A forage harvester cracker unit assembly for retention of first and second cracker rollers is disclosed, each of the first and second cracker rollers having first and second ends and sealing units fitted at each of the first and second ends. The forage harvester cracker unit assembly comprises an upper housing having left and right hand sides, and a lower housing having left and right hand sides. The forage harvester cracker unit assembly further comprises first and second sets of replaceable cracker roller sealing unit location plates, each set comprising an upper cracker roller sealing unit location plate and a lower cracker roller sealing unit location plate for location at a respective left or right hand side of a respective upper or lower housing.

A forage harvester comprising a frame and a drive assembly is disclosed. The drive assembly comprises a drive pulley, a tension pulley, a plurality of additional pulleys and a drive belt for drivingly connecting the pulleys, a tensioning cylinder located between a first portion of the frame and a support element for the tension pulley. The frame is provided with a mounting at a second portion of the frame and the support element for the tension pulley is located between the mounting at a first end of the support element and the tensioning cylinder at a second end of the support element.

An agricultural machine can include a plant processing apparatus for processing plant material. The plant processing apparatus includes a cylindrical drum rotatable about a drum axis, a rotary drive for rotating the drum about the drum axis, and a curved shell that extends around at least part of the circumference of the drum. The plant processing apparatus includes a processing channel provided between an outer surface of the cylindrical drum and an inner surface of the shell. The processing channel has an inlet end and an outlet end. Plant material is transported through the processing channel from the inlet end to the outlet end by rotation of the cylindrical drum. The drum and the shell each have sets of working elements that together process the plant material as it is fed through the processing channel.

An agricultural machine can include a plant processing apparatus for processing plant material. The plant processing apparatus includes a cylindrical drum rotatable about a drum axis, a rotary drive for rotating the drum about the drum axis, and a curved shell that extends around at least part of the circumference of the drum. The plant processing apparatus includes a processing channel provided between an outer surface of the cylindrical drum and an inner surface of the shell. The processing channel has an inlet end and an outlet end. Plant material is transported through the processing channel from the inlet end to the outlet end by rotation of the cylindrical drum. The drum and the shell each have sets of working elements that together process the plant material as it is fed through the processing channel.

The agricultural harvester comprises a header. The header includes a frame, a control shaft connected to the frame, a flex arm, a linkage assembly and a cutter bar connected to the flex arm. The linkage assembly is movable between a first position and a second position. The linkage assembly includes a first end pivotably connected to the control shaft and a second end connected to the flex arm.

A tubular for processing crops can include a body having an outer surface and protrusions extending outwardly from the outer surface. The protrusions can be arranged in bands that are spaced apart along the outer surface to define gaps therebetween that form grooves extending around a circumference of the body. Each band of protrusions can be positioned offset with respect to at least one adjacent band of protrusions such that the protrusions form a spiraling configuration around a longitudinal axis of the body.

A tubular for processing crops can include a body having an outer surface and protrusions extending outwardly from the outer surface. The protrusions can be arranged in bands that are spaced apart along the outer surface to define gaps therebetween that form grooves extending around a circumference of the body. Each band of protrusions can be positioned offset with respect to at least one adjacent band of protrusions such that the protrusions form a spiraling configuration around a longitudinal axis of the body.

A conditioner unit (6) for conditioning crop material comprises a rotor (17) having a shaft (18) that carries a plurality of conditioning elements, a drive mechanism for driving rotation of the rotor (17) about an axis, and a deflector element having a working surface (26) that surrounds at least part of the circumference of the rotor (17) to define a conditioning passage through which crop material is transported by rotation of the rotor (17). An adjusting mechanism (30) is provided for adjusting the position of the deflector element relative to the rotor (17), the adjusting mechanism (30) including an actuator (50), a sensor for sensing an operational condition of the conditioning unit (6) and a control system (56) that receives a sensor signal from the sensor and controls actuation of the actuator (50) in response to said sensor signal to provide a desired level of conditioning during operation of the conditioner unit (6).

A conditioner unit (6) for conditioning crop material comprises a rotor (17) having a shaft (18) that carries a plurality of conditioning elements, a drive mechanism for driving rotation of the rotor (17) about an axis, and a deflector element having a working surface (26) that surrounds at least part of the circumference of the rotor (17) to define a conditioning passage through which crop material is transported by rotation of the rotor (17). An adjusting mechanism (30) is provided for adjusting the position of the deflector element relative to the rotor (17), the adjusting mechanism (30) including an actuator (50), a sensor for sensing an operational condition of the conditioning unit (6) and a control system (56) that receives a sensor signal from the sensor and controls actuation of the actuator (50) in response to said sensor signal to provide a desired level of conditioning during operation of the conditioner unit (6).

In a rotary mower having ten generally horizontal cutter disks forming a total cutting length along the cutter bar of 16 feet, the discharge opening containing the parallel conditioner rolls and a parallel transfer roll has a width of at least 125 inches. This allows a first outermost one of the ten disks and approximately one half of the next adjacent disk to be mounted on the cutter bar outwardly of the discharge opening. A convergence system then includes only first and second impellers with the first impeller mounted on the first disk for rotation therewith and the second impeller mounted on an upper support above the impeller so that the second impeller hangs downwardly toward the second disk for contacting the cut crop and mounted immediately adjacent with the second impeller having a peripheral edge located at or immediately adjacent the vertical plane of the side of the discharge opening.