A system and method for detecting a malfunction in a harvesting machine includes a sensor for mounting to the harvesting machine. The sensor is configured to measure a magnitude of a mechanical wave produced in the harvesting machine, and output a signal based on the magnitude. A controller receives the signal from the sensor. The controller is configured to process the signal and generate an alarm signal when a threshold is exceeded. An alarm unit is configured to receive the alarm signal from the controller when the threshold value is exceeded, and output an alarm to alert the operator of the malfunction. The malfunction can be a slipped clutch caused by a jammed condition, or other anomaly that generates a mechanical wave. The mechanical wave can be a sound wave or mechanical vibration traveling through one or more parts of the harvesting machine.

A bale forming apparatus including a bale forming device providing a bale forming chamber, a rotatable driving member, a shaft, and a free-wheel clutch provided between the shaft and the rotatable driving member. The shaft drives at least temporarily the rotatable driving member. The free-wheel clutch transfers a rotation of the shaft onto the driving member. The rotated driving member drives at least one part of the bale forming device. The bale forming device forms a bale in the provided bale forming chamber. At least one time the rotatable driving member is rotated with respect to the shaft. The free-wheel clutch enables this rotation of the rotatable driving member.

A rotary cutter unit (6) for an agricultural mower (2) comprises a housing (14) that carries a rotary bearing (18) having an axis of rotation (X), and a rotor assembly (20) that is supported by the bearing for rotation relative to the housing about the axis of rotation. The rotor assembly includes a shaft (24) that extends through the bearing, a drive input element (28) at an input end of the shaft for transmitting rotary drive to the shaft and a drive output element (32) at an output end (22) of the shaft to receive rotary drive from the shaft. A frangible element (40) comprising a weakened portion of the shaft (24) is provided between the drive input element and the drive output element, which is configured to break when subjected to an excessive load so as to interrupt the transmission of rotary drive between the drive input element and the drive output element. A retention mechanism (44) is provided, which prevents separation of the drive output element from the housing when the frangible element breaks but permits rotation of the drive output element relative to the housing. The retention mechanism includes a retention element (46, 48) that extends substantially radially between the drive output element (32) and the housing (14) to restrict axial movement between the drive output element and the housing.

A system and method of clearing a lump of cut crop material from an internal conveyor of the feeder house of an agricultural combine and an auger conveyor of a belt pickup mounted on the feeder house by ejecting the lump of cut crop material to a position forward of the auger conveyor, then shredding the lump of cut crop material by the auger conveyor and feeding the shredded portions of the lump of cut crop material into the internal conveyor, and then accelerating a belt conveyor on the belt pickup located immediately in front of the auger conveyor to its full harvesting speed.

An apparatus that controls the position of a component of a mechanical system, such as an adjustable concave in a combine harvester, while at the same time exhibiting a safety function that is reversible without requiring a long downtime of the combine. The apparatus includes a control part and an auxiliary part, both pivotable about the same axis, and a force transmission part to maintain these two parts in an assembled state by a spring force, as long as the component is subjected to forces below a given limit. When the forces exceed the limit, the auxiliary part and the control part are configured to become separated in such a manner that they can be reassembled by the intervention of an actuator. The safety function of the apparatus resembles the operation of a shear bolt.

A belt load characterization system receives a belt slip detector signal indicative of belt slip, and identifies, in near real-time, a severity level and impact of the belt load characteristics. A notification system generates an operator interface mechanism control signal to surface a notification to the operator indicative of the belt load characteristics, and the severity level and impact of those characteristics. The machine can be controlled based on the belt load as well.

An Agricultural baler having a flywheel that is driven via a drive shaft. The flywheel is connected to a pressing component of the baler via a central shaft, wherein the flywheel is mounted over the central shaft via bearings. Further mounted on the central shaft is a shear pin flange which is connected via a shear pin to the flywheel for the purpose of transmitting a rotation movement of the flywheel to the central shaft, wherein the flywheel is held over the central shaft via first fixing component and wherein the shear pin flange is connected to the central shaft via second fixing component.

A harvesting vehicle includes a header having a cutter bar, a crop transport draper and a reel mounted above the cutter bar to sweep the crop to the draper. The operation of the header is autonomously monitored and controlled to reduce operator loads or to run autonomously by detecting: reel wrapping; differential rates of flow of crop on the header at different locations; where the crop to be cut is at least partly lodged so that stems of the crop are not vertical; the presence of a crop streak of uncut or poorly cut crop behind the cutter bar and/or a band of disturbed soil behind the cutter bar. The detector is arranged to control ground speed, header height, reel height and operation.

A method of defining an end travel limit of an electric actuator includes sensing an electric current of the electric actuator while moving the electric actuator from a first position to a second position. A maximum travel current of the electric current sensed during movement of the electric actuator between the first position to the second position is increased by a factor to define a maximum calibration current. The electric current is then sensed while moving from the second position toward an end travel position of the electric actuator. Movement of the electric actuator is stopped at a fault position when the electric current equals the maximum calibration current. The end travel limit of the electric actuator is then defined as a function of the fault position.

A harvesting device includes a conveying member having controlled tines. In order to protect the controlled tines and the crankshaft on which the controlled tines are mounted from an overload. The overload protection is connected on its side facing the dead shaft to the dead shaft and on its side facing away from the dead shaft, via a retainer, to the frame; the overload protection operates as a spring element, which, under the action of an overload, through spring motion, allows a rotary motion of the dead shaft from an initial position into a deflected position by absorbing an overload acting on the dead shaft and, building up in itself restoring forces, and, after the disappearance of the overload, the spring element can move back automatically into its original position, driven by restoring forces in the spring element, and also resets the dead shaft to its initial position.