A header assembly for an agricultural harvesting machine comprises a first frame assembly, a second frame assembly that supports a cutter, and is pivotable relative to the first frame assembly, a float cylinder coupled between the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly, an accumulator, and fluidic circuitry that fluidically couples the accumulator to the float cylinder. The fluidic circuitry is configured to provide a first flow of pressurized fluid under pressure to the float cylinder, so the float cylinder exerts a float force on the second frame assembly, and based on a control input that corresponds to a lowering operation of the header assembly, provide a restricted flow of fluid, that is restricted relative to the first flow, between the float cylinder and the accumulator.

A locking mechanism includes a pin configured to movably couple to a first element of an agricultural header, wherein the first element includes one of an arm and a frame. The locking mechanism also includes a mount configured to couple to a second element of the agricultural header, wherein the second element includes the other of the arm and the frame. The pin is disposed within an opening of the mount, the opening has a first portion configured to receive the pin while the pin is in a first position and to block relative movement between the pin and the mount to block rotation of the arm, and the opening has a second portion configured to receive the pin while the pin is in a second position and to enable relative movement between the pin and the mount to enable rotation of the arm.

A hydraulic system includes a first fixed displacement pump having a first pump output and a second fixed displacement pump having a second pump output. A first actuator requires a first required flow rate to perform a first function. A second actuator requires a second required flow rate to perform a second function. A combined flow control valve is controllable between a first state connecting fluid communication between the first fixed displacement pump and the tank so that only the second pump output is directed to the second actuator, and a second state disconnecting fluid communication between the first fixed displacement pump and the tank to combine the first pump output and the second pump output such that the combined first pump output and the second pump output is directed to the first actuator.

A flexible harvesting header having multiple sections supported by support arms, with the height of each arm being adjustable in response to a changing load. Load sensors at first ends of the arms sense loads and generate electronic load signals. Hydraulic cylinders at second ends of the arms are actuatable to raise and lower the first ends. A controller receives the load signals, determines whether actuating one or more of the hydraulic cylinders is warranted due to a changing load, and if so, changes a hydraulic pressure to raise or lower the first ends to offset the changing load. Actuation may be warranted if the changing load exceeds a predetermined value. Further, the entire flexible cutter bar may be raised in response to an electronic raise signal, and the controller may actuate all of the hydraulic cylinders to raise the front ends of all of the support arms.

An agricultural system includes a header comprising a gauge wheel and a frame, in which the gauge wheel and the frame are coupled to a hydraulic cylinder that is configured to adjust the gauge wheel relative to the frame. The agricultural system also includes a hydraulic circuit fluidly coupled to the hydraulic cylinder, in which the hydraulic circuit is configured to control a fluid flow into and out of the hydraulic cylinder to adjust the gauge wheel relative to the frame, and the hydraulic circuit includes an accumulator configured to enable an amount of fluid in the hydraulic cylinder to change during a harvesting operation of the agricultural system such that the gauge wheel may oscillate from a set position during the harvesting operation.

In one aspect, the present subject matter is directed to a header-based harvesting system for agricultural harvesters that includes a header configured to be removably coupled to a front end of a harvester. The header includes a header frame and a base cutter assembly coupled to the header frame in a floating arrangement. Additionally, the system includes an actuator coupled between the header frame and the base cutter assembly, and a hydraulic circuit in fluid communication with the actuator. The hydraulic circuit is configured to allow pressurized hydraulic fluid to be supplied to the actuator for regulating the floating movement of the base cutter assembly relative to the header frame.

An agricultural vehicle having a chassis, wheels, a power unit, and a header. The header has a center section, at least one wing section extending laterally from the center section, and a wing section support. The center section is movable relative to the chassis, the wing section is movable relative to the center section, and the wing support is movable relative to the wing section. The combine has a control system that is configured to determine that the combine is configured to drive at a road-driving speed, and in response to such determination: operate a center section actuator to move the center section to a raised center section position, operate a wing section actuator to move the wing section to a raised wing section position, and operate a wing support actuator to move the wing support to a raised wing support position.

A harvester includes a frame and a header coupled to the frame. The header includes a center segment, a wing coupled to the center segment, and an actuator between the wing and the center segment. The wing includes a ground-engaging component configured to bear a first variable portion of the weight of the wing and a wing sensor coupled to the wing. The actuator is configured to transfer a second variable portion of the weight of the wing to the frame. A controller is configured to receive a signal from the wing sensor and to send a signal to the actuator to vary a ratio of the first variable portion of the weight of the wing to the second variable portion of the weight of the wing.

A sugarcane harvester includes basecutters for cutting sugarcane stalks from sugarcane plants; a chopping section for chopping the sugarcane stalks into billets; a discharge assembly for discharging the billets to a storage vehicle; and a height adjustment system for automatically adjusting a height of the basecutters to avoid unwanted contact between the basecutters and a ground surface.

A method and apparatus for controlling a header height of a combine harvester that includes a header, a ground speed sensor, a ground height sensor configured to detect a ground contour directly beneath the header, a forward looking sensor (FLS) configured to detect a ground contour forward of the header, and a controller. The controller receives signals from the ground speed sensor, the ground height sensor and the FLS, and calculates a header height output as a function of (i) an output of the ground speed sensor, which represents a ground speed of the combine, (ii) an output of the ground height sensor, and (iii) an output of the FLS. The controller is further configured to weight the outputs of the ground height sensor and the FLS as a function of the speed of the combine harvester in calculating the header height output.