A chopper assembly for a crop residue distribution system of an agricultural combine may include a rotor shaft extending lengthwise along a rotational axis between a first end and a second end. The chopper assembly may also include a plurality of flail blades pivotally coupled to the rotor shaft. Each flail blade may be configured to pivot relative to the rotor shaft about a pivot axis, with the flail blades being spaced apart axially from one another between the first and second ends of the rotor shaft. In addition, the chopper assembly may include one or more features configured to improve the performance of the chopper assembly during low speed operation. For example, the feature(s) may correspond to one or more fixed blades coupled to the rotor shaft and/or one or more torsional springs provided in operative association with one or more of the flail blades.

A large square baler for performing a baling operation to form square bales includes a pickup unit for picking up crop lying on the ground, a cutter unit for cutting picked up crop into at least one predetermined cut length, a pre-compression chamber, a stuffer device, a bale chamber for forming a square bale from flakes of crop pre-compressed in the pre-compression chamber, and a tying system for binding the square bale. The stuffer device is configured to pre-compress the crop into the flakes in the pre-compression chamber and transport the flakes into the bale chamber. The cutter unit is controlled in dependence on a tying operation conducted by the tying system and on at least one parameter representing the square bale size.

A large square baler for performing a baling operation to form square bales includes a pickup unit for picking up crop lying on the ground, a cutter unit for cutting picked up crop into at least one predetermined cut length, a pre-compression chamber, a stuffer device, a bale chamber for forming a square bale from flakes of crop pre-compressed in the pre-compression chamber, and a tying system for binding the square bale. The stuffer device is configured to pre-compress the crop into the flakes in the pre-compression chamber and transport the flakes into the bale chamber. The cutter unit is controlled in dependence on a tying operation conducted by the tying system and on at least one parameter representing the square bale size.

A chopping module which pulls plants inside the module and chops them into billets, comprising a box-shaped body with three open sides, a front inlet for plants to be chopped, a rear outlet for chopped plants and a lower outlet for residues. Plants are pulled by two crosswise pairs of rollers, after which plants are chopped by a rotating blade assembly and a fixed shearbar, which are aligned parallel to the pulling rollers. Between the pulling rollers, a passageway is formed for the plants to be chopped. After the fixed shearbar, said passageway continues in the form of a slide sloping downwards to the rear outlet. The rotating blade assembly is located above the slide and next to the fixed shearbar.

A chopping module which pulls plants inside the module and chops them into billets, comprising a box-shaped body with three open sides, a front inlet for plants to be chopped, a rear outlet for chopped plants and a lower outlet for residues. Plants are pulled by two crosswise pairs of rollers, after which plants are chopped by a rotating blade assembly and a fixed shearbar, which are aligned parallel to the pulling rollers. Between the pulling rollers, a passageway is formed for the plants to be chopped. After the fixed shearbar, said passageway continues in the form of a slide sloping downwards to the rear outlet. The rotating blade assembly is located above the slide and next to the fixed shearbar.

An agricultural harvester includes a frame; a threshing and separating system carried by the frame; a cleaning system carried by the frame; a mounting surface carried by the frame; and a residue system including a chopper carried by the frame and supplied with crop material from the threshing and separating system and/or the cleaning system. The chopper includes a chopper frame mounted to the mounting surface and having at least one shaft opening formed through; a chopper shaft held in the at least one shaft opening that is configured to rotate and is carried by the frame independently of the chopper frame; at least one rotating knife carried by the chopper shaft; and at least one stationary knife held in the chopper frame.

An agricultural harvester includes a frame; a threshing and separating system carried by the frame; a cleaning system carried by the frame; a mounting surface carried by the frame; and a residue system including a chopper carried by the frame and supplied with crop material from the threshing and separating system and/or the cleaning system. The chopper includes a chopper frame mounted to the mounting surface and having at least one shaft opening formed through; a chopper shaft held in the at least one shaft opening that is configured to rotate and is carried by the frame independently of the chopper frame; at least one rotating knife carried by the chopper shaft; and at least one stationary knife held in the chopper frame.

Processing of baled material includes a bale opening stage, a separation stage, and a decortication stage. The bale opener features a conveyor moving incoming bales toward a toothed extractor with an array of teeth driven on a revolutionary path moving upwardly past the adjacent end of the conveyor to rake through the bale and extract material therefrom. The conveyor tilts upward reduce a working angle between the conveyor and the toothed extractor to urge the shrinking bale toward the moving teeth. A separation stage features multiple sets of vertically stacked, counter-rotating rollers with different characteristics from one set to the next. A decorticator has an external container, an internal drum rotatably supported therein, and an array of teeth on the drum. Driven rotation of the internal drum spins the fibrous stalks around the internal drum and impacts the fibrous stalks against surrounding interior wall surfaces of the external container.

A cutting assembly is described that comprises two oppositely facing sidewalls and two loading systems, each loading system comprising a transverse member that extends between and through the sidewalls, and two trays of knives. Rotation of a transverse member causes the associated tray of knives to move between a loaded and an unloaded position, wherein the loaded position the knives protrude into a crop collection channel of a harvester for the cutting of crop material.

Disclosed are straw chopper assemblies for a harvesting combine of the type having a rotor and cage threshing assembly. The straw chopper assemblies are located on each side of the rotor discharge for accepting material exiting the rotor. Each straw chopper assembly is formed from a curvilinear cage having and interior opening to accept the rotor discharged material, and an opening to distribute chopper straw outside of the harvesting combine. A rotating knife assembly is housed within each curvilinear cage. A stationary knife assembly is movable for the rotating knives to pass between adjacent pairs of stationary knives. Outlets are provided in material communication with the curvilinear cage openings for discharging chopped straw onto the ground adjacent to the harvesting combine. Hoods are located over each of the outlets to directing the discharged chopped straw onto the ground.