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 control system for controlling a motion of an auger tube of a combine harvester comprises a dynamic pre-filter, a position controller, and a speed controller. The dynamic pre-filter receives a desired position value for the auger tube and generates a filtered desired position signal which changes the desired position value from an old value to a new value over a time period. The position controller receives a first difference between the filtered desired position signal and an actual position of the auger tube. The position controller generates a desired angular speed signal that varies according to the first difference. The speed controller receives a second difference between the desired angular speed signal and an actual speed of the auger tube. The speed controller generates an actuator signal that varies according to the second difference and is received by an actuating system that moves the auger tube.

A separating and cleaning mechanism for an agricultural combine may include: a return pan. The return pan includes a textured floor, two augers, and two motors coupled to the two augers, respectively, to selectively drive the motors in rotation independently. The textured floor may oscillate in a fore-and-aft direction to move grain toward the two augers.

A method for the operation of a combine harvester includes processing a harvested material flow by at least one axial separator and ejecting a residual material flow formed in this way from the combine harvester by at least two ejection devices. The axial separator is formed by a movable vane element by means of which the residual material flow exiting from the axial separator is distributed on a work member downstream of the axial separator. In order to further improve the distribution of the residual material flow on the field, an actual distribution of the residual material flow on the two ejection devices is detected, wherein, when a deviation of the actual distribution from a predetermined reference distribution is detected, the vane element is readjusted so that the actual distribution is at least approximated to the reference distribution.

Receivers are arranged to detect a corresponding observed phase shift, observed attenuation or other observed signal parameters for its respective microphone. An electronic data processor is adapted to estimate a distribution or quantity of material on the sieve based on the observed phase shift, the observed attenuation or the other observed signal parameters relative to a reference phase shift, a reference attenuation or other reference signal parameter. The operator can be alerted via a user interface if the material on the sieve is unevenly distributed or matches a preestablished distribution profile, or the sieve can be adjusted by an actuator to promote a generally uniform distribution.

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.

An agricultural harvester includes a chassis; a threshing and separating system carried by the chassis and including at least one threshing rotor mounted in a longitudinal direction of the agricultural harvester; a grain pan carried by the chassis that receives crop material from the threshing and separating system, the grain pan being configured to shake in a fore-to-aft direction and a lateral direction; and a cleaning system carried by the chassis supplied with crop material from the grain pan, the cleaning system including at least one sieve configured to shake in the lateral direction out of phase with the grain pan.

A fan unit for a combine harvester cleaning unit having at least two fan wheels, each fan wheel being enveloped by a fan wheel housing having at least one inlet segment and at least one outlet segment extending tangentially from the fan wheel housing, each outlet segment being connected to a common channel section and each vertical side wall of an outlet segment adjacent another outlet segment is inclined toward the vertical side wall of the adjacent outlet segment. This construction has as an advantage that it allows for improved flow characteristics of the air exiting the outlet thereby permitting better separation of MOG and grain in the sieves of the cleaning unit of which the fan unit is a part.

A harvester may include a chassis, a first separation frame movably supported by the chassis and upon which crop material is deposited, a second separation frame movably supported by the chassis and upon which the crop material is deposited; a reciprocating drive operably coupled to the separation frame to reciprocate the separation frame and an adjustable link operably coupled between the separation frame and the chassis. The adjustable link facilitates adjustment of an orientation of the first separation frame independent of an orientation of the second separation frame without altering a reciprocation stroke distance.

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.