Abstract: A straw spreader for a combine harvester has first and second rotary spinners for receiving MOG from an input and distributing the MOG from an outlet area. Each rotary spinner has a set of outwardly extending paddles each with a front face for directing material flow. Vanes are provided which project outwardly from the front face of the paddles and which extend in the outward direction. The vanes define channels which control the direction of material flow off the spinner, so that the output distribution is more uniform and constant.

Abstract: A weed prevention unit for a combine harvester has a rotary mill for receiving material from a grain cleaning system of the combine harvester, and distributing the material. An outer housing comprises an inlet at one end of an internal rotor along an axis of rotation and an outlet at an opposite end of the internal rotor along the axis of rotation. The internal rotor comprises a central hub and stacks of hammers extending radially outwardly from the central hub, each stack aligned in the direction of the axis of rotation. The outer housing comprises one or more chambers extending radially outwardly from an otherwise cylindrical general form. The outer housing may also comprise inwardly facing guide vanes, each comprising a portion of a spiral shape extending between the inlet and outlet.

Abstract: A chaff and straw spreading system for a combine harvester has a chaff delivery system, a straw chopper and an impeller-based spreading unit. The impeller has a first section for receiving a chopped straw flow from the straw chopper and a second section for receiving a chaff flow from the chaff delivery system. By separating the impeller into different sections, mixing of the flows before the spreading unit is avoided, giving reduced material loss and improved spreading.

Abstract: A chaff spreader for a combine harvester has first and second fan modules attached to a frame. An angle at which chaff is ejected from the first and second fan modules is adjustable by rotating external housings of the fan modules. The fan modules each comprise a rotary bearing supporting the external housing. This enables a smooth adjustment and enables the moving parts to be protected from debris.

Abstract: A straw chopper for a combine harvester has blades extending outwardly from a central hub which rotates about a rotation axis. A feeding channel is formed along the full length of the chopper with an inlet and an outlet angularly offset around the rotation axis by less than 180 degrees. Inwardly facing guide vanes are provided on an outer drum around the blades and the guide vanes are angled so that they are non-perpendicular to the length direction. The vanes thus induce a small lateral movement of the straw so that cuts can be provided at multiple straw positions.

Abstract: A sugarcane harvester includes a basecutter assembly for cutting sugarcane stalks from sugarcane plants; a stalk-supporting mechanism for supporting the stalks of the sugarcane plants as they are being cut by the basecutters; a chopping section for chopping the sugarcane stalks into billets; and a discharge assembly for discharging the billets to a storage vehicle.

Abstract: A control system for controlling operation of one or more operational components of a crop residue spreader arrangement of an agricultural harvester is disclosed. The control system comprises one or more controllers, and is configured to: receive data indicative of a detected distribution of crop residue located on the ground behind the crop residue spreader arrangement; determine, in dependence on the detected distribution, a spreading strategy for operation of one or more operational components of the crop residue spreader arrangement, and generate and output one or more control signals for controlling the one or more operational components of the crop residue spreader arrangement in dependence on the determined spreading strategy.

Abstract: A crop residue spreader arrangement comprises a frame, a pair of counter rotating residue spreader wheels carried from the frame, the frame element supporting first and second shaped residue deflectors wherein each of the first and second shaped residue deflectors comprises a plurality of vertically displaceable elements.

Abstract: A sugarcane harvester includes an extractor assembly that more efficiently and effectively separates leaves, stems, and other waste material from sugarcane billets and ejects the waste material back onto sugarcane fields without blowing the waste material into a wagon or other billet collection vehicle.

Abstract: A sugarcane harvester includes an improved discharge assembly that receives sugarcane billets and discharges the billets into a storage vehicle that travels alongside the harvester. The discharge assembly includes an elevator and a conveyor. The elevator lifts the billets vertically about an elevator axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the harvester. The conveyor receives the billets from the elevator and moves the billets horizontally along a conveyor axis that is substantially perpendicular to both the elevator axis and the longitudinal axis of the harvester. The discharge assembly also comprises height adjustment mechanism for vertically raising or lowering the conveyor and lateral adjustment mechanism for laterally adjusting positions of the conveyor. The height adjustment mechanism and the lateral adjustment mechanism can be manually or automatically operated to shift the conveyor between a number of use positions and a transport/storage position.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a base cutter system, comprising: a first cutter shaft assembly; a second cutter shaft assembly; first and second brackets coupled to the first and second cutter shaft assemblies, respectively; first and second frame portions, the first cutter shaft assembly coupled to the first frame portion via the first bracket and the second cutter shaft assembly coupled to the second frame portion via the second bracket, the first and second cutter shaft assemblies adjustable between a laterally aligned arrangement and a laterally misaligned arrangement based on a relative adjustment of the first and second brackets.

Abstract: A sugarcane harvester includes an extractor assembly that more efficiently and effectively separates leaves, stems, and other waste material from sugarcane billets and ejects the waste material back onto sugarcane fields without blowing the waste material into a wagon or other billet collection vehicle.

Abstract: A sugarcane harvester includes an intake and cutting assembly for cutting the sugarcane stalks from the sugarcane plants as the sugarcane harvester moves through the sugarcane plants, a chopping section for receiving the sugarcane stalks from the intake and cutting assembly and chopping the sugarcane stalks into billets, a reservoir for holding a quantity of the billets, the reservoir having a volume of at least one cubic meter, and a discharge assembly for moving the billets from the reservoir and discharging them from the sugarcane harvester.

Abstract: A sugarcane harvester includes an improved discharge assembly that receives sugarcane billets and discharges the billets into a storage vehicle that travels alongside the harvester. The discharge assembly includes an elevator and a conveyor. The elevator lifts the billets vertically about an elevator axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the harvester. The conveyor receives the billets from the elevator and moves the billets horizontally along a conveyor axis that is substantially perpendicular to both the elevator axis and the longitudinal axis of the harvester. The discharge assembly also comprises height adjustment mechanism for vertically raising or lowering the conveyor and lateral adjustment mechanism for laterally adjusting positions of the conveyor. The height adjustment mechanism and the lateral adjustment mechanism can be manually or automatically operated to shift the conveyor between a number of use positions and a transport/storage position.

Abstract: A feederhouse assembly for an agricultural harvester includes a frame, a header lock pin, a biasing member coupled to the frame and the header lock pin, and a latch coupled to the frame and the header lock pin. The biasing member is configured to urge the header lock pin outward to lock a harvesting header to the frame. A rotatable latch in a first positron protrudes from the frame and retains the header lock pin in an inward positron. The latch in a second position permits the header lock pin to travel outward. A method includes applying a force from a harvesting header on a latch protruding from a frame of a feederhouse, pushing the latch to release a header lock pin from an inward position, and urging the header lock pin outward to lock the harvesting header to the frame.

Abstract: A feederhouse assembly for an agricultural harvester includes a frame, a header lock pin, a biasing member coupled to the frame and the header lock pin, and a latch coupled to the frame and the header lock pin. The biasing member is configured to urge the header lock pin outward to lock a harvesting header to the frame. A rotatable latch in a first positron protrudes from the frame and retains the header lock pin in an inward positron. The latch in a second position permits the header lock pin to travel outward. A method includes applying a force from a harvesting header on a latch protruding from a frame of a feederhouse, pushing the latch to release a header lock pin from an inward position, and urging the header lock pin outward to lock the harvesting header to the frame.

Abstract: A combine harvester including a grain tank having an auger trough in which a screw conveyor of an unloading system is disposed. The screw conveyor is operable to define an upturning side and a downturning side. The grain tank includes a floor section that covers the upturning side to prevent back flow and the formation of a stagnation zone in the vicinity thereof.

Abstract: A combine harvester including a grain tank having an auger trough in which a screw conveyor of an unloading system is disposed. The screw conveyor is operable to define an upturning side and a downturning side. The grain tank includes a floor section that covers the upturning side to prevent back flow and the formation of a stagnation zone in the vicinity thereof.

Abstract: An attachment mechanism for effecting a load-bearing interconnection between a header and a feederhouse of a self-propelled harvester is provided. The mechanism has a hook element secured to one of the header and feederhouse, the hook element having a limb defining an edge of a jaw opening with a inwardly tapering edge for longitudinally aligning and receiving a transverse pin secured to the other of the header and feederhouse. The limb has a non-vertical face configured to engage the other of the header and feederhouse and align such in the transverse direction as the feederhouse is lifted to engage the pin and jaw opening.

Abstract: An attachment mechanism for effecting a load-bearing interconnection between a header and a feederhouse of a self-propelled harvester is provided. The mechanism has a hook element secured to one of the header and feederhouse, the hook element having a limb defining an edge of a jaw opening with a inwardly tapering edge for longitudinally aligning and receiving a transverse pin secured to the other of the header and feederhouse. The limb has a non-vertical face configured to engage the other of the header and feederhouse and align such in the transverse direction as the feederhouse is lifted to engage the pin and jaw opening.