A harvesting apparatus includes a crop conditioning element coupled to a frame, and a hood moveable relative to the crop conditioning element. An actuating system moveably connects the hood to the frame. The actuating system includes a driven lever arm rotatably attached to the frame and including a first lever connection and a second lever connection positioned opposite each other across a lever rotation axis. A first pivot assembly is rotatably attached to the frame and includes a first pivot connection coupled to the first lever connection of the driven lever arm, and a second pivot connection coupled to a first lift location of the hood. A second pivot assembly is rotatably attached to the frame and includes a third pivot connection coupled to the second lever connection of the driven lever arm, and a fourth pivot connection coupled to a second lift location of the hood.

A roll gap optimization process is performed in conjunction with a roller conditioner system containing conditioner rolls. In embodiments, the process includes receiving, at a processor architecture, pre-conditioned crop images of a forage crop captured at a visually-sampled field location prior to intake of the forage crop into the roller conditioner system. The pre-conditioned crop images are analyzed to estimate an average stem dimension of the forage crop, and a roll gap width target is determined as a function of the average stem dimension. The processor architecture further performs one or more of: (i) automatically adjusting a width of the roll gap to substantially match the roll gap width target utilizing a roller adjustment mechanism included in the roller conditioner system, and (ii) displaying the roll gap width target on a display device contained in or otherwise coupled to the processor architecture for operator viewing.

A dual-purpose agricultural cart for transporting and conditioning grain or other particulate material. The cart features a transportable frame, a holding container for receiving and holding the particulate material, a fan, and one or more airflow channels each having an inlet fed by the fan and at least one outlet positioned to open into the holding container at an elevation at or proximate a lower end of the holding container. The particulate material is aerated via upward fan-driven airflow from the outlet(s) of the one or more airflow channels. The same cart used to transport grain between a combine harvester and road transport vehicle during harvest can be used after harvest, or during harvest delays, the dry harvested grain before long term storage or long-distance transport.

A dual-purpose agricultural cart for transporting and conditioning grain or other particulate material. The cart features a transportable frame, a holding container for receiving and holding the particulate material, a fan, and one or more airflow channels each having an inlet fed by the fan and at least one outlet positioned to open into the holding container at an elevation at or proximate a lower end of the holding container. The particulate material is aerated via upward fan-driven airflow from the outlet(s) of the one or more airflow channels. The same cart used to transport grain between a combine harvester and road transport vehicle during harvest can be used after harvest, or during harvest delays, the dry harvested grain before long term storage or long-distance transport.

An impact processing system (10) having a central opening (12) enabling material flow into a primary impact zone (14) in which is located an impact mechanism (16) rotatable about a rotation axis (18). An impact structure (20) provided with a plurality of holes (22) surrounds the impact mechanism (16). The rotatable impact mechanism (16) impacts material entering the primary impact zone (14) from the central opening (12) and accelerate the impacted material in a radial outward direction toward the impact structure (20) to effect fragmentation of the impacted material so that when sufficiently fragmented the material is able to pass through the holes (22). An optional outer structure (30) is radially spaced from the impact structure (20) and may comprise one or more segments that cumulatively extend about the axis of rotation (18) for an angle from 30° and 270° inclusive. A rotatable set of impact members (50) may be located between the impact structure and the outer structure. One or more gaps (28) may be provided in the impact structure (20) to allow the passage of large and/or hard objects that cannot otherwise be fragmented. The outer structure (30) is positioned to span across the gaps (28) so that material passing there thought is directed onto the outer structure (30).

An impact processing system (10) having a central opening (12) enabling material flow into a primary impact zone (14) in which is located an impact mechanism (16) rotatable about a rotation axis (18). An impact structure (20) provided with a plurality of holes (22) surrounds the impact mechanism (16). The rotatable impact mechanism (16) impacts material entering the primary impact zone (14) from the central opening (12) and accelerate the impacted material in a radial outward direction toward the impact structure (20) to effect fragmentation of the impacted material so that when sufficiently fragmented the material is able to pass through the holes (22). An optional outer structure (30) is radially spaced from the impact structure (20) and may comprise one or more segments that cumulatively extend about the axis of rotation (18) for an angle from 30° and 270° inclusive. A rotatable set of impact members (50) may be located between the impact structure and the outer structure. One or more gaps (28) may be provided in the impact structure (20) to allow the passage of large and/or hard objects that cannot otherwise be fragmented. The outer structure (30) is positioned to span across the gaps (28) so that material passing there thought is directed onto the outer structure (30).

A harvester implement includes a crop processor positioned to receive the crop material from a head unit and process the crop material to alter a characteristic of the crop material, e.g., a cut length or a kernel processing score. An image sensor assembly is positioned downstream of the crop processor along a flow path of the crop material. The image sensor assembly is operable to capture a post-processing image of the crop material. A computing device is operable to execute a crop processing analysis algorithm to receive the post-processing image of the crop material from the image sensor assembly, and to analyze the post-processing image to determine an actual degree of processing to the characteristic of the crop material achieved by the crop processor. The computing device may then communicate a notification signal to an output indicating the actual degree of processing to the characteristic of the crop material.

A harvester implement includes a crop processor positioned to receive the crop material from a head unit and process the crop material to alter a characteristic of the crop material, e.g., a cut length or a kernel processing score. An image sensor assembly is positioned downstream of the crop processor along a flow path of the crop material. The image sensor assembly is operable to capture a post-processing image of the crop material. A computing device is operable to execute a crop processing analysis algorithm to receive the post-processing image of the crop material from the image sensor assembly, and to analyze the post-processing image to determine an actual degree of processing to the characteristic of the crop material achieved by the crop processor. The computing device may then communicate a notification signal to an output indicating the actual degree of processing to the characteristic of the crop material.

A crop conditioning device for an agricultural harvesting machine. The crop conditioning device includes a frame, a first conditioning roll, and a second conditioning roll. The crop conditioning device also includes a tension member operably connected to the second conditioning roll. The tension member is configured for applying a tension force on the second conditioning roll. The crop conditioning device also includes a tension actuator operably connected to the tension member. The tension actuator is configured for adjusting the tension force applied by the tension member. The crop conditioning device also includes a pair of control rods respectively connected to the pair of lateral ends of the second conditioning roll. The crop conditioning device also includes a pair of roll-gap actuators respectively and operably connected to the pair of control rods. The pair of roll-gap actuators are configured for pivoting the second conditioning roll to adjust the roll gap.

A crop handling apparatus comprises a mobile chassis. The chassis is mounted on ground-engaging wheels. A tow-bar is provided at a front of the chassis for releasable attachment to a towing vehicle such as a tractor. A crop conditioning rotor is mounted on the chassis and has a plurality of outwardly projecting radial tines. Drive for the crop conditioning rotor can be by way of a drive transmission on the chassis which connects via a drive input with a PTO shaft on a tractor behind which the crop handling apparatus is drawn in use. A crop gathering conveyor is mounted on the chassis in front of the crop conditioning rotor. The crop gathering conveyor has a discharge end located in front of an inlet of the crop conditioning rotor to feed crop material to the inlet of the crop conditioning rotor in use.