Vermeer Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Ty Hartwick

Robert D Franz

Joseph D Stock

Lisle J Dunham

Xiaohang Wang

Casey Dean Berg

Oleg Khalamendik

Karl D Maasdam

Joseph W Nelson

Willem Jacobus Reijersen Van Buuren

Mark R Cooper

Matthew D Stringer

Philip Robert Lane

Jason Morgan

Jacob Limke

Kent P Thoreson

Thomas Haley

Steven D Talsma

Steven C Bruess

Rake wheels for raking apparatus for gathering crop material into a windrow. The rake wheel includes a center hub and disks for securing and limiting circumferential and axial movement of the tines of the rake wheel. The rake wheel may include a set of fasteners for securing the tines to the disk with the set of fasteners being disposed radially outward of the center hub.

Rake wheels for gathering crop material

Rake wheels for a raking apparatus for gathering crop material into a windrow. The rake wheel may include a center hub and a plurality of tines that extend outward from the center hub. In some embodiments, the rake wheel includes support members such as disks for securing and limiting movement of the tines of the rake wheel.

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for sensing wear in machines designed to reduce or break-down material. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for sensing wear of reducing elements used by excavation machines such as surface excavation machines. The present disclosure relates to a wear sensing system including a multi-level wear sensor protection system. The multi-level wear sensor protection system includes a first level of protection, a second level of protection, and a third level of protection.

Systems and methods for sensing wear of reducing elements of a material reducing machine

A bale wrap tensioning system includes a spindle that can be operatively coupled to a wrap material supply roll and a rotary hydraulic device that has a rotatable input shaft. The input shaft is coupled to the spindle for rotation with the wrap material supply roll. The bale wrap tensioning system includes a control valve that is operable to control a variable pressure of hydraulic fluid displaced by the rotary hydraulic device. The bale wrap tensioning system includes a controller for adjusting the control valve to alter the variable pressure of the hydraulic fluid displaced by the rotary hydraulic device.

Hydraulic brake for wrap material

Rake wheels for a raking apparatus for gathering crop material into a windrow. The rake wheel may include a center hub and a plurality of tines that extend outward from the center hub. In some embodiments, the rake wheel includes support members such as disks for securing and limiting circumferential and/or axial movement of the tines of the rake wheel.

The round baler includes a frame and a tailgate pivotally mounted to the frame via a tailgate pivot axis. The tailgate is movable along a path of travel range between an open position and a closed position. When in the open position, a bale can be discharged from the baler and, when in the closed position, a bale is prevented from being discharged from the baler. The baler also includes a sensor that has a sensor axis. This sensor is mounted to the baler with the sensor axis approximately coaxial with the tailgate pivot axis. An operating portion of the sensor is operatively directly movable with the tailgate. The sensor has a mechanical rotary range that is at least the travel range of the tailgate; and an electrical sensing range. The electrical sensing range is less than both the mechanical rotary range and the travel range of the tailgate.

Tailgate sensor

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to display structures for displaying the wear status of reducing elements (e.g., chisels, teeth, etc.) on a reducing component. In certain examples, the display structure can include a matrix that visually depicts all of the reducing elements of the reducing component in a row and column format. The wear status of the reducing elements can be indicated by techniques such as different colors, different numbers, different letters, shapes, bar codes etc. Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to an autonomous system where a remote party can simultaneously monitor the wear status of the reducing elements of multiple machines on the display structure. For each machine, the remote party (e.g., operator, supply source, supervisor, and main office) can each receive a wireless signal indicating when the reducing elements are approaching a need for replacement.

Systems and methods for monitoring wear of reducing elements

A remote control system includes a control unit configured to send a control signal to a machine to be controlled from a position remote from the machine. A sensor system is operatively linked with the control unit, and is configured for registering a presence of an operator in a predetermined proximity to a predetermined location. Operation of the machine to be controlled is responsive to the sensor system.

Remote control system

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for sensing wear in machines designed to reduce or break-down material. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for sensing wear of reducing elements used by excavation machines such as surface excavation machines. The present disclosure relates to a wear sensing system including a multilevel wear sensor protection system. The multi-level wear sensor protection system includes a first level of protection, a second level of protection, and a third level of protection.

A self-contained, on-board diagnostic system integrated with a control system and method of using the same. Various control system coefficients and parameter settings may be set and edited with the on-board system, without the use of external hardware. In certain embodiments, an operator panel display may be used as a display for the on-board system. A menu navigation scheme can be employed to access a plurality of screens in an organized, efficient manner. The on-board system can be adapted for use with a tracked trencher and/or other mobile equipment.

On-board service tool and method

The present disclosure provides an excavation machine that is configured to minimize or otherwise account for the unintended stoppage (i.e., jamming/stalling) of a digger tool. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure a machine is provided with one or more drive systems that automatically stop and reverse to avoid excavation tool jamming. The machine and methods of the present disclosure provide an efficient method and machine for excavation operations.

Excavation machine with auto reverse

A hydraulic system with thermal shock protection. The hydraulic system can include a controller that limits when hot hydraulic fluids may be directed to cold hydraulic components. The hydraulic system can be used in machines such as trenchers to protect hydraulic components such as hydraulic motors from failure due to thermal shock.

Hydraulic system with thermal shock protection

A system and process for controlling and actuating an excavation implement during excavation between an above-ground position and an operator specified below-ground position and for maintaining the specified below-ground position once achieved. The actuation of the excavation implement is regulated by use of an operator modifiable relationship between an engine operating speed and an actuator speed. The actuation of the excavation implement is further regulated by use of an operator modifiable relationship between an attachment drive speed and the actuator speed. A computer network controls the actuation of the excavation implement in response to inputs from the operator and feedback from the engine speed, the attachment drive speed, and an actuator position sensor as the excavation implement progresses through the earth. This results in the system maintaining the engine speed and the attachment drive speed at a desired output level when the excavation implement is subject to variations in loading while moving between the above-ground and below-ground positions.

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Pella, IA, United States of America

Ty Hartwick