Patent ID: 7428456

Claim:
A system for decelerating a combine rotor driven by an engine, the system comprising: a first speed sensor configured to indicate the speed of the combine rotor; a digital microprocessor-based control system coupled to the first speed sensor and programmed to disengage the combine rotor from the engine, to brake the combine rotor at a first deceleration rate for a first time interval, to brake the combine rotor at a second deceleration rate for a second time interval, and to stop the combine rotor at the end of the second time interval, wherein the control system is programmed to periodically read the first speed sensor signal, determine the first deceleration rate based on the first speed sensor signal, and to maintain the first deceleration rate generally constant by responsively adjusting brake engagement; and a ring gear brake controlled by the control system, wherein the control system is programmed to maintain the first deceleration rate generally constant by varying a pulse width modulation duty cycle of a current applied to the ring gear brake.