Abstract:
A combine with straw walkers and a conveyor located above the straw walkers. The conveyor is provided with tines and a rotating body with a closed circle cylindrical envelope surface. The envelope surface of the rotating body has no remarkable recess or elevations. The tine guides each have a holder mounted to the rotating body and a guidance mounted to the holder. The guidance is pivotally mounted to the holder around a pivot axis extending parallel to the rotational axis of the rotating body. The guidance extends along the tine, surrounds the tine and has a length such that the tine retracts into the interior of the rotating body along a rotational angle of the rotating body of at least 450.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention concerns a combine with straw walkers and a rotary conveyor arranged thereabove.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Various rotary conveyors have been proposed in the prior art that are mounted above the straw walkers of a combine, in order to grasp the product mat and divide it and, in this way, improve the separation effect. The straw is loosened longer and more intensively for thorough separation of the remaining grains. Heavier harvested product parts can escape through the created gaps by tearing of the harvested product carpet. Examples are disclosed in patents: DE 1 904 406 A, EP 0 862 848 A, EP 0 862 849 A, EP 0 862 850 A, EP 0 933 017 A, EP 1 050 206 A and FR 2 342 022 A. In all mentioned rotary conveyors, elements are provided that protrude outwardly beyond the outer surface of the rotating body, like tine guides or stripping elements. The tines also generally remain on the outside over the entire rotational angle of the rotary conveyor.  
         [0003]     A drawback of these protruding elements is that straw or other plants, for example, the particularly problematical bindweed, can be trapped on them. They can be wound around the drum, so that a product blockage is produced.  
         [0004]     A rotary conveyor arranged in a transverse conveyor screw of a combine is described in Patent GB 612 962 A, and is constructed from a rotatable, cylindrically circular rotating body with tines arranged eccentrically in it. The tines extend through tine guides arranged on the inside of the rotating body and pass through slits in the rotating body. Cavities are formed between the slits in the rotating body and the tine guides, allowing the harvested product to collect in the cavities.  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,205 describes a guide assembly for tines of a transverse conveyor screw of a cutting mechanism. The guide assembly includes a first element rigidly mounted on the outside of the tube of the transverse conveyor screw. A sleeve is arranged between the inside of the first element and a shell. The sleeve is mounted to rotate around the rotational axis of the transverse conveyor screw. The sleeve has an axial opening, through which the eccentrically mounted tine extends outward. The tine disappears over a short rotational angle range in the interior of the tube of the transverse conveyor screw, but the outward protruding first elements result in the trapping of plants.  
         [0006]     What is needed in the art is of a combine with a rotary conveyor arranged above the straw walker, that avoids the aforementioned drawbacks.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     One embodiment of the present invention includes a rotary conveyor containing a rotating body with at least one eccentrically mounted tine that is radially movable relative thereto. The subsequent description, however, describes several tines, because this is the normal case. The rotating body has a cylindrically circular outer surface without significant protrusions or recesses. The tines penetrate openings in the outer surface of the rotating body and can be mounted to move in tine guides on the outer surface, which are connected to the inside of the openings. The tine guides each include a holder that is fastened to the inside of the rotating body and lies against it and a guide mounted to pivot relative to the holder. The pivot axis of the guide extends parallel to the rotational axis of the rotating body. The guide has an axial opening through which the tine extends. The length of the guide is chosen such that the tine can be retracted over a larger rotational angle of the rotating body into its interior, for example, over 45° or even 60°.  
         [0008]     In this manner, a situation is achieved in which the outside of the rotating body is fully free of any protruding or inward extending elements, at least over a rotational angle of 45°, on which plants or other material can be trapped. Since the holder of the tine guide lies against the inside of the rotating body, cavities on which material can collect or be trapped are also avoided on the inside of the opening in the rotating body for the tines.  
         [0009]     The guide, for example, is spherical and arranged within a holder with the shape of a spherical shell. In another variant, the guide is a sleeve with lateral pins that are mounted to rotate on the holder, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,205 A.  
         [0010]     In order to further reduce the hazard that the conveyed product lies around the rotary conveyor, a deflector sheet is positioned on the rotating body. By lowering the tines, it is possible to adjust a very small spacing between the deflector plate and the surface of the rotating body, so that the product being conveyed is sufficiently deflected. The deflector sheet can extend over the entire long side of the rotating body, or consist of strips that only keep the conveyed product away from the surface of the rotating body between the tines. If the deflector sheet is set very close to the drum, it can also tear off plant blades that hang up on the drum. This advantage becomes even more significant, as the gap between the deflector sheet and the rotating body is reduced.  
         [0011]     If the deflector sheet is rigidly mounted, it can brake the rotary conveyor by any wound material. By measuring its drive moment, a warning signal is issued on surpassing of a threshold value, which warning indicates to the operator a jam and/or automatically stops the combine, so that the jam can be eliminated. As an alternative, the deflector sheet can be attached to a pivot such that it is tilted away by any product jam and activates a switch that trips the warning signal. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     A practical example of the invention is further described and shown in the drawings. In the drawings:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a harvesting machine with a rotary conveyor according to one embodiment of the present invention for distribution of the harvested product,:  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  shows a longitudinal section through the center of the rotary conveyor of  FIG. 1 , with the tines mounted eccentrically in it; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a cross section through the rotary conveyor along line  3 - 3  viewed in the direction of the related arrows in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1  there is shown a combine  10  with driven front wheels  12 , steerable rear wheels  14  and a driver&#39;s cabin  16 , from which combine  10  can be operated by a driver. A grain tank  18  is attached to the rear of driver&#39;s cabin  16  and delivers the product deposited in it outward through an emptying pipe  20 . Grain tank  18  is mounted on a frame  22 , in which the supplied product is broken down into its large and small components on its path over a threshing drum  24 , a threshing basket  26  and a turning drum  28 . Further separation of the harvested product is carried out on straw walkers  30 , as well as a preparation base  32  and screens  34 , wherein the threshed product fraction is finally conveyed into the grain tank  18 . The large harvested product parts are deposited on the soil by way of straw walkers  30  and light components are also blown onto the soil by way of a blower  36  from screen  34 . Product lying or standing on the ground is fed to threshing drum  24  by way of an oblique conveyor  38  after it is taken up from the ground by a harvested product recovery device  40 .  
         [0017]     Now, additionally referring to  FIG. 2 , above straw walkers  30 , a rotary conveyor  42  is provided that serves as an additional separator around an axis of rotation arranged transverse to the direction of travel, having a rotating body  44  and tines  84 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , made of metal or plastic. A deflector sheet  8  is mounted on rotating body  44  and is mounted to pivot or it can be arranged to be fixed.  
         [0018]     Rotation of rotary conveyor  42  occurs counterclockwise with a view toward  FIG. 1 , i.e., with undershot feed. For this purpose, drive devices (not shown) are provided, for example, a belt pulley connected to rotate in unison with a front wall of rotating body  44 , which are driven by a motor.  
         [0019]     The position of rotary conveyor  42  is preferably, but not necessarily, above straw walkers  30  in the region of their half length. This position can be changed vertically and horizontally by a corresponding guide. As an alternative, or additionally, rotary conveyor  42  could also be provided immediately downstream of turning drum  28 .  
         [0020]     The drive devices can be configured in a variety of ways and contain, for example, a speed variable and/or rotational direction reversible gear mechanism, with which the speed of rotary conveyor  42  can be changed and its direction of rotation reversed. In this manner, rotary conveyor  42  can be driven to feed both by overshoot and undershoot, wherein the position of tines  84  must be adjusted accordingly.  
         [0021]     Now, additionally referring to  FIG. 3 , rotary conveyor  42  has a rotating body  44 , whose outer surface is cylindrically circular without any recesses or elevations. In the depicted variant, eighteen plastic or metal tine guides  50  and openings  52  in rotating body  44  extend inward radially.  
         [0022]     Front walls  54  and  56  of rotating body  44  are formed by disks  58  and  60 , one of which is provided with a bearing flange  62  fastened by screws  64  to disk  58  at six hexagonally arranged sites. Disks  58  and  60  are spot welded to the inside of rotating body  44  and have cup like indentations on the side facing the interior of rotating body  44 . Rotating body  44  is carried by shaft stubs  66  and  68 . Shaft stub  66  is connected to bearing flange  62  and is provided with a keyway  70  for a gear, with which rotating body  44  can be rotated.  
         [0023]     A bearing device, arranged eccentrically and parallel to the axis of rotation of rotating body  44 , is situated in rotating body  44 , containing two fixed shaft stubs  68  and  74 , two support arms  76  and  78 , and an axle  80 . Clamps  82 , which are made in two parts and pivotable, are attached to axle  80 .  
         [0024]     Tines  84  are formed as straight, solid and equally long rods with a circular cross section, in the depicted example, and with rupture sites  86 , but can also be formed curved in the direction of rotation and need not, in principle, be solid. The feet of tines  84  are designed so that they fit into the corresponding recesses of clamps  82  and are secured thereto.  
         [0025]     Tines  84  are arranged along axle  80  so that they are offset relative to each other by a fixed angle, for example, 120°, and extend through tine guides  50 .  
         [0026]     Axle  80  is rigidly connected to shaft stubs  74  and  68  by way of support arms  76  and  78 . Shaft stub  74  is mounted to rotate in bearing flange  62  and shaft stub  68  is fixed outside of rotating body  44 . By way of two roller bearings  4  and  6 , a situation is achieved in which, during rotation of rotating body  44  in a plane perpendicular to longitudinal center axis  88 , disks  58  and  60  rotate around fixed shaft stubs  68  and  74 . Axle  80  retains its position and tines  84  are introduced and withdrawn during each revolution of rotating body  44  by way of tine guide  50 . If a tine  84  is in the radially inward offset position, its free end is beneath the outer surface of rotating body  44 .  
         [0027]     The design of tine guides  50  can be deduced from  FIGS. 2 and 3 . They include a holder  90  fastened to the inside surface of rotating body  44 , a guide  92  and a shell  94 . Guide  92  is spherical and has a center opening through which a tine  84  extends. Holder  90  has a hemispherical bulge in which guide  92  is arranged. Shell  94  lies against the inside of holder  90 , and also has a hemispherical bulge lying against guide  92 . Shell  94  is joined to holder  90  by screws  96 . Screws  96  can also extend through rotating body  44  and be flattened on its outside or arranged in recesses that are filled by their heads. Nuts then lie against shells  94 . As an alternative, screws  96  extend through threaded holes of holder  90 , which, in turn, is welded or glued to rotating body  44  or through nuts that are fastened, especially glued or welded, on the inside of rotating body  44 .  
         [0028]     Tine guides  50  are therefore directly connected to the inside of rotating body  44 . Because of this, collection of plants and other material on the inside of openings  52  is prevented. Guide  92  is mounted to rotate in holder  90  and shell  94  around axis of rotation  88 , so that, during one rotation of rotating body  44 , it is moved with tines  84  around axis of rotation  88 . The dimensions of tines  84  and guides  92  are chosen so that tines  84  are retracted into the interior of rotating body  44  over a rotational angle range of about 60°. Because of this, there is a significantly reduced hazard of plant parts and other material being entrained and causing a product jam.  
         [0029]     According to  FIG. 1 , a deflector sheet  8  is positioned at rotating body  44  and oriented so that the conveyed product placed around rotating body  44  is stripped off during rotation of rotating body  44 . Deflector sheet  8  is rigidly mounted. However, if material collects on rotating body  44 , an increased torque is produced to drive rotating element  44 . The torque is sensed by a sensor and, if it rises above a threshold value, a corresponding indication is furnished to the operator in driver&#39;s cabin  16  so that he can stop and clear the jam.  
         [0030]     During use of rotary conveyor  42  in combine  10 , tines  84  can be arranged so that they are situated in groups of three tines  84  above one straw walker  30 , i.e., in a  5  straw walker machine, fifteen tines  84  are used, and in a  6  straw walker machine, eighteen tines, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The three tines  84  situated in front of front walls  54  and  56  of rotating body  44  in this example have a smaller spacing relative to each other than the remaining tines  84 .  
         [0031]     Having described the preferred 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.