Crop threshing or separating – Threshing – Axial flow through threshing section
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-20
2001-07-10
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)
Crop threshing or separating
Threshing
Axial flow through threshing section
C056S014600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257977
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an agricultural combine having a rotary crop processing unit with a rotor disposed within a rotor housing and in particular to such a combine in which the axis of the rotor diverges from the axis of the housing in the crop flow direction from the housing inlet to the housing outlet.
2. Description of Related Art
Rotary combines having rotary crop processing unit are well known. Examples are shown in U. S. Pat. Nos. 5,445,563 and 5,688,170, assigned to the assignee of the present application. These two patents both disclose rotary crop processing units in which the crop processing unit has two or more sections. The relationship between the rotor axis and the housing axis varies from one section to the other. In both of these patents, the rotor axis becomes increasingly offset from the housing axis in the direction from the housing inlet to the housing outlet. This is accomplished by abrupt transitions in the housing structure from one section to another where the housing shape changes. As the housing shape changes, the housing axis steps upward relative to the rotor axis. The gap between the rotor and the top of the housing also increases at each step in the housing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a rotary combine with an increasing gap between the rotor and the top of the housing in the crop flow direction with a housing that maintains a generally uniform shape without abrupt changes in the housing shape.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a rotary combine with a rotor having an axis that is inclined relative to and diverges from the housing axis in the direction from the housing inlet to the housing outlet. By arranging the rotor so that the rotor axis diverges downward from the housing axis, the gap between the rotor and the top of the housing gradually increases over the length of the housing in the direction toward the housing outlet. The increased gap between the rotor and the housing is accomplished without any abrupt changes in the housing shape as in the previously mentioned patents.
The housing has a circular cross section in the preferred embodiment. The diverging rotor and housing axes, with the circular housing achieves the same benefit as the above patents of providing an increased gap between the top of the housing and the rotor without having transitions in the shape of the housing. This simplifies the housing construction. Furthermore, with a circular housing cross section, the present invention can be utilized with a rotating housing. A rotating housing is not possible with the rotary crop processing units described in the above patents. There, the housing must be stationary due to the non-circular shape of the housing.
The present invention, with a rotor axis that diverges from the housing axis, can, however, be used with a housing that also has abrupt transitions between sections. In such a case, the gap between the top of the housing and the rotor would vary from one section to the next while the rotor axis still diverges from the housing axis along each section. In addition, the invention can be utilized with a rotor housing that is oblong in cross section if desired.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2639714 (1953-05-01), Moullec
patent: 4408618 (1983-10-01), Witzel
patent: 5445563 (1995-08-01), Stickler et al.
patent: 5688170 (1997-11-01), Pfeiffer et al.
patent: 6129629 (2000-10-01), Dammann et al.
patent: 278978 (1914-10-01), None
patent: 197 22 079 A1 (1998-12-01), None
Deere & Company
Kovacs Arpad F
Pezzuto Robert E.
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