Ford New Holland, Inc.

Antoon G Vermeulen

Francois Van Herpe

Marc R Jonckheere

Wilfried E Gunst

Guy H Osselaere

Bert Jf Paquet

A self-propelled agricultural harvesting machine (1) is provided with a single channel network (300) for serial communication of digital data messages between programmable microprocessors (215, 218) in a multi-master configuration. The messages are encoded according to an advanced serial communications protocol and are available to all microprocessors (215, 218). The network comprises an optical transmission network with an active starpoint (230) and plastic optical fibres (231), which link the nodes which lay physically far away from each other. An RS232 socket, which is linked to the network (300), enables loading of data and programs to the microprocessors (215, 218). Thus is obtained a reliable and flexible control system for the machine settings, which comprise on-road and off-road (harvesting) parameters. The introduction of a wide range of automatic control routines simplifies to a large extent the tasks of the operator during operation.

Method and apparatus for the control of self-propelled agricultural

A combine harvester stone trap having its upwardly facing inlet generally in the proximity of the transition between the discharge end of the crop elevator and the forward end of the combine threshing concave. The stone trap includes a front wall in the form of a door which can be opened into a retracted position for emptying the stone trap and a rear wall which, in an operative position, effectively closes the gap between the forward end of the threshing concave and the forward end of the combine grain pan located below the concave in a conventional manner. The rear wall is movable into an inoperative position providing access to the gap between the forward ends of the threshing concave and the grain pan.

Growing community of inventors

Ruddervoorde-Oostkamp, Belgium

Antoon G Vermeulen