Patent GB-1399602-A (GB)
Title: Harvesting machines
IPC: A01F12/16
Filed: 1971-07-06
Abstract: 1399602 Axial flow harvesters CLAYSON NV 30 June 1972 [6 July 1971 21 Sept 1971] 30691/72 and 30692/72 Divided out of 1399601 Heading A1F An axial flow harvesting machine has a threshing and separating mechanism comprising in sequence a feed, a threshing and a separating section and at least one of these sections includes a rotor having a plurality of vanes mounted on its periphery which impart a spiral, and hence axial movement to the crop passing through this section. The vanes can be provided, preferably in rows parallel to the rotor's longitudinal axis, in the threshing and/ or separating and/or feed sections and when provided in more than one section a common rotor is employed. In the preferred embodiment a harvester has two parallel; juxtaposed threshing/separating mechanisms, each comprising a housing 57 and rotor 74. Crop is fed into earth mechanism from a chain and bar conveyor 24 in a header unit 12. and transfer to the feed section 107, having vanes 108, 110, is facilitated by a scraper bar 106 and crop guides (130), (71) and (60) (Fig 4, not shown) which cooperate with the leading vanes 108 on the associated rotor. The crop is threshed in a threshing section 111 by vanes 112 cooperating with a concave 72 formed from longitudinal bars 93, arcuate support beams 94 and arcuate wires 95. The distance between each concave and the associated rotor is adjustable. The majority of the crop falls through the concave to a conventional clearing means 9 whilst the remainder, entrapped in the straw or trash passes to the separating section 116. In this section, vanes 115 cause further separation, by cooperating with a grating 73 which is constructed similarly to the concave 72, but has a larger mesh size and a greater distance from the rotor 74. The trash is discharged by the rotor onto a feeder plate 15 by means of discharge members 126 and thence to a grate 101 which cooperates with a beater to provide a final separation of grain from the trash which is then discharged. The grain cleaning means 9 comprises an oscillatory chaffer sieve 34, an oscillatory grain sieve 35 and a fan 36. After separation therein from the chaff, the grain is carried to a bin by an elevator whilst the tailings are returned to the feed section for further threshing via a second elevator. The various components of the harvester are driven by an I.C. engine (48) (Fig 1 not shown) and the belt drive to the rotors includes two variable diameter pulleys for varying the speed of the rotors according to operational requirements. The rotors comprise a body portion 103 which can have a cylindrical, polygonal or hexagonal cross-section which carries vanes of varous geometries and disposition. In the preferred embodiment, each rotor is tapered at its forward end 104 to facilitate the intake of crop and the associated vanes 110, 112 115 are either uniformly inclined to the longitudinal axis, or advantageously they are inclined so as to achieve a continuously increasing axial speed of the crop over the length of each rotor e.g. vanes 110, 112 are inclined at 45‹ whilst vanes 115 are inclined at 30‹. Alternatively, the rows of vanes can alternate with rasp bars (Figs 15 and 16, not shown) in the threshing section, the rasps and recesses of these bars being orientated so that they also assist in inducing axial movement in the crop. In conjunction with this alternative threshing section, the separation section has tines (144) (Figs 17 and 18, not shown) alternating with the vanes 115. In another arrangement (Fig 14, not shown), the vanes in the threshing and separating sections have leading and trailing portions, the leading portion being inclined at a different angle to the rotor's axis than the trailing portion. Fins 170 in slots 171 (Fig 20, not shown) can be provided on the casing 57 and, if required, can be extended into the spaces between the rotor and the casing's inner wall so as to act on the crop and reduce its axial speed. Alternatively these fins may be angularly adjustable. Reference has been directed by the comptroller to Specifications 1292678 and 1292679.