Abstract: A forage harvester has an engine which is drivingly connected to a chopper cylinder via first drive belt, and to a first end of a drive shaft of a discharge accelerator. A second end of the drive shaft of the discharge accelerator is drivingly connected to a kernel processor via a second drive belt, is arranged, in the direction of harvested material flow, between the chopper cylinder and the discharge accelerator. The discharge accelerator comprises support disks which extend radially, and paddles. The support disks are attached to a hollow shaft enclosing the drive shaft, and, a sensor is arranged between the drive shaft and the discharge accelerator for the determination of the force transmitted by the drive shaft to the discharge accelerator.

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 forage harvester has an engine which is drivingly connected to a chopper cylinder via first drive belt, and to a first end of a drive shaft of a discharge accelerator. A second end of the drive shaft of the discharge accelerator is drivingly connected to a kernel processor via a second drive belt, is arranged, in the direction of harvested material flow, between the chopper cylinder and the discharge accelerator. The discharge accelerator comprises support disks which extend radially, and paddles. The support disks are attached to a hollow shaft enclosing the drive shaft, and, a sensor is arranged between the drive shaft and the discharge accelerator for the determination of the force transmitted by the drive shaft to the discharge accelerator.

Abstract: An agricultural implement having an infeed cutter includes a plurality of knives and at least one knife-sharpening assembly. The knives are mounted on shiftable knife beds that swing into and out of an operating position. The beds are laterally slidable in opposite directions to provide access to the knives. The knife-sharpening assembly includes a hood and a plurality of sharpening stones mounted on a shaft that moves along a path corresponding to the shape of the cutting edges of the knives, meaning the sharpening stones preferably follow the substantially arcuate contour of the uppermost edges of the knives during the course of sharpening. The hood is configured to contain any sparks produced by the interaction between the stones and knives. The knife beds and sharpening assemblies are configured such that sufficient ground clearance for travel of the agricultural vehicle is available during sharpening of the knives.

Abstract: A combine harvester (10) comprising a pair of axial separating rotors (20) each extending side-by-side within respective housings (19) in a longitudinal direction and serving to separate grain from straw. A feed beater (18) is provided which rotates on a transverse axis (X) and is located in front of the separating rotors to direct a crop flow rearwardly under the feed beater. Directional vanes (34) on the feed beater direct the crop flow away from a central zone of the beater and toward respective crop streams associated with the two rotors. Scraper apparatus (50) comprising stationary vanes (54) are provided above the beater. Crop material which back feeds over the top of the beater is scraped free of the beater and directed outwardly by the stationary vanes so that the scraped material is re-fed under the beater away from the central zone.

Abstract: A combine harvester for separating grain from trash is attached to a towable baling apparatus for converting trash into compacted bales, by a conveyor, a forward end of the conveyor being pivotally attached to the combine harvester proximate the rear such that a trash outlet of the combine is disposed above the trash inlet of the conveyor. The rear end of the conveyor is attached to the baling apparatus in a way that causes a large percentage of the trash from the combine harvester trash outlet to enter the baling apparatus inlet without ever touching the ground. The conveyor is supported from the rear of the combine harvester by a towbar which is fixed to the chassis proximate the support for the forward and rearward set of ground wheels. A nozzle is provided to spray water onto the crop before it enters the baler.

Abstract: A harvesting machine combination for the utilization of harvested plant remains is provided and includes a combine with an outlet for harvested crop remains, a self propelled forage harvester that includes a conveyor to take over the harvested crop remains from the outlet of the combine, a discharge arrangement for the harvested crop remains, an engine for the drive of the conveyor and a container to take up the harvested crop remains delivered by the discharge arrangement. The combine is equipped with a transmitting arrangement for the transmission of position data and/or operation direction and speed data of the combine. The forage harvester is equipped with a receiving arrangement that interacts with an automatic steering and speed input arrangement of the forage harvester that can be operated on the basis of the data received by the receiving arrangement in order to permit the forage harvester to follow the combine automatically.

Abstract: An apparatus for analysing crop composition of crops moving in a grain elevator, the elevator including paddles moving up on an up-going side of the elevator and down on a down-going side of the elevator, the apparatus including a crop entrance for entry of crops from the up-going paddles to the analysing apparatus and a housing for containing a portion of crops to be analysed. The crop entrance is located in a plane parallel to the elevator's outer wall at the up-going side of the elevator. The apparatus further includes a sloped gutter portion for bringing crops from the crop entrance towards the housing.

Abstract: A threshing and separating mechanism for a combine includes an elongated rotor mounted for rotation about a rotor axis on the combine within a rotor housing. The rotor has a threshing portion and a separating portion. The housing has a threshing section and a separating section corresponding to the threshing portion and the separating portion. The housing surrounds the rotor and is spaced from the rotor to form an annular space between the rotor and the housing for crop material to flow through in an axial crop flow direction from an inlet end of the housing to an outlet end of the housing. The housing includes a smooth transition section between the threshing section and the separating section of the housing.