Abstract:
A self-propelled combine harvester has a threshing mechanism composed of at least one aggregate selected from the group consisting of a threshing part, a working unit, and both, at least one stripping unit which is assigned to the at least one aggregate, and at least one rotary chamber configured on the at least one stripping unit on a circumference of the at least one aggregate.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a self-propelled combine harvester with a threshing mechanism.  
         [0002]     A combine harvester with a threshing mechanism is made known in DE 34 22 106 that is composed essentially of a cylinder and an impeller, both of which are located in a machine housing. A guide is located above the cylinder that divides the crop flow into two flows to direct the crop material, evenly distributed, to the separator portion.  
         [0003]     The disadvantage of these known threshing mechanisms is that the rotating drums produce an air current that moves opposite to the direction of flow of the crop material through the combine harvester. This air current carries the dustlike portion of the crop material in the direction of travel of the combine harvester and out of the feed rake, and it hinders the driver&#39;s view of the front attachment and/or the field during the harvesting operation.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The object of the present invention, therefore, is to avoid the disadvantages of the related art and, in particular, to prevent dustlike crop material from exiting out of the front of the feed rake of the combine harvester.  
         [0005]     In keeping with these objects and with objects which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a self-propelled combine harvester, comprising a threshing mechanism composed of at least one aggregate selected from the group consisting of a threshing part, a working unit, and both; at least one stripping unit which is assigned to said at least one aggregate; and at least one rotary chamber configured on said at least on stripping unit on a circumference of said at least one aggregate.  
         [0006]     Due to the fact that at least rotary chambers is configured on the at least one stripping unit on the circumference of at least one threshing part and/or at least one working unit, the air current produced by the threshing parts and/or the working units is directed into the rear region of the machine housing.  
         [0007]     Due to the fact that the threshing part(s) and/or the working unit(s) are located in a machine housing, the stripping unit extending from the machine housing nearly to the circumference of the threshing part and/or the working unit, an air current moving past between the machine housing and the threshing part and/or the working unit is nearly blocked.  
         [0008]     The rotary chamber is advantageously formed by a housing that matches at least a portion of the circumferential surface of the threshing part or the working unit and, in the circumferential direction of the threshing part or the working unit, has at least one opening that faces away from the direction of rotation of the threshing part of the working unit, so that the air current exiting the threshing part or working unit flows into the housing.  
         [0009]     When the stripping unit is height-adjustable, the gap between the threshing part or working unit and the stripping element can be adjusted.  
         [0010]     When the stripping unit is mounted such that it can move in the manner of a pendulum, it can move out of the way if, e.g., the stripping elements stop stripping off material wound around the threshing part or the working unit, thereby preventing the threshing part or working unit from being blocked and/or the stripping unit from being damaged.  
         [0011]     Due to the fact that the stripping unit mounted such that it can move in the manner of a pendulum is acted upon with a return force, the stripping unit does not move out of the way until acted upon by the return force. As such, it is not continually moved back and forth by small quantities of overshot crop material conveyed by the impeller, but rather only by large quantities of crop material that extend past the circumference of the impeller.  
         [0012]     The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic side view of a combine harvester in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  shows an impeller with the stripping unit, in a rear view of the combine harvester in accordance with the present invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  shows part of a schematic side view of an agricultural harvesting machine  2  designed as a self-propelled combine harvester  1 . Combine harvester  1  includes a feed rake  6  on the front side, a not-shown front attachment being assigned to feed rake  6  to cut and pick up the crops grown in the field, the front attachment conveying the crop material to feed rake  6 . Feed rake  6  conveys crop material  5  to threshing parts and working units  8 ,  13 ,  17  located in machine housing  7 .  
         [0016]     Crop material  5  exiting feed rake  6  is caught by preliminary cylinder  8  rotating in the counterclockwise direction, preliminary cylinder  8  being bordered on its underside by a threshing and separating grate  9 . Crop material  5  is drawn by preliminary cylinder  8  through threshing gap  10  located between preliminary cylinder  8  and threshing and separating grate  9 , crop material  5  being guided in its direction by threshing and separating grate  9 . Preliminary cylinder  8  processes crop material  5  intensively, so that the kernels are separated from the fruit of crop material  5 . A crop-material flow  12  composed mainly of kernels is separated by threshing and separating grate  9  and conveyed downstream to working unit  30 , which are not described in greater detail.  
         [0017]     A further cylinder  13 , which also rotates in the counterclockwise direction, is located downstream of preliminary cylinder  8 , in its rear region. The crop material exiting the rear region of threshing gap  10  is captured by cylinder  13  and conveyed by cylinder  13  through a threshing gap  15  bordered by cylinder  13  and a threshing and separating grate  14  located below cylinder  13 , crop material  5  being conveyed along threshing and separating grate  14 . When crop material  5  is conveyed through threshing gap  15 , the crop material  5  is conveyed through threshing gap  15 , the crop material is processed intensively, so that further kernels are separated from the fruit of crop material  5 . A second crop-material flow  16 , which is also composed mainly of kernels, is separated on threshing and separating grate  14  and is also conveyed to further working units  30 , which are not described in greater detail.  
         [0018]     It is within the scope of the present invention for combine harvester  1  to have any number of cylinders positioned one behind the other, it being possible for the cylinders to have any type of configuration.  
         [0019]     In the rear region, an impeller  17  that rotates in the counterclockwise direction is assigned to cylinder  13 , impeller  17  catching crop material  5  exiting threshing gap  15  and conveying it to a separating unit  18 , e.g., a tray-type shaker  19 . The present is expressly not limited to these types of combine harvesters. Instead, it also relates, e.g., to combine harvesters having at least one rotor as the separating unit.  
         [0020]     A stripping unit  20  is located above impeller  17 , which limits the quantity of crop material conveyed by impeller  17  by stripping off any crop material that extends past the circumference of impeller  17 . Stripping unit  20 , which is mounted on machine housing  7  in a height-adjustable manner, extends continually from machine housing  7  nearly to the circumference of impeller  17 , a gap  21  remaining between the circumference of impeller  17  and stripping unit  20 , to prevent collisions. It is feasible that stripping unit  20  is supported on machine housing  7  such that it can move in the manner of a pendulum, so it can move out of the way, if necessary, when crop material  5  is not stripped away by stripping unit  20 . Stripping unit  20 , which is mounted such that it can move in the manner of a pendulum, can be acted upon with a return force, so that stripping unit  20  is not continually moved back and forth by small quantities of overshot crop material conveyed by impeller  17 , but rater only by large quantities of crop material that extend past a circumference of impeller  17 .  
         [0021]     A rotary chamber  24  according to the present invention and to be described in greater detail below is configured on stripping unit  20  at the circumference of impeller  17 , rotary chamber  24  redirecting the air current produced by rotating impeller  17  into the rear region of the combine harvester  1 . It is within the scope of the present invention that stripping units can also be located above cylinders  8 ,  13 , it being possible for rotary chambers according to the present invention to also be configured at the circumference of associated cylinders  8 ,  13 . Rotary chamber  24  according to the present invention is formed by a housing  25  that matches a portion of the circumferential surface of impeller  17 , housing  25  being formed by a bent profile  27  that has an opening  28  in the circumferential direction of impeller  17 . Opening  28  of housing  25  faces away from the direction of rotation of impeller  17 .  
         [0022]     The air current produced by impeller  17  flows into housing  25  and produces a vortex in the region of rotary chamber  2 . The subsequent air current conveyed by impeller  17  is redirected past the vortex into the rear region of machine housing  7 . Rotary chamber  24  is therefore responsible for redirection the air current conveyed by impeller  17  into the rear region of combine harvester  1 , and the dustlike crop material is conveyed with the air current into the rear part of machine housing  7 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows an impeller  17  with stripping unit  20  located above it, in a rear view. Stripping unit  20  extends across with width of impeller  17 , and housing  25  is bounded at the ends of profile  27  by side panels  29  of machine housing  7 .  
         [0024]     It is within the scope of ability of one skilled in the art to modify the exemplary embodiments described in a manner not presented, or to use them in other machines to achieve the effects described, without leaving the framework of the invention.  
         [0025]     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.  
         [0026]     While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a combine harvester, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0027]     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.