Patent ID: 7762051

Claim:
A method of controlling the removal of a header from a self-propelled agricultural implement comprising the steps of: providing a self-propelled agricultural implement having a wheel-supported main frame, an engine supported on the main frame, a drive train connected to the engine and providing motive power to wheels, a crop-engaging header supported on the main frame transversely to the direction of travel of the implement by a pair of transversely spaced-apart lift arms pivotably attached at one end to the main frame and removably attached to the header at an opposing end, a pair of hydraulic lift cylinders each interconnecting one of the lift arms and the main frame to selectively move the header vertically, an operator's cab supported on the main frame and having controls therein for the engine, drive train, lift cylinders, header, a park brake, and other components; providing an ECU with a memory and programmable signal processing capabilities; providing a hydraulic header lift and flotation system with hydraulic circuitry having a plurality of valves of various types including a master solenoid valve, a pressure reduction solenoid valve (PRV), a raise solenoid valve, a lower solenoid valve, and a float solenoid valve, all connected to the ECU for receiving variable control signals from the ECU to raise and lower the header relative to the ground and manage the header flotation characteristics, the hydraulic circuitry further including the lift cylinders, an accumulator and a reservoir; providing a header tilt cylinder affixed at one end to the main frame and to the upper portion of the header at the opposing end; providing a support on the ground for the rear of the header; initiating the lower header cycle with a signal from an operator-activated switch sending a lower header signal to the ECU; energizing an operator-activated switch sending a signal to the ECU to reduce the flotation setting to zero, at which time a controller enters the header removal mode (HRM) lowering the header slowly and steadily to the ground by energizing a PRV circuit which includes the PRV, the lower solenoid valve, and the float solenoid valve, thereby reducing the hydraulic pressure in the lift cylinders and accumulator to zero; and energizing the header tilt cylinder by energizing an operator-activated switch sending a signal to the ECU, thus energizing the tilt cylinder to tilt the header forward to the degree necessary to disconnect the tilt cylinder from the header.