A control system and method for adjusting a rotational speed of a header on an agricultural vehicle based on ground speed of the agricultural vehicle. The header may include a plurality of cutters rotatably actuated with a header actuator. The control system may have a processor that compares a ground speed of the agricultural vehicle with a threshold ground speed. If the ground speed of the agricultural vehicle is below the threshold ground speed, the processor may command the header actuator to rotate the cutters at a constant predetermined rotational speed. If the ground speed of the agricultural vehicle is above the threshold ground speed, the processor may command the header actuator to increase rotational speed of the cutters in proportion to the ground speed of the agricultural vehicle.

The present invention provides a riding work vehicle that includes a vehicle body having a driver seat; a driving wheel unit supporting the vehicle body; a working electric motor that drives a work unit having a work device; an electric motor controller controlling an operation of the working electric motor in a steady mode or a power saving mode in which consumed power is smaller than the steady mode; and a work load evaluator that evaluates load of the working electric motor. In the riding work vehicle, the electric motor controller operates the working electric motor in the power saving mode in a case where the load of the working electric motor evaluated by the work load evaluator is low load lower than a threshold value.

A timing apparatus for sickle knives having adjacent knife ends, respectively, having an endless elongate element encircling and movable about spaced apart support elements such that first and second portions of the elongate element span a space between the support elements, and connector elements connecting the knife ends to the first and second portions of the elongate element, respectively, such that movement of the elongate element in a first direction about the support elements will move the knives in timed relation in first opposite cutting directions, and movement of the elongate element in a second direction opposite the first direction will move the knives in timed relation in second opposite cutting directions. The apparatus can be connected between separately drive knives for timing their motions, or for using one of the knives for timingly driving another of the knives.

A multiple row sugar cane harvester having automatic and independent control of multiple base cutters utilized to severe sugar cane stalks in adjacent rows. Position sensors sense the height of the base cutters relative to the chassis of the sugar cane harvester and feed the signals to a controller for adjusting the height to a preselected level. The base cutters are individually driven by hydraulic motors through individual hydraulic circuits and the operating pressure is sensed and fed to the controller for determining whether a choke condition exists. A load sensor is incorporated between the linkage and the sugar cane harvester chassis for determining whether the base cutters have ground contact to elevate the base cutters.

A conditioner roller vibration sensing mechanism having first and second rotatable conditioner rollers spaced apart in close proximity to each other and between which cut crop can be directed as the rollers rotate during operation. The first roller is shiftable with respect to the second roller for adjusting the spacing between the rollers. The rollers vibrate when the rollers are spaced in such close proximity to each other that they contact each other as they rotate. An arm pivotally mounted to a frame supports the first roller, and the frame supports the second roller. The arm is movable to shift the first roller with respect to the second roller. An accelerometer is operatively coupled to the rollers for sensing the vibration created when the first and second rollers are positioned so close to each other to contact each other.

Methods and apparatus for a lawn maintenance vehicle park brake and traction drive interlock are provided. A park brake mechanism is selectively operable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. A traction drive is also mounted to the lawn maintenance vehicle, the traction drive having a disable mode which prohibits transmission of a driving force from the traction drive to a drive wheel. A first operable connection between the park brake mechanism and a wheel brake activates the wheel brake. A second operable connection between the park brake mechanism and the traction drive activates the disable mode of the traction drive. A method of controlling a lawn maintenance vehicle with a park brake and traction drive interlock include the steps of providing a lawn maintenance vehicle, providing an operable park brake mechanism, providing a first operable connection, and providing a second operable connection.

A lawn mower includes a drive source for driving a cutter blade, flaps, a grass clippings container, a grass clippings container weight detection unit, a travel distance detection unit, and a control unit. The control unit determines a change amount of weight of the grass clippings container detected by the grass clippings container weight detection unit over the elapsed time period from the time when detection of travel distance of the lawn mower is started by the travel distance detection unit to the time when travel of predetermined distance is completed, and implements control in a manner that the rotation speed of the drive source and the flap angle of the flaps are adjusted in accordance with the change amount of the weight.

A lawn mower includes a housing, a drive source, flaps, a grass clippings container, a grass clippings container weight detection unit, an internal pressure detection unit, and a control unit. If it is determined that a first condition where a change amount per predetermined fixed time of the weight detected by the grass clippings container weight detection unit is below a weight change amount reference value and a second condition where a change amount per predetermined fixed time of the internal pressure detected by the internal pressure detection unit has increased to a internal pressure change amount reference value, are satisfied, the control unit implements control to place the flaps in a substantially horizontal state.

A lawn mower includes a drive source for driving a cutter blade through a rotation shaft, a flap provided for the cutter blade in a manner that the flaps have a flap angle changeable along a horizontal line which is perpendicular to the rotation shaft, an actuator for controlling the flap angle of the flaps, a control unit for controlling the actuator, and a blade switching unit for switching the cutter blade between an operation state and a stop state. When the control unit determines that a stop switch signal has been received from the blade switching unit, the control unit controls the actuator to increase the flap angle of the flaps.

A control unit of a lawn mower performs switching control for switching operation between a first control mode and a second mode. In the first control mode, during rotation of an engine at a first reference rotation speed, in the case where a change amount of rotation speed of the engine per unit time has exceeded a reference speed change amount, the rotation speed is maintained at a second reference rotation speed, and an flap angle is increased. In the second control mode, during rotation of the engine at a second reference rotation speed, in the case where an opening angle of a throttle valve has fallen below a reference opening angle, the rotation speed is maintained at the first reference rotation speed, and the flap angle is decreased. The second reference rotation speed is higher than the first reference rotation speed.