Crop threshing or separating – Threshing – Axial flow through threshing section
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-24
2001-06-05
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3671)
Crop threshing or separating
Threshing
Axial flow through threshing section
C460S080000, C460S112000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241605
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to the discharge arrangement used on an axially arranged rotary separator for more uniformly distributing the discharged crop material other than grain in a transverse swath out the rear of the combine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Agricultural combines are large machines that harvest, thresh, separate and clean an agricultural crop. The resulting clean grain is stored in a grain tank located on the combine. The clean grain can then be transported from the grain tank to a truck, grain cart or other receiving bin by an unloading auger.
Axially arranged rotary combines have one or two large axial crop processing units located along the longitudinal axis of the machine for threshing and separating the harvested crop material. These axial crop processing units are provided with an infeed section for receiving harvested crop material, a threshing section for threshing the harvested crop material received from the infeed section and a separating section for freeing grain trapped in the threshed crop material received from the threshing section, and a discharge section for discharging crop other than grain out of the axial crop processing unit.
The harvested crop is delivered to the infeed section by the feederhouse. The crop is arranged in a crop mat which the infeed elements of the rotor need to take up and rotate into a helical flow. The helical flow of crop material moves from the infeed section to the threshing section and then to the separating section. Grain together with chaff located in the crop material is removed from the axial crop processing units by falling through grates located at the bottom of the units. Crop material other than grain, such as straw, enters the discharge section of the crop processing units from the separating section. The discharge section then expels the crop material other than grain out the rear of the combine or directs this material to a straw chopper located at the rear of the combine.
It is important to distribute the crop material other grain in a uniform transverse swath out the rear of the combine to better manage crop residue on the ground. Currently axially arranged rotary combines used specialized discharge elements on the rotor for directing the crop material to a transverse beater. It is difficult for this type of discharge arrangement to have both excellent material discharge characteristics and excellent transverse distribution in a wide variety of crops and crop conditions. Usually either the combine has excellent material discharge characteristics and marginal transverse distribution or vice versa.
SUMMARY
It is an object of the present invention to provide a discharge arrangement which has both excellent material discharge characteristics and also excellent transverse distribution characteristics in a wide range of crops and crop conditions.
To minimize the disruption of the helical flow of crop material other than grain in the discharge section, the crop engaging elements mounted to the rotor are the same in the discharge section as they are in the separating section. This makes the helical flow of crop material other than grain more uniform.
The structure of the discharge chute includes a ramp on the downward swept side of the rotor having a metering edge that meters the removal of crop material other than grain from the helical flow and directs it to the transverse discharge beater. The floor of the discharge chute is provided with three guide vanes that define specific flow paths of the crop material being expelled by the axial crop processing unit and directing this crop material uniformly across the transverse discharge beater. The upward swept side of the discharge chute is provided with a filler plate for engaging crop material that was not engaged by the vanes to direct this crop material to the upward swept side of the discharge beater.
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Gerber Merle Ray
Pfeiffer Dohn William
Deere & Company
Petravick Meredith
Will Thomas B.
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