Field chopper/blower with ground-following intake

A field chopper comprising:

• a frame adapted to travel along the ground in a normal travel direction;
• a main housing fixed on the frame and defining a generally cylindrical chopping chamber centered on an axis transverse to the direction and having relative to the direction a front radially open intake opening and a rear outlet angularly offset therefrom;
• an intake housing separate from the main housing and, having a front end turned forward away from the frame;
• pivot means supporting the intake housing for pivoting on the frame relative to the main housing about the axis;
• a counterblade
• fixed on the intake housing,
• defining one angular side of the intake opening, and
• movable about the axis relative to the main housing jointly with the intake housing;
• a rotary cutting/chopping drum rotatable in the chamber about the axis and having a blade orbitable immediately adjacent the counterblade regardless of the relative angular positions of the housings;
• means at the front end of the intake housing for cutting crop;
• conveyor means including conveyor elements mounted in the intake housing between the cutter means and the intake opening for conveying the cut crop in the intake housing from the cutter means to the intake opening;
• drive means for rotating the drum and thereby chopping crop delivered to the intake opening by the conveyor means and for conveying the chopped crop out of the chamber through the outlet;
• and
• shields surrounding the intake opening and carried on the housings.