Crop Residue Spreader Rotor with Different Paddle Shapes

Abstract

A crop residue spreader for an agricultural crop harvester such as a combine includes a rotor having a plurality of paddles including a first paddle having a first cross-sectional shape and a second paddle having a second cross-sectional shape, the second cross-sectional shape of the second paddle being different from the first cross-sectional shape of the first paddle. Different V-shapes can be used for the first and second cross-sectional shapes, the openings of the V-shapes facing in a forward rotational direction of the rotor. Multiple pairs of similarly shaped paddles can be used.

Claims

1. A spreader disc for an agricultural combine, the spreader disc comprising: a first radially extending paddle having a first cross-sectional shape, the first radially extending paddle for moving crop residue; and a second radially extending paddle having a second cross-sectional shape different from the first cross-sectional shape, the second radially extending paddle for moving crop residue, wherein the spreader disc has a rotational axis.

2. The spreader disc of claim 1, further comprising a third paddle having a third cross-sectional shape different from the first and second cross-sectional shapes.

3. The spreader disc of claim 2, further comprising: a fourth paddle having a same cross-sectional shape as the first paddle; a fifth paddle having a same cross-sectional shape as the second paddle; and a sixth paddle having a same cross-sectional shape as the third paddle.

4. The spreader disc of claim 2, wherein the cross-section shapes are of differently arranged generally V-shapes, with openings of the V-shapes facing in a forward rotational direction of the rotor.

5. The spreader disc of claim 1, further comprising a third paddle having a cross-sectional shape that is the same as the first cross-sectional shape or the second-cross sectional shape.

6. The spreader disc of claim 1, wherein the cross-section shapes are of differently arranged generally V-shapes, with openings of the V-shapes facing in a forward rotational direction of the rotor.

7. A crop residue spreader for an agricultural crop harvester, the crop residue spreader comprising: a rotor mounted for rotary movement about a vertical axis, the rotor comprising a plurality of radially extending paddles for moving crop residue, the plurality of radially extending paddles comprising: a first paddle of a first cross-sectional shape; and a second paddle of a second cross-sectional shape different from the first cross-sectional shape; and a housing at least partly surrounding the rotor and having a tangential outlet and an inlet for residue adjacent the vertical axis.

8. The crop residue spreader of claim 7, wherein the plurality of paddles further comprises a third paddle having a third cross-sectional shape different from the first and second cross-sectional shapes.

9. The crop residue spreader of claim 8, further comprising a second rotor comprising a second plurality of radially extending paddles for moving crop residue, the second plurality of radially extending paddles including paddles shaped similarly to the first paddle, the second paddle, and the third paddle, respectively.

10. The crop residue spreader of claim 9, wherein the first and second cross-section shapes are of differently configured generally V-shapes, with openings of the V-shapes facing in a forward rotational direction of the rotor.

11. The crop residue spreader of claim 7, the plurality of radially extending paddles further comprising a third paddle having a cross-sectional shape that is the same as the first cross-sectional shape or the second-cross sectional shape.

12. The crop residue spreader of claim 7, further comprising an adjustable material deflector adjustably associated with the tangential outlet.

13. The crop residue spreader of claim 12, the adjustable material deflector comprising a deflector plate horizontally or vertically adjustable relative to the rotor.

14. The crop residue spreader of claim 7, the plurality of paddles comprising at least two pairs of paddles, the paddles with each pair being similarly shaped, and the pairs of paddles being differently shaped from one another.

15. The crop residue spreader of claim 7, the plurality of paddles comprising at least three pairs of paddles, the paddles within each pair being similarly shaped, and the pairs of paddles each being differently shaped from one another.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a simplified side elevational view of an agricultural harvesting machine in the form of a combine which may include a crop residue spreader having a rotor with paddles of multiple different shapes as disclosed herein;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of an aft portion of the harvesting machine shown in FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the harvesting machine shown in FIGS. 1 & 2;

[0018] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a crop residue spreader having a spreading rotor with paddles as disclosed herein;

[0019] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a fragmentary portion of the crop residue spreader shown in FIG. 4;

[0020] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of the cross-sectional shapes of the paddles of the spreading rotor shown in FIGS. 4 & 5;

[0021] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the rotor and paddles shown in FIGS. 4-6; and

[0022] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a rotor with multiple paddle shapes.

[0023] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Referring now to the drawings more specifically FIG. 1 shows an agricultural combine 20 which is representative of a wide variety of agricultural harvesting machines. Combine 20 includes a threshing system 22 having a threshing rotor 24 rotatable in known manner for separating the desirable crop component or grain from straw, stocks and other plant residue. A beater or chopper 26 is rotatable for propelling or directing a flow or stream of the plant residue, generally referred to as straw 28, toward the rear of combine 20. When configured as a chopper 26, straw and other large material is reduced in size. A cleaning system 30 receives the threshed crop component from threshing system 22 and removes chaff and other remaining residue such as seedpods, husks and the like, generally referred to as chaff 32, and directs a flow or stream of chaff 32 toward the aft end of combine 20. Straw 28 and chaff 32 pass through a cavity 34 toward a horizontal spreader assembly 36 at a lower opening 38 of cavity 34. Horizontal spreader assembly 36 is part of a crop residue spreader 40 having a rotor and paddles as to be described herein.

[0025] Referring now also to FIGS. 2, 3 & 4 horizontal spreader assembly 36 of apparatus and system 40 includes side by side first and second spreader discs or rotors 42, 44 supported for counter rotation as indicated by arrows R, about generally upstanding rotational axes 46, 48, respectively. Spreader discs or rotors 42, 44 are supported and driven in rotations R by upstanding first and second spreader drive units 50, 52 positioned above the spreader discs or rotors 42, 44, respectively. An open area or space 54 is defined between the laterally positioned spreader drive units 50, 52. A chaff transfer pan 56 can be used for carrying some of the flow of chaff 32 toward the spreader assembly 36.

[0026] At an aft end 60 of combine 20, crop residue spreader 40 also can include a pivotally supported deflector door 62 that is pivotal about an axis 64 to adjustably position a lower portion 66 of deflector door 62 in relation to open area 54 defined between drive units 50, 52 of spreader assembly 36. Spreader assembly 36 can be supported for pivotal movement about an axis 68 between a lower, operable position as shown in the drawings for receiving the flows of straw 28 and chaff 32 for spreading thereof on a field, and an upward or stored position (not shown) in which the spreader assembly can be stowed when not in use for spreading. Accordingly, crop residue spreader 40 further includes a frame 70 and first and second pivot arms 72, 74 movable about first and second pivot points 76, 78, respectively, located on opposite sides of combine 20 along pivot axis 68, the arms 72, 74 also being connected to one another by a cross bar 106.

[0027] First and second drive units 50, 52 can include upstanding shields 80, 82 protecting first and second drive motors 84, 86 of drive units 50, 52, respectively. Drive motors 84, 86 are drivingly connected to first and second spreader discs or rotors 42, 44 by first and second drive shafts 108, 110, respectively.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1-3, each of the counter rotating spreader discs or rotors 42, 44 includes a plurality of structures to receive and engage straw 28 and chaff 32 to forcefully expel the straw 28 and chaff 32 from crop residue spreader 40. In FIGS. 1-3, the structures are indicated generically by pluralities of paddles 120, which should be understood to include paddles of different paddle shapes, as will be described with respect to FIGS. 4-6.

[0029] Referring now particularly to FIG. 4, a horizontal crop residue spreader 140 is shown. First and second spreader discs or rotors 142, 144 are rotatable about first and second rotational axes 146, 148, respectively. A spreader housing 150 includes fixed housing portions 152, 154 surrounding substantially half of the peripheries of spreader discs or rotors 142, 144, respectively, and a housing bottom 156 extends fully beneath spreader discs or rotors 142, 144.

[0030] A material deflector 158 is mounted between first and second spreader discs or rotors 142, 144 and includes an adjustment system 160 operating deflector plates 162, 164, respectively. Deflector plates 162, 164 are operatively associated with fixed housing portions 152, 154, but can be elevated from the positions shown in FIG. 4 to allow residue material such as straw 28 and chaff 32 to flow there beneath generally at the center rear of the combine. In the lowered positions shown in FIG. 4, deflector plates 162, 164 surround yet further portions of the peripheries of spreader discs or rotors 142, 144. Adjustment system 160 can be operated also in a manner to move deflector plates closer to or farther from the outer edges of spreader discs or rotors 142, 144. Together spreader housing 150 and deflector plates 162, 164 define tangential outlets areas 166, 168 for each of first and second spreader discs or rotors 142, 144, respectively. Vertical and horizontal adjustment of deflector plates 162, 164 can adjust the manner in which residue material is thrown from crop residue spreader 140. Thus, distribution can be directed more centrally by elevating deflector plates 162, 164 and the side distance for throwing the residue material can be altered by horizontal adjustment of deflector plates 162, 164. The use and operation of material deflector 158 is known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in further detail herein.

[0031] Each of the first and second spreader discs or rotors 142, 144 includes a plurality of impellers or paddles for engaging the residue material and accelerating the material to be thrown off the ends of the paddles as the paddles pass the open areas defined by tangential outlet areas 166, 168 and/or openings beneath deflector plates 162, 164 resulting from the elevation of the deflector plates. Generally, the paddles have somewhat V-shaped cross sectional shapes from top to bottom, with the opening of the V-shape facing in the forward rotation direction. The crop refuse including straw 28 and chaff 32 enters at the open top of housing 150 and migrates along the paddles to accumulate in the depth of the V-shape on each paddle. When optimized with the adjustment of material deflector 158 for the machine operating conditions, weather conditions and crop conditions a substantially even spread distribution can be obtained across the entire spreading width.

[0032] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 & 7, first spreader disc or rotor 142 includes a first paddle 170 of a first cross-sectional shape, a second paddle 172 of a second cross sectional shape, a third paddle 174 of a third cross-sectional shape and a fourth paddle 176 similar to second paddle 172 and having the same cross-sectional shape as second paddle 172. Paddles 170, 172, 174 and 176 receive a flow of crop residue, including straw 28 and chaff 32 from a crop residue inlet 178 above the paddles and generally bounded by spreader housing 150 and material deflector 158. A similar residue inlet 180 is defined above second spreader disc or rotor 144.

[0033] To better illustrate the vertical cross-sectional shapes of first paddle 170, second paddle 172, third paddle 174 and fourth paddle 176, schematic representations thereof are shown in FIGS. 5 & 6. As can be seen, first paddle 170 has the depth of the V-shape thereof near the top of the paddle, and crop residue material such as straw 28 and chaff 30 received through residue inlet 178 and engaged by first paddle 170 will tend to remain near or migrate quickly toward the depth of the V-shape near the upper edge of the paddle. Second paddle 172 and fourth paddle 176 each have similar cross-sectional shapes, with the depths of the V-shapes thereof near the center of the paddles from top to bottom. Accordingly, residue material such as straw 28 and chaff 30 received through residue inlet 178 and engaged by second paddle 172 or fourth paddle 176 will tend to migrate quickly toward and remain near the depth of the V-shape near the center of the paddle from top to bottom. Third paddle 174 has the depth of the V-shape thereof near the bottom edge of the paddle. Residue material such as straw 28 and chaff 30 received through residue inlet 178 and engaged by third paddle 174 will migrate quickly toward and remain near the depth of the V-shape near the bottom of the paddle, near housing bottom 156.

[0034] Providing paddles having relatively aggressive V-shapes encourages more rapid material migration along the surface of the paddle toward the depth of the V-shape even as the various conditions change. Each paddle reacts with the residue material more consistently even when crop, harvesting, atmospheric or other conditions change. As a result, trajectory patterns for the residue material flung from the outlet remain more consistent even as the various conditions change.

[0035] While the exemplary embodiment shown and explained with respect to FIGS. 4-7 includes four paddles and three different pattern shapes, it should be understood that more or fewer paddles also can be used. For example, 3 paddles can be used, one of each of the described shapes. Further, more than four paddles can be used with two paddles of each of two shapes and a fifth paddle of the remaining shape. Still further, six or more paddles can be provided with two paddles of each of three different shapes. FIG. 8 illustrates a rotor 182 similar to that shown in FIG. 7, but having three pairs of rotors, the two rotors within a pair being similarly shaped, but each pair differently shaped from the other pairs. Accordingly, rotor 182 includes a first paddle 170, a second paddle 172, a third paddle 174, and a fourth paddle 176 shaped similarly to the similarly numbered paddles described previously herein. Rotor 182 further includes a fifth paddle 184 shaped similarly to first paddle 170 and a sixth paddle 186 shaped similarly to third paddle 174. The similarly shaped paddles of a pair are positioned diametrically opposite one another to facilitate balance.

[0036] It should also be understood that more than three paddle shapes also can be used. For example, paddles having V-shapes with the depths thereof located between the shapes shown for the described embodiment also can be used. Five paddles can be used with three paddles of the first, second and third shapes, a fourth paddle between the first and second shape and a fifth paddle between the second and third shapes. Rotor 144 (FIG. 4) is depicted with five paddles, which may be five differently shaped paddles as just described, or may include one or two pairs of similarly shaped paddles. Still further variations and combinations can be provided. For further example, advantages can be obtained using paddles of two different V-shapes to encourage material positioning in at least two height positions relative to the paddles. Still further, while first spreader disc or rotor 142 is shown and described with paddles of multiple V-shape cross sections, it should be understood that second spreader disc or rotor 144 also can be provided with a plurality of paddles including paddles with different cross-sectional shapes either the same as or different from the cross-sectional shapes of paddles described previously, and with more paddles than rotor 142 as shown, or with the same number of paddles or fewer paddles than rotor 142. One or both rotors 142, 144 can be provided with multiple paddles of a single cross-sectional V-shaped configuration and still provide advantages by achieving more consistent material location in the depths of the V-shapes even as crop, harvesting, atmospheric and/or other conditions change.

[0037] While the exemplary embodiments shown and described have included rotors enclosed within housings, it should be understood that rotors with different paddle shapes as disclosed herein can be used advantageously also in more open arrangements without housings, which may include shrouds for guiding material, for example. Further, while a material inlet adjacent the rotor vertical axis has been shown and described, it should be understood that rotors with different paddle shapes as disclosed herein can be used advantageously in residue spreaders having residue inlets located in other positions relative to the rotor.