Patent ID: 6511374
Filing Date: 2003-01-28
Classification: A01F

Abstract:
In a residue handling, system for an agricultural combine, the improvement in a residue chopper comprising:a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and a hub and blade assembly mounted for rotation in said housing in a first plane parallel to the direction of rotation, said hub having a peripherally cylinder-like surface with a longitudinal axis generally perpendicular to said first plane; a plurality of mounting posts affixed generally symmetrically to said peripheral cylinder-like surface along and around the longitudinal axis thereof and extending radially therefrom; a pair of elongated chopper blades pivotally affixed to each said mounting post, each said chopper blade further having an inner flat portion, an outer end portion and an intermediate portion, said outer portion including a front face and a rear face extending substantially parallel to each other and lying at an angle to said first plane, and said intermediate portion bent in a smooth transition between said inner and outer portions such that said front face is inclined at an angle to said first plane and said inner portion lies in said first plane; said outer portion of each chopper blade has a sharpened leading edge and a trailing edge relative to said direction of rotation; said leading edges of said outer portions in at least some of said pairs of chopper blades are closer together than said leading edges; and a plurality of knives are mounted in said housing and extending radially toward said hub such that a knife extends into the path of rotation and between each pair of chopper blades.