Rigid rotor discharge deflector

Abstract

A rigid rotor discharge deflector apparatus for a combine, including a body member, attachable to the side wall of a discharge passage at the downstream end of the rotor, having a face portion with at least one ridge portion thereon extending generally laterally across at least a portion of the face portion, an upper body portion above the level of the ridge portion, an upper ramp portion sloped and extending outwardly from the upper body portion to the ridge portion, and a bracing associated with the upper ramp portion maintaining the ridge portion essentially fixed relative to the side wall and maintaining the upper ramp portion essentially fixed in position relative to the side wall under normal forward operating conditions of the rotor. The body member may also include a lower body portion below the level of the ridge portion, and the upper and lower body portions may both be attachable to the side wall. Preferably, a lower ramp portion may also be provided, which lower ramp portion slopes and extends back towards the lower body portion and also provides bracing for the upper ramp portion.

1 . A rigid rotor discharge deflector for a combine having a generally longitudinally disposed rotor feeding crop residue into a discharge passage above a chopper apparatus, the discharge passage having spaced side walls, comprising 
 a body mountable to a side wall of the discharge passage on the downswept side of the rotor, and, when so mounted, having a face extending from generally adjacent to the downstream end of the rotor rearwardly towards the rear of the combine,    said face of said body member including at least one ridge portion extending generally laterally across at least a portion of said face, an upper portion above said ridge portion, and an upper ramp portion sloped and extending from said upper portion of said body to said ridge portion in a fixed and inflexible manner,    said body including a bracing associated with said upper ramp portion and said ridge portion maintaining said ridge portion essentially fixed and inflexible relative to the side wall and maintaining said upper ramp portion essentially fixed in position relative to the side wall and preventing flexure thereof under normal forward operating conditions of the rotor,    whereby at least a portion of the crop residue being discharged from the rotor into the discharge passage will impact said upper ramp portion without effecting flexure thereof and will be deflected and redirected thereby to be more uniformly laterally introduced into the chopper apparatus.    
   
   
       2 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 1  wherein said upper ramp portion extends from the said wall at an essentially fixed angle.  
   
   
       3 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 1  wherein said bracing includes a lower portion below said ridge portion and a lower ramp portion sloped and extending from said ridge portion towards said lower portion of said body in a fixed and inflexible manner.  
   
   
       4 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 3  wherein said upper ramp portion extends from the said wall at an essentially fixed angle and said lower ramp portion abuts the side wall at an essentially given angle.  
   
   
       5 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 4  wherein said fixed angle is approximately 60° and said given angle is essentially 30°.  
   
   
       6 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 3  wherein the slopes of said upper ramp portion and said lower ramp portion are essentially constant.  
   
   
       7 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 6  wherein the slope of said lower ramp portion is steeper than the slope of said upper ramp portion.  
   
   
       8 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 3  wherein the area of said upper ramp portion is greater than the area of said lower ramp portion.  
   
   
       9 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 3  wherein said ridge portion includes a lip at the juncture between said upper ramp portion and said lower ramp portion having opposed ends, the ends of said lip being at different fixed distances from the sidewall.  
   
   
       10 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 9  wherein said lip end closer to the side wall is considered to be the lower end, said lip end farther from the side wall is considered to be the higher end, and said lip slopes outwardly generally uniformly from said lower to said higher end.  
   
   
       11 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 1  including a plurality of laterally spaced ridge portions each extending generally laterally across a portion of said face, each ridge portion having a respective upper body portion, upper ramp portion, and a bracing associated therewith, with the upper ramp portion extending from the respective associated upper body portion in a fixed and inflexible manner and being braced against flexure by its respective associated bracing.  
   
   
       12 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 11  wherein said plurality of ridge portions are staggered in height positionings on said face of said body.  
   
   
       13 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 11  wherein the plurality of upper ramp portions all extend into the discharge passage at essentially the same fixed angle relative to the side wall.  
   
   
       14 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 11  wherein each of said plurality of ridge portions extends generally horizontally across a portion of said face and said plurality of upper ramp portions are similarly sized, with said ridge portions being generally uniformly spaced laterally and generally uniformly staggered height-wise on said face of said body.  
   
   
       15 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 1  wherein said bracing includes a support construction extending from said upper ramp portion to adjacent the side wall.  
   
   
       16 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 15  wherein said ridge portion includes a curled lip, said upper ramp portion includes a substantially straight and flat upper ramp face portion extending from the side wall at an essentially fixed angle relative to the side wall to said lip, and said support construction includes a pair of side supports extending from adjacent the backside of said lip to adjacent the side wall.  
   
   
       17 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 16  wherein said side supports are wall members extending upwardly along essentially the full height of the backside of the upper ramp portion.  
   
   
       18 . A rigid rotor discharge deflector for a combine having a generally longitudinally disposed rotor feeding crop residue into a discharge passage above a chopper apparatus, the discharge passage having spaced side walls, comprising 
 a material plate having upper and lower edges and being bent laterally back on itself at a mid-height location to form a primary bend and to define upper and lower side portions above and below said primary bend,    said upper side portion being counterbent at a position between said primary bend and said upper edge to form an upper bend and to define a upper flange portion along said upper edge,    said lower side portion being counterbent at a position between said primary bend and said lower edge to form a lower bend and to define a lower flange portion along said lower edge,    said primary, upper, and lower bends being so related to one another to position said upper and lower flange portions to be in essentially the same plane and to define a ridge portion along said primary bend, an upper ramp portion above said primary bend, and a lower ramp portion below said primary bend,    said upper and lower flange portions being securably attachable to the side wall,    said upper ramp portion being braced by said lower ramp portion and the attachment of said upper and lower flange portions to the side wall to maintain said ridge portion essentially fixed and inflexible relative to the side wall and said upper ramp portion at an essentially fixed and inflexible position relative to said side wall and to prevent flexure thereof under normal forward operating conditions of the rotor.    
   
   
       19 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 18  wherein said primary bend extends generally horizontally laterally across the material plate.  
   
   
       20 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 19  wherein said upper and lower bends extend generally horizontally laterally across the material plate.  
   
   
       21 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 20  wherein said upper flange and said upper ramp portion define an angle of approximately 120° at said upper bend.  
   
   
       22 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 20  wherein said lower flange and said lower ramp portion define an angle of approximately 150° at said lower bend.  
   
   
       23 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 20  wherein said upper and lower ramp portions define an angle of approximately 75° at said primary bend.  
   
   
       24 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 20  wherein said upper and lower bends are angled relative to said primary bend.  
   
   
       25 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 24  wherein said upper and lower bends are angled oppositely from one another relative to said primary bend.  
   
   
       26 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 20  wherein said material plate is approximately rectangular in shape prior to being bent.  
   
   
       27 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector of  claim 20  wherein said plate, subsequent to being bent, has an approximately rectangular footprint.  
   
   
       28 . A rigid rotor discharge deflector apparatus for a combine having a generally longitudinally disposed rotor feeding crop residue into a discharge passage above a chopper apparatus, the discharge passage having spaced side walls, comprising 
 a plurality of upper ramp portions spaced laterally along a side wall of the discharge passage and projecting into the discharge passage,    said plurality of upper ramp portions intersecting at least certain respective portions of crop residue being fed into the discharge passage and deflecting and respectively redirecting such portions of crop residue in respective transverse manners across the discharge passage as the crop residue portions impact said upper ramp portions,    whereby the crop residue provided to the chopper apparatus is more uniformly presented thereto.    
   
   
       29 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of upper ramp portions are spaced at staggered heights along the side wall.  
   
   
       30 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the highest upper ramp portion is disposed no higher than the height of the axis of the rotor and the lowest of said upper ramp portions is disposed no lower below the height of the axis of the rotor than the radius of the rotor.  
   
   
       31 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said upper ramp portions are all disposed at approximately the same angle relative to the side wall.  
   
   
       32 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said upper ramp portions are all of similar sizes and dimensions.  
   
   
       33 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said upper ramp portions are of different heights.  
   
   
       34 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector apparatus of  claim 33  wherein said upper ramp portions are disposed at different angles relative to the side wall.  
   
   
       35 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said upper ramp portions are braced to maintain said upper ramp portions in fixed and inflexible positions during normal forward operating conditions of the rotor.  
   
   
       36 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector apparatus of  claim 35  wherein said upper ramp portions have associated therewith respective ridge portions and respective lower ramp portions at the sides of said ridge portions opposite to said upper ramp portions, said lower ramp portions extending from said ridge portions back towards the side wall, said lower ramp portions providing bracing for said upper ramp portions.  
   
   
       37 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector apparatus of  claim 35  wherein said upper ramp portions are of a material and thickness to remain fixed and inflexible under normal forward operating conditions of the rotor.  
   
   
       38 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said plurality of upper ramp portions are included on a material body securably attached to the side wall.  
   
   
       39 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector apparatus of  claim 38  wherein said material body is a plate member.  
   
   
       40 . The rigid rotor discharge deflector apparatus of  claim 39  wherein portions of said plate are deformed to effect said plurality of upper ramp portions.