A chopping blade for a straw chopper comprises a fastening opening, two side faces, and cutting edges arranged on one or both ends of the side faces. At least one of the side faces is equipped with means for reducing the frictional resistance of the chopping blade relative to the air and/or the chopping material.

An agricultural combine has a straw chopper that rotates in one direction in a straw chopping mode of operation and rotates in an opposing direction in a windrowing mode of operation.

An agricultural harvester includes a chassis; a threshing and separating assembly carried by the chassis; and a chopper assembly carried by the chassis that receives crop material from the threshing and separating assembly. The chopper assembly includes at least one movable chopping knife; a plurality of counter knives movable between a first knife position and a second knife position, the plurality of counter knives configured to cooperate with the at least one chopping knife to cut crop material when in the first knife position; a shear bar movable between a first bar position and a second bar position; and a linkage assembly connected to the plurality of counter knives and the shear bar such that the linkage assembly is selectively actuable to simultaneously move the plurality of counter knives and the shear bar between their respective first and second positions.

A chopping unit (10) of a forage harvester, having a chopping drum (11) bearing chopping blades (15), having a shear bar carrier (17) bearing a shear bar (16) for the chopping blades (15), wherein a top side (20), facing away from the shear bar carrier (17), of the shear bar (16) provides a cutting edge (21) of the shear bar (16), wherein the top side (20) of the shear bar (16) is contoured such that the top side (20) of the shear bar (16) is inclined, at least in a top-side portion (26) facing the chopping drum (11), continuously in the direction of the chopping drum (11) in the contact region with the chopping blades, as seen in the axial direction of the chopping drum (11).

A crop debris routing assembly for an agricultural machine includes a chopper rotor and opposing knives. The chopper rotor is configured to rotate about a chopper axis and includes chopper knives extending away from the chopper axis. The opposing knives extend toward the chopper rotor and are spaced from the chopper knives. The crop debris routing assembly includes at least one load cell operatively coupled to a controller. The at least one load cell measures a force applied to the opposing knives as harvested crop passes through the crop debris routing assembly. The controller receives a signal from the at least one load cell indicative of the measured force applied to the opposing knives and determines an amount of power required by the chopper rotor based on the measured force applied to the opposing knives and a rotational speed of the chopper rotor.

A chopper mechanism for chopping stalk-like plant wherein the chopper mechanism includes a plurality of chopping elements that are removably mounted on the pair of chopper drums via associated holders. The chopping elements are mounted on the chopper drums circumferentially spaced apart and define a predetermined radial angle () therebetween. Each of the chopping elements having a pair of substantially parallel cutting edges spaced apart by substantially parallel mounting surfaces. One of the cutting edges is selectively engaged in the chopping while the other cutting edge is enclosed within the holder. The parallel cutting edge of the chopping elements facilitates in reversing each chopping element depending on the degree of abrasion of the cutting edge.

A detection arrangement for detecting a state of wear of a chopping assembly comprises at least one magnet arrangement which includes a magnetic excitation arrangement and a flux-conducting device magnetically coupled thereto. The magnet arrangement provides a pole arrangement which forms at least one magnetic pole for outwardly conducting magnetic flux. At least one portion of the chopping blades moves past the pole arrangement during a rotation of the cutting cylinder, and forms an air gap arrangement including at least one air gap with respect to the pole arrangement and, as a result, at least one magnetic circuit excited by the excitation arrangement is closed via the chopping blade. At least one portion of the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic excitation arrangement is longitudinally guided in the chopping blade at least across one longitudinal portion of the chopping blade.

A chopping drum is provided for a forage harvester including a plurality of blade holders distributed around the periphery of the chopping drum, and a plurality of chopping blades. Each of the chopping blades is selectively coupled to at least one blade holder in one of at least two different positions specified by a form-fitting means.

A residue counterknife assembly comprising: a blade mount configured to secure to a blade shaft having a rotation axis; one or more blades secured to the blade mount and extending away from the rotation axis; and at least one blocking surface comprising an at least semicircular outer face located concentric to and at least partially surrounding the rotation axis.

An agricultural harvester residue counterknife assembly having: a first blade extending in a first blade plane; and a knife holder. The knife holder includes a first blade mount configured to secure to the first blade, a first arm extending from the blade mount and having a first passage extending therethrough, and a second arm extending from the blade mount and having a second passage extending therethrough. The first arm and the second arm define an opening between the first arm and second arm, the opening extends along a blade shaft direction that is generally orthogonal to the first blade plane, and the first passage and the second passage are collinear along an axis that passes through the opening. Also provided are an agricultural harvester having a residue counterknife assembly, and a method of servicing a residue counterknife assembly.