Apparatus, systems and methods are provided for monitoring yield while harvesting grain. Grain released from paddles on the clean grain elevator chain of a harvester contacts a flow sensor which reports the rate of grain flow through the clean grain elevator. In some embodiments a brush is mounted to the chain and disposed to clean the flow sensor surface. In other embodiments a bucket mounted to the clean grain elevator chain releases grain against the flow sensor at a rate dependent on a grain property.

A combine has a a threshing and separating system to separate grain from crop material and a feeder housing receives crop material from the harvesting head and conveys it to the threshing and separating system. A grain tank has a conveyor for transferring separated grain to the grain tank. The feeder housing has a perforated floor section sufficiently coarse to permit passage of grain to a conveyor beneath the perforated floor section that receives the grain and delivers it to downstream of the threshing and separating system or the separated grain conveyor.

A combine has a a threshing and separating system to separate grain from crop material and a feeder housing receives crop material from the harvesting head and conveys it to the threshing and separating system. A grain tank has a conveyor for transferring separated grain to the grain tank. The feeder housing has a perforated floor section sufficiently coarse to permit passage of grain to a conveyor beneath the perforated floor section that receives the grain and delivers it to downstream of the threshing and separating system or the separated grain conveyor.

Modifications to row unit that result in a greatly reduced loss of kernels due to chatter include substituting stripper plates that have rails upwardly projecting guard rails at the edges of the stripper plates that define their working gap to thereby inhibit escape of loose kernels. Further, the ear transport paddles are modified so as to reduce shelling due to chatter and to move loose kernels collected on the stripper plates to the machine's auger so that these loose kernels become part of the yield. Specifically, a cushioning device is attached to each of the paddles and the paddles further support brushes or scrapers that sweep loose kernels into the auger.

Modifications to row unit that result in a greatly reduced loss of kernels due to chatter include substituting stripper plates that have rails upwardly projecting guard rails at the edges of the stripper plates that define their working gap to thereby inhibit escape of loose kernels. Further, the ear transport paddles are modified so as to reduce shelling due to chatter and to move loose kernels collected on the stripper plates to the machine's auger so that these loose kernels become part of the yield. Specifically, a cushioning device is attached to each of the paddles and the paddles further support brushes or scrapers that sweep loose kernels into the auger.

A grain elevator system and method are disclosed, where the grain elevator system includes a grain elevator, a grain elevator paddle, and/or a grain elevator paddle insert. When the grain elevator system includes a sensor attached to a side of the grain elevator, the grain elevator paddle may be configured to include a divider piece for biasing grain towards the side of the grain elevator having the sensor attached. When the grain elevator system includes a sensor attached to a side of the grain elevator, a grain elevator paddle insert may be positioned on top of the grain elevator paddle for biasing grain towards the side of the grain elevator having the sensor attached.

A grain elevator system and method are disclosed, where the grain elevator system includes a grain elevator, a grain elevator paddle, and/or a grain elevator paddle insert. When the grain elevator system includes a sensor attached to a side of the grain elevator, the grain elevator paddle may be configured to include a divider piece for biasing grain towards the side of the grain elevator having the sensor attached. When the grain elevator system includes a sensor attached to a side of the grain elevator, a grain elevator paddle insert may be positioned on top of the grain elevator paddle for biasing grain towards the side of the grain elevator having the sensor attached.

An agricultural harvester includes a straw walker arrangement positioned downstream from a threshing and separating system. The straw walker arrangement includes a first straw walker positioned to receive crop material from the threshing and separating system, a second straw walker positioned downstream from the first straw walker, and a rotatable drum positioned between the first straw walker and the second straw walker. The rotatable drum is operable to convey crop material from the first straw walker to the second straw walker.

An agricultural harvester includes a straw walker arrangement positioned downstream from a threshing and separating system. The straw walker arrangement includes a first straw walker positioned to receive crop material from the threshing and separating system, a second straw walker positioned downstream from the first straw walker, and a rotatable drum positioned between the first straw walker and the second straw walker. The rotatable drum is operable to convey crop material from the first straw walker to the second straw walker.

An agricultural harvester includes a chassis and a residue handling system carried by the chassis. The residue handling system includes a set of rotating knives disposed in a housing, a first set of counter-knives, and a residue pivoting platform and/or a second set of counter-knives. Crop residue travels through the system in a residue flow direction. The first set of counter-knives are configured to enter the housing proximate to the set of rotating knives. The residue pivoting platform is positioned proximate to the first set of counter-knives in an upstream direction relative to the crop residue flow direction. The second set of counter-knives are configured to enter the housing proximate to the set of rotating knives. The second set of counter-knives are in a downstream direction relative to the crop residue flow from at least one of the residue pivoting platform and the first set of counter-knives.