Patent ID: 7544126

Claim:
A combine harvester with a separating mechanism from which a first crop stream can go optionally to a straw chopper in a chopping operating mode or bypass the straw chopper in a straw deposit mode and be placed as a swath on the ground of a field, a cleaning mechanism, from which a second crop residue stream in the chopping mode and in the straw deposit mode can be taken to the straw chopper, and a guide mechanism that is arranged downstream from the straw chopper and can move optionally between a straw depositing position and a chopping position, designed to deflect the second crop residue stream in the straw depositing position so that the second crop residue stream is ejected in a different direction than the first crop residue stream, while in the chopping position the guide mechanism can be arranged so that both crop streams are distributed jointly over the field, essentially for the width of a crop receiving mechanism of the combine, characterized in that the guide mechanism is oriented so that in its straw depositing position it deflects downward a portion of the second crop stream oriented in the direction of the first crop stream being ejected, and in its chopping position it does not significantly deflect the flow of the two crop residue streams, said combine harvester characterized in that several straw guide plates are arranged laterally side by side downstream from the straw chopper, and the guide mechanism is arranged downstream from the straw guide plates.