Air curtain discharge protection for an agricultural harvester
AssigneeCNH America LLC
InventorHerbert M. Farley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A discharge system for an agricultural harvester provides an air curtain that shields straw, chaff and other crop residue from the wind. The system includes a blower adapted for mounting to an agricultural harvester and having an intake side and a discharge side and a plenum fluidly connected to the discharge side of the blower. The plenum is arranged and disposed to distribute air exiting the discharge side of the blower to form an air curtain according to a predetermined profile at a location adjacent discharge that exits a rear door of the agricultural harvester as a windrow.
Claims19
An agricultural harvester discharge system comprising:
- a blower adapted for mounting to an agricultural harvester and having an intake side and a discharge side;
- and
- a plenum fluidly connected to the discharge side of the blower, wherein the plenum is disposed outwardly of a rear door of the agricultural harvester to allow crop discharge to exit the rear door and fall downwardly toward the ground, the plenum distributes air exiting the discharge side of the blower to form a downwardly directed air curtain, such that the direction of the air curtain is substantially perpendicular to the ground, a profile of the air curtain is located adjacent to the crop discharge exiting the rear door in order to protect the crop discharge from at least side and tail winds.
The discharge system of claim, wherein the blower is a variable speed blower.
An agricultural harvester discharge passage kit comprising:
- a blower having an intake side and a discharge side;
- a plenum;
- and
- instructions for attaching the blower and plenum to an agricultural harvester, wherein the plenum is disposed outwardly of a rear door of the agricultural harvester to allow crop discharge to exit the rear door and fall downwardly toward the ground, the plenum distributes air exiting the discharge side of the blower to form a downwardly directed air curtain, such that the direction of the air curtain is substantially perpendicular to the ground, a profile of the air curtain is located adjacent the crop discharge exiting the rear door in order to protect the crop discharge from at least side and tail winds.
An agricultural harvester comprising:
- a rear door for expelling crop discharge in a windrow;
- a blower attached to the agricultural harvester and having an intake side and a discharge side;
- and
- a plenum attached adjacent the rear door and being fluidly connected to the discharge side of the blower, the plenum is disposed outwardly of the rear door to allow crop discharge to exit the rear door and fall downwardly toward the around, the plenum distributes air exiting the discharge side of the blower to form a downwardly directed air curtain, such that the direction of the air curtain is substantially perpendicular to the ground, a profile of the air curtain is located adjacent the crop discharge exiting the rear door in order to protect the crop discharge from at least side and tail winds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.