Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130042592 | Feeding For Wide Cut Rotary Header Having Helper Roll - In an example embodiment, a harvesting header includes a helper roll having an auger flighting configured to move crop material laterally inward. The auger flighting may be outboard of a crop receiving area. The helper roll may be placed rearward of a cutter mechanism and forward of a conditioning roll of the header. The axis of rotation of the helper roll may be positioned slightly above a cutting plane of a cutting bed so that the auger flighting extends vertically past the cutting plane. In an example embodiment, at least a portion of the auger flights are positioning outboard of a conditioning roll of the header. The helper roll may be supported within the cutting zone and comprised of a plurality of sub-helper rolls. | 02-21-2013 |
20130082153 | Docking Station - A hydraulically-operated implement has a hydraulic system with a hose and a coupler connecting the hose to a mating port on a tractor. A docking station is mounted on the implement receives the coupler on the free end of the hose when disconnected from the tractor. The docking station includes a station body having a coupler receiving portion and a leakage collection portion. The coupler receiving portion has a primary side with at least one circular bore and the leakage collection portion contains a drain opening. A retention device positioned on the inner periphery of each of the circular bores receives the coupler. The drain opening is sealed with a drain plug and the docking station has an inside bulkhead parallel with the primary side of the station body. The bulkhead has a circular hole formed therein aligned with the at least one cylindrical bore in the primary side. | 04-04-2013 |
20130091707 | Method for Making a Tube Joint in an Agricultural Implement Frame - An agricultural implement frame having at least one beam welded to additional components is formed by cutting the beam into a first tube member and a second tube member having an overlaying portion formed by overlaying ends of the first and second tube members. Each overlaying end has an overlaying wall and a base wall connected by opposing interface side walls. The laser cut forms interface surfaces in the interface side walls. The cut forms a plurality of interlocking load transfer teeth in the interface surfaces. Micro tabs are left uncut in the interface side walls to keep the first and second tube members aligned. The beam is then welded to other components of the implement frame. The micro tabs are broken to separate the first and second tube members so the frame may be folded. When joined, the interface surfaces contact and the interlocking load transfer teeth mesh. | 04-18-2013 |
20130092407 | Tube Joint in Implement Frame - An agricultural implement frame has a beam with a pair of tube members joined by a tube joint. The tube joint has an overlaying portion formed by overlaying ends of the first and second tube members, each overlaying end having an overlaying wall and a base wall connected by opposing side walls. The side walls have interface surfaces extending from a lip at one end of the overlaying wall to a foot in the base wall such that when the tube members are joined together, the interface surfaces contact and the lip of the first tube member abuts the foot of the second tube member and the lip of the second tube member abuts the foot of the first tube member. A fastener clamps together the overlaying ends of the tube members and interlocking load transfer teeth in the interface surfaces transfer load between the tube members. | 04-18-2013 |
20130099069 | Modular Boom Mounting System for Agricultural Sprayer - A mounting system for plumbing conduits on an agricultural sprayer boom arm includes a mounting base on a beam of the boom arm with an elongated platform portion extending to a distal end. The platform portion has a front face, a rear face, and opposing side faces, the front face forming a base interface having a center groove running between two tracks. The tracks run from the distal end to a primary stop. One of the tracks has a secondary stop between the primary stop and the distal end of the mounting base. At least one conduit bracket has a conduit retaining portion and a bracket interface configured to lock with the base interface. The bracket interface has a center tongue with first and second skids on opposing sides. The conduit bracket is configured to slide on the mounting base by interlocking the center tongue with the center groove. | 04-25-2013 |
20130099070 | PLUMBING MOUNT FOR AGRICULTURAL SPRAYER - A configurable plumbing mount for supporting plumbing conduits on a boom arm of an agricultural sprayer includes a mounting base mountable on a beam of the boom arm at its proximal end and having an elongated platform portion extending to a distal end. The platform portion has a front face, a rear face, and opposing side faces, the front face forming a base interface having a center groove running between two tracks. The tracks run from the distal end to a primary stop. One of the tracks has a secondary stop formed thereon located between the primary stop and the distal end of the mounting base. The plumbing mount also has at least one conduit bracket having a conduit retaining portion and a bracket interface configured to slidingly engage and lock with the base interface of the mounting base. The bracket interface has a center tongue with first and second skids on opposing sides on the center tongue. The conduit bracket is configured to slide on the mounting base by interlocking the center tongue with the center groove. | 04-25-2013 |
20130112125 | TWIN ROW PLANTER - An apparatus and method to precisely meter and dispense two or more crop inputs with a common metering disc is presented to achieve proper placement in the soil relative to one another. In one embodiment, dry granular or granulized fertilizer is metered from one side of the disc and seed is metered from the opposite side of the same metering disc. The fertilizer is placed in a concentrated “pulse” approximately equal distances between seeds within a common seed furrow and/or between seed furrows to improved nutrient use efficiency by minimizing soil to fertilizer contact and subsequent chemical reactions that make applied supplemental nutrients less available to plants. Pressurized air may be utilized to assist discharge of both the seed and fertilizer from the disc meter to assure precise spacing in the soil. A cover may be placed on the meter and metering disc to recirculate air and thus minimize potential atmospheric contamination from seed coatings and fertilizer materials. | 05-09-2013 |
20130133302 | FLEXIBLE DRAPER HEADER HAVING CENTER DRAPER - A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a flexible cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a conveyor assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The conveyor assembly includes a fore-and-aft draper with a draper frame swingably supported on the header frame at a pivot where the draper frame projects forwardly from the pivot, such that the draper frame is operable to swing relative to the header frame. The fore-and-aft draper includes a draper belt supported on the draper frame to present a rearwardly moving run for conveying the crop rearwardly. | 05-30-2013 |
20130133303 | COMBINE HARVESTER DRAPER HEADER WITH PIVOTING STRUCTURE WITHIN SIDE DRAPER - A harvesting header includes a header frame, a flexible cutterbar assembly mounted to the header frame, a plurality of laterally spaced apart support arms, and a draper assembly. The support arms are attached to and cooperatively support the cutterbar assembly and are pivotally coupled to the frame for swinging movement about a laterally extending axis. The draper assembly includes a side draper carried on multiple ones of the support arms so as to flex with the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes rollers and a roller frame that operably interconnects the interior support arm and a respective one of the rollers. | 05-30-2013 |
20130137492 | THROUGHPUT CONTROL ADJUSTABLE VANES ON AGRICULTURAL COMBINE HARVESTER - A threshing mechanism for a combine harvester has a cylindrical rotor for moving crop materials and a plurality of separator tines secured thereon for threshing crop material. A rotor chamber has a top casing forming an upper portion defining a volume of space between the rotor and the top casing. A plurality of crop transport vanes extend away from an inward surface of the top casing to direct the crop material generally helically along the chamber. The vanes have a rotor-facing edge at an outer end away from the inward surface of the top casing. The vanes are positionable between a base position and at least one extended position with respect to the rotor, wherein in the base position, the rotor-facing edge is positioned a greater distance from the rotor than when in the at least one extended position. | 05-30-2013 |
20130149088 | Unloading Configuration for an Agricultural Grain Cart - A grain cart has a lower frame supported by an axle with a pair of wheels attached thereto and a grain storage hopper. The grain storage hopper includes a substantially vertical front wall, a substantially vertical rear wall, and left and right sidewalls. At least one trough extends along the bottom of the hopper and a sump is positioned below a central portion of the at least one trough, wherein the trough opens into the sump to permit the flow of grain from the trough into the sump. At least one horizontal auger, having a shaft and helical flighting, is rotatably secured in the at least one trough, wherein the flighting on one portion of the shaft is configured to move grain in a first direction toward the sump and the flighting on a second portion of the shaft is configured in a reverse orientation so as to move grain in an opposite direction toward the sump such that rotation of the shaft results in material at either end of the hopper moving toward the center of the hopper. The hopper also includes an unloading auger assembly extending from the sump to an upper corner of the hopper. | 06-13-2013 |
20130152539 | HARVESTING HEADER WITH A FLEXIBLE CUTTERBAR AND TILT ARM FOR CUTTERBAR DRIVE - A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a flexible cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, a plurality of laterally spaced apart support arms, a conveyor assembly, and a cutterbar drive. The support arms are pivotally coupled to the frame for swinging movement about a laterally extending axis so that the flexible cutterbar assembly is operable to flex along the length thereof in response to changes in terrain as the header is advanced. The cutterbar drive includes a drive element and a forward gearbox drivingly connected between the drive element and the cutterbar assembly. The forward gearbox is supported on an outer support arm. | 06-20-2013 |
20130154219 | INDIVIDUALLY STEERED REAR AXLE FOR DUAL PATH STEERED VEHICLES - A caster wheel assembly selectively providing steering assist includes a pivoting shaft coupled with a caster wheel with an engagement lug connected to the shaft in a fixed manner. A steering arm selectively engages the engagement lug to couple the steering arm and engagement lug so that pivoting motion of the steering arm is transferred to the engagement lug. A turn assist cylinder connects to an outward end of the steering arm and an engagement mechanism acting upon the steering arm for engaging the steering arm with the engagement lug. When engaged, the steering arm is coupled with the engagement lug such that the turn assist cylinder pivots the shaft and caster wheel. When disengaged, the steering arm is uncoupled with the engagement lug such that the shaft and caster wheel are free to pivot independent of the turn assist cylinder. | 06-20-2013 |
20130154222 | STEERABLE REAR AXLE SYSTEM FOR DUAL-PATH STEERED WINDROWER TRACTOR - A working vehicle has a castor wheel assembly selectively providing steering assist. A pivoting caster spindle coupled with a caster wheel and an engagement plate connected to the caster spindle in a fixed manner such that the engagement plate pivots with the caster spindle. A pivoting steering arm is rotatably connected to the caster spindle and a steering cylinder is connected to an outward end of the steering arm with a tie rod configured to pivot the steering arm. A keyed connecting mechanism selectively couples the steering arm with the engagement plate. In an engaged position, the keyed connecting mechanism couples the steering arm with the engagement plate such that the steering cylinder pivots the caster spindle and caster wheel. In a disengaged position, the steering arm is uncoupled with the engagement plate such that the caster spindle and caster wheel are free to pivot independent of the steering cylinder. | 06-20-2013 |
20130157731 | Method for Measuring Air Efficiency and Efficacy in a Combine Harvester - The airflow through a harvesting machine is adjusted by calculating a G-factor at a first point on an upper chaffer to determine if it is greater than 1+n, where n represents a desired factor. A blower is adjusted to reduce an airstream if the G-factor is greater than 1+n. A MOG factor is calculated if the G-factor is less than 1+n. The blower is adjusted to increase the airstream if the MOG-factor is less than 1+x, where x represents a desired factor. A MOG-factor is calculated at a second point if the MOG-factor at said the point is greater than 1+x and the blower is adjusted to reduce the airstream if the MOG-factor at the second point is greater than 1+y, where y represents a desired factor or adjusted to increase the airstream if the MOG-factor at the second point is less than 1+y. | 06-20-2013 |
20130160414 | Rotary Cutter-Style Crop Conditioning Header Having End-Mounted Rotary Shear - A rotary conditioning header has upright end panels that project forwardly from opposite ends of the rotary cutter bar. A top panel structure spans the end panels across their upper ends to define a crop receiving space between the end panels and beneath the top panel structure that is open at the front to define a mouth into the header. An upright rotary shear on at least one of the ends panels is located within the crop receiving space at the edge of the mouth but is exposed at the front such that its forwardmost cutting extremity is generally aligned with but underneath a transverse lean bar across the front edge of the top panel structure. The rotary shear severs and separates tangled crop stalks in the vicinity of the end panel to enable the stalks to be properly acted upon by the lean bar and received into the mouth. | 06-27-2013 |
20130167498 | AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT HAVING KNIFE LOAD RESPONSIVE INFEED CUTTER - An agricultural implement having an infeed cutter is operable to automatically accommodate large objects that pass through the infeed cutter and detect and counteract jams that occur or might otherwise occur in the infeed cutter. The implement includes a plurality of knives mounted on a vertically moveable knife bed. The bed is associated with a hydraulic load-sensing system that is operable to lower the bed if a load threshold has been reached and raise the bed when the load has decreased sufficiently. Each knife is also associated with a hydraulic load-sensing system that is operable to lower the respective knife if a load threshold has been reached and raise the respective knife when the load has decreased sufficiently. | 07-04-2013 |
20130167501 | CAMLESS PICKUP WRAPPER - In one embodiment, a camless pickup assembly comprising a cam independent, rotatable reel having a plurality of tines affixed thereto and spaced apart from each other by a respective predefined first gap radially on the reel and spaced apart by a respective predefined second gap transversely across the reel; and a plurality of tine wrappers distributed transversely along the reel and occupying each of the respective second gaps, wherein a first of the plurality of tines is configured to extend past a plane of the tine wrapper surface according to a substantially constant length throughout a first arc of rotation and a second of the plurality of tines is configured to extend past the plane of the tine wrapper surface according to a gradually decreasing length throughout a second arc of rotation, the second of the plurality of tines spaced radially from the first of the plurality of tines by the predefined first gap. | 07-04-2013 |
20130167739 | STUFFER CHUTE FILL INDICATOR - In one embodiment, a stuffer chute assembly comprising: a duct defining a passageway, the duct having a lower inlet opening and an upper outlet opening, the duct comprising a lower surface with plural slots located proximal to the upper outlet; plural rotating devices arranged transversely across the duct, the plural rotating devices extending at least partially both through the plural slots and into the passageway, each of the plural rotating devices comprising plural fingers along the circumference of the rotating device to engage crop material in the duct; and a sensor coupled to at least one of the plural rotating devices, the sensor configured to sense a parameter corresponding to density of the crop material in the duct. | 07-04-2013 |
20130169785 | METHOD OF DETECTING AND IMPROVING OPERATOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ON AGRICULTURAL MACHINES - Methods, systems and apparatus are presented that can warn a machine operator of an object in a machine path when an operator is not looking in the machine travel direction. A situational awareness detector (SAD) can be configured to determine operator orientation and operator sight direction or field of view. A SAD can be configured to determine machine or implement travel path and whether an object of interest such as a boundary, pond, rock pile, etc. is positioned within the travel path. By comparing operator line of sight or field of view with machine and/or implement travel path, a SAD can determine operator awareness of the object in the travel path. If an operator is unaware of the object, an alert can be provided. If a determination is made that an operator is aware of an object, a system of the invention can refrain from providing an alert. | 07-04-2013 |
20130173116 | AUTOMATIC TRANSITION CONTROL OF HITCH MODES - In one embodiment, a control method for a multi-mode steerable 3-point hitch coupled to a work machine, the hitch comprising a pivotal hitch frame and a hitch support structure affixed to a chassis of the work machine, the hitch frame coupled to first and second draft arms and the hitch support structure coupled to a pair of steering cylinders that are coupled to the hitch frame, the control method comprising: receiving a signal corresponding to one or more parameters; and responsive to the one or more parameters reaching or exceeding a respective threshold value, automatically causing the plural steering cylinders to switch between the non-articulated mode and the multi-mode, the multi-mode including articulation and draft sway motion of the hitch. | 07-04-2013 |
20130182865 | ACOUSTIC FAULT DETECTION OF MECHANICAL SYSTEMS WITH ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION - An active noise cancellation fault detector (NCFD) is presented that is configured to cancel normal machine noise in an operator cabin, while allowing noise associated with a machine failure mode to remain so that an operator can hear when a machine component is beginning to fail or is in a failure mode. An NCFD can generate a model waveform of normal noise scaled to machine operating parameters. The model waveform can be inverted and adjusted in gain and phase to provide a cancellation waveform. The invention can be configured to determine operator location within a machine cab so that cancellation signals can be configured with the proper phases to destructively interfere with normal machine noise within a quiet zone or noise suppression envelope around an operator. Noise within the quiet zone can be detected and compared to various fault waveforms to determine whether a machine component is beginning to fail. | 07-18-2013 |
20130192855 | Interlocking Basket for Strip Tillage Machine - A strip tillage implement for movement over a crop berm has a frame configured to carry a coulter, a row cleaner, a shank and closing discs. The implement includes a basket assembly located behind the closing discs having a downwardly and rearwardly directed basket drawbar that forks into left and right support arms. The basket assembly includes a left basket half section rotatably attached to the left support arm and a right basket half section rotatably attached to the right support arm of the basket drawbar in cantilever fashion. Each of the basket half sections includes a support plate and a plurality of clod-breaking tines spaced about the periphery of the plate. Each plate is substantially perpendicular to the axis of its respective support arms such that the two plates form an upwardly diverging angle with the drawbar acting between the basket half sections to clean residue collected between the half sections. | 08-01-2013 |
20130196724 | TRANSLATING GRAIN BIN EXTENSIONS FOR AGRICULTURAL HARVESTING MACHINE - A grain bin located atop a harvester includes upstanding walls having a substantially continuous upper edge defining an opening. A grain bin extension is deployable between extended and refracted positions to expand the capacity of the grain bin. The extension includes extension panels and a cap overlaying the opening. The cap is supported by a cap frame that is also deployable between extended and refracted positions. An extension deployment apparatus raises and lowers the extension panels. Extension deployment mechanisms located at opposing corners of the grain bin control the deployment of adjacent extension panels. Each extension deployment mechanism has a first rack and a trunion to drive extension panels in a vertical direction and pivot the panels in an outward direction and a second rack mounted to the trunion to drive the cap frame in a vertical direction, and a dive gear between the first and second racks. | 08-01-2013 |