Crop chopper arrangements for agricultural machinery

Patent 6976913 Issued on December 20, 2005. Estimated Expiration Date:

June 18, 2023. 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

2708582

3350017

Distributing device for chopper
Patent #: 5569081
Issued on: 10/29/1996
Inventor: Baumgarten, et al.

Device for chopping the stalks after the ears of corn have been cut off in a combine harvester
Patent #: 5928080
Issued on: 07/27/1999
Inventor: Jakobi

Straw chopper for a combine
Patent #: 6331142
Issued on: 12/18/2001
Inventor: Bischoff

Comminuting device in an agricultural harvesting machine
Patent #: 6699121
Issued on: 03/02/2004
Inventor: Bognar , et al.

Distribution device for a straw chopper Patent #: 6729953
Issued on: 05/04/2004
Inventor: Bueermann

Inventors

Assignee

CNH America LLC

Application

No. 10464676 filed on 06/18/2003

US Classes:

460/111, STRAW CHAFF SPREADER OR HANDLING (DISCHARGE)460/901, MATERIAL DISTRIBUTOR460/112, With chopper239/650, CONTAINER FOR NON-FLUID MATERIAL, AND SCATTERING MEANS239/660With overload release or relief

Examiners

Primary: Petravick, Meredith

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Foreign Patent References

10064356 DE 07/01/2002
0993764 EP 04/01/2000
2009576 GB 06/01/1979
WO 00/78126 WO 06/01/2000

International Classes

A01F012/40
A01D041/02

Abstract

A crop chopper arrangement generally comprises a discharge apparatus having an inlet adapted to receive chopped crop from a crop chopper for an agricultural machine. The arrangement further includes a row of guide vanes positioned substantially transversely to a longitudinal axis of the agricultural machine and adapted to spread out a flow of the chopped crop from the discharge apparatus in a direction substantially rearwards to a direction of travel of the agricultural machine. One or more of the guide vanes has a shape or configuration that is adapted to impart a predetermined deviation to at least a portion of a flow of chopped crop passing through said discharge apparatus. The shape or configuration of each guide vane is dependent on its transverse position in the row. This arrangement makes it possible to realize an even distribution of the chopped crop over the full width of the harvester header.