Flail chopper assembly with spring tines for an agricultural combine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10314230-B2
Application number	US-201615362981-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2016
Priority date	Nov 29, 2016
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A chopper assembly for a crop residue distribution system of an agricultural combine may include a rotor shaft extending lengthwise along a rotational axis between a first end and a second end. The chopper assembly may also include a plurality of flail blades pivotally coupled to the rotor shaft. Each flail blade may be configured to pivot relative to the rotor shaft about a pivot axis, with the flail blades being spaced apart axially from one another between the first and second ends of the rotor shaft. In addition, the chopper assembly may include a plurality of spring tines coupled to the rotor shaft, with the spring tines being spaced apart from one another between the first and second ends of the rotor shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chopper assembly for a crop residue distribution system of an agricultural combine, the chopper assembly comprising:
a rotor shaft extending lengthwise along a rotational axis between a first end and a second end;
a plurality of flail blades pivotally coupled to the rotor shaft, each flail blade configured to pivot relative to the rotor shaft about a pivot axis, the plurality of flail blades being spaced apart axially from one another between the first and second ends of the rotor shaft; and
a plurality of spring tines coupled to the rotor shaft, the plurality of spring tines being spaced apart from one another between the first and second ends of the rotor shaft, each spring tine being axially aligned with and circumferentially offset from a respective flail blade of the plurality of the flail blades,
wherein:
each of the plurality of flail blades is configured to pivot relative to the rotor shaft from a radially oriented position to a maximum pivot position; and
each spring tine is positioned relative to the respective flail blade such that a portion of at least one blade member of the respective flail blade circumferentially overlaps a portion of the spring tine when the respective flail blade pivots towards the spring tine to the maximum pivot position.

2. The chopper assembly of claim 1 , wherein each spring tine is circumferentially offset from the respective flail blade by an offset angle ranging from 30 degrees to 120 degrees.

3. The chopper assembly of claim 2 , wherein the rotor shaft is configured to be rotated in a rotational direction about the rotational axis, each spring tine being circumferentially offset from the respective flail blade by the offset angle in a direction opposite the rotational direction of the rotor shaft.

4. The chopper assembly of claim 1 , wherein the portion of at least one blade member of the respective flail blade is positioned between opposed tine fingers of the spring tine when the respective flail blade pivots towards the spring tine to the maximum pivot position.

5. The chopper assembly of claim 1 , wherein the each spring tine is circumferentially aligned with an adjacent flail blade of the plurality of flail blades, the adjacent flail blade being axially and circumferentially offset from the respective flail blade.

6. The chopper assembly of claim 1 , wherein each spring tine includes at least one coiled spring portion and at least one tine finger extending outwardly from the at least one coiled spring portion.

7. The chopper assembly of claim 6 , wherein the at least one tine finger is configured to flex relative to the at least coiled spring portion.

8. The chopper assembly of claim 6 , wherein each spring tine is coupled to the rotor shaft such that the least one tine finger is oriented at an angle relative to a radial direction of the rotor shaft that falls within an angular range of plus or minus 20 degrees from the radial direction when the at least one tine finger is in an unloaded state.

9. An agricultural combine, comprising:
a threshing system configured to separate crop residue from another crop material received by the threshing system; and
a crop residue distribution system configured to receive the crop residue discharged from the threshing system, the crop residue distribution system including a chopper assembly, the chopper assembly comprising:
a rotor shaft extending lengthwise along a rotational axis between a first end and a second end;
a plurality of flail blades pivotally coupled to the rotor shaft, each flail blade configured to pivot relative to the rotor shaft about a pivot axis, the plurality of flail blades being spaced apart axially from one another between the first and second ends of the rotor shaft; and

a plurality of spring tines coupled to the rotor shaft, the plurality of spring tines being spaced apart from one another between the first and second ends of the rotor shaft, each spring tine being axially aligned with and circumferentially offset from a respective flail blade of the plurality of the flail blades,
wherein:
each of the plurality of flail blades is configured to pivot relative to the rotor shaft from a radially oriented position to a maximum pivot position; and
each spring tine is positioned relative to the respective flail blade such that a portion of at least one blade member of the respective flail blade circumferentially overlaps a portion of the spring tine when the respective flail blade pivots towards the spring tine to the maximum pivot position.

10. The agricultural combine of claim 9 , wherein each spring tine is circumferentially offset from the respective flail blade by an offset angle ranging from 30 degrees to 120 degrees.

11. The agricultural combine of claim 10 , wherein the rotor shaft is configured to be rotated in a rotational direction about the rotational axis, each spring tine being circumferentially offset from the respective flail blade by the offset angle in a direction opposite the rotational direction of the rotor shaft.

12. The agricultural combine of claim 9 , wherein the each spring tine is circumferentially aligned with an adjacent flail blade of the plurality of flail blades, the adjacent flail blade being axially and circumferentially offset from the respective flail blade.

13. The agricultural combine of claim 9 , wherein each spring tine includes at least one coiled spring portion and at least one tine finger extending outwardly from the at least one coiled spring portion.

14. The agricultural combine of claim 13 , wherein each spring tine is coupled to the rotor shaft such that the least one tine finger is oriented at an angle relative to a radial direction of the rotor shaft that falls within an angular range of plus or minus 20 degrees from the radial direction when the at least one tine finger is in an unloaded state.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Montenguise Justin L
• Murray Craig E

Classifications

• A01F12/40 Primary

  Arrangements of straw crushers or cutters · CPC title

• A01D45/00

  Harvesting of standing crops (A01D44/00 takes precedence; threshing machines adapted for special crops, threshing devices for combines adapted for special crops A01F11/00; harvesting of mushrooms A01G18/70) · CPC title

• A01D41/1243 Primary

  Devices for laying-out or distributing the straw · CPC title

• A01F7/70

  with flails · CPC title