Patent ID: 8070570

Claim:
A spreader disk assembly for an agricultural harvesting machine, comprising: a disk having a substantially planar first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a rotational axis extending through a central portion of the disk between the first and second surfaces; a plurality of elongate bats disposed on the first surface at angularly spaced locations about the rotational axis, respectively, each of the bats having a longitudinal edge pivotally mounted to the disk for pivotal movement of the bat between a deployed position extending generally axially outwardly from the first surface, and a stowed position extending generally parallel to the first surface; and bat support mechanisms extending through slots formed through the disk and connected to the bats, respectively, each of the support mechanisms being configurable in a bat deploying mode for movably extending through a slot for lockingly supporting and holding the bat connected thereto in the deployed position, and each of the support mechanisms being configurable in a bat stowing mode for unlocking the bat connect thereto from the deployed position and moving the bat to a bat stowing position while movably retracting from the slot and holding the bat connected thereto in the stowed position, wherein the bat support mechanism is positioned below the first surface and adjacent the second surface when the bat is held in the stowed position, and wherein each of the bats is generally flat and will lay substantially flat against the first surface when in the stowed position.