Abstract: A clean out system of a header for an agricultural vehicle. The header includes a frame with a floor having at least one cutout for allowing an unwanted material to pass therethrough. The clean out system includes at least one door configured for pivotally connecting to the floor and selectively engaging with the at least one cutout, a latching mechanism connected to the at least one door and configured for securing the at least one door to the frame, and at least one actuating member operably connected to the at least one door and configured for selectively latching the latching mechanism and pivoting the at least one door in between an open position and a closed position.

Abstract: A forage harvester includes a shear bar and a panel that directs the crop material downstream of the shear bar. A processing component is disposed downstream of the panel. An impact sensor is coupled to the shear bar and operable to detect data related to a magnitude of a force applied to the shear bar. The panel is moveable from a first position to a second position. The first position of the panel forms a channel for directing the crop material in the direction of crop processing along a first path toward the processing component. The second position of the panel alters the channel to direct the crop material along an alternative path not including the processing component. In response to a sufficiently high impact force applied to the shear bar by debris moving with the crop material, the panel is moved from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A combine includes a feeder housing that include a movable cradle frame at the front, configured to receive a header, so that a controlled movement of the cradle frame may be imparted to the header during a harvesting run. The combine further includes a driveline for driving moving components of the combine header. The driveline includes a belt drive mounted laterally with respect to the feeder housing. The belt drive is configured to transfer a rotation of a first drive axle that is part of the driveline, to a rotation of a second axle to which a drive axle of the header can be coupled. The belt drive includes two pulleys which are maintained in a common plane regardless of movement of the header relative to the feeder housing. The pulleys are rotatably mounted in a longitudinally extendable bridge structure, and are coupled to the first and second axles.

Abstract: A self-cleaning sump for an agricultural harvester may include a collection chamber defining a top end and a bottom end. The self-cleaning sump may also include a sump door positioned at the bottom end of the collection chamber, with the sump door being movable between an opened position and a closed position. Additionally, the self-cleaning sump may include a cleaning device movable within the collection chamber between a raised position and a lowered position and an actuator coupled to the cleaning device. The actuator may be configured to actuate the cleaning device between the raised and lowered positions independent of the sump door. When the actuator is activated, the cleaning device may be configured to contact collected material contained within the collection chamber as the cleaning device is moved within the collection chamber between the top and bottom ends of the chamber.

Abstract: An assembly for rotating a chain or toothed belt includes a shaft and a sprocket rotatably mounted on the shaft. The sprocket includes a plurality of teeth configured to engage the chain or toothed belt. The assembly further includes a shield assembly covering at least a portion of the sprocket. The shield assembly has an interior groove formed therein defining an enclosed interior space. Each of the teeth of the sprocket rotate through the enclosed interior space during a full rotation of the sprocket.

Abstract: A stone trap assembly including an entrance and an exit. The entrance receives objects from a crop flow path for accumulation into the assembly during a harvesting operation, and the exit allows evacuation of the accumulated foreign objects out of the assembly during an evacuation operation. The assembly further includes a door configured to be rotatable around a first rotation axis, substantially transverse to the crop flow path, for movement along a door movement trajectory between a closed position and an evacuation position, and an impeller for forcing the accumulated foreign objects towards the exit. The impeller is configured to be rotatable around a second rotation axis, substantially transverse to the crop flow path, for movement along an impeller movement trajectory between a retracted position and an extended position closer towards the exit. The door and impeller are separately movable during at least a part of the trajectories.

Abstract: A rock trap disposed in a feeder adapter of a combine directly behind a sickle bar of a combine header and in an area in front of a rearwardly directed conveyor located for receiving cut crop from transversely directed conveyor of the header. The rock trap has a trap door which can be selectively opened so as to drop beneath the header rocks collected therein.

Abstract: An agricultural harvesting machine comprises a crop processing apparatus and an elevator assembly for conveying harvested crop material to the crop processing apparatus. The elevator assembly comprises an elevator housing and an endless elevator apparatus mounted for rotation in the housing, the elevator apparatus having lower and upper lower runs. A shielding mechanism, such as an intermediate plate, shields the lower elevator run from the upper run. The intermediate plate is provided with at least one aperture enabling passage therethrough of crop material, and at least one removable cover for closing the aperture.

Abstract: The apparatus is an improvement to a feederhouse on an agricultural combine. The apparatus has a first acoustic array having a first sounding board and acoustic sensor positioned beneath the front drum and feederhouse floor. There is a second acoustic array positioned behind the front drum and between the conveyor chain encircling the front and rear drums. The second acoustic array also has a second acoustic sensor and second sounding plate. The acoustic sensor detects the impact of a stone on the sounding plates. A signal is transmitted via a controller from the sensor to a solenoid controlling a stone trap door latch. When the door opens, a sled also rotates into contact with conveyor chain. This deflects any crop flow containing stones. To close the door, the feederhouse is raise and the door rotates into contact with the latch.

Abstract: A feederhouse on an agricultural combine. Having a first acoustic array having a first sounding board and acoustic sensor positioned beneath the front drum and feederhouse floor. A second acoustic array positioned behind the front drum and between the conveyor chain encircling the front and rear drums. The second acoustic array also has a second acoustic sensor and second sounding plate. The acoustic sensor detects the impact of a stone on the sounding plates. A signal is transmitted via a controller from the sensor to a solenoid controlling a stone trap door latch. When the door opens, a sled also rotates into contact with conveyor chain. This deflects any crop flow containing stones. To close the door, the feederhouse is raised and the door rotates into contact with the latch.

Abstract: A rock trap sump assembly includes a rock trap sump having an opening through which rocks may be ejected, a door pivotally supported adjacent to the opening, a latch arm pivotally coupled to the rock trap sump about a first axis and a link pivotally coupled to the door about a second axis and pivotally coupled to the latch arm about a third axis. The latch arm pivots about the first axis to move the door between a first closed position in which the door closes the opening and a second opened position in which the door pivots away from the opening.

Abstract: A beater bar assembly for use in a threshing machine. The beater bar assembly is formed of a chute assembly and interfitting, horizontally oriented, rotating cylindrical drum having a plurality of extending teeth forming racks of combs. The chute assembly contains a collection sump which serves as a rock trap. The rotating drum teeth comb through the incoming plant material, batting entrained rocks and other debris into the collection sump, and accelerating the remaining plant material through the chute and into the threshing assembly of the machine.

Abstract: An over center closure apparatus for a spring latched rock door for a combine harvester includes a first, free rotating lever arm connected to rotate about the rock door pivot and a second lever arm connected to rotate with the rock door pivot. The second lever arm includes a stop positioned to engage the first lever arm as it rotates about the rock door pivot. A linkage arm extends from the first lever arm downward to a over center lever arm in an over center assembly. The over center lever arm is positioned to rotate about a pivot axis between an over center position and a free rotating position such that, when the over center lever arm is rotated to the over center position, the rock door is closed and held in the closed position by the over center position of the over center lever arm. The rock door can then be conveniently latched closed.

Abstract: A spring loaded rock discharge assembly for use with hay mower-conditioner machinery including a plurality of spring fingers supported in an opening between a forage crop cutting mechanism and a conditioning roll. The spring fingers are sufficiently resilient, so that when dense objects such as rocks are carried to the conditioning rolls across the opening, the objects will cause the spring fingers to deflect and permit the rocks to discharge onto the ground.

Abstract: A combine harvester stone trap having its upwardly facing inlet generally in the proximity of the transition between the discharge end of the crop elevator and the forward end of the combine threshing concave. The stone trap includes a front wall in the form of a door which can be opened into a retracted position for emptying the stone trap and a rear wall which, in an operative position, effectively closes the gap between the forward end of the threshing concave and the forward end of the combine grain pan located below the concave in a conventional manner. The rear wall is movable into an inoperative position providing access to the gap between the forward ends of the threshing concave and the grain pan.

Abstract: A combine harvester stone trap having its upwardly facing inlet generally in the proximity of the transition between the discharge end of the crop elevator and the forward end of the combine threshing concave. The stone trap includes a front wall in the form of a door which can be opened into a retracted position for emptying the stone trap and a rear wall which, in an operative position, effectively closes the gap between the forward end of the threshing concave and the forward end of the combine grain pan located below the concave in a conventional manner. The rear wall is movable into an inoperative position providing access to the gap between the forward ends of the threshing concave and the grain pan, and includes agitator means operatively associated therewith.

Abstract: A harvesting machine is provided with a foreign material protective device to extract stones, sand and other material from the harvesting goods which are gathered by the header. With the present invention, the protective device is provided with a housing defined by two longitudinal walls, perpendicular to the flow of crop material, and two side walls, parallel to the flow of crop material. The longitudinal walls of the housing diverge slightly towards the outlet opening of the housing. The outlet opening is closed by a door having an impeller which extends into the housing when the door is closed. The impeller ejects material from the housing through the outlet opening when the door is opened.