A grain processing apparatus for a combine harvester has a return pan with a release passage for releasing the harvested crop material before it reaches a grain cleaning system, and a controllable closure for opening and closing the release passage. Thus, the amount of MOG to be processed by the grain cleaning system can be controlled.

The present invention is in particular related to an agricultural harvesting vehicle, such as a combine harvester for gathering crops from a field and processing the crops in order to separate grain kernels from residue material such as stalks and leaves. The harvesting vehicle of the invention is provided with a cleaning section comprising a blower (10) and at least one sieve (3, 5), usually a set of an upper and lower sieve. The sieves (3, 5) are configured to transport a layer comprising a mixture of grain kernels and residue material towards an exit edge (16) of the sieve so that kernels fall through the sieve's openings and residue remains on the sieve until it is ejected from the sieve by crossing the exit edge (16). The sieve (3, 5) may be subject to a grain loss, consisting of a sieve-off loss and a blowout loss, said losses being respectively due to grain kernels being ejected together with the residue across the exit edge (16), or becoming airborne and being blown out of the cleaning section by the blower (10). In a harvester according to the invention, the cleaning section is further equipped with sensing means (20, 21, 37) configured to determine whether the blowout loss or the sieve-off loss is the highest contributor to the total grain loss. The sensing means (20, 21, 37) may further be equipped with a grain loss detector (15) configured to measure the sieve off loss and at least a portion of the blowout loss. The invention is in particular related to embodiments wherein the sensing means (20, 21, 37) is configured to measure a differential pressure obtained by a suitable pressure sensing configuration (20, 21) or a measurement of the blowout loss, relative to the total grain loss or to the sieve-off loss, by an impact sensor (37) mounted above the sieve (3).

A sensor assembly for attachment underneath a screen of a combine harvester is provided with a plurality of sensor units having sensor elements, a plurality of which sensor units are arranged one behind the other within a hollow profile which extends in the longitudinal direction of the screen.

An embodiment includes a combine having a feeder housing for receiving harvested crop, a separating system for threshing the harvested crop to separate grain from residue, a grain bin for storing the separated grain, a bin level sensor for detecting grain in the grain bin; and a controller that controls the combine. The controller is configured to generate a usable operating range by discarding a selected range of values from an operating range of the bin level sensor, generate a shifted operating range by shifting the usable operating range by a shift value, receive a first value indicating a level of grain in the grain bin, generate a second value by shifting the first value by the shift value, and present the second value to an operator of the combine.

A louver position sensing system for a sieve and chaffer of a combine harvester. The system provides that at least one sensor is in actual, physical contact with one or more louvers of the sieve and chaffer. More than one sensor can be utilized where multiple sensors are connected to multiple louvers of the sieve. The directly coupled sensing of the rotational position of the louver(s) allows for accurate, on-the-fly adjustment of the louvers in order to maximize the efficiency of operation of the sieve and chaffer. Preferably, the sensing system is configured such that sensed position of the louvers is broadcast on the bus of the combine harvester. As a result, the position information can be used to dynamically adjust the openings between the louvers of the sieve and chaffer to achieve more efficient grain cleaning as the machine and field variables change.

Systems and methods for sensing accumulated residue on a transmission surface of a sensor of an agricultural machine and controlling a cleaning of the transmission surface. Using captured information obtained by the sensor through the transmission surface, a first cleanliness value can be derived and compared with a first threshold. If the first threshold is not satisfied, a cleaning system can be activated. Communication of signals generated using the captured information can also then be suspended or assigned a confidence value. Information subsequently captured by the sensor can be used to derive another cleanliness value for comparison to a second threshold. The subsequently derived cleanliness value can result in at least one of a change in the confidence value, resumption of communication of signals generated using captured information obtained by the sensor, deactivation of the cleaning system, and a change in the aggressiveness of the cleaning system.

An assembly for selectively activating a cleaning fan of a combine harvester. The assembly includes a hydraulic pump for distributing power to the cleaning fan. The hydraulic pump is movably connected to a fixed point, and is configured to move between first and second positions. The hydraulic pump has an input portion for receiving power and a pressurized fluid port for distributing fluid to power the cleaning fan. A drive belt is wound about the input portion of the hydraulic pump and a drive pulley of the combine harvester. An actuator is provided for selectively moving the hydraulic pump between the first position, in which the drive belt is maintained in a state of tension such that the drive pulley can drive the cleaning fan, and the second position, in which the drive belt is maintained in a relaxed state such that the drive pulley cannot drive the cleaning fan.

A system and method of controlling an agricultural machine uses the following steps: (a) successively recording signals from at least one first sensor sensing at least one agronomic parameter of a field during an operation of the machine in the field, (b) successively recording signals from at least one second sensor sensing at least one operation parameter of the machine during the operation of the machine in the field, (c) spatially overlaying the signals of the first sensor and the second sensor, (d) determining from the overlaid values a respective zone in the field, and (e) controlling an actuator of the machine dependent on the determined zone in which the machine operates.

A delivery device is located at an inlet side of the cleaning shoe in a combine harvester. The delivery device is controlled in order to control a feed rate of grain that is fed to the cleaning shoe. One or more controllable subsystems are controlled based upon the feed rate.

A user interface element includes a plurality of moveable outer points on a circular line and a fixed inner point inside the circular line, the fixed inner point being connected to each of the outer points by a straight line such that each pair of adjacent straight lines and a portion of the circular line between the adjacent straight lines defines a section of the graphical user interface element. The user interface is configured to, in response to interaction from the user, move any of the outer points along the circular line and independently of the other outer points to thereby change the size of two or more of the sections. Each section corresponds to one of a plurality of crop processing parameters, such that changing the amount of area within any section results in an adjustment to an operation of a crop processing system.