Patent Description:
Rotary threshing or separating systems are used in agricultural combines for threshing crops to separate grain from crop residue, also referred to as material other than grain (MOG). Such axially arranged systems typically include at least one cylindrical rotor rotated within a cage or concave, with the rotor and surrounding concave being oriented so as to extend forwardly to rearwardly within the combine.

During operation of the combine, crop material is fed or directed into a circumferential passage between the rotor and the concave and is carried rearwardly along a generally helical path through such passage by rotation of the rotor as grain is threshed from the crop material. The flow of crop residue remaining between the rotor and concave after threshing is typically discharged or expelled at a rear or downstream end of the rotor.

After discharge from the threshing system, the crop residue is typically directed into a crop residue distribution system located below and rearwardly of the rear end of the rotor. The crop residue distribution system typically includes a rotary beater or chopper or other apparatus that conveys and/or chops and propels the residue rearwardly towards an area within the rear end of the combine, hereinafter referred to as a distribution chamber. The crop residue provided within the distribution chamber may be (i) discharged therefrom onto a field as a windrow, (ii) directed into a crop residue spreader mounted on or at the rear end of the combine that is operable for spreading the residue over a swath of a field, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

Windrowing typically occurs when users desire to retain the crop residue for post-processing. In such cases, the residue, which may be chopped or un-chopped, is discharged from the combine, without entering the chopper/spreader, to form a windrow directly behind the combine. A windrow door is typically positioned at the rear opening and is pivotable between a closed position, wherein the crop residue is diverted into the spreader, and an open position, wherein the crop residue is directed over the spreader, through the rear opening, onto a windrow chute and onto the field. When the crop residue is to be discharged onto a field to form a windrow, it is typically preferred that the crop residue be distributed onto the windrow chute extending from the rear opening to allow for the formation of a desirable windrow shape.

A crop residue spreader mounted on or at the rear end of the combine is configured to distribute the processed crop materials or residue over a harvested field. Spreader assemblies typically include counter rotating disks or impellers mounted on a frame for receiving all or part of the processed crop material or residue from the distribution chamber and spreading the material in a generally even side to side manner behind the harvester. As is described in <CIT> to CNH America LLC (the '<NUM> Patent), the spreader assembly may be pivotably mounted, such that the spreader assembly can be moved between operating and inoperative positions depending on the desired operating state of the harvester.

The spreader assembly may include a transition hood, also known as a distribution hood or a spreader hood, specially configured for spreading chaff in a uniform manner and positioned at or near the outlet of the impellers. The transition hood may be provided with a stationary or movable deflector to modify the distribution of the crop residue exiting the rotary disks, for example, to deposit crop residue more evenly across the width of the harvester or across the distribution area behind the harvester.

<CIT>, <CIT>, and <CIT>, describe moveable deflection distributors mounted directly to the spreader frame. The deflectors are mounted directly to the spreader frame between the impellers at their outlet, with the mounting and/or activating elements positioned within the impeller housing. These spreader assemblies and others, wherein the distribution deflector and/or distribution hood are connected directly to the spreader frame, allow that crop material can bridge across the impeller housing and/or hood divider to plug or block the spreader and interrupt operation of the harvester.

In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to configure a spreader assembly so that crop material has an exit path from the spreader without bridging across the impeller housing and/or distribution hood divider or other elements of the distribution hood to block, plug, or bind in the spreader.

Although various components of agricultural harvesters are mentioned in the Background section, such disclosure is not an admission that those components are admitted prior art.

According to one aspect of the invention, a crop residue spreader for an agricultural harvester comprises: a spreader frame; counter-rotating impellers mounted on the spreader frame for receiving a crop residue from a threshing system and/or cleaning system of the harvester and discharging the crop residue from the harvester; a distribution hood mounted in close proximity to the impellers for distributing a crop residue discharged by the impellers; and a common structural member independently supporting both the spreader frame and the distribution hood, wherein the spreader frame and the distribution hood form a gap for the discharging crop residue to exit the spreader without binding.

According to another aspect of the invention, the spreader frame further comprises a housing at least partially enclosing the impellers.

According to another aspect of the invention, the distribution hood comprises a distribution deflector for deflecting the discharging crop residue.

According to another aspect of the invention, the distribution deflector is an oscillating distribution deflector.

According to another aspect of the invention, the distribution hood comprises a support member for the distribution deflector.

According to another aspect of the invention, a rotating shaft suspended from the distribution deflector support member oscillates the distribution deflector.

According to another aspect of the invention, a hydraulic driver drives the rotating shaft.

According to another aspect of the invention, the hydraulic driver is connected to the distribution deflector by a pitman arm.

According to another aspect of the invention, the distribution hood comprises a divider facing the discharging crop residue.

According to another aspect of the invention, the divider covers the support member supporting the distribution deflector.

According to another aspect of the invention, the distribution deflector comprises a replaceable nose cap.

According to another aspect of the invention, the common structural member comprises one or more spreader pivot arms.

According to another aspect of the invention, the one or more pivot arms are mounted to a straw hood of the agricultural harvester.

According to another aspect of the invention, an agricultural harvester comprises a crop residue spreader, wherein the crop residue spreader comprises: a spreader frame; counter-rotating impellers mounted on the spreader frame for receiving and discharging crop residue; a distribution hood mounted in close proximity to the impellers for distributing a crop residue discharged by the impellers; and a common structural member independently supporting both the spreader frame and the distribution hood, wherein the spreader frame and the distribution hood form a gap for the discharging crop residue to exit the spreader without binding.

According to another aspect of the invention, an agricultural harvester comprises: a threshing system and/or a cleaning system producing a flow or stream of crop residue; a rear cavity enclosed by a straw hood for receiving the flow or stream of crop residue from the threshing system and/or the cleaning system; and a crop residue spreader for an agricultural harvester, the spreader comprising: a spreader frame; counter-rotating impellers mounted on the spreader frame for receiving the flow or stream of crop residue from the rear cavity of the straw hood and discharging the crop residue from the harvester; a distribution hood mounted in close proximity to the impellers for distributing a crop residue discharged by the impellers; and a common structural member independently supporting both the spreader frame and the distribution hood, wherein the spreader frame and the distribution hood form a gap for the discharging crop residue to exit the spreader without binding.

The crop residue spreader of the invention provides a clear path for exiting crop material without binding and a reliable means to support an oscillating deflector to ensure uniform crop residue distribution behind the harvester.

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 an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to <FIG>, there is shown an agricultural combine <NUM>. Combine <NUM> includes a threshing system <NUM> having a rotor <NUM> rotatable for separating straw <NUM> from the harvested crop, and a beater <NUM> rotatable for propelling or directing a flow or stream of straw <NUM> rearwardly along an airborne trajectory through a rear cavity <NUM> enclosed by a straw hood <NUM>. Combine <NUM> also includes a cleaning system <NUM> for receiving the harvested crop from threshing system <NUM> and removing chaff <NUM> from the grain and directing a flow or stream of chaff <NUM> rearwardly through a lower region of rear cavity <NUM>, towards a lower opening <NUM> in which a crop residue spreader <NUM>, is shown located, constructed and operable according to the present invention. <FIG> depict in greater detail the crop residue spreader <NUM>.

Referring now to <FIG> and <FIG>, there is shown a crop residue spreader <NUM> for an agricultural harvester <NUM>, including a structural member in the form of a pair of swing arms <NUM> for mounting the spreader <NUM> to the straw hood <NUM>. Spreader frame <NUM> is mounted to swing arms <NUM>, and mounted on spreader frame <NUM> are a pair of counter-rotating impellers <NUM>. Impellers <NUM> are configured to receive a crop residue (i.e., straw <NUM> and/or chaff <NUM>) from, for example, the threshing system <NUM> and/or cleaning system <NUM> of the harvester <NUM> through lower opening <NUM>. Impellers <NUM> are at least partially surrounded by housing <NUM>, the housing <NUM> being substantially open in the rearward direction to allow the impellers <NUM> to discharge the crop residue to the rear of the harvester <NUM>. A center section <NUM> of the impeller housing <NUM> extends and tapers rearwardly between the impellers <NUM>, partially separating and dividing the impellers <NUM>. Impellers <NUM> may also be provided with movable hoods (not shown) to modify the flow of crop residue exiting the impeller housing <NUM>. An example of such a movable impeller housing is described in <CIT>.

Distribution hood <NUM> is mounted on swing arms <NUM> in close proximity to the impellers <NUM> and impeller housing <NUM> in a rearward direction facing the discharge of crop residue from the impellers <NUM>. Spreader frame <NUM> and distribution hood <NUM> are commonly but separately connected to pivot arms <NUM>. Pivot arms <NUM> independently support both spreader frame <NUM> and distribution hood <NUM> without direct connection of spreader frame <NUM> to distribution hood <NUM>, with a gap <NUM> opening between the spreader frame <NUM> and distribution hood <NUM>. Gap <NUM> allows that crop residue ejected by impellers <NUM> may exit the impeller housing <NUM> without bridging, binding, or catching on the housing <NUM> or distribution hood <NUM> and clogging the spreader <NUM>.

Referring also now to <FIG>, distribution hood <NUM> includes distribution hood divider <NUM>, divider nose piece <NUM>, divider nose cap <NUM>, divider wings <NUM>, and distribution hood frame <NUM>. Suspended from the midpoint of distribution hood frame <NUM> and at least partially housed within divider <NUM> is deflector mounting bracket <NUM>, which supports oscillating deflector <NUM>. Aft of divider <NUM> and divider wings <NUM>, oscillating deflector <NUM> is mounted to deflector mounting bracket <NUM> via deflector shaft mount <NUM>. Windrow chute <NUM> is positioned generally above distribution hood <NUM> at the rear of straw hood <NUM>. Extending rearwardly over distribution hood <NUM> from windrow chute <NUM> is swath board <NUM>. Rear baffle <NUM> is suspended from swath board <NUM> aft of oscillating deflector <NUM> and deflector frame <NUM>, forming recess <NUM> between rear baffle <NUM> and separator wings <NUM>. In operation, deflector <NUM> oscillates at least partly into and out of recess <NUM> to alter the trajectory of crop residue ejected from the impeller housing <NUM> by impellers <NUM>.

Referring now to <FIG> and <FIG>, the independent connection of distribution hood <NUM> and spreader frame <NUM> to pivot arms <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>) suspends distribution hood <NUM> above and away from spreader frame <NUM>, forming gap <NUM> for crop residue to exit the spreader <NUM> without clogging or binding. In the embodiment illustrated, gap <NUM> is narrowest where the center section <NUM> of impeller housing <NUM> faces divider nose <NUM> and nose cap <NUM> of distribution hood <NUM>. Gap <NUM> may be sized appropriately to permit crop residue to exit the spreader, typically at least about <NUM> clearance between the distribution hood <NUM> and spreader frame <NUM>. Referring now also to <FIG>, the surfaces of impeller housing center section <NUM> and nose cap <NUM> are oriented at about <NUM> degrees from vertical and diverge so that gap <NUM> widens in the direction of the crop residue exiting the impeller housing <NUM> and spreader <NUM>. Preferably, the facing surfaces of the distribution hood <NUM> and the spreader frame <NUM> diverge a minimum of about five degrees from one another in the general direction of the exiting crop residue.

Referring further to <FIG>, oscillating deflector <NUM> is mounted on the distribution hood <NUM>. At least partly enclosed within distribution hood divider <NUM>, deflector mount bracket <NUM> is suspended from distribution hood frame <NUM>. Deflector shaft mount <NUM> is bolted to deflector mount bracket <NUM> and supports deflector shaft <NUM> on deflector shaft bearings <NUM>. Deflector shaft connects to deflector frame <NUM>, and oscillating deflector <NUM> is mounted on deflector frame <NUM>. Deflector driver <NUM> is connected to deflector frame <NUM> by pitman arm <NUM> and drives movement of deflector shaft <NUM> in a rotational, oscillatory pattern.

The deflector driver <NUM> may use any type of power, such as electrical, mechanical, or hydraulic power, to move the deflector <NUM>. In one embodiment, deflector driver <NUM> can be, for example, a motor that is adapted to rotate deflector shaft <NUM> a predetermined number of degrees from a neutral position and then return deflector shaft <NUM> to the neutral position. Such motors are commonly employed to drive windshield wipers on various types of vehicles and can be readily adapted to use according to the present invention. By constantly oscillating the movement of the deflector <NUM> in this fashion, stripes of crop residue being formed on the field can be reduced or avoided by constantly varying the deflection pattern of the crop residue. For example, deflector driver <NUM> can oscillate the deflector <NUM> with an oscillation amplitude 2α of about <NUM>° from a neutral position, but it is also contemplated that the oscillation amplitude 2α can be other values between <NUM>° and <NUM>°. A similar effect can also be obtained by linearly moving the deflector <NUM> from side-to-side with a deflector driver <NUM> that reciprocates the deflector <NUM>, with many types of drivers (not illustrated) that can create reciprocating movement being known. Each stroke of the reciprocating movement can be adjusted to achieve a desired spread pattern.

Claim 1:
A crop residue spreader (<NUM>) for an agricultural harvester (<NUM>), comprising:
a spreader frame (<NUM>);
counter-rotating impellers (<NUM>) mounted on the spreader frame (<NUM>) for receiving a crop residue (<NUM>, <NUM>) from a crop threshing and/or cleaning system (<NUM>) of the harvester (<NUM>) and discharging the crop residue (<NUM>, <NUM>) from the harvester;
a distribution hood (<NUM>) mounted in close proximity to the impellers (<NUM>) for distributing a crop residue (<NUM>, <NUM>) discharged by the impellers (<NUM>); and characterized by
a common structural member (<NUM>) independently supporting both the spreader frame (<NUM>) and the distribution hood (<NUM>), wherein the spreader frame (<NUM>) and the distribution hood (<NUM>) form a gap (<NUM>) for the discharging crop residue (<NUM>, <NUM>) to exit the spreader (<NUM>).