Patent ID: 7485035

Claim:
A control system for automatedly controlling the positioning of an adjustable deflector plate employed in a harvesting combine to adjust and better balance the side-to-side flow of crop residue to a spreader associated with the combine and the distribution thereby, the deflector plate operably extendable into the flow of crop residue to redirect crop residue impinging the deflector plate, comprising: a plurality of sensors positionable to monitor conditions at given locations, said sensors producing sensor output signals corresponding to detected conditions at said given locations, information representative of crop residue flow at certain positions across the width of the crop residue flow determinable from said sensor output signals; an actuator operatively connectable to the deflector plate and operable to effect the extension of the deflector plate into the flow of crop residue; and a controller having a data input interface and a control output interface, said data input interface coupled to said sensors to receive at said data input interface data input signals corresponding to said sensor output signals, said controller responsive to said data input signals to produce positioning control signals at said control output interface, said control output interface coupled to said actuator to provide to said actuator deflector plate positioning signals corresponding to said positioning control signals; the actuator responsive to said deflector plate positioning signals coupled thereto from said controller to effect adjustments in the degree of extension of the deflector plate into the flow of crop residue, whereby the degree of extension of said deflector plate into the flow of crop residue is controllable over time to automatedly adjust the side-to-side flow of crop residue to the spreader; wherein the spreader includes a pair of side-by-side spreader head assemblies operable to distribute crop residue being provided thereto, wherein said sensors include sensors associated with the spreader head assemblies, wherein the spreader head assemblies are driven by respective drive motors, and further wherein said sensors associated with the spreader head assemblies are positionable to monitor conditions of the respective drive motors.