Patent ID: 6539697
Filing Date: 2003-04-01
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
Apparatus for crushing plant residue remaining in a field, having a contoured terrain with varying elevations, following a crop harvest, said apparatus comprising:a main frame; means for coupling said main frame to a draft vehicle for movement therewith in a forward path of travel and for vertical movement relative thereto between raised and lowered positions; plant residue knock-down means on said frame for downwardly knocking the plant residue to the contoured terrain as said frame is forwardly moved; a residue crushing roller mounted on said frame rearwardly of said plant residue knock-down means for free rotation about a first transverse axis; and sub-frame means mounting said residue crushing roller on said main frame for substantially continuous engagement with the contoured terrain being traversed; said sub-frame means including means mounting said crushing roller for vertical movement relative to said knockdown means between a raised ground engaging position and a lowered terrain engaging position, as said roller negotiates terrain of varying elevations, for self-propelled rotation about said first axis upon engaging the ground and crushing any plant residue knocked down by said plant residue knock-down means as said frame moves in the forward path of travel.