A vehicle 10 includes a prime mover engine 15, a drive wheel 16, and a hydrostatic transmission 20. The prime mover engine 15 has a substantially vertical prime mover output shaft 18. The hydrostatic transmission 20 has a hydraulic pump 24 with a substantially vertical pump input shaft 28. A drive link 31 drivingly connects the pump input shaft 28 to the prime mover output shaft 18. The hydraulic motor 25 has a substantially vertical output shaft 30. An interface connector 32 establishes fluid pressure communication between the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor. A gear set is intermediate the hydrostatic transmission 20 and drive wheel 16. The gear set includes a vertically disposed bevel gear 41 drivingly connected to the motor output shaft 30 and a horizontally disposed bevel gear 42 drivingly connected to the drive wheel 16.

A vehicle 10 includes a prime mover engine 15, a drive wheel 16, and a hydrostatic transmission 20. The prime mover engine 15 has a substantially vertical prime mover output shaft 18. The hydrostatic transmission 20 has a hydraulic pump 24 with a substantially vertical pump input shaft 28. A drive link 31 drivingly connects the pump input shaft 28 to the prime mover output shaft 18. The hydraulic motor 25 has a substantially vertical output shaft 30. An interface connector 32 establishes fluid pressure communication between the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor. A gear set is intermediate the hydrostatic transmission 20 and drive wheel 16. The gear set includes a vertically disposed bevel gear 41 drivingly connected to the motor output shaft 30 and a horizontally disposed bevel gear 42 drivingly connected to the drive wheel 16.

A slope mower includes a mower body, drive wheels, left and right mower decks and left and right support wheels mounted on support arms pivotally mounted to the mower body with hydraulic actuators acting on the left and right support arms to maintain the mower body vertical. An inclinometer measures the tilt angle of the mower body and a controller reads the angle and controls a leveling valve to supply hydraulic fluid from a supply line to the leveling actuator toward which the inclinometer indicates the mower body is leaning to move the mower body back to vertical. The system can be programmed to actuate a leveling actuator only when the detected tilt angle exceeds a minimum angle. Lockout valves can be actuated by the controller to block the flow of hydraulic fluid to or from both actuators if a maximum allowed tilt angle is exceeded.

A slope mower includes a mower body, drive wheels, left and right mower decks and left and right support wheels mounted on support arms pivotally mounted to the mower body with hydraulic actuators acting on the left and right support arms to maintain the mower body vertical. An inclinometer measures the tilt angle of the mower body and a controller reads the angle and controls a leveling valve to supply hydraulic fluid from a supply line to the leveling actuator toward which the inclinometer indicates the mower body is leaning to move the mower body back to vertical. The system can be programmed to actuate a leveling actuator only when the detected tilt angle exceeds a minimum angle. Lockout valves can be actuated by the controller to block the flow of hydraulic fluid to or from both actuators if a maximum allowed tilt angle is exceeded.

Provided is a hydrostatic transmission including a pump/motor module having a reservoir housing and a hydraulic pump and motor disposed in the reservoir housing, and a speed reduction module having a speed reduction housing coupled to the reservoir housing and a speed reduction assembly disposed in the speed reduction housing. The speed reduction assembly includes an input member driven by the output shaft of the hydraulic motor, an output member rotationally connected to the input member by one or more belts/chains, and an axle shaft driven by rotation of the output member. By providing the speed reduction assembly in a separate housing from the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir housing, the speed reduction assembly is isolated from the hydraulic fluid thereby preventing particulates from the speed reduction assembly from entering the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir housing.

Provided is a hydrostatic transmission including a pump/motor module having a reservoir housing and a hydraulic pump and motor disposed in the reservoir housing, and a speed reduction module having a speed reduction housing coupled to the reservoir housing and a speed reduction assembly disposed in the speed reduction housing. The speed reduction assembly includes an input member driven by the output shaft of the hydraulic motor, an output member rotationally connected to the input member by one or more belts/chains, and an axle shaft driven by rotation of the output member. By providing the speed reduction assembly in a separate housing from the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir housing, the speed reduction assembly is isolated from the hydraulic fluid thereby preventing particulates from the speed reduction assembly from entering the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir housing.

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 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 header is removably attached to lift arms of an agricultural harvester and by a tilt cylinder pivotable about an axis A between an elevated installation position and a lower operational position. A perch assembly including a perch is positioned adjacent axis A to remotely pivot the tilt cylinder between the installation and operating positions and a downwardly facing hook shaped latching device is mounted on the tilt cylinder to engage and attach to a mounting pin on the header.

A header is removably attached to lift arms of an agricultural harvester and by a tilt cylinder pivotable about an axis A between an elevated installation position and a lower operational position. A perch assembly including a perch is positioned adjacent axis A to remotely pivot the tilt cylinder between the installation and operating positions and a downwardly facing hook shaped latching device is mounted on the tilt cylinder to engage and attach to a mounting pin on the header.