Crop Residue Spreader

• US 20180007831A1
• Filed: 07/07/2017
• Published: 01/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Ballegeer, Stefaan, Desmet, Stefaan, Duquesne, Frank R.G., Maes, Eli, Somers, Tom N.N., Hollevoet, Peter
• Application Number:
  US15/644,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20180007831A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/00 Combines, i.e. harvesters or mowers combined with threshing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1243 Devices for laying-out or distributing the straw
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 12/00 Parts or details of threshing apparatus devices, other than safety devices for feeders, for protecting human beings A01D75/20, A01F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 12/30 Straw separators , i.e. straw walkers, for separating residual grain from the straw grain cleaning A01F12/44
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 12/40 Arrangements of straw crushers or cutters

Abstract

An agricultural harvester with crop residue spreaders distributing crop residue laterally. Each crop residue spreader has a plurality of radially extending bats rotatable within a housing for directing residue from an axially directed inlet radially outward through an outer outlet. The housing has an outer wall with a height that increases axially in a uniform fashion around the periphery to minimize if not eliminate recirculation of residue to the inlet.

Claims

1. A crop reside spreader comprising:

a plurality of radially extending bats mounted for rotational movement about an axis A for moving residue; and

a housing surrounding the bats and having an inlet for residue adjacent the axis A and a radially outward outlet,

wherein the housing has a width measured in a direction parallel to the axis A that increases from a minimum width adjacent the outlet around its periphery up to the outlet.

2. The crop residue spreader as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an outer wall continuously increasing in radial distance from the axis A.

3. The crop residue spreader as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a lower planar floor and an upper wall configured so that the width continuously increases around the periphery of the housing up to the outlet.

4. The crop residue spreader as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width has a greater increase around the periphery of the housing than the radial distance.

5. The crop residue spreader according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an outer wall and an upper wall comprising a flat surface, wherein the outer wall is curved around the periphery.

6. The crop residue spreader as claimed in claim 5, wherein the upper wall further comprises a circular inlet shaped with a conical section tapered in a direction of flow of residue into the crop residue spreader.

7. The crop residue spreader as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a motor for driving the bats.

8. The crop residue spreader as claimed in claim 7, wherein the bats have flexible outer portions.

9. A combine harvester comprising:

a crop processing system for separating crop material from crop residue and for discharging crop residue; and

a crop residue spreader for receiving the crop residue from the crop processing system, the crop residue spreader comprising;

a plurality of radially extending bats mounted for rotational movement about an axis A for moving residue; and

a housing surrounding the bats and having an inlet for residue adjacent the axis A and a radially outward outlet,

wherein the housing has a width measured in a direction parallel to the axis A that increases from a minimum width adjacent the outlet around its periphery up to the outlet.