Windrower implement with merger attachment, and method of controlling the merger attachment

A windrower implement comprising:

• a frame extending along a central longitudinal axis between a forward end and a rearward end relative to a direction of travel during operation;
• an implement head attached to the frame proximate the forward end thereof, wherein the implement head is operable to cut standing crop material and discharge cut crop material in a rearward direction along the central longitudinal axis;
• a merger attachment coupled to the frame rearward of the implement head, wherein the merger attachment includes a conveyor positioned relative to the implement head to receive discharged crop material from the implement head and convey the crop material laterally relative to the central longitudinal axis;
• a merger controller having a processor and a memory having a merger control algorithm stored thereon, wherein the processor is operable to execute the merger control algorithm to:
• define a baseline speed of the conveyor for a baseline throw distance and a baseline crop mass flow rate;
• define a desired speed of the conveyor to be greater than the baseline speed when a desired throw distance is greater than the baseline throw distance;
• define the desired speed of the conveyor to be less than the baseline speed when the desired throw distance is less than the baseline throw distance;
• and
• control a current speed of the conveyor to achieve the desired speed of the conveyor.

A method of controlling a merger attachment of a windrower implement, the merger attachment including a conveyor for discharging crop material, the method comprising:

• determining a location of a windrow formed during a belly pass with a merger controller, and saving the location of the windrow formed during the belly pass in a memory of the merger controller as a windrow track location;
• identifying execution of a merger pass adjacent to the belly pass with the merger controller;
• determining a current position of the conveyor relative to the windrow track location of the belly pass, when executing the merger pass, with the merger controller;
• and
• controlling a current speed of the conveyor with the merger controller based on the windrow track location of the belly pass and the current position of the conveyor to achieve a desired throw distance of crop material discharged from the conveyor.