Harvesting machine including a crop residue deflector

A sugarcane harvester for harvesting sugarcane, the harvester comprising:

• a cutter configured to cut sugarcane into a sugarcane mat;
• a primary extractor disposed adjacent to a sugarcane mat path, the primary extractor configured to remove crop residue from the sugarcane mat moving along the sugarcane mat path;
• an elevator including a conveyor to move the sugarcane mat to an end of the conveyor;
• an extractor operatively connected to the elevator, the extractor including a generally cylindrical fan housing having a support arm extending laterally from a sidewall of the generally cylindrical fan housing and toward a center of the generally cylindrical fan housing;
• a fan assembly supported by the support arm and configured to remove crop residue from the sugarcane mat at the end of the conveyor;
• and
• a cover assembly fixedly connected to the support arm, wherein the cover assembly includes a leading edge spaced beneath the arm to cause deflection of the crop debris away from the support arm.

A method of harvesting sugarcane from a field of sugarcane with a sugarcane harvester, the method comprising:

• cutting sugarcane from the field to obtain a sugarcane mat of cut stalk and crop residue;
• delivering the cut stalk and the crop residue adjacently to a generally cylindrical fan housing of the sugarcane harvester;
• supporting a fan with an arm extending laterally from the generally cylindrical fan housing of the sugarcane harvester and toward a center of the fan housing;
• providing an air flow through the generally cylindrical fan housing with a fan to remove the crop residue from the sugarcane mat;
• and
• directing the crop residue away from the fan with a cover assembly subtending the the arm, wherein the cover assembly includes a leading edge spaced beneath the arm to cause deflection of the crop residue away from the support arm.