A stalk-diameter sensing system comprises a first sensor, a second sensor, a first stalk feeler, and a second stalk feeler. The first and second stalk feelers are deflectably mounted on opposite sides of a stalk-receiving gap that receives a stalk. The first and second stalk feelers are yieldably biased into the stalk-receiving gap for deflection upon contact with an outer surface of the stalk. The first sensor is coupled to the first stalk feeler to sense deflection of the first stalk feeler and generate a first signal. The second sensor is coupled to the second stalk feeler to sense deflection of the second stalk feeler and generate a second signal. Each of the first stalk feeler and the second stalk feeler comprises a first material and a second material different from the first material.

A mulching device is equipped with a tool that can be set into rotation about an axis of rotation tilted upwards and to the rear in order to process plant stubble. The rotational direction of the tool can be selected such that the tool is pressed back out of the ground by the driving torque in the event of an overload.

Differential speed stalk rolls mountable to a row unit of a row crop head. A first stalk roll body has an outer peripheral speed less than the outer peripheral speed of a second stalk roll body in lateral spaced relation. At least one of the first and second bodies includes a knife defining a knife plane normal to the axis of rotation of the first or second stalk roll. The stalk roll bodies may have modular and interchangeable body segments of different configurations.

A stalked crop harvesting header comprising multiple harvesting units each comprising a pair of deck plates defining a channel, a pair of snapping rollers mounted below the deck plates and adapted to pull stalks downwardly through the channel, a pair of gathering chains provided with cams, the gathering chains extending between a first pair of gears located at a front end of the harvesting unit and a second pair of gears located at a back end of the harvesting unit, wherein each harvesting unit further comprises a pair of stalk guiders positioned to rotate around axes coinciding with respective axes of the first pair of gears, wherein the stalk guiders each comprise an upper stalk guiding wheel and a lower stalk guiding wheel which are interconnected, and wherein a cutting element is provided below the lower stalk guiding wheel to cut stalks while being guided by the stalk guider.

A row unit of a corn header includes a first deck plate, a second deck plate, and a gap between the first and second deck plates. A position of one or both of the deck plates may be adjusted by a linkage assembly including at least one arm pivotably coupled, at a first end, to one or both of the deck plates and, at a second end, to an actuator. The actuator may be controlled by a controller to move one or both of the deck plates based on signals received from an ear size sensor such as a camera that measures various parameters of corn and also based on a kernel depth of the type of corn to be harvested.

A corn harvesting header (24) includes a powered row unit (38) and a gathering hood (98). The row unit (38) defines a longitudinal crop row path that extends in a generally rearward crop travel direction and receives a corn row as the header (24) is advanced along the corn row. The gathering hood (98) partly overlies the row unit (38) and includes a laterally extending dam (132) that restricts corn from moving forwardly. The dam (132) at least partly defines a gutter to receive corn kernels and direct the corn kernels rearwardly.

A header for an agricultural vehicle includes: a header frame; at least one crop remover carried by the header frame; a plurality of row dividers pivotably carried by the header frame; and at least one divider lifter coupled to at least one of the row dividers and configured to activate in order to pivot the coupled at least one row divider relative to the header frame. The at least one divider lifter is configured to be selectively activated by a remote controller.

A system for post-harvest or at-harvest determination of pre-harvest strength of a corn stalk wherein the system comprises a stalk stump cutter structured and operable to cut a discarded post-harvest stalk stump to provide a substantially flat and even cross-sectional surface of the stalk stump, an imaging device structured and operable to acquire image data of the stalk stump cross-section, and a computer based data processing system structured and operable to analyze the image data and determine a pre-harvest stalk strength of the corresponding stalk.

A non-row sensitive corn threshing header comprising a forwardly disposed cutting apparatus for severing standing corn crop from the ground and a rearwardly disposed threshing apparatus for separating kernels from the plant, collecting the kernels, and discarding the remaining plant. The threshing apparatus includes a plurality of screw auger conveyors arranged in upper and lower planes that receive the crop and urge the crop into diminishing space between adjacent auger conveyors, the space defined by the auger flighting and the expandingly tapered auger shanks. Kernels are separated from the cob as the ears are urged rearwardly in the threshing apparatus. The header may include screens and the like for cleaning the grain of chaff prior to transferring to on-board storage or chaff removal may occur after the grain is off-loaded from the harvester.

A corn header for an agricultural harvester is disclosed. The header includes a chassis having first and second lateral ends and a plurality of row units defining crop receiving gaps. The header further includes a power takeoff member having a first end operatively connected to the agricultural harvester. A plurality of chopping units is carried by the chassis adjacent the row units, each chopping unit including a rotating blade configured to span a crop receiving gap of the row unit. A drive assembly including a gearbox, driveshaft and secondary gearbox is operably connected to the second end of the power takeoff member. The drive shaft extends from the gearbox to the secondary gearbox disposed between the first and second lateral ends of the chassis. The drive shaft is operably connected to a rotating line shaft of the row units or the chopping units via the secondary gearbox.