Row finder for a harvesting unit

In a harvester having a transversely extending row unit support frame, and a plurality of row units transversely spaced on the frame including at least one movable row unit supported for transverse movement on the support frame and having a row receiving area adapted for alignment with a row of crop, a row unit alignment system comprising:

• a mechanical crop row feeler supported by the movable row unit, the feeler including a lowermost portion adapted for contacting the row of crop and movable with changes in alignment between the row of crop and the row receiving area;
• an operable hydraulic valve supported adjacent the crop row feeler and mechanically connected to the feeler for operation in response to movement of the crop row feeler;
• a hydraulic cylinder connected between the support frame and the movable row unit, and
• wherein the hydraulic valve is connected to the hydraulic cylinder and to a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure for operating the hydraulic cylinder to move the row unit in response to operation of the hydraulic valve by movement of the feeler to automatically maintain a preselected alignment between the crop row and the row receiving area.

A crop harvester row unit row alignment system for a plurality of row units carried on a row unit support by hanger and roller assemblies, including:

• a bracket connecting at least two of the row units for transverse movement together on the row unit support;
• an actuatable cylinder connected between the two of the row units and the row unit support;
• a mechanical feeler movable in response to changes in alignment between one of the two of the row units and a corresponding row of crop;
• a hydraulic valve including a spool;
• a mechanical link connected to the mechanical feeler and to the spool, the spool movable with the feeler in response to the changes in alignment;
• and
• a hydraulic line connecting the hydraulic valve to the cylinder to actuate the cylinder and maintain a preselected alignment between the one of the two of the row units and the corresponding row of crop.