to direct chaff towards the discharge end and a second position where they deflect to clear the steerable wheels adjacent their steering limits. Either a lost motion mechanism or direct abutment device is connected to the end sections so that they are actuated only adjacent the steering limits of the wheels.

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: An agricultural harvester includes a header with an infeed assembly including a driving element configured to rotate; a hollow tube rotationally coupled to the driving element and having a plurality of openings formed therein; and at least one finger unit rotatably held within the hollow tube. Each finger unit includes: a finger hub having at least one pivoting aperture formed therein and at least one driving aperture formed therein; a pivoting finger pivotally held within the at least one pivoting aperture and configured to at least partially extend out of one of the openings of the hollow tube during rotation; and a driving finger fixedly held within the at least one driving aperture and configured to at least partially extend into one of the openings of the hollow tube to rotate the finger unit by the hollow tube.

Abstract: An unloading conveyor arrangement for an agricultural machine includes a conveyor having a discharge end, and a spout arrangement at the discharge end of the conveyor. The spout arrangement includes a spout which is connected to the discharge end and movable relative to the conveyor. The spout and the discharge end have an interspatial gap therebetween. The spout arrangement further includes a seal which is attached to the conveyor and/or the spout and extends across the interspatial gap.

Abstract: A clean grain evacuation device for a grain harvester having a threshing system configured to separate grain harvested by the harvester from crop residue and direct a flow of the grain to a cleaning system disposed within the harvester including at least two sieves disposed and configured to sequentially clean the grain. The evacuation device is disposed for receiving a portion of the flow of the clean grain from a first of the sieves, and is configured to evacuate the received clean grain away from the cleaning system. The evacuation device can include a conveyor disposed for directing the evacuated grain directly to a desired location such as a clean grain receiving system on the harvester. The evacuation device can also be located in an air flow path to the sieves.

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 chaff pan with a discharge end adjacent aft steerable wheels for the combine. The main chaff pan has a deflector positioned across its discharge end. The deflector has articulated end sections that are displaceable between a first position where they are fully deployed to direct chaff towards the discharge end and a second position where they deflect to clear the steerable wheels adjacent their steering limits. Either a lost motion mechanism or direct abutment device is connected to the end sections so that they are actuated only adjacent the steering limits of the wheels.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a chassis; at least one ground engaging traction member connected to the chassis; a cleaning system held by the chassis and configured to clean crop material; and an elevator supplied with the crop material cleaned by the cleaning system. The elevator includes a housing having a crop material inlet that receives the crop material, a boot portion that forms a bottom of the housing, an air inlet and an air outlet; a plurality of paddles configured to convey the crop material through the housing and away from the boot portion in a generally vertical direction; and a blower configured to produce a pressurized air stream through the air inlet that expels loose crop material into the air outlet as the crop material is conveyed away from the boot portion.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a chassis; at least one ground engaging traction member connected to the chassis; a cleaning system held by the chassis and configured to clean crop material; and an elevator supplied with the crop material cleaned by the cleaning system. The elevator includes a housing having a crop material inlet that receives the crop material, a boot portion that forms a bottom of the housing, an air inlet and an air outlet; a plurality of paddles configured to convey the crop material through the housing and away from the boot portion in a generally vertical direction; and a blower configured to produce a pressurized air stream through the air inlet that expels loose crop material into the air outlet as the crop material is conveyed away from the boot portion.

Abstract: The control of an apparatus within a grain holding device for feeding grain to an unloader conveyor operable for conveying the grain from the holding device, includes sensing a predetermined condition or conditions representative of capacity of the unloader conveyor for receiving grain, and adaptively controlling the apparatus for feeding grain to the unloader conveyor in advantageous varying manners responsive to the conditions, including to delay initiation of feeding until the receiving capacity is increased, and to match the grain feed to the capacity. The automatic control can be overridden, to allow user control of unloader speed, and can be configured to allow cleanout of the unloader conveyor.

Abstract: A feeder assembly for an agricultural harvester, including a first shaft, a second shaft opposite the first shaft, a chain extending around the first shaft and the second shaft, wherein the chain is configured to convey agricultural through the agricultural harvester, and a self-adjusting object deflector assembly positioned between the first shaft and the second shaft, wherein the self-adjusting object deflector assembly comprises a deflector biased against the chain and configured to block the agricultural material from interfering with a connection between the chain and the first shaft.

Abstract: An agricultural device for controlled unloading of grain including an unloader conveyor including an enclosed housing having an inlet end including an opening for receiving grain, and an opposite outlet end including a discharge opening through which the grain can be discharged. An unloader conveyor element extends through the housing between the ends and operable for conveying the grain through the housing from the inlet end and discharging the grain through the discharge opening. The unloader conveyor element includes a substantially vertical unloader conveyor segment connected to a substantially horizontal unloader conveyor segment. An unloader drive selectably operates a portion of the conveyor element associated with the substantially vertical unloader conveyor segment in a disengaged mode in response to a sensed cumulative loading condition of the substantially vertical unloader conveyor segment and the substantially horizontal unloader conveyor segment exceeding a predetermined value.

Abstract: A system and method for conveying agricultural material in a harvester. One harvester includes a rotor which rotates to separate a plant into a first agricultural material and a second agricultural material. A grate is disposed vertically below the rotor and further separates the first and second agricultural materials from one another. A first conveyor receives the first and second agricultural material directly from a trailing end of the rotor and a trailing end of the grate.

Abstract: A method of controlling a conveyance rate of grain of an unloader system, including providing a grain holding device and an unloader in communication with the grain holding device, the unloader having an inlet for receiving grain from the grain holding device and an outlet for discharging grain. An apparatus within the grain holding device is operable for controllably feeding grain within the grain holding device to the unloader. The method includes monitoring a parameter associated with a power source of the apparatus, and comparing the parameter of the power source to a maximum predetermined threshold value. The method includes automatically controlling the conveyance rate of grain of the apparatus to the unloader.

Abstract: A system and method for conveying agricultural material in a harvester. One harvester includes a rotor which rotates to separate a plant into a first agricultural material and a second agricultural material. A grate is disposed vertically below the rotor and further separates the first and second agricultural materials from one another. A first conveyor receives the first and second agricultural material directly from a trailing end of the rotor and a trailing end of the grate.