Abstract:
An agricultural harvesting system including a chassis, a plurality of ground support devices carrying the chassis in a direction of travel, and a threshing section carried by the chassis. The threshing section produces residue that is sent to a spreader system. The spreader system has a first orientation and a second orientation. The spreader system includes a support device and a spreader. The support device is in ground contact and is positioned to a side of the chassis relative to the direction of travel when the spreader system is in the first orientation. The support device is positioned aft of the chassis relative to the direction of travel when the spreader system is in the second orientation. The spreader is carried by the support device and is configured to receive at least some of the residue.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an extended spreading apparatus and an integrated weight transfer system for a harvesting system. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In common harvesting operations where a combine is used to cut or pick up crop while traveling through a field, it is generally desired to leave the residue in a compact windrow for eventual pickup, or to evenly distribute the residue or MOG (material other than grain) evenly across the entire cut width. Returning the material to the ground provides nutrients for future crops. It is important that MOG be spread evenly such that all future plants have a consistent seed bed, but also because bunched or thicker distribution of straw and chaff, the residue or MOG, can make future field operations more challenging. 
     During the spreading of crop residue onto a field, a spreader performs only a spreading function and that function may be not used in the event the residue is left in a windrow for later gathering. This means that the spreading function is carried out with a dedicated system. Combines are now situated to carry more and more systems many of which can only perform one useful function. 
     The problem is that larger combines are becoming too heavy to traverse roads and highways legally. The weight of combines has increased due to needing heavier structures to carry larger headers and with increased volumes of grain in the grain tanks. 
     What is needed is a system and method for optimization of residue spreading so that the residue may be spread evenly onto the field and that the spreading system serve multiple purposes including support of the weight of the combine. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method to spread the residue onto a field from a combine and to provide a ground contacting support. 
     The invention in one form is directed to an agricultural harvesting system including a chassis, a plurality of ground support devices carrying the chassis in a direction of travel, and a threshing section carried by the chassis. The threshing section produces residue that is sent to a spreader system. The spreader system has a first orientation and a second orientation. The spreader system includes a support device and a spreader. The support device is in ground contact and is positioned to a side of the chassis relative to the direction of travel when the spreader system is in the first orientation. The support device is positioned aft of the chassis relative to the direction of travel when the spreader system is in the second orientation. The spreader is carried by the support device and is configured to receive at least some of the residue. 
     The invention in another form is directed to a spreader system for use by an agricultural combine. The spreader system has a first orientation and a second orientation. The spreader system includes a support device and a spreader. The support device is in ground contact and is positioned to a side of the chassis relative to the direction of travel when the spreader system is in the first orientation. The support device is positioned aft of the chassis relative to the direction of travel when the spreader system is in the second orientation. The spreader is carried by the support device and is configured to receive at least some of the residue. 
     Advantageously, the present invention has a dual purpose, a residue spreading mode and a transport mode. 
     Another advantage is that the present invention is that in the event the combine becomes stuck in the field the spreader can be reconfigured to reduce the load carried on other wheels and to even provide additional traction. 
     Still another advantage is that the load on the wheels is increased by the retraction of the spreader system into the combine. 
     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments that proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a partially sectioned side view of a harvester combine with an attached header, threshing rotor, and spreader system in a transport orientation according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the harvester from  FIG. 1 , with the spreader system in a spreading orientation; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates another perspective view of the harvester combine of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with the residue spreader system in an intermediate state between the transport orientation and the spreading orientation; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of another embodiment of a spreader system of the present invention used with the harvester of  FIGS. 1-3 , specifically illustrating the retraction of the spreader support into a common structural member, to further illustrate features of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a partially sectioned side view illustrating an aspect of the spreader system of  FIGS. 1-4 , with the mechanism illustrating how additional weight is transferred to the wheels of the spreader system. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The terms “grain”, “straw” and “tailings” are used principally throughout this specification for convenience but it is to be understood that these terms are not intended to be limiting. Thus “grain” refers to that part of the crop material that is threshed and separated from the discardable part of the crop material, which is referred to as non-grain crop material, MOG or straw. Incompletely threshed crop material is referred to as “tailings”. Also the terms “forward”, “rearward”, “left” and “right”, when used in connection with the agricultural harvester and/or components thereof are usually determined with reference to the direction of forward operative travel of the harvester, but again, they should not be construed as limiting. The terms “longitudinal” and “transverse” are determined with reference to the fore-and-aft direction of the agricultural harvester and are equally not to be construed as limiting. 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an agricultural harvester in the form of a combine  10 , which generally includes a chassis  12 , ground engaging wheels  14  and  16 , a header  18 , a feeder housing  20 , an operator cab  22 , a threshing and separating system  24 , a cleaning system  26 , a grain tank  28 , and an unloading conveyance  30 . Unloading conveyor  30  is illustrated as an unloading auger, but can also be configured as a belt conveyor, chain elevator, etc. 
     Front wheels  14  are larger flotation type wheels, and rear wheels  16  are smaller steerable wheels. Motive force is selectively applied to front wheels  14  through a power plant in the form of a diesel engine  32  and a transmission (not shown). Although combine  10  is shown as including wheels, is also to be understood that combine  10  may include tracks, such as full tracks or half-tracks. 
     Header  18  is mounted to the front of the combine  10  and includes a cutter bar  34  for severing crops from a field during forward motion of combine  10 . A rotatable reel  36  feeds the crop into header  18 , and a double auger  38  feeds the severed crop laterally inwardly from each side toward feeder housing  20 . Feeder housing  20  conveys the cut crop to threshing and separating system  24 , and is selectively vertically movable using appropriate actuators, such as hydraulic cylinders (not shown). 
     Threshing and separating system  24  is of the axial-flow type, and generally includes a rotor  40  at least partially enclosed by and rotatable within a corresponding perforated concave  42 . The cut crops are threshed and separated by the rotation of rotor  40  within concave  42 , and larger elements, such as stalks, leaves and the like are discharged from the rear of combine  10 . Smaller elements of crop material including grain and non-grain crop material, including particles lighter than grain, such as chaff, dust and straw, are discharged through perforations of concave  42 . 
     Grain that has been separated by the threshing and separating assembly  24  falls onto a grain pan  44  and is conveyed toward cleaning system  26 . Cleaning system  26  may include an optional pre-cleaning sieve  46 , an upper sieve  48  (also known as a chaffer sieve), a lower sieve  50  (also known as a cleaning sieve), and a cleaning fan  52 . Grain on sieves  46 ,  48  and  50  is subjected to a cleaning action by fan  52 , which provides an airflow through the sieves, to remove chaff and other impurities such as dust from the grain by making this material airborne for discharge from straw hood  54  of combine  10 . Grain pan  44  and pre-cleaning sieve  46  oscillate in a fore-to-aft manner to transport the grain and finer non-grain crop material to the upper surface of upper sieve  48 . Upper sieve  48  and lower sieve  50  are vertically arranged relative to each other, and likewise oscillate in a fore-to-aft manner to spread the grain across sieves  48 ,  50 , while permitting the passage of cleaned grain by gravity through the openings of sieves  48 ,  50 . 
     Clean grain falls to a clean grain auger  56  positioned crosswise below and in front of lower sieve  50 . Clean grain auger  56  receives clean grain from each sieve  48 ,  50  and from bottom pan  58  of cleaning system  26 . Clean grain auger  56  conveys the clean grain laterally to a generally vertically arranged grain elevator  60  for transport to grain tank  28 . Tailings from cleaning system  26  fall to a tailings auger trough  62 . The tailings are transported via tailings auger  64  and return auger  66  to the upstream end of cleaning system  26  for repeated cleaning action. Cross augers  68  at the bottom of grain tank  28  convey the clean grain within grain tank  28  to unloading auger  30  for discharge from combine  10 . 
     Now, additionally referring to  FIGS. 2-5 , according to an aspect of the present invention, a residue handling system  70  is integrated in the rear of harvester  10 . Residue handling system  70  includes a chopper and a spreader system  72 . Spreader system  72  includes support devices  74  and  76 , which move from a transport orientation shown in  FIG. 1  to a spreading orientation shown in  FIG. 2 . The spreading orientation is the extended harvesting orientation that allows the MOG to be spread about the just harvested area aft of harvester  10 . The transport orientation results from a movement of support devices  74  and  76  from an extended position that is to the sides of harvester  10 , to a retracted position immediately aft of harvester  10 . Support members  74  and  76  each include structural members  78  and  80  and a wheel  82 . A spreader  84  is positioned on each end of support members  74  and  76 , with the MOG being conveyed thereto by a conveyance device  86 , which may be in the form of a conveyor belt  86 , which is supported by support members  74  and/or  76 . Additionally a spreader  84  may be located at the rear of harvester  10 . There is at least one actuator  88  that serves to retract structural members  78  and  80  into or under chassis  76 . 
     Wheels  82  are coupled to structural members  80  and are pivotal about a generally vertical axis allowing wheels  82  to be moved from a spreader orientation shown in  FIG. 2  to a transport orientation shown in  FIG. 1 , the orientations being generally altered by 90° relative to structural members  80 . Structural members  78  pivot about a pivot axis  90  and wheels  82  also pivot about a vertical axis as structural members  78  pivot from the spreader orientation shown in  FIG. 2  to an intermediate state shown in  FIG. 3 , after which structural members  78  and  80  are retracted into or beneath harvester  10  to the position shown in  FIG. 1  (the transport orientation). Of course, the transition from one orientation to the other uses the intermediate state shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     Structural members  78  and  80  are drawn into/extended from an apparatus having rollers  92  that facilitate the retraction and extension of structural members  78  and  80 . There may be two separate apparatus, one for each set of structural members  78  and  80  or they may be drawn into a single construct as shown in  FIG. 4  (a top view). In  FIG. 4  the details of conveyance devices  86  has been purposely left out to show how structural members  78  and  80  are drawn into a single construct. 
     In  FIG. 5 , structural members  78  and  80  are shown having rollers  92  coupled to provide for the movement of structural members  78  and  80  by actuator  88 . An inclined surface  94  on the top of structural member  78  and/or  80  causes wheels  82  to have more weight of harvester  10  applied for support as structural members are drawn further in. This is a passive method of increasing the weight transfer of support devices  74  and  76 , and other passive methods as well as active methods are contemplated. 
     While combine  10  is harvesting a crop, if the residue is to be spread onto the field then spreader system  72  is oriented as shown in  FIG. 2  so that the residue will be carried by conveyance devices  86  to spreaders  84  to thereby disperse the residue onto the field. When there is not a need to spread the residue, then spreader system  72  can be oriented as shown in  FIG. 1 . Motors may be coupled to wheels  82  to provide additional drive, or wheels  82  can simply freewheel. Wheels  82  remain pivotal about the vertical axis so that as steering wheels  16  turn harvester  10  wheels  82  will track appropriately along. 
     The common spreader discs, of the prior art, are generally made in a disc form and may be made out of various materials. The discs are relatively light and are not capable of doing anything except the spreading of residue material from the machine. Advantageously, the present invention allows for multiple uses of the spreader system  72 , in that in one orientation it provides for an extended residue distribution and in the other orientation it provides for the support of harvester  10 . 
     While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.