Patent ID: 7585212
Filing Date: 2009-09-08
Classification: A01F

Abstract:
1. A front rotor inlet section for a threshing rotor of an agricultural combine, comprising: a body adapted to be mounted on a front end of a rotor around a frontwardly and rearwardly extending rotational axis therethrough for rotation with the rotor in a predetermined rotational direction about the rotational axis, the body having a radial outer circumferential periphery and at least one protuberance extending frontwardly therefrom and at least partially around the rotational axis, the outer circumferential periphery having a radially outwardly facing outer circumferential surface disposed radially outwardly and rearwardly of the protuberance, the protuberance having a radially inwardly facing inner circumferential surface extending around and defining a front center space, and the at least one protuberance forming at least one frontwardly facing slot extending radially from the front space to the outer circumferential surface, the slot being raked back in the radial outward direction relative to the rotational direction and defined in part by an edge surface which faces the rotational direction and which is also raked back in the radial outward direction relative to the rotational direction such that when the body is rotated about the rotational axis the edge surface will be operable for pushing crop material from the front center space radially outwardly to the outer circumferential surface, and the outer circumferential surface including a radially outwardly projecting shoulder extending circumferentially in a direction opposite the rotational direction and rearwardly from a radial outer end portion of the slot, so as to be operable for pushing crop material rearwardly and away from the radial outer end portion of the slot during the rotation of the body, wherein the radial outer periphery of the body further comprises a pair of diametrically opposed inlet flight extensions extending radially outwardly therefrom, each of the extensions being swept back relative to the rotational direction and having a leading edge facing the rotational direction and configured for carrying crop material that comes in contact therewith during the rotation of the body, radish outwardly away from the body.