Abstract:
A method and apparatus for use in a combine rotor for processing harvested agricultural crop, the threshing section of the combine rotor having one or more threshing tines, each threshing tine having multiple crop engaging portions that project upwardly and forwardly from the rotor, each crop engaging portion having a threshing surface on a front face thereof, and at least one groove running generally diagonally across the front face of the crop engaging portion for moving material through the combine rotor more efficiently.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is directed to a combine used for crop harvesting that utilizes a threshing assembly to separate the grain from the other plant material as the crop is being harvested in the field. In particular, the present invention is directed to a combine rotor having threshing tines on at least a portion of the threshing drum.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Agricultural combines are large machines that harvest, thresh, separate and clean an agricultural crop bearing grain. The resulting clean grain is stored in a grain tank located on the combine. Rotary combines have one or two large rotors for threshing and separating the harvested crop material. In most rotary combines the rotor or rotors are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the machine. These rotors are provided with an infeed section for receiving crop material from the field, a threshing section of the drum 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. During rotation of the rotor, the crop is moved longitudinally from the infeed section through the threshing section of the rotor to the separating section. Rotors are provided for combines in a variety of configurations to optimize harvesting efficiency for a wide variety of crops and crop conditions. Similarly, the types, number and arrangement of threshing tines used vary, and are selected to optimize harvesting efficiency, depending on the type of crops being harvested.  
         [0003]     In certain crop conditions, especially those having high yield and a large amount of crop material other than grain, the rotor can slow or hesitate as it struggles to process the crop. These changes in performance in the combine rotor result in grain loss due to inefficient crop processing, and increased distress of the combine due to changes in system speed and abrupt changes in power consumption.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention is for a combine rotor having tines in the threshing section that incorporate multiple crop engaging portion structures and have a threshing surface on the same part. The threshing tine of the present invention has more than one crop engaging portion thereon, and the crop engaging portions also have a sloped face that incorporates a threshing surface thereon. Additionally, the threshing tine of the present invention incorporates a directional set of grooves on the crop engaging portions for moving the crop along the axis of the rotor. The threshing tine of the present invention improves material movement through the threshing rotor, especially with heavy crops and/or those having a high yield. In some arrangements, the tines additionally have a tapered shape to aid in crop mat penetration. Additionally, the threshing tine of the present invention helps break up and separate grain and crop material other than grain more efficiently.  
         [0005]     The present invention is for a threshing tine for use on an axial crop processing unit in an agricultural harvester, the threshing tine comprising a base having through-material holes for securing the threshing tine to a drum in the axial crop processing unit by securing means, at least two spaced-apart crop engaging portions secured to the base, the crop engaging portions having a front face curved upwards from the base and backwards toward a rear of the base, the front face of the crop engaging portions having a threshing surface thereon; and the front face of the crop engaging portions having at least one groove thereon, the groove running generally diagonally across the front face of the crop engaging portions.  
         [0006]     Another arrangement of the present invention is for use in an agricultural harvester having an axial crop processing unit having a rotor comprising a drum having a front frusto-conical portion, and a rear cylindrical portion adjacent to the frusto-conical portion; the rotor having an infeed section having at least one helical infeed element being located on a fore-region of the frusto-conical portion of the drum, a threshing section for processing harvested crop material received from the infeed section of the rotor, threshing section having at least one threshing tine, the threshing tine having multiple crop engaging portions curving upward and rearward from the rotor, each crop engaging portion having a threshing surface and at least one groove running diagonally across the face thereof, and a separating section having at least one separating finger being located on the rear region of the cylindrical portion of the drum.  
         [0007]     Yet another arrangement of the present invention is for a method of processing an agricultural crop in an agricultural crop harvesting machine, the method comprising the steps of harvesting a grain-bearing crop from the soil, directing the harvested crop to an axial crop processing unit at least partially contained in the agricultural crop harvesting machine, feeding the crop between a housing and an infeed section of a rotor in the axial crop processing unit, said infeed section engaging the harvested crop and directing the harvested crop toward a threshing section of the rotor, threshing the harvested crop in the threshing section of the axial crop processing unit to separate the grain from the crop, the threshing section having at least one threshing tine, each threshing tine having multiple crop engaging portions having a threshing surface on a front side thereof for threshing the grain from the harvested crop, the multiple crop engaging portions breaking up clumps of harvested crop, the crop engaging portions having diagonal grooves across the front face thereof for directing harvested crop through the axial crop processing unit; and the threshing section directing the threshed crop toward a separating section of the axial crop processing unit, the separating section having at least one separating finger secured to the rotor for separating the grain from the harvested crop and directing the remainder of the harvested crop out of the rear of the axial crop processing unit. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a partial cross-sectional side view of a rotary agricultural combine;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a rotor incorporating threshing tines of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of a portion of a rotor that incorporates the threshing tines of the present invention; and  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a threshing tine of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]     In the discussion of the FIGURES the same reference numerals will be used throughout to refer to the same or similar components. In the interest of conciseness, various other components known to the art, such as computer processing and storage mechanisms and the like necessary for the operation of the invention, have not been shown or discussed, or are shown in block form.  
         [0013]     In the following, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known elements have been illustrated in schematic or block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. Additionally, for the most part, details concerning computer operation and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not considered necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention, and are considered to be within the knowledge of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art. While the preferred embodiments disclosed herein address land-based vehicles, it can be appreciated that those skills in the art can extend the use of the invention to air or sea vehicles without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed herein.  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  shows an agricultural combine  10  comprising a supporting structure  12  having ground engaging wheels  14  extending from the supporting structure. The operation of the combine is controlled from the operator&#39;s cab  15 . A harvesting platform  16  is used for harvesting a crop bearing grain and directing it to a feederhouse  18 . The harvested crop is directed by the feederhouse  18  to a beater  21 . The beater  21  directs the crop through an inlet transition section  22  to the axial crop processing unit  24 . The axial crop processing unit  24  threshes and separates the harvested crop material. Additional cleaning may occur downstream from the axial crop processing unit  24 . Ultimately, the clean grain is conveyed into the grain tank  19 , and can be conveyed out of the grain tank by means of an auger  20 . Threshed and separated crop material other than grain is ultimately discharged through a discharge unit (not shown) and deposited on the ground behind the combine  10 .  
         [0015]     The axial crop processing unit  24  comprises a rotor housing  36  and a rotor  37  located inside the housing  36 . The rotor  37  comprises a drum  100  to which crop processing elements for the infeed section  38 , threshing section  39 , and separating section  40  are affixed. The infeed section  38  is at the front of the axial crop processing unit  24 . Longitudinally downstream and rearward from the infeed section  38  are threshing section  39  and separating section  40 . The portion of the drum  100  for the infeed section  38  is typically frusto-conical in shape, extending rearwardly toward the threshing section  39  of the drum  100 , although it can also be cylindrical in shape. The threshing section  39  can also be frusto-conical in shape, although in some arrangements of the present invention, the threshing section  39 , has a front portion which is frusto-conical in shape, and a rear portion which is cylindrical in shape. The rear portion of the axial crop processing unit  24  is comprised of the separating section  40  of the drum  100 , which is cylindrical in shape.  
         [0016]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the infeed section  38  of the rotor  37  is provided with helical infeed elements  42  to engage harvested crop material received from the beater  21 . Immediately downstream from the infeed section  38  is the threshing section  39  of the axial crop processing unit  24 . The threshing section  39  of the axial crop processing unit  24  is provided with a number of threshing elements  120 ,  200  for threshing the harvested crop material received from the infeed section  38 . Rearward of the threshing section  39  is the separating section  40 . In the separating section  40 , the grain which has been threshed and broken loose in the threshing section  39  is separated from the crop material other than grain by means of separating fingers  52 , which lift and separate the crop material other than grain away from the grain.  
         [0017]     In operation, crop material is fed into the axial crop processing unit  24  from the beater  21  via the inlet transition section  22 . The crop material is processed between the helical feed elements  42  on the frusto-conical front section of the rotor  37  and the housing  36  of the axial crop processing unit  24 . The impact between the helical feed elements  42  and the housing  36  shatter the grain or seed from the crop material. The shape and curvature of the helical feed elements  42  move the crop material rearward in the direction of the threshing section  39  of the axial crop processing unit  24 .  
         [0018]     The threshing section  39  provides additional threshing of the crop material by a rubbing action as the crop material is passed between the threshing elements  120 ,  200  and the housing  36 . The unique threshing elements  200  of the present invention are described in greater detail, below. The crop material that has been threshed is then processed further rearward toward the separating section  40  of the axial crop processing unit  24 . By this point in the processing, most of the grain has been broken loose from the crop material.  
         [0019]     As the crop material is pushed backward into the separating section  40  of the axial crop processing unit  24 , the separating fingers  52  separate the crop material other than grain away from the grain itself. The grain is conveyed to the grain tank  19 . The crop material may be subjected to further processing to retrieve additional grain that may remain with the crop material, or in some arrangements of combine  10 , the crop material other than grain is distributed on to the ground behind the combine  10 .  
         [0020]     As can be seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , threshing elements  120 ,  200  are attached to the aft-region of the frusto-conical portion of the drum  100 , with optionally, some threshing elements  120 ,  200  attached to the front of the cylindrical portion of the drum  100 . The threshing tines  200  have multiple crop engaging portions  210 , each of which incorporates a threshing surface  212  onto the front of the crop engaging portion structure. The crop engaging portions  210  are sloped forward to simulate the shape of the drum  100  and coordinate with the shape of the rotor housing  36 . The shape of the crop engaging portions  210  acts to move material rearward on the drum  100 . Each threshing tine  200  of the present invention has at least two crop engaging portions  210  thereon, for increased efficiency in moving crop through the axial crop processing unit  24 . The use of multiple crop engaging portions  210  on each threshing tine  200  helps to break up clumps of crop material such as that experienced in prior art threshing devices. This helps to prevent uneven feeding and clogging caused by crop material clumps, which can clog or slow crop processing mechanisms.  
         [0021]     The threshing tine  200  of the present invention has a base  202  for mounting the threshing tine  200  to the rotor  100 . The base  202  is secured to the rotor  100  with mounting bolts  57 .  
         [0022]     As seen in  FIG. 4 , the threshing tine  200  of the present invention has a base  202 , at least two spaced-apart crop engaging portions  210 , and braces  208 . The crop engaging portions  210  are secured to the base  202  along the bottom of the crop engaging portions  210 . The brace  208  provides additional structural support along the back of the crop engaging portions  210  and along the base  202 . In the arrangement of the present invention shown in  FIG. 4 , the braces  208  are wedge shaped, with two sides thereof being arcuate to reflect the shapes of the rear of the crop engaging portions  210  and the base  202 , to which they are joined. The base  202  has mounting holes  204 ,  206  through which mounting bolts  57  pass for securing the threshing tine  200  to the rotor  100 , as seen in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0023]     The crop engaging portions  210  have a threshing surface  212  located on the face thereof for threshing of the crop material between the crop engaging portions  210  and the rotor housing  36 . Because the crop engaging portions  210  are curved upward and forward in the direction of rotation of the drum  100 , there is a greater surface of contact of the crop material between the rotor housing  36  and the threshing tine crop engaging portions  210 , which increases the amount of grain threshed out of the crop material. Additionally, the threshing tine crop engaging portions  210  contain grooves  214  thereon running diagonally along the face of the crop engaging portions  210 , in the direction of rotation of the drum  100 . These grooves  214  help improve crop material movement through the axial crop processing unit  24 .  
         [0024]     Additionally, in some arrangements of the present invention, the crop engaging portions  210  are tapered from near a base  202  used to secure the threshing tine  200  to the drum  100 , becoming narrower near the upper end of the crop engaging portions  210 . This helps to aid in crop mat penetration and further increase threshing efficiency.  
         [0025]     The use of multiple tines  200  spread around the threshing portion  39  of the rotor  100 , each threshing tine  200  having multiple crop engaging portions  210  helps to smooth out the impact caused by crop clumps and uneven crop feeding. The spacing between the crop engaging portions  210  on a tine  200 , and between multiple tines  200 , as opposed to a single bar helps to break up the clumps or keep clumps from forming. This aspect of the threshing tines  200 , taken in combination with the grooves  214  located across the face of the threshing tine crop engaging portions  210  and the tapered shape of the crop engaging portions  210  helps move crop, especially heavy crop or crop having a large amount of grain therein through the axial crop processing unit  24  while still efficiently threshing the crop.  
         [0026]     Depending upon orientation of the grooves  214  on the crop engaging portions  210 , processing efficiency or speed of threshing can be improved. The grooves  214  on the surface of the crop engaging portions  210 , depending upon the angle at which they are cut across the face of the crop engaging portions  210  can either accelerate crop processing through the threshing portion  39  of the axial crop processing unit  24  (if angled rearward), for reduced power consumption and increased material flow through the separator. Alternatively, if the grooves  214  are angled in the opposite direction, that will make the crop dwell longer in the threshing portion  39  of the axial crop processing unit  24 , resulting in improved threshing and separation.  
         [0027]     Having described the illustrated embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.