Abstract: A crop residue spreader for an agricultural harvester having a spreader frame with counter-rotating impellers for discharging crop residue and a distribution deflector mounted in close proximity to the impellers for deflecting crop residue discharged by the impellers. A common structural member independently supports both the spreader frame and the distribution deflector, such that the distribution deflector does not contact the spreader frame and connects to the spreader frame only indirectly through the common structural member, forming a gap between the spreader frame and the distribution deflector across the discharge area to provide clearance for discharged crop residue to exit the spreader.

Abstract: A knife holder for a knife bank of an agricultural vehicle. The knife holder includes a body having opposing legs separated by a channel, wherein the channel is sized for receiving a shaft to which the knife holder is mounted; a mount for mounting the body to a knife element; and an opening for receiving a fastener for mounting the body to the shaft such that fastening the body to the shaft causes the legs to deform and compressively contact the shaft and thereby either prevent or limit inadvertent movement of the body relative to the shaft in a direction that is normal to a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

Abstract: A combine harvester including a feeder housing for receiving harvested crop, a separating system for threshing the harvested crop to produce grain and residue, a residue spreader, a continuously oscillating residue deflector for deflecting the expelled residue, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine a combine harvester ground speed, a spreader impeller speed, and/or a combine throughput heading of the combine, and to vary the deflector oscillating frequency according to at least one of combine harvester ground speed, spreader impeller speed, and combine throughput, for a more even distribution of expelled residue. Oscillation frequency of the deflector may also be varied according to feedback from sensors detecting residue distribution by the spreader or according to combine operator input.

Abstract: An agricultural residue chopper assembly comprising a housing defining a partially enclosed cutting chamber, with respective sections of housing wall extending between an inlet and outlet, a cutting knife assembly comprising a plurality of knives extending radially to define a cutting volume, a counterknife assembly comprising one or more counterknives positioned to extend into the cutting volume, a first shear bar positioned near a downstream closing of the housing outlet, a second shear bar positioned downstream of the first shear bar near an upstream opening of the housing inlet, and an air catch formed by a radially expanded section of the housing wall between the downstream closing of the housing outlet and the upstream opening of the housing inlet. Also, an agricultural harvester machine having a residue chopper assembly.

Abstract: The chopper assembly includes a rotatable chopper drum having a plurality of knives mounted between two sidewalls and configured to cut larger plant material into smaller particles through the interaction of the knives and a set of counterknives. A guide surface is mounted on at least one of the sidewalls, preferably on both sidewalls, and in the path of a stream of crop material advancing towards the chopper assembly. The guide surface extends between an upstream edge lying essentially in the plane of the sidewall and a downstream edge removed from the sidewall. The guide surface is furthermore inclined relative to the sidewall, so as to guide plant material away from the sidewall and in the direction of the knives located closest to the sidewall. The guide surface thereby prevents plant material from passing between the knives and the sidewall without being cut.

Abstract: An agricultural residue chopper assembly comprising: a cutting chamber housing with cutting knives rotatable along a cutting direction within the cutting chamber, and a rotatable counterknife shaft unit. The shaft unit is mounted at a rotation axis near an outer surface of the cutting chamber housing, and has an outer face and one or more counterknives extending outward from the outer face. The shaft unit is rotatable to move the counterknives closer and further from the cutting knives' rotation axis. The outer face and the outer surface of the cutting chamber housing define a trailing area in which a gap distance between the outer face and the outer surface of the cutting chamber housing remains constant or increases in size as the counterknife shaft unit is rotated to move the counterknives closer to the cutting blade axis. An agricultural harvester machine having a residue chopper assembly is also provided.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester residue counterknife assembly having: a first blade extending in a first blade plane; and a knife holder. The knife holder includes a first blade mount configured to secure to the first blade, a first arm extending from the blade mount and having a first passage extending therethrough, and a second arm extending from the blade mount and having a second passage extending therethrough. The first arm and the second arm define an opening between the first arm and second arm, the opening extends along a blade shaft direction that is generally orthogonal to the first blade plane, and the first passage and the second passage are collinear along an axis that passes through the opening. Also provided are an agricultural harvester having a residue counterknife assembly, and a method of servicing a residue counterknife assembly.

Abstract: A residue counterknife assembly comprising: a blade mount configured to secure to a blade shaft having a rotation axis; one or more blades secured to the blade mount and extending away from the rotation axis; and at least one blocking surface comprising an at least semicircular outer face located concentric to and at least partially surrounding the rotation axis.

Abstract: A crop residue spreader for an agricultural harvester having a spreader frame with counter-rotating impellers for discharging crop residue and a distribution hood mounted in close proximity to the impellers for deflecting crop residue discharged by the impellers. A common structural member independently supports both the spreader frame and the distribution hood. The distribution hood is movably connected to the common structural member, such that the distribution hood may be moved away from the spreader discharge to provide additional clearance for discharged crop residue to exit the spreader.

Abstract: A crop residue spreader for an agricultural harvester having a spreader frame with counter-rotating impellers for discharging crop residue and a distribution deflector mounted in close proximity to the impellers for deflecting crop residue discharged by the impellers. A common structural member independently supports both the spreader frame and the distribution deflector, such that the distribution deflector does not contact the spreader frame and connects to the spreader frame only indirectly through the common structural member, forming a gap between the spreader frame and the distribution deflector across the discharge area to provide clearance for discharged crop residue to exit the spreader.

Abstract: A foldable auger having a first and second auger assemblies, each having a respective housing, auger screw and rotation axis. A pivot joins the assemblies, and is configured to permit the second auger assembly to fold relative to the first auger assembly. A first drive coupler is located at an end of the first auger screw and offset from the first axis, and a second drive coupler is located at an end of the second auger screw and offset from the second axis. A drive sleeve is rigidly connected to the end of the second auger screw. The drive sleeve has at least one slot that slidingly receives the second drive coupler. The second drive coupler is movable between a first position in driving connection with the first drive coupler, and a second position not in driving connection with the first drive coupler.

Abstract: A foldable auger having a first and second auger assemblies, each having a respective housing, auger screw and rotation axis. A pivot joins the assemblies, and is configured to permit the second auger assembly to fold relative to the first auger assembly. A first drive coupler is located at an end of the first auger screw and offset from the first axis, and a second drive coupler is located at an end of the second auger screw and offset from the second axis. A drive sleeve is rigidly connected to the end of the second auger screw. The drive sleeve has at least one slot that slidingly receives the second drive coupler. The second drive coupler is movable between a first position in driving connection with the first drive coupler, and a second position not in driving connection with the first drive coupler.