Weed seed destruction
OwnerDean Mayerleinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Weed seeds are destroyed in the chaff from a combine harvester by repeated high speed impacts caused by a rotor mounted in one of a pair of side by side housings which accelerate the discarded seeds in a direction centrifugally away from the rotor onto a stator including angularly adjustable stator surfaces around the axis. Thus the discarded seeds rebound back and forth between the rotor and the stator to provide a plurality of impacts. The seeds are carried axially of the rotor by a controlled airstream so that they move to an axial discharge location where a discharge fan is mounted. The angle of the discharge around the rotor axis can be changed to direct the seeds to the side of the combine away from a straw chopper, towards the guide fins of the tailboard of the chopper, or into the housing of the straw chopper.
Claims16
Apparatus for destroying weed seeds for use in a combine harvester where the combine harvester comprises a separation system for separating from harvested crop at a first discharge location a first material comprising straw and at a second discharge location a second material comprising chaff and said weed seeds, the apparatus comprising:
- a straw chopper section comprising:
- a first housing component arranged to receive from the first discharge location the first material containing straw;
- a chopper rotor mounted in the first housing component having a plurality of chopping blades for chopping the straw for discharge from the first housing component;
- and a spreading device for receiving the straw discharged from the first housing component and spreading the discharged straw to rear and sides of the first housing component;
- and a weed seed destruction section comprising:
- a second housing component arranged to receive from the second discharge location the second material;
- a rotor arrangement mounted in the rotor housing for rotation about an axis and including rotor surfaces thereon for engaging the second material and for accelerating the feed material in a direction outwardly from the axis of the rotor;
- a stator arrangement mounted at a location along the direction and including a plurality of stator surfaces for engaging the weed seeds in the accelerated second material to cause a plurality of impacts with the weed seeds;
- and at least one a discharge mouth for discharge of the second material after the plurality of impacts;
- wherein the first and second housing components comprise a common assembly having a common frame and/or common housing separate from the combine harvester and arranged for common mounting on the combine harvester.
Apparatus for destroying weed seeds for use in a combine harvester where the combine harvester comprises a separation system for separating from harvested crop at a first discharge location a first material comprising straw and at a second discharge location a second material comprising chaff and said weed seeds, the apparatus comprising:
- a straw chopper section comprising:
- a first housing component arranged to receive from the first discharge location the first material containing straw;
- a chopper rotor mounted in the first housing component having a plurality of chopping blades for chopping the straw for discharge from the first housing component;
- a chopper drive input member for driving the chopper rotor from a mechanical drive output of the combine harvester;
- and a spreading device for receiving the straw discharged from the first housing component and spreading the discharged straw to rear and sides of the first housing component;
- and a weed seed destruction section comprising:
- a second housing component arranged to receive from the second discharge location the second material;
- a destructor rotor arrangement mounted in the rotor housing for rotation about an axis and including rotor surfaces thereon for engaging the second material and for accelerating the feed material in a direction outwardly from the axis of the rotor;
- a destructor rotor drive input member for driving the destructor rotor from the mechanical drive output of the combine harvester;
- a stator arrangement mounted at a location along the direction and including a plurality of stator surfaces for engaging the weed seeds in the accelerated second material to cause a plurality of impacts with the weed seeds;
- and at least one a discharge mouth for discharge of the second material after the plurality of impacts;
- a mechanical drive transfer member connecting the destructor rotor drive input member and the chopper drive input member for receiving drive from the drive from the mechanical drive output of the combine harvester.
Apparatus for destroying weed seeds for use in a combine harvester where the combine harvester comprises a separation system for separating from harvested crop at a first discharge location a first material comprising straw and at a second discharge location a second material comprising chaff and said weed seeds, the apparatus comprising:
- a straw chopper section comprising:
- a chopper housing arranged to receive from the first discharge location the first material containing straw;
- a chopper rotor mounted in the chopper housing having a plurality of chopping blades of the rotor cooperating with stationary blades of the housing for chopping the straw for discharge from the chopper housing;
- and a tailboard for receiving the straw discharged from the chopper housing and including guide fins engaging the straw on the tailboard for guiding the discharged straw in a spreading action to rear and sides of the combine harvester;
- a weed seed destructor section comprising:
- a destructor housing arranged to receive from the second discharge location the second material;
- a rotor arrangement mounted in the destructor housing for rotation about an axis and including rotor surfaces thereon for engaging the second material and for accelerating the feed material in a direction outwardly from the axis of the rotor;
- a stator arrangement mounted at a location along the direction and including a plurality of stator surfaces for engaging the weed seeds in the accelerated second material to cause a plurality of impacts with the weed seeds;
- and at least one a discharge mouth for discharge of the second material after the plurality of impacts;
- said at least one discharge mouth being arranged so as to direct the second material onto the tailboard to be guided by the fins while bypassing the chopping blades of the rotor and the stationary blades of the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.