A dual rotary cutter bale processor operable in a first mode for producing ground material and dispersing ground material for a first use and a second mode for producing cut material and dispersing cut material from the processor for a second use, where the cut material is coarser than the ground material. Material is processed for feeding into a container, bunk, or tire, into windrows on the ground, making piles of material, spreading the material for use as animal bedding, and/or mulching newly seeded areas. A screen and moveable bypass door for each rotary cutter and a position of a deflector direct a cut path such that the bypass doors can be used to force the material through the screens to further reduce size of the material or the deflectors can be used so the material bypasses the screens for dispersal from the processor in a coarser state.

The present invention provides a system for processing a bale of straw to provide a hurd fraction, a fiber fraction and a dust fraction. The system comprises a bale cutting assembly configured to cut the bale into a plurality of vertically stacked cut bale segments by making one or more horizontal cuts through the bale and to eject a lowermost one of the plurality of the cut bale segments onto a first conveyor assembly, which separates the bale segment into straw wafers and convey them into a flail assembly comprising a plurality of flails/beaters to convert straw wafers into loose straw. The loose straw are discharged into a grinding assembly via a second conveyor assembly, to provide a mixture of hurd, fiber and dust. A separation assembly receives and separate the mixture of hurd, fiber and dust into the hurd fraction, the fiber fraction and the dust fraction.

A forage harvester has multiple working elements for carrying out a crop handling process, a drive system which is divided into a main drive train that includes mechanically driven working elements, and an auxiliary drive train that includes hydraulically driven working elements, a driver assistance system which comprises a memory for storing data and a computing device for processing data stored in the memory, as well as a graphical user interface. The working elements consist of at least one adjustable crop handler, at least one actuator system for adjusting and/or actuating the crop handler, and a control unit for controlling the actuator system. The working element is designed as an automatic adjuster whose mode of operation can be optimized by the driver assistance system. The driver assistance system feeds a throughput-proportional load signal, which can be determined by at least one sensor system, to the particular automatic adjuster.

A shredding and baling apparatus provided includes a shredding assembly operatively connected to a baling assembly via a conveyor. A rotatable drum with cutting teeth spirally arranged along the drum is preferably centered within a lower portion of an intake hopper for cutting through material as it is fed into the hopper. Fixed cutting teeth are preferably arranged in a row or rows along each of the longitudinal sidewalls of the hopper, adjacent the cutting drum. A touch screen display and computer may be used in combination with sensors to monitor and control the shredding and baling operation, and a hydraulic system is used to drive the components. The shredding and baling assembly is preferably designed in an industrial size to handle high volumes of material and may be driven or transported from one location to another.

A shredding and baling apparatus provided includes a shredding assembly operatively connected to a baling assembly via a conveyor. A rotatable drum with cutting teeth spirally arranged along the drum is preferably centered within a lower portion of an intake hopper for cutting through material as it is fed into the hopper. Fixed cutting teeth are preferably arranged in a row or rows along each of the longitudinal sidewalls of the hopper, adjacent the cutting drum. A touch screen display and computer may be used in combination with sensors to monitor and control the shredding and baling operation, and a hydraulic system is used to drive the components. The shredding and baling assembly is preferably designed in an industrial size to handle high volumes of material and may be driven or transported from one location to another.

A residue handling system of an agricultural harvester includes a straw beater for receiving material other than grain from a threshing and separating system. A subsequent residue treatment device receives the material from the straw beater and breaks down larger parts of the material prior to discharge from the agricultural harvester. At least one wind generating system is located at an end of the straw beater and directs a flow of air from the vicinity of the straw beater to the subsequent residue treatment device. The flow of air is directed to pass substantially through an upper rearward part of the residue handling system. The flow of air operates to further entrain, render airborne, and transport material other than grain proceeding from the straw beater to the subsequent residue treatment device.

A residue handling system of an agricultural harvester includes a straw beater for receiving material other than grain from a threshing and separating system. A subsequent residue treatment device receives the material from the straw beater and breaks down larger parts of the material prior to discharge from the agricultural harvester. At least one wind generating system is located at an end of the straw beater and directs a flow of air from the vicinity of the straw beater to the subsequent residue treatment device. The flow of air is directed to pass substantially through an upper rearward part of the residue handling system. The flow of air operates to further entrain, render airborne, and transport material other than grain proceeding from the straw beater to the subsequent residue treatment device.

A combine double-decker crop residue spreader for use with a rotating chopper having chopper blades and through which air is blown may include a divider panel separating a lower portion from an upper portion of the spreader. The divider panel extends rearwardly from a location where the chopper blades transition from rotating towards the divider panel to rotating away from the divider. An airflow conduit extends above the divider panel in the upper portion to rearwardly direct air flow. At least one lower vertical panel below the divider panel in the lower portion rearwardly directs crop residue.

A straw processing system includes a straw pickup assembly, a straw chopper, and a straw distribution system. The straw pickup assembly picks up straw and passes it to the straw chopper for producing a straw feed stream flowing in a feed direction. The straw distribution system has a chamber with a feed inlet for receiving the straw feed stream, a central outlet, and at least a first outlet. The straw distribution system diverts at least a first fraction of straw from the straw feed into the first outlet in a first direction which is divergent from the feed direction. The central outlet discharges a fraction of the straw feed stream that continues to flow in the feed direction.

A straw processing system includes a straw pickup assembly, a straw chopper, and a straw distribution system. The straw pickup assembly picks up straw and passes it to the straw chopper for producing a straw feed stream flowing in a feed direction. The straw distribution system has a chamber with a feed inlet for receiving the straw feed stream, a central outlet, and at least a first outlet. The straw distribution system diverts at least a first fraction of straw from the straw feed into the first outlet in a first direction which is divergent from the feed direction. The central outlet discharges a fraction of the straw feed stream that continues to flow in the feed direction.