An apparatus for roughage processing includes a first platform for placing of a first type of roughage, a first cutting mechanism for processing the first type of roughage, a first chain for moving the first type of roughage from the first platform to the first cutting mechanism; and a second platform, a second cutting mechanism, and a second chain for performing similar tasks with a second type of roughage. The first chain and the first cutting mechanism and the second chain are driven at a different speed to provide concurrent cutting of the first and second types of roughages at different cut sizes. The apparatus further includes a conveyor an auger for concurrently collecting the first type of roughage and the second type of roughage after respective processing by the first cutting mechanism and the second cutting mechanism for effective blending of the two types of roughages, each of which has been cut differently to obtain its optimum particle size for ruminant consumption. The apparatus can be powered by a very small horse power motor. It also includes a mechanism that will stop the floor chains carrying the roughage into the knife drums when the power load force that is detected by the knife drum power load reading device reaches a predetermined amount. This predetermined amount is still within, but near the upper limits of, the available horsepower range of the small motor powering it.

An apparatus for roughage processing includes a first platform for placing of a first type of roughage, a first cutting mechanism for processing the first type of roughage, a first chain for moving the first type of roughage from the first platform to the first cutting mechanism; and a second platform, a second cutting mechanism, and a second chain for performing similar tasks with a second type of roughage. The first chain and the first cutting mechanism and the second chain are driven at a different speed to provide concurrent cutting of the first and second types of roughages at different cut sizes. The apparatus further includes a conveyor an auger for concurrently collecting the first type of roughage and the second type of roughage after respective processing by the first cutting mechanism and the second cutting mechanism for effective blending of the two types of roughages, each of which has been cut differently to obtain its optimum particle size for ruminant consumption. The apparatus can be powered by a very small horse power motor. It also includes a mechanism that will stop the floor chains carrying the roughage into the knife drums when the power load force that is detected by the knife drum power load reading device reaches a predetermined amount. This predetermined amount is still within, but near the upper limits of, the available horsepower range of the small motor powering it.

A transport vehicle arrangement includes a transport vehicle, a transport implement coupled with the transport vehicle, a sensor arrangement for establishing an angular orientation of the transport implement relative to the transport vehicle, a wireless receiver for receiving harvester information related at least to the speed and direction of an agricultural harvester vehicle, and an electrical processing circuit coupled with the sensor arrangement and the wireless receiver. The electrical processing circuit is configured for steering the transport vehicle arrangement in a reverse direction such that the transport implement is positioned at a desired position relative to an unloading conveyance of the agricultural harvester vehicle, based upon the sensed angular orientation of the transport implement and the harvester information.

A transport vehicle arrangement includes a transport vehicle, a transport implement coupled with the transport vehicle, a sensor arrangement for establishing an angular orientation of the transport implement relative to the transport vehicle, a wireless receiver for receiving harvester information related at least to the speed and direction of an agricultural harvester vehicle, and an electrical processing circuit coupled with the sensor arrangement and the wireless receiver. The electrical processing circuit is configured for steering the transport vehicle arrangement in a reverse direction such that the transport implement is positioned at a desired position relative to an unloading conveyance of the agricultural harvester vehicle, based upon the sensed angular orientation of the transport implement and the harvester information.

A system for modifying a row unit of a harvesting head, the system including at least one cutting disk adapted for being rotatably mounted to the frame of the row unit between a gathering chain drive sprocket and idler sprocket. The cutting disk includes a sprocket attached thereto for being engaged and driven by the gathering chain in order to rotate the cutting disk. Two counter-rotating cutting disks may be provided, each being driven by a separate gathering chain. A method for modifying a row unit includes loosening the gathering chains, removing existing stalk rolls and housings, installing a cover plate over a gearbox to which the housings were mounted, removing existing trash knives, drilling holes in the row unit frame for mounting the cutting disks, installing the cutting disks, and tightening the gathering chains such that the gathering chains engage sprockets attached to the cutting disks.

An unloading arrangement includes and agricultural harvester and a transport vehicle arrangement. The agricultural harvester includes an unloading conveyance and a wireless transmitter for transmitting information relating at least to a speed and direction of the harvester. The transport vehicle arrangement includes a transport vehicle; a transport implement coupled with the transport vehicle; a sensor arrangement for establishing an angular orientation of the transport implement relative to the transport vehicle; a wireless receiver for receiving the transmitted information from the harvester; and an electrical processing circuit coupled with the sensor arrangement and the wireless receiver. The electrical processing circuit is configured for steering the transport vehicle arrangement in a reverse direction such that the transport implement is positioned at a desired position relative to the unloading conveyance, based upon the sensed angular orientation of the transport implement and the transmitted information received from the harvester.

A harvesting header for a row crop machine has a plurality of row units having fore-and-aft extending arms forming a passageway, a gathering mechanism to gather stalks into the passageway, snap rolls to pull the stalks downwardly through the passageway, and a knife set to cut the stalks in the passageway. The knife set includes a pair of opposing blades, each blade having a main portion with an inner edge located on a first side of a centerline of the passageway and a cutting protrusion with a sharpened cutting edge extending across the centerline toward the opposing blade. The cutting protrusions are offset longitudinally from one another such that the cutting protrusion of one of the blades is a different distance from a mouth of the passageway than the cutting protrusion of the opposing blade such that there is a continuous gap between the blades along the length of blades.

A harvesting header for a row crop machine has a plurality of row units having fore-and-aft extending arms forming a passageway, a gathering mechanism to gather stalks into the passageway, snap rolls to pull the stalks downwardly through the passageway, and a knife set to cut the stalks in the passageway. The knife set includes a pair of opposing blades, each blade having a main portion with an inner edge located on a first side of a centerline of the passageway and a cutting protrusion with a sharpened cutting edge extending across the centerline toward the opposing blade. The cutting protrusions are offset longitudinally from one another such that the cutting protrusion of one of the blades is a different distance from a mouth of the passageway than the cutting protrusion of the opposing blade such that there is a continuous gap between the blades along the length of blades.

A corn head row unit gearbox includes an input shaft, that rotates about a first axis of rotation and that drives a set of gears. The gears transfer rotation of the input shaft into rotation of a gathering chain output shaft about a second axis of rotation, generally transverse to the first axis of rotation. The gathering chain drive shaft rotates within a bushing mounted within a frame structure of the gearbox. A bushing seal has an annular mounting sleeve with an inner diameter that is press fit over a boss on the frame structure.

A corn head row unit gearbox includes an input shaft, that rotates about a first axis of rotation and that drives a set of gears. The gears transfer rotation of the input shaft into rotation of a gathering chain output shaft about a second axis of rotation, generally transverse to the first axis of rotation. The gathering chain drive shaft rotates within a bushing mounted within a frame structure of the gearbox. A bushing seal has an annular mounting sleeve with an inner diameter that is press fit over a boss on the frame structure.