COMBINE HARVESTER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [Field of the Inventionl
The present invention is directed to a combine harvester which has a grain tank on one lateral side portion in a rearward section of a self-propelling vehicle body, and in which grain taken out from the lower end side of the grain tank is transported upwardly and is discharged from a distal end of a grain feed-out tube which can be moved vertically and horizontally.
Among the above-described combine harvesters in which grain in the grain tank is discharged from the distal end of the grain feed-out tube, the common type is one in which the grain feed-out tube moves vertically and rotates horizontally with the grain feed-out tube oriented above the horizontal. However, since this is inconvenient when pouring grain into bags on the ground, the combine harvester having the following configuration has also been proposed.
That is, in the known conventional structure, a horizontal position detection means for detecting that the grain feed-out tube is not located above the self-propelling vehicle body is provided. And in the range in which the gTEiin feed-out tube is away from above the self-propelling vehicle body, the lower limit position of the operating range of a raising and lowering cylinder of the grain feed-out tube is changed so that the distal end side of the grain feed-out tube can be lowered to near the ground (see JP Publication No. Hll-266683, paragraphs [0016] and [0017], and Figs. 1 and 3).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [Problems To Be Solved By The Invention]
In the conventional structure described above, an angle sensor which detects the rotation angle in the horizontal direction and the pivot angle in the vertical direction of the grain feed-out tube is provided. Since the raising and lowering cylinder for raising and lowering the grain feed-out tube is controlled based on the detected value from the angle sensor, the system is useful in that the vertical operating position of the grain feed-out tube can be changed, without restricting it to above the horizontal position, depending on the situation in which the grain feed-out tube is used, such as, loading the grain onto the loading floor of the truck, or filling bags on the ground with grain, etc.

However, the conventional structure has a relatively compUcated configuration because it requires the angle sensor for detecting each of the rotation angle in the horizontal direction and the pivot angle in the vertical direction of the grain feed-out tube, an actuator for operating the grain feed-out tube with sufficient accuracy based on the detected value from the angle sensor, a control device for switching the operation of the actuator between the state in which the operating range of the actuator is restricted and the state in which the operating range is not restricted based on the detected value of the angle sensor, and the display means for indicating whether the operating range is restricted.
On object of the present invention is to provide a combine harvester in which the grain feed-out tube, that is capable of being moved vertically and horizontally, can be operated to be moved below the horizontal position and which has a simplified operating structure.
[Means to Solve the Probleml
A combine harvester in accordance with the characterizing feature of the present invention comprises: a grain tank disposed in a rear portion of a self-propelling vehicle body! a vertical feed tube for upwardly transporting grain taken out from a lower end side of the grain tank; and a grain feed out tube located adjacent an upper end of the vertical feed tube and configured to be pivotable horizontally about a vertically extending axis of the vertical feed tube and to be pivotable vertically about a horizontal axis located adjacent the upper end of the vertical feed tube. A vertical pivot range of the grain feed out tube about the horizontal axis is arranged to be changeable between an attitude in which a tube axis of the grain feed out tube is tilted downward with respect to the horizontal and an attitude in which the axis of the grain feed out tube is tilted upward with respect to the horizontal, and a horizontal pivot range of the grain feed out tube about the vertical axis is a rotation angular range that includes an area above the self-propelling vehicle body. A guide is provided for upwardly raising the grain feed out tube that is in the downward posture as the grain feed out tube is moved above the self-propelling vehicle body, the guide being provided within the rotation angular range corresponding to the area above the self-propelling vehicle body of the horizontal pivot range of the grain feed out tube about the vertical axis.
Since the vertical pivot range of the grain feed out tube, whose

horizontal pivot range of the grain feed out tube is set to be a rotation angular range that includes an area above the self'propelUng vehicle body, is arranged to be changeable between an attitude in which a tube axis of the grain feed out tube is tilted downward with respect to the horizontal and an attitude in which the axis of the grain feed out tube is tilted upward with respect to the horizontal, the grain feed out tube can be oriented such that its attitude is downward with respect to the horizontal, which faciHtates bag filling operation in a low position such as on the ground.
And while work performed in a low position is facihtated with this arrangement with the grain feed out tube is oriented downward, a guide is provided for upwardly raising the grain feed out tube that is in the downward posture as the grain feed out tube is moved above the self-propeUing vehicle body wherein the guide is provided within the rotation angular range corresponding to the area above the self-propelling vehicle body. Thus, when the grain feed out tube reaches the area above the self-propelling vehicle, the grain feed out tube is raised upwardly by the guiding function of the guide so that the colhsion with the self-propelling vehicle can be avoided.
And since the structure with which the horizontally pivotable grain feed out tube is raised is mechanical in nature with the use of the guide, there is no need to provide a complex components such as a position sensing mechanism or a control device, resulting in a simphfied structure.
In the above structure, it is preferable that a driving section is arranged in a forward portion of the self-propelling vehicle body, and the driving section is located within the horizontal pivot range of the grain feed out tube.
With this construction, the driving section located in the forward portion of the self-propelling vehicle is located within the horizontal pivot range of the grain feed out tube, the grain feed out tube can be pivoted horizontally while reliably avoiding the driving section, which stands relatively high above the self-propelling vehicle.
In the above construction, it is preferable that the vertical pivot range of the grain feed out tube is arranged such that a height of a lowest point of the range can be changed.
With this construction, since the height of the lowest point of the vertical pivot range of the grain feed out tube is arranged to be changeable, the leight of the lowest point can be set so that the tube axis of the grain feed out

tube is downward with respect to the horizontal when filling the bags on the ground, for example, or so that the height of the lowest point is above the horizontal when loading the grain onto the loading bay of a truck. Thus, one of various different usages may be selected depending on various work conditions.
In the above construction, it is preferable that the horizontal pivot range of the grain feed out tube about the vertical axis of the vertical feed tube spans approximately 2/3 of a complete circle and includes the area above the self-propelling vehicle body which includes an area in which the driving section exists and an area laterally outwardly of the self-propelling vehicle body on the side the driving section exists.
The combine harvester in accordance with the present invention has the following functions and effects other than the ones described above.
That is, in the combine harvester in accordance with the present invention, even if the storage position of the grain feed out tube on the self-propelling vehicle is set beyond the area in which the driving section exists, the grain feed out tube can be rotated from the storage position to an area laterally outwardly of the self-propelling vehicle on the side in which the driving section exists.
And since the pivot range of the grain feed out tube is restricted to approximately 2/3 of the complete circle that includes a position on the self-propelling vehicle including an area in which the driving section exists, and the area laterally outwardly of the self-propelling vehicle on the side in which the driving section exists, the grain feed out tube may be pivoted form the storage position to a operation position at will, while avoiding contacts with other devices or components that exist on the self-propelling vehicle in the reminder 1/3 of the circle by keeping the grain feed out tube from rotating without restriction.
In the above construction, it is preferable that the guide is provided on the self-propeUing vehicle body at a location near the vertical feed tube such as to support the grain feed out tube at a location between a rotation center and the ejection opening of the grain feed out tube and closer to the rotation center of the grain feed tube in a longitudinal direction.
With this construction, since the guide is provided at a location near the vertical feed tube such as to support the grain feed out tube at a location closer to the rotation center of the grain feed tube in a longitudinal direction, the guide can be advantageously made relatively small compared with the case in

which the guide is provided closer to the ejection opening of the grain feed out tube in the longitudinal direction.
In the construction described above, it is preferable that the guide is provided to a rear ceiling portion, of the grain tank, that is formed lower than a forward ceiling portion of the grain tank.
In this construction, the rear ceiling portion on which the guide is provided is closer to the rotation center than the forward ceiling portion of the grain tank. In addition, since the grain feed out tube is located above the self-propelling vehicle when the grain feed out tank is located above the grain tank, there is no need for the grain feed out tube to be oriented below the horizontal. Thus, even when the guide is provided to the rear ceiling portion which is formed lower, the grain feed out tube can be moved above the forward ceiling portion which is higher than the rear ceiling portion, and other components that are located further forward and that stand high by guiding it with the guide, provided that the lateral pivot axis of the grain feed out tube is located at a low position.
This allows the guide itself to be formed with a compact structure.
In the above configuration, it is preferable that the guide is provided to an upper surface side of a lid for closing a maintenance opening formed in an upper portion the grain tank.
With this configuration, since the guide is provided to an upper surface side of the Hd for closing a maintenance opening formed in an upper portion the grain tank, the hd can be opened and closed by using the guide as a handle.
Therefore, the structure is further simplified with the guide functioning also as a handle for the lid.
In the above construction, it is preferable that a guiding range of the guide is set such as to guide the grain feed out tube upwardly of a pre-cleaner provided in an area above the seLf-propeUing vehicle body in the horizontal rotation range of the grain feed out tube.
With this configuration, since the gxiiding range of the guide is set such as to guide the grain feed out tube upwardly of a pre-cleaner, even if the pre-cleaner is located where it is difficult to see, such as a location close to the driving section and behind the driver's seat, the contact between the grain feed out tube and the pre-cleaner can be reUably avoided.
In the above construction, it is preferable that a driver's seat in the driving section is located on an upper side of the engine cover for covering an

engine, wherein an intake duct for introducing ambient air to within the engine cover is arranged at a location laterally outwardly of the driver's seat, and wherein switch operating member for rotating the grain feed out tube horizontally and for pivoting the grain feed out tube vertically are provided on an upper surface side of the intake duct.
With this configuration, the switch operating member for rotating the grain feed out tube horizontally and for pivoting the grain feed out tube vertically is provided on an upper surface side of the intake duct which is arranged at a location laterally outwardly of the driver's seat, the intake duct for introducing ambient air to within the engine cover can also be used as mounting means for the switch operating member. This allows simplification of the mounting structure for the switch operating member.
In addition, the upper surface side of the intake duct which is arranged at a location laterally outwardly of the driver's seat is also located where the switch operating member can be operated by an operator standing on the ground and not on board the self-propelling vehicle. This, therefore, facilitates adjustment of the position of the grain feed out tube when the operator is down on the ground.
In the above construction, it is preferable that the switch operating member includes a seesaw switch with which a horizontal rotation of the grain feed out tube is controlled by pivoting the seesaw switch to select one of two positions and another seesaw switch with which a vertical pivot of the grain feed out tube is controlled by pivoting the another seesaw switch to select one of two positions.
With this configuration, since the switch operating member is one in which both the horizontal pivot and the vertical pivot are performed by a combination of seesaw switches each of which is pivoted to select one of two positions, the desired operation can be done simply by choosing one for either the horizontal pivot or vertical pivot of the grain feed out tube, and by a simple pivot to select one of the two positions, allowing operation of the grain feed out tube leaving little chance for an operating error.
In the above construction, it is preferable that a operating member for grain feed out clutch for taking out grain stored in the grain tank is located laterally outwardly of the driver's seat.
With this configuration, since the operating member for grain feed out clutch is located laterally outwardly of the driver's seat, an operator on the

ground and not onboard the self-propelling vehicle can easily hold and operate the operating member for the grain feed out clutch, thus proving a grain feed out clutch that can be operated when the operator is in the driver's seat and when standing on the ground.
In the above construction, it is preferable that the harvester further includes operatively connecting mechanisms for operatively connecting a bottom screw provided within the grain tank, a vertical screw provided within the vertical feed tube, and a transporting screw provided within the grain feed out tube, at locations outside the tube in which respective screw is housed.
With this configuration, by operatively connecting a bottom screw provided within the grain tank, a vertical screw provided within the vertical feed tube, and a transporting screw provided within the grain feed out tube, at locations outside the tube in which respective screw is housed, the internal spaces of the tubes are not narrowed by the operatively connecting mechanisms for connecting the respective screws, which makes it easy to maintain smooth flow of the transported grain with relatively little resistance or friction during transport.
In the above construction, it is preferable that the operatively connecting mechanism for operatively connecting the bottom screw and the vertical feed screw includes a belt transmission mechanism.
With this configuration, when a greater transport resistance arises caused, for example, by a clogging in the area of the vertical screw where a transport resistance is relatively great compared with the areas of the bottom screw and the transport screw within the grain feed out tube, this causes a shp to occur in the belt transmission mechanism, thus avoiding any damages to the respective screw portions.
In the above configuration, it is preferable that the grain tank is configured to be rotatable in a outward direction of the vehicle body about a vertically extending axis.
With this configuration, it is possible to expose components, such as transmission mechanisms, that are covered, on the laterally outward side, by the grain tank by rotating the grain tank about the vertically extending axis, which facihtates maintenance work.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 shows an overall right side view of the general purpose combine.

Fig. 2 is an overall plan view of the general purpose combine,
Fig. 3 is a side view showing the grain collecting device.
Fig. 4 is a rear view showing the grain collecting device,
Fig. 5 is a fore-and-aft sectional drawing showing the operatively
connecting mechanism between the bottom screw and the vertical screw.
Fig. 6 is lateral direction sectional drawing showing the operatively
connecting mechanism between the bottom screw and the vertical screw.
Fig. 7 is horizontal sectional drawing showing the operatively
connecting mechanism between the vertical screw and the transporting screw. Fig. 8 is a sectional drawing taken at the Hne VIII-VIII in Fig. 7, Fig. 9 is a side view showing the connection between the vertical feed
tube and the grain feed-out tube.
Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the drive train,
Fig. 11 is a rear view showing the vertical pivot range of the grain
feed-out tube,
Fig. 12 is a rear view showing the vertical pivot range of the grain
feed-out tube.
Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing the operating portion of the grain
collecting device,
Fig. 14 is a side view of the combine harvester,
Fig. 15 is a side view showing the configuration for raising and
lowering operation of the travel device.
Fig. 16 is a side view showing the configuration for raising and
lowering operation of the travel device,
Fig. 17 is a side view showing the configuration for raising and
lowering operation of the travel device,
Fig. 18 is a side view showing the configuration for raising and
lowering operation of the travel device.
Fig. 19 is a diagram showing the power transfer,
Fig. 20 is a block diagram showing the control configuration,
Fig. 21 is a flow chart showing the control operation.
Fig. 22 is a flow chart showing the control operation,
Fig. 23 is a flow chart showing the control operation, and
Fig. 24 is a diagram showing the vehicle as it enters a sloping ground.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments of the present invention will be described next with reference to the drawings.
[Overall Configuration]
A general-purpose combine harvester is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as an example of a combine harvester as defined in the present invention.
This general purpose combine comprises a self-propelling vehicle body 1 having a vehicle body frame 10 mounted on the right-and-left pair of crawler units 11. On the self-propeUing vehicle body 1 is a driving section 2 equipped with a canopy 21 which covers the driver's seat 20 and the area above the driver's seat 20. The combine also carries an engine 12 located under or below the driver's seat 20, a threshing device 13 into which the material to be threshed is thrown and which threshes and sorts the material, and a grain collecting device 3 for collecting the threshed material.
And a feeder 15 of the cut and pre-cut processing device 14 for harvesting the crop stems to be cut is connected to the front side of the vehicle body of the self-propeUing vehicle body 1 such that the feeder 15 is vertically pivotable about a horizontal axis (not shown) located in the back end portion. The combination of these devices makes up the general purpose combine which threshes the cut plant crops to be threshed.
[Driving Section]
In the driving section 2 described above, the driver's seat 20 is arranged on and above the engine cover 22, which is box-shaped so as to cover the upper part of the engine 12, so that the engine cover 22 may also serve as a seat support base in the driving section 2.
At the fi-ont of the driver's seat 20 is a steering column 24 arranged vertically from the fi-ont end of the driving section floor 23 on the vehicle body fcame 10. The steering box 25 is arranged firom the left-hand side portion of the steering column 24 to the engine cover 22 located to the rear of the steering column 24. The air intake duct 26 for taking in the ambient air into the engine 12 fi-om the horizontally lateral and upper portion of the vehicle body through the dust-control net 26a is provided to the right-hand side portion of the said driver's seat 20 and is integrally connected to the engine cover 22.
A steering control lever 27 for controlling the traveling direction of the vehicle body is provided on the upper surface of the steering column 24, and a

speed change lever 28 for controlling the vehicle body traveling speed, and a cutting operation clutch lever 29 for activating and deactivating the cut and pre-cut processing device 14 are provided in the upper surface of the above-mentioned steering box 25. In addition, the console-panel surfaces formed in the upper surfaces of the steering column 24 and the steering box 25 are equipped with the other various gauges and instruments.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 13, a switch operating member 32 is provided in the upper surface, that is lower toward the front, of the air intake duct 26 for selecting a grain feed-out position to select the grain feed-out device 5 between the grain tank 4 and the grain feed-out device 5 which form the grain collecting device 3.
And a grain feed-out clutch lever 31 is provided between the surface of the air intake duct 26 located inwardly of the vehicle body and the driver's seat 20, as an operating member for the grain feed'out clutch 87 which can be switched between the state of activating the grain feed'out device 5 for taking out the grain currently stored in the grain tank 4 of the grain collecting device 3, as described below, and the state of deactivating the grain feed'Out device 5.
Operations of these switch operating member 32 and the grain feed-out clutch lever 31 will be described in further detail below.
The air cleaner 17 for cleaning the intake air for the engine 12 is provided to the rear of the driver's seat 20. A cylindrical and vertically long inlet pipe 17a is connected to the air cleaner 17, and a pre-cleaner 18 is connected to the upper part of this inlet pipe 17a. The inlet pipe 17a extends up along the inward surface of the grain tank 4, and its vertically intermediate portion is fixed to the inward surface of the grain tank 4. Therefore, relatively clean ambient air near the vehicle body upper portion with relatively less dust is cleaned through the pre-cleaner 18 and the air cleaner 17, and is supplied to the engine 12 as combustion air.
Provided above the above-mentioned driver's seat 20 is a canopy 21 which covers the area above the driver's seat 20 and is supported by one or more support columns 16 extending vertically along the front side of the grain tank 4.
[Threshing Portion]
The threshing device 13 is configured such that threshing operation is carried out on the cut grain stems supplied to the threshing chamber by the

axial-flow type threshing drum (not shown) which rotates about an axis extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the travel vehicle body and such that the threshed material is separated to grain and chaff by the sorting operation device (not shown) arranged below the threshing drum. And the threshed grain is thereafter supplied to the grain tank 4 of the grain collecting device 3. Materials, such as chaffs, other than the threshed material (i.e. threshed grain) to be stored in the grain tank 4, fall and are discharged to behind the self-propelling vehicle body 1.
[Structure of the Grain Collecting Device]
The grain collecting device 3 comprises the grain tank 4 for storing the threshed grain, and the grain feed-out device 5 for taking out the grain currently stored in the grain tank 4 to the exterior of the tank 4.
[Components Associated with Grain Tank]
As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the grain tank 4 is provided with the bottom screw 41 which transports the grain stored in the lower part of the tank main body 40 toward the rear.
The lower portion of the tank main body 40 is shaped to be narrower toward the bottom in a fore-and-aft view, and the bottom screw 41 is supported inside the lower end of the narrower-bottom portion 40a so as to extend horizontally and in the fore-and-aft direction. The narrower bottom portion 40a in the grain tank 4 is given the angle of incHne that is greater than the angle at which the grain starts to shde so that the stored grain is caused to move toward the bottom screw 41 without leaving any grain behind. And the lower end portion of the narrower bottom portion 40a is substantially offset laterally outwardly with respect to the lateral width center of the tank.
And, as shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 6, the feed-out case 42, which supports the back end portion of the pivot 41a of the bottom screw 41, is connected to the lower back end of the grain tank 4. The lower end boss portion 42a of the feed-out case 42 is fit into and supported pivotabiy by the support portion 10a which projects from the vehicle body frame 10 laterally outwardly with respect to the vehicle body. The grain tank 4 is supported, pivotabiy about the vertically extending axis y, to the vehicle body frame 10.
The ceiling portion 43 of the tank main body 40 is formed such that a rear portion of the ceihng portion 43b is lower than a forward portion of the

ceiling portion 43a of the tank main body 40 located on the self-propelling vehicle body 1. And the maintenance opening 43c provided in the lower rear portion of ceiling portion 43b is configured to be closed by a hd 44. The guide body 45 for guiding a grain feed-out pipe 70 of the grain feed-out device 5 is provided to the lid 44. The maintenance opening 43c is configured to be easily opened and closed by holding this guide body 45 by hand.
A function of the guide body 45 is to raise the grain feed-out tube 70 (which is oriented downward with respect to the horizontal) of the grain feed-out device 5 upwardly as the grain feed-out tube 70 is moved above and across the self-propelhng vehicle body 1. The grain feed-out tube 70, which is pivotable about the vertically extending axis y described later, is pivoted vertically about a laterally extending axis x as it is moved above the self-propelling vehicle body 1 so as not to interfere with the canopy 21 of the driving section 2 and the pre-cleaner 18 which stand relatively high above the vehicle body, and so as to have the grain feed-out tube 70 rest on the support base 30 for storing on the vehicle body.
The guiding action of the guide body 45 is limited to the range of rotation of the grain feed-out tube 70 about the vertically extending axis y, and is hmited to between the position where the storage support base 30 is located, and a vehicle body lateral edge on the side of the boarding driving section 2. The guiding action of the guide body 45 exists only within this range.
[Components Associated with Grain Feed-out Device]
The grain feed-out device 5 of a screw type, which horizontally transports the grain and ejects the grain to outside the vehicle after vertically transporting the grain that is transported by the bottom screw 41, is provided behind the grain tank 4. This grain feed-out device 5 includes a vertically transporting mechanism 6 of the screw type which is connected to and in communication with the lower end of the rear surface of the grain tank 4, and a horizontally transporting mechanism 7 of the screw type which is connected to and in communication with the upper end of this vertical transporting mechanism 6. The entirety of the grain feed-out device 5 can rotate with respect to the feed-out case 42 about the vertically extending axis y that is coaxial with the screw shaft of the vertically transporting mechanism 6, and that is the axis of the lower end boss portion 42a of the feed-out case 42.
The vertically transporting mechanism 6 includes a combination of

the vertical screw 61 which is coaxial with the vertically extending axis y, and the vertical feed tube 60 within which the vertical screw 61 is housed.
The vertical feed tube 60 has a lower end side which is connected to the upper end side of the feed-out case 42, and has a periphery having a gear portion 60a located slightly above the connecting point. The vertical feed tube 60 is configured to be pivoted about the vertically extending axis y by the pivoting electric motor 63 having a pinion gear 62 which meshes with the gear portion 60a. The pivoting electric motor 63 is fixed to the feed-out case 42.
The lower end of the vertical screw 61 is rotatably supported by the bearing portion 42b located at or near the lower end of the feed-out case 42. The axial portion of the part which projects downwardly from the bearing portion 42b mounts an input bevel gear 61a.
And, the operatively connecting mechanism 50 for transmitting power from the bottom screw 41 to the vertical screw 61 through the input bevel gear 61a is operatively connected to the input bevel gear 61a. This operatively connecting mechanism 50 has one end having a bevel gear portion 51a meshing with the input bevel gear 61a, a power transmission shaft 51 having an input pulley 51 on the other side, and a transmission belt 52 which is tensioned between the input pulley 51b of the power transmission shaft 51 and the output pulley 41b provided to the shaft end of the bottom screw 41. This operatively connecting mechanism 50 is arranged outside the grain transporting space s in which the bottom screw 41 and the vertical screw 61 are provided.
That is, the input pulley 51b, the output pulley 41b, and the transmission belt 52, which form the operatively connecting mechanism 50, are exposed to the exterior of the feed-out case 42, While the power transmission shaft 51 is located inside the feed-out case 42, it is outside the grain transporting space s in which the bottom screw 41 and the vertical screw 61 are provided. Therefore, the grain transporting space s within which the grain is transported is not narrowed by the presence of the operatively connecting mechanism 50.
As shown in Figs. 4 through 6, the transmission belt 52 is always urged to a tension side by means of the tension pulley 54 mounted at the distal end of the pivot arm 53 and the urging spring 55 which pulls and urges the pivot arm 53 in a direction in which the tension pulley 54 presses against the belt.

As shown in Figs. 4, and 7 through 9, the upper end case 67 is provided in the upper end side of the vertical feed tube 60. In the end case 67, the boss portion of the upper end sprocket 61b which is spline-fit into the upper end of the vertical screw 61 is axially supported by the bearing 60b. A vertically oriented intermediate shaft 64 whose axis is parallel to the end sprocket 61b and a laterally extending intermediate shaft 65 operatively connected by the bevel gear mechanism to the vertically oriented intermediate shaft 64 are provided.
The upper end sprocket 61b which is spline-fit into the upper end of the vertical screw 61, and the sprocket 64a provided to the upper end of the vertically oriented intermediate shaft 64 are connected by the transmission chain 6G. The end of the laterally extending intermediate shaft 65, which is opposite where the bevel gear mechanism is provided, projects laterally from the vertical feed tube 60. That projecting end mounts the output sprocket 65a, through which power fi-om the vertically transporting mechanism 6 is transmitted to the horizontal transporting mechanism 7.
The horizontal transporting mechanism 7 includes a combination of the grain feed-out tube 70 for receiving the grain vertically transported inside the vertical feed tube 60 and for ejecting it to the exterior, and the transporting screw 71 provided within the grain feed-out tube 70.
The grain feed-out tube 70 has an intermediation case portion 72 attached to the upper end of the vertical feed tube 60, and the traverse feed tube portion 73 connected to the intermediation case portion 72 on a downstream side with respect to the grain feed-out direction. The transporting screw 71 is provided within the grain feed-out tube 70.
The intermediation case portion 72 is configured to accommodate an interconnecting axis 74 having an intermediate sprocket 74a for receiving power transmitted from the output sprocket 65a which projects laterally to outside the vertical feed tube 60, a transmission chain 75 tensioned between the output sprocket 65a and the intermediate sprocket 74a, an intermediate bevel gear 74b provided to the interconnecting axis 74 at the end opposite to the end where the intermediate sprocket 74a is provided, and a starting end of the transporting screw 71 having an axial end provided with the input bevel gear 71a that meshes with the intermediate bevel gear 74b.
And the upper end case 67 is provided at the upper end of the vertical feed tube 60. This upper end case 67 is provided with a horizontal support tube

portion 67a with the ball bearing 67a which rotatably supports the laterally extending intermediate shaft 65. A communicating tube portion 67b is provided, which has a communicating opening for feeding out grain from the upper end of the vertical feed tube 60 at a location opposite to the side on which the horizontal support tube portion 67a is provided, with respect to the vertical feed tube 60.
The support portion 76 which fits externally onto the horizontal support tube portion 67 and a feed port tube portion 77 which fits externally onto the communicating tube portion 67b are formed in the intermediation case portion 72. This feed port tube portion 77 and the support tube portion 76 have the laterally extending axis x as the tube centerline which is coaxial with the axis of the laterally extending intermediate shaft 65 which intersects perpendicularly with the vertically extending axis y of the vertical screw 61 so that the laterally extending axis x becomes the pivot axis for the vertical pivoting of the grain feed-out tube 70.
As shown in Figs. 7 and 9, in the intermediation case portion 72, a pair of arm members 78 extends in the feed-out direction of the grain feed-out tube 70 from parts of the outer sides of support tube portion 76 and the feed port tube portion 77. A bar 79 is provided to connect the projecting ends of the arm members 78.
And a bracket 68 for mounting a cyUnder is provided to extend out at an upper end region of the vertical feed tube 60 and below where the arm members 78 are located. A hydraulic cylinder 56 for controlling the vertical position of the horizontal transporting mechanism 7 is provided to extend between the support pin 69 provided in the distal end side of the cylinder attachment bracket 68 and the bar 79 at the distal end of the arm members 78.
The traverse tube portion 73 of the grain feed-out tube 70 has one end with a flange portion 73a connected to the flange portion 72a provided in the tube end of the intermediation case portion 72, and a discharge opening 73b for discharging grain to the other end. And the transporting screw 71 extending fi:om inside the intermediation case portion 72 is provided within the traverse tube portion 73.
[Structure of Power Train]
Fig. 10 is a diagram showing power train of power from the engine 12. The engine 12, which is mounted to be laterally oriented, has a main output

shaft 12A which projects laterally inwardly of the vehicle body, and the auxihary output shaft 12B, which projects laterally outwardly of the vehicle body, for actuating an auxiHary device. The crawler unit 11, the cut and pre-cut processing device 14, and the threshing device 13 are actuated by the power from the main output shaft 12A.
The outward auxiliary output shaft 12B has an output pulley 80 that is adapted to receive two belts. A water pump 82 for cooling the engine, a radiator cooling fan 83, and a generator 84 are actuated by the transmission belt 81 wound around this output pulley 80, whereas another transmission belt 85 wound around the output pulley 80 is wound around the input pulley 86 to define the power train to the bottom screw 41 and the grain feed-out device 5.
The power train of the belt tj^je to the bottom screw 41 is provided with a grain feed-out clutch 87. This grain feed-out clutch 87 is a tension clutch which causes the tension roller 88 to press against the transmission belt 85 as shown in Figs. 1 and 13. As described below, the grain feed-out clutch 87 can be engaged and disengaged from the driving section 2 by operating the grain feed-out lever 31 which is an example of the clutch operating member.
The intermediate power transmission shaft 89 is fit into the center of the input pulley 86, which receives engine power, in a spline-engagement in the axial direction so as to be slidable relative to the pulley 86. The intermediate power transmission shaft 89 is arranged to abut end-to-end and coaxially against the input shaft 47, which is supported by the input case 46, and the intermediate power transmission shaft 89 is slidingly urged toward the input shaft 47 by the spring 89a arranged to surround the shaft 89. The intermediate power transmission shaft 89 and the input shaft 47 are operatively connected through a meshing type intermittence clutch 48 in the area of the end-to-end abutment.
The grain feed-out device 5 is configured such that the driving force is transmitted from the output pulley 41b provided to the bottom screw 41 at its rearward end portion and outside the grain tank 4 to the input pulley 51b provided in the back end portion of the power transmission shaft 51 through the transmission belt 52. The bevel gear mechanism transmits the driving power from the power transmission shaft 51 to the vertical screw 61. The vertical screw 61 and the transporting screw 71 in the grain feed-out tube 70 are operatively connected as follows.
That is, the upper end sprocket 61b provided in the upper end of the

vertical screw 61 and the sprocket 64a provided in the upper part of the vertically oriented intermediate shaft 64 are connected by the transmission chain 66. The bevel gear 64b at the lower end of the vertically oriented intermediate shaft 64 meshes with the bevel gear 65b provided at one end of the laterally extending intermediate shaft 65. The transmission chain 75 is wound around the sprocket 65a formed in the other end of the laterally extending intermediate shaft 65 and around the intermediate sprocket 74a provided at one end of the interconnecting axis 74. The intermediate bevel gear 74b provided in the other end of the interconnecting axis 74 meshes with the input bevel gear 71a provided outside of the grain feed-out tube 70 of the transporting screw 71. The engine power is transmitted to the transporting screw 71 in the grain feed-out tube 70 in this manner.
[Structure Related to Operation of the Grain Feed-out Device]
Swing or pivoting operation of the grain feed-out device 5 about the vertically extending axis y and vertical pivot about the laterally extending axis X are performed as follows.
The switch operating member 32 provided on the upper surface of the air intake duct 26, that is lower toward the front, consists of a combination of the first operation switch 32a provided in the upper part, and the second operation switch 32b provided in the lower part, as shown in Fig. 13. The first operation switch 32a is a seesaw switch for selecting either right or left swing direction in the horizontal direction of the grain feed-out tube 70. The second operation switch 32b is a seesaw switch for choosing either up or down direction for the pivot direction of the grain feed-out tube 70.
The first operation switch 32a is of the type which can be pressed down on one end or the other, is urged to its neutral position, and is oriented to extend laterally. The horizontal transporting mechanism 7 is caused to be pivoted in the direction corresponding to the right or left portion that is being pressed down only while that portion is pressed down. The pivoting stops upon release. The second operation switch 32b is of the type which can be pressed down on one end or the other, is urged to its neutral position, and is oriented to extend vertically. The horizontal transporting mechanism 7 is caused to be pivoted vertically in the direction corresponding to the upper or lower portion that is being pressed down only while that portion is pressed down. The vertical movement stops upon release.

Wires from the first operation switch 32a and the second operation switch 32b extend through the inside of the air intake duct 26 and are connected to the control device (not shown). The control device issues operation commands to the pivoting electric motor 63 based on operation of the first operation switch 32a. And commands to extend or to retract the hydraulic cylinder 56 are outputted to the control electromagnetic valve (not shown) based on operation of the second operation switch 32b.
Since these first and second operation switches 32a and 32b are located outwardly of the vehicle body with respect to the driver's seat 20, they can be operated while in the driver's seat 20, or even while standing on the ground after getting off the self-propelling vehicle body 1.
The vertical pivot range of the grain feed-out tube about the laterally extending axis x caused by the first operation switch 32a is determined by the distance over which the hydraulic cylinder 56 extends and retracts. And the lower-limit position and the upper-limit position of the vertical pivot range may be changed by changing the position of the connecting point with the cylinder attachment bracket 68 provided in the vertically oriented tube 60.
Two connection holes, i.e. upper and lower connection holes 68a and 68b are formed in the bracket 68. When the lower end of the hydraulic cyhnder 56 is connected to the upper connection hole 68a, as shown with the solid lines in Fig. 11, the lower hmit position of the vertical pivot range is approximately horizontal, and the grain feed-out tube 70 can move in a range between this horizontal position and upward therefrom.
If the lower end of the hydraulic cylinder 56 is connected to the lower connection hole 68b, as indicated with the sohd lines in Fig. 12, the lower limit position of the vertical pivot range is set to be downward from the laterally extending axis x, and the grain feed-out tube 70 can pivot between the posture in which it extends downward from the laterally extending axis x, and upwardly therefi-om. This position may be conveniently used, for example, when filling bags on the ground.
With regard to the swing range of the grain feed-out tube 70 about the vertically extending axis y caused by the second operation switch 32b, swing actuation by the pivoting electric motor 63 is caused to be stopped, if the vertical feed tube 60 is rotated through a predetermined angle, with a used of a detector (not shown), such as a potentiometer which detects the rotation angle of the pinion 62 actuated by the pivoting electric motor 63. The swing range of

the vertical feed tube 60 is set to be from the storing position where the grain feed-out tube 70 is supported by the storage support base 30 to the a position outwardly of the lateral side of vehicle body on which the driving section 2 exists, which is approximately 240 degrees about the vertically extending Eixis y from the storing position. The purpose for raising the grain feed-out tube 70 by the guiding action of the guide body 45 is to avoid contact by the grain feed-out tube 70 with the canopy 21 etc., when the grain feed-out tube 70 is moved from the storing position while it is in the downward posture, by raising the grain feed-out tube 70 by contacting the part of the grain feed-out tube 70 at a position near the vertically extending axis y. When the first operation switch 32a and the second operation switch 32b are operated to move the grain feed-out tube 70 in such a manner that the grain feed-out tube 70 avoids contacting the canopy 21 etc., the guiding action by the guide body 45 will not be performed since it is unnecessary.
Since the grain feed-out clutch lever 31. provided between the vehicle body inward side of the air intake duct 26 and the driver's seat 20 is operatively connected, through the operation wire 81, to the grain feed-out clutch 87 provided in the power train of the belt type to the bottom screw 41, when the grain feed-out clutch lever 31 is actuated forwardly and downwardly to move the tension roller 78 away from the transmission belt 85, transmission of driving power to the bottom screw 41 is severed, and discharge of the grain is stopped. Conversely, when the grain feed-out clutch lever 31 is pulled upward and rearward to cause the tension roller 78 to be pushed against the transmission belt 85, the bottom screw 41 is actuated and discharge of the grain will be started.
This grain feed-out clutch lever 31 can also be manipulated while in the driver's seat 20, or even while standing on the ground.
In addition, although the best embodiment described above showed a configuration in which positioning of the overall vertical pivot range of the grain feed-out tube 70 can be changed, change to the vertical pivot range of the grain feed-out tube 70 does not have to be limited to this example. Instead, for example, the change only to the lower limit side of the vertical pivot range or only to the upper limit side may be made. Or the positions of both the upper limit and the lower limit may be changed to change the vertical pivot range itself.
And, although the best embodiment showed the combine harvester of

a configuration which has a driving section 2 with the canopy 21, one which is not provided with the canopy 21 may be employed instead. In this case, it is desirable to configure the guide body 45 so that contact with the driving section 2, and the neighboring pre*filter 18, etc. maybe avoided.
And, the configuration of the combine harvester does not need to be limited to the general purpose combine but the invention can also be applied to a head-feeding combine harvester.
[Attitude Control Device]
An example of an attitude control device applicable to the above-mentioned combine harvester is described next. Needless to say, it is not absolutely essential to incorporate this attitude control device in the above-mentioned combine harvester. In addition, this attitude control device is applicable also to the combine harvesters other than the ones described above and to the work vehicles other than combine harvesters. An example in which this attitude control device is applied to the combine harvester is described next.
As shown in Fig. 14, the combine harvester has crawler type right and-left pair of travel devices IL and IR, a threshing device 103 which performs threshing of grain stems to be harvested, and a grain tank 104 which stores the threshed grain, a cut and harvest portion 110 which cuts planted grain stem plants, such as rice and wheat, and which supplies them to the threshing device 103 is provided at the front of the vehicle body so as to be vertically pivotable with respect to the main part V of the vehicle body which is provided with, among other things, driving section 102.
The cut and heirvest portion 110 has, among other things, a crop divider 106 provided in the distal end portion, a crop lifter 105 which lifts planted grain stems divided by the crop divider 106, a hairclipper type cutter blade 107 which cuts the base side of the lifted grain stems, a vertical transport device 108 that transports the cut grain stems while gradually tilting them into a horizontally laying attitude. The cut and harvest portion 110 is provided to the front of the vehicle main body V such that it is vertically pivotable about a laterally extending axis PI by a hydraulic cylinder CI for vertical movement for harvesting, as an example of the vertically actuating means (the harvest cylinder). That is, this cut and harvest portion 110 is configured to be pivotable between a lower position for harvesting work which requires it to approach the

ground, and the raised retracted position which is lifted substantially away from the ground.
A cutting height sensor 109 of a ground-contacting type serving as a ground height detection means which detects the height of the cut and harvest portion 110 from the ground, is provided in the back side part of the above-mentioned crop divider 106. Without going into detail, this cutting height sensor 109 is configured to detect the height of the cut and harvest portion 110 from the ground based on the pivot angle formed by abutment against the ground of a ground contacting piece 109A, which is pivotable about a laterally extending axis and urged downwardly.
Next, the power train is shown in Fig. 19. The power outputted from the engine E carried by the vehicle main body V is transmitted to the threshing device 103 through the threshing clutch 145 and is transmitted to the transmission portion 148 for the right and left travel devices IL and IR through the travel clutch 146 and through the continuously variable transmission 147 serving as a travel speed change device. The power transmitted to the transmission portion 148 is transmitted to the travel devices IL and IR, and is also transmitted to the cut and harvest portion 110 through the harvest clutch 149. In addition, without going into detail, the turn transmission mechanism 155 for causing the vehicle to be steered by modifying the power transmitted to the transmission portion 148 to cause the right and left travel devices IL and IR to be driven at different speeds. The vehicle main body V can be turned by shifting the turn transmission mechanism 155 with a lateral pivot operation of the control lever 128 provided in the driving section 102 such that the lever 128 can be cross-pivoted to both the lateral direction and the fore-and-aft direction.
The continuously variable transmission 147 is configured to be shifted continuously from the neutral position to each of a forward operation range F and a reverse operation range R by the speed change lever 151 provided in the driving section 102. A potentiometer-type speed change lever sensor 137 which detects the operated position of this speed change lever 151 is provided. In addition, a rotation speed sensor 141 which detects the rotating speed of the travel output shaft (see Fig. 20) is provided to the travel drive train leading to the travel devices IL and IR in the transmission portion 148.
And in this combine harvester, attitude change operation means 100 is provided for changing the tilt angle in the fore-and*aft direction as well as

the tilt angle in the lateral or right-and-left direction of the vehicle main body V with respect to the ground contacting portion of the travel devices IL and IR. The configuration of the attitude change operation means 100 is described next.
First, the attachment structure for attaching the right and left travel devices IL and IR to the vehicle main body V is described. Since the right and left travel devices IL and IR are of the identical configiuration, only the left-hand side travel device IL is described below, omitting the description of the right-hand side travel device IR.
As shown in Fig. 15, the drive sprocket 113 is supported rotatably at the front end side of the support frame 112 fixed to the main frame 111 extending in the fore-and-aft direction which constitutes the vehicle main body V. Two or more idle wheels 114 arranged in the fore-and-aft direction are axially supported by the support frame 112. The track frame 116, whose back end portion supports the tension wheel 115, is mounted to be vertically movable with respect to the support frame 112. And the crawler belt B, which is an endless revolving body, is wound around or over the drive sprocket 113, the tension wheel 115, and each idle wheel 114.
The front bell crank 117a of an approximate L shape in a side view is axially supported to the front side of the support frame 112 to be pivotable about the horizontal axis P2. The rear bell crank 117b of an approximate L shape in a side view is axially supported to the rear side of the support frame 112 to be pivotable about the horizontal axis P3. The lower end of the front bell crank 117a is pivotably connected to the front side location of the track frame 116, and the lower end of the rear bell crank 117a is pivotably connected to the rear side location of the track frame 116 through an auxiliary link 117bl for absorbing stroke.
On the other hand, the cylinder rod of each of the hydraulic cylinders C2 and C3 is operatively connected to each upper part side end of the front and rear bell cranks 117a and 117b, respectively. The cylinder main part side of each of the hydraulic cylinders C2 and C3 is pivotably supported to and connected to the transverse-frame portion in the main frame 111. Each of the hydraulic cylinder C2 and C3 is a double-acting type hydrauhc cylinder.
When the hydraulic cylinder C2 (referred to as the left forward cylinder) corresponding to the front bell crank 117a is extended to its maximum position and the hydraulic cylinder C3 (henceforth the left rear

cylinder) corresponding to the rear bell crank 117b is contracted to its minimum position, the track frame 116 is received and supported by the support frame 112, as shown in Fig. 15, and the track frame 116 comes closest to the main frame 111, and is substantially parallel to the main frame 111.
And when the left forward cylinder C2 is retracted from the state shown in Fig. 15, while maintaining the left rear cylinder C3, the attitude is changed in the direction in which the front side of the vehicle main body V is moved away from the ground contacting portion as shown in Fig. 16.
When the left rear cylinder C3 is retracted from the state shown in Fig. 15, while maintaining the left forward cylinder C2, the attitude is changed in the direction in which the rear side of the vehicle main body V is moved away from the ground contacting portion as shown in Fig. 17.
In addition, when the left forward cylinder C2 is retracted from the state shown in Fig. 15, while extending the left rear cylinder C3, the attitude is changed in the direction in which the vehicle main body V is moved away from the ground contacting portion while staying parallel with the ground contacting portion as shown in Fig. 18.
Also, identical to the left-hand side travel device IL, the right-hand side travel device IR is provided with the right forward cylinder C4 located in the vehicle body front side and the right rear cylinder C5 located in the vehicle body rear side, and performs the same operation as the left-hand side travel device IL. When both the right and left travel devices IL and IR are in the state shown in Fig. 15, the vehicle is in the lower hmit standard attitude or a standard condition in which the fore-and-aft tilt angle and the right-and-left tilt angle of the vehicle main body V with respect to the ground contacting portion of the travel devices IL and IR are zero or approximately zero.
Thus, the attitude change operation means 100 includes, at each of the left-front area, the left-rear area, the right-forward area, and the right-forward area of the vehicle main body V, the four hydraulic cyhnders C2-C5 for changing the vehicle body attitude, that are capable of adjusting or changing the independent height of the right and left travel devices IL and IR with respect to the ground contacting portion.
And when the left forward cylinder C2 and the right forward cylinder C4 are retracted while maintaining the right and left rear cylinders C3 and C5 unchanged, the attitude is changed in the direction in which the front side of the vehicle main body V is moved away from the ground contacting portions of

the right and left travel devices IL and IR (this operation will be hereafter called a front-raising operation). When the left forward cylinder C2 and the right forward cylinder C4 are extended while maintaining the right and left rear cylinders C3 and C5 unchanged, the attitude is changed in the direction in which the front side of the vehicle main body V is moved toward the ground contacting portion of the right and left travel devices IL and IR (this operation will be hereafter called a front-lowering operation). When the left rear cylinder C3 and the right rear cyhnder C5 are extended while maintaining the right and left forward cylinders C2 and C4 unchanged, the attitude is changed in the direction in which the rear side of the vehicle main body V is moved away from the ground contacting portion of the right and left travel devices IL and IR (this operation will be hereafter called a rear*raising operation). When the left rear cylinder C3 and the right rear cylinder C5 are retracted while maintaining the right and left forward cylinders C2 and C4 unchanged, the attitude is changed in the direction in which the rear side of the vehicle main body V is moved toward the ground contacting portion of the right and left travel devices IL and IR (this operation will be hereafter called a rear-lowering operation).
Therefore, the left forward cylinder C2 and the right forward cylinder C4 correspond to the front side actuating means, and the left re£ir cyhnder C3 and the right rear cyUnder C5 correspond to the rear side actuating means.
At locations corresponding to the pivot of each of the bell cranks 117a and 117b in the right-and-left travel devices IL and IR corresponding to each of the four hydraiUic cylinders C2, C3, C4, and C5, stroke sensors 118,119,120,121 are provided (see Fig. 20), in the form of potentiometers, each of which detects the amount of operation of each hydraulic cylinder C2, C3, C4, and C5 (i.e., the amount of strokes of the extending or retracting operation) based on the amount of rotation.
And there are provided a gravity-operated fore-and-aft tilt angle sensor 124 which detects the fore-and-aft tilt angle with respect to the horizontal reference plane of the vehicle main body V by the action of the gravity, and a gravity-operated right-and-left tilt angle sensor 123 which detects the right-and-left tilt angle with respect to the horizontal reference plane of the vehicle main body V by the action of the gravity. In addition, as shown in Fig. 20, a control device 122 utiUzing a microcomputer is provided. Each detected information from each of the stroke sensors 118-121, the cutting

height sensor 109, the right-and-left tilt angle sensor 123, the fore-and-aft tilt angle sensor 124, the speed change lever sensor 137, and the rotation speed sensor 141 is inputted into this control device 122.
Moreover, the console panel in the driving section 102 is provided with, among other things, the right-and-left automatic switch 126 which commands activation and deactivation of a roll control, described later, to make the attitude change in the lateral direction, a fore-and-aft automatic switch 127 which commands activation and deactivation of a pitch control, described later, to make the attitude change in the fore-and-aft direction, a potentiometer-type cutting height setting device 136 serving as a target height setting means of the manual operation type which sets the target cutting height of the cut and harvest portion 110 firom the ground, a rise switch SWl which issues a command to cause the cut and harvest portion to rise, a lowering switch SW2 which issues a command to cause the cut and harvest portion to be lowered. These information is also inputted into the control device 122.
The rise switch SWl and the lowering switch SW2 are configured to be engaged and disengaged by the forward and rearward pivoting of the control lever 128 which is provided on the console panel of the driving section 102, and which can be cross-pivoted. That is, if the control lever 128 is pivoted rearwardly by more than a set amount, the rise switch SWl is turned on, and if the control lever 128 is pivoted forwardly by more than a set amount, the lowering switch SW2 is tiurned on. In addition, while not shown, a plurahty of manually operable attitude change command switches are provided with which manual operation to change or adjust the inclination attitude of the vehicle main body V is possible.
And the control device 122 is configured to calculate the distance traveled by the vehicle main body V from the detected information from the rotation speed sensor 141, and elapsed time information. That is, distance calculating means 300 is configured to calculate the distance covered by the vehicle main body V based on the detected information from the rotation speed sensor 141 using the control device 122. In addition, the control device 122 is configured to determine whether the vehicle main body V is traveling forward or rearward based on the detected information from the speed change lever sensor 137. That is, the control device 122 determines that the vehicle main body V is traveling forward if the speed change lever 151 is detected by the

speed change lever sensor 137 to be in the forward travel area F and determines that the vehicle main body V is traveling rearward or in reverse if the speed change lever 151 is detected by the speed change lever sensor 137 to be in the reverse travel area R.
Therefore, a traveled distance detection means SK for detecting the distance covered by the vehicle main body V is defined by the speed change lever sensor 137, the rotation speed sensor 141, and the distance calculating means 300. This traveled distance detection means SK is configured to be capable of detecting or calculating the distance covered when the vehicle main body V is traveling forward and when the vehicle main body V is traveling in reverse.
The attitude control means 200 is configured to perform a roll control in which the operation of the attitude change operation means 100 is controlled based on the detected information fi*om the right-and-left tilt angle sensor 123 using the control device 122 so that the right-and-left tilt angle with respect to the horizontal reference plane of the vehicle main body V is maintained at the target right-and-left tilt angle, and to perform a pitch control in which the operation of the attitude change operation means 100 is controlled based on the detected information fi-om the fore-and-aft tilt angle sensor 124 so that the fore-and-aft tilt angle with respect to the horizontal reference plane of the vehicle main body V is maintained at the target fore-and-aft tilt angle (an example of the target tilt angle).
In the pitch control, the attitude control means 200 is configured to actuate either: the two hydraulic cyUnders (the left forward cylinder C2 and the right forward cylinder C4) (front side actuating means) located in the left forward portion and the right forward portion; or the two hydraulic cyUnders (the left rear cylinder C3 and the right rear cylinder C5) (rear side actuating means) located in the left rearward portion and the right rearward portion, among the four hydraulic cylinders C2-C5, while the other two hydrauUc cylinders remain un-actuated. In the right-and-left attitude or roll control, the attitude control means 200 is configured to actuate either^ the two hydraulic cylinders (the left forward cylinder C2 and the left rearward cylinder C3) located in the left forward portion and the left rearward portion! or the two hydraulic cylinders (the right forward cylinder C4 and the right rearward cylinder C5) located in the right forward portion and the right rearward portion, among the four hydraulic cylinders C2-C5, while the other two

hydraulic cylinders remain un-actuated.
And in the pitch control, the attitude control means 200 is configured such that, when the attitude correction operation in which the attitude change operation means 100 is operated to change the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V to a forward-tilt side or to a rearward-tilt side, the tilt angle of the vehicle main body V is not changed in the direction opposite to the change direction by the attitude correction operation, until the vehicle main body is determined to have traveled a set travel distance based on the detected information from the traveled distance detection means SK. In addition, in the pitch control, the attitude control means 200 is configured such that, when the attitude correction operation in which the attitude change operation means 100 is operated to change the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V to a forward-tilt side during a forward travel, the tilt angle of the vehicle main body V is not changed to a rearward tilt side by the attitude correction operation, until the vehicle main body is determined to have traveled a set travel distance based on the detected information from the traveled distance detection means SK, And, in the pitch control, the attitude control means 200 is configured such that, when the attitude correction operation in which the attitude change operation means 100 is operated to change the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V to a rearward tilt side during a rearward travel, the tdt angle of the vehicle main body V is not changed to a forward-tilt side by the attitude correction operation, until the vehicle main body is determined to have traveled a set travel distance based on the detected information from the traveled distance detection means SK.
The set distance is set to be about 20cm. lb describe in more detail, as shown in Fig. 24 (a) and (b), the forward travel set distance, from the position where the vehicle enters the sloping ground and the pitch control is performed, is set in order to avoid a repeated forward and backward pivoting of the vehicle main body V about the starting point of the sloping ground because of the shift in the center of gravity G by the pitch control when the front of the vehicle main body V enters the sloping ground and tilts downward so that the front ends of the travel devices IL and IR remain in contact with the sloping ground, and when a pitch control in which the right and left cylinders C2 and C4, that act on the front of the vehicle main body V, perform an actuating operation to rise the front of the vehicle body (see Fig. 24 (c)).
However, the set distance is set to be a travel distance sufficient to

avoid the above-mentioned disadvantage where the vehicle main body pivots back and forth by the shift of the center of gravity, and to be such as to avoid negative influence on the subsequent attitude control, and is not limited to 20cm.
That is, even if the front side portions of the travel devices IL and IR enter and contact the sloping ground, and the pitch control is performed and the center of gravity G of the vehicle main body V returns to the travel direction upstream side of the starting point of the sloping ground, once the vehicle travels forward by the set distance (about 20cm), the center of gravity G does not move beyond the starting point of the sloping ground even if a pitch control is performed to change the attitude of the vehicle main body V to the forward tilt side and the center of gravity G moves to the rear. And the attitude of the vehicle main body V does not change to such a great extent where the front sides of the travel devices IL and IR are lifted off the sloping ground, as shown in Fig. 24 (c). The control device 122 outputs actuating signals to the electromagnetic valves 129-133 for hydraulic pressure control of the harvest cylinder CI and the four hydraulic cylinders C2-C5 for vehicle body attitude change. In addition, without going into further detail, the control device 122 performs a cutting height control in which the harvest cylinder Cl is operated such that the detected value of the cutting height sensor 109 is maintained at the predetermined cutting height during harvest work, which is set by the cutting height setting device 136.
Next, the attitude change control operation by the attitude control means 200 is described with reference to the flow charts in Figs. 21 • 23. In addition, although not shown, this control is performed when the threshing clutch switch (not shown), which detects engagement or disengagement of the threshing clutch 145 detects, is turned on.
As shown in Fig. 21, when there is an attitude change command by a manual operation of the manually operated attitude change command switch (not shown), an attitude change operation corresponding to the command will be performed (Steps 1 and 2). The states of the right-and-left automatic switch 126 and the back-and-front automatic switch 127 are sensed, and only the pitch control is performed when only the back-and-front automatic switch 127 is switched on, and only the roll control is performed when only the rightand-left automatic switch 126 is switched on (Steps 3, 4, and 5). When both the right-and-left automatic switch 126 and the back-and-front automatic

switch 127 are switched on, the roll control and the pitch control are performed (Steps 6 and 7).
As shown in Fig. 22, the following process is performed in a roll control. That is, if the deviation of the detected value of the right-and-left tilt angle sensor 123 from the signal value corresponding to the target right-and-left tilt angle is outside the dead zone for the roll control on the left-lower attitude side of the vehicle main body V (Steps 11 and 12), the right side lowering process is performed, in which the right-and-left tilt attitude of the vehicle main body V is changed in the direction in which the right side of the vehicle is lowered. That is, a determination is made as to if either the right forward cylinder C4 or the right rear cylinder C5 is moved to the lower limit position, based on the detected information from the front and rear stroke sensors 120,121 located in the vehicle body right-hand side and if neither of the cylinders C4 and C5 is moved to the lower limit position, the right forward cylinder C4 is extended, and the right rear cyUnder C5 is retracted until either of the cyUnders reaches the lower limit position (Steps 13 and 14). If either the right forward cylinder C4 or the right rear cylinder C5 has been operated to the lower limit position, then, a determination is made as to if either the left forward cylinder C2 or the left rear cylinder C3 is moved to the upper limit position, based on the detected information from the front and rear stroke sensors 118,119 located in the vehicle body left-hand side and if neither of the cylinders C2 and C3 is moved to the lower limit position, the left forward cylinder C2 is retracted, and the left rear cylinder C3 is extended until either of the cylinders reaches the upper Umit position (Steps 15 and 16).
If the deviation of the detected value of the right-and-left tilt angle sensor 123 from the target right-and-left tilt angle is outside the dead zone for the roll control on the right-lower attitude side of the vehicle main body V, the left side lowering process is performed, in which the right-and-left tilt attitude of the vehicle main body V is changed in the direction in which the left side of the vehicle is lowered. That is, a determination is made as to if either the left forward cylinder C2 or the left rear cyUnder C3 is moved to the lower Umit position, based on the detected information from the front and rear stroke sensors 118,120 located in the vehicle body left-hand side, and if neither of the cylinders C2 and C3 is moved to the lower Umit position, the left forward cyUnder C2 is extended, and the left rear cyUnder C3 is retracted until either of the cylinders reaches the lower limit position (Steps 17 and 18). If either the

left forward cylinder C2 or the left rear cylinder C3 has been operated to the lower limit position, then, a determination is made as to if either the right forward cyUnder C4 or the right rear cylinder C5 is moved to the upper limit position, based on the detected information from the front and rear stroke sensors 119, 121 located in the vehicle body right-hand side, and if neither of the cylinders C4 and C5 is moved to the upper limit position, the right forward cylinder C4 is retracted, and the right rear cylinder C5 is extended until either of the cylinders reaches the upper limit position (Steps 19 and 20). The operation of the cylinders will be suspended if the deviation of the detected value of the right-and-left tilt angle sensor 123 from the target right-and-left tilt angle falls within the dead zone for the roll control (Step 21).
As shown in Fig. 23, if, in pitch control, the deviation of the detected value of the fore-and-aft tilt angle sensor 124 from the signal value corresponding to the horizontal state is outside the dead zone for pitch control on the front-lower attitude side of the vehicle main body V (Steps 31 and 32), a determination is made as to if, in the last time, the vehicle main body V has traveled the set travel distance (20 cm) after at least one of the following is performed (step 33); (a) the attitude correction operation in which the attitude change operation means 100 is operated to change the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V to one in which the front side of the vehicle is lowered, i.e., the rearraising operation in which the left rear cylinder C3 and the right rear cylinder C5 are operated to raise the rear of the vehicle main body V; and, (b) the front-lowering operation in which the left forward cylinder C2 and the right forward cylinder C4 are operated to lower the front of the vehicle main body V.
And if the vehicle is determined to have traveled the set distance after performing the attitude correction operation at Step 33, the control moves to the next step 34, and the rear lowering operation and the front raising operation will be performed in order to change fore-and-aft tilt attitude of the vehicle main body V to the rearward tilt side. That is, a determination is made as to if either the left rear cyhnder C3 or the right rear cylinder C5 is moved to the lower limit position, based on the detected information from the left and right stroke sensors 119,121 located in the rear portion of vehicle body and if neither of the cyUnders C3 and C5 is moved to the lower limit position, the left rear cylinder C3 and the right rear cylinder C5 are retracted (rearlowering operation) until either of the cylinders C3 and C5 reaches the lower limit

position (Steps 34 and 35). If either the left rear cylinder C3 or the right rear cylinder C5 reaches the lower limit position, the left forward cylinder C2 and the right forward cylinder C4 are retracted (front raising operation) until either the left forward cylinder C2 or the right forward cylinder C4 reaches the upper limit position (Steps 36 and 37).
And if the vehicle is determined not to have traveled the set distance after performing the attitude correction operation in which the attitude change operation means 100 is operated to change the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V to one in which the front side of the vehicle is lowered, the control is configured to return to Step 1. And no operation to change the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V to the direction opposite to the change direction by said attitude correction operation is performed. That is, neither the rear lowering operation, nor the front raising operation is performed.
If the deviation of the detected value of the fore-and-aft tilt angle sensor 124 firom the signal value corresponding to the horizontal state is outside the dead zone for pitch control on the rearward tilt side of the vehicle main body V, a determination is made as to if, in the last time, the vehicle main body V had traveled the set travel distance (20 cm) after performing the attitude correction operation in which the attitude change operation means 100 is operated to change the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V to the rearward tilt side, i.e., after at least one of the rear-lowering operation and the front raising operation is performed (Step 38).
And if the vehicle is determined to have traveled the set distance sifter performing the attitude correction operation at Step 38, the control moves to the next Step 39, and the front lowering operation and the rear raising operation will be performed in order to change fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V to one in which the front of the vehicle is lowered. That is, a determination is made as to if either the left forward cylinder C2 or the right forward cylinder C4 is moved to the lower Umit position, based on the detected information from the left and right stroke sensors 118,120 located in the front portion of the vehicle body and if neither of the cylinders C2 and C4 is moved to the lower limit position, the left forward cylinder C2 and the right forward cylinder C4 are extended until either of the cylinders C2 and C4 reaches the lower limit position (Steps 39 and 40). If either the left forward cylinder C2 or the right forward cyhnder C4 reaches the lower limit position, the left rear

cylinder C3 and the right rear cylinder C5 are extended (rear raising operation) until either the left rear cylinder C3 or the right rear cyhnder C5 reaches the upper limit position (Steps 41 and 42). The operation of the cylinders will be suspended if the deviation of the detected value of the fore"and-aft tilt angle sensor 124 from the signal value corresponding to the horizontal state falls within the dead zone for the pitch control (Step 43).
And if the vehicle is determined not to have traveled the set distance after performing the attitude correction operation in which the attitude change operation means 100 is operated to change the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V to the rearward tilt side, the control is configured to return to Step 1. And no operation to change the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V to the direction opposite to the change direction by said attitude correction operation is performed. That is, neither the front lowering operation, or the rear raising operation is performed.
Therefore, since, no attitude correction operation is performed in the direction opposite to the attitude correction operation until the vehicle has traveled a set distance, regardless of whether the attitude correction operation was performed to the forward tilt side or to the rearward tilt side, when the attitude correction operation is performed in which the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body is changed to the forward tilt side during a forward travel, the tilt angle of the vehicle main body is not changed to the forward tilt side, until it is determined that the vehicle main body has since traveled the set distance. And when the attitude correction operation is performed in which the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body is changed to the forward tilt side during a rearward travel, the tilt angle of the vehicle main body is not changed to the rearward tilt side, until it is determined that the vehicle main body has since traveled the set distance. There existed conventional attitude control devices that had the following configuration.
That is, there exists an attitude change operation means which is configured to have a pair of actuating means for independently adjusting each of the height firom the ground of the ground contacting portion of the travel device in the front portion of the vehicle main body and the height from the ground of the ground contacting portion of the travel device in the rear portion of the vehicle main body. The attitude control means is configured such that, in the pitch control, if the vehicle main body is detected to be tilted to the forward tilt side with respect to the horizontal reference plane, the actuating means.

that acts on the front side of the vehicle main body among the pair of actuating means, is prevented from being actuated in the direction in which the front of the vehicle main body is raised, from the moment of detection until the vehicle main body finished traveling the set distance in the forward direction.
This conventional configuration helps avoid the following problem that occurs when moving from a flat area into a sloped area such as when advancing into a cultivated laud fi*om a ridge, as shown, for example in Fig. 24.
That is, when advancing from the flat area into the sloping ground, the center of gravity G of the vehicle main body V shifts to a location forwardly of the beginning point of the sloping ground in the direction of the vehicle movement, and the vehicle main body V rapidly tilts to an attitude in which the front of the vehicle is lower (see Fig. 24 (b)), where the rear of the travel devices are lifted off the ground, since the fore-and-aft tilt angle with respect to the horizontal reference plane of the vehicle main body V deviates to the forward tilt side from the target tilt angle, the attitude change operation means is performed so as to bring the tilt angle closer or equal to the target tilt angle. At that time, if the front side actuating means is actuated to raise the front of the vehicle main body V, the center of gravity G of the vehicle main body V shifts to a location rearwardly of the beginning point of the sloping ground, in which event, it may so happen that the rear side of the travel devices come into contact with the ground, and the front side of the travel devices are Ufted off the ground so that the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V with respect to the horizontal reference plane diverges to the rearward tilt side from the target tilt angle (see Fig. 24(c)). When that occurs, by performing the pitch control to the opposite direction, the center of gravity of the vehicle main body may move over the beginning point of the sloping ground, and to the vehicle body front side, so that the vehicle main body may again come to assume the attitude in which the front is lower. And since the traveling speed is set low, the operator often stops the vehicle for safety when there is change in the attitude as the vehicle moves into the sloping ground as described above. And if a pitch control described above is performed with the vehicle stopped, the center of gravity G of the vehicle main body V will move back and forth over the beginning point of the sloping ground, thus a rapid attitude change, between the state where the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V deviates to the rearward tilt side from the target tilt angle(8ee Fig. 24 (c)), and the state where the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the

vehicle main body V deviates to the forward tilt side from the target tilt angle (see Fig. 24 (d)), may be repeated.
Accordingly, to prevent the rapid attitude change accompanying such movement of the center of gravity, if the fore-and-aft tilt angle diverges to the forward tilt side from the horizontal reference plane of the vehicle main body, the actuating means on the front side of the vehicle main body is prevented from being actuated in the direction in which the front of the vehicle main body is raised, from the moment of detection until the vehicle main body finished traveling the set distance in the forward direction, thus, avoiding the rapid attitude change that accompanies movement of the center of gravity described above.
However, even if the vehicle main body suddenly assumes a tilted attitude in which the front of the vehicle is lower, as shown in Fig. 24 (b), in the conventional configuration described above, when advancing into the sloping ground from a flat area, no attitude change is made to shift the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body to the rearward tilt side, thus, the vehicle will continue traveling in the tilted attitude in which the front of the vehicle is lower. Then, if the width of such sloping ground in the vehicle travel direction is short, and the vehicle main body advances into a flat cultivated land after a shot forward travel in the sloped area, and if the vehicle continues to travel with the front tilted lower, there is a possibility of the distal end portion of the vehicle main body contacting the cultivated land surface. In addition, although the vehicle main body is assuming a tilted attitude in which the front of the vehicle is lower when advancing into the sloping ground from the flat area, the attitude change of the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body is not performed to the rearward tilt side; therefore, there is also a disadvantage that the posture of the operator on board may become unstable making it difficult to operate the vehicle.
On the other hand, the attitude control device of the present invention mentioned above includes the attitude change operation means capable of changing the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body to the forward tilt side and the rearward tilt side with respect to the ground contacting portions of the travel devices, the fore-and-aft tilt angle detection means for detecting the fore-and-aft tilt angle with respect to the horizontal reference plane of the vehicle main body, and the attitude control means for performing a pitch control in which the operation of the attitude change operation means is

controlled such that the fore-and-aft tilt angle with respect to the horizontal reference plane of the vehicle main body is maintained at the target tilt angle based on the detected information from the fore-and-aft tilt angle detection means. The traveled distance detection means for detecting the distance covered by the vehicle main body is provided. And in the pitching control, the attitude control means 200 is configured such that, when the posture correction operation in which the posture change operation means 100 is operated to tilt the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V to the forward tilt side or the rearward tilt, the tilt angle of the vehicle main body V is not changed in the direction opposite to the change direction by the posture correction operation until the vehicle main body is determined to have traveled a set travel distance based on the detected information from the traveled distance detection means SK.
For example, when the vehicle main body travels forward, and advances into a sloping ground from a flat area, the center of gravity of the vehicle main body moves over the beginning point of the sloping ground and to the vehicle body front side to cause the vehicle main body to tilt forward. Then, since the fore-and-aft tilt angle with respect to the horizontal reference plane of the vehicle main body would be detected to have moved away from the target tilt angle by the fore-and-aft tilt angle detection means, the attitude correction operation is performed, in which the attitude change operation means is operated so that the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body is shifted to the rearward tilt side to maintain the fore-and-aft tilt angle with respect to the horizontal reference plane of the vehicle main body at the target tilt angle. And no corrective operation, in the direction opposite to the change direction of the attitude correction operation of the tilt angle of the vehicle main body i.e., the attitude correction operation to the forward tilt side, is performed after performing the attitude correction operation until the vehicle main body has been determined to have traveled a set distance.
As a result, if the width of the sloping ground in the direction of the vehicle movement is short, and the vehicle main body advances into a flat cultivated land after a shot forward travel in the sloping ground, since the attitude correction operation will be performed when the vehicle main body assumes a forward-tilting attitude, the distal end portion of the vehicle main body in the travel direction can advantageously avoid contacting the ground. And since the tilted condition in which the fore-and-aft tilt angle with respect

to the horizontal reference plane of the vehicle main body is away from the target tilt angle does not persist, the operator on board can operate the vehicle with ease.
And since no corrective operation, in the direction opposite to the change direction of the attitude correction operation of the tilt angle of the vehicle main body, is performed after performing the attitude correction operation until the vehicle main body has traveled a set distance, sudden and repeated attitude changes of the vehicle main body, due to forward and rearward shifting of the center of gravity over the beginning point of the sloping ground, can be avoided. And, even if an attitude change operation means is operated to maintain the fore-and-aft tilt angle with respect to the horizontal reference plane of the vehicle main body at the target tilt angle after performing an attitude correction operation after the vehicle main body has traveled a set distance, the center of gravity is unlikely to be shifted forward and rearward over the beginning point of the sloping ground, thus avoiding sudden and repeated attitude changes of the vehicle main body in the fore-and-aft direction.
Therefore, the invention provides for an attitude control device that is capable of alleviating or eliminating troubles such as repeated attitude changes to the rearward tilt side and to the forward tilt side with a shift of the center of gravity when, for example, advancing into a sloping ground from a flat area, while avoiding such disadvantages as the distal end portion of the vehicle main body contacting the ground, or the operation of the vehicle being made difficult. And, in the above-mentioned attitude control device, the attitude change operation means includes the front side actuating means which is capable of changing or adjusting the height of the front portion of the vehicle main body with respect to the ground contacting portion of the travel device, and the rear side actuating means which is capable of changing or adjusting the height of the rear portion of the vehicle main body with respect to the ground contacting portion of the travel device. In the pitch control, the attitude control means is configured to keep either the front side actuating means or the rear side actuating means un-actuated while actuating the other of the two.
When performing a pitch control, by keeping either the front side actuating means or the rear side actuating means un-actuated while actuating the other, the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main boy is corrected or

modified. And by operating the height of the rear side actuating means with respect to the ground contacting portion of the rear travel device to the lowest limit position and by operating the height of the front side actuating means with respect to the ground contacting portion of the front travel device to the highest limit position, the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body can be operated to the tilt attitude in which the front of the vehicle is lowest. And by operating the height of the rear side actuating means with respect to the ground contacting portion of the rear travel device to the highest limit position and by operating the height of the front side actuating means with respect to the ground contacting portion of the front travel device to the lowest limit position, the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body can be operated to the tilt attitude in which the rear of the vehicle is lowest.
Therefore, even if small actuators with short operation stroke are used as the front side actuating means and the rear side actuating means, it is possible to have a large correcting range of the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body, making it possible to provide an attitude control device which can perform good attitude change operation while reducing cost using small actuating means. And, in the above-mentioned attitude control device, the traveled distance detection means is configured to detect the distance covered by the vehicle main body both when traveUng forward and when traveling in reverse. And the attitude control means is configured such that, in the pitching control, when the posture correction operation is performed in which the posture change operation means is operated to change the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V to the rearward-tilt side during a forward travel, the tilt angle of the vehicle main body V is not changed to a forward tilt side, until the vehicle main body is determined to have traveled a set travel distance based on the detected information from the traveled distance detection means, and such that when the posture correction operation in which the posture change operation means is operated to change the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V to the forward-tilt side during a rearward travel, the tilt angle of the vehicle main body V is not changed to the rearward tilt side until the vehicle main body is determined to have traveled a set travel distance based on the detected information from the traveled distance detection means.
That is, although the attitude control means performs an attitude correction operation so as to change the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle

main body to the backward-tilting side if the vehicle main body assumes a forward tilt (in which the front of the vehicle is lower) attitude during a forward travel, since the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body is not changed to the forward tilting side after performing the attitude correction operation until the vehicle travels a set distance, even when the vehicle moves forward from a flat area, through a sloping ground which is shot in the travehng direction, to a cultivated land, disadvantages such as the distal end portion of the vehicle main body contacting the ground, or the operation of the vehicle being made difficult, can be avoided, while avoiding troubles such as repeated attitude changes to the rearward tilt side and to the forward tilt side with a shift of the center of gravity when advancing into a sloping ground from a flat area. On the other hand, although the attitude control means performs an attitude correction operation so as to change the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body to the forward tUt side if the vehicle main body assumes a rearward tilt attitude, in which the rear of the vehicle is lower, during a rearward travel, since the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body is not changed to the rearward tilt side after performing the attitude correction operation until the vehicle travels a set distance, even when the vehicle moves rearward from a flat area, through a sloping ground which is shot in the traveUng direction, to a cultivated land, disadvantages such as the distal end portion of the vehicle main body contacting the ground, or the operation of the vehicle being made difficult, can be avoided, while avoiding troubles such as repeated attitude changes to the forward-tilting side and to the rearward tilting side with a shift of the center of gravity when advancing into a sloping ground from a flat area.
Accordingly, an attitude control device for a work vehicle is provided, that is capable of avoiding troubles such as repeated attitude changes to the backward-tilting side and to the forward tilting side with a shift of the center of gravity when traveling forward or in reverse, while avoiding disadvantages such as the distal end portion of the vehicle main body contacting the ground, or the operation of the vehicle being made difficult. In the embodiment described above, when an attitude correction operation was performed in which the attitude control means is operated to change the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body V, during either a forward travel or a rearward travel of the vehicle main body V, no attitude correction operation is performed in the direction opposite to the attitude correction operation until the vehicle

has traveled a set distance. Instead, it is possible to configure the system such that the operation described above is performed only when the vehicle main body V travels forward.
And, although the attitude control means that performs both the roll control and the pitch control is described as an example in the above-mentioned embodiment, the configuration where only the pitch control is performed may be used instead.
Although the travel device was the right-and-left pair of crawlers in the above-mentioned embodiment, it may not be hmited to this, and a single travel device may be used, for example, or travel device with wheels instead of the crawlers may be utihzed.
And, although the attitude change operation means includes the four hydraulic cylinders located at four locations, i.e. front and rear portions, and right and left portions, of the vehicle main body in the above-mentioned embodiment, other actuating means may be used instead which may include an electric motor, a thread drive mechanism, etc. in addition to the hydraulic cylinder.
In the embodiment described above, although the invention was applied to a combine harvester as an example of a work machine, the invention may be applied to work machines other than a combine harvester, such as a farm tractor and a rice planter, for example.

CLAIMS
1. A combine harvester comprising-
a grain tank disposed in a rear portion of a self-propelling vehicle body!
a vertical feed tube for upwardly transporting grain taken out from a lower end side of the grain tank; and a grain feed out tube located adjacent an upper end of the vertical feed tube and configured to be pivotable horizontally about a vertically extending axis of the vertical feed tube and to be pivotable vertically about a horizontal axis located adjacent the upper end of the vertical feed tube;
characterized in that
a vertical pivot range of the grain feed out tube about the horizontal axis is arranged to be between an attitude in which a tube axis of the grain feed out tube is tilted downward with respect to the horizontal and an attitude in which the axis of the grain feed out tube is tilted upward with respect to the horizontal, and a horizontal pivot range of the grain feed out tube about the vertical axis is a rotation angular range that includes an area above the self-propelling vehicle body, and in that
a guide is provided for upwardly raising the grain feed out tube that is in the downward posture as the grain feed out tube is moved above the self-propelling vehicle body, the guide being provided within the rotation angular range corresponding to the area above the self-propelling vehicle body of the horizontal pivot range of the grain feed out tube about the vertical axis.
2. A combine harvester as defined in claim 1, characterized in that
a driving section is arranged in a forward portion of the self-propelHng vehicle body, and the driving section is located within the horizontal pivot range of the grain feed out tube.
3. A combine harvester as defined in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that
the vertical pivot range of the grain feed out tube is arranged such that a height of a lowest point of the range can be changed.
4. A combine harvester as defined in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that
the horizontal pivot range of the grain feed out tube about the vertical axis of the vertical feed tube spans approximately 2/3 of a complete circle and

includes the area above the self-propelling vehicle body which includes a position on the self-propelling vehicle including an area in which the driving section exists and an area laterally outwardly of the self-propelling vehicle body on the side the driving section exists.
5. A combine harvester as defined in one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that
the guide is provided on the self-propelling vehicle body at a location near the vertical feed tube such as to support the grain feed out tube at a location between a rotation center and the ejection opening of the grain feed out tube and closer to the rotation center of the grain feed tube in a longitudinal direction.
6. A combine harvester as defined in one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that
the guide is provided to a rear ceiling portion, of the grain tank, that is formed tower than a forward ceiling portion of the grain tank.
7. A combine harvester as defined in one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that
the guide is provided to an upper surface side of a lid for closing a maintenance opening formed in an upper portion the grain tank.
8. A combine harvester as defined in one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that
a guiding range of the guide is set such as to guide the grain feed out tube upwardly of a pre-cleaner provided in an area above the self-propelling vehicle body in the horizontal rotation range of the grain feed out tube.
9. A combine harvester as defined in one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that
a driver's seat in the driving section is located on an upper side of the engine cover for covering an engine, wherein an intake duct for introducing ambient air to within the engine cover is arranged at a location laterally outwardly of the driver's seat, and wherein switch operating member for rotating the grain feed out tube horizontally and for pivoting the grain feed out tube vertically is provided on an upper surface side of the intake duct.
10. A combine harvester as defined in claim 9, characterized in that
the switch operating member includes a seesaw switch with which a

horizontal rotation of the grain feed out tube is controlled by pivoting the seesaw switch to select one of two positions and another seesaw switch with which a vertical pivot of the grain feed out tube is controlled by pivoting the another seesaw switch to select one of two positions.
11. A combine harvester as defined in one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in
that
a operating member for grain feed out clutch for taking out grain stored in the grain tank is located laterally outwardly of the driver's seat.
12. A combine harvester as defined in one of claims 1 to 11, further including:
operatively connecting mechanisms for operatively connecting a bottom screw provided within the grain tank, a vertical screw provided within the vertical feed tube, and a transporting screw provided within the grain feed out tube, at locations outside the tube in which respective screw is housed.
13. A combine harvester as defined in claim 12, characterized in that
the operatively connecting mechanism for operatively connecting the bottom screw and the vertical feed screw includes a belt transmission mechanism.
14. A combine harvester as defined in one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in
that
the grain tank is configured to be rotatable in a outward direction of the vehicle body about a vertically extending axis.
15. An attitude control device for a work vehicle, comprising:
attitude change operation means for changing a fore-and-aft tilt angle of a vehicle main body with respect to a ground contact portion of a travel device to a forward tilt side or rearward tilt side;
fore-and-aft tilt angle sensing means for detecting a fore-and-aft tilt angle with respect to a horizontal reference plane of the vehicle main body;
attitude control means for performing a pitch control in which operation of the attitude change operation means is controlled so as to maintain the fore-and-aft tilt angle with respect to the horizontal reference plane of the vehicle main body at a target tilt angle based on detected information from the

fore-and-aft tilt angle sensing means!
characterized in that traveled distance detection means for detecting a distance traveled by the vehicle main body is provided, and in that
the attitude control means is configured, in the pitch control, such that when the attitude change operation means is operated to perform an attitude correction operation in which the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body is changed to the forward tilt side or to the rearward tilt side, the tilt angle of the vehicle main body is not changed thereafter in a direction opposite to the change direction of the attitude correction operation until the vehicle main body is determined to have traveled a set distance based on detected information from the travel distance detection means.
16. An attitude control device as defined in claim 15, characterized in that
the attitude change operation means includes front side actuating means for changing a height of a front portion of the vehicle main body with respect to the ground contacting portion of the travel device and rear side actuating means for changing a height of a rear portion of the vehicle main body with respect to the ground contacting portion of the travel device, and in that
the attitude control means is configured, in the pitch control, to not actuate one of the front side actuating means and the rear side actuating means while actuating the other of the front side actuating means and the rear side actuating means.
17. An attitude control device as defined in claim 15 or 16, characterized in that
the traveled distance detection means is configured to be capable of detecting a distance traveled by the vehicle main body when traveling in a forward direction and of detecting a distance traveled by the vehicle main body when traveling in a rearward direction, and
the attitude control means is configured, in the pitch control, such that when the attitude change operation means is operated to perform an attitude correction operation in which the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body is changed to the rearward tilt side when the vehicle main body is traveling in the forward direction, the tilt angle of the vehicle main body is not changed thereafter to the forward tilt side until the vehicle main body is

determined to have traveled a set distance based on detected information from the travel distance detection means, and such that when the attitude change operation means is operated to perform an attitude correction operation in which the fore-and-aft tilt angle of the vehicle main body is changed to the forward tilt side when the vehicle main body is traveling in the rearward direction, the tilt angle of the vehicle main body is not changed thereafter to the rearward tilt side until the vehicle main body is determined to have traveled a set distance based on detected information from the travel distance detection means.