Feeder controls for a forage harvester

An agricultural harvesting machine comprising:

• crop processing means for processing harvested crop material;
• feeder means for feeding the harvested crop material to said crop processing means;
• an engine;
• and
• hydraulic drive means for driving said feeder means, said hydraulic drive means comprising a hydrostatic pump coupled to said engine, a hydrostatic motor coupled to said feeder means and hydraulic circuitry interconnecting said hydrostatic pump and said hydrostatic motor, said hydraulic circuitry comprising feeder arrest means operable to automatically interrupt the oil flow from or to said hydrostatic motor, thereby arresting said feeder means, said hydrostatic motor including flushing means for diverting at least part of the oil flow in said hydraulic circuitry through said hydrostatic motor to an oil tank or a cooling means, said flushing means comprising a flushing valve, and said feeder arrest means being disposed in said circuitry between said hydrostatic motor and said flushing means, said feeder arrest means comprising a feeder arrest valve, wherein said feeder arrest valve is pilot-controlled by a solenoid-actuated control valve, wherein said hydraulic circuitry comprises a hydraulic accumulator connected through said control valve to said feeder arrest valve.

A high-capacity agricultural harvesting machine comprising;

• a feed roll;
• an engine;
• a hydrostatic pump coupled to said engine;
• a hydrostatic motor coupled to said feed roll, said hydrostatic motor hydraulically connected to a low-pressure line and a high-pressure line;
• a feeder arrest valve hydraulically connected to the low-pressure line, said feeder arrest valve including an open position and a closed position, whereby in the open position said feeder arrest valve allows hydraulic oil to flow past said feeder arrest valve and in the closed position said feeder arrest valve stops the flow of hydraulic oil thereby arresting said hydrostatic motor,
• wherein said feeder arrest valve is normally open and displaced to the closed position by pressure in a pilot hydraulic line;
• and
• a control valve and an accumulator, said control valve including a high-pressure position and a low-pressure position, wherein in the high-pressure position said accumulator is hydraulically coupled to said feeder arrest valve via the pilot hydraulic line.