Patent ID: 8092286
Filing Date: 2012-01-10
Classification: A01F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A concave pan portion of a chopper grate assembly of a chopper assembly through which crop residue flows in a combine harvester, comprising: a concave pan shell portion and a separate grate portion, said concave pan shell portion including opposed concave pan side plates, each having leading and trailing end portions, leading and trailing plate portions extending crossways between said respective leading and trailing end portions of said concave pan side plates, an intermediate opening between said leading and trailing plate portions and said concave pan side plates, said concave pan shell portion installable within a combine harvester to be a unit component, said separate grate portion dimensioned to substantially fill said intermediate opening when positioned therein, said grate portion including an upper surface with a plurality of slots therethrough generally located side by side between said concave pan side plates when said grate portion is positioned to substantially fill said intermediate opening, said grate portion being removably mountable to said unit component when said grate portion is positioned to fill said intermediate opening, said leading and trailing plate portions and said upper surface of said mounted grate portion forming a generally concave flow surface along which the residue flows as the chopper assembly operates, said mounted grate portion being dismountable from said unit component if and when said grate portion becomes undesirably worn without requiring the uninstallation of said installed unit component, wherein said grate portion is positionable to substantially fill said intermediate opening from below said concave pan shell portion, wherein one of said leading and trailing plate portions has an upper surface and a pair of oppositely disposed guide runners extending from above said upper surface of said plate portion along said concave pan side plates above said intermediate opening towards the other of said leading or trailing plate portions, said guide runners having lower surfaces overlaying said upper surface of said grate portion along said concave pan side plates when said grate portion is mounted to said concave pan shell portion.