Patent ID: 7223168

Claim:
A fore and aft adjustable flow distributor for a vertical crop residue spreader of an agricultural combine, comprising: a flow guide having a first end portion, a second end portion opposite the first end portion, and opposite fore and aft edges extending between the first and second end portions defining a crop residue flow surface extending therebetween, wherein the flow surface has an upwardly directed concave shape; and an adjustable support structure configured for supporting the flow guide with at least the first end portion thereof disposed beneath a downwardly facing portion of a discharge opening of the spreader and the second end portion extending sidewardly therefrom such that at least a portion of a flow of crop residue discharged through the opening will strike and flow sidewardly along the flow surface and sidewardly therefrom so as to be distributed thereby over a region of a field located sidewardly of the spreader, the support structure including an adjusting mechanism operable for moving the flow guide fore and aft in relation to the discharge opening for adjustably positioning at least one of the fore edge and the aft edge beneath the discharge opening, the at least one of the fore edge and the aft edge being shaped so as to alter a pattern of crop residue distribution over a field as a function of a fore and aft position of the edge beneath the discharge opening.