US 2011/0237316 A1Published application

Crop residue flow distributor for an agricultural combine

AssigneeCNH America LLC

InventorsNathan E. Isaac, Andrew V. Lauwers

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Abstract

An adjustable flow distributor for a spreader of an agricultural combine operable for discharging a flow of straw and other crop residue in a sideward direction for deposition over a field, the flow distributor including an edge portion oriented at an oblique angle to a reference such as a back plate of the spreader, defining an oblique shaped space therebetween, the edge portion being pivotally adjustable in the fore and aft direction for controlling the portions of the flow of crop residue deposited beneath the spreader and discharged sidewardly therefrom, respectively, for instance, so as to better and more evenly distribute the crop residue over a swath of an agricultural field from which the crop was harvested, particularly a region of the swath in proximity to the spreader and/or chopper.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An adjustable flow distributor for a crop residue spreader of an agricultural combine, comprising:

a flow guide having a first end portion, a second end portion opposite the first end portion, and opposite fore and aft edges extending between the first and second end portions defining a crop residue flow surface extending therebetween;
and
an adjustable support structure supporting the flow guide with at least the first end portion thereof disposed beneath a downwardly facing portion of a discharge opening of the spreader, the second end portion extending sidewardly beneath the discharge opening such that at least a first portion of a flow of crop residue discharged through the opening will strike and flow sidewardly along the flow surface and sidewardly therefrom so as to be distributed thereby over a region of a field located sidewardly of the spreader, the at least one of the fore edge and the aft edge includes an edge portion oriented at an oblique angle to a reference plane perpendicular to an axis of rotation of an impeller of the spreader, the edge portion bounding and defining in part an oblique shaped space beneath the discharge opening such that a second portion of the flow of crop residue will pass through the space beneath the discharge opening so as to be distributed beneath the spreader, the support structure including an adjusting mechanism configured and operable for moving the edge portion such that points therealong will move at different rates in relation to the plane to change the oblique shape of the space for controlling the second portion of the flow of crop residue distributed beneath the spreader.

A crop residue spreader for an agricultural combine, comprising:

a housing mountable to a rear end of the combine in position for receiving crop residue from a threshing mechanism thereof and containing an element positioned forward of a back plate of the housing and disposed for rotation in a predetermined direction therein about a generally fore and aft extending rotational axis for generating a rotary flow of the crop residue in the predetermined rotational direction along a circumferential flow path within the housing for discharge therefrom through an at least partially downwardly facing discharge opening bounded and defined in part by the back plate;
and
an adjustable crop residue flow distributor including a flow guide having a first end portion and an opposite second end portion, the flow guide including fore and aft edges extending between the first and second end portions such that at least one of the fore and the aft edges will be oriented at an oblique angle relative to the back plate defining a space therebetween, the flow guide being supported adjacent to the discharge opening in a position so as to receive the crop residue flow discharged through the discharge opening for guiding and carrying at least a first portion of the flow sidewardly outwardly away from the spreader and for allowing at least a second portion of the flow to pass through the space between the at least one of the fore and aft edges and the back plate so as to be distributed beneath the spreader, and an adjusting mechanism configured and operable for moving the flow guide such that portions along the at least one of the fore and aft edges will move at different rates in relation to the back plate for changing the oblique angle and controlling the second portion of the crop residue flow distributed beneath the spreader.

An adjustable flow distributor for a vertical crop residue spreader of an agricultural combine, comprising:

a flow guide having a first end portion, a second end portion opposite the first end portion, and opposite fore and aft edges extending between the first and second end portions defining a crop residue flow surface extending therebetween, the flow guide being supported with the first end portion disposed adjacent to a generally downwardly facing discharge opening bounded and defined in part by an upstanding back plate of a spreader, such that the crop residue flow surface and the fore and aft edges are located generally beneath the opening and extend sidewardly outwardly relative thereto to the second end portion of the flow guide, and at least one of the fore and aft edges will be situated at an oblique angle relative to the back plate of the spreader;
and
an adjusting mechanism configured and operable for pivotally moving the second end of the flow guide in the fore and aft directions about a point on the flow guide for varying the oblique angle between the at least one of the fore and aft edges and the back plate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.