초록 ▼

The crop residue distribution apparatus and system use a horizontal crop spreader assembly and deflector door independently relatively positionable to be configurable in a straw windrowing and chaff spreading configuration in which straw flow is directed through an aperture between drive units of th

The crop residue distribution apparatus and system use a horizontal crop spreader assembly and deflector door independently relatively positionable to be configurable in a straw windrowing and chaff spreading configuration in which straw flow is directed through an aperture between drive units of the spreader assembly while the chaff is directed to the spreader disposed in a lower opening; in a straw and chaff spreading configuration wherein the door closes the aperture and both straw and chaff are directed to the spreader; and in a straw and chaff windrowing configuration wherein the spreader is withdrawn from the lower opening such that the straw and chaff are both discharged therethrough to form a windrow without requiring removing disks of the spreader.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A crop residue distribution apparatus for an agricultural harvesting machine, comprising: a spreader assembly including side by side first and second spreader disks supported for rotation about generally upstanding rotational axes therethrough, respectively, and first and second spreader drive un

1. A crop residue distribution apparatus for an agricultural harvesting machine, comprising: a spreader assembly including side by side first and second spreader disks supported for rotation about generally upstanding rotational axes therethrough, respectively, and first and second spreader drive units connected in rotatably driving relation to the spreader disks, respectively, and extending axially upwardly therefrom, respectively, defining an aperture between the drive units, the spreader assembly being supported in or adjacent to a lower opening of a rear cavity of the harvesting machine, said spreader assembly being supported for pivotable movement along a path between a forward spreading position for receiving a flow of crop residue from a cleaning system of the harvesting machine disposed forwardly of the lower opening of the rear cavity thereof, and a rear position upwardly and rearwardly of the forward spreading position; anda pivotably supported deflector door bounding a rear end of the rear cavity, the deflector door having a lower portion configured and dimensioned to be cooperatively received in enclosing relation to the aperture defined between the drive units, the deflector door being pivotally movable between a forward closed position wherein the lower portion is disposed in and encloses the aperture to at least substantially prevent flow of crop residue through the aperture, and an open position rearward of the forward position to allow flow of crop residue through the aperture. 2. The crop residue distribution apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spreader assembly and the deflector door are configured and cooperate to allow pivoting of the spreader assembly to the rear position thereof with the deflector door in the forward closed position thereof. 3. The crop residue distribution apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second drive units include upstanding shields which extend about at least portions of first and second drive motors of the units, respectively, and bound the aperture. 4. The crop residue distribution apparatus of claim 3 wherein the lower portion of the deflector door is about equal in vertical extent to the upstanding shields. 5. The crop residue distribution apparatus of claim 1 wherein the deflector door includes an upper portion disposed upwardly and forwardly of the lower portion, the upper portion including flow guides adjacent opposite side edges thereof that extend generally convergingly toward the lower portion. 6. The crop residue distribution apparatus of claim 5 wherein lowermost portions of the flow guides define a sideward extent therebetween about equal to a sideward extent of the aperture between the drive units. 7. The crop residue distribution apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spreader assembly is supported by a frame including a generally horizontal cross bar spanning a sideward extent of a rear end of the harvesting machine and attached between first and second pivot arms mounted to and pivotably movable about rust and second pivot points, respectively, on opposite sides of the harvesting machine. 8. The crop residue distribution apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of the drive units comprises an upstanding drive shaft extending between the spreader disk connected to the drive Unit and a drive motor of the unit, supported on the cross bar for pivotable movement with the pivot arms about the pivot points. 9. The crop residue distribution apparatus of claim 8 wherein the drive shaft and the drive motor of each of the drive units is at least partially covered by an upstanding shield bounding a side of the aperture. 10. A crop residue distribution system for an agricultural harvesting machine, comprising: a spreader assembly including side by side first and second spreader disks supported for rotation about generally upstanding rotational axes therethrough, respectively, and first and second spreader drive units connected in rotatably driving relation to the spreader disks, respectively, and extending axially upwardly therefrom, defining an aperture between the drive units, the spreader assembly being supported in or adjacent to a lower opening of a rear cavity of the harvesting machine for pivotable movement about a generally horizontal, sidewaxdly extending pivotal axis, along a path between a forward spreading position for receiving a flow of crop residue from a cleaning system of the harvesting machine disposed forwardly of the lower opening, and a rear position upwardly and rearwardly of the forward spreading position; anda deflector door mounted for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal, sidewardly extending axis, bounding a rear end of the rear cavity, the deflector door having a lower portion configured and dimensioned to be cooperatively received in enclosing relation to the aperture defined by the drive units, the deflector door being pivotally movable between a forward closed position wherein the lower portion is disposed in and encloses the aperture when the spreader assembly is in the forward spreading position to prevent flow of crop residue through the aperture, and an open position rearward of the forward position to allow flow of crop residue through the aperture. 11. The crop residue distribution system of claim 10, wherein the spreader assembly and the deflector door are configured and cooperate to allow pivoting of the spreader assembly to the rear position thereof with the deflector door in the forward closed position thereof. 12. The crop residue distribution apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first and second drive units include upstanding shields which extend about at least portions of first and second drive motors of the units, respectively, bounding sides of the aperture. 13. The crop residue distribution apparatus of claim 12 wherein the lower portion of the deflector door is about equal in vertically extent to the upstanding shields. 14. The crop residue distribution apparatus of claim 10 wherein the deflector door includes an upper portion disposed upwardly and forwardly of the lower portion, the upper portion including flow guides adjacent opposite side edges thereof that extend generally convergingly toward the lower portion. 15. The crop residue distribution apparatus of claim 14 wherein lowermost portions of the flow guides define a space therebetween having a sideward extent about equal to a sideward extent of the aperture between the drive units. 16. The crop residue distribution apparatus of claim 10 wherein the spreader assembly is supported by a frame including a generally horizontal cross bar spanning a sideward extent of a rear end of the harvesting machine and attached between first and second pivot arms mounted to and pivotably movable about first and second pivot points, respectively, on opposite sides of the harvesting machine. 17. The crop residue distribution apparatus of claim 16 wherein the drive shaft and the drive motor of each of the drive units is at least partially covered by an upstanding shield bounding a side of the aperture. 18. A crop residue distribution system for an agricultural harvesting machine, comprising: a spreader assembly including side by side first and second spreader disks supported for rotation about generally upstanding rotational axes therethrough, respectively, and first and second spreader drive units connected in rotatably driving relation to the spreader disks, respectively, and extending axially upwardly therefrom, defining an aperture between the drive units, the spreader assembly being supported in or adjacent to a lower opening of a rear cavity of the harvesting machine for pivotable movement about a generally horizontal, sidewardly extending pivotal axis, along a path between a forward spreading position adjacent to a cleaning system of the harvesting machine disposed forwardly of the lower opening, and a rear position upwardly and rearwardly of the forward spreading position; anda deflector door mounted for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal, sidewardly extending axis, bounding a rear end of the rear cavity, the deflector door having a lower portion configured and dimensioned to be cooperatively received in enclosing relation to the aperture between the drive units, the deflector door being pivotally movable between a forward closed position wherein the lower portion is disposed in and encloses the aperture, and an open position rearward of the forward closed position,wherein when the spreader assembly is positioned in the forward spreading position and the deflector door is positioned in the forward closed position, crop residue flow rearwardly from the cleaning system and a threshing system of the machine will be received and spread by the spreader assembly when the disks thereof are rotating;wherein when the spreader assembly is in the rearward position and the deflector door is in the forward closed position crop residue flow rearwardly from the cleaning system and a threshing system of the machine will be discharged through the lower opening to form a windrow behind the machine; andwherein when the spreader assembly is positioned in the forward spreading position and the deflector door is positioned in the open position, crop residue flow rearwardly from the cleaning system will be received and spread by the spreader assembly when the disks thereof are rotating, and crop residue flow from the threshing system will be mostly discharged through the aperture to form a windrow behind the machine. 19. The crop residue distribution system of claim 18 wherein the first and second spreader drive units and the deflector door include elements configured to shape and control a width of the crop residue flow through the aperture.