Patent ID: 6592453
Filing Date: 2003-07-15
Classification: A01D,A01F

Abstract:
In a harvester having a frame supported by wheel structure for forward movement through a field of standing crop having uphill, downhill and sidehill slopes, a crop processing structure supported by the frame and connected to a processor drive, wherein rate of material flow to the processing structure is dependent on harvester forward speed and wherein a harvest quality variable of the harvester is dependent on the forward speed of the harvester and the tilt of the harvester from a level position, a speed control comprising:a throughput transducer providing a throughput signal indicative of the rate of material flow; a tilt transducer providing a harvester tilt signal; a controller providing a throughput target for harvester operation in the level position and responsive to the throughput signal for adjusting the forward speed of the harvester; and wherein the controller is also responsive to the tilt signal to modify the throughput target to automatically reduce harvester speed and generally maintain the harvest quality variable within a desired range as the harvester moves over the slopes.