Abstract:
In an agricultural harvester header for an agricultural vehicle including a frame, a reel attached to the frame and having a plurality of reel tine bars, a cutterbar attached to the frame and positioned beneath the reel, an actuator for moving the reel tine bars between a deployed position and a retracted position, a sensor for sensing a position of the cutterbar, and a computer, a method for returning the reel tine bars to the deployed position includes (i) receiving, at the computer, signals from the sensor, (ii) recording a sensed position of the cutterbar when the actuator moves the reel tine bars to the retracted position, and (iii) activating the actuator to return the reel tine bars to the deployed position as a function of when the cutterbar returns to the recorded sensed position.
Abstract:
Systems and apparatuses for articulating float arms of a harvester header between a flexible configuration and a rigid configuration are disclosed. The systems and apparatuses include a locking tube that experiences no torque or approximately no torque when the float arms are in the rigid configuration. Further, the systems and apparatuses also avoid adjustments to ensure that float arms are fully retracted, such as into abutting contact with another portion of a header.
Abstract:
In a sickle cutting system, it has been found that a significant decrease in cutting inefficiency, which is measured by calculating the area of the cutting process where crop is not immediately cut but is instead pushed forwardly by engagement with a surface of the system, can be obtained by a combination of one or more of the features where the cutting stroke is reduced from the conventional length of 3.0 inches to a value of the order of 2.0 inches; the length of the cutting edge of each knife blade is increased to a length greater than 2.2 inches; the width at the rear of the ledger surface of each guard is increased to greater than 1.0 inches; and the front edge of the blade is formed with an apex to shed crop material to one or other side of the apex.
Abstract:
In a sickle cutting system, it has been found that a significant increase in ground speed while maintaining an acceptable level of cutting efficiency as measured by the average stubble length can be obtained by a combination of one or more of the features where the cutting stroke is reduced from the conventional length of 3.0 inches to a value of the order of 2.0 inches; the length of the cutting edge of each knife blade is increased to a length greater than 2.2 inches; the width at the rear of the ledger surface of each guard is increased to greater than 1.0 inches; and the front edge of the blade is formed with an apex to shed crop material to one or other side of the apex.
Abstract:
A bean puller or harvester of the front end carriage mountable type and including driven cutting discs, the cutting discs running in a substantially horizontal plane and running slightly beneath the ground surface. The drive units run the discs in opposite adjacent rotational directions to urge the severed plants toward a windrow intermediate a pair of adjacent rows. The preferred drive is hydraulic for the discs and the preferred disc form is a scalloped type. Variances in adjustment and interval are available and gage wheels maintain a constancy or running depth for each of the discs. Drive units are supported in selected intervals on a horizontal mounting bar which may be raised and lowered independent of adjustments for running depth and tilt angle.
Abstract:
In one aspect the invention is directed to a mower configured to cut plant material as it moves over a field and deposit the cut plant material onto the field, the mower having a header assembly having a cutter bed, conditioning rollers, and a swathboard, the swathboard being positionable to shape the cut plant material into windrows. The cutter bed has a plurality of rotating rotary cutters that includes at least one pair of oppositely rotating cutters that sends a rearwardly-directed stream of cut plant material between the oppositely rotating pair of rotary cutters. The header assembly includes a sensor system mounted on the swathboard. The sensor system has a sensor configured to collect nutrient information of the plant material being cut by the mower. The sensor is positioned on the swathboard to coincide with the location where the stream of cut plant material interacts with the swathboard.
Abstract:
A self-propelled farm vehicle, e.g., a crop-pickup loader or wagon, is fitted with a horizontal profiled bumper of noncircular cross section along which an implement hitch or support can ride. This support is provided with a hydraulic cylinder which operates a parallelogrammatic linkage connected to a generally upright member which can be lifted or lowered relative to the bumper or crossbar. A generally cylindrical coupling bolt having a narrow end is mounted on this vertical member and is adapted to engage in a confronting hole on a farm implement. A locking pawl catching in a groove on the bolt holds the implement in place while allowing it to swing from side to side to a limited extent. A power-takeoff shaft is journaled in a plate pivoted about a horizontal axis on the bumper and is coupled with a pivotal chain transmission on the implement.
Abstract:
A tractor drawn and powered agricultural machine, such as a mower-conditioner for hay-like crops, comprises a main frame having a pair of spaced apart side walls between which a sickle mower, a tine reel, a pair of conditioning rolls, a crop gathering hood and windrowing means, and a pair of transport wheel assemblies are mounted. Operating power from the tractor is supplied through a rotatable power take-off shaft and clutches to a transmission unit which is connected to and drives the conditioning rolls and the sickle mower. The crop gathering hood and windrowing means are designed to deliver the crop in a swath or windrow in a fluffy condition which promotes drying and include adjustable side and rear shields.