Residue management system with anti-stagnation floor extension

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11589506-B2
Application number	US-202016863009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2020
Priority date	Apr 30, 2020
Publication date	Feb 28, 2023
Grant date	Feb 28, 2023

Abstract

A residue management system comprises a chopper to chop crop residue, a residue spreader, and a floor extension. The residue spreader is mounted for pivotable movement relative to the chopper between a dispersal position to disperse crop residue and a windrow position to deposit crop residue in a windrow. The residue spreader comprises a first spreading device, a second spreading device, and a splitter positioned laterally between the first and second spreading devices to divide flow of crop residue therebetween. A floor of the chopper and a floor of the residue spreader are spaced apart from one another to define a gap. The floor extension projects rearwardly from the floor of the chopper partially over the floor of the residue spreader about the gap alongside the splitter to guide flow of crop residue from the chopper to the residue spreader.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A residue management system for an agricultural harvester that moves in a forward direction of travel over a field to harvest crop, comprising:
a chopper to chop crop residue derived from crop harvested from the field by the agricultural harvester, the chopper comprising a floor,
a residue spreader mounted for pivotable movement relative to the chopper between a dispersal position to disperse crop residue received from the chopper onto the field and a windrow position to deposit crop residue received from the agricultural harvester onto the field in a windrow, the residue spreader comprising a first spreading device, a second spreading device, a splitter positioned laterally between the first spreading device and the second spreading device to divide flow of crop residue from the chopper between the first spreading device and the second spreading device, and a floor under the first spreading device and the second spreading device, the floor of the chopper and the floor of the residue spreader spaced apart from one another to define a gap therebetween to facilitate pivotable movement of the residue spreader between the dispersal position and the windrow position, and
a floor extension projecting rearwardly from the floor of the chopper partially over the floor of the residue spreader about the gap alongside the splitter to guide flow of crop residue from the chopper to the residue spreader.

2. The residue management system of claim 1 , wherein the splitter comprises a nose projecting forwardly from a forward margin into a flow-dividing sheath of the chopper, and the floor extension projects rearwardly alongside the sheath and the nose.

3. The residue management system of claim 2 , wherein the floor extension is cantilevered from a rear edge of the floor of the chopper adjacent the flow-dividing sheath.

4. The residue management system of claim 1 , wherein the splitter comprises a transition portion expanding in lateral width as the transition portion extends rearwardly, and the floor extension projects rearwardly at least to a forward margin of the transition portion as viewed in side elevation.

5. The residue management system of claim 4 , wherein the floor extension terminates rearwardly at the forward margin of the transition portion as viewed in side elevation when the residue spreader is positioned in the dispersal position.

6. The residue management system of claim 4 , wherein the floor extension projects rearwardly past the forward margin of the transition portion alongside the transition portion as viewed in side elevation when the residue spreader is positioned in the windrow position.

7. The residue management system of claim 4 , wherein the floor extension comprises a laterally inner chamfered edge.

8. The residue management system of claim 4 , wherein the floor of the residue spreader comprises a front panel inclined so as to extend upwardly as the front panel extends rearwardly to facilitate pivotable movement of the residue spreader between the dispersal position and the windrow position, and the floor extension projects over the inclined front panel as the floor extension projects alongside the transition portion when the residue spreader is positioned in the windrow position.

9. The residue management system of claim 1 , wherein the first spreading device comprises an impeller having a rotation profile, and the floor extension tapers in lateral width as the floor extension projects rearwardly between the rotation profile and the splitter.

10. The residue management system of claim 9 , wherein the floor extension comprises a concave edge corresponding to the rotation profile.

11. The residue management system of claim 1 , wherein the floor of the residue spreader comprises an inclined front panel over which the floor extension projects rearwardly.

12. The residue management system of claim 11 , wherein the floor of the residue spreader comprises a main panel, the front panel is positioned in front of and angled from the main panel to define a bend therebetween, and the floor extension comprises a rearwardmost tip higher than the bend.

13. The residue management system of claim 1 , comprising a second floor extension projecting rearwardly from the floor of the chopper partially over the floor of the residue spreader about the gap alongside the splitter to guide flow of crop residue from the chopper to the residue spreader.

14. The residue management system of claim 13 , wherein the floor extension is positioned on a first lateral side of the splitter, and the second floor extension is positioned on an opposite, second lateral side of the splitter.

15. The residue management system of claim 14 , wherein the splitter comprises a transition portion expanding in lateral width in laterally opposite directions as the transition portion extends rearwardly, the floor extension projects rearwardly on the first lateral side of the splitter to the transition portion as viewed in side elevation, and the second floor extension projects rearwardly on the second lateral side of the splitter to the transition portion as viewed in side elevation.

16. The residue management system of claim 13 , wherein the floor comprises an inclined front panel over which the floor extension and the second floor extension project rearwardly.

17. The residue management system of claim 13 , wherein the floor extension tapers in lateral width as the floor extension projects rearwardly, and the second floor extension tapers in lateral width as the second floor extension projects rearwardly.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Rittershofer Martin
• Faulkner Christopher J
• Zirpel Myles W

Classifications

• A01D41/1243 Primary

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

• A01D41/02 Primary

  Self-propelled combines · CPC title

• A01F29/04

  with feeding direction transverse to axis · CPC title

• A01F12/40

  Arrangements of straw crushers or cutters · CPC title

• A01D41/12

  Details of combines · CPC title