A forage harvester is configured to chop harvested material and includes at least one conditioning unit for conditioning the chopped harvested material. The conditioning unit may transfer from its active position (in which operatively connected with other working units) to its passive position (in which the conditioning unit is released from the operational connection). In the passive position, the condition unit may be removed from the entirety of the forage harvester. The forage harvester further includes at least two track drives arranged on opposing ends of a front axle of the forage harvester. The forage harvester includes a free cross-section positioned on a removal side of the forage harvester through which the conditioning unit, in its passive position, can be removed laterally from the rest of the forage harvester, as well as removed above the track drive assigned to the removal side.

A forage harvester is configured to chop harvested material and includes at least one conditioning unit for conditioning the chopped harvested material. The conditioning unit may transfer from its active position (in which operatively connected with other working units) to its passive position (in which the conditioning unit is released from the operational connection). In the passive position, the condition unit may be removed from the entirety of the forage harvester. The forage harvester further includes at least two track drives arranged on opposing ends of a front axle of the forage harvester. The forage harvester includes a free cross-section positioned on a removal side of the forage harvester through which the conditioning unit, in its passive position, can be removed laterally from the rest of the forage harvester, as well as removed above the track drive assigned to the removal side.

A mower conditioner implement includes a cutting system for cutting crop material, and a crop conditioning system for receiving the cut crop material from the cutting system and conditioning the cut crop material to facilitate drying. An image sensor senses an image of the cut crop material. The image includes a color spectrum of the cut crop material from reflected light emitted from a light source. A computing device compares the color spectrum of the image to a calibrated color measurement to determine an ash content in the cut crop material, and/or a degree of stem conditioning of the cut crop material. The computing device may then communicate the results to an operator, and/or adjust the cutting system or the crop conditioning system based on the ash content or the degree of stem conditioning.

A mower-conditioner includes first and second conditioning rolls, adjustment assembly, and a linkage. The adjustment assembly includes a first member having a first helical surface and a second member having a second helical surface in contact with each other. The linkage is coupled between the at least one adjustment assembly and the first conditioning roll. The rotation of the at least one adjustment assembly about a pivot axis causes the first conditioning roll to move via the linkage, which adjusts the distance between the first and second conditioning rolls.

A mower-conditioner includes first and second conditioning rolls, adjustment assembly, and a linkage. The adjustment assembly includes a first member having a first helical surface and a second member having a second helical surface in contact with each other. The linkage is coupled between the at least one adjustment assembly and the first conditioning roll. The rotation of the at least one adjustment assembly about a pivot axis causes the first conditioning roll to move via the linkage, which adjusts the distance between the first and second conditioning rolls.

In accordance with an example embodiment, a mower-conditioner may include first and second conditioning rolls, at least one eccentric, and a linkage having a lever. The first and second conditioning rolls are spaced apart a distance. The at least one eccentric is coupled to the mower-conditioner. The lever is coupled between the eccentric assembly and the first conditioning roll. The rotation of the at least one eccentric about a pivot axis causes the first conditioning roll to move via the lever, which adjusts the distance between the first and second conditioning rolls.

In accordance with an example embodiment, a mower-conditioner may include first and second conditioning rolls, at least one eccentric, and a linkage having a lever. The first and second conditioning rolls are spaced apart a distance. The at least one eccentric is coupled to the mower-conditioner. The lever is coupled between the eccentric assembly and the first conditioning roll. The rotation of the at least one eccentric about a pivot axis causes the first conditioning roll to move via the lever, which adjusts the distance between the first and second conditioning rolls.

A mower-conditioner (2, 6) for cutting and conditioning crop material, comprises a mower unit (2) for cutting crop material and a conditioner unit (6) that is configured to condition the cut crop material. A drive input (10) is configured to receive a rotational drive from an external drive unit, and a drive transmission system (30) is configured to transmit rotary drive from the drive input (10) to the mower unit (2) and the conditioner unit (6). The drive transmission system (30) includes a continuously variable transmission (CVT) (40) that transmits rotary drive between the mower unit (2) and the conditioner unit (6) with a variable speed ratio.

A converging drum for a crop mowing implement includes a body that extends along a central longitudinal axis. The body rotates about the central longitudinal axis in a defined rotational direction. At least one ramp feature extends radially outward from the body, relative to the central longitudinal axis. The ramp feature is arranged to form an acute angle relative to a reference plane. The acute angle may open toward the defined rotational direction to move cut crop downward, or the acute angle may open away from the defined rotational direction to move crop upward, to position the cut crop for a conditioning system. The converging drum may include a first group of ramp features near a second end of the body for moving cut crop downward, and/or a second group of ramp features near a first end of the body for moving cut crop upward.

A harvesting apparatus includes a crop conditioning element and an associated hood for conditioning crop material. The hood is moveably mounted to a frame of the harvesting apparatus, at a position located above the crop conditioning element. The hood is moveably mounted to the frame for movement toward and away from the crop conditioning element to adjust a gap therebetween. A swathboard is attached to and moveable with the hood. The swathboard is moveable relative to the hood between a plurality of operating positions. The swathboard is operable to maintain its position relative to the hood during movement with the hood toward and away from the crop conditioning element to form a consistent swath while moving the hood relative to the crop conditioning element to adjust the gap therebetween.