Patent ID: 6984172

Claim:
A method of operation of a dual path drive rotatably driving a threshing rotor of an agricultural combine, for decelerating the rotor from a rotating state, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a planetary gear arrangement having an output connected to the rotor for rotation therewith, a first rotatable input connected in rotatably driven relation to a rotatable output of a variable speed rotatable power source controllably operable by a controller for variably rotating the output thereof, and the gear arrangement including a second input connectable by engagement or operation of a first device in rotatably driven relation to a rotatable output of an engine of the combine, the second input also being connectable by engagement or operation of a second device to a fixed element of the combine so as to be nonrotatable; (b) after a rotor disengage command is received by the controller, controlling a speed of rotation of the rotatable output of the variable speed rotatable power source to change the rotational speed of the first input such that a rotational speed of the second input is slowed to a speed at which the second device can be engaged or operated for connecting the second input to the fixed element so as to be nonrotatable; then (c) controlling a speed of rotation of the rotatable output of the variable speed rotatable power source to slow a rotational speed of the output of the planetary gear arrangement and the rotor to a desired lower speed.