A sensor input is detected on a cotton harvester. A performance characteristic value is identified based upon the detected sensor input. A speed control system controls cotton harvester drum speed and spindle speed, automatically, and separately from the ground speed of the cotton harvester, to improve the performance characteristic value, in a closed-loop fashion.

A combine harvester including one or two axial flow crop processors each with a rotor mounted for rotation inside a rotor housing that is arranged substantially longitudinally with respect to the harvester. A feed beater is mounted for rotation on a substantially transverse axis and serves to tangentially impel crop material into the crop processor(s). A drive system is provided for driving the rotor and the feed beater. A drive connection is provided between the rotor and the feed beater and includes a gear that is keyed to a rotor shaft of the rotor in front of a rotor drum.

An agricultural attachment is provided with a cutter bar and a hydraulic motor for oscillatingly driving the cutter bar via an eccentric gear. The hydraulic motor is connected via a feed line and a return line to a hydraulic loaded with a hydrostatic liquid by a hydraulic pump. A switchover valve is integrated in the hydraulic circuit and switches pressure-dependently, wherein the switchover valve has a first switch position and a second switch position and is adjustable back and forth between the first switch position and the second switch position. The hydraulic motor is driven in the first switch position in a first rotational direction and is driven in the second switch position in a second rotational direction, wherein the second rotational direction is opposite to the first rotational direction.

An agricultural attachment is provided with a cutter bar and a hydraulic motor for oscillatingly driving the cutter bar via an eccentric gear. The hydraulic motor is connected via a feed line and a return line to a hydraulic loaded with a hydrostatic liquid by a hydraulic pump. A switchover valve is integrated in the hydraulic circuit and switches pressure-dependently, wherein the switchover valve has a first switch position and a second switch position and is adjustable back and forth between the first switch position and the second switch position. The hydraulic motor is driven in the first switch position in a first rotational direction and is driven in the second switch position in a second rotational direction, wherein the second rotational direction is opposite to the first rotational direction.

A harvesting header for use with a crop-harvesting machine includes a header frame (202), at least one harvesting tool (204) carried by the header frame, a rotatable arm (306) coupled to the header frame at a pivot point (308) and extending forward of the harvesting tool, a wheel (304) coupled to the rotatable arm and configured to roll along a soil surface leading the harvesting tool, and a sensor (402) coupled to the header frame at the pivot point and configured to measure an angle of the rotatable arm with respect to the header frame. An agricultural harvester includes a chassis, a feederhouse, a processing system, a grain bin, a harvesting header, and a control system. A method of operating an agricultural harvester includes propelling the agricultural harvester through an agricultural field, sensing a contour of a soil surface leading harvesting tool; and adjusting a height of the harvesting header based on the sensed contour.

A harvesting header for use with a crop-harvesting machine includes a header frame (202), at least one harvesting tool (204) carried by the header frame, a rotatable arm (306) coupled to the header frame at a pivot point (308) and extending forward of the harvesting tool, a wheel (304) coupled to the rotatable arm and configured to roll along a soil surface leading the harvesting tool, and a sensor (402) coupled to the header frame at the pivot point and configured to measure an angle of the rotatable arm with respect to the header frame. An agricultural harvester includes a chassis, a feederhouse, a processing system, a grain bin, a harvesting header, and a control system. A method of operating an agricultural harvester includes propelling the agricultural harvester through an agricultural field, sensing a contour of a soil surface leading harvesting tool; and adjusting a height of the harvesting header based on the sensed contour.

A system for operating a harvester may include an elevator extending between a proximal end and a distal end, with the elevator being configured to carry harvested crops between its proximal and distal ends. The system may also include a storage hopper positioned adjacent to the distal end of the elevator, with the storage hopper defining a volume configured to receive the harvested crops discharged from the distal end of the elevator. In addition, the system may include a rotary spreader positioned within the storage hopper. The rotary spreader may be configured to be rotated within the storage hopper to disperse the harvested crops received from the elevator across at least a portion of the volume.

A harvesting machine comprises a crop conveying channel with a movable bottom flap coupled to a hydraulic actuator controlling the position of the flap and a crop throughput sensing arrangement with a pressure sensor adapted to sense a hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic actuator.

A method of autonomously controlling the ground speed of a harvester, such as a self-propelled or towed wind rower, uses both the engine speed and the header speed as control parameters to increase or decrease the ground speed as necessary to maintain efficient harvester operation over varying terrain and crop conditions. A control system includes a controller which receives signals from sensors indicative of engine speed, header speed and harvester ground speed and uses actuators to control the header speed, engine speed and harvester ground speed. An operator interface permits an operator to engage or disengage the autonomous mode of control system operation, as well as to directly control the harvester.

Described herein are methods and systems for generating shared collaborative maps for planting or harvesting operations. A method of generating a collaborative shared map between machines includes generating a first map for a first machine based on a first set of data and generating a second map for a second machine based on a second set of data. The method further includes generating at least one shared collaborative map for at least one of the first and second machines based on the first and second maps.