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 system of particle detectors can determine the location of a source without rotations or iterations. Embodiments of the system may comprise a middle detector flanked by two shield plates, with two side detector panels exterior to the shields. The middle detector may be positioned toward the front and orthogonal to the side detectors. By comparing a ratio of the detector data to a predetermined angular correlation function, the system can determine both the sign and magnitude of the source angle in real-time. Embodiments of the system can rapidly and automatically localize sources including nuclear and radiological weapons materials, whether in vehicles or cargo containers, and can provide improved sensitivity in walk-through personnel portal applications, enable enhanced detection of hidden weapons by a mobile area scanner, and enable a hand-held survey meter that indicates the radiation level as well as the location of the source of radiation.

An adjustment apparatus for a forage harvester including a shear bar which is adjustably mounted on a housing which supports a chopper drum mounted for rotation about an axis and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced knife supports holding adjustably secured chopper knifes. The chopper knives act with the shear bar to chop incoming crop. The adjustment apparatus includes a lateral element, at least one location element and at least one radially inwardly directed guide surface, which follows a desired outer path of an unworn chopper knife.

An adjustment apparatus for a forage harvester including a shear bar which is adjustably mounted on a housing which supports a chopper drum mounted for rotation about an axis and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced knife supports holding adjustably secured chopper knifes. The chopper knives act with the shear bar to chop incoming crop. The adjustment apparatus includes a lateral element, at least one location element and at least one radially inwardly directed guide surface, which follows a desired outer path of an unworn chopper knife.

A forage harvester comprising an edge sharpness detection device for detecting a degree of edge sharpness of a cutting mechanism is disclosed. The cutting mechanism comminutes a stream of harvested material, with a material inflow area being defined where the cutting blades interact with the shear bar to comminute the harvested material. The edge sharpness detection device excites one or more magnetic circuits, with the respective magnetic circuit being closed by the respective cutting blade during rotation of the cutter drum once one of the cutting blades passes the magnetic assembly (positioned outside of the material inflow area). The edge sharpness detection device detects the magnetic flux in the respective magnetic circuit and, based on a detected change, determines a degree of edge sharpness of the respective cutting blade. Further, the magnetic flux of the magnetic circuit may be guided lengthwise in the cutting blade at least along a longitudinal section of the respective cutting blade.

A forage harvester comprising an edge sharpness detection device for detecting a degree of edge sharpness of a cutting mechanism is disclosed. The cutting mechanism comminutes a stream of harvested material, with a material inflow area being defined where the cutting blades interact with the shear bar to comminute the harvested material. The edge sharpness detection device excites one or more magnetic circuits, with the respective magnetic circuit being closed by the respective cutting blade during rotation of the cutter drum once one of the cutting blades passes the magnetic assembly (positioned outside of the material inflow area). The edge sharpness detection device detects the magnetic flux in the respective magnetic circuit and, based on a detected change, determines a degree of edge sharpness of the respective cutting blade. Further, the magnetic flux of the magnetic circuit may be guided lengthwise in the cutting blade at least along a longitudinal section of the respective cutting blade.

Chopping drum (10) for a field chopper, having a drum body (11), having a blade carrier (12) and having a plurality of blades (13) which are fastened to the blade carrier (12), each blade (13) being fastened to the blade carrier (12) via at least two fasteners (14) which extend through a fastening section (15) of the respective blade (13) into the blade carrier (12), and the fasteners (14) penetrating the fastening section (15) of the respective blade (13) at an angle of between 40 and 70.

Chopping drum (10) for a field chopper, having a drum body (11), having a blade carrier (12) and having a plurality of blades (13) which are fastened to the blade carrier (12), each blade (13) being fastened to the blade carrier (12) via at least two fasteners (14) which extend through a fastening section (15) of the respective blade (13) into the blade carrier (12), and the fasteners (14) penetrating the fastening section (15) of the respective blade (13) at an angle of between 40 and 70.

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.