Cnh America LLC

Koen O G Maertens

Bart M A Missotten

Tom Coen

Dries M J Depreitere

Pál Jancsók

Lodewijk J G Claessens

An apparatus is provided for analysing the composition of crop in a crop-conveying machine, such as a harvesting machine. The crop in the machine is conveyed along a crop movement path, whereof a portion is illuminated by a light source (). A camera () captures sequential images of crop in the crop movement path. The apparatus further comprises a control device and a processing device operatively connected to the camera and light source. The intensity and/or the colour of light output by the light source () is adjustable in dependence on one or more control commands generated by the control device and determined by optical characteristics generated by the processing device from one or more prior images captured by the camera (). A portion of the image may include a reference member () adjacent the crop movement path.

Apparatus and method for analysing the composition of crop in a crop-conveying machine

Apparatus for controlling the speed of a combine harvester () includes one or more sensors () each generating one or more signals that correspond during use of the combine harvester to variables of a harvesting process. The apparatus further includes a processor and one or more control devices operatively connected in a feedback arrangement including two loops. In a first loop, a first signal () corresponding to the ground speed of the combine harvester () is fed back as an input to a first control device () that is capable of adjusting the ground speed relative to a set value. In a second loop, the first signal () is fed together with a second signal () indicative of the flow rate of crop through the combine harvester to a second control device () that generates as a third signal () the set value, the third signal being input to the first control device ().

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Oostduinkerke, Belgium

Koen O G Maertens