Bale cutting assembly for agricultural mixer apparatus

A system comprising:

• an agricultural mixer apparatus configured to cut materials, the mixer apparatus comprising:
• a frame;
• a tub for holding the materials to be mixed, the tub being mounted on the frame, the tub defining an interior for receiving the materials to be cut, the tub including a perimeter wall;
• and
• an auger positioned in the interior of the tub, the auger being rotatable about a rotation axis, the auger having flighting with an outer edge;
• and
• a bale cutting assembly mounted on the flighting of the auger of the mixer apparatus to be moved by the auger in the interior of the tub of the apparatus, the bale cutting assembly comprising:
• a cutting knife having a knife edge, the knife edge of the cutting knife extending from the outer edge of the flighting in a knife plane oriented substantially parallel to a plane defined by the flighting at a location at which the bale cutting assembly is mounted on the flighting to contact plant material located in the interior of the tub between the outer edge of the flighting and the perimeter wall of the tub;
• and
• a bale slicer having a slicer edge, the bale slicer being positioned adjacent to the cutting knife in a position superior to the cutting knife, a portion of the bale slicer having the slicer edge being oriented in a slicer plane angled upwardly with respect to the knife plane such that the slicer edge is angled upwardly with respect to the flighting to contact plant material moving laterally outward with respect to the rotation axis and relative to the upper surface of the flighting.

A bale slicer for mounting on flighting of an auger of an agricultural mixer apparatus with a cutting knife to be moved by rotation of the auger about a rotation axis in an interior of a tub of the apparatus, the bale slicer comprising:

• a base portion configured to mount on the flighting of the auger in a first plane oriented substantially parallel to a plane defined by the flighting at a location at which the bale slicer is mounted on the flighting when the bale slicer is mounted on the flighting to contact plant material located in the interior of the tub between the outer edge of the flighting and the perimeter wall of the tub a knife plane of the cutting knife;
• and
• a slicer portion forming a serrated slicer edge, the slicer edge being located in a slicer plane of the slicer portion;
• wherein the slicer plane of the slicer edge is angled upwardly at a slicer angle with respect to the knife plane such that the slicer edge is angled upwardly with respect to the flighting when the base portion is mounted on the flighting to contact plant material moving laterally outward with respect to the rotation axis and relative to an upper surface of the flighting.