Chopper assembly for a harvesting implement

• US 8,196,379 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2011
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James E. Straeter
• Original Assignee: James E. Straeter
• Inventors: Straeter, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): TORRES, ALICIA M
• Application Number:
  US13/012,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20110113743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 56/3, 56/139, 56/145, 561/92, 56/60, 56/61, 565/00, 56503-505, 460/112
• US Class Current: 56/60
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 43/081 specially adapted for ensilage of maize

Abstract

A chopping assembly for a harvesting implement having a blade assembly, a housing, and a guide. The blade assembly is disposed within the housing and the guide directs cornstalks toward an input port on the housing. The blade assembly not only cuts the cornstalk from its root but also chops the stalk into stover. A fluid dynamic force is created by the blade assembly to direct the stover with the aid of the housing to an output port.

Claims

1. A chopping assembly for a farm implement, comprising:

a corn head mounted on a frame;

a housing mounted to the corn head and having an input port and an outlet port;

a blade assembly partially disposed within the housing and positioned to cut a crop received within the input port to supply stover to the outlet port;

an exhaust channel receiving the stover from the outlet port and extending toward an implement conveyor;

the implement conveyor positioned to receive stover from the exhaust channel at an angle; and

wherein the exhaust channel has an automatic door associated therewith electrically connected to a controller to prevent stover from reaching the conveyor.

2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a shield adjacent the conveyor preventing the stover from landing uncontrolled in the windrow when coming off the conveyor.

3. The assembly of claim 2 further comprising a processor roll having a plurality of teeth at an end of the implement adjacent the windrow to break up corn cobs.

4. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the windrow is positioned at an angle to the conveyor.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the controller utilizes a global positioning system to determine when to actuate the door.

6. A chopping assembly for a farm implement, comprising:

a corn head mounted on a frame;

a housing having a top wall and a side wall wherein the top wall is mounted to a bottom surface of the corn head and the side wall has an input port and an output port;

a blade assembly partially disposed within the housing and positioned to cut a crop received within the input port to supply stover to the output port,

an exhaust channel receiving the stover from the output port mounted to and extending outwardly from the housing toward an implement conveyor wherein the exhaust channel has walls which extend outwardly and rearwardly from an exhaust channel entrance mounted in communication with the output port of the housing to a discharge end adjacent an implement conveyor;

wherein the implement conveyor is positioned to extend across and receive stover from discharge ends of a plurality of exhaust channels to convey stover toward a center of a harvesting implement.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the conveyor extends laterally at an angle across the corn head from a first end adjacent an outside side edge of the corn head to a second end within an interior of the corn head.

8. The assembly of claim 7 additionally comprising a shield positioned adjacent the second end of the conveyor such that the shield blocks stover coming off the conveyor from landing in a center of a windrow.

9. The assembly of claim 8 additionally comprising a second conveyor positioned to extend across and receive stover from discharge ends of a plurality of exhaust channels to convey stover toward the center of a harvesting implement.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the second conveyor extends laterally at an angle across the corn head from a first end adjacent an opposite outside side edge of the corn head to a second end within the interior of the corn head.

11. The assembly of claim 10 additionally comprising a second shield positioned adjacent the second end of the second conveyor such that the second shield blocks stover coming off the second conveyor from landing in a center of a windrow.