Abstract: A system and computer-implemented method for sensing an amount of free water in cut crop material and automatically adjusting an operating parameter of a mower conditioner to optimize the amount of free water. A sensor located at the exit of a conditioning mechanism measures an actual free water content value of the material as it exits the conditioning mechanism, a processor compares the actual value to maximum and minimum values, and if the actual value is outside this range, automatically adjusts an operating parameter, such as a gap between pairs of conditioning rollers, a pressure exerted by the rollers, or a speed of the mower conditioner, to optimize the actual value. Another sensor may be located at the entrance of the conditioning mechanism. The processor may take into account an operator-selectable value weighting the actual free water content versus a dry down time when adjusting the operating parameter.

Abstract: A forage harvester includes a post-accelerator disposed in an interior of the forage harvester, which post-accelerator includes a conveying fan that rotates about a rotary axle. The post-accelerator is partially enclosed by a housing that is open in sections and that extends in sections into a crop-conveyance path. An extent of the extension into the crop-conveying path is adjusted by displacing the post-accelerator relative to the housing. The forage harvester also includes a wall disposed opposite an open section. The rotary axle includes ends that are mounted in bearing supports disposed on the housing via one end to be pivotable about a pivot axle. Each of the bearing supports are connected to an actuator at a free end opposing the one end disposed on the housing.

Abstract: A control system for controlling a pitch of a plurality of fan blades of a variable pitch fan driven by an engine of a harvester. The control system comprises first, second, and third feedback devices that provide first, second, and third feedback signals indicative of at least one harvester temperature, an ambient temperature, and an engine load. A controller is operable to receive the first, second, and third feedback signals, lookup an initial pitch setting, generate an initial pitch setting signal, and compare the harvester temperature to a harvester temperature limit and generate a fan reversal signal if certain conditions are met.

Abstract: Apparatus for mulching organic matter such as brush and trees are disclosed. The apparatus have cutting teeth that include cladding for increasing the wear-resistance of the teeth. Cutting heads and vehicles that incorporate such teeth are also disclosed.

Abstract: A litter management device, such as a device configured to disintegrate and/or de-cake caked litter from poultry is described. In some embodiments, the litter management device includes a litter de-caking mechanism contained within a housing, which is supported by a movable frame. The litter de-caking mechanism includes one or more hammers flexibly attached, such as via chains, to a rotation bar, enabling the hammers to rotate in a circular motion around the rotation bar and within the housing. The rotation of the hammers causes the hammers to strike, often at high speeds, caked litter within a target area, which disintegrates the caked litter, allowing for the removal of the caked litter from an area generally used by poultry, among other benefits.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to brush cutters and baling machines and methods of operation therefor, and more specifically, to an apparatus and a method for brush cutting and baling wood chips formed during land clearing activities. The apparatus includes a vehicle having front and rear ends. A brush cutter is carried at the front end of the vehicle. The brush cutter has a housing and a brush cutting head mounted for rotation within the housing. The brush cutting head has a support body and a plurality of cutting teeth mounted thereon. The cutting teeth are capable of reducing brush to wood chips and cutting debris when the brush cutting head is actuated. The brush cutting head is operable to take up at least some of the wood chips and cutting debris into the brush cutter housing while the cutting teeth are reducing brush to wood chips and cutting debris. The apparatus is further provided with a bale forming apparatus coupled for towage to the rear end of the vehicle.

Abstract: A mobile sizer for an underground mining system includes drive treads, a sizer portion mounted on the drive treads, and a load bucket pivotably coupled to the sizer portion. The load bucket is sumped to remove material from the mine and pivotably swung to transfer removed material to the sizer portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a comminuting device (1) for comminuting vegetable material (8, 18). The comminuting device has a frame (2) which can be coupled to a vehicle (4) by means of a coupling element (20), a rotor (5) which is rotatably suspended in the frame (2) and provided with treatment elements (6), and a stator (7) which is attached to the frame (2) and provided with counter elements (13). In an operating position, this stator (7) is situated near a part of the circumference of the rotor (5) so as to leave clear another part of the circumference of the rotor (5) to which organic material (8) to be comminuted can be supplied. The vegetable material (8) is comminuted by rotating the treatment elements (6) and the counter elements (13) with respect to one another. The invention also relates to methods for comminuting vegetable material (8, 18) which is aboveground and/or belowground.

Abstract: The illustrative embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for managing drip tape. A vehicle is configured to move across a field. A drip tape collection system is associated with the vehicle configured to raise a portion of the drip tape from the ground in a field. A chopper is configured to separate the portion of the drip tape received from the drip tape collection system into a plurality of pieces and enable the plurality of pieces to decompose.

Abstract: An auger apparatus for moving in a forward direction into a quantity of granular material includes an enclosed housing having a horizontal main floor and right and left inclined floors sloping downward and outward from corresponding ends of the main floor, and walls extending upward from lower ends of the inclined floors. Right and left feed auger tubes extend laterally from the walls, and feed augers are mounted in the tubes. Outer front portions of the feed auger tubes are open to expose outer portions of the feed augers. A main auger tube extends upward from a top of the housing, and a main auger extends from the main floor upward through the main auger. A middle material moving apparatus is mounted forward of the housing and moves grain laterally to the exposed outer portions of the feed augers as the housing moves forward.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of rock crushers, in particular, rock crusher attachments for earth moving equipment or the like. The rock crusher attachment includes a front bucket portion configured for scooping rocks to be crushed and a rear crusher portion connected to and in communication with the rear of the bucket portion. The crusher portion includes a housing and a crushing assembly accommodated within the housing. The housing including a pair of spaced apart side panels. The crushing assembly has a lower jaw fixed between the side panels of the housing and an upper movable jaw mounted opposite and spaced apart from the lower jaw. The upper movable jaw assembly includes a support, an upper jaw plate attached to the underside of the support and a jaw-actuating drive assembly operable to urge the upper movable jaw assembly to move between an open jaw setting and a closed jaw setting. The support is pivotally connected between the side panels adjacent the front of the housing.

Abstract: A grain bag handling assembly for a grain bag unloading apparatus having an auger assembly with an input end which is inserted into a mouth of an elongated grain bag and a remote output end. The grain bag handling assembly includes a rotatably mounted spool onto which the grain bag is rolled. The spool has a changeable diameter. A drive motor is provided for rotating the spool.

Abstract: A grain bag unloader is described for unloading grain from a grain bag wherein the unloader is moved rearwardly and operated by a tractor. The grain bag unloader includes a wheeled frame having a grain hopper at the rearward end thereof with a transversely extending unloading auger which is adapted to be inserted into the lower end of a field grain bag and which conveys grain from the grain bag into the grain hopper. The grain bag unloader also includes a discharge auger which extends upwardly and laterally from the grain hopper. The grain bag unloader also includes a grain bag winder tube. The grain unloader includes a first clutch which is able to disengage the operation of the unloading auger while permitting the discharge auger to continue to operate. The grain bag unloader also includes a second clutch which is designed to disengage the bag winder tube.

Abstract: A mobile shredder comprises a truck having a truck body defining an enclosure and including a partition in the enclosure that divides a storage volume from the remainder of the enclosure for storage of shredded material in the storage volume, a single-shaft rotary shredder mounted in the enclosure outside the storage volume, the rotary shredder comprising a rotor having cutters rigidly mounted thereon, a bin lift and dump mechanism operable to transport material to be shredded from outside to inside the enclosure so as to deliver material to the rotary shredder, and a discharge conveyor operable to transport shredded material from the rotary shredder through the partition to the storage volume. The floor of the storage volume can comprise a walking floor, and the enclosure can have rear doors that are openable to allow shredded material to be discharged through the open rear doors when the walking floor is operated.

Abstract: A trash harvester apparatus and method includes a trash grabber. At least one trash shredder for shredding trash from the trash grabber is connected with the trash grabber. A magnetic device for picking magnetic trash from the trash is provided where the magnetic device is connected with a first receptacle for containing the magnetic trash. An auger device for moving non-magnetic trash is provided where the auger device is connected with a second receptacle for containing the non-magnetic trash.

Abstract: A biomass harvester is configured to simultaneously clear-cut and gather both free-standing and random-lie biomass. Saw blades and gather aprons are located on arms that extend forwardly from an undercarriage. Cut and gathered biomass is reduced in size by a cutter head on-board and stored by a hopper on-board, thereby reducing the costs associated with using multiple machines to harvest biomass.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a system for removing a layer of a paved surface comprises a vehicle adapted to traverse a paved surface in a selected direction. The vehicle also comprises a milling drum with an axle connected to the vehicle, the drum being adapted to rotate around the axle substantially normal the selected direction. A moldboard is positioned rearward of the milling drum and also connected to the vehicle. A plurality of nozzles is disposed proximate a bottom end of the moldboard and is in communication with a fluid reservoir through a fluid pathway and the plurality of nozzles is adapted to move independent of the moldboard.

Abstract: An integrated padding machine that incorporates a front digging auger that is preferably mechanically as opposed to hydraulically powered, which in conjunction with a breaker bar assembly provides for digging and crushing capabilities, and that incorporates several other improvements and advances, including screen and cross-pass conveyor level control, a real-time padding level monitoring system, and an assistant's control module, improved controls, dust control, and cold weather padding, and methods of using the machine.

Abstract: Waste materials are composted in an elongate pit which is maintained covered to retain odors. The pit includes two rails each arranged along a respective side of the opening for receiving operating machines and a carriage for supplying a covering sheet. Each side edge of the sheet has attached thereto a channel shaped support member arranged for engaging over the respective rail so as to attach the side edge to the rail. A reel is mounted on the carriage and is arranged to roll the sheet and the two support members onto the reel and to un-roll the sheet and the two support members therefrom for deployment. An arch support bridges the support members and can flex to a flat condition from rolling on the reel. The carriage includes guides for moving the support members apart to a wider spacing for rolling on to the reel with the sheet flat and for guiding the support members onto the rails and for bowing the arch upwardly in the deployed position.

Abstract: This invention generally relates to reduction drive assemblies and, more particularly, to belt and pulley reduction drive assemblies and related support structure for portable equipment to mix and aerate materials. The support structure is adapted to provide support to a jack shaft and any associated bearing assemblies and to facilitate adjustment and tightening of various components of the reduction assembly.

Abstract: A field shredder comprises a friction base, a housing, a rotatable blade drum provided in the housing and having a rotary axis, and a plurality of blades attached to the blade drum, which cooperate with the friction base to finely chop harvested material. The friction base comprises a plurality of protrusions spaced apart axially and circumferentially. Each of the blades comprises a cutting edge. The protrusions comprise at least two side surfaces having edges formed at an angle with each other and which are both not parallel to the cutting edge of the blade. The plurality of blades comprise a first and a second set of blades, each arranged on one half of the blade drum offset against one another in the direction of rotation of the blade drum and the cutting edge of which are inclined towards the rotary axis of the blade drum.

Abstract: A feed-mixing truck comprises a load-bearing structure (2) on which a feed-mixing hopper (4) and means for loading the feed into the mixing hopper (4) are mounted. The loading means comprise a discontinuously-operating loading device (10) with a receptacle (19, 119) which is disposed at the free end of a loading arm (11, 111, 211) and is pivotable relative to the arm between a first operative position in which the receptacle (19, 119) is substantially horizontal in order to be filled, and a second operative position in which the receptacle (19, 119) is at least partially turned over above the hopper (4).

Abstract: A mobile shredding system is used mounted on a vehicle. The system has a hopper, for receiving material to be shredded, a shredder communicating with the hopper, and a holding space for shredded waste into which the shredder feeds shredded material. A bin lifting mechanism with at least one chain onto which a carriage is attached is mounted on a side of the vehicle. The carriage has an engagement mechanism for attaching a bin and the chain is movable by means of a drive mechanism from a lowered position, in which the carriage is adjacent the ground on which the vehicle is standing, and a raised position, in which the carriage is adjacent an inlet of the hopper and the contents of the bin are emptied into the hopper via the inlet. The carriage has a weight measuring mechanism such as a load cell incorporated therein to measure the weight of the bin when the bin is attached to the engagement mechanism. The system further has a weight indicating display, and also a electronic storage of the measured bin weight.

Abstract: Field shredder with a friction base (10), a housing (6), a rotatable blade drum (7) provided in the housing (6) and a blade (8) attached to the blade drum, which cooperates with the friction base (10) to finely chop harvested material. The friction base (10) comprises a plurality of protrusions spaced apart axially and circumferentially. The blade (8) comprises a cutting edge (12). The protrusions comprise at least two side surfaces (13, 14) with edges which form an angle against one another and are both not parallel to the cutting edge (12) of the blade (8). A first and a second set of blades (8) are provided, each arranged on one half of the blade drum (7), offset against one another in the direction of rotation of the blade drum (7) and the cutting edges of which are inclined against the rotary axis of the blade drum (7).

Abstract: A crushing device in a crusher includes a bucket-shaped body frame; plural ring members provided in the body frame in such a manner as to form steps at predetermined spaced intervals while diminishing their sizes gradually from the upper position toward the lower position, thereby to form a sieve with gaps as a whole; a teeth plate provided at the bottom portion of the sieve and having recessed teeth and protrusive teeth alternately formed on the inner surface thereof; a crushing shaft provided at a central portion of the body frame; and an inclined screw belt member mounted on the crushing shaft, for crushing pieces of concrete on the teeth plate in combination with the teeth plate.

Abstract: A bale lifter (5) suitable for lifting bales of hay etc. onto a vehicle (1). The bale lifter (5) includes a bale holder (6,7), the movement of which is prescribed by a transporting mechanism (9,12, 15 and 18) so that a bale impaled by prongs (6) may be rotated onto the chassis (2) of a vehicle. When a bale (8) is just above the chassis (2) of a vehicle a release mechanism (16, 17 and 21) is actuated to allow the bale lifter (7) to rotate about a pivot point (11) to facilitate the removal of the prongs (16) from the bale.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for extracting sugar-containing juice from sugar-containing plant matter, such as sugar cane. The apparatus is adapted to be installed in or near the field in which the plant matter is to be harvested. The apparatus comprises an inlet means for receiving the plant matter, a comminuting means for finely comminuting the received plant matter, and a separating means for separating the sugar-containing juice from the finely comminuted plant matter. Use of the apparatus at or near the site of harvest reduces the quantity of fibrous material transported to the sugar mill. It also allows return to the field of much of the fibrous matter that is at present lost in the harvesting process.

Abstract: Apparatus for screening and/or crushing screen materials, includes a bucket articulated to an excavating machine and swingable about a horizontal rotation axis. The bucket has a back wall formed as a screening bottom and supporting screening shafts provided with screening elements, whereby the screening shafts extend transversely to the rotation axis.