Crop residue flow guide with flow-through capability for a rotary crop residue spreader of an agricultural combine

A flow guide for a rotary crop residue spreader, the spreader including an element disposed in a housing and rotatable in a predetermined direction therein about a rotational axis for generating a flow of crop residue in the predetermined rotational direction along a generally arcuate flow path within the housing for discharge therefrom through a radially facing opening thereof located at a predetermined position around the axis, the flow guide comprising:

• a first end disposed adjacent to the discharge opening and extending along the flow path, and a plurality of elongate fingers extending in the predetermined rotational direction from the first end, each of the fingers terminating at a distal end located generally in the predetermined direction radially outwardly of the discharge opening, the fingers being spaced apart in the axial direction one relative to the other defining spaces therebetween, wherein a portion of the flow will be able to pass through the spaces between the fingers so as to be deposited on an area of an agricultural field adjacent to the spreader, and a portion of the flow will be guided by the fingers outwardly from the spreader so as to be spread over an area of the field a desired distance spaced from the spreader.

A rotary crop residue spreader for an agricultural combine, comprising:

• a housing mountable to the combine in position for receiving crop residue from at least a threshing mechanism thereof and containing an element disposed for rotation in a predetermined direction therein about a rotational axis for generating a rotary flow of the crop residue in the predetermined rotational direction along a flow path within the housing for discharge therefrom through a radially facing outlet;
• and
• a flow guide including a shield disposed adjacent to an upstream end of the outlet generally radially outwardly of the flow path, and a plurality of axially spaced elongate fingers extending from the shield in generally circumferential and tangential relation to the flow path, each of the fingers terminating at a distal end spaced from the shield, adjacent ones of the fingers defining spaces therebetween, respectively, such that some portions of the flow of the crop residue will be propelled from the spreader through the spaces, while remaining portions of the flow will be propelled from the spreader longitudinally along the fingers.