MACDON INDUSTRIES LTD.

A system is provided for controlling a grain cart relative to a grain truck. The grain truck includes a side edge extending between a front end and a rear end. The system comprises a ranging device and a controller. The ranging device is configured to determine a position and orientation of the side edge relative to the grain cart. The controller is configured to determine a path line parallel to the side edge, wherein the path line is a predetermined distance from the side edge, identify a goal point based on the path line, where the goal point a second predetermined distance from the front or rear end of the side edge, and plan a path for the grain cart to the goal point.

A header for a crop harvesting machine includes front and rear wheel arrangements that pivot about respective upright axis between a field orientation and a perpendicular transport orientation, while having respective suspensions arrangements movable between different suspended heights. A biasing spring provides lift assist to carry weight of the wheel arrangement during adjustment of the suspension elevation while being isolated from the suspension once set at any one elevation. The front wheel arrangement includes an anti-rotation latch that locks the front wheel in the field orientation automatically upon disconnection of a hitch arm. A second wheel of the rear wheel arrangement can be held in a raised position relative to a first wheel in a field orientation. Load bearing surfaces between the suspended rear wheels and the header frame abut one another when latching to the header frame to isolate the suspension from the header frame in the transport orientation.

A system is provided for controlling a grain cart relative to a vehicle. The grain cart includes an edge extending between a front edge and a rear edge, and the vehicle includes a side edge extending between a front end and a rear end. The system comprises a ranging device and a controller. The ranging device is configured to determine a position and orientation of the side edge relative to the grain cart. The controller is configured to determine a front distance between the front edge of the grain cart and the side edge, determine a rear distance between the rear edge of the grain cart and the side edge, determine a maximum distance between the front distance and the rear distance, determine whether the maximum distance is greater than a maximum threshold, and if the controller determines that the maximum distance is greater than the maximum threshold, the controller is configured to steer the grain cart to reduce the maximum distance.

A row crop header for harvesting crop in a field comprises a header frame having a center section and a pair of side wing sections operatively coupled to the center section. An upper link is pivotally coupled between the center section and each one of the side wing sections adjacent the top portion thereof. A lower link is pivotally coupled between the center section and each one of the side wing sections adjacent the bottom portion thereof. The upper links and lower links provide independent pivotal movement of the side wing sections relative to the center section to contour to the surface of the field of crops to be harvested. An automatic float system is operatively coupled between the center section and each one of the side wing sections to adjust the weight of the side wing sections on the surface of the field and allow the side wing sections to float relative to the center section.

A system is provided for controlling a grain cart relative to a grain truck. The grain cart includes a grain tank and an unload auger configured to transfer crop material out of the grain tank. The grain truck includes a truck box extending from a first end to a second end. The truck box includes a top edge extending around the top of the truck box. The system comprises a ranging device and a controller. The ranging device is configured to identify a distance to the top edge of the truck box and identify a distance to an area in the truck box. The controller is configured to determine a position of the grain cart relative to the grain truck, and determine whether the grain cart is positioned near the first end of the truck box. If the controller determines that the grain cart is positioned near the first end of the truck box, the controller is configured to determine a fill level in the area based on the distance to the top edge of the truck box and the distance to the area in the truck box, determine whether the fill level exceeds a threshold, and if the controller determines that the fill level does not exceed the threshold, the controller is configured to start the unload auger.

A system is provided for controlling a grain cart relative to a grain truck. The grain truck includes a side edge extending between a front end and a rear end. The system comprises a ranging device and a controller. The ranging device is configured to determine a position and orientation of the side edge relative to the grain cart. The controller is configured to determine a path line parallel to the side edge, wherein the path line is a predetermined distance from the side edge, identify a goal point based on the path line, where the goal point a second predetermined distance from the front or rear end of the side edge, and plan a path for the grain cart to the goal point.

A stubble stomper is disclosed that attaches to a crop harvesting header on an agricultural machine. The stubble stomper includes a mounting bracket that attaches to the header frame of the crop harvesting header, a hinge assembly that is rotatably attached to the stomper mounting bracket and is rotatable between a default position and a breakaway position, and a stomper shoe that is pivotally attached to the hinge assembly. The stubble stomper has a self-resetting feature from the breakaway position that allows the stubble stomper to re-engage to its default position as the agricultural machine moves in a forward direction of travel.

A reel of a harvester including a cutter bar includes a plurality of reel bats which are pivotal so as to vary the angle of the fingers about the bat axis as the reel rotates. The reel is used with a cutter bar which can change in height at one or more positions along its length to accommodate changes in ground height and contour. In order to maintain the fingers of the reel as close as possible to the cutter bar for best crop control, there is provided a sensor at each of one or more positions along the cutter bar responsive to the cutter bar height and an actuator which changes the diameter of the reel bats at the respective position.