Field chopper/blower with ground-following intake

摘要

A field chopper has a frame adapted to travel along the ground in a normal travel direction, a main housing fixed on the frame and defining a chopping chamber extending along an axis transverse to the direction and having relative to the direction a front radially open intake opening and a rear outlet angularly offset therefrom, and an intake housing having a front end turned forward away from the frame. This intake housing is pivotal on the main housing or the frame about the axis. A stationary counterblade is carried on the intake housing to one angular side of the intake opening. A rotary cutting/chopping drum rotatable in the chamber about the axis has a blade orbitable immediately adjacent the stationary counterblade. Crop is cut at the the front end of the intake housing and conveyed back in the intake housing from the cutter to the intake opening. A drive rotates the drum and thereby chops crop delivered to the intake opening by the conveyor and also blows the chopped crop out of the chamber through the outlet. Shields surrounding the intake opening are carried on the housings.