Patent ID: 7066810

Claim:
An agricultural combine comprising: a body defining a space containing a separating system, the body having a generally rearwardly facing rear opening defined therein in connection with a rear end of the space, a rotary crop residue chopper having an upwardly facing inlet opening disposed in a lower portion of the rear end of the space, the rear opening being located rearwardly of the separating system and the inlet opening of the chopper; a rotary beater for propelling a flow of crop residue rearwardly along a crop flow path through the space from the separating system toward the rear end of the space; a door arrangement disposed in the rear end of the space and configurable in a first configuration closing the rear opening and in position for directing at least a portion of the flow of crop residue into the inlet opening of the chopper, and in a second configuration extending over and covering the inlet opening and adjacent to the rear opening for directing the flow of crop residue rearwardly and outwardly from the space through the rear opening; and a conveyor mechanism disposed in the space forwardly of the inlet opening of the chopper and the rear opening, the conveyor mechanism having an upwardly facing conveyor surface disposed for receiving at least a portion of the flow of the crop residue, the conveyor surface being continually movable rearwardly for conveying the crop residue received thereby to the door arrangement for direction thereby into the inlet opening of the chopper when the door arrangement is in the first configuration, and for direction over the door arrangement and rearwardly through the rear opening when the door arrangement is in the second configuration.