Patent ID: 6938401

Claim:
Separation hood structure for a cotton harvester having an upright receptacle with upstream and downstream walls, a harvested material delivery system duct having a duct outlet adjacent the upstream wall, the duct propelling air, cotton and debris in a path from the upstream wall over the receptacle towards the downstream wall, the separation hood structure comprising a hood opening into the delivery system duct outlet and extending over the receptacle, the hood including a separation grate intercepting the propelled air, cotton and debris and facilitating removal of the air and debris from the cotton, the hood structure further including a rear deflector located above the downstream wall for intercepting the propelled cotton and remaining air and debris that is unseparated from the cotton and directing the cotton in a first direction into the receptacle, the deflector preventing build-up of harvested material on the walls, wherein the receptacle includes an upwardly opening top extending from the duct outlet to the downstream wall, and the hood structure opens downwardly into the top; and including an adjustable air outlet opening behind the rear deflector in a direction different from the first direction, the remaining air and debris exiting the hood away from the receptacle through the air outlet to thereby reduce air pressure and air turbulence in the receptacle, wherein momentum of cotton directs cotton into the receptacle as the remaining air and debris exit the hood.