A row crop header for an agricultural machine harvesting a crop having stalks, such as corn. The row crop header includes a frame, a first crop row divider mounted to the frame, and a second crop row divider mounted to the frame and spaced from the first crop row divider to define a space therebetween. A row unit is disposed at the space, wherein the row unit includes a deck assembly defining a gap, the deck assembly including a compliant deck configured to adjust the gap based on contact with the stalks of the crop. The compliant deck includes a plurality of overlapping plates having edges defining the gap where the edges are configured to move responsively to varying diameters of stalks. Crops are separated from the stalks upon contact with the overlapping plates. A gathering chain moves the separated crops toward a collector.

In one aspect, a system for operating an agricultural harvester may include a sensor assembly having a base member pivotably coupled to a first row divider of the harvester. The sensor assembly may also include first and second arms extending outwardly from the base member along opposite sides of a centerline of the first row divider. The system may further include a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor assembly. The controller may be configured to monitor the distance between the first and second arms based on measurement signals received from the sensor assembly. Furthermore, the controller may be further configured to switch the harvester from a first operating mode to a second operating mode when it is determined that the monitored distance has exceeded a predetermined distance threshold.

In one aspect, a system for operating an agricultural harvester may include a sensor assembly having a base member pivotably coupled to a first row divider of the harvester. The sensor assembly may also include first and second arms extending outwardly from the base member along opposite sides of a centerline of the first row divider. The system may further include a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor assembly. The controller may be configured to monitor the distance between the first and second arms based on measurement signals received from the sensor assembly. Furthermore, the controller may be further configured to switch the harvester from a first operating mode to a second operating mode when it is determined that the monitored distance has exceeded a predetermined distance threshold.

The invention relates to a harvesting machine for harvesting elongated plants, for example such as green asparagus, wherein the harvesting machine, moving in a direction of travel, is provided with at least one in-feed device with which a plant is to be fed into the harvesting machine, at least one gripping device following the in-feed device with which the plant fed in is to be gripped, as well as at least one separating device with which a part of the gripped plant to be harvested is to be separated from another part of the plant.

The invention relates to a harvesting machine for harvesting elongated plants, for example such as green asparagus, wherein the harvesting machine, moving in a direction of travel, is provided with at least one in-feed device with which a plant is to be fed into the harvesting machine, at least one gripping device following the in-feed device with which the plant fed in is to be gripped, as well as at least one separating device with which a part of the gripped plant to be harvested is to be separated from another part of the plant.

A harvesting system for harvesting stalky plants is mountable on a power unit such as an agricultural combine. The harvesting system may have both an upper harvesting head that cuts off the tops of the plants and the directs seed-bearing portions of the plant to the combine's thresher, and a lower harvesting head cuts the stalks near the ground and discharges the stalks in two or more windrows. In order to increase throughput, the upper harvesting head may be raisable and lowerable relative to the combine's feeder housing. To accommodate such adjustment, a discharge conveyor of the upper harvesting head may extend at an adjustable angle relative to the feeder housing. The lower harvesting head may have draper belts arranged to discharge the stalks in two or more, and more typically three or more, laterally spaced, parallel windrows.

A harvesting system for harvesting stalky plants is mountable on a power unit such as an agricultural combine. The harvesting system may have both an upper harvesting head that cuts off the tops of the plants and the directs seed-bearing portions of the plant to the combine's thresher, and a lower harvesting head cuts the stalks near the ground and discharges the stalks in two or more windrows. In order to increase throughput, the upper harvesting head may be raisable and lowerable relative to the combine's feeder housing. To accommodate such adjustment, a discharge conveyor of the upper harvesting head may extend at an adjustable angle relative to the feeder housing. The lower harvesting head may have draper belts arranged to discharge the stalks in two or more, and more typically three or more, laterally spaced, parallel windrows.

A sugarcane harvester includes an improved discharge assembly that receives sugarcane billets and discharges the billets into a storage vehicle that travels alongside the harvester. The discharge assembly includes an elevator and a conveyor. The elevator lifts the billets vertically about an elevator axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the harvester. The conveyor receives the billets from the elevator and moves the billets horizontally along a conveyor axis that is substantially perpendicular to both the elevator axis and the longitudinal axis of the harvester. The discharge assembly also comprises height adjustment mechanism for vertically raising or lowering the conveyor and lateral adjustment mechanism for laterally adjusting positions of the conveyor. The height adjustment mechanism and the lateral adjustment mechanism can be manually or automatically operated to shift the conveyor between a number of use positions and a transport/storage position.

A sugarcane harvester includes an improved discharge assembly that receives sugarcane billets and discharges the billets into a storage vehicle that travels alongside the harvester. The discharge assembly includes an elevator and a conveyor. The elevator lifts the billets vertically about an elevator axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the harvester. The conveyor receives the billets from the elevator and moves the billets horizontally along a conveyor axis that is substantially perpendicular to both the elevator axis and the longitudinal axis of the harvester. The discharge assembly also comprises height adjustment mechanism for vertically raising or lowering the conveyor and lateral adjustment mechanism for laterally adjusting positions of the conveyor. The height adjustment mechanism and the lateral adjustment mechanism can be manually or automatically operated to shift the conveyor between a number of use positions and a transport/storage position.

A harvesting attachment for whole plant harvesting includes a pick-up for picking up plants from a field, a first transverse conveyor belt and a second transverse conveyor belt for conveying the plants picked up transversely in a direction toward of a longitudinal center plane of the harvesting attachment, and two longitudinal conveyor belts which are arranged side-by-side and adjacent to the longitudinal center plane of the harvesting attachment and are set up to convey the plants entering from the transverse conveyor belts rearward to a rear discharge point of the harvesting attachment. The two longitudinal conveyor belts are inclined vertically upward in a direction toward the center plane at least over part of their length along the center plane.