Crop discharge means for a forage harvester

Patent 5558282 Issued on September 24, 1996. Estimated Expiration Date:

March 10, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

3126688

Manure spreader
Patent #: 4220280
Issued on: 09/02/1980
Inventor: Trott , et al.

Crop harvester spout control improvements
Patent #: 4221508
Issued on: 09/09/1980
Inventor: Haines

Vehicular forage harvester Patent #: 4324091
Issued on: 04/13/1982
Inventor: Wistuba , et al.

Inventors

Application

No. 402258 filed on 03/10/1995

US Classes:

241/60, Applied subsequently to comminuting241/101.742Self-loading from ground

Examiners

Primary: Rosenbaum, Mark

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Seemar; Frank A., Miller; Larry W.

Foreign Patent References

3224269 DE 03/13/1983

International Class

B02C 018/22

Abstract

A forage harvester comprises a rotatable cutterhead (36), operable to comminute crop material and to deliver the same to a blower assembly (48, 49), which propels the material upwardly into a duct (52), which in turn directs it into a collecting vehicle, which is moved aside or behind the harvester. The blower assembly (48, 49) includes a rotatable blower (49) and a housing (48), which is attached to a support frame (60), affixed to the main frame (1) by three bolts (67, 65) only. The duct (52) is mounted onto a base plate (78), which is not connected to the blower (48, 49), and can be rotated at a variable speed with respect to the main frame (1). A set of pull rods (68) and studs (70) permit easy and precise adjustment of the rotor (49) to the housing (48). This arrangement prevents the deformation of the blower housing (48), during and after its assembly to the harvester, and eliminates the need for subsequent readjustment of the blower (49) to the housing (48), in order to restore the blower efficiency.