Patent ID: 7324883

Claim:
A method for testing for a broken shear bolt supporting a concave of a threshing system of an agricultural combine, comprising steps of: determining whether a broken shear bolt condition has been previously determined and, if yes, and the threshing system is operating, then operating a driver for moving the concave and if as a result the position of the concave changes, then determining that the broken shear bolt condition does not exist and, if a broken shear bolt condition has not been previously determined, then periodically monitoring a position of the concave and, if a rate of change of the position of the concave exceeds a predetermined value, then determining that a broken shear bolt condition is present; and calculating driver current to determine whether or not the driver is energized to raise the concave; and if the driver is sufficiently energized to raise the concave, then operating the driver being operated to raise the concave for a predetermined period of time and if no corresponding raising of the concave occurs, then determining that a broken shear bolt condition exists.