Straw chopper and spreader for a combine harvester with improved fin design

A guide assembly for use with a discharge apparatus of a combine harvester for receiving the materials to be spread from the combine harvester and for discharging the materials from the combine harvester where the apparatus comprises a housing having a feed opening into which the materials can be fed from the combine harvester;

• an assembly mounted in the housing for accelerating the materials for discharge;
• the housing having a discharge opening through which the materials are discharged;
• the guide assembly comprising a plurality of guide surface portions arranged to be mounted relative to the housing so as to receive the chopped materials from the discharge opening for spreading of the materials;
• the guide assembly comprising a plurality of guide members each adjacent a respective one of the guide surfaces and each defining a guide member surface shaped along a direction of movement of the materials so as to define a contact side along which the materials flow to turn the materials from an initial discharge direction to a required discharge direction;
• the guide member surface of at least one of the guide members having a first surface portion having an outer edge and a second surface portion extending from the outer edge;
• wherein the first surface portion has an inclined leading edge facing the material as it is discharged so as to define a leading end and a discharge end of the leading edge and wherein the second surface portion has a leading edge which has an end of the leading edge of the second surface portion at the leading edge of the first surface portion where the end is downstream of the discharge end so as to allow the material to escape from the leading edge of the first surface portion before encountering the leading edge of the second surface portion.

A guide assembly for use with a discharge apparatus of a combine harvester for receiving the materials to be spread from the combine harvester and for discharging the materials from the combine harvester where the apparatus comprises a housing having a feed opening into which the materials can be fed from the combine harvester;

• an assembly mounted in the housing for accelerating the materials for discharge;
• the housing having a discharge opening through which the materials are discharged;
• the guide assembly comprising a tailboard arranged to be mounted relative to the housing so as to receive the materials from the discharge opening to engage for spreading of the materials;
• the tailboard defining a bottom surface facing downwardly against which the materials are directed from the discharge opening;
• the tailboard defining a plurality of guide fins at spaced positions across the bottom surface extending generally downwardly from the bottom surface for engaging the materials in their movement;
• the guide fins being shaped along a direction of movement of the materials so as to define a contact side along which the material flow to turn the materials from an initial rearward discharge direction toward a side of the tailboard;
• on each side of the tailboard at least one of the guide fins having a first fin portion extending downwardly from the bottom surface to an lowermost edge, a second fin portion extending from the outer edge toward the contact side of the fin and a third fin portion extending from the second portion generally toward the bottom surface and terminates in an edge spaced from the bottom surface.

A guide assembly for use with a discharge apparatus of a combine harvester for receiving the materials to be spread from the combine harvester and for discharging the materials from the combine harvester where the apparatus comprises a housing having a feed opening into which the materials can be fed from the combine harvester;

• an assembly mounted in the housing for accelerating the materials for discharge;
• the housing having a discharge opening through which the materials are discharged;
• the guide assembly comprising a tailboard arranged relative to the housing so as to receive the materials from the discharge opening to engage for spreading of the materials;
• the tailboard defining a bottom surface facing downwardly against which the materials are directed from the discharge opening;
• the tailboard defining a plurality of guide fins at spaced positions across the bottom surface extending generally downwardly from the bottom surface for engaging the materials in their movement;
• the guide fins being shaped along a direction of movement of the materials so as to define a contact side along which the material flow to turn the materials from an initial rearward discharge direction toward a side of the tailboard;
• wherein one of the guide fins extends to a rear outer corner of the tailboard and wherein the tailboard includes an extension portion which extends from the tailboard rearwardly relative to a portion of the tailboard between the extension portions and outwardly to the side relative to portions of the tailboard in front of the extension portion.