Spreader arrangement for an agricultural harvester

A spreader arrangement for an agricultural harvester includes a pair of spreader discs, at least one cover plate and a windrow chute. The spreader discs are generally horizontally arranged and rotatable in a counter rotating manner. Each cover plate is positioned at a location above a respective spreader disc, and is operable to inhibit a flow of crop material to the respective spreader disc when positioned above the respective spreader disc. The windrow chute has an entrance end positioned below the pair of cover plates and above the pair of spreader discs, whereby crop material is discharged from the top of the cover plates into the windrow chute.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to agricultural equipment, such as harvesters, and more specifically, to spreader arrangements on such harvesters for spreading agricultural material to a field.

2. Description of the Related Art

An agricultural harvester known as a “combine” is historically termed such because it combines multiple harvesting functions with a single harvesting unit, such as picking, threshing, separating and cleaning. A combine includes a header which removes the crop from a field, and a feeder housing which transports the crop matter into a threshing rotor. The threshing rotor rotates within a perforated housing, which may be in the form of adjustable concaves and performs a threshing operation on the crop to remove the grain. Once the grain is threshed, it falls through perforations in the concaves onto a grain pan. From the grain pan, the grain is cleaned using a cleaning system, and is then transported to a grain tank onboard the combine. A cleaning fan blows air through the sieves to discharge straw, chaff and other debris toward the rear of the combine.

During the process of harvesting, crop material other than grain (MOG) is intended to be expelled from the combine. This material is usually derived from one of two areas, the threshing rotor or the cleaning system. The material expelled from the threshing rotor is generally referred to as straw and the material expelled from the cleaning system is generally referred to as chaff. This material or crop residue is typically dealt with by spreading or windrowing.

Spreading is accomplished using a mechanical device termed a spreader to distribute the straw and/or chaff substantially evenly from the rear of the combine. This spread material is usually chopped to as short a length as possible so that when it is spread it will break down as quickly as possible and not interfere with tillage or seeding operations.

Windrowing refers to the process of dropping straw directly behind the combine in a continuous stream. The purpose of doing this is usually to allow post harvest processing of the straw such as shaping it into bales. In this process, the straw is usually allowed to pass through the combine with as little interference as possible so that it remains as close as possible to its original length and condition.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0011276A1 (which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention) discloses a spreader arrangement which simply and effectively allows both spreading and windrowing from the rear of the harvester. A selectively movable swath door at the upper rear of the straw hood is movable between a first position directing crop material to the spreader discs, and a second position directing crop material to a windrow chute. The windrow chute folds up and out of the way to the rear of the straw hood when the spreader arrangement is in the spreading mode.

What is needed in the art is a spreader arrangement which can be easily reconfigured between the spreading and windrowing modes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a spreader arrangement with a pair of cover plates which are positioned above the spreader discs, and a windrow chute positioned below the cover plates, when the spreader arrangement is in a windrowing mode.

In one embodiment, a spreader arrangement for an agricultural harvester includes a pair of spreader discs, at least one cover plate and a windrow chute. The spreader discs are generally horizontally arranged and rotatable in a counter rotating manner. Each cover plate is positioned at a location above a respective spreader disc, and is operable to inhibit a flow of crop material to the respective spreader disc when positioned above the respective spreader disc. The windrow chute has an entrance end positioned below the pair of cover plates and above the pair of spreader discs, whereby crop material is discharged from the top of the cover plates into the windrow chute.

An advantage of the present invention is that the spreader arrangement can be easily configured for the windrowing mode such that the cover plates are positioned above the spreader discs, the windrow chute is positioned below the cover plates, and the adjustable door directs crop material toward the windrow chute.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates an embodiment of the invention, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings,FIG. 1is a rear perspective view of an embodiment of a combine harvester10with a spreader arrangement12. The harvester10may harvest grains such as barley, corn, flax, oats, rye, soybeans, wheat, and so forth. Accordingly, the harvester10is configured to remove the desired portion of the plant and to separate the portion into different agricultural materials (e.g., grain, straw, and chaff). As discussed above, the harvester discharges this material after processing it. Some of the agricultural materials may be discharged from the rear of the harvester10using the spreader arrangement12. For example, as shown inFIG. 1, the spreader arrangement12may direct crop residue14including straw and chaff into the spreader discs16to distribute the straw and chaff evenly over a field18. Alternatively, as discussed in more detail below with reference toFIG. 2, the spreader arrangement12may distribute the straw and chaff in windrows behind the combine harvester10.

Referring now toFIG. 2, there is shown a side schematic view of the spreader arrangement12shown inFIG. 1, with the spreader arrangement12being configured in a windrowing mode. The spreader arrangement12generally includes an adjustable door20which is positioned above the pair of spreader discs16. The spreader discs16are generally horizontally arranged relative to each other and rotatable in a counter rotating manner. A pair of drive motors22are positioned below and rotatably drive each respective spreader disc16. The drive motors22are configured as hydraulic motors in the illustrated embodiment, but could also be electric or pneumatic motors.

The spreader arrangement12can also include a pair of cones23, with each cone23being generally concentrically positioned above a respective spreader disc16. The cones23function to direct the crop residue in a radially outward direction toward the blades (not numbered) carried by each spreader disc16.

The spreader arrangement12also includes a pair of cover plates24and a windrow chute26. These components are only used when the spreader arrangement12is in the windrowing mode as shown inFIG. 2. To that end, the pair of cover plates24and the windrow chute26may be removably attached to suitable structure at the rear of the combine10(e.g., frame members, etc). Alternatively, the windrow chute26can be pivotally attached to suitable structure on the combine10, as indicated by the hinge28.

Each cover plate24is positioned at a location generally concentrically above and adjacent a respective cone23and spreader disc16. Each cover plate24is operable to inhibit a flow of crop material to the respective spreader disc16when positioned above the respective spreader disc16.

In the illustrated embodiment, the spreader arrangement12includes a pair of cover plates24configured as flat discs which are positioned above each respective spreader disc16. However, the cover plates24can have a different shape and/or height. For example, the cover plates24could have a slightly cone shaped configuration, or have a flat octagon shaped configuration. Moreover, the pair of cover plates24can overlap each other at different elevations above the spreader discs16, which would tend to reduce the amount of dead space above the windrow chute26. Further, the spreader arrangement12can also include a single cover plate extending across both spreader discs16rather than a pair of cover plates above each spreader disc16. Additionally, the cover plates24need not necessarily be oriented horizontally, but can also be oriented at a slope of between approximately +/−30° (in any direction). Other variations are also possible.

The windrow chute26acts as a chute or trough to direct the crop material toward the windrow formed behind the harvester10when the spreader arrangement12is in the windrowing mode. The windrow chute26has an entrance end30positioned below the pair of cover plates24and above the pair of spreader discs16, whereby crop material is discharged from the top of the cover plates24into the windrow chute26. The windrow chute26can be removably mounted to the rear of the straw hood32, and simply removed to reconfigure the spreader arrangement12for the spreader mode. Alternatively, the windrow chute26can be movable to the position below the pair of cover plates24when the spreader arrangement12is in a windrow mode, and movable to a position away from the spreader discs16when the spreader arrangement12is in a spreading mode. In the illustrated embodiment, the windrow chute26is pivotally movable about the hinge28to a position above the spreader discs16when the spreader arrangement12is in the spreading mode.

Optional guide panels34extend from the adjustable door20toward the windrow chute26. The guide panels34assist with directing the crop residue into the windrow chute26when the spreader arrangement12is in the windrow mode.

During operation of the harvester10, the spreader arrangement12can be configured for the spreading mode by simply removing the cover plates24and pivoting the windrow chute26up and out of the way about the hinge28. The adjustable door20is moved to the forward or down position shown at reference number20A, which then directs the crop residue in a downward direction toward the spreader discs16.

The spreader arrangement12can be configured for the windrowing mode by pivoting the windrow chute26downward about the hinge28, and installing the cover plates24above the spreader discs16. The adjustable door20is moved to the rearward or up position shown at reference number20B, which then directs the crop residue in a rearward direction toward the windrow chute26. The cover plates24can still rotate with the spreader discs16, so any crop residue that lands on top of the cover plates24is deposited into the windrow chute26. Alternatively, the drive motor22for each spreader disc16can be turned OFF.