Flail shredder

Claim 2

In a mobile crop shredding machine having a frame structure, a rotor mounted on said frame structure for rotation with respect thereto and flail means pivotally mounted in axially spaced apart relation along said rotor, the improvement comprising: symmetrically disposed cutting edges on said flail means and stationary cutting means mounted on said frame structure in space apart relation, said stationary cutting means having spaced countercomb cutting edges cooperable with said flail cutting edges to form a cutting area, and said cutting edges on said flail means are spaced radially inwardly from the radial outer ends of the flails and comprise a pair of opposed V-shaped notches whose vertices converge toward each other to form reversible cutting edges on said flail means whereby, as said flail means rotates crop material is cut and shredded along the contour of said cutting area regardless of wear of the cutting edges.

Claim 3

An improved crop shredding machine, as recited in claim 1, wherein said cutting edges extend laterally from one side of said flail means.

Claim 4

An improved crop shredding machine, as recited in claim 1, wherein said stationary cutting means comprises generally U-shaped elements removably mounted on said frame structure, said U-shaped elements having outwardly extending spaced apart cutting edges and a bight portion connecting a base portion of said cutting edges, said bight portion being removably secured to said frame structure.

Claim 5

An improved crop shredding machine, as recited in claim 3, wherein said outwardly extending spaced apart cutting edges are disposed in planes parallel to planes formed by said flail means and said stationary cutting edges being further comprised of a notch extending laterally along a first inclined line extending upwardly from the base of said cutting edge, a second downwardly inclined line extending inwardly from an outer edge of said cutting edge and an interconnecting curved portion, the cutting edges of said flail means and of said stationary means cooperating to retain material raised by said flail means betweeN the cutting edges of said stationary means and said flail means during the shredding operation.

Claim 6

A mobile crop shredding machine comprising, in combination: a frame structure; a rotor shaft rotatably mounted on said frame structure about a horizontally extending axis; a plurality of flail elements pivotally mounted in axially spaced apart relation along said shaft, said flail elements having laterally extending V-shaped cutting edges thereon; and stationary cutting means mounted in spaced apart relation on said frame structure, said stationary cutting means having pairs of laterally spaced apart countercomb cutting edges cooperable with cutting edges on said flail elements whereby crop material is cut and shredded between said V-shaped cutting edge of said flail elements and said countercomb cutting edges of said stationary cutting means.

Claim 7

A mobile crop shredding machine comprising, in combination: a frame structure; a rotor shaft rotatably mounted on said frame structure about a horizontally extending axis; a plurality of flail elements pivotally mounted in axially spaced apart relation along said shaft, said flail elements having laterally extending V-shaped cutting edges thereon; and stationary cutting means mounted in spaced apart relation on said frame structure, said stationary cutting means having pairs of laterally spaced apart countercomb cutting edges cooperable with cutting edges on said flail elements whereby crop material is cut and shredded between said V-shaped cutting edge of said flail elements and said countercomb cutting edges of said stationary cutting means.

Claim 8

A mobile crop shredding machine, as recited in claim 5, wherein a shoe member is disposed on said frame structure forwardly thereof, said shoe member having a downwardly inclined forward surface and said V-shaped cutting edges on said flail elements are symmetrically disposed in inverted relation with the vertices of said V-shaped portions converging whereby said flail elements are capable of being reversibly mounted on said rotor shaft.

Claim 9

A mobile crop shredding machine, as recited in claim 6, wherein said stationary cutting means are disposed to the rear of said inclined surface and comprise generally U-shaped members having a pair of outwardly extending leg portions having a base and an outer edge and a bight portion connecting said leg portions at the bases thereof, said leg portions being notched to form cutting edges and said bight portion being removably mounted on said frame structure.

Claim 10

A mobile crop shredding machine, as recited in claim 7, wherein said notched cutting edges are comprised of a first inclined line extending upwardly and outwardly from the base of said leg portion, a second inclined line extending upwardly and inwardly from said outer edge of said leg portion and a curved line connecting said first and second inclined lines, said notched cutting edges and said V-shaped cutting edges cooperating to form a closing quadrilateral as said flail element rotates whereby said crop material is cut and shredded along the contour of said quadrilateral.

Claim 11

A mobile crop shredding machine, as recited in claim 5, wherein said V-shaped cutting edges on said flail elements extend laterally from said element.

Claim 12

A mobile crop shredding machine comprising, in combination: a frame structure; a shoe member disposed forwardly on said frame structure, said shoe member having a downwardly inclined forward surface for exerting a downward force on crop material; a rotor shaft rotatably mounted on said frame structure about a horizontally extending axis; a plurality of flail elements pivotally mounted in axially spaced apart relation along said shaft, said flail elements having laterally extending V-shaped cutting edges thereon; and stationary cutting means mounted in spaced apart relation on said frame structure, said stationary means having notched cutting edges cooperable with the cutting edges on said flail elements whereby crop material is cut and shredded between said V-shaped cutting edge of said flail elements and said notched cutting edges of said stationary cutting means.

Claim 13

A mobile crop shredding machine comprising, in combination: a frame structure; a shoe member disposed forwardly on said frame structure, said shoe member having a downwardly inclined forward surface for exerting a downward force on crop material; a rotor shaft rotatably mounted on said frame structure about a horizontally extending axis; a plurality of flail elements pivotally mounted in axially spaced apart relation along said shaft, said flail elements having laterally extending V-shaped cutting edges thereon; and stationary cutting means mounted in spaced apart relation on said frame structure, said stationary means having notched cutting edges cooperable with the cutting edges on said flail elements whereby crop material is cut and shredded between said V-shaped cutting edge of said flail elements and said notched cutting edges of said stationary cutting means.

Claim 14

A mobile crop shredding machine comprising, in combination: a frame structure; stationary cutting means mounted in transverse alignment on said frame structure and including vertically disposed, laterally spaced apart cutting edges; a rotor shaft rotatably mounted transversely within said frame structure for rotation about a horizontal axis; and a plurality of flail elements pivotally mounted in axially spaced apart relationship along said rotor shaft and extending radially therefrom, each of said flail elements including a V-shaped portion vertically disposed with its V-opening being in the rotational direction of said flail elements, said V-shaped flail portions having a width slightly less than the lateral space between adjacent cutting means, whereby the V-shaped portion of the flail elements cooperate with said cutting means by engaging crop material and lifting it upwardly through the cutting means, shredding the crop in the process.

Claim 15

A mobile crop shredding machine comprising, in combination: a frame structure; stationary cutting means mounted in transverse alignment on said frame structure and including vertically disposed, laterally spaced apart cutting edges; a rotor shaft rotatably mounted transversely within said frame structure for rotation about a horizontal axis; and a plurality of flail elements pivotally mounted in axially spaced apart relationship along said rotor shaft and extending radially therefrom, each of said flail elements including a V-shaped portion vertically disposed with its V-opening being in the rotational direction of said flail elements, said V-shaped flail portions having a width slightly less than the lateral space between adjacent cutting means, whereby the V-shaped portion of the flail elements cooperate with said cutting means by engaging crop material and lifting it upwardly through the cutting means, shredding the crop in the process.

Claim 16

A mobile crop shredding machine as recited in claim 11 wherein said stationary cutting means includes countercomb cutting edges cooperable with the V-shaped portions of said flail element for shredding crop material.

Claim 17

A mobile crop shredding machine as recited in claim 11 wherein each of said flail elements include a second V-shaped portion orientated oppositely with respect to the other previously recited V-shaped portion, thereby making each flail element reversible.