Patent Description:
Weeds and weed control are, and always have been, one of the biggest constraints and costs to grain production. Weeds are a perpetual problem that limits the food production capacity of agricultural area around the globe. Weeds compete with the cultivated crops for water, sunlight and nutrients. In the past <NUM> years there has been a shift from tillage, to the use of herbicides, as being the most valuable tool to control weeds. Herbicides in general give much better control of weeds than tillage methods and do not have the major issues of soil erosion, moisture loss and breakdown of soil structure. The wide spread use and reliance of herbicides has resulted weeds evolving resistance to herbicides. The herbicide resistance is now widespread and presents one of the biggest threats to global food security. Strategies to provide non chemical weed control to compliment herbicides are now paramount to reduce the selection pressure for herbicide resistance. One method of significant renewed interest is destroying weed seeds at harvest time to interrupt the weed cycle.

Many crop weeds share a similar life cycle to harvested crops. Once a crop matures and is harvested, there is a broad range of weeds that have viable seeds remaining on the plant above the cutting height of the harvester. These weeds enter the harvester and their seeds either end up in a grain tank, out with straw residues, or out with chaff residues. There are a range of factors that determine where a weed seed will end up at harvest time including moisture content, maturity, and harvester setup. A major factor that determines where a seed ends up is the aerodynamic properties of the seeds or its terminal velocity. Often a weed seed is much lighter than the grain being harvested. Crop cleaning system used during harvesting employ a winnowing action to remove light chaff material from the heavier grain using airflow and mechanical sieving. The light weed seeds are caught in the wind and can exit the back of the harvester sieve. The residues and contained weed seeds are then spread on the ground to be a problem for next year. The residues also contain a proportion of grain being harvested that could not be separated by the harvester. This grain loss has the potential to become a volunteer weed after harvest. There is an opportunity to intercept and destroy weed seeds in the residues before allowing them to become a problem for next year's crop.

One method to destroy these weed seeds is to use a milling technology. Milling technology has been used for particle size reduction of a range of feedstock for over a century. Milling technology can be separated into crushing and impact technology.

The most common crushing size reduction technology is the roller mill. Roller mills have been investigated for the purpose of destroying weed seeds at harvest time. <CIT> describe a roller shear mill for destroying weed seeds out of clean grain screenings. <CIT> describes using a separating device and roller mill to crush foreign matter such as weed seeds. A limitation of the roller mill is the ability to handle the bulk of residue material that contains the weed seeds and thus rely on a separation means to reduce the residue material.

Impact mills use high impact speeds generated by rotating elements to pulverise material. Impact mills have also been of interest for the destruction of weed seeds at harvest.

A widely used type of impact mill is a hammer mill, which uses a rotor with impact elements to pulverise material and a screen to classify the output size distribution.

Hammer mills are highly versatile and can accept a wide range of feed materials. Plant material such as crop residues is fibrous and difficult to process. The use of hammer mills to devitalise weed seeds in crop residues has been well documented. The use of hammer mills onboard a harvester to devitalise weed seeds has been subject of multiple patents (e.g. <CIT> <CIT> ). An advantage of hammer mills is that in addition to impact, they induce crushing, shear and attrition forces that make them particularly useful for size reduction of fibrous materials. Another advantage of hammer mills is that they often have flexible impact elements that are replaceable and can handle some foreign objects without damage.

<CIT> discloses a hammer mill which is used to separate fibers and pith from plant materials such as bagasse from sugar canes or bamboo. In a closed housing of the hammer mill, a plurality of hammers, which are connected to cylindrical plates via bolts, are arranged on a rotor shaft. The plant material is conveyed into the hammer mill via an inlet, where it is then continuously beaten by the hammers and moved in the direction along the rotor shaft. This separates the fibers from the pith, whereby the fibers themselves are loosened from each other rather than being crushed. The pith can be discharged by means of a screen, whereby the fibers cannot pass through the screen. The pith then finally leaves the hammer mill through the outlet provided for this purpose. The remaining pith-free fibers are then directed towards a further outlet.

A further advantage of the hammer mill is that the screen size controls particle fineness and can then control the proportion of weed devitalisation. Control of output size distribution is particularly valuable in the processing of crop residues where material type and moisture conditions change significantly. Change in material conditions result in still similar output size distribution and weed material processing remains less dependent on material conditions than would be without the use of screens.

A disadvantage of current hammer mills is that the screen which controls particle size distribution determines throughput capacity. In general, to devitalise weed seeds a small screen size is required and hence throughput capacity is limited. A hammer mill with concentric screens of varying sizes has been described by <CIT>. The Emmanouilidis mill has a central impact zone and additional screens are used to separate output material into different size fractions. The inner primary zone in the Emmanouilidis mill still dictates capacity and overall size reduction.

In <CIT>), a hammer mill for comminuting a fed material to produce fine particles is known, wherein the hammer mill does not have perforated screens but a cutting plate. The fed material enters the working chamber via a material inlet, where it then encounters rotating hammers, which are mounted on a driven rotor via pins. The rotating hammers throw the fed material against a cutting plate. The cutting plate has slots which have an angle which is opposite to the angles of the leading edges of the hammers. The material then moves within the working chamber in a spiral path, with the crushed material ultimately leaving the hammer mill via the particle discharge outlet. By adjusting the parameters, such as the distance between the leading edges of the hammer and the cutting plate or the angle of the slots and the angle of the leading edges of the hammer, the required degree of comminution and the particle size of the material can be specifically controlled. This is possible because the residence time of the fed material in the working chamber, which is directly related to the achieved particle size of the comminuted material, can be changed by setting the various parameters.

A different type of impact mill is a cage mill. A cage mill applies predominantly impact forces and level of size reduction is set through rotational speed and the number of concentric rows of bars. There is no classification of particle size with a cage mill.

The impact forces in a cage mill make them suitable for friable or brittle materials and are not widely used for processing fibrous materials. However, one example is described in <CIT>) which is proposed for destruction of weed seeds. The Zani cage mill has concentric rows of impact elements supported by a ring. The mill is driven at high impact speed to destroy weed seeds. The arrangement can be neatly integrated into the harvester. The arrangement however has limited capacity and cannot process the entire chaff residue fraction exiting the harvesters sieve.

Therefore, the Zani system relies on sieving to concentrate the weed seeds for processing.

An increased capacity cage mill is described in <CIT>) to handle the whole chaff material fraction to destroy weed seeds. The Harrington mill uses a large counter rotating cage mill that has fan blades similar to <CIT>) to increase airflow and capacity. This cage mill is large, heavy, requires a complex counter rotating drive and requires considerable power to operate. The system has its own power package and is towed behind the grain harvester. The size, weight and drive, limits options to integrate the cage mill into the harvester. The mill incorporates cylindrical bars that limit impact speeds because of glancing blows. The impact speed therefore has a large distribution. To get sufficient impact energy into weed seeds requires counter rotation of the cage structures.

The current state of the art for seed destroying mill technology is described in <CIT>). Berry Saunders uses a rotor stator cage mill that is much simpler to integrate into a grain harvester than the counter rotation systems. The Berry Saunders mill provides an advance on the Zani cage mill by improving the throughput capacity and seed kill performance of the mill system. It achieves this by using a central distribution element (also described in <CIT>) and angular static bars that are slanted against the rotation of the rotor. A purportedly novel aspect of the Berry Saunders mill is that the spacing between the angled impact bars determines if a seed will pass through to the next row of impact bars or stay within the current row of impact bars. The size of the seed does not determine if it passes through the row of impact bars or remains.

The relatively simple workings of cage mills which apply predominantly impact and do not use size classification has enabled computer modelling techniques to be used to predict mill performance. The Berry Saunders mill has been optimised using computer modelling techniques to apply the ideal requirements to devitalise weed seeds using impact alone. However, there has been little concern for the airflow component of the power consumption. The rotor bars are narrow with sharp edges resulting in high drag coefficient and turbulence generation. The stator bars are orientated to result in torque converter or water brake dynamometer like turbulence generation and wasted heat generation.

One disadvantage of this approach is that the stator impact bars take up a lot of space radially. This in turns means that adjacent rows of rotating impact bars are spaced a long way apart. For a weed seed devitalisation mill, or a particle destruction mill for that matter, impact speed is crucial. When impact bars are spaced widely apart the impact speed difference between each subsequent row is significant.

The above references to the background art do not constitute an admission that the art forms a part of the common general knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the art. The above references are also not intended to limit the application of the material processing barrel and associated material processing system as disclosed herein.

A general idea of the disclosed barrel and corresponding processing system is to facilitate the processing of material by subjecting the material to a plurality of impacts against an inner surface of a barrel like structure by the action of an impact mechanism rotates that about an axis of the barrel. This creates a spiral flow path of the material between an inlet opening and an outlet opening that are formed in the inner surface and spaced along the axis. The spiral flow path is longer than the axial distance between the inlet opening an outlet opening thereby providing an effective increase in impact surface area for the material.

A further idea of at least one embodiment of the disclosed barrel structure is to form its inner surface with a configuration that, for a material containing two or more types of constituents, differentially processes the different constituents. The difference in processing may arise for example from a difference in the density of the constituents, or their particle size or particle shape.

One particular application for the barrel and corresponding system is in agriculture and in particular the devitalisation of weed seeds during harvesting. In such an application the barrel and system can operate to effect one or more of: particle size reduction, fragmentation, fracturing, crushing and milling.

In a first aspect there is disclosed a barrel for a material processing system comprising:
a barrel like structure having a circumferential wall with an impervious textured inner impact surface extending circumferentially about a central axis of the barrel-like structure, at least one inlet opening to the barrel-like structure and at least one outlet opening from the barrel-like structure, the at least one inlet opening and the at least one outlet opening being spaced along the central axis wherein the impact surface is formed with a plurality of valleys or protrusions or both valleys and protrusions configured to guide, or otherwise induce motion of, the material entering through the at least one inlet opening to travel in a spiral path about the central axis toward the at least one outlet opening characterized in that the at least one inlet opening and the at least one outlet opening comprise: (i) respective inlet openings located at or near opposite axial ends of the barrel like structure, and an outlet opening located between the respective inlet openings; or, (ii) respective outlet openings located at or near opposite axial ends of the barrel like structure, and an inlet opening located between the respective outlet openings.

In one embodiment the valleys or protrusions lie in an oblique orientation with reference to the central axis.

In one embodiment the valleys or protrusions are arranged in first and second sets, wherein the valleys or protrusions in the first set extend from or near a first of the axial ends toward a central radial plane of the barrel like structure and the valleys or protrusions in the second set extend from or near a second of the axial ends toward the central radial plane.

In one embodiment the valleys or protrusions in the first and second sets are symmetrically orientated about the central radial plane.

In one embodiment the barrel comprises an aperture mechanism located between one of the inlet openings and one of the outlet openings, the aperture mechanism arranged to enable control of a flow of material between the one of the inlet openings and the one of the outlet openings.

In one embodiment the aperture mechanism is one of a set of a plurality of interchangeable aperture mechanisms wherein at least two sets of the interchangeable aperture mechanisms have a mutually different aperture area.

In one embodiment the aperture mechanism comprises a central opening having a user selectable area.

In one embodiment the barrel comprises one or more screens located across the at least one outlet.

In one embodiment the barrel comprises one or more louvers located in or across the at least one outlet and operable for varying an effect open area of the at least one outlet.

In one embodiment the barrel like structure comprises a plurality of circumferential segments demountably coupled together along the central axis, each segment having a circumferential wall portion with an inner impact surface portion; wherein the circumferential wall portions of the segments together form the circumferential wall of the barrel like structure, and the inner impact surface portions of the segments together form with the impact surface of the barrel like structure.

In a further embodiment there is disclosed a barrel for a material processing system comprising: a plurality of circumferential segments capable of being demountably coupled together along the common central axis, each segment having a circumferential wall with an inner impact surface, and wherein the circumferential wall of at least two of the segments are provided with openings to form at least one inlet and at least one outlet which are spaced from each along the central axis. In one embodiment respective segments provided with openings are located at each axial end of the barrel.

In one embodiment at least one further segment provided with an opening is located between the axial ends of the barrel.

In one embodiment either (a) the openings located at the axial ends are both inlets enabling material to enter the barrel, and the opening of the at least one further segment is an outlet through which material can exit the barrel; or, (b) the openings located at the axial ends are both outlets enabling material to exit the barrel, and the opening of the at least one further segment is an inlet enabling material to enter the barrel.

In one embodiment the openings comprise a combination of one or more inlets for material to enter the barrel and one or more outlets to allow material to exit the barrel or an outlet.

In one embodiment each circumferential wall provided with an opening comprises an inner impact surface that extends continuously in a circumferential direction between opposite axial edges defining the opening.

In one embodiment wherein the inner impact surface for each circumferential wall provided with an opening extends for at least <NUM>° about the central axis.

In one embodiment the barrel comprises an aperture mechanism located between two mutually adjacent segments, the aperture mechanism arranged to enable control of a flow of material between the mutually adjacent segments.

In one embodiment the aperture mechanism comprises a central opening having a user selectable area. In one embodiment the barrel comprises one or more screens located across the outlets.

In one embodiment the barrel comprises one or more louvers located in or across the outlets and operable for varying an effect open area of the outlets.

In one embodiment the impact surface is an impervious textured surface formed with a plurality of valleys or protrusions or both valley and protrusions.

In one embodiment the valleys or protrusions are arranged in first and second sets, wherein the valleys or protrusions in the first set extend from or near a first of the axial ends toward a central radial plane of the barrel and the valleys or protrusions in the second set extend from or near a second of the axial ends toward the central radial plane.

In a further embodiment there is disclosed a material processing system comprising: a barrel like structure having a circumferential wall with an inner impact surface extending circumferentially about a central axis of the barrel-like structure, at least one inlet to the barrel-like structure and at least one outlet from the barrel-like structure, the inlet and the outlet being spaced along the axis; an impact mechanism rotatably supported to rotate about the central axis, the impact mechanism arranged to impact material entering the barrel and accelerate the material to impact the impact surface; and one or more spiral flow mechanisms arranged to induce motion of the material entering through the at least one inlet to travel in a spiral path about the axis toward the at least one outlet. In one embodiment the one or more spiral flow mechanisms includes one or protrusions or valleys formed on the impact surface that follow a spiral path or a path that is that is inclined or otherwise oblique, with reference to the central axis.

In one embodiment the one or more spiral flow mechanisms includes vanes or fins which are supported on and extend radially inward from the impact surface.

In one embodiment the impact mechanism comprises a shaft and a plurality of hammers extending from the shaft; and wherein the one or more spiral flow mechanisms includes: grooves or ribs that follow a twisted path; or vanes or fins; on the shaft.

In one embodiment the spiral flow mechanism includes configuration and/or angle of the hammers.

In a second aspect there is disclosed a material processing system comprising: a barrel according to the first aspect; and an impact mechanism rotatably supported to rotate about the central axis, the impact mechanism arranged to impact material entering the barrel and accelerate the material to impact the impact surface.

In this embodiment the impact mechanism comprises a shaft and a plurality of hammers coupled to the shaft.

In one embodiment at least two of the hammers are axially displaced relative to each other.

In one embodiment the hammers are pivotally or otherwise flexibly coupled to the shaft enabling a swinging motion or deflection of the hammers in a radial plane.

In one embodiment at least some hammers are located near an inlet and are curved in a direction forward of a direction of rotation of the shaft. In one embodiment at least some hammers are located at or near the outlet and are curved in a direction rearward of a direction of rotation of the shaft.

In a further embodiment there is disclosed a material processing system comprising: first and second barrels each according to the first aspect; and a respective impact mechanism for each of the barrels, the impact mechanisms rotatably supported to rotate about the central axis of a corresponding barrel and arranged to impact material entering the corresponding barrel and accelerate the material to impact the impact surface of the corresponding barrel; the first and second barrels being juxtaposed so that material exiting the at least one outlet of one barrel is arranged to feed into the at least one inlet of the second barrel.

In a further embodiment there is disclosed a material processing system comprising: a barrel having an interior impact surface, a central axis, and opposite axial ends; an impact mechanism capable of rotating about the central axis of the barrel, the impact mechanism and barrel cooperating to process the material by impacting the material to effect one or more of particle size reduction, fragmentation, fracturing, crushing and milling; at least two first openings and at least one second opening, wherein there is a first opening at each of the opposite axial ends and at least one second opening formed in the barrel between the opposite axial ends; and wherein each of the at least two first openings is either: (a) an inlet enabling material to enter the barrel; or, (b) an outlet enabling processed material to exit the barrel, and each of the at least one second openings is the other of an inlet and an outlet.

In a further embodiment there is disclosed a material processing system comprising: a barrel having an impact surface, a central axis, and opposite axial ends; an impact mechanism capable of rotating about the central axis of the barrel; first and second openings located one at each of the opposite axial ends; and at least one third opening formed in the barrel and located intermediate of the first and second openings; wherein the first and second openings are either inlets or outlets; and the at least one third opening is the other of the inlet and outlet. In one embodiment the impact surface is a textured surface formed with a plurality of valleys or protrusions of both valley and protrusions.

In one embodiment the valleys or protrusions are arranged in first and second sets, wherein the valleys or protrusions in the first set extend from or near first of the axial ends toward a central radial plane of the barrel and the valleys or protrusions in the second set extend from or near a second of the axial ends toward the central radial plane.

In one embodiment the system comprises one or more louvers located in or across each outlet and operable for varying an effective open area of the outlet.

In one embodiment the system comprises a material distributor arranged to direct material entering the barrel toward the inlets.

In one embodiment the impact mechanism comprises a shaft and a plurality of hammers coupled to the shaft.

In one embodiment at least two of the hammers are axially displaced relative to each other along the shaft.

In one embodiment the hammers are pivotally or otherwise flexibly coupled to the shaft enabling a swinging motion or deflection in a radial plane.

In a further embodiment there is disclosed a combine comprising a material processing system wherein the material processing system is mounted on the combine with the central axis orientated horizontally and at a location to receive a feed of chaff, the material processing system being operable to process the chaff.

In a further embodiment there is disclosed a material processing system comprising: a barrel having an inner surface, a central axis, and opposite axial ends; an impact mechanism capable of rotating about the central axis of the barrel; first and second openings formed in the barrel and spaced axially from each other, wherein material is able to enter the barrel through one of the first and second openings and wherein when the impact mechanism is rotating, at least some the material is processed by being impacted by the impact mechanism and/or against the inner surface and transported by action of the impact mechanism in a spiral path about the central axis to and discharged from the other of the first and second openings.

In one embodiment the system comprises a third opening located intermediate the first and second openings wherein either the first and second openings are inlets and the third opening is an outlet, or the first and second openings are outlets and the third opening is an inlet.

In one embodiment the barrel comprises a plurality of annular segments coupled together in mutual coaxial alignment.

Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the material processing barrel and associated material processing system as set forth in the Summary, specific embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to becoming drawings in which: <FIG> is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of the disclosed barrel and associated system looking in from an inlet chute onto a distributor which feeds material to inlets at each end of a barrel of the system;.

The following description of the embodiments of the disclosed material processing system <NUM> (hereinafter also referred to as "system <NUM>) and associated barrel <NUM> are made in the context of an agricultural application where the system <NUM> is mounted on a combine harvester for processing chaff and in particular devitalising seeds (for example, but not limited to weed seeds) in chaffs. For a crop harvested by a combine harvester the chaff may typically comprise a combination of small portions of straw, target grain husks and seeds from weeds or volunteers.

With reference to the accompanying drawings an embodiment of the disclosed system <NUM> comprises a material processing barrel like structure or body <NUM> (also referred to hereinafter more simply as "barrel <NUM>") having a milling or impact surface <NUM> and a central axis <NUM>. The impact surface <NUM> is impervious, in that material cannot pass through the surface <NUM>, but rather is contained by the surface. An impact mechanism <NUM> is located within barrel and is capable of rotating about the central axis <NUM>. In a broadest and most general embodiment the system <NUM> has at least two openings, one forming an inlet and the other forming an outlet. The openings are spaced along the axis <NUM>. As explained in more detail later, material processed by the system <NUM> is caused to travel in a spiral path along the axis <NUM> when flowing from an inlet to an outlet. The openings, be they inlets or outlets may be at axial ends of the barrel <NUM> or, as shown in the present embodiment, formed in the circumferential surface of the barrel <NUM>.

Various mechanisms may be used either separately or in any combination of two or more to induce the spiral flow path of the material (and air in which the material is entrained) from an inlet to an outlet. These mechanisms can include:.

In the embodiment illustrated in <FIG> the system <NUM> has openings 20a and 20b formed in the barrel <NUM> (i.e. in the surface <NUM>) at axially spaced locations along the axis <NUM>. In this example the openings 20a and 20b are at opposite axial ends of the barrel <NUM>. In this, but not all embodiments, the openings act as or form inlets and are hereinafter referred to in general as "inlet(s) <NUM>". At least one further opening <NUM> is formed in the barrel <NUM> at a location intermediate of the inlets <NUM> (i.e. between the opposite axial ends of the barrel <NUM>). In this embodiment the opening <NUM> is an outlet and is hereinafter referred as "outlet <NUM>".

According to the invention the impact surface is an impervious impact surface <NUM>. This surface is a textured surface. The texturing can take many forms such as a plurality of surface reliefs such as surface valleys, pits or grooves and/or surface elevations such as ridges, ribs, bumps, protrusions and projections; or other irregularities. In this embodiment and as seen most clearly from <FIG> the texturing of the impact surface <NUM> comprises a plurality alternating protrusions or ridges <NUM> and valleys <NUM>. The alternating arrangement is in the circumferential direction of the barrel <NUM>, i.e. about the central axis <NUM>.

In this embodiment the protrusions <NUM> are in the form of ribs, hereinafter referred to as "ribs <NUM>". With reference to <FIG> the ribs <NUM> are arranged in two sets of ribs 24a and 24b. The ribs <NUM> in the first set 24a extend from or near the first inlet 20a toward a mid transverse plane <NUM> of the barrel <NUM> that passes through a midpoint <NUM> of, and lies transverse to the central axis <NUM>. The ribs <NUM> in the second set of ribs 24b extend from or near the second inlet 20b toward the mid plane <NUM>. In this, but not all embodiments, the ribs <NUM> lie in an oblique orientation with reference to the central axis <NUM>. The sets of ribs 24a and 24b are symmetrical in terms of their orientation about the mid plane <NUM>.

In a general sense, the protrusions <NUM> flow path (a) is inclined or oblique relative to the central axis <NUM> or (b) otherwise follows a spiral like path about the axis <NUM>. Flowever, in this specific embodiment and as shown in <FIG> each of the ribs <NUM> extends in a continuous straight line L1 from its respective inlet <NUM> to the mid plane <NUM>. In this embodiment the ribs <NUM> (i.e. line L1) run at an included angle Q with reference to an axial line L2 on the impact surface <NUM> of about <NUM>°-<NUM>°. Flowever, in other embodiments the ribs <NUM> may be made to run at a different angle to change the residence time of material within the system <NUM>. The varying of the angle of the ribs <NUM> can be manual by way of a swap out of the surfaces in the barrel; or by having ribs <NUM> that are movably coupled to enable their angle to the axis <NUM> to be varied by actuators (e.g. linear actuators). The actuators may be controlled from the combine cab. Optimal processing by automatically adjusting actuators control system and machine learning may be implemented. This may be mechanically simple for later described embodiments of the barrel and system in which the barrel is composed of a plurality of separate segments <NUM>. The system <NUM> has a housing <NUM> which includes the barrel <NUM>. Perhaps as best seen in <FIG> the housing <NUM> has an inlet chute <NUM>. The inlet chute <NUM> is formed between opposite side walls <NUM> and <NUM>, and opposite top and bottom walls <NUM> and <NUM> of the housing <NUM>. Within the inlet chute <NUM> there is a distributor <NUM> for feeding material entering the inlet chute <NUM> to each of the inlets <NUM>. The distributor <NUM> feeds substantially equal amounts of material to each of the inlets 20a and 20b, assuming a uniform feed across the inlet chute <NUM>. This is achieved by forming the distributor <NUM> with respective slide or ramp surfaces 46a and 46b (hereinafter referred to in general as "slide surfaces <NUM>") which are declined from a common ridge <NUM> that is aligned with the mid plane28 and midpoint <NUM>.

The outlet <NUM> is formed as a cut out or removed portion of the barrel <NUM>. The outlet <NUM> is symmetrical about the mid plane <NUM>. The circumferential extent of the outlet <NUM> may range between about <NUM>° and about <NUM>°. One or more louvers or gates <NUM> may be provided in the outlet <NUM>. The louvers <NUM> may be located in or across the outlet <NUM> and are operable to vary or control the open area of the outlet <NUM>. Specifically, the louvres <NUM> may be swung between a fully open position where they extend in respective radial planes with reference to the axis <NUM>, to a fully closed position where the louvres <NUM> lie substantially tangentially to a radius from the central axis <NUM>. Varying the position of the louvres <NUM> has the effect of varying the outlet area of the outlet <NUM>. This in turn can be used as one mechanism to vary residence time of the material in the system <NUM>.

The outlet <NUM> can be located anywhere about the outer circumference of the barrel <NUM>. The location of the outlet <NUM> may be determined by the nature of the machine to which the system <NUM> is fitted including the relative position of the system <NUM> and a downstream system or mechanism to which the output of the system <NUM> is fed, for example a chaff spreader, tail board, or a straw chopper. For example, if it is desired to feed the output of the system <NUM> to a straw chopper from a location where the inlet of the straw chopper is about level with the bottom of a horizontally orientated system <NUM>, then the outlet <NUM> may be formed to extend across a <NUM>° arc from say about the <NUM> o'clock to the <NUM> o'clock position around the rotation axis <NUM>. In another example where say a horizontally installed system <NUM> is required to feed its output to a chaff spreader or a straw chopper with an inlet located vertically above the axis <NUM> then the outlet <NUM> may be formed to extend across about <NUM>° from about the <NUM> o'clock position to the <NUM> o'clock position. The louvres <NUM> and/or cowlings <NUM> (described later) may also be used to assist in directing the output of the system <NUM> is required.

The impact mechanism <NUM> comprises a central shaft <NUM> and a plurality of hammers <NUM> that are coupled to and extended generally radially of the central shaft <NUM>. The shaft <NUM> may also be arranged to induce an axial motion of the material and air flowing through the barrel <NUM>. This may be achieved for example by profiling the outer circumferential surface of the shaft <NUM> for example: with longitudinal grooves or ribs that follow a twisted path; or by the attachment of blades or fins which are profiled to induce material and air flow in a desired direction for example from the inlets to the outlet.

Each hammer <NUM> has an arm <NUM> that may be pivotally or otherwise flexibly coupled to the shaft <NUM>. In this way the hammers act as flails. In the event of such coupling the hammers <NUM> are able to swing, deflect or otherwise provide a degree of give in a radial plane if impacted by a hard foreign object within the mill. The purpose of this is to help reduce the risk of major damage to the hammers <NUM> and the system <NUM>.

Each hammer <NUM> has a radially outer edge <NUM> located with a small clearance from the impact/milling surface <NUM>. The edge <NUM> is formed with a plurality of spaced apart grooves or flutes <NUM>. The purpose of the flutes <NUM> is to assist in fragmenting elongated material such as straw that may enter system <NUM> from the inlets <NUM> and reducing smearing of material on the impact surface <NUM>. Additionally, the flutes <NUM> may have a combing effect on straw contained in the chaff and thus further assist in creating a differential in motion and/or processing of the straw in comparison to weed seeds contained in the chaff. In this embodiment an impact side <NUM> of the hammers <NUM> is substantially planar and lies in an axial plane. A trailing face <NUM> of the hammers is scalloped. The purpose of this is to balance the impact mechanism <NUM>. In the absence of the scalloping the centre of gravity of the hammers <NUM> would be offset from the centre of gravity of the shaft <NUM> which may lead to instability together with increased bearing wear and heat generation. The hammers <NUM> are distributed about the shaft <NUM> both circumferentially and axially. Thus at least two of the hammers are axially displaced relative to each other along the shaft. Many different distribution patterns for the hammers <NUM> are possible. For example, the hammers may be arranged in rings having the same number of hammers <NUM> (for example <NUM> hammers in each ring) where the hammers in each ring are evenly spaced circumferentially about the shaft <NUM> and the hammers in axially adjacent rings are axially aligned with each other. However, in another embodiment the hammers can be arranged in rings as in the previous example but where the hammers in axially adjacent rings are circumferentially offset from each other. In yet a further alternative the hammers may be arranged in a spiral path from one end of the shaft <NUM> to the other.

In yet a further variation the hammers <NUM> may be rigidly fixed to the central hub rather than pivotally coupled. Also, the hammers may be formed to have a single arm rather than the illustrated bifurcated arm; and/or have simple planar faces on opposite sides. The radially outer axial edge of the hammers can also be formed with a simple straight edge rather than with the flutes <NUM>.

The general operation of the system <NUM> is as follows. The system <NUM> may be conveniently mounted on a combine harvester near an end of a grain sieve, with the axis <NUM> orientated horizontally. The function of the grain sieve is to separate a target grain from chaff. The target grain may fall into a sump and then be moved for example with an auger to a storage bin. The remaining chaff progresses toward the end of the sieve from which it feeds into the inlet chute <NUM> of the disclosed system <NUM>. (In the absence of the, or another, mill the chaff from the grain sieve would ordinarily feed into a chaff spreader.

Some of the chaff near the inside of the side walls <NUM> and <NUM> may fall directly into the inlets 20a, 20b. The remaining chaff falls onto the distributor <NUM> which then feeds that chaff to the inlets 20a and 20b of the barrel <NUM>. The chaff in the barrel is processed by way of being impacted by the hammers <NUM> and accelerated toward and onto the impact surface <NUM>. The material impacted by the hammers and accelerated onto the impact surface <NUM> is fragmented. Weed seeds contained within the chaff are also fragmented and devitalised. The material entering the barrel <NUM> from the inlets <NUM> may be transported toward the outlet <NUM> by one or both of two actions of the system <NUM>. One of these is a pressure differential created by the rotation of the hammers <NUM> about the axis <NUM>. This rotation increases air pressure within the barrel with reference to ambient pressure. Provided the outlet <NUM> is open to at least some extent the outlet <NUM> forms a low-pressure area within the barrel <NUM>. Accordingly, the system <NUM> generates an air flow from the inlets <NUM> to the central outlet <NUM> which entrains the material being milled. A second of these actions arises by configuring the impact surface <NUM> to guide, or otherwise induce motion of, the material entering through an inlet <NUM> to travel in a spiral path about the axis <NUM> toward an outlet <NUM>. In this embodiment this is achieved by way of the configuration of the protrusions/ribs <NUM>. The angling of the ribs <NUM> with reference to the axis <NUM> together with the rotation of the hammers <NUM> creates a screw like or auger effect assisting to move the material in a spiral flow path about the axis <NUM> toward the outlet <NUM>.

As indicated above different embodiments of the system <NUM> can be provided with ribs <NUM> with different angles of inclination Q to adjust residence time within the system <NUM> and thus vary the degree of fragmentation and particle size reduction. In terms of the spiral flow path, changing the angle Q changes the induced axial component of the material velocity so that the spiral path between an inlet and an outlet can be changed. For example, increasing the angle Q increases the induced axial component to reduce the inlet to outlet distance and therefore decrease residence time. This may also be looked at from the perspective of the effective contact area of the material with the impact surface increasing hence the increased processing i.e. fragmentation/devitalisation of the weed seeds.

The angles of inclination Q can be actively varied by way of actuators controlled for a cab of a combine. This requires that the ribs <NUM> are coupled with the body of the barrel <NUM> so that they can move in unison to vary the angle Q. This has the effect of changing the pitch of the spiral path about the axis <NUM> of the material and air. The material discharged from the outlet <NUM> may be fed into two of spinners <NUM> (see <FIG>) that rotate on respective vertical axes <NUM> that lie the same distance from the rotation axis <NUM> and on opposite sides of the outlet <NUM>. The spinners <NUM> rotate in opposite directions to each other so that material discharged from the outlet <NUM> between the rotation axes <NUM> is carried further away from the outlet <NUM>. The discharge from the outlet may alternately be directed into another device such as a straw chopper. In another application the discharge may be used to assist in spreading other material such as for straw spreading on a combine by directing the discharge onto a straw tailboard or into a straw spreader. In each of these alternate applications the airflow generated by the system <NUM> is used to augment to functionality of the device to, or into, which it is directed.

<FIG> illustrate the integration of an embodiment of the system <NUM> with a spreader <NUM> on a CASE IH™ combine harvester. In <FIG> the spreader <NUM> as shown in a raised position. <FIG> also shows the spreader <NUM> in a raised position but from the side of the combine with the outlets <NUM> of the system <NUM> installed on the combine being visible. Flere the spreader <NUM> has been modified by the installation of blanking plates <NUM> that span from opposite sides of the spreader toward its central region, and integral flanges <NUM>. The flanges <NUM> are formed with arcuate edges <NUM> of a radius substantially the same as the outer radius of the barrel <NUM> and spread apart to locate about the outlets <NUM>. When the spreader <NUM> is thus swung down into its operational position indicated by the arrow <NUM> the discharge from the outlets <NUM> is feed between the flanges <NUM> into the spreader <NUM>. The inclusion of the blanking plates <NUM> with their integral flanges <NUM> assists in creating more wind/airflow and turbocharges the effect of the spreader <NUM>.

The system <NUM> can be embodied in many different ways and may be subject to numerous modifications and variations without departing from the broad underlying structure and method of operation. For example, the barrel <NUM> may be fabricated by texturing a planar metallic surface and then rolling the surface into a barrel shape having a single seem that can be joined. In such construction an expandable or otherwise resilient axial joint can be formed so that the barrel <NUM> is provided with a degree of give and allow it to flex in a radial or circumferential direction. This may assist for example to pass a hard foreign object. This effect can be enhanced if the barrel is formed from two or more sectors which together when joined about a common axis form the barrel with expandable or resilient joints between each of the sectors.

One way of forming an expandable or resilient joint is to construct the barrel <NUM> from say two generally hemi-cylindrical parts, they can be coupled together to form a substantially cylindrical barrel like structure. Each of the parts may extend for a little more than <NUM>° so that there is a degree of overlap. For example, each extends for <NUM>° so that there is a <NUM>° of overlap along opposite axial edges of the parts. The parts can be coupled together by a spring mechanism such as a pneumatic spring or a mechanical spring which will allow the parts to move radially away from each other against the bias of the spring.

In another variation of the system <NUM>, the protrusions <NUM> of the impact surface <NUM> need not be in the form of straight ribs that extend the full length from an axial end of the barrel <NUM> to the mid plane <NUM>. Rather the protrusions may be in the form of much shorter ribs which are spaced apart and arranged in a line from an end of the barrel.

<NUM> to the mid plane <NUM>. In another example impact surface <NUM> may be textured with different surface effects that may include raised bumps, domes, plateaus or a plurality of valleys or recesses formed in an otherwise smooth circumferential surface as shown in <FIG> as impact surface 14t. In yet another variation the protrusions <NUM> may be in the form of rasp bars coupled to the inner surface of the barrel <NUM>. The rasp bars could have base which is flat or planar base, or alternately have a base that has a generally convex or triangular profile.

<FIG> show the impact/milling surface 14t in a laid flat condition while <FIG> is a photographic presentation of a working porotype of the disclosed barrel system 10t with its barrel 12t formed with the textured impact surface 14t. The impact surface 14t in general terms is a surface having a plurality of surface reliefs such as surface valleys, pits or grooves and/or surface elevations such as ridges, ribs, bumps, protrusions and projections; or other irregularities. In this embodiment the impact surface 14t comprises a plurality of the valleys <NUM>. At least some of the valleys <NUM> have two orthogonal axes <NUM> and <NUM> of unequal length. A shorter of the orthogonal axes <NUM> extend in a circumferential direction with respect to the rotation axis <NUM>. A longer of the orthogonal axes <NUM> extends parallel to the rotation axis <NUM>. Yet in other embodiments the axis <NUM> can be oblique to the axis of rotation <NUM>. Having the axes <NUM> and <NUM> of unequal length provides the valleys <NUM> with a generally elliptical shape.

Between the valleys <NUM>, the surface 14t as a plurality of lands <NUM> that are "flat" with respect to the axis of rotation <NUM> so that every point on the lands <NUM> lie on respective land radii of the same length. That is, if the surface 14t were laid out flat as indeed shown in <FIG> all the lands <NUM> are flat and lay on a common plane. Also, the valleys <NUM> have edges <NUM> that lie on respective edge radii of the same length from the rotation axis. Thus, in this configuration the edges <NUM> all lie on the radii of the same length as those of the lands <NUM>.

The valleys <NUM> are arranged in a generally uniform pattern of stacked circumferential rows R1 , R2, R3, and R4. In rows R1-R3 the valleys <NUM> have respective axes <NUM> of the same length. However, in row R4 the valleys are of the shape of a hemi-ellipse and have a shorter axis <NUM>. The number of rows of valleys on the surface <NUM> can vary. The ends of the valleys <NUM> in one row may, as they do in this embodiment, lie between the ends of adjacent valleys in an adjacent row.

When the impact surface 14t is used in relation to chaff it is believed that it may induce a differential flow of material depending on the material type in the chaff (for example short pieces of straw compared with weed seed) leading to different residence time within the mill. Without wishing to be bound by theory it is believed that straw pieces may flow along the lands <NUM> and across the edges <NUM> of the valleys <NUM>, while weed seeds in the chaff may predominantly impact in the valleys <NUM>. Consequently, it is believed that the seeds would travel more slowly and therefore have higher residence time within the impact sector than the straw pieces.

<FIG> show an example of a system 10t constructed with the barrel 12t having a milling surface 14t as describe in relation to <FIG>. The system 10t is also marked with the impact mechanism <NUM>, hammers <NUM>, valleys <NUM> and lands <NUM>. <FIG> depict further embodiments of the system <NUM> with an alternate barrel 12a and show a possible method of construction.

The substantive difference between the barrel <NUM> of <FIG>, and the barren 2a in <FIG> is that in the embodiment shown in <FIG> (and indeed the barrel 12t shown in <FIG>) the barrel 12a is composed of a plurality of circumferential segments 70a-70j (hereinafter referred to in general as "segments <NUM>") capable of being demountably coupled together along the common central axis <NUM>. Each segment <NUM> has a corresponding circumferential wall 72a-72j (hereinafter referred to in general as "circumferential wall <NUM>") with an inner impervious impact surface <NUM>. When the segments <NUM> are coupled together along the axis <NUM> the individual inner impervious impact surface <NUM> of each segment <NUM> together form the impervious impact surface <NUM> of the barrel 12a. Also, the circumferential walls <NUM> of each of at least two of the segments is provided with openings <NUM> to form at least one inlet <NUM> and at least one outlet <NUM> spaced along the central axis.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG> and <FIG> each of the segments <NUM> has the same axial length. The segments 70a and 70b are adjacent each other at one end of the barrel 12a while the segments 70i and 70j are adjacent each other and at an opposite end of the barrel 12a. The respective circumferential wall <NUM> of segments 70a, 70b, 70i and 70j are formed with openings which, in this embodiment, form inlets <NUM> to the barrel 12a. Thus, openings (in this instance acting as inlets) are formed at each of the opposite axial ends of the barrel 12a.

The segments are 70e and 70f are located between the opposite axial ends of the barrel 12a. The respective circumferential walls 72e and 72f of these segments are formed with openings which act as outlets <NUM>. The outlets are formed with respective fixed cowlings <NUM> instead of or in addition to the louvers <NUM> to assist in directing the processed material to a spinner or other device such as a chopper (not shown). The segments <NUM> may be formed as short cylinders or rings, and the openings, when provided, may be formed as a cut out or removed section of the cylinder or ring.

Alternately the circumferential walls <NUM> can be made from separate sections <NUM> (see <FIG>) for example each extending for a fraction of <NUM>° and which, when coupled together about a common axis form a full <NUM>° ring. In <FIG> the section <NUM> extends for <NUM>°. But in other embodiments this section <NUM> may extend for other angular portions such as <NUM>°. It is also possible for a circumferential wall <NUM> to be composed of several sections <NUM> of different circumferential extent, for example one section of <NUM>° and two additional sections of <NUM>°, or, three sections of <NUM>° and two sections of <NUM>°. If a segment <NUM> is required with an opening having a circumferential extent of <NUM>° and the corresponding circumferential wall <NUM> for the segments <NUM> may be formed of a <NUM>° section and a <NUM>° section only, leaving a <NUM>° opening.

Each section <NUM> may have an associate supporting frame <NUM>. The frame <NUM> may have radially extending curved flange portions <NUM> and axially extending flanges <NUM> extending between the flanges <NUM>. The flanges <NUM> of two or more sections <NUM> (depending on their angular extend, e.g. <NUM>°, or <NUM>°, or <NUM>°, or <NUM>°) are connected together to form a segment <NUM>. The flanges <NUM> of adjacent segments <NUM> are coupled together to form the barrel 12a.

In one variation flexible or resilient joints may be made between (a) each of the section <NUM> in a segment <NUM> and/or (b) adjacent segments <NUM> in the barrel <NUM>. For example a rubber mount can be located between the flanges <NUM> of the section <NUM> making up a segment <NUM>. Additionally, or alternately with amounts may be located between the flanges <NUM> of adjacent segments <NUM>. The provision of the flexible or resilient joints provides the barrel <NUM> with a degree of flexibility in the axial and/or radial directions which may assist in the passing of a blockage or otherwise minimising the likelihood of damage due to the entrainment of a hard foreign object in the material being processed.

The circumferential wall <NUM> in one embodiment may be fixed to the frame <NUM>. Flowever, in an alternate embodiment the circumferential wall <NUM> may be demountable supported or movably supported within the frame <NUM>. When demountable supported the circumferential wall <NUM> can be removed to thereby form an opening in the corresponding barrel 12a. When movably supported, the circumferential wall <NUM> can be for example pivoted between a closed position where it follows the curvature of the corresponding frame <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>; and an opened position where it remains supported by the frame <NUM> but displaced from axial alignment with the frame <NUM>.

To provide a segment <NUM> with an opening (either as an inlet or on outlet) one or more of the sections may be simply removed or omitted. The circumferential extent of the openings, be they inlets or outlets, may be fixed or variable. The ability to vary the circumferential extent of an opening can be achieved for example by the use of movable doors (for example sliding the pivoting) as explained in greater detail later in this specification. In one example for a system <NUM> and barrel <NUM> with fixed or static openings, the circumferential extent may range, but is not limited to, from about <NUM>° to about <NUM>°.

The segments 70c. 70d, <NUM> and <NUM> (see <FIG>) have respective circumferential walls which have no openings and so their corresponding inner impervious impact surfaces <NUM> extend for a full <NUM>°. For those segments <NUM> having openings, the corresponding impervious impact surface <NUM> extends for <NUM>° minus the circumferential extent of the opening.

The texturing of the individual impervious impact surface <NUM>, and thus the overall composite impact surface <NUM> of the barrel 12a may be in any of the forms described above in relation to the first embodiment of the barrel <NUM>.

Although not shown in the drawings, in this embodiment louvres, the same or similar to those described above in relation to the first embodiment, may be located in or across the outlets <NUM> and operable for varying an effect open area of the outlets.

The present embodiment lends itself to the incorporation of an aperture mechanism <NUM> (see <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>) located between two mutually adjacent segments <NUM>. Conveniently the aperture mechanism <NUM> may be coupled between the frame <NUM> of mutually adjacent segments <NUM>. The aperture mechanism <NUM> enables control of a flow of material between the mutually adjacent segments. The aperture mechanism <NUM> provides another way to control the residence time of the material within the mill by varying the flow area between adjacent segments. In the absence of the aperture mechanism <NUM> the flow area between adjacent segments is in effect TIT2 where "r" is the inside radius of the segments <NUM>. This flow area can be decreased by use of the aperture mechanism <NUM>.

In the illustrated embodiments the aperture mechanism <NUM> is in the form of a set of one or more plates <NUM> having inner edges <NUM> that can be moved radially inwardly and outwardly to vary the effective flow area between adjacent segments <NUM>. <FIG> shows a segment <NUM> with a radius "r" and an aperture mechanism <NUM> comprising two opposed plates <NUM> coupled with the segment <NUM>. The plates <NUM> have been moved in a radial inward direction so that their inner edges <NUM> lie on a radius r1<r, thereby reducing the flow area from a maximum of TIT2 , when the aperture mechanism <NUM> is retracted so that the edges <NUM> lie on the radius r, to a smaller flow area.

The position of the aperture mechanism <NUM> can be varied by removing mechanical couplings between adjacent segments <NUM>, moving the aperture mechanism <NUM> to produce the desired flow area, and then reinstalling the mechanical couplings.

In a different embodiment aperture mechanism <NUM> may be provided as one of a set of a plurality of interchangeable aperture mechanisms wherein at least two aperture mechanisms have a central opening of different area. For example, the aperture mechanism <NUM> in a set may each comprise an annular plate with a different inner diameter. In an alternate arrangement the aperture mechanism <NUM> may comprise a plurality of plates that slide or rotate relative to each other, for example similar to an aperture of a camera. In this way once the aperture mechanism <NUM> has been installed in the barrel 12a the size flow area can be changed by operation of an actuator and associated mechanisms such as a lever, cam or gears. When installed on a combine harvester for the purposes of milling chaff, this variation of flow area may be adjusted by a driver operating an in-cab control. Irrespective of its physical form the aperture mechanism <NUM> enables control of the residence time and thus the degree of processing of the material.

Additionally, or alternately to the aperture mechanism <NUM>, this and other embodiments of the disclosed system <NUM> and barrel <NUM> can be provided with internal vanes or fins that extend radially inward from the impact surface <NUM>. The vanes are used to increasing or decreasing the pitch length of the spiral flow path, in a manner similar to that described above in relation to the ribs <NUM>. To be able to do this the vanes or ribs are coupled with the barrel <NUM> in a manner so that their angle relative to the axis <NUM> can be varied. For example, linear actuators located on the outside the barrel <NUM> can be connected to the barrel to the vanes or fins. The actuators can be controlled by a combine operator from the combine cab.

If desired mesh screens can be provided across the openings, be they inlets <NUM> or outlets <NUM>. Although it is envisaged that most likely if screens are provided that are installed across the outlets <NUM>. For the outlets <NUM>, the screen could be used in conjunction with or as an alternative to the louvers <NUM>.

The impact mechanism <NUM> for the barrel 12a (and 12t) shown in <FIG> (and <FIG>) may be of the same form as that described in relation to the first embodiment shown in <FIG>.

In each of the disclosed embodiments the inlets <NUM> and the outlets <NUM> are rotationally offset from each other about the rotation axis <NUM>. Therefore, a piece of material entering through an inlet <NUM> (or its corresponding fragments following impact with the impact mechanism <NUM> and/or against the impact surface <NUM>) must travel in a path about the rotation axis to reach an outlet <NUM>. Moreover, when the inlets <NUM> and outlets <NUM> are offset from each other along the rotation axis <NUM>, the material (or its fragments) must travel in a spiral like path to move from an inlet to an outlet. This path may comprise more than one complete revolution about the axis <NUM>. Although it should be understood that due to the configuration of the system <NUM> the material being processed is directed to flow in a spiral path irrespective of whether or not the inlet <NUM> and the outlet <NUM> are rotationally offset.

The number of revolutions may be controlled by any one, or any combination of <NUM> or more of:.

The above described ways of controlling the number of revolutions is applicable to all embodiments of the disclosed system <NUM> and barrel <NUM>.

A mill incorporating the barrel 12a shown in <FIG> may include an impact mechanism <NUM> rotatably supported within the barrel 12a, housing <NUM> and distributor <NUM> as described above and shown in <FIG>.

Also, in the illustrated embodiments the hammers <NUM> are depicted with generally planar surfaces <NUM> and <NUM> that extend in a radial direction to their axial edge <NUM>. Flowever, the impact side <NUM> may be curved. Moreover, the impact side <NUM> can be curved in different directions depending on the axial location of the hammers, and in particular their axial distance relative to the inlets <NUM> and the outlet <NUM>. For example, the impact side <NUM> can be curved or hooked in a forward direction with reference to the direction of rotation about the axis <NUM> near the inlets <NUM> to assist in scooping material and air into the barrel <NUM>. Flowever, near the outlet <NUM> and the mid plane <NUM> the impact side <NUM> may be: planar as in the illustrated embodiment; or, curved or hooked in a rearward direction with reference to the direction of rotation about the axis <NUM> to increase radial exit velocity. Indeed, in a more general sense, the system <NUM> may incorporate different hammers <NUM> along the axis therebetween. These differences may be in terms of one or more the length, shape, and configuration of the hammers. Also, in this and every other embodiment of the disclosed system <NUM> and barrel <NUM> the distance between the edge <NUM> of the hammers <NUM> and the impact surface can be varied. This variation may be controllable by way of a control system that can be operated by a driver from a cabin of a combine fitted with the disclosed system <NUM>. The shape, configuration and/or orientation of the hammers also influences air flow and may be designed to generate a specific effect on air flow, and thus material flow, through the system <NUM>. The shaping may include curving of the hammers <NUM> as described in the above paragraph. Alternately the hammers may be orientated so that they remain planar but lie in planes that are oblique relative to the radius of the mill.

The hammers <NUM> may be oriented in the oblique planes symmetrically about opposite sides of the central radial plane <NUM>. In yet a further variation the hammers may be twisted or angled for example like a fan blade or provided with an aerodynamic profile like a propeller to generate an airflow in a specific direction for example from an inlet <NUM> to an outlet <NUM>.

In a further variation the distributor <NUM> may be coupled to or otherwise operatively associated with a pivoting or self-levelling cleaning shoe of a combine to provide an even distribution of feed to the inlet chute <NUM> and thus the inlets <NUM> when a combine is traversing an incline or unlevel ground. This is shown for example in <FIG> where a distributor <NUM> is coupled to a cleaning shoe <NUM> of a barrel 12v (described in greater detail later). In some embodiments the distributor <NUM> can reciprocate backward and forward in a horizontal plane. In addition, because of the coupling of the distributor <NUM> to the cleaning shoe, the vibration of the cleaning shoe is also imparted to the distributor <NUM>.

In the illustrated embodiments of the barrel <NUM>, 12t, and 12a the distribution of openings forming inlets and outlets are arranged symmetrically about the mid plane <NUM>. But as explained later this is not an essential requirement and may vary depending on the combine to which the mill is mounted and relative locations of the sieve of the combine and the inlet of the mechanism to which the output the of the system <NUM> is fed. Also, while in the illustrated embodiments openings acting as inlets are provided at the axial ends of the barrel <NUM>, 12a, with outlets provided between the axial ends; this can be reversed so that milled material exits from one axial end or both opposite axial ends.

As may be appreciated by those skilled in the art the basic function of embodiments of the disclosed barrel allow material to pass through without tight control on size. The amount of seed damage/devitalisation is controlled by the angle of wrap about the axis <NUM> and number of rotations about the axis <NUM>, speed of rotation of the impact mechanism and the configuration of the impact surface <NUM>. As previously discussed, the surface has the ability to separate and damage seeds while providing no or less damage to straw; or otherwise provided a differential flow, and/or processing, of weed seeds and straw.

In yet a further variation shown in <FIG> a plurality of barrels 12x, 12y may be provided side-by-side, with their respective axes <NUM> parallel to each other and arranged so that the discharge from one barrel 12x feeds directly into the inlet of the adjacent barrel 12y. In this embodiment each of the barrels 12x, 12y has an inlet <NUM> and an outlet <NUM> that extends for the substantially the full length of that barrel 12x,y; but are circumferentially spaced by <NUM>° from each other. Thus, material entering the inlet <NUM> of the barrel 12x will travel through about <NUM>° to the outlet <NUM>, where it would then flow into the inlet <NUM> of the adjacent barrel 12y and travels through a further <NUM>° before reaching the outlet <NUM> of that barrel. Thus, in effect the material would have passed through a full revolution about the axis <NUM> of any one barrel, being milled between the impact mechanism and the impervious impact surface <NUM>.

A potential benefit of a mill incorporating <NUM> (or more) barrels <NUM> side-by-side in the manner shown in <FIG> is increased throughput.

<FIG> depicts a barrel system 10d having two barrels 12d arranged side by side. Each barrel 12d receives approximately one half each of the total chaff stream and feed the milled chaff to a pair of side-by-side chaff spreaders (not shown). The system 10d has an inlet <NUM> one axial end and an outlet <NUM> at an opposite axial end. Moreover, the system inlet <NUM> comprises separate inlets 20d one in each of the barrels 12d. Likewise the system outlets <NUM> comprises separate outlets 22d one in each of the barrels 12d. Thus, in contrast to the earlier illustrated embodiments the barrel system 10d to not have inlets <NUM> at opposite axial ends. Because of this each system 10d does not need and is not provided with a distributor <NUM>. Nevertheless, a distributor <NUM> or an equivalent structure for feeding substantially equal amounts of the chaff stream to each of the inlets <NUM> may be provided.

The barrels 12d are mounted side-by-side with their respective axes <NUM> parallel to each other and their respective inlets <NUM> and respective outlets <NUM> being radially adjacent to each other. This provides parallel processing of the chaff stream. In a conceptual sense the system 10d may be considered to be the functional equivalent of the system <NUM> shown in <FIG> and <FIG> cut in half in the mid plane <NUM> between the two outlets <NUM> and folded back on itself so that the two halves lie parallel to each other with their inlets <NUM> mutually adjacent and their inlets <NUM> mutually adjacent. In this embodiment of the mills 10d may be mounted in a north-south orientation rather than the east west orientation shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>.

In a variation to the embodiment shown in <FIG> the inlets 20d can be formed at the axial end of the respective barrels 12v, rather than in the circumferential surface of the barrels 12v. Doing this may simplify the feed arrangement and input flow of material into the barrels 12v because for example chaff can be fed directly in to the barrels 12v in the axial direction so that the chaff feed from the sieve does not need to change direction to enter the barrels 12v. This may however necessitate a moving of the bearings for the respective shafts in the barrels 12v.

Alternately the inlets 20d may be kept in the circumferential wall of the barrels 12v, and the outlets 22d moved from the circumferential wall to the adjacent axial end. Indeed, as suggested earlier in this specification, both the inlets 20d and the outlets 22d can be located at the axial opposite ends of the respective barrels 12v. In each one of the above variations for the inlet and outlet location, the material being processed travels in a spiral path between axially spaced apart inlets and outlets. When an axial end is not used as an inlet or an outlet, is closed by a plate or other structure for example as shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>.

<FIG> depict yet another alternate configuration and construction of the barrel, designated as 12v and associated system 10v. The barrel 12v has a central section <NUM> and opposite end sections <NUM>. The sections <NUM> and <NUM> are coupled together and co-centric with the central axis <NUM>. In this embodiment each of the sections <NUM> is provided with inlet openings <NUM> enabling material to be fed into the barrel 12v. The sections <NUM> are tapered, increasing in their outer diameter in the axial direction toward the centre or mid transverse plane <NUM> of the barrel 12v. The tapered sections <NUM> are configured so, at their axial inner most end <NUM>, their interior surface has the same inner diameter as that of the central section <NUM>. Optionally the tapered section has a cut off plate <NUM> which may be angled to the direction of the flow. Plate139 slows the circumferential velocity and adds an axial velocity component to stop material traveling around and around and move the material toward the centre of the machine.

In yet a further variation (not illustrated) applicable to this and all other embodiments of the disclosed barrel, rather than only a length of the barrel commensurate with the inlets being tapered, the taper may extend to the central plane <NUM> of the barrel, or indeed for the full length of the barrel. The latter may be applicable for example in embodiments where the barrel has an inlet at one end and an outlet at an opposite end for example similar to that shown in <FIG>. The inclusion of such a taper can assist in the flow of material and air because it creates a reduction in pressure from a small diameter end to a large diameter end of the taper.

As most clearly seen in <FIG> the central section <NUM> has an outlet <NUM> that extends for, in substance its whole length. The central section <NUM> is constructed from a plurality of individual segments 70a - 70f (hereinafter referred to in general as "segments <NUM>") which are coupled together side-by-side along the central axis <NUM>. The outlet <NUM> v is comprised of individual outlets <NUM> in each of the segments <NUM>.

The barrel 12v includes an outlet control system <NUM> which is operable to vary the distance between an inlet <NUM> and the outlet 22v and so the path length and residence time of material flowing through the barrel 12v. The outlet control system <NUM> varies the axial distance between the inlets <NUM> and outlet <NUM> v. In this embodiment the outlet control system <NUM> comprises two gates <NUM> that are slidably supported on the barrel 12v and can be moved in an axial direction toward and away from each other. (Although in other embodiments the same effect can be achieved by providing a plurality of gates that together can cover the entirety of the outlet <NUM> and can be individually moved by: way of a pivoting or swinging action; or, sliding in a circumferential direction, i.e. about the axis <NUM> direction. ) Each gate <NUM> has a circumferential width at least equal to the circumferential width of the outlet 22v (and therefore also each of individual outlets <NUM>). Actuators (not shown) may be controlled from a cabin of a combine to which the barrel 12v and system 10v is fitted to control the position of the gates <NUM> and therefore the distance from an inlet <NUM> to the outlet 22v.

In this embodiment the outlet control system <NUM> enables the distance between an inlet <NUM> to the outlet <NUM> v to be varied between a minimum in which the gates <NUM> are at their respective axial outer most positions and uncover the entirety of the outlet <NUM> v, shown in <FIG>; to a maximum where each gate <NUM> is moved in the axial inward direction (i.e. toward each other) and each covers about one third of the outlet <NUM> v, shown in <FIG>. When the control system <NUM> is in the configurations shown in <FIG>, providing the minimum distance between an inlet <NUM> and the outlet <NUM> v, the system 10v and barrel 12v provide minimal material processing and in effect act as a chaff spreader. This may also be considered as being a "bypass" configuration of the system 10v and barrel 12v.

By operating the outlet control system <NUM> to vary the distance between an inlet <NUM> and the outlet 22v the path length and thus number of rotations of material about the axis <NUM> can be varied from the minimum shown in <FIG> to the maximum shown in <FIG>. Commensurate with this the percentage of seed devitalisation increases, as does power consumption. When the distance is at the minimum then the barrel 12v and corresponding system 10v in essence act as a blower generating an air flow than entrains the weed seeds. This additional air flow may be feed into downstream equipment such as a spinner or spreader, or straw chopper or a tailboard that spreads the material by directing the material as shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> show one of the end sections <NUM> of the barrel 12v in more detail. The inlet <NUM> of the section <NUM> comprises a hopper <NUM> and a partial frusto-conical portion <NUM>. The partial frusto-conical portion <NUM> has an opening into which the hopper <NUM> is fitted. This opening extends for the axial length of the portion <NUM>. The hopper <NUM> has at least a first sloping wall 134a that assists in directing feed material for the barrel <NUM> v toward the central axis <NUM>. In this embodiment the hopper <NUM> also has a second sloping wall 134b that also slopes to assists in directing feed material for the barrel 12v toward the central axis <NUM> and is perpendicular to the wall 134a. Indeed, the hopper <NUM> may be provided with additional sloping walls 134c and 134d, which together with the walls 134a and 134b define the mouth <NUM> of the hopper <NUM> forming an inwardly sloping surface around the entire inner circumference of the mouth <NUM>. The inside of the inlet <NUM> there is a tapered cut off guide <NUM> that forces material in an axially inboard direction. The guide may be fixed to the wall 134a. Looking at <FIG> and <FIG>, assuming the shaft <NUM> is rotating in the clockwise direction at least some of the material being induced to flow by air and mechanical act action of the hammers, when striking the guide <NUM> from below is forced axially inwardly which in <FIG> is to the left-hand side.

Optionally, hammers 54a or other feeding arms/mechanisms (hereinafter referred to in generally as "hammers 54a") may be attached to portion of the shaft <NUM> that extend through each section <NUM>. The hammers 54a act primarily to assist in directing the feed material from the hopper <NUM> through the inside of the end sections <NUM> into the central portion <NUM>. The assistance afforded by the hammers 54a is by a combination of physical impact and imparting of momentum to the weed seeds, and also generating an air flow in the axial in a direction, i.e. toward the middle of the shaft <NUM>, or central portion <NUM>. Due to the tapered nature of the end portions <NUM> the hammers 54a extend for a shorter length in the radial direction to the hammers <NUM> in the central portion <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG> an outlet deflector <NUM> may be coupled to an outside of the barrel 12v and arranged to direct the discharged processed material from the barrel 12v in a particular direction. In the embodiment shown in this Figure the deflector <NUM> extends for a length of two thirds of the length of the outlet <NUM> v. More particularly the deflector <NUM> extends for a portion of the outlet 22v formed between the segments are 70b and 70e inclusive. An actuator (not shown) may also be provided that can be controlled from a cabin of a combine to vary the angle of the deflector <NUM>. The outlet deflector <NUM> can of course be used with other embodiments of the barrel <NUM> described in the specification.

Each of the barrel is depicted in the embodiments described in relation to <FIG> have either the whole of their length (<FIG>) or substantial portion of their length between opposite inlets (<FIG>) with a constant inner diameter. Flowever, in a further possible variation of these embodiments, these lengths may be conical in nature so that their inner diameter varies along the length of the axis <NUM>. The purpose of this is to induce or enhance the flow of material and air through the barrel and in particular from the inlets to the outlets.

<FIG> depict how an embodiment of the system 10v and corresponding barrel 12v may be integrated into a combine. These Figures depict mechanisms and systems enabling the embodiment of the system 10v to work with and in a typical combine with minimal to no interference or detrimental effect to the operation of the combine. In these Figures for the purposes of visual simplification the barrel <NUM> v is shown as a simple cylinder.

<FIG> show how the system 10v acts to integrate material flow throughout the combine. Material, for example chaff containing weed seeds, from a cleaning shoe <NUM> of a combine is fed to the distributor <NUM>. The distributor <NUM> directs the chaff laterally to the inlets <NUM> at the axial opposite ends of the barrel 12v. The distributor <NUM> reciprocates backward and forward in a horizontal plane; and, is vibrated by its connection to the cleaning shoe <NUM>. This motion acts to prevent or at least minimise the risk of the chaff sticking or building up on the surfaces of the distributor <NUM>, which may otherwise cause blockage or an uneven distribution of material to the opposed inlets <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a further variation where the distributor <NUM> is static or otherwise fixed relative to the barrel <NUM> but is provided with a rubber or other pliant material cover <NUM> that lays over the surface of the distributor <NUM> and is caused to move or vibrate relative to the distributor <NUM>. This can be achieved for example by coupling the cover <NUM> to: the top sieve; or a pulley <NUM> of the drive system <NUM> for the system <NUM> by an eccentrically coupled arm <NUM>.

The material after being processed in the system 10v and barrel 12v is discharged through the outlets and onto the deflector <NUM>. The deflector <NUM> deflects the discharge material into a feed duct <NUM>. The feed duct <NUM> may be coupled to a structure, or other equipment of the combine. Nevertheless, the feed duct <NUM> is a part in the overall material flow integration provided by this and other embodiments of the disclosed barrel and associated system. In this embodiment the feed duct <NUM> is in the general form of a rectangular tube with a funnel like inlet <NUM>. A discharge splitter <NUM> splits the material flow through the duct <NUM> into two separate and diverging streams. These streams may be fed to other processing equipment which are part of the combine such as a set of spinners which act to throw the receive material onto the ground across the width of a header of the combine. The general flow of the material /chaff is depicted in these Figures by the phantom arrows F. In this way the duct <NUM> acts as a link or conduit in the flow path of the processed material helping to constrain and guide the material and air flow to spinners or other downstream system/equipment with minimal diffusion or loss. The material streams may also provide additional material and air energy (velocity and pressure) to improve the spread of the system. Optionally the ducting can be fully sealed.

<FIG> also illustrate one possible drive system <NUM> for transferring drive from an engine/PTO of the combine to the shaft <NUM> of the system 10v. A belt (not shown) is used to transfer torque from the engine/PTO to an OEM pulley <NUM> (which is not a part of the drive system <NUM>). As seen in <FIG>, without the drive system <NUM>, the drive belt could engage to a pulley <NUM> coupled to the shaft <NUM> in a plane <NUM> (represented by the dashed line) if the shaft <NUM> were extended to the left hand side to reach the plane <NUM>. But instead, the drive system <NUM> is configured to displace the plane inwardly toward a centre of the combine to a coupling plane <NUM> in alignment with the pulley <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The effect of this on a combine may be substantial in relation to its turning circle and overall manoeuvrability. This is because an embodiment of the system <NUM> is likely to be fitted in the same region or area of the combine as the steering axle and associated wheels. By configuring the drive system <NUM> to displace the coupling plane <NUM> in an inward direction toward a central the combine, interference with the turning circle and steering of the combine can be eliminated or at least minimised.

The drive system <NUM> includes an idler pulley/jack shaft <NUM> which is coupled to the pulley <NUM> by way of a belt <NUM>. The pulley <NUM> rotates about an axis that is parallel to the shaft <NUM>. A tensioner <NUM> may be interposed between the pulleys <NUM> and <NUM> to adjust tension in the belt <NUM>. The pulley <NUM> is provided with multiple grooves (for example <NUM>-<NUM> grooves) and extends from one end coplanar the pulley <NUM> on the shaft <NUM> toward the plane <NUM>. Moreover, the pulley <NUM> is formed with an axial length so that one of its grooves lies in the same plane as a transfer pulley <NUM>. The transfer pulley <NUM> is coupled to the same shaft as the OEM pulley <NUM>. A belt <NUM> is coupled between the pulleys <NUM> and <NUM>. A tensioner pulley <NUM> may be disposed between the pulleys <NUM> and <NUM> to adjust the tension in the belt <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG> embodiments of the system <NUM> may be integrated with combines having various configurations of spinners or straw choppers, for feeding material: directly into a spinner or chopper and from above or below; or, directly onto the ground. This integration may incorporate the use of tail boards with fins in various positions, for example to give a divergent spread, or alternately a convergent centre spread. Depending on the configuration of the combine into which the system <NUM> is integrated the relative positions of the one or both inlets <NUM> and outlets <NUM> may be shifted in the circumferential direction about the central axis <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrate an embodiment of the system 10v which incorporates a tailboard <NUM> instead of the deflector <NUM> of <FIG>. The tailboard <NUM> is has a plurality of fins <NUM> that guide material flow and air flow existing the outlet <NUM>. The position of the fins <NUM> can be adjusted by fixing one end of the fins in a respective one of a plurality of holes <NUM>, and the opposite end at a position along a slot <NUM>. In <FIG> the fins <NUM> are arranged to provide a divergent flow of material and air.

Additionally, the tailboard is slightly inclined to project the material and air in an upward direction.

The tailboard <NUM> is pivotally coupled, by pivot pins <NUM> (only one visible) on opposite sides and at an end closest the barrel 12v, to respective curved brackets <NUM>. Adjustment arms <NUM> are also pivotally coupled at one end to respective sides of the tailboard <NUM> and at another end in one of a plurality of holes formed on the curved brackets <NUM>. This coupling arrangement of the tailboard <NUM> enables the inclination of the tailboard <NUM> to be adjusted. This can be done manually or, remotely by the use of actuators (not shown) that may be controlled from a cabin of the combine.

<FIG> shows a variation of the arrangement of <FIG> where the tailboard <NUM> is again generally horizontal but the disposition of the fins <NUM> has been changed so that they direct the material and air from the outlet <NUM> in a convergent rather than diverging manner. This configuration of fins <NUM> is useful when the material is being fed to downstream equipment such as a spinner or chopper.

<FIG> illustrates an embodiment of the system 10v with a tailboard <NUM> inclined upwardly from the horizontal to feed a set of spinners <NUM> from below. The fins <NUM> are arranged to provide a convergent flow of material and air through an optional intervening feed duct <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates an embodiment the system 10v which is located above a set of spinners <NUM>. Material from the outlet <NUM> converges due to the orientation of the fins <NUM> and is directed down the tailboard <NUM> into the spinner <NUM>. So here the tailboard <NUM> is inclined below the horizontal to feed material and air into the spinners <NUM>. In this embodiment there is no intervening feed duct <NUM> as in the previous embodiments. Flowever, this duct <NUM> can be included if considered necessary or desirable for example to maintain pressurisation. <FIG> shows the system 10v of <FIG> (but without the spinners) from the side highlighting the declined angle of the tailboard <NUM> to facilitate the feeding of material from above to the spinners.

<FIG> illustrate the juxtaposition of embodiments of the disclosed system 10v in relation to vertically orientated spinners <NUM>. The difference between the two embodiments is in the configuration of the fins <NUM> on their respective tailboards <NUM>. In <FIG> the fins <NUM> are configured to produce a divergent flow of material to the spinners <NUM>. Flere the spinners rotate to throw material outwardly, i.e. towards opposite sides of an associated combine. In <FIG> the fins <NUM> are configured to produce a convergent flow of material to a region between the two spinners <NUM>.

The arrangements shown in <FIG> not exhaustive of the different ways in which embodiments of the disclosed system <NUM> and barrel <NUM> may be incorporated in a combine. The system and barrel may be installed and arranged to feed its processed material and generated air flow to other downstream equipment such as a chopper. Either by use of a tailboard angled in a particular manner and variations in the configuration of the fins; or, by otherwise orientating the barrel <NUM> and outlets <NUM>, the outlet material can be directed to flow for example: (a) directly into a chopper by passing a spinner; (b) directly into the spinner; or (c) directly onto the ground; and the spinners <NUM> may be orientated in any plane form horizontal to vertical and from above or below the barrel <NUM>. The flow of material from the outlet can be pressure fed using a sealed duct or conduit for example similar to the feed duct <NUM> described above. The duct <NUM> in some embodiments may be coupled directly to barrel <NUM> or a part of the system <NUM> and thus become part of the system <NUM> itself.

<FIG> shows other modifications that may be made to a combine to enhance the integration, and/or performance of all embodiments of the disclosed system. The modifications may include but are not limited to: a) The addition of an upstream splitter <NUM> on a top sieve <NUM> (only the forward most edge of which is shown in this drawing) of a combine in which the system/barrel is fitted. The splitter <NUM> acts to divide and spread a flow of chaff falling from the top sieve onto the distributor <NUM>. b) The addition of inwardly directed guide plates <NUM> on opposite sides of the top sieve <NUM> to direct chaff more centrally on to the underlying distributor <NUM>. The guide plates <NUM> may be incorporated instead of or in conjunction with the splitter <NUM>. In <FIG> the flow of chaff from the top sieve toward the system <NUM> is depicted by the phantom arrows F.

This Figure attempts to show that the flow of the chaff travelling along a central region of the sieve <NUM> is diverted as it approaches the trailing edge of the sieve <NUM> by the splitter <NUM> toward the left or right on to the underlying distributor <NUM>, while chaff travelling along the left-hand or right-hand edges of the top sieve <NUM> is diverted inwardly by the guide plates <NUM> onto the underlying distributor <NUM>. c) A baffle <NUM> may be installed across the barrel 12v and distributor <NUM> downstream of its inlets <NUM>. The baffle <NUM> may include a rubber or other pliant material curtain. The baffle <NUM> maybe coupled to a lifting mechanism to enable it to move in a vertical plane up or down to enable the air flow of the cleaning shoe to be balanced with the barrel. Baffle <NUM> is structured to allow air to pass over while not impacting air flow.

In addition to the above, integration of embodiments of the system <NUM> into a combine may also be improved by the installation of an extension plate or baffle <NUM> (see <FIG>) at an end of a grain pan. The baffle <NUM> extends past the normal throw of an overhead beater. The installation of the baffle <NUM> may reduce the likelihood of straw entering the system <NUM>. <FIG> shows an example of a baffle <NUM> inclined from the horizontal and extending from an end of the grain pan of a combine.

The system <NUM> may be installed or mounted in a combine using a powered or manual mechanism that enables the system <NUM> to slide (for example vertically) or to be folded/swung between a use position where the system <NUM> is active to devitalise weed seeds and integrate into the overall material flow through the combine; and a maintenance or access configuration where either the system <NUM> or other parts of the combine can be more easily accessed.

Embodiments of the system <NUM> may be installed so that the central axis <NUM> is orientated vertically rather than horizontally. Such embodiments may then utilise the action of gravity to also provide a level of control of residence time within an associate barrel <NUM>.

Also, all embodiments of the system <NUM> may be coupled by way of pivot or articulated joints to a frame or other structural member of a combine and provided with actuators to enable the system <NUM> to be moved between various positions. This can subsequently be used to enable easy access for maintenance to various parts of the system <NUM> or the combine, and also to assist in directing the discharge from the outlets <NUM> to achieve different effects, for example discharging directly onto the ground, discharging into a straw chopper or a chaff spreader, or discharging onto a tail board.

The system <NUM> may be mechanically coupled to a power take off of a combine harvester, for example by way of pulleys and belts, or driveshafts, gearboxes and universal joints. Alternately the system <NUM> may be driven by a hydraulic motor plumbed into a combine is hydraulic system (assuming of course it has one) or an electric motor.

Embodiments of the disclosed barrel <NUM> and system <NUM> lend themselves to many further structural and operational modifications as well as facilitate the incorporation of various sensors to enable monitoring of the performance of the system <NUM> as well as a harvester on which it is mounted. Information obtained from the sensors may also be used to automatically modify the mill or harvester performance. Some of these are briefly discussed below.

These sensors may feed their output signals/data to a data processor associated with the system <NUM> or a combine or other agricultural machine incorporating the disclosed system <NUM>. The communication system may also be provided with the system <NUM> or a combine or other agricultural machine incorporating the disclosed system <NUM>. The communications system or data processor may also include a GPS.

The provision of data processing and communication systems enables data, signals or information from any one or more of the sensors to be communicated via a communications network including but not limited to the Internet or the Internet of Things, to a remote location and/or the operator's cab of the combine. The data, signals or information from the sensors may be provided directly from the sensors, or, as processed data, signals or information subsequent to processing by the data processor, or both.

Communicating the data, signals or information enables remote monitoring of the performance of the mill <NUM> as well as the combine harvester. The remote monitoring can for example enable manual or automated communication to a combine operator or a service department of performance characteristics of the system <NUM> and/or the combine harvester. The performance characteristics may include: information regarding wear of various components, the need for maintenance, or the provision in real time of alerts or alarms to the combine operator of potentially dangerous performance characteristics such as bearing temperature.

The data, signals or information may also be used, together with other operational information communicated via the communication system such as forward speed of the combine harvester and GPS data, to calculate the amount of material processed by the system <NUM>/ associated combine harvester including geographically tagging the data. Other possibilities include weed mapping with the volume or density of weeds obtained either through the sampling of the material processed by the mill using samples for example obtained through the trapdoors <NUM>, or by optical detection of weeds via detectors on the combine immediately prior to cropping and tagging this to corresponding GPS data. Biomass mapping is also possible for example by use of the above described torque sensors. This may be beneficial in terms of different business or revenue models for commercialisation of the system <NUM> and/or combine harvester in enabling for example lease payments/charges being made on the basis of the calculated amount of material processed by the combine harvester.

The data, signals or information from the sensors and processed can be used in real time or otherwise to:.

The data, signals and information communicated to the remote location may be stored locally or on a cloud-based system. In any event the data, signals and information may be fed to a machine learning/artificial intelligence system. This in turn may be arranged for example to: forecast expected lifespan of components, system <NUM> throughput; and/or suggest potential adjustments to system or combine harvester parameters to improve operational efficiency.

The sensors may be operatively coupled to the data processor which can be programmed to take one or more specific actions if a blockage or an anomalous change in material flow is detected. These actions may include but are not limited to: operating a high-pressure air compressor to direct one of jets of air to a location where the change in material flow or blockage is detected; and /or reducing the ground speed of the system <NUM> or combine to reduce the volume of material being directed to the blockage site. In the latter case the data processor may alert an operator if and when that the blockage has cleared to enable a resumption of normal travel speed.

Embodiments of the disclosed system may also include actuators or structures to enable variation of configuration, position or interrelationship of component parts to facilitate control over aspects such as residence time of material within the system <NUM>. For example, the position and angle of the flails (axial component) may be varied manually prior to the operation or automatically through the use of actuators. In addition or alternately the following characteristics may be varied: the degree of aggressiveness/roughness of the impact surface <NUM> (e.g. the ribs <NUM> or the shape depth and configuration of the valleys <NUM> of the surface 14t, shown in Figures IQ- <NUM>; which varies both of the degree of devitalisation but also the flow path of material and thus residence time; the degree of opening or closing of the outlets <NUM> for example using the control system <NUM> shown in <FIG>.

Wear sensors may also be installed in and as part of the system <NUM> to provide signals to an overall system control and monitoring system to provide an indication of the wear of the impact surface <NUM> of the barrel <NUM>, or wear of the hammers <NUM>. For example: a wear sensor that may be in the form of a plurality of conductors or one or more conductive meshes, may be impregnated in the impact surface <NUM> that break to change a measurable electrical characteristic such as current flow, resistance or capacitance when worn. Other examples include a load cell on a sacrificial wear plate; or ultrasonic thickness or surface roughness sensors. A proximity sensor may be incorporated to measure distance from the surface <NUM> to the flails/hammers <NUM> to measure wear. The signals from the wear sensors may provide feedback via an IoT system to enable global mapping of wear and continuous improvement.

In relation to the overall control of the system <NUM> the previously mentioned torque sensors may be provided to enable sensing of torque in the shaft <NUM> to enable a determination of power imparted to the material flowing through the system <NUM>. From this control algorithms may be implemented to automatically adjust settings of the system <NUM> based on torque to optimise for seed kill, for engine power available and for optimum distribution of power available for destroying seeds, chopping straw and spreading both.

Claim 1:
A barrel (<NUM>) for a material processing system (<NUM>) comprising:
a barrel like structure having a circumferential wall with an impervious textured inner impact surface (<NUM>) extending circumferentially about a central axis (<NUM>) of the barrel-like structure, at least one inlet opening (<NUM>, 20a, 20b) to the barrel-like structure and at least one outlet opening (<NUM>) from the barrel-like structure, the at least one inlet opening (<NUM>, 20a, 20b) and the at least one outlet opening (<NUM>) being spaced along the central axis (<NUM>) wherein the impact surface (<NUM>) is formed with a plurality of valleys (<NUM>) or protrusions (<NUM>) or both valleys and protrusions configured to guide, or otherwise induce motion of, the material entering through the at least one inlet opening (<NUM>, 20a, 20b) to travel in a spiral path about the central axis (<NUM>) toward the at least one outlet opening (<NUM>) characterised in that the at least one inlet opening and the at least one outlet opening comprise: (i) respective inlet openings (20a, 20b) located at or near opposite axial ends of the barrel like structure (<NUM>), and an outlet opening (<NUM>) located between the respective inlet openings; or, (ii) respective outlet openings located at or near opposite axial ends of the barrel like structure, and an inlet opening located between the respective outlet openings.