Patent Description:
In <CIT> and <CIT> discloses an arrangement in which weed seeds are destroyed in the chaff from a combine harvester by a rotary mill causing repeated high speed impacts by a rotor mounted in one of a pair of side by side housings which accelerate the discarded seeds in a direction centrifugally away from the rotor onto a stator including angularly adjustable stator surfaces around the axis. Thus the discarded seeds rebound back and forth between the rotor and the stator to provide a plurality of impacts. The angle of the discharge around the rotor axis can be changed to direct the seeds to the side of the combine away from a straw chopper, towards the guide fins of the tailboard of the chopper, or into the housing of the straw chopper. <CIT> discloses a further example of combine harvester with crop separator and weed seed destructor.

The invention is defined by the features of claim <NUM>. According to one example useful for understanding the invention there is provided a combine harvester comprising:.

The weed seed destructor section can be of many different types. Examples can include:.

<CIT>) disclosures a further development that was made following the GRDC machine discussed above. However, unlike the machine discussed above, it discloses a weed seed destructor unit which is mounted on the combine harvester behind the sieves. The weed seed destructor mill has a circular array of stationary bars positioned at an angle to the rotation of a rotor, such that there are blunt hits (i.e. impacts) to deflect seeds back into the rotation of the rotor while the seeds and the chaff pass through the destructor. The residue passes through multiple rings of stationary and rotating bars which inflict damage on any seeds in the chaff. The residue is then spread out to the sides of the harvester.

<CIT>) discloses a multistage hammer mill. Like the above it is mounted on the combine harvester behind the sieves. Rather than multiple rings of a circular array of stationary bars positioned at an angle to the rotation of a rotor it incorporates multiple rings of screens. Like a hammer mill, the rotor grinds, shears and impacts any seed in the chaff until it can pass through the screen aperture. The residue passes through multiple rings of stationary screens and rotating bars which inflict damage on any seeds in the chaff. The residue is then spread out to the sides of the harvester.

<CIT>) discloses two parallel rotors with blunt flails radially extending on each rotor. It is shown that the effective tip diameter of the blunt flails are close to or intersecting each other. The rotors turn in opposing directions such that the tip velocity causes impact and devitalization of seeds in the chaff. The patent discloses the seed destruction device on a separate trailed unit however it is known that Tecfarm has mounted this type of destructor mill on a combine harvester at the rear end of the sieves.

The disclosure of each of the above cited patent documents may be referenced for further detail. The concept herein can be used in any weed seed destructor design which uses a rotating body. In some cases the rotating body cooperates with a stator. The stator can include bars which deflect the seeds as they pass between the bars. The stator can include surrounding surfaces which cause the seeds to bounce back into the path of the rotor. In some cases the rotating body cooperates with another rotating body.

The arrangement described herein can provide one or more of the following advantages:.

Preferably at least one of the first and second surfaces is mounted on said rotor shaft for rotation therewith. That is the destructor section is in effect driven by the rotor shaft in that, where the destructor comprises a rotor and a stator, the rotor can be mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith while the stator surrounds the rotor.

Preferably there is provided a transfer system to move the second material from the second location to the weed seed destructor section.

In one example, the destructor could comprise two rotors where one rotor is mounted on the shaft as defined herein and another one rotor can be mounted on a shaft of the transfer system. That is a destructor rotor can be mounted on each end of the transfer device with each discharging into a destructor rotor mounted on rotor as defined herein which can be the rotor of the straw chopper.

Preferably the transfer system comprises at least one duct and a blower arrangement for blowing the second material along the duct.

Alternately the transfer system could comprise at least one duct with a screw or paddle conveyor.

Preferably the rotor shaft and the transfer system are driven by a belt for receiving drive from an output shaft of the combine harvester. Alternatively, as the transfer system does not consume a lot of power, it could be driven by hydraulics which can therefore easily be turned on and off.

Preferably the drive system incorporates a method to decouple the transfer system to reduce power when not required.

Preferably there is a common drive from the combine harvester to the chopper rotor of the straw chopper section and the shaft of said transfer system.

Preferably the transfer system is driven from the rotor shaft.

Preferably the transfer system comprises an intake in front of a housing of the rotor.

Preferably the system includes a method to allow the second material to bypass the transfer system when not required.

Preferably the transfer system comprises a housing which is connected to the housing of the rotor.

Preferably the transfer system housing is mounted to the housing of the rotor.

Preferably the transfer system comprises an auger flight arrangement for moving the second material outwardly to at least one side of the combine harvester to said blower arrangement and duct to convey the second material to the rotor seed destruction section. Alternately the transfer system could be a conveyor belt, air flow conveyor or contain individual paddles on the shaft to urge the material to the chopper rotor. Preferably the auger flight of said transfer system is mounted on a shaft which drives the blower arrangement.

Preferably the auger flight is arranged to move the second material to each side of the combine harvester and wherein there is provided a blower arrangement at each side.

Preferably the blower arrangement is located outside the end of the rotor housing and duct extends outside an end wall of a housing of the rotor.

Preferably the rotor shaft carries a plurality of straw engaging members for engaging the straw.

Preferably the destructor section is located at a position on the rotor shaft axially separated from the straw engaging members.

Preferably the destructor section is located at a respective end of the rotor shaft.

Preferably the weed seed destructor comprises a first weed seed destructor section at a first end of the rotor shaft and a second weed seed destructor section at a second end of the rotor shaft.

Preferably the weed seed destructor includes a common discharge with the first material.

Preferably the at least one weed seed destructor is arranged to expel the second material into a secondary spreading device.

Preferably the secondary spreading device comprises a tailboard with a plurality of fins. Alternately the secondary spreading device could include powered spreading discs.

The shaft can comprise any one of the shafts of the combine harvester so that in one arrangement the rotor is a rear straw chopper; in another arrangement the rotor is an internal straw chopper; in another arrangement the rotor is an internal beater and in yet another arrangement the rotor is a dedicated shaft for the seed destructor only.

Preferably the weed seed destructor comprises at least one cutting blade and at least fan blade in the inlet for cutting material other than chaff in the second material.

Preferably the fan blade creates enough airflow to spread both the first and second material.

Alternatively, additional fan blades can be attached to the straw side of the seed destructor rotor to provide additional airflow.

Alternatively, additional fan blades or blades with a larger effective frontal width than the leading edge can be mounted to the rotor to increase airflow.

Preferably the airflow accelerates both materials into the secondary spreading device. Preferably the stator or stators comprises a plurality of stator bars at angularly spaced positions around the axis of the rotor;
each stator bar extending axially along the axis of the rotor and being spaced from a next adjacent stator bar to provide an axially extending space therebetween through which weed seeds can pass; each stator bar comprising an elongate member which is L-shaped in cross-section to define a first leg lying in a cylindrical surface surrounding the axis of the rotor and a second leg extending outwardly from the cylindrical surface connected to the first leg at an apex at a leading end of the first leg relative to the direction of rotation of the rotor.

Preferably the apex is smoothly curved at the junction between the first leg and the second leg so it defines a radius of curvature where the radius of curvature can lie in the range <NUM> to <NUM>.

As an alternative, the apex is not smoothly curved but instead includes a portion of the surface which is at an inclined angle relative to the first leg so as to tend to reflect the weed seeds when impacting thereon at an inclined angle back toward the rotor. That is both the smoothly curved apex and the inclined portion provide a portion of the surface where the seeds which move outwardly from the edge of the rotor blades are reflected back into the rotor for further impacts to be generated. It will be appreciated that the seeds tend to rebound from a surface generally at an angle of rebound which is equal to an angle of impact so that a surface at <NUM> degrees to the first leg will tend to rebound the seeds back into the rotor rather than tangentially of the rotor.

Preferably the second leg extends outwardly from the apex to define a portion thereof beyond an outer end of the apex. In this way the formation of the stator bar can be obtained very easily by bending a sheet metal strip along a center line forms two legs where the first lies in the cylindrical surface and the second extends outwardly typically at right angles to the first. However the legs may be of different lengths with particularly the second leg being very short or hardly existent.

Preferably the second leg lies at an angle to the first leg which is at right angles to the first leg. However the second leg can be bent through more than <NUM> degrees so that it is at an angle to the first leg which is less than right angles to the first leg. This forms the apex portion into a smooth part cylindrical body wrapped around from the first leg to the second leg. It will be appreciated that the impacts from the seeds on the stator bars occur over those parts facing inwardly into the rotor including the first leg and the apex portion. Impacts on the second leg do not interfere with the path of the seeds as they are already moving outwardly from the stator.

Alternately the second leg can be bent at an angle less than <NUM> degrees so that the angle between the first and second leg is greater than <NUM> degrees. In this case all impact surfaces will tend to reflect the seed back to the rotor creating a higher devitalization rate with higher power requirements.

Typically the stator bars lie in a line parallel to the axis so that the apexes are directly parallel to the rotor axis. However the stator bars can be inclined to the line parallel to the axis at the cylindrical surface so that they are all tilted to the left or right. Where the bars are parallel to the axis, typically the second legs lies in an axial plane of the axis of the rotor.

Preferably the width of the first leg in the cylindrical surface is in the range <NUM> to <NUM>. Preferably the spacing between each bar and the next at the cylindrical surface lies in the range <NUM> to <NUM>. The width of the first legs relative to the spacing between the trailing edge of each bar and the apex of the next controls the amount of material which is allowed to escape between the bars. Increasing the length of the legs and/or decreasing the spaces increases the amount of material which remains inside the stator and thus increases the number of impacts and the power requirement for moving the material. Conversely the power can be reduced by increasing the proportion of space to leg but with consequent reduction in impacts and hence reduction in seed destruction. These ratios can be selected depending on the amount and type of seeds to be treated.

While the dimensions of the second leg in the outward direction have little effect on the operation, typically the width of the second leg in the outward direction is in the range <NUM> to <NUM>.

Preferably the outer edge of each of the second legs lies in a common imaginary cylinder surrounding said cylindrical surface as this makes the manufacture of symmetrical stator bars by bending sheet metal strips a more effective method.

Preferably the stator bars extend along a full height of rotor so that the height of the stator matches that of the rotor. However stators can be stacked one on top of another where the rotor is of increased height.

Preferably the first and second legs of the stator bar comprise portions which are flat as this allows a simple bending of a flat strip to form the bars.

Preferably each of the stator bars comprises a sheet metal plate which is bent to form the two legs. However other materials and methods of manufacture can be used. Preferably the stator construction includes a stator support member and a plurality of angularly spaced stator portions mounted on the support member where the stator support member is cylindrical so as to surround the axis of the rotor and the stator portions are part cylindrical with each of the plurality of stator portions extending around a part only of the periphery of the support member. Each such portion includes a plurality of the stator bars.

In this arrangement preferably there is provided a discharge opening between each stator portion and the next.

This construction of separate replaceable stator portions allows a plurality of the stator portions to be provided having different characteristics which can be selected for different weed seed sizes and amounts. The selection of the portion also can be used to change power requirements.

In particular, the different characteristics or the portions to the used in any circumstance relate to the length of the first leg of the stator bars around the axis and/or the spacing between the stator bars around the axis.

This construction of part cylindrical stator portions allows the portions to be hard surface coated as a separate component from the support member. To provide an effective mounting of the separate portions, preferably each of the stator portions comprises mounting edges at angularly spaced ends of the portion for attachment to a rail of the support member. This can be used with a support structure which comprises a top and bottom ring around the axis of the rotor with a plurality of rails parallel to the rotor axis. In some cases the stator includes a plurality of discharge openings at angularly spaced positions around the stator with the support member being angularly adjustable around the rotor axis to move the openings.

In most cases there is provided inner and outer coaxial cylindrical stators where preferably at least one of inner and outer stators is adjustable to change the angular relationship therebetween. Preferably the angular position of at least one of the stators is adjustable by a control linkage from a cab of the combine harvester.

Preferably there are provided rotor components between the inner and outer stators.

Preferably the rotor comprises a hub carrying rotor blades defining said rotor surfaces where the blades are pivotally mounted about an axis parallel to the rotor axis so as to act as flails.

Preferably the rotor comprises a plurality of blades where an outer surface of each blade has a leading edge which is closest to the cylindrical surface and tapers away from the cylindrical surface toward a trailing edge.

The arrangement herein thus in one example provides three stator rings where on the outer ring there are six stator inserts. Some or all of the inserts have an additional release opening, in addition to the spaces between the stator bars to allow material in the impact mill the ability to escape from inside the stator to the next stage, thus reducing horsepower. The openings can be located within the stator insert or can be located between each insert and the next. The middle ring has five inserts so as to define a larger gap between the stator bars. The inner ring has four inserts so as to form a yet larger gap between the stator bars. All the stator bars in each of the inserts have the same profile, formed for example with a <NUM> leading radius and <NUM> legs at <NUM> degrees apart. The apex is preferable smoothly curved without a sharp intersection between the legs since a sharp point would risk material hanging up on the edge which would act to increase power requirements.

The user can set a predetermined balance between the seed kill rate and power requirements, both of which are dependent on the number of impacts and thus the ratio of the openings to bars in the stator.

Thus all rings can incorporate larger spaces or additional release openings as are provided on the outer ring. If there is a reason to increase the kill rate on a small weed seed, this ratio of opening area to impact area can be adjusted by selecting bars where the first or tangential legs are increased in length or by reducing the gaps between the stator bars and/or eliminating or reducing the additional release openings on the outer ring to increase the time the weed seed spends being impacted in the mill.

According to another feature which can be used herein there is provided an apparatus for destroying weed seeds comprising:.

Preferably the second surface of the stator bar is substantially perpendicular to the tangential surface.

Preferably the first and second surfaces of the stator bar are substantially flat.

Preferably the first surface of the stator bar has a length in the tangential direction which is greater than <NUM>.

Preferably the first surface of the stator bar has a length in the tangential direction which is at least equal to a length of the second surface in the radial direction. Preferably the first surface has a length of the stator bar in the tangential direction which is at least equal to the spacing between the bars in the tangential direction.

Preferably the spacing between the bars in the tangential direction is at least equal to the length of the second surface in the radial direction.

Preferably the spacing between two of the bars in the tangential direction is greater than the spacing between others of the bars.

According to another object of the invention there is provided a combine harvester comprising:.

Preferably there is provided a transfer system to move the second material from the second location to the weed seed destructor section
at least one other surface arranged on the transfer device for engaging the accelerated second material such that the accelerated second material is impacted between said rotor surfaces and said at least one other.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

The apparatus herein is shown in <FIG> mounted on a combine harvester carried on ground wheels and including harvesting components of a conventional nature. This can include in some current embodiments a conventional separator with straw walkers with a threshing cylinder axis perpendicular to the direction of travel, in other embodiments using an axial separator with a rotor axis aligned with the direction of travel and in other embodiments using aligned threshing rotors perpendicular to the direction of travel. Other arrangements are also possible.

In most embodiments, the rearmost part of the separation system is the sieve which allows passage through of harvested seeds for collection and discharges chaff and discarded seeds including weed seeds to the rear edge of the sieve.

Thus the separation system including the threshing system and the cleaning system defined by the sieves operates for separating harvested crop into a first material comprising straw and a second material comprising chaff and weed seeds.

The combine harvester shown in <FIG> includes a separating rotor at the location <NUM> feeding the straw onto a beater or straw chopper rotor <NUM> which completes a further and final separation before the first material containing the straw is discharged from the separation system at location <NUM> into a straw path <NUM> for passage to a discharge from the combine harvester.

The combine harvester as shown includes a chopper and discharge arrangement <NUM> shown in <FIG> and <FIG> is basically as shown in <CIT> of Redekop, the disclosure of which may be referenced for further detail. The chopper thus comprises a housing <NUM> defined by a top wall <NUM>, a bottom wall <NUM> and two end walls <NUM>. The end walls <NUM> include attachment means 13A for attachment of the housing <NUM> to the outlet <NUM> of a combine harvester for discharge of straw and optionally chaff from the combine harvester into an inlet opening <NUM> of the housing <NUM>. The bottom wall <NUM> defines a semi-cylindrical portion extending from the inlet <NUM> to an outlet <NUM> through which chopped straw and air is discharged at relatively high velocity for spreading across the field in a wide spread pattern.

Within the housing is mounted a hub <NUM> including a shaft 17A which is carried on suitable bearings for rotation about a hub axis <NUM> at a center of the housing. The shaft can form a complete shaft body across the full width or it may be formed from stub shaft portions attached to the hub <NUM> at each end. Blade members <NUM> carried by the hub <NUM> sweep around within the housing to entrap straw fed through the inlet <NUM> and to carry the straw and air past stationary blades 10A for chopping and for discharge through the outlet <NUM>. The stationary blades are mounted on the housing at a position approximately midway between the inlet <NUM> and the outlet <NUM> so that blade members <NUM> carried on the hub sweep between the stationary blades in a cutting action.

In this arrangement of the chopper, there are provided three axially spaced sections of the chopper assembly including a first fan section <NUM> at one end of the hub <NUM> and a second fan section <NUM> at the other end of the hub <NUM>. In-between the two narrow fan sections <NUM> is defined a center section 30A which provides the whole of the cutting action.

The chopper and spreading assembly <NUM> is arranged to be mounted at a rear straw discharge of the combine harvester and includes the housing <NUM>, the rotor <NUM> mounted in the housing <NUM> for rotation around a generally horizontal axis and carrying the plurality of chopper blades <NUM> for chopping the discharge material.

At the exit <NUM> is provided the material spreading assembly which can be the form of a tailboard 16A with guide fins 16B for receiving the chopped material and spreading the material to the rear and sides of the combine harvester. In this embodiment a seed destructor is provided which includes two separate destructor elements <NUM>, <NUM> positioned in this embodiment on the shaft 17A of the hub <NUM> at the ends where the fan sections <NUM> are located. Each element <NUM>, <NUM> as best shown in <FIG> comprises housing <NUM> with base <NUM> at or defined by the end wall <NUM> of the housing <NUM>. The base <NUM> and a generally cylindrical outer surface 37A are covered by a cover panel <NUM>. The cover panel (as shown in <FIG>) is held stationary and includes a central circular inlet <NUM> for feeding the second material from the sieve containing the chaff and weed seeds onto a rotor <NUM> mounted on the shaft 17A of the hub <NUM>. Around the shaft 17A is provided a plurality of pivot pins or bolts <NUM> each carrying a pair of flail blades <NUM>. The flail blades extend from an inner end with a plurality of fingers extending into connection to the pin <NUM>. An outer end of the flail blade <NUM> broadens in the axial direction of the axis <NUM> of the hub and terminates in an edge <NUM> lying in an imaginary cylindrical surface surrounding the axis. The flails can retract inwardly by pivotal movement in the event of impact with a larger object. Thus the blades <NUM> are pivotally mounted about an axis parallel to the rotor axis so as to act as flails. Also each of the rotor blades include a sharpened cutting edge <NUM> radial to the axis and a fan blade portion <NUM> generally axial of the axis. The fan blades <NUM> of the mill act to generate a significant air flow through the mill to the outlet <NUM> of the mill. The outlet <NUM> directs the outlet air onto the tailboard <NUM> and the fins thereon to supplement the stream of air and straw from the blades <NUM>. In this way the mills act in the same manner as the fan blade sections shown in the above cited <CIT>. It will be appreciated therefore that the addition of the stator portions of the mill to the fan end sections of the straw chopper rotor enable the straw chopper to carry out both functions of straw chopping and milling the chaff together with the spreading of both materials. This provides a system of high efficiency with low numbers of moving parts to enable the construction of a device at lower cost. Around the rotor is provided a stator <NUM> formed by a number of stationary annular coaxial cylinders <NUM> and <NUM> and optionally <NUM> with cylinder <NUM> inside the cylinder <NUM>. The stator cylinders are carried on the stationary end wall <NUM> so that they project into the rotor <NUM>. The cover forces the weed seeds to contact the stator <NUM> and rotor <NUM> to be impacted thereby thus devitalizing the seed.

Each stator cylinder is of the construction shown in <FIG> and <FIG> and includes a top flange <NUM>, a bottom ring <NUM> parallel to the flange and a plurality of upstanding connecting posts or bars <NUM> to form a rigid structure.

The stator cylinder <NUM>, <NUM> can optionally be formed from a plurality of inserts <NUM> closing the space between the flange <NUM> and the bottom ring <NUM>. Each insert forms a part cylindrical surface which extends around the axis by a limited angle. As shown in <FIG> there are six such inserts each covering an angle of the order of <NUM> degrees so that the plurality of inserts cooperate to partly surround the axis. The inserts may be manufactured with different numbers and widths of stator bars so as to be made with larger openings between the stator bars. The combination of inserts can be selected to increase or decrease the number of openings or additional release points.

Each insert <NUM> has a plurality of the stator bars <NUM> parallel to the rotor axis. Different constructions of inserts can be provided with different numbers and dimensions of bars to provide a different grinding or impacting effect on the material in engagement with the inserts. The inserts are shaped with an angled edge flange <NUM> which is shaped to engage against a side edge of a suitably shaped one of the rails <NUM>. Thus as shown in <FIG>, the ends <NUM> of the plates <NUM> engage against sides of the bars <NUM>. In <FIG>, three types of inserts are shown, of which many more styles could be envisioned, which can be selected for use in the base frame of <FIG>.

In operation, the rotor flails <NUM> act to suck chaff and weed seed into the mills through the inlet opening <NUM> in the cover <NUM> and accelerate and direct the material across the inside surface of the inner stator ring <NUM> to impact, shear and force some of the material through the spaces between the bars <NUM>. The outer edge <NUM> of the flail blade thus acts to wipe the material cross the inside surface of the selected insert with the edge <NUM> having a height substantially matching the height of the insert <NUM>.

That material which does not escape through the spaces between the bars <NUM> is carried around the inner surface of the insert <NUM> to the next one of a plurality of discharge slots or spaces between the bars <NUM>. The material sliding on the inner surface thus can escape through the inner stator ring <NUM> to the next outer annular stator <NUM>. Between the two stators <NUM>, <NUM> is an annular rotor <NUM> defined by ring of posts <NUM> which are attached to a base plate of the rotor so as to rotate with the shaft 17A of the center hub <NUM> and with the flail blades <NUM> attached to the shaft. These posts <NUM> act to impact, accelerate and shear the material round the inside surface of the outer stator <NUM>. The arrangement can also include a third stator <NUM> coaxially surrounding the stator <NUM> with a further rotor <NUM> of a similar structure to rotor <NUM> between the stators <NUM> and <NUM>.

The stator <NUM> has the same structure as the stators <NUM> and <NUM> but of increased diameter. Again there is a plurality of separate inserts <NUM> at angularly spaced positions. The outer stator therefore operates in the same manner under the rotation impetus on the material from the posts of the rotor <NUM> to impact and shear the material and then to allow any remaining material remaining on the inner surface of the outer stator to escape outwardly. The material escaping is flung outwardly and angularly against the outer surface <NUM>.

Each stator which is in the form of a ring or cylinder supported from the top cover and located between the components of the rotor is thus formed from the fixed base frame shown in <FIG> with a plurality of locations each for mounting a respective one of the stator insert components with an outlet opening between each plate or between each stator bar of the plate and the next. As shown in <FIG>, different forms of the stator inserts can then be selected for use with the frame of <FIG> and installed and replaced as required. The stators can also be formed from annular components fully surrounding the axis without the individual part cylindrical inserts of <FIG>.

The use of separate stator inserts provides replaceable stator components which have a number of advantages which include:.

The stator bars <NUM> of the replaceable stator inserts <NUM> may be hard surface coated with a suitable material such as carbide which reduces impact damage. One or all stators <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> defined by the annular frame and the supported stator components can be adjusted by rotation around the axis of the rotor so as to move the position of the openings between the plates. This acts to change the distance that the material must traverse before it reaches the escape slot, or a position where the stator bars are spaced a greater distance apart.

The angular position of the stators <NUM> and <NUM> is adjustable around the axis 17A of the hub to move the openings angularly. If the openings of the inner stator are located at an angular portions so that they are aligned with the openings of the outer stator then any material exiting the openings of the inner stator will typically escape from the second stator by direct radial movement through both openings simultaneously thus minimizing any processing by the outer stator. Movement of one or both of the stators so that the openings are not aligned will increase the effective processing by the second outer stator. It will be appreciated that this processing can be adjusted from a position of minimum processing where the opening are aligned to a position of maximum processing where each opening in the inner stator discharges onto the outer stator at a distance which is at the beginning of the adjacent stator component so that the material must traverse the whole surface of the component before reaching the next opening in the outer stator. The actuators are operated by a control where the control is in the cab for on-the-go control of the position of the stators.

It will be appreciated that the weed destructor herein uses a significant amount of power to drive when empty and an increased amount when filled with the crop materials. This power can be minimized by bypassing the device as described herein and by disconnecting the drive thereto when no treatment of the crop materials is required. Couplings between the rotor shaft 17A and the seed destruction rotors are decoupled to allow only the rotor to turn. Alternatively, if the seed destruction rotors are not decoupled the power can be reduced as above by moving the stators to the most effective position with minimum crop treatment.

Thus the system herein provides adjustability of stator positions on the go, the advantages of which include:.

In an alternate arrangement, in least one stage, the weed seeds do not pass through the stator but are rebounded between the rotor and the stator. The rotor also propels the weed seed from the housing without needing to pass through an outside stator surface so that a higher exit velocity is obtained.

The arrangement herein thus provides at least one stator <NUM> comprising a plurality of stator inserts <NUM> including the stator bars <NUM> at angularly spaced positions around the axis of the rotor. The inserts <NUM> include bottom and top rails <NUM> and <NUM> and end support posts <NUM> and <NUM> forming a rectangular rigid structure with the bars <NUM> welded to the rings <NUM> and <NUM> so as to extend at right angles thereto leaving spaces <NUM> between each bar and the next and between the endmost bars and the posts <NUM> and <NUM>. Each stator bar thus extends axially along the axis of the rotor and being spaced from a next adjacent stator bar to provide an axially extending space <NUM> therebetween through which weed seeds can pass.

Each stator bar <NUM> comprises an elongate member which includes three impact surfaces which can be varied in size and length to vary the number of impacts a weed seed encounters as it passes through each stage of the mill. The stator bar is preferably L-shaped in cross-section to define a first leg <NUM> lying in a cylindrical surface <NUM> surrounding the axis of the rotor and a second leg <NUM> extending outwardly from the cylindrical surface connected to the first leg at an apex <NUM> at a leading end of the first leg relative to the direction D of rotation of the rotor.

The arrangement herein thus provides a stator bar which includes a tangential surface, an apex at a leading edge of the tangential surface and a third surface which is generally radial whereas previous arrangements typically before have had either a tangential or radial or apex, but not all three and thus provides an advantage over, and differentiator from, the prior art, enabling higher weed seed devitalization rates at lower power requirements.

The stator bar is preferably formed by bending a strip of sheet metal along a center line or approximately at the center line to form the legs <NUM> and <NUM> with a smooth curve <NUM> interconnecting the legs. The apex <NUM> defines a radius of curvature which can lie in the range <NUM> to <NUM> and more preferably of the order of <NUM>. However the same surfaces can be formed on the outside of a body which is a solid bar, not a bent strip or on the outside of a hollow bar. The apex thus defines a portion <NUM> of the surface which is at an inclined angle relative to the first leg <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, a seed S is carried along in the direction D1 by the rotation of the rotor blade so that it moves around the axis with some outward movement under centrifugal force. Some seeds impact the leg <NUM> on its inner surface. Some seeds pass through the opening <NUM> between the trailing end <NUM> of the leg <NUM> and the apex <NUM> of the next stator bar. These seeds and accompanying material will escape outwardly from this stator to the next stator or to the wall or outer surface <NUM>. Some of that material may engage the radial outwardly extending surface of the leg <NUM> so as to change direction but generally any material impacting the bar outside of the apex will escape outwardly. Some of the seeds and material will impact the bar <NUM> at the apex <NUM> and hence will tend to reflect the weed seeds when impacting thereon at an inclined angle back toward the rotor.

The second leg <NUM> typically lies in an axial plane of the axis of the rotor but in some cases such as that shown in <FIG> where the bend in the strip forming the bar is greater than <NUM> degrees, the leg <NUM> may be close to or even alongside the leg <NUM>. The legs are typically flat as the only bend in the strip is at the apex.

Alternately the second leg <NUM> could be bent less than <NUM> degrees as shown in <FIG> so that the angle between the two legs is greater than <NUM> degrees. In this case all three surfaces would tend to reflect the seed back to the rotor and therefore would create more impacts as the seeds pass through the mill but with a greater power requirement. The width of the first leg in the cylindrical surface <NUM> as indicated at X3 is in the range <NUM> to <NUM> and preferably of the order of <NUM>.

The width of the second leg in the outward direction as indicated at X2 is in the range <NUM> to <NUM> and preferably of the order of <NUM>. This provides an arrangement in which all the second legs are of the same length with the outer edge thereof lying in an imaginary cylinder <NUM>.

The width of the space <NUM> in the cylindrical surface <NUM> as indicated at X1 is in the range <NUM> to <NUM> and preferably of the order of <NUM>.

In order to prevent the outer edge or the blade of the rotor from pinching material against the legs in the cylinder <NUM>, the rotor comprises a plurality of blades where an outer surface <NUM> of each blade has a leading edge <NUM> which is closest to the cylindrical surface <NUM> and tapers away from the cylindrical surface toward a trailing edge <NUM>.

In the embodiment of <FIG>, therefore there is provided a combine harvester including a separation system with a threshing rotor <NUM> and a sieve arrangement <NUM> for separating from the harvested crop cut by the front header at the first discharge location <NUM> the first material comprising straw and at a second discharge location <NUM> the second material including chaff and weed seeds. A transfer surface <NUM> can be provided to carry the second material to the second location <NUM>.

As described above, the combine includes the straw chopper <NUM> which has the hub <NUM> mounted on a shaft 17A defining a rotor mounted on the combine harvester the rear discharge on the combine to engage the first material including the straw.

The rotor or hub <NUM> as described above includes the chopping blades <NUM> of the conventional straw chopper so that the rotor surfaces are mounted on the rotor shaft 17A and hub <NUM> for rotation therewith.

In this arrangement the chopper includes two weed seed destructor sections <NUM>, <NUM> each arranged inside the end wall of the housing at the end section of the rotor. Each of these includes the rotor <NUM> mounted for rotation about the axis of the shaft 17A to engage the chaff and weed seeds fed from the location <NUM> by the arrangement described hereinafter for accelerating the material in the direction outwardly from the axis to engage the stator <NUM> , <NUM> arranged around the rotor surfaces including one or more rotor surfaces <NUM>, <NUM> for engaging the material such that the material and particularly the weed seeds are impacted between the rotor surfaces and the stator surfaces.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, there is provided a transfer system generally indicated at <NUM><NUM> to move the second material including the weed seeds from the second location <NUM> to the weed seed destructor section defined by the two destructors <NUM> and <NUM>. The transfer system comprises a transverse tubular housing <NUM><NUM><NUM> containing an auger flight <NUM> on a shaft <NUM><NUM> separated at the middle so as to carry material from the center toward each end as the auger flight rotates.

The housing for the auger flighting is designed so that the bottom of the housing is not tight to the auger flighting. The high speed of the auger flighting acts to drive any heavy objects, rocks or metal, into the void which thus acts as a rock trap allowing the auger to only move the lighter chaff to the destructors.

At each end of the flight is provided a respective blower <NUM>, <NUM> in a cylindrical housing including fan blades driven by the shaft <NUM> of the auger. The shaft is driven by a belt drive system from the drive to the chopper <NUM>. The transfer drive system includes a coupler to engage or disengage the drive to save power when the system is not required to be used. The transfer system also includes a bypass mechanism to allow the second material to bypass the system when it is not in use. The transfer thus includes at least a blower arrangement <NUM>, <NUM> for blowing the second material along a respective duct <NUM>, <NUM>. The ducts extend along the outer face of the housing of the chopper and discharge the second material through the opening <NUM> in the end wall <NUM> (<FIG>) to enter the middle of the rotor <NUM> of the destructor <NUM>, <NUM>. An alternative transfer system could be providing an air blower system which avoids the necessity for any mechanical movement to blow the material into a chopper destructor or an auger system such which uses two auger flights to move the chaff and weed seeds to the required location without the necessity for air flow. Many other material transfer systems could be utilized.

That is the rotor shaft 17A and the transfer system including the shaft <NUM> are both driven by a belt for receiving drive from an output shaft of the combine harvester so that there is a common drive from the combine harvester to the chopper rotor of the straw chopper section and the shaft <NUM> of the transfer system. Alternately the low power requirement for the transfer device allows the device to be driven by a hydraulic motor to provide the simple command afforded by electro-hydraulic controls.

It will be noted from <FIG> that the transfer system <NUM> has an intake in front of a housing of the rotor of the chopper <NUM> with the housing <NUM> being mounted on or as part of the housing of the straw chopper rotor.

Thus the transfer system includes the auger flight arrangement for moving the second material outwardly to one or both sides of the combine harvester to the blower arrangement and duct to convey the second material to the rotor seed destruction section.

In another embodiment (not shown) the auger may be arranged to carry the second material only to one side where a single blower and single duct can carry the second material to a destructor at one end only of the hub <NUM>. In this arrangement the single destructor can be mounted on the chopper shaft 17A or on any other driven shaft within the straw flow path.

In another embodiment (not shown but based on the embodiment shown in <FIG>) a construction of the type shown in the above cited patent document of TecFarm can be provided where one rotor <NUM> (See numbers in TecFarm Figure ) is mounted on the shaft <NUM> and the second rotor <NUM> is mounted on the shaft <NUM> with the housing <NUM> surrounding the two rotors. Where two such mills are required, one can be mounted at one end of the shafts <NUM>, <NUM> and the other at the other end with each mill being fed by the auger mounted on the shaft <NUM>.

The arrangement shown is particularly effective in that the destructor sections are mounted in the chopper housing <NUM> without significantly increasing the width of the structure. That is the chopper rotor remains of the same width as the straw path. Only the blowers <NUM> and <NUM> and the associated ducts <NUM>, <NUM> are mounted outside the width of the chopper housing. Alternatively, the blowers <NUM>, <NUM> could be mounted in the same plane as the destructor rotors <NUM>, <NUM> so that only the ducts <NUM>, <NUM> are outside the chopper width utilizing a narrow configuration and a small amount of space on the combine harvester.

Also the weed seed destructors <NUM> and <NUM> generate an air flow volume and rate somewhat similar to that of the conventional fans of the conventional Redekop chopper (of the type shown in the abovementioned patent) so that the total volume of air generated and fed onto the tail board with the combined first and second materials for spreading is equal to or even greater than that of the conventional chopper.

The destructors <NUM> and <NUM> are located in the separate sections at the ends of the rotor so that they do not interfere with the conventional straw chopping action of the rotor.

The weed seed destructors are arranged to expel the second material into a secondary spreading device. In the embodiment shown this is the tailboard. However other arrangements may use a rotary spreading system. This can be used where the air flow is insufficient to generate the required spread such as where the straw chopping section is internal to the combine rather than the dedicated rear chopper shown.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the rotor is the rear straw chopper so that the transfer system can be mounted in front of the chopper housing. However as shown in <FIG>, in an arrangement where there is no rear straw chopper, or there is not an efficiency in mounting the weed seed destructor to the rear chopping rotor, the shaft mounting the weed seed destructors can be the shaft <NUM> of the internal discharge beater <NUM> of the combine. Again the destructor can be located with two end annular members <NUM> on the shaft <NUM> within the width of the combine housing. Also a single destructor <NUM> can be mounted on the shaft <NUM> at one end in which case the destructor may be outside the housing.

In yet another arrangement shown in <FIG> the destructor <NUM> is mounted to the shaft <NUM> of an internal straw chopper <NUM>. In both these cases, again the second material can be collected by an auger and fan arrangement such as that in <FIG> but the ducts extend forwardly to a location at the respective cross shaft within the combine.

In yet another arrangement the destructor shown in <FIG> a destructor <NUM> is mounted to an independent cross shaft <NUM>. In both these cases, again the second material can be collected by a transfer device such as an auger and fan arrangement such as that in <FIG> but the ducts extend to the location at the respective cross shaft within the combine.

In yet another arrangement (not shown) a rotor of the destructor is mounted to the shaft 17A and a second rotor surface is mounted on the shaft <NUM> of the transfer device. The second material can be collected by a transfer device such as an auger and fan arrangement such as that in <FIG> but the ducts extend to the location at the respective cross shaft within the combine.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Further aspect of the disclosure include the following:
A combine harvester comprising:.

At least one of the first and second surfaces can be mounted on said rotor shaft for rotation therewith.

The rotor shaft can carry a plurality of straw engaging members for engaging the straw.

The destructor section can be located at a position on the rotor shaft axially separated from the straw engaging members.

At least one destructor section can be located at a respective end of the rotor shaft.

Said at least one destructor section may comprise a first destructor section at a first end of the rotor shaft and a second destructor section at a second end of the rotor shaft.

Said at least one destructor section may include a common discharge with a discharge for the first material.

Said at least one destructor section may be arranged to expel the second material into a secondary spreading device. The secondary spreading device may comprise a tailboard with a plurality of fins.

The rotary member may be rear straw chopper.

A rotational axis of the destructor section can be co-axial with a rotor shaft of the straw chopper.

The destructor section can be located at a position on the rotor shaft axially separated from straw engaging members on the rotor shaft.

The rotary member may be an internal straw chopper.

Said at least one weed destructor section may comprise at least one cutting blade in the inlet for cutting material other than chaff in the second material.

The combine harvester may comprise a transfer system to move the second material from a discharge location to the weed seed destructor section.

Said transfer system may comprise at least one duct and a blower arrangement for blowing the second material along the duct.

The rotor shaft and the transfer system may be driven by a common drive system receiving drive from an output shaft of the combine harvester.

The transfer system drive can be decoupled from the common drive.

There can be provided a bypass by which the second material can bypass the transfer system.

Said transfer system can comprise an intake in front of the rotary member.

Said transfer system can comprise a housing which is mounted on a housing of the rotary member.

Said transfer system can comprise an arrangement for moving the second material outwardly to at least one side of the combine harvester and a duct to convey the second material to the seed destruction section.

Said transfer system can comprise an auger flight which is mounted on a shaft at the discharge location.

Said auger flight of said transfer system can be mounted on a shaft which drives a blower arrangement at the duct.

Said auger flight of said transfer system can be arranged to move the second material to each side of the combine harvester and wherein there is provided a rotor arrangement at each side.

The blower arrangement can be located outside the end of the rotor housing and duct extends outside an end wall of a housing of the rotary member.

Claim 1:
A combine harvester comprising:
a separation system for separating harvested crop into a first material (<NUM>) comprising straw and a second material (<NUM>) comprising chaff and weed seeds;
a rotary member (<NUM>) mounted on the combine harvester at a location thereon to engage the first material (<NUM>) comprising the straw, the rotary member (<NUM>) including a rotor shaft (17A);
at least one weed seed destructor section (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising:
an inlet (<NUM>) receiving the second material (<NUM>) comprising chaff and weed seeds;
first surfaces (<NUM>, <NUM>) and second surfaces (<NUM>, <NUM>) engaging the second material (<NUM>) comprising chaff and weed seeds;
the first surfaces (<NUM>, <NUM>) and second surfaces (<NUM>, <NUM>) being mounted for relative rotation such that the second material (<NUM>) comprising chaff and weed seeds is impacted between said first and second surfaces so that the weed seeds in the second material are devitalized before being spread onto the ground;
wherein the weed seed destructor section is mounted at or adjacent the rotary member which provides a drive shaft for the weed seed destructor section;
characterized in that there is provided a transfer system (<NUM>) to move the second material (<NUM>) from a discharge location of the second material (<NUM>) to said inlet (<NUM>) of said at least one weed seed destructor section (<NUM>, <NUM>) wherein said transfer system (<NUM>) comprises at least one duct (<NUM>, <NUM>) and a blower arrangement (<NUM>, <NUM>) for blowing the second material along the duct.