Patent ID: 6893340

Claim:
Rotary crop residue accelerating apparatus for a vertical side discharge crop residue spreader for an agricultural combine, comprising: a rotatable member mountable in an upwardly and forwardly open housing of the spreader for rotation therein in a predetermined rotational direction about a generally forwardly and rearwardly extending rotational axis through a center of the rotatable member; and a plurality of blades connected to and supported by the rotatable member at angularly spaced locations around the rotational axis, respectively, for rotation with the rotatable member within the housing adjacent to a forwardly and upwardly facing opening thereof through which a downwardly directed first flow of crop residue is to be received, each of the blades having a surface oriented to face in the rotational direction for propelling and accelerating the crop material flow through and from the housing, and each of the blades including a forward surface portion disposed to rotate adjacent to a forwardly facing portion of the opening through which a second flow of crop material is to be received, the first surface portion including a radial outer tip portion that extends radially outwardly and forwardly from the blade and has a shape and orientation which during the rotation will generate a negative pressure condition in a region forwardly of the forwardly facing opening of the housing for inducting the second flow into the housing therethrough.