Patent ID: 6513311
Filing Date: 2003-02-04
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
In a windrower having a header including a cutter comprising, interchangeably, a disc or a sickle bar; and a closed loop control system producing a drive signal for controlling the speed of said header to a selected set point speed by varying the output power of a power source driving said header, said header requiring a different power from said power source to run at a selected set point speed when said cutter is a disc than when said cutter is a sickle bar, an apparatus for automatically determining whether said cutter is a disc or a sickle bar, said apparatus comprising:means for selecting a set point speed at which said header is to be driven; means operable when the speed of said header reaches said selected set point speed for determining whether the magnitude of said drive signal falls within a first range or a second, non-overlapping range of signal magnitudes; and, a configuration data store for storing configuration data indicating that said cutter is a disc when the magnitude of the drive signal required to drive said header at said selected set point speed falls within said first range of signal magnitudes, or indicating that said cutter is a sickle bar when the magnitude of the drive signal required to drive said header at said selected set point speed falls within said second range of signal magnitudes, said first and second ranges of signal magnitudes being non-overlapping.