Twelve flutes for stalk roll
AssigneeCalmer Holding Company, LLC
InventorMarion Calmer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stalk roll having twelve flutes extending radially from the main cylinder along the length of the main cylinder. Within the row unit opposing stalk rolls cooperate to engage and capture the corn stalk, thereafter, controlling and processing the corn stalk. The flutes may be configured with differing edges to facilitate control and movement of the stalk to the point of ear separation within the row unit. The flutes may be configured such that opposing compressive forces acting on the exterior of the stalk at approximately 180° of separation operate to implode the stalk while sharp edges on the flutes operate to cut the stalk into small segments which are deposited on the ground for decomposition.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a radially arranged series of flutes for forming a twelve bladed stalk roll;
- six pairs of two flutes, each of the six pairs having:
- (1) different total lengths,
- (2) a blade defined by a leading end and a trailing end, wherein each trailing end of the six pairs are positioned in relative alignment to one another when formed around a circumferential surface,
- (3) an opening formed at the leading end of the blade,
- (4) a blade taper with a heel, and
- (5) a flute segment that is not perpendicular from the circumferential surface, the flute segment having a (i) back side opposite the blade taper and (ii) a bend;
- a linear shredder that causes an implosive contact between another twelve-bladed stalk roll positioned near the twelve-bladed stalk roll and the heel, thereby cutting corn stalks in to segments:
- wherein the heel of the blade taper causes a self-sharpening action of the blade that sharpens the blade to an angle of 30° to 45°.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.