Crop threshing or separating – Cleaner – With fan feature
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-22
2002-03-19
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)
Crop threshing or separating
Cleaner
With fan feature
C460S111000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06358141
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to systems and methods for harvesting and cleaning ears of corn, and more particularly to a combine system which comprises a plurality of bins in combination with means for harvesting corn, shelling corn kernels from cobs, and directing the corn kernels and whole cobs to separate bins for accumulation therewithin.
BACKGROUND
It is first noted that ears of corn comprise cobs upon which are present corn kernels, and that accompanying materials other than cobs and kernels of corn, (which are entered to a combine system during harvest), are herein collectively termed “unavoidable chaff”, although the terminology “stover”, (whole cobs, it is noted, can be termed “stover” where said whole cobs are considered as part of said unavoidable chaff), is applicable to describing the larger elements in “unavoidable chaff”. It is also noted that the terminology “whole cobs” is to be understood to refer to cobs from which corn kernels have been removed by shelling, which are not intentionally broken or ground-up, and which can be separated from co-mingled unavoidable chaff by a flow of air of appropriate velocity.
It is also noted that there are two basic types of combines, “Conventional” and “Rotary”. Conventional combines comprise a “Straw-Walker” which serves to carry cobs and chaff to a straw-chopper/ejection mechanism, while allowing corn kernels to drop therethrough to a sieve, through which sieve they fall prior to being directed to a storage bin therefore. Rotary combines do not include a straw-walker but instead provide a rotor mechanism which serves to direct corn kernels to a sieve, while projecting cobs and chaff to ejection means. In both rotary and straw-walker (conventional), machines the straw chopper/ejection serves to direct cobs and chaff to a cob cleaning system.
In the past corn crops were harvested by picking ears of corn, transporting said ears to a remote accumulation location, and later shelling the corn kernels from the cobs using a shelling machine. While this approach enabled convenient collection of both corn kernels and cobs, it was time consuming and accumulation/storage of the cobs over time often led to problems such as associated with predisposition toward rodent infestation.
A presently more typical approach to harvesting corn involves driving a combine system through a field, which combine system operates to pick ears of corn, then separate corn kernels from the cobs, (ie. perform “shelling” on the spot), while accumulating the corn kernels in a bin on said combine system. Said presently more typical approach to harvesting corn, however, usually provides that the cobs be discharged and left to decompose in the field, thereby resulting in loss of a valuable commodity.
While prior art systems are known which operate in the field to shell corn kernels from cobs and direct the resulting corn kernels and the cobs into separate bins, some thereof provide that the bin for storing cobs be mounted on a trailer pulled by a combine system during harvest. It should be readily apparent that said trailer implemented systems can be difficult to use as the presence of the trailer complicates maneuvering of the combine system. As well, some systems are known which grind-up cobs and deliver both corn kernels and ground-up cobs to a single bin mounted on a combine system. Said approach, however, leads to problems in that combination corn kernels and ground-up cobs can't be sold to grain elevators as-is.
A Search of Patents has provided a Patent to Hyman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,484,999 which describes a tractor mounted system comprising two compartments. The first compartment is arranged to receive corn shelled by a shelling rotor, and the second is arranged to receive shelled corn from husks and cobs etc. and from the first compartment. Stripped cobs are delivered outwardly and laterally from the tractor.
A Patent to Rowland-Hill, U.S. Pat. No. 3,213,601 describes two grain tanks affixed to either side of a combine. In use grain is distributed substantially equally into the two grain tanks to maintain combine balance.
A Patent to Soteropulos, U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,291 describes a corn harvesting machine that provides means for shelling and storing corn kernels, means for severing corn stalks from the ground and chopping them along with husks and cobs. The chopped stover can then be either deposited on the ground or stored in an adjacent tank, optionally in combination with cracked grain.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,160 to Corbett et al., describes a feed residue saver attachment which is affixed to a combine. The feed residue saver attachment can be operated to substantially save all feed residue including chaff, or to save only substantially large materials such as corn cobs, corn husks and pieces of stalk while permitting fine materials to drop to the ground. By inspection of the Corbett et al. system the Inventors estimate that it would retain approximately all chaff, but expel approximately seventy-five percent of all cobs which are transported over the straw walkers to the surrounding field.
A Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,106 to Shrawder describes a combine which is modified to reduce corn cobs to usable segments by changing the “combine arc” to circular, adjusting clearance and altering bar spacing and straw-walker sieve slots, and adding a cob conveyer adjacent to a cleaning shoe.
The present invention, in contrast to known prior systems does not intentionally break or grind cobs, and provides whole cobs and chaff to a sieve for separation of whole cobs leading to their eventual storage, with chaff being discharged.
Even in view of prior art, a need remains exist for a combine system which on-board comprises a plurality of bins, and which further comprises means for shelling corn kernels from cobs in the field, and accumulating the resulting corn kernels and cobs into said different on-board bins.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In addition to the methodology of its use, the present invention comprises a system for cleaning whole cobs, from which essentially all corn kernels have been removed, (shelled), of any accompanying unavoidable chaff. The present invention also comprises combine systems to which are directly mounted a plurality, (typically two), of bins in combination with means for shelling corn kernels from cobs and directing resulting corn kernels, and resulting cobs, to separate bins such that during a harvesting procedure, one of said bins is caused to accumulate primarily corn kernels and the other primarily “whole cobs”, (ie. cobs which are not intentionally broken into pieces or ground-up). Note, as will be better described directly, the present invention preferably utilizes a flow of air of appropriate velocity to separate “whole cobs” from chaff, which “whole cobs” and chaff are placed atop a sieve through which said air flows. If corn cobs become broken-up said separation approach becomes progressively less workable, with ground-up cobs being indistinguishable from unavoidable chaff. Hence, in that light the terminology “whole cobs” is to be interpreted to mean corn cobs which are not intentionally broken-up or ground-up, but does not mean that corn cobs that are not “completely whole” are excluded. That is, broken corn cobs which can be separated from chaff by an air flow of appropriate velocity are to be considered within said terminology “whole cobs”.
It is to be understood that Conventional combines comprise means for entering ears of corn and unavoidable chaff into a shelling means, which shelling means serves to remove corn kernels from their cobs. The resulting mix of corn kernels, cobs and unavoidable chaff is then entered onto a “Straw-Walker” which is constructed to allow corn kernels to fall therethrough onto a sieve through which they pass in transport to a collection bin. The cobs, (including “whole cobs”), and unavoidable chaff, (including small pieces of broken cobs), are typically then transported by the Straw-Walker to straw chopper/ejection means. The present invention modifies Conventional combines in o
Stukenholtz Jay E.
Stukenholtz Ty E.
Kovács Árpád F.
Pezzuto Robert E.
Welch James D.
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