Patent ID: 9554511
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: A01D

Claim:
1. A method for increasing the capacity of a combine, said method comprising: a. selecting a field having a corn plant therein, said corn plant comprising: b. setting a speed at which a pair of stalk rolls engage said corn plant in a primarily vertical dimension, wherein said pair of stalk rolls are engaged with a first source of rotational power originating from a gearbox, wherein said gearbox is engaged with and receives power from said combine; c. setting a speed at which a paddle attached to a gathering chain engages said corn plant in a primarily horizontal dimension, wherein said gathering chain is engaged with a second source of rotational power originating from said gearbox; d. reducing an amount of said plurality of leaves and said plurality of other organic material collected by said combine, wherein said amount is reduced via maintaining said speed at which said pair of stalk rolls engage said corn plant and simultaneously reducing said speed at which said paddle engages said corn plant, wherein reducing said speed at which said paddle engages said corn plant is further defined as being accomplished by reducing a rotational speed of a gathering chain engaged with said paddle, wherein said gathering chain receives rotational power from said second source of rotational power, wherein said gathering chain is engaged with a gathering chain drive sprocket and a gathering chain coast sprocket, wherein said gathering chain drive sprocket receives rotational power from said second source of rotational power, wherein reducing said speed at which said paddle engages said corn plant is accomplished by removing said gathering chain drive sprocket and installing a kit gathering chain drive sprocket, and wherein installation of said kit gathering chain drive sprocket causes a reduction in a linear speed of said paddle by at least 20% compared to a linear speed of said paddle with said gathering chain drive sprocket.