Patent ID: 6478674
Filing Date: 2002-11-12
Classification: A01F

Abstract:
A chopper and discharge apparatus for use with a combine harvester having a combine harvester body, means for discharging separated straw from a rear discharge area of the combine harvester body, and means mounting the apparatus on the combine harvester body at a position adjacent the rear discharge area for receiving straw therefrom, the apparatus comprising;a housing having a feed opening and a discharge opening, a plurality of stationary blades mounted in the housing in axially spaced positions therealong, the stationary blades lying in parallel radial planes; a chopping assembly mounted in the housing and comprising a hub member mounted for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the hub member and a plurality of blade members mounted on the hub member for rotation therewith about said axis, each blade member lying substantially in a radial plane of said axis and projecting generally outwardly from an inner end at the hub member to an outer end spaced outwardly of the hub member, the blade members being arranged at spaced positions along the length of the hub member such that rotation of the hub member causes the blade members to pass generally between the stationary blades in a cutting action; the feed opening being arranged to deposit the material onto the chopping assembly in a direction generally inwardly toward the axis and the discharge opening being arranged to allow discharge of the material generally radially outwardly from the chopping assembly; at least some of the blade members being twisted blade members where each twisted blade is formed from a flat strip to define a mounting portion extending from the inner end of the blade member at the hub to an outer end of the mounting portion, an intermediate portion extending from the outer end of the mounting portion to an outer end of the intermediate portion spaced from the outer end of the twisted blade member and a blade portion extending from the outer end of the intermediate portion to the outer end of the twisted blade member; wherein the mounting portion mounted on the hub member is wholly formed from a substantially planar part of the flat strip so that a plane of the mounting portion lies in a radial plane of the hub member; wherein the strip is twisted only within the intermediate portion about a line longitudinal of the strip; and wherein the blade portion is wholly formed from a substantially planar part of the flat strip so that the twist in the intermediate portion arranges a plane of the blade portion to lie at an angle to the radial plane with one of the side edges of the blade portion lying in a radial plane offset axially from a radial plane containing the other of the side edges of the blade portion.