A STRAW CONVEYOR DEVICE IN A COMBINE HARVESTER

Abstract: A straw conveyor device in a combine harvester, comprising a conveyor for conveying of straw from a cutter apparatus (2) and rearwardly therefrom, possibly upwardly sloping, wherein a threshing cylinder (4) is situated higher than the exit end of the conveyor, and wherein it is provided means for conveying the straw up to the threshing cylinder. Said means comprises at least two cooperating rotors (12, 13), each equipped with brushes (11, 24) which cause an efficient transportation of the straw. The brushes may be made of plastics, for instance polyamide.

Description: A straw conveyor device in a combine harvester. The present invention relates to a straw conveyor device in a combine harvester, comprising a conveyor for transportation of straw rearwardly from a cutter apparatus, possibly upwardly sloping, whereby a threshing cylinder is situated higher than Λ the exit end of the conveyor, and whereby means is provided to t carry the straw up to the threshing cylinder. It is known to use endless conveyor belts in order to bring the straw from the cutter apparatus of a combine harvester in a direction towards, or up to, a threshing drum. Usually it is used a conveyor belt having transverse ribs, and the straw is carried by the ribs on the lower, straight portion of the belt, in that a board is provided in a certain distance below said portion of the belt, in order to support the straw while being conveyed by the belt. Moreover, it is known to use a conveyor belt which conveys the straw lying on its upper side. A problem is, however, to achieve an efficient transportation of the straw further to a threshing cylinder which is mounted somewhat higher than the exit end of the conveyor belt. The object of the present invention is to arrive at a solution of said problem. Another object is to arrive at a solution of which the elements are little sensitive to stones which are brought along with the straw into the combine harvester. According to the invention this is achieved with a device defined in the succeeding claim 1. The invention will hereinafter be explained more detailed, by means of an embodiment shown in the annexed drawing. to '1 . In the drawing are mainly shown only those parts of a combine harvester which have connection with the invention. Thus, the Fig. shows the forward end of a combine harvester, provided with an embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention. The Fig. shows diagramatically a part of a combine harvester, in which an auxiliary conveyor 3 in the fora. of a rotor is provided above a conveyor belt 1 and is equipped with brushes 11 in order to carry the straw from a cutter apparatus 2 rearwardly towards a threshing device. The shaft 18 of the rotor 5 is mounted in a slit 19 which is parallel to the con¬ veyor belt 1. The other end of the shaft 18 is mounted in a corresponding slit. The rotor 5 is driven by an endless drive belt or drive chain 10 which runs past two rollers 12 and 20 which are mounted stationary, and one of said rollers is connected to a (not shown) drive mechanism. In the example, moreover, also the roller 12 is equipped with brushes 11. The drive belt or chain is situated either at the ends of the rollers 12 and 20 and the rotor, or it has a small width, so that it does not prevent the straw in falling down against the conveyor belt 1 after having been cut by the cutter apparatus 2 In the example the conveyor belt 1 is provided with transverse ribs 21. Moreover it is shown a threshing drum 4, a grate 17, a concave element 16, in addition to a drum 22 and a second grate 23, which are conventional elements without any particu¬ lar connection with the invention. Above the roller 12 is mounted a rotor 13 equipped with brushes 24. The rotor 13 is adapted to bring the straw up to the threshing cylinder 4 in cooperation with the roller 12. It will be appreciated that the roller 5 may be moved along the conveyor belt 1, depending on the straw length, in order to adjust the position of the roller to an optimum relatively to the straw length with respect to efficient transportation towards the threshing cylinder 4. Provided that a drive chain 10 is used which cooperates with a (not shown) toothed wheel on the rotor 5, on both sides thereof, shifting of the rotor 5 can only take place after the connection with the chain is released at least on one side of the rotor 5, for instance by slackening of the chain, for instance by a slight move¬ ment of the roller 20 or the roller 12. Provided that the * rotor 5 is only in engagement with the chain 10 on one side, shifting of the rotor 5 may also take place during operation. Thus, the shaft 18 of the rotor 5 may be connected to for instance hydraulic cylinders for parallel displacement, possib¬ ly controlled from the operator's seat in the combine harvest- * er. It is, however, not imperative that shifting of the rotor 5 must be possible without manual work, since frequent adjust¬ ments during operation are normally not necessary. Therefore, the shaft 18 may be mounted in such a manner that it has to be loosened and shifted manually, whereupon it is fastened manually in the desired position. Thus, the roller 12 will be supplied with straw by means of the conveyor belt 1 and the rotor 5, and in cooperation with a plate the roller 12 conveys, by means of the brushes 11, the straw up to the rotor 13. Thereafter the roller 12 and the rotor 13 cooperates to convey the straw to the threshing cylinder 4, in a very efficient manner because of the brushes 11 and 24. Another advantage of the brushes is that they are little senesitive to stones in the straw. It is not a presupposition that the rotor 13 cooperates with a roller 12 which is an element of an auxiliary conveyor 3. Thus the rotor 5 and its drive device may be omitted, and these elements are merely shown and described as advantageous in combination with the present invention. It is not either a presupposition that a conveyor belt is used to bring the straw rearwardly from the cutter apparatus, because the invention is independent of how the straw is transported rearwardly to the roller 12. The brushes may for instance be made of plastics, and polyamide is a well suited material. The number of brushes on each roller is not critical , and may be more or less than four as -shown. o,v s pι . A, Moreover, the invention also covers a larger number than two cooperating rollers. It is presupposed that at least one rotor or roller is driven in rotation, but it is possible to drive one or more other rollers or rotors by means of only one driven roller or rotor, because the brushes may partly interfere in each other. In order if desired to achieve that the brushes of a rotor or roller is moved in a particular manner relatively to another cooperating rotor or roller these may be driven synchronized, for instance by means of a common drive belt or chain. All the rotors or rollers may also be driven by a common drive belt or chain. In order to bring the straw up to the upper rotor the lower rotor 12 cooperates with a plate 25, which may be curved concentrically to the rotor. It is possible to provide several pairs of cooperating rotors or rollers, but normally one pair will be sufficient, provided that the threshing cylinder is not situated very high. When the device according to the invention is applied in combination with a conveyor belt, possibly also equipped with an auxiliary conveyor, the rotors or rollers preferably extend in the entire width of the conveyor belt. OiKPI

Claims: Claims . 1. A straw conveyor device in a combine harvester, comprising a conveyor for conveying of straw from a cutter apparatus (2) and rearwardly thereform, possibly upwardly sloping, wherein a threshing cylinder (4) is situated higher than the exit end of the conveyor, and wherein it is provided means for conveying the straw up to the threshing cylinder, characterized in that said means comprises at least two cooperating rotors (12,13), each equipped with brushes (11,24). 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the brushes are made of plastics, for instance polyamide. 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rotors (12,13) are situated in such a manner that the ends of the brushes move in paths which are substantially tangential to each other or possibly are crossing each other. 4. A device as claimed in claims 1 - 3, characterized in that the lowermost rotor (12) also is a rotor of an auxiliary conveyor (3) which is provided above a conveyor belt (1) in order to bring the straw rearwardly from the cutter apparatus (2) . 5. A device as claimed in claims 1 - 4, characterized in that at least one of the rotors (12) cooperates with a plate (25) , in order to bring the straw up to the next rotor (13) .

Inventors: STOKLAND SIGMUND, STOKLAND, SIGMUND
Applicants: STOKLAND SIGMUND, STOKLAND, SIGMUND
Application year: 1984
Main classification: A01F12
IPC codes: A01F12