Abstract: A header for a combine harvester is provided. The header includes a frame, a row unit and a pair of rollers. The row unit extends forwardly of the frame and includes a pair of stalk rolls and a pair of deck plates. The pair of rollers are spaced from and above the pair of stalk rolls. The present invention improves harvesting efficiency by reducing grain loss and reducing damage to ears of stalks during harvesting operations.

Abstract: A narrow row head unit may include a back plate secured to a left gearbox and a right gearbox, which gearboxes may be positioned adjacent one another. Each gearbox may provide rotational power to a pair of stalk rolls and a drive sprocket for a gathering chain. A right mounting tab may be secured to the back plate and the right gearbox, and a left mounting tab may be secured to the back plate and left gearbox. A right plate and leg may extend outward from the back plate adjacent the right mounting tab and a left plate and leg may extend outward from the back plate adjacent the left mounting tab. A narrow row head unit positioned left-of-center on a header may have the gathering chain positioned substantially over the right plate, and right-of-center substantially over the left plate.

Abstract: A row unit for a header of an agricultural harvester is provided. The row unit includes a frame, a first deck plate assembly mounted to the frame, and a second deck plate assembly mounted to the frame. The first and second deck plate assemblies each include a deck plate, a plurality of deck plate segments extending from the deck plate and moveable between a first position and a second position relative to the deck plate, and a plurality of biasing members for biasing each respective deck plate segment. The row unit includes both operator controlled macro adjustment and automatic micro adjustment of a gap between the first deck plate assembly and the second deck plate assembly. The micro adjustment is achieved through biasing members biasing each respective deck plate segment.

Abstract: A header end hood mount for a harvester configured to allow an end hood on a corn header to pivot about a mounting assembly. The mounting assembly is connected to the frame for mounting the hood thereon and includes a mounting bracket affixed to the frame to allow the hood to pivot between a first position covering the row unit and a second position spaced outwardly and upwardly from the first position to provide improved access to a row unit covered by an end hood during normal operation. The header end hood mount is designed to provide a pivoting motion of the hood.

Abstract: An adjustable row unit for a header of a combine harvester is disclosed. The row unit includes opposed and cooperating curved deck plates that reduce the distance from the upper surfaces of the deck plates to the stripping roll pinch points. The deck plates move in unison and the opening of the stalk receiving gap is variable and subject to coarse and fine adjustment. Coarse adjustment is achieved by moving the deck plates into a selected stalk receiving position and fine adjustment is performed by a yieldable biasing member when the deck plates are in the selected stalk receiving position.

Abstract: An attachment device for harvesting stalky stem material is provided with stem dividers; cutting devices cutting the stalky stem material; conveying devices conveying the cut stalky stem material; picking units distributed across a working width of the attachment device and provided with picking rollers and picking gaps to separate fruit from the stalks; milling devices associated with the picking units; and a device collecting and combining the fruit separated from the stalks. Drivable stalk supports are arranged in a travel direction of the attachment device upstream of the picking units and positioned vertically spaced relative to the picking units and to the cutting devices. Pivotable support arms support the stalk supports. The stalk supports are moved by the support arms in a longitudinal direction, with respect to the vertical position, and with respect to an attack angle, and are adjusted with respect to their rotary speed.

Abstract: A harvesting header and feederhouse for use with a crop harvesting machine has a feederhouse interface at a distal end of the feederhouse and a header frame providing structural support for the harvesting header. The header frame has a top beam, a bottom beam, and first and second vertical main structures connecting the top and bottom beams. The feederhouse interface and the vertical main structures of the header frame are pivotably connected to enable the header frame to pivot with respect to the feederhouse interface.

Abstract: A crop harvesting width of a harvester head is partitioned into a plurality of portions. At least one sensor detects a metric of a crop being harvested for each of the plurality of portions. A processing unit determines an attribute of the crop harvested for each of a plurality of portions using the detected metric.

Abstract: A hinged row crop harvesting head (100) has two frame sections (110, 112, 114) coupled together with at least one hinge (186, 188) that permits the two frame sections (110, 112, 114) to pivot with respect to each other as the hinged row crop harvesting head (100) travels through a field harvesting crops.

Abstract: A front attachment for an agricultural harvesting machine operates independently of rows of stalk crop to be harvested. The front attachment includes harvesting devices for harvesting the stalk crop, intake conveyor mechanisms extending across a width of the harvesting devices, snapping devices located downstream of the intake conveyor mechanisms in the direction of the crop flow and a cross conveyor located downstream of the intake conveyor mechanisms and snapping devices. In the arrangement, the cross conveyor and snapping device driven by a common drive train, the front attachment is prefabricated to enable retrofitting with a second drive train and the second drive train functions as the drive for a retrofittable chopping device.

Abstract: A front attachment for harvesting corn for use in a self-propelled combine harvester includes harvesting devices for grasping and guiding the corn stalks, for picking the corn cobs and for conveying the picked corn cobs. The front attachment has intake conveyor mechanisms extending across the width thereof, snapping devices disposed downstream of the intake conveyor mechanisms in the direction of the crop flow embodying snapping rollers rotating opposite to the direction of travel and a cross conveyor equipped with opposing auger sections. The cross conveyor draws harvested corn cobs together in the center of the front attachment and feeds them from there to a feed rake. The intake conveyor mechanisms and/or the snapping rollers and/or the cross conveyor are driven by a driven mechanism of the combine harvester, which driven mechanism is connected to a steplessly variable transmission.

Abstract: In one embodiment of a stalk roll to be mounted upon a stalk roll drive shaft of a corn harvesting header, the stalk roll comprises a cylindrical shell, at least four flutes affixed to and extending radially from said cylindrical shell, wherein the flutes are arranged in a first group and a second group, wherein the first group and the second group contain an equal number of said flutes, and wherein a peripheral distance between the first group and the second group is greater than a peripheral distance between the flutes within either the first group or the second group.

Abstract: A system for automated high throughput presentation of an ear of corn for image acquisition and evaluation is provided. The ear evaluation system may include an image acquisition system for acquiring an image of the ear of corn. An ear staging system may be configured for coordinating timing and movement of the ear of corn through the image acquisition system. The ear evaluation system may define a mobile structure. Thereby the mobile structure may be driven or towed over rows of corn in order to acquire images of the corn substantially simultaneously with picking the ears of corn. Accordingly, image data relating to ears of corn may be obtained in a rapid manner. A method for high throughput presentation of a plurality of ears of corn for image acquisition and evaluation is also provided.

Abstract: A stalk roll to be mounted upon a stalk roll drive shaft of a corn harvesting header is disclosed. In one embodiment, the stalk roll comprises a cylindrical shell, at least four flutes affixed to and extending radially from said cylindrical shell, wherein the flutes are arranged in a first group and a second group, wherein the first group and the second group contain an equal number of said flutes, and wherein a peripheral distance between the first group and the second group is greater than a peripheral distance between the flutes within either the first group or the second group.

Abstract: A stalk roll for a corn head row unit has a conical seat and a spherical seat for mounting the stalk roll on a stalk roll driveshaft of a row unit. Each row unit has a drive shaft with a corresponding conical portion and a threaded fastener with a corresponding spherical portion for capturing the stalk roll on the drive shaft between mating conical shaft and stalk roll portions toward one end and mating spherical shaft and fastener portions at the other stalk roll end.

Abstract: Picking arrangement for picking at least one fruit (36) located on an elongate stem (33) of a plant (34), has a holder (3), that can be moved along the ground (9), and having an elongate picking gap (30), which is provided on the holder (3), bounded by lateral edges (31) and through which the stem (33) can be guided. The fruit (36) is separated off along the edges (31) in the process, wherein the picking gap (30) is oriented such that the step (33) can be fed to the picking gap (30) with its longitudinal axis oriented parallel, or essentially parallel, to the longitudinal axis of the picking gap (30).

Abstract: A stalk roll to be mounted upon a stalk roll drive shaft of a corn harvesting header in one embodiment comprises a cylindrical shell, at least four flutes affixed to and extending radially from the cylindrical shell, wherein the flutes are arranged in a first group and a second group, wherein the first group and the second group contain an equal number of said flutes, and wherein a peripheral distance between the first group and the second group is greater than a peripheral distance between the flutes within either the first group or the second group.

Abstract: A corn stalk roll, a corn stalk head, and a corn stalk machine suitable for harvesting cobs and separating the stalk or stem of the cob plant is described. The machine requires low cutting power and is not susceptible to jamming.

Abstract: Picking arrangement for picking at least one fruit (36) located on an elongate stem (33) of a plant (34), has a holder (3), that can be moved along the ground (9), and having an elongate picking gap (30), which is provided on the holder (3), bounded by lateral edges (31) and through which the stem (33) can be guided. The fruit (36) is separated off along the edges (31) in the process, wherein the picking gap (30) is oriented such that the step (33) can be fed to the picking gap (30) with its longitudinal axis oriented parallel, or essentially parallel, to the longitudinal axis of the picking gap (30).

Abstract: The combine includes internal apparatus incorporated into a system for threshing corn kernels from cobs, positively de-husking the cobs, cleaning other crop residue or material from the kernels, and direct the cleaned kernels and de-husked cobs to desired locations. The de-husking apparatus can include a modified type of husking bed, and is disposed for receiving a flow of grain, cobs and other residue from threshing apparatus of the combine, and positively grasping and pulling the remaining husks from the cobs and downwardly through the husking bed for disposal such as by discharge from the combine onto a field, with or separately from the other residue.

Abstract: A gathering and picking device comprising a first gathering element that is arranged on a first side of a picking gap and a second gathering element that is arranged on a second side of a picking gap opposite the first gathering element. Both gathering elements are rotated about a predominantly vertical axes and are provided with carrier elements that grasp standing plants. The carrier elements introduce the standing plants into the picking gap and convey the standing plants over at least part of the length of the picking gap.

Abstract: A gathering and picking device having a gathering element arranged on a first side of a picking gap. The gathering element is rotated about a predominantly vertical axis and is provided with carrier elements arranged to grasp standing plants and to introduce them into the picking gap in cooperation with a conveying element. The conveying element is arranged upstream and above the inlet of the picking gap on the side of the picking gap opposite from the gathering element. A picking unit is operable to move the plants downwardly through the picking gap, such that useful parts of the standing plants are separated.

Abstract: A gathering and picking device comprising a first gathering element that is arranged on a first side of a picking gap and a second gathering element that is arranged on a second side of a picking gap opposite the first gathering element. Both gathering elements are rotated about a predominantly vertical axes and are provided with carrier elements that grasp standing plants. The carrier elements introduce the standing plants into the picking gap and convey the standing plants over at least part of the length of the picking gap.

Abstract: A gathering and picking device having a gathering element arranged on a first side of a picking gap. The gathering element is rotated about a predominantly vertical axis and is provided with carrier elements arranged to grasp standing plants and to introduce them into the picking gap in cooperation with a conveying element. The conveying element is arranged upstream and above the inlet of the picking gap on the side of the picking gap opposite from the gathering element. A picking unit is operable to move the plants downwardly through the picking gap, such that useful parts of the standing plants are separated.

Abstract: A machine for mowing stalk-like crop includes a plurality of intake and mowing arrangements mounted in side-by-side relationship to each other and operative to deliver the mowed crop to a transverse crop conveying channel located behind the intake and mowing arrangements. The width of the channel available for carrying harvested crop is constructed so as to be variable in accordance with the amount of crop being conveyed at any location along the channel so that a positive conveyance of the crop always takes place without plugging.

Abstract: A forage harvester header includes a plurality of intake and mowing arrangements disposed side-by-side across the width of the header and adapted for being driven about respective upright axes. Located behind the intake and mowing arrangements and leading to a centrally located discharge channel is a transverse conveying channel having upright conveying drums associated therewith to aid in moving the harvested crop stalks toward the discharge channel. A table is provided across the top of the center two intake and mowing arrangements and mounted centrally in the table is a conveyor arrangement which operates to gather and deliver rearwardly any crop stalks which emerge from the transverse conveying channel and go across the table in the vicinity of the conveyor arrangement.

Abstract: A machine for removing roots and tops from crops including a pair of counter-rotating rollers spaced apart so as to define a nip therebetween, and means for rotating the rollers characterized in that at least one roller is in the form of a polygonal twisted prism.

Abstract: A harvesting device for the harvesting of ears of corn or of similar grain crops for mounting on a self-propelled agricultural harvesting vehicle, in particular a combine or a chopper forage harvester, equipped with a picking device for ears of corn. The picking device consists of an ear holding device with at least one picking gap and at least one picking cylinder, located below the picking gap, for the purpose of pulling of the corn stalks in a downward direction and ripping the ears of corn off their stalks. The ear holding device is formed by at least one picking disk that rotates around a vertical shaft and features at least one picking gap that runs in the rotation direction and is open at the outer periphery of the picking disk. A covering device, which partially reaches over the topside of the picking disk, forms at least one conveying channel for the transport of the ripped-off ears of corn to the harvesting vehicle.

Abstract: A feeding and picking device having a rotating feeding device that is rotated about a vertical axis. The device is able to work in fields not planted in rows and is designed to grasp plant stalks and feed them into a picking device. The picking device comprises a snapping channel formed by snapping bars under which is located at least one snapping roll. The feeding device comprises a disc having fingers that overlap the snapping channel. The feeding device is therefore designed to transport the plant throughout the effective length of the picking device.

Abstract: A self-propelled forage harvester is equipped with a header including intake and plucking arrangements which, in the case of corn, separate the ears from the stalk and conveys them in different streams to the harvester. The harvester has a conventional cutter drum that receives the stalks and cuts them into short lengths, and has a hammermill which receives the corn ears and chops them into small pieces. The corn stalk pieces and the chopped ears can be recombined and discharged from the harvester into a trailer as whole plant silage, or can be delivered in separate streams to separate trailers or separate containers of the same trailer.

Abstract: A dehusking apparatus is provided having a fixed cage like housing and a conveyor within the housing for transporting produce from an inlet to an outlet. The conveyor has helical flights with an intermediate portion being covered by a flexible covering between which and the inside of the cage the produce may travel to be dehusked as the produce is conveyed through the apparatus.

Abstract: A round baler for fibrous agricultural material including compression and delivery elements, a main drive for driving the same, a wrapping apparatus, and at least one load sensor provided in the drive line for the compression elements for generating a control signal for actuation of the wrapping apparatus and/or turning off of the delivery elements.

Abstract: A bag-full indicator mechanism is provided for use on a mower that has a mower deck with cutting blades, a bag for collecting cut vegetation, and a chute communicating the mower deck with the bag. The bag-full indicator mechanism includes a vacuum actuator, vacuum means for providing a vacuum to the vacuum actuator, and sensing means for sensing that the bag is full. Preferably the vacuum means is the intake manifold of the mower engine. The bag-full indicator mechanism also includes activating means for activating the vacuum actuator and includes a switching means and a pivotable lever. Finally, indicating means is used for indicating that the bag is full and preferably includes a shutoff means for stopping the rotation of the cutting blades.

Abstract: An agricultural vehicle, tractor, or combine includes a slip monitoring system for determining whether a slip condition exists. The agricultural vehicle includes a combustion engine which indirectly drives a piece of equipment such as a rotor. The rotor is mechanically coupled to the engine via a rotor-drive belt system including two belts and four pulleys. The slip monitoring system analyzes the speed of the rotor and the speed of the engine to determine if there is slippage between the belts and the pulleys. The system determines when a slip condition exists by comparing the ratio of the rotor speed to the engine speed to the ratio of the rotor speed to the engine speed under no-load conditions. When the system determines that the ratio is below the threshold, a display provides visual and audio warnings of the slip condition. The monitoring system is implemented as a software subroutine.

Abstract: The mowing implement of a mowing apparatus, rotating about a vertical axis, is driven over a transmission comprising a freewheel mechanism and driving pins. A drive shaft is connected with the freewheel mechanism so that there cannot be any mutual rotation therebetween. In a basic orientation parallel to the axis of rotation of the mowing implement, these driving pins produce a driving connection between the freewheel mechanism and the mowing implement for driving the latter. In the event of a stoppage of the drive shaft, the driving pins, together with the freewheel mechanism, carry out a lifting motion, which interrupts the driving connection between the mowing implement and the freewheel mechanism. During their lifting motion, the driving pins activate a braking device in the region of the interior of the transmission housing above the freewheel mechanism. This braking device rapidly brings the mowing implement, which continues to run, to a stop.

Abstract: Each knife-carrying disk of a rotary cutterbar has a hub connected to a drive shaft through means of a shear device. In a first embodiment of the invention, the shear device is in the form of either a collar or a clamping member having internal splines received on a splined upper end of the drive shaft and having shearable cylindrical drive lugs engaged with complementary shaped openings provided in an upper surface of the disk hub. In another embodiment of the invention, the shear device is in the form of a ring-like shear insert having shearable inner splines received on the splined upper end of the drive shaft and having outer splines engaged with a splined mounting hole of the disk hub.

Abstract: A fullness detector for the grass collector of a lawnmower includes a pressure actuated switch which is responsive to a pressure condition in an air flow passage for conveying grass cuttings between the lawnmower and the collector. Preferably the condition is the static pressure within the passage, which is sensed in a sensing zone shielded by a baffle. The baffle serves to increase the difference in static pressure measured in the zone between any two conditions of fullness of the collector, and to reduce grass build-up in the zone. The signal for the detector may be used to control a function of the lawnmower.

Abstract: In a two-channel magnetic metal detector for a forage harvester, positive and negative adaptive detection thresholds are varied according to long term changes in the noise component induced in detection coils by moving ferrous parts of the crop feed mechanism. The adaptive detection thresholds are set at levels determined by the positive and negative peak averages of the noise components in the channels while the crop feed mechanism is running at normal speed. Start-up transient noise induced in the detection coil as the crop feed mechanism accelerates may exceed the adaptive thresholds as thus set, thereby triggering false indications that a tramp metal object has been detected in the crop feed path. At start-up of the crop feed mechanism, the detection thresholds are raised to prevent false indications. An increase in a channel noise signal is taken as an indication that the crop feed mechanism is accelerating.

Abstract: A two-channel metal detector system disposed adjacent the crop feed path of a harvester to detect ferrous metal objects in the crop material is provided with both positive and negative adaptive detection thresholds for each channel, the thresholds being independently varied according to the average positive and negative peaks of the noise component in the channel output signals. A channel output signal is sampled and digitized and the positive and negative peaks of the noise component occurring over fixed time intervals are filtered to provide average positive peak and average noise peak values that are stored in an E.sup.2 PROM and updated according to long term variations in the noise component. The positive and negative adaptive detection thresholds are set according to the average positive and negative peak values and the adaptive detection thresholds are compared with the sample channel output signal to determine if a ferrous metal object has been detected.

Abstract: A safety clutch for a power operated lawn mower requiring a minimum of parts and readily adaptable to exisitng mowers having a clutch with detents that are biased against a driven member bolted to a mower blade for normal operation, wherein the clutch becomes disengaged from the driven member and blade in case of overload, while the engine shaft continues to rotate. There are no levers necessary to control either engagement or disengagement of the clutch.

Abstract: The harvesting device for harvesting corn or other grains is embodied as an attachment for a combine and provided with a draw-in device (3) and one picking gap for separating the cobs from the plants (stalks). Furthermore, the harvesting device has one driven picking roller (4) with beater plates per row, as well as a cheek-like guide plate associated with this picking roller (4) and partially enshrouding it, or alternatively, a bracing support extending paraxially to the picking roller and embodied as a driven counter-roller (5). A connection piece (20) acting as a separating and comminuting cutter and stabilizing the distance between the picking roller (4) and the bracing support (5) is disposed in the plant intake (PE) between the picking roller (4) and bracing support (5).

Abstract: A light weight, portable aquatic vegetation cutter having a handle disposed at one end of a mounting rod, a motor at the other end of the mounting rod, the motor being disposed essentially centrally between two reciprocating type cutting blade assemblies ranging in opposite directions from the motor, the handle being adapted substantially to indicate the horizontal disposition of the cutting blade assemblies and permitting their realignment relative to the direction in which aquatic vegetation cutting takes place, the position of the motor with the cutting blade assemblies, being adjustable in two directions relative to the vertical, that are perpendicular to each other, a boat mounting attachable from the mounting rod, providing three additional directions of yieldable freedom of motion, audible and visual means for signaling a problem in cutting ability of the aquatic vegetation cutter, a switch enabling momentary reversal of the polarity of DC current to the motor, for freeing matter caught between the too

Abstract: A mower-conditioner drive system includes a main support casting having an outwardly projecting stub shaft and an inwardly projecting pivot pin mounted to an upright wall section at one end of a header frame. A slip clutch is received on the stub shaft and includes a main drive plate coupled to one shaft of an angle gear box and includes inner and outer pressure plates connected for being frictionally driven by the drive plate, the inner pressure plate having a main drive spur gear integral therewith and the outer pressure plate having a drive sheave integral therewith. The main drive spur gear forms part of a drive train for driving either a pair of conditioner rolls or for driving an impeller conditioner while the drive sheave is coupled by a belt for driving either a sickle-type cutterbar or a rotary type cutterbar.

Abstract: An auger cutter, windrower and conditioner for standing crops such as hay, a cutter and a feed mechanism for feeding forage harvesters crops such as corn and sorghum, including a cutter auger with cutting teeth attached to the auger flight and a conveyor auger to move the cut crop to a central area to be discharged as a window or as a mass of material to be fed to a second crop processing device such as a forage harvester.

Abstract: A submarine vegetation cutter is disclosed, driven by a direct current electrical motor adapted to drive two reciprocating type cutting blade assemblies which are disposed in a substantially opposed relationship relative to each other, and means for transmitting the driving force of the motor to the blade assemblies, and means for reversing the polarity of the direct current to the motor. There is also included a level switch for preventing electrical power from being conducted to the motor when the vegetation cutter is held at a more than predetermined angle from the vertical.

Abstract: The harvesting structure on a plurality of individual row units of a cotton picker are driven by a common drive train while individual torque-limiting is provided to each row unit by a slip clutch located within the unit housing. A gearbox located at the top of each row unit housing includes a shaft projecting into the housing with the slip clutch located at the lower end of the shaft and driving an output gear meshing with the main input gear of row unit transmission.

Abstract: An overload coupling for the protection of drive trains on machines, particularly agricultural machines powered by a tractor, protects against overloading in at least one rotational direction. A coupling sleeve is mounted for rotation around a coupling hub of the overload coupling. Relative rotation between the hub and sleeve is about a coupling axis. A plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses are provided in the coupling hub which each contain a rotatably mounted rotor. The rotors are mounted about their own rotor axes which are parallel to but spaced apart from the coupling axis. Each rotor contains a radially movable driver cam which is spring-loaded and has cam surfaces for engaging detent grooves in the sleeve. With the driver cams engaged in the detent grooves, relative rotation between the hub and sleeve is resisted. By shaping the cam surfaces and adjacent abutment surfaces of the driver cams, the direction and force of disengagement can be set between the coupling hub and coupling sleeve.

Abstract: A harvester in the form of a self-propelled combine (11) has a crop header (24) and conveying means (31, 32) feeding crop material to a threshing rotor (34). The speed of rotation of the rotor (34) is adjustable by changing the speed of a variable speed belt drive (50) in the drive train from an engine (16) to the threshing rotor (34). The variable speed belt drive (50) is of a type whose speed ratio cannot be changed unless it is running. A special rotor clutch (71) is interposed between the variable speed belt drive (50) and the threshing rotor (34) to permit the variable speed drive to be disconnected from the threshing rotor. Thus, when the rotor (34) stops rotating because of excess crop material, the rotor clutch (71) may be operated to break the power train between the variable speed belt drive (50) and the threshing rotor (34) and the variable speed belt drive (50) may be run and adjusted to a lower output speed.

Abstract: An agricultural machine has at least one movable tool, such as a cultivating rotor, mower or raking member, spreader disc, or other driven member such as a tractor wheel or freely rotatable roller, which parts are interrupted in movement by a protective mechanism. The mechanism can be a pawl device associated with an overload coupling in the drive train that is actuated by a mechanical or electrical monitor to overload the device. The monitor can be a pivoted cover that partly overlies a rear roller or space adjacent same with projections that intercept the roller or a trip bar with contacts that opens or closes a circuit in a system that interrupts the drive to the moving parts responsive to contact with an external object. In another variation, the circuit can have sensors such as infrared or photoelectric cells to detect the presence or lack of presence of a human operator and these sensors can be placed in a tractor cab.

Abstract: Quick or instantaneous stopping of rapidly rotating members places severe stress loads on components. These loads are substantially reduced by providing a quick-stopping apparatus including a damped member having an attached element which is movable into engagement with a rotating member. In response to such engagement, the energy of the rotating member is rapidly decelerated through the damped member thus reducing peak stress loads associated with almost instantaneous deceleration.