Combine spreader arrangement having independently positionable spreader disks
View Patent ↗A spreader assembly for a combine harvester, the assembly including a pair of disks configured to be rotated such that chaff material dropped onto the disks is spread about the combine harvester, wherein each disk is operably connected to its own motor and a spreader frame assembly. The spreader frame assembly includes a first side support pivotably connected to a frame of the combine harvester, a second side support pivotably connected to the frame of the combine harvester, and at least one disk support configured to support at least one of the pair of disks. The spreader frame assembly further defines an opening configured such that when the combine harvester is windrowing material, no portion of the spreader frame assembly interferes with the flow of windrowing material.
1. A spreader assembly for a combine harvester comprising:
a pair of disks that are rotatable to spread chaff material dropped thereon, each disk associated with a respective motor; each disk rotationally mounted onto a spreader frame assembly such that a disk is moveable independent of another disk;
the spreader frame including:
a first side support pivotably connected to a frame of the combine harvester;
a second side support pivotably connected to the frame of the combine harvester, each of the first side support and the second side support operate independently when positioning a respective disk of the pair of disks in storage position;
wherein the spreader frame assembly defines an opening without a horizontal cross member bar between the first side and the second side, the opening configured such that when the combine harvester is windrowing material, no portion of the spreader frame assembly interferes with a flow of windrowing material.
2. The spreader assembly of claim 1 , the pair of disks including a left disk being associated with a first motor and a right disk associated with a second motor, wherein the left disk is supported by a left support arm of the spreader frame assembly; and the right disk is supported by a right support arm of the spreader frame assembly.
3. The spreader assembly of claim 2 , wherein the left disk is moveable about the left support arm independently of the right disk, and the right disk is moveable about the right support arm independently of the left disk.
4. The spreader assembly of claim 2 , wherein the left disk and the right disk are rotatable about the spreader frame assembly to facilitate access to various components of the combine harvester.
5. The spreader assembly of claim 2 , wherein the left disk and the right disk are pivotable about an axial axis, to fluff material during windrowing.
6. The spread assembly of claim 2 , wherein the spreader frame assembly is pivotable with respect to a frame of the combine harvester, to position the spreader frame assembly into a storage position.
7. A combine harvester comprising:
a threshing component configured to separate usable crop material from non-usable material;
a collection component connected to the threshing component and configured to collect the usable crop material;
a spreader assembly including;
a pair of disks that are rotatable to spread chaff material dropped thereon, each disk associated with a respective motor; each disk rotationally mounted onto a spreader frame assembly such that a disk is moveable independent of another disk; each disk of the pair of disks positioned independently of other pair of disk at time of storage position;
a disk support that supports the disk; and
the spreader frame including:
a first side support pivotably connected to a frame of the combine harvester;
a second side support pivotably connected to the frame of the combine harvester,
wherein the spreader frame assembly defines an opening configured such that when the combine harvester is windrowing material, no portion of the spreader frame assembly interferes with a flow of windrowing material; the opening having no horizontal cross bars that extends between the pair of disks.
8. The combine harvester of claim 7 , the pair of disks including a left disk being associated with a first motor and a right disk associated with a second motor, wherein the left disk is supported by a left support arm of the spreader frame assembly; and the right disk is supported by a right support arm of the spreader frame assembly.
9. The combine harvester of claim 7 , wherein the left disk is moveable about the left support arm independently of the right disk, and the right disk is moveable about the right support arm independently of the left disk.
10. The combine harvester of claim 7 , wherein the left disk and the right disk are rotatable about the spreader frame assembly to facilitate access to various components of the combine harvester.
11. The combine harvester of claim 7 , wherein the left disk and the right disk are pivotable about an axial axis.
12. The combine harvester of claim 7 , wherein the spreader frame assembly is pivotable with respect to a frame of the combine harvester, to position the spreader frame assembly into a storage position.