A louver position sensing system for a sieve and chaffer of a combine harvester. One system provides that at least one sensor is in actual, physical contact with one or more louvers of the sieve and chaffer. Another system provides that a one or more magnet holders are mounted on louvers and, spaced away, sensors sense magnets in the magnet holders to determine the rotational position of the louvers. Either system allows for accurate, on-the-fly adjustment of the louvers in order to maximize the efficiency of operation of the sieve and chaffer. Preferably, the sensing systems are configured such that sensed position of the louvers is broadcast on the CAN bus of the combine harvester. As a result, the position information can be used to dynamically adjust the openings between the louvers of the sieve and chaffer to achieve more efficient grain cleaning as the machine and field variables change.

A driver assistance system for a combine harvester that has a processing stage with an input for a crop flow, a first output for a useful flow and has abundant threshed grains, and a second output for a residual flow with scarce grains. At least one operating parameter of the processing stage is adjustable. The driver assistance system has an actuatable rethreshing device arranged at the second output of the processing stage, a residual grain sensor for detecting a proportion of threshed out grain in the residual flow downstream of the rethreshing device, and an evaluating device that turns the rethreshing device on and off, compares the proportions of threshed out grains in the residual flow when the rethreshing device is turned on and when the rethreshing device is turned off, and to adapt the at least one operating parameter of the processing stage based on the comparison.

A self-propelled combine harvester has at least one tilting mechanism for the uniform distribution of a harvested material on an oscillating conveying and cleaning unit, in particular a top sieve. The tilting mechanism has elements for defining a swiveling direction of the conveying and cleaning unit which are arranged between the conveying and cleaning unit and a machine housing. The tilting mechanism has an actuator for continuous adjustment of at least one component part of the elements from an initial position to an adjusting position. The position of the at least one component part decisively defines the swiveling direction. An electric control unit controls the actuator depending on a state of the combine harvester and/or harvested material and the initial position of the at least one component part of the tilting mechanism.

A cleaning device includes a first frame plate, a shaking plate, a second frame plate, a sieve body, a driving mechanism, a throwing rod, and a crank and connecting rod mechanism. The shaking plate is mounted in the first frame plate, forms an angle of inclination with a horizontal plane, and is connected to a shaking device. The second frame plate is mounted below the first frame plate, and is connected to the first frame plate through a crank mechanism. The sieve body is mounted in the second frame plate. The driving mechanism is connected to the shaking device and the second frame plate, and configured for driving the shaking device to cause the shaking plate to shake and driving the second frame plate to cause the sieve body to perform a sieving motion. A harvester including the cleaning device is further provided.

A spreader of a combine for conveying crop residue rearwardly from a rotor assembly includes a frame coupled to the combine and has a top portion adapted to receive a portion of crop residue during a harvesting operation. An impellor includes one or more blades for rotatably conveying crop residue rearwardly, and an actuator is controllably moved between an extended position and a retracted position. The actuator is pivotally coupled to the combine. A linkage assembly is pivotally coupled to the actuator at one end and to the frame at another end. The spreader is disposable in a first position when the actuator is in the extended position, and the spreader is disposable in a second position when the actuator is in the retracted position. A movement from the extended position to the retracted position induces pivotal movement of the spreader from the first position to the second position.

An automatic uniform distribution apparatus for the threshed material from the combine harvester comprises a tangential flow threshing and separating device, a shaking plate threshed material detecting device, a shaking plate, a shaking plate flow guiding mechanism, an axial flow threshing and separating device, a chaff screw conveyor, a return plate, a return plate flow guiding mechanism, a return plate threshed material detecting device, a vibrating sieve, and an on-line detection controller. Force sensors are provided at lateral positions below discharge ports of the shaking plate and the return plate to measure flow rates of the threshed material in lateral regions of the shaking plate and the return plate.

A harvester includes a chassis, a separation frame movably supported by the chassis and upon which crop material is deposited, a reciprocating drive operably coupled to the separation frame to reciprocate the separation frame, a control system, a sensor programmed to produce a signal indicative of a tilt of the chassis relative to a gravitational direction, and programmed to provide the signal to the control system, and an adjustable link operably coupled between the separation frame and the chassis to adjust a pivot point of the separation frame. The control system is programmed to determine a change in tilt of the chassis based on the signal from the sensor. The controller is programmed to adjust the adjustable link to modify the pivot point of the separation frame in response to the change in tilt of the chassis.

A self-propelled combine harvester has at least one tilting mechanism for the uniform distribution of a harvested material on an oscillating conveying and cleaning unit, in particular a top sieve. The tilting mechanism has elements for defining a swiveling direction of the conveying and cleaning unit which are arranged between the conveying and cleaning unit and a machine housing. The tilting mechanism has an actuator for continuous adjustment of at least one component part of the elements from an initial position to an adjusting position. The position of the at least one component part decisively defines the swiveling direction. An electric control unit controls the actuator depending on a state of the combine harvester and/or harvested material and the initial position of the at least one component part of the tilting mechanism.

A method and an apparatus for separating a crop flow on at least one conveying and cleaning unit, particularly a top sieve, of a combine harvester, wherein the conveying and cleaning unit is excited to a longitudinal oscillation and a transverse oscillation. The transverse oscillation is controlled depending on at least one state, wherein least one state for controlling the transverse oscillation is the inclination of the combine harvester, wherein at least one further state for controlling the transverse oscillation is the grain purity, particularly the grain purity of a main crop flow. The transverse oscillation is pre-controlled depending on the inclination of the combine harvester and fine-tuned depending on the grain purity.

A driver assistance system for a combine harvester that has a processing stage with an input for a crop flow, a first output for a useful flow and has abundant threshed grains, and a second output for a residual flow with scarce grains. At least one operating parameter of the processing stage is adjustable. The driver assistance system has an actuatable rethreshing device arranged at the second output of the processing stage, a residual grain sensor for detecting a proportion of threshed out grain in the residual flow downstream of the rethreshing device, and an evaluating device that turns the rethreshing device on and off, compares the proportions of threshed out grains in the residual flow when the rethreshing device is turned on and when the rethreshing device is turned off, and to adapt the at least one operating parameter of the processing stage based on the comparison.