The invention relates to a device for tedding or turning crops, such as hay, to facilitate a faster drying of the hay. The device and method use a touch-free approach, where a fan wheel is used to blow the hay off the ground and toss it simultaneously. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for windrowing hay before it is harvested by harvesting machines.

A windrow merger includes heads having cams that control the speed of the tines. The cam is configured with a section that slows the speed of the tines while passing a lower front portion of the path of rotation to lift material from the ground at lower speeds and therefore handles the material more gently at the point of pickup. The cam is configured to accelerate the tines at the point where the lifted material is propelled rearward from the pickup assembly. The merger heads also include a widened conveyor that is configured with an upper surface extending rearward and slightly downward to further evenly distribute material across the width of the conveyor. The heads are supported on skids that have a linkage connecting the skids at each end of the head with one of the skids having a mechanism that acts as a master to control the slave of the linked opposite skid.

A windrow merger includes heads having cams that control the speed of the tines. The cam is configured with a section that slows the speed of the tines while passing a lower front portion of the path of rotation to lift material from the ground at lower speeds and therefore handles the material more gently at the point of pickup. The cam is configured to accelerate the tines at the point where the lifted material is propelled rearward from the pickup assembly. The merger heads also include a widened conveyor that is configured with an upper surface extending rearward and slightly downward to further evenly distribute material across the width of the conveyor. The heads are supported on skids that have a linkage connecting the skids at each end of the head with one of the skids having a mechanism that acts as a master to control the slave of the linked opposite skid.

A swather with a crop cutting header includes a swath roller for rolling on the swath carried on a mounting assembly attached to the tractor frame and a lifting assembly for lifting the roller free from the swath where a control unit is arranged to lift the swath roller to the raised position thereof when the header is raised to the raised position thereof. The control unit also includes a GPS position sensing system so that the roller is lifted at positions determined by the GPS position sensing system. The mounting assembly comprises a mounting frame rigidly attached to the rear walking beam of the tractor so that the mounting frame is held at a set position relative to the tractor determined by a position of the beam so that the swath roller is not pivotally mounted relative to the tractor.

A swather with a crop cutting header includes a swath roller for rolling on the swath carried on a mounting assembly attached to the tractor frame and a lifting assembly for lifting the roller free from the swath where a control unit is arranged to lift the swath roller to the raised position thereof when the header is raised to the raised position thereof. The control unit also includes a GPS position sensing system so that the roller is lifted at positions determined by the GPS position sensing system. The mounting assembly comprises a mounting frame rigidly attached to the rear walking beam of the tractor so that the mounting frame is held at a set position relative to the tractor determined by a position of the beam so that the swath roller is not pivotally mounted relative to the tractor.

Systems, apparatus, and methods for use with mergers for processing a material on a ground surface includes detecting, via one or more sensors, an object of interest associated with the material when a merger is forming a windrow on the ground surface. The method also includes a step for facilitating removal of the object of interest from the material in response to the detection.

Systems, apparatus, and methods for use with mergers for processing a material on a ground surface includes detecting, via one or more sensors, an object of interest associated with the material when a merger is forming a windrow on the ground surface. The method also includes a step for facilitating removal of the object of interest from the material in response to the detection.

A grass management system includes a first moisture-obtaining device to obtain a first moisture value of grass in a mowing operation performed by a mower, a position-detecting device to detect a mowing position of the mower, and a creation supporting circuit to support creation of an operation plan for a working machine based on the first moisture value and the mowing position, the working machine being configured to perform an operation relating to the grass already mowed. The grass management system includes a moisture map creating circuit to create a moisture map of an agricultural field based on the first moisture value and the mowing position. The creation supporting circuit is configured to display the moisture map that is created by the moisture map creating circuit in creating the operation plan.

The Unterface system disclosed includes a machine-unique Down-Facing component adapted to connect Ag-machine structures, hydraulics, DC power and CAN network matingly with an attachment-unique Up-Facing component fixed to the attachment whereby the attachment is efficiently, fully and safely operable as an ordered combination with the ag-machine and its various control networks.

The Unterface system disclosed includes a machine-unique Down-Facing component adapted to connect Ag-machine structures, hydraulics, DC power and CAN network matingly with an attachment-unique Up-Facing component fixed to the attachment whereby the attachment is efficiently, fully and safely operable as an ordered combination with the ag-machine and its various control networks.