A compression roll housing for an agricultural machine, having a side panel provided with at least one elongated aperture for receiving a shaft of a compression roll and allowing movement of the shaft within the aperture. The housing is provided with a cover plate which rotates about an axis parallel to the shaft and is provided with an indentation to partially surround the shaft. Movement of the shaft, such as along a longitudinal axis of the aperture, causes the plate to rotate to provide a cover across the aperture to prevent the escape of any material from the housing.

A harvesting apparatus includes a crop conditioning element coupled to a frame, and a hood moveable relative to the crop conditioning element. An actuating system moveably connects the hood to the frame. The actuating system includes a driven lever arm rotatably attached to the frame and including a first lever connection and a second lever connection positioned opposite each other across a lever rotation axis. A first pivot assembly is rotatably attached to the frame and includes a first pivot connection coupled to the first lever connection of the driven lever arm, and a second pivot connection coupled to a first lift location of the hood. A second pivot assembly is rotatably attached to the frame and includes a third pivot connection coupled to the second lever connection of the driven lever arm, and a fourth pivot connection coupled to a second lift location of the hood.

A harvesting apparatus includes a crop conditioning element coupled to a frame, and a hood moveable relative to the crop conditioning element. An actuating system moveably connects the hood to the frame. The actuating system includes a driven lever arm rotatably attached to the frame and including a first lever connection and a second lever connection positioned opposite each other across a lever rotation axis. A first pivot assembly is rotatably attached to the frame and includes a first pivot connection coupled to the first lever connection of the driven lever arm, and a second pivot connection coupled to a first lift location of the hood. A second pivot assembly is rotatably attached to the frame and includes a third pivot connection coupled to the second lever connection of the driven lever arm, and a fourth pivot connection coupled to a second lift location of the hood.

A harvesting machine is disclosed along with a method of operation. The harvesting machine includes a frame having a flail cutter mounted on a first end of the frame. The flail cutter can cut the stems of growing plants. A housing surrounding a portion of the flail cutter for directing the cut plants rearward. An idler roller is positioned rearward of the flail cutter. First and second moisture removal mechanisms are positioned downstream of the cutting mechanism, and each includes a suction roll and a press roll. A moving belt forms a closed loop around the idler roller and the pair of suction and press rolls, and has a plurality of apertures formed therethrough. The moving belt forms first and second nips between each pair of suction and press rolls for squeezing moisture out of the cut stems as the stems are routed therebetween.

A harvesting machine is disclosed along with a method of operation. The harvesting machine includes a frame having a flail cutter mounted on a first end of the frame. The flail cutter can cut the stems of growing plants. A housing surrounding a portion of the flail cutter for directing the cut plants rearward. An idler roller is positioned rearward of the flail cutter. First and second moisture removal mechanisms are positioned downstream of the cutting mechanism, and each includes a suction roll and a press roll. A moving belt forms a closed loop around the idler roller and the pair of suction and press rolls, and has a plurality of apertures formed therethrough. The moving belt forms first and second nips between each pair of suction and press rolls for squeezing moisture out of the cut stems as the stems are routed therebetween.

In one embodiment, a skid plate comprising an upper surface and an opposing ground engaging surface, the ground engaging surface comprising one or more optical windows flush or extending beyond a plane of the ground engaging surface, each of the optical windows comprising an optically transparent material.

Harvesting device (10) of an agricultural harvesting machine, having a mower (11) for mowing harvested crops, having a conditioning apparatus (14) with conditioning rolls (15, 16) arranged downstream of the mower (11) for conditioning the mown harvested crops, having a transverse conveying apparatus (18) arranged downstream of the conditioning apparatus (14) for conveying the conditioned harvested crops, having a guide element (20) in order to transfer the conditioned harvested crops from the conditioning apparatus (15) onto the transverse conveying apparatus (18), wherein the guide element (20) is configured to be deflectable such that the guide element (20) adopts a position as a function of a harvested crop mass flow to be transferred from the conditioning apparatus (15) onto the transverse conveying apparatus (18).

A towed agricultural implement including a first headstock element for connection to a towing vehicle, a second headstock element supporting a chassis member provided with a plurality of working implements, a pivot pin for connecting the first headstock member and the second headstock member and defining a horizontal axis of rotation between the first headstock member and the second headstock member, in which the second headstock member has a lateral centre of gravity offset from the axis of rotation. A compensating structure is provided between the first headstock member and the second headstock member to offset the unbalanced loads caused by the lateral centre of gravity being offset from the axis of rotation.

A compression roll housing for an agricultural machine, in which the housing has a side panel provided with at least one elongated aperture for receiving a shaft. The aperture allows movement of the shaft within the aperture along its longitudinal axis. The elongated aperture has a flexible cover with a cover aperture. The flexible cover prevents the escape of processed crop material from the housing, while permitting movement of the shaft in the elongated aperture.

A compression roll housing for an agricultural machine, in which the housing has a side panel provided with at least one elongated aperture for receiving a shaft. The aperture allows movement of the shaft within the aperture along its longitudinal axis. The elongated aperture has a flexible cover with a cover aperture. The flexible cover prevents the escape of processed crop material from the housing, while permitting movement of the shaft in the elongated aperture.