According to an aspect of the invention, a rotary feeder for transferring comminuted fibrous material is provided having as components: a rotary feeder housing, having at least one inlet opening for receiving material (chips) and at least one opening for discharging material (chips), and an internal shear edge assembly adjacent the inlet; wherein a protective baffle (doctor blade) is adjacent to the shear edge assembly; a rotor, rotatably mounted with the rotary feeder housing and having pockets for accepting material introduced to the rotary feeder housing; and a power source which rotates the rotor in said housing; and wherein the rotary feeder housing has a recess along the length of the rotor in the inlet at an exit end of the inlet, the recess being of sufficient size to allow the shear edge assembly and doctor blade to sit within the recess.