Patent ID: 9137949
Filing Date: 2015-09-22
Classification: A01F

Abstract:
1. A chopper assembly for harvesting equipment comprising: a rotary chopper element; a chopper grate assembly spaced from the rotary chopper element to form a passageway for crop residue; a knife bank operably connected to the chopper grate assembly, the knife bank being movable between a first position where knife elements of the knife bank are fully inserted into the passageway and a second position where knife elements of the knife bank are fully retracted from the passageway; a body having a slot formed therein or profile formed thereupon, the body secured to the knife bank and at least one knife element, the body and the knife element configured to move relative to the knife bank; wherein blades associated with the at least one knife element remain contact-free from a linkage mechnanism that facilitates a movement of the knife element relative to the knife bank; and a resilient device coupled to the slot or profile and the knife bank, the resilient device preventing movement of the knife element away from the first position and toward the second position until the knife element is subjected to a predetermined force, upon removal of the predetermined force, the resilient device urging the knife element to move toward the first position; and wherein the body and the knife element are configured to rotate about an axis relative to the knife bank, the resilient device preventing rotation of the knife element about the axis away from the first position and toward the second position until the knife element is subjected to a predetermined force, upon removal of the predetermined force, the resilient device urging the knife element to rotate about the axis toward the first position.