Straw chopper with fan having enhanced air flow in an agricultural combine
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsChad A. Dow, Mark L. Pearson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A straw chopper for an agricultural harvesting unit includes a housing, and a rotor carried by the housing. The rotor includes a center chopping section and a pair of fans respectively positioned at longitudinally outboard ends of the center chopping section. Each fan includes a hub rotatable in a direction of rotation, and a plurality of fan blades connected with the hub at a plurality of angularly spaced locations about the hub. Each fan blade has a generally U-shaped portion with a rear wall and a pair of side walls extending from the rear wall in the direction of rotation.
Claims21
A fan for a straw chopper in an agricultural harvesting unit, said fan comprising:
- a hub rotatable in a direction of rotation;
- a plurality of fan blades connected with said hub at a plurality of angularly spaced locations about said hub, each said fan blade having a generally U-shaped portion with a rear wall and a pair of side walls extending from said rear wall in said direction of rotation;
- a ring mounted to said hub, said ring interconnecting said plurality of fan blades;
- and
- a plurality of blades each having a transversely extending paddle positioned on a leading edge of each said blade, said plurality of blades pendulously extending from said hub.
A straw chopper for an agricultural harvesting unit, comprising:
- a housing;
- a rotor carried by said housing, said rotor including a center chopping section and a pair of fans respectively positioned at longitudinally outboard ends of said center chopping section, each said fan including:
- a hub rotatable in a direction of rotation;
- a plurality of fan blades connected with said hub at a plurality of angularly spaced locations about said hub, each said fan blade having a generally U-shaped portion with a rear wall and a pair of side walls extending from said rear wall in said direction of rotation;
- a ring mounted to said hub, said ring interconnecting said plurality of fan blades;
- and
- a plurality of blades each having a transversely extending paddle positioned on a leading edge of each said blade, said plurality of blades pendulously extending from said hub.
An agricultural harvesting unit, comprising:
- a crop processing unit;
- and
- a straw chopper receiving primarily non-grain crop material from said crop processing unit, said straw chopper including at least one fan, said fan including a hub rotatable in a direction of rotation, and a plurality of fan blades connected with said hub at a plurality of angularly spaced locations about said hub, each said fan blade having a generally U-shaped portion with a rear wall and a pair of side walls extending from said rear wall in said direction of rotation, each said fan blade having a generally U-shape as viewed from said distal end, and a generally L-shape as viewed perpendicular to one of said side walls;
- and a plurality of blades each having a transversely extending paddle positioned on a leading edge of each said blade, said plurality of blades pendulously extending from said hub.
A fan for a straw chopper in an agricultural harvesting unit, said fan comprising:
- a hub rotatable in a direction of rotation;
- a plurality of fan blades connected with said hub at a plurality of angularly spaced locations about said hub, each said fan blade having a generally U-shaped portion with an open area facing said direction of rotation, each said fan blade having a pivot axis proximate an end of each said fan blade, each said fan blade including a cutout adjacent to said pivot axis;
- a scroll housing positioned radially outboard from said plurality of fan blades;
- and
- a plurality of blades each having a transversely extending paddle positioned on a leading edge of each said blade, said plurality of blades pendulously extending from said hub.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.