Back to results
US 2009/0156277 A1Published application
Crop residue chopping and spreading system for an agricultural combine
AssigneeCNH America LLC
InventorsJason M. Benes, Joshua J. Wolters
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for chopping and spreading crop residue produced by an agricultural combine wherein the spreader is advantageously disposed directly rearwardly of a cleaning system of the combine for receiving chaff and other crop residue directly therefrom, without aid of a mechanism to convey the chaff to the spreader, and wherein the chopper is disposed just above and/or rearwardly of the spreader and is configured for discharging crop residue from the threshing system of the combine into the spreader for spreading thereby with the chaff.
Claims22
A crop residue chopping and spreading system for an agricultural combine, comprising:
- a rotary crop residue chopper disposed within a rear end portion of a cavity of the combine enclosed by a wall and roof structure, the chopper including a chopper housing including an upper portion having an intake opening positioned for receiving a stream of crop residue from a threshing system of the combine, and a lower portion including a forwardly located discharge opening, the chopper including a rotary driver carrying a plurality of knives and being rotatable for propelling the crop residue from the chopper housing through the discharge opening;
- a rotary crop residue spreader disposed in the cavity adjacent to a rear edge of a sieve of a cleaning system of the combine and forwardly of the discharge opening of the chopper, the spreader including a spreader housing having a forwardly located inlet opening disposed for receiving an airborne flow of crop residue from the cleaning system, a rearwardly located inlet opening disposed for receiving the crop residue propelled from the chopper, and at least one sidewardly facing outlet opening, the spreader including at least one rotary impeller disposed in the spreader housing, the rotary impeller being configured and rotatable for propelling the crop residue received through the inlet openings sidewardly outwardly through the outlet opening.
A crop residue chopping and spreading system for an agricultural combine, comprising:
- a rotary crop residue chopper disposed within a rear end portion of a cavity of the combine enclosed by a wall and roof structure, the chopper including a chopper housing including an upper portion having an intake opening positioned for receiving a stream of crop residue from a threshing system of the combine, and a lower portion including a generally forwardly facing discharge opening, the chopper including a rotary driver carrying a plurality of knives and being rotatable for propelling the crop residue generally forwardly from the chopper housing through the discharge opening;
- a rotary crop residue spreader disposed in the cavity adjacent to a rear edge of a sieve of a cleaning system of the combine and forwardly of the discharge opening of the chopper, the spreader including a spreader housing having a forwardly located inlet opening disposed for receiving an airborne flow of crop residue from the cleaning system, a rearwardly located inlet opening disposed for receiving the crop residue propelled from the chopper, and at least one sidewardly facing outlet opening, the spreader including at least one rotary impeller disposed in the spreader housing, the rotary impeller being configured and rotatable for propelling the crop residue received through the inlet openings sidewardly outwardly through the outlet opening.
A crop residue chopping and spreading system for an agricultural combine, comprising:
- a rotary crop residue chopper disposed within a rear end portion of a cavity of the combine enclosed by a wall and roof structure, the chopper including a chopper housing including an upper portion having an intake opening positioned for receiving a stream of crop residue from a threshing system of the combine, and a lower portion including a forward end including a downwardly facing discharge opening, the chopper including a rotary driver carrying a plurality of knives and being rotatable for propelling the crop residue downwardly from the chopper housing through the discharge opening;
- a rotary crop residue spreader disposed in the cavity and having a forward end located adjacent to a rear edge of a sieve of a cleaning system of the combine, and a rear end disposed below the discharge opening of the chopper, the spreader including an upwardly facing inlet opening disposed for receiving an airborne flow of crop residue from the cleaning system and the crop residue propelled downwardly from the discharge opening of the chopper, and at least one sidewardly facing outlet opening, the spreader including at least one rotary impeller disposed in the spreader housing, the rotary impeller being configured and rotatable for propelling the crop residue received through the inlet opening sidewardly outwardly through the outlet opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.