Sperry Rand Corporation

Sperry Corporation

Edward W Rowland-Hill

Robert R Todd

John B Crego

Larimer J Knepper

James W McDuffie

Everett C Cowan, Jr

Louis R Thomas

John D Riffanacht

Claude K Focht

In a crop harvesting and threshing machine of the type utilizing axial flow threshing and separation, there is provided an access unit to the threshing and separating apparatus which is removably insertable through the side of the harvesting and threshing machine into the rotor casing. The access unit has threshing grates attached to the portion nearest the threshing and separating apparatus so that when inserted the access unit serves to aid in the threshing and separating of the grain from the crop material and when removed provides easy access to the threshing and separating apparatus.

Rotor access module

In a harvesting and threshing machine utilizing at least one cooperative cylinder and rotatable rotor to achieve axial flow threshing and separation of grain bearing crop material there is provided an improved grain collection means underlying the auxiliary separation and discharge means and overlying at least a portion of the primary cleaning and separating means movably mounted to the frame of the machine in such a manner that air flow generated by the cleaning fan is not disturbed by the rotation of the rotor or the beater means of the auxiliary separation and discharge means.

Isolated pneumatic cleaning system

A combine having a single rotor extending longitudinally for axial feed and discharge having a concave directly beneath the rotor and a separation grate along one side of the rotor adjacent the peripheral path thereof for discharge into a space at one side of the threshing compartment which is formed by laterally offsetting the axis of the rotor from the central axis of the compartment, and a deflector directs the material from said space substantially centrally onto a grain receiving member below the concave and extending between opposite sides of the threshing compartment to prevent overloading of one side of said compartment as in conventional single axial rotor type combines.

Combine with offset rotor

A crop handling unit for an axial-flow type combine harvester having an infeed region and tandem threshing and separating regions. An associated conveyor is provided for delivering crop material into the infeed region of the unit whereupon material is urged rearwardly along a generally helical path. Ultimately grain is separated from the crop material and discharged through concaves and grates in the threshing and separating regions, respectively, onto a grain pan. The infeed region is provided with improved means to spread out abnormally thick masses of material during its rearward travel.

Infeed means for axial flow combine

A combine harvester having crop cutting and elevating means at the forward end of the combine to deliver crop material to be threshed to a threshing compartment in which axial rotor and concave means thresh and axially move the crop material to straw walker means immediately rearward of said threshing compartment to separate straw and chaff from threshed crop material and discharge the straw and chaff from the rear end of the harvester.

Axial thresher and straw walker means for combine

A combine harvester comprising at least one generally cylindrical crop handling unit having tandem threshing and separating sections through which material is advanced along a generally helical path. A conveyor is provided for receiving crop material from a forwardly positioned crop header and delivering it axially into the cylindrical unit. During operation, grain is separated from the crop material and discharged through concaves and grates in the threshing and separating sections, respectively, onto a grain pan which in turn deposits it on cleaning sieves located rearwardly of the grain pan. The clean grain is elevated to a storage tank mounted on the combine while the residue is conveyed rearwardly and expelled onto the field. The grate in the separating section is cylindrical in configuration and comprises a plurality of generally transverse members retained by spaced longitudinal rub bars defining a configuration of apertures permitting discharge of grain over most or all of the circumferential surface of the cylindrical unit. One or more of the transverse members have at least one slightly askew section to assist advancement of crop material along its helical path in the separating section of the combine. A portion of the separation grate extends into the threshing section.

Separating unit for combine harvesters

A combine harvester comprising two side-by-side generally cylindrical crop handling units each having tandem threshing and separating sections. A conveyor is provided for receiving crop material from a forwardly positioned crop header and delivering it axially into the cylindrical units. During operation, grain is separated from the crop material and discharged through concaves and grates in the threshing and separating sections, respectively, onto a grain pan which in turn deposits it on cleaning sieves located rearwardly of the grain pan. The clean grain is elevated by an auger to a storage tank mounted on the combine while the residue is conveyed rearwardly and expelled onto the field. At least a portion of the grates in the separating sections are cylindrical in configuration and permit discharge over most or all of the circumference of the cylindrical units.

Combine harvester

A deflector panel is pivotally mounted within the straw hood of a combine and is disposable between a first position wherein residue material emanating from the combine is deflected into a straw chopper and a second position wherein the emanating material is deflected through the residue outlet of the straw hood, forwardly of the straw chopper, and discharged onto the ground.

Crop residue deflector means

In an axial flow type combine, an improved concave is provided which remains open in the most adverse corn harvesting conditions, thereby increasing the overall efficiency of the machine. The improved concave comprises a frame formed by a plurality of spaced-apart transversely extending arcuate shaped support members joined together at their respective ends by a pair of spaced-apart longitudinally extending support elements. The frame supports a plurality of spaced apart longitudinally extending rod-like members which are generally linear throughout a substantial portion of their longitudinal extent, the linear portions of the respective rod-like members being generally parallel to the axis of a rotor positioned above the concave in the combine. The rod-like members are provided with rotatably mounted sleeves which freely rotate about the rod-like members as crop material moves over the concave. These rotatable sleeves facilitate the passage of threshed crop material through the openings in the concave defined between the sleeves and further serve to reduce the impact of the crop material against the concave, thereby resulting in less crop damage.

Concave for an axial flow type combine

A mobile combine having longitudinally extending rotor and concave threshing and separating members and a grain pan beneath the threshing and separating members to receive threshed and semi-threshed crop material incident to transmitting said material to a sieve mechanism. In order to prevent uneven build up or deposit of said material in localized areas upon the grain pan, deflecting members are provided in several different embodiments or arrangements which are fixed to the threshing and/or the separating members, all having the common objective of deflecting material discharged from the threshing and separating areas of the grain pan which normally have low accumulation and thereby tend to cause substantially even distribution of said material upon the grain pan.

Material distribution means for concave of rotary combine

A combine of the axial flow type having an axially extending power driven rotor which coacts with a concave complementary in shape to that of the rotor to thresh a wide variety of agricultural crop material. The concave comprises a plurality of longitudinal bars that are spaced transversely and a first row of curved wires extend through said bars adjacent the upper edges thereof and are spaced even distances in a longitudinal direction to form passages for threshed crop material. A second row of wires extend through a row of holes in said bars below said first row of wires. The second row of wires is spaced more closely than the wires of the first row to form pockets which receive said threshed crop material and remove the same from contact by said rotor to prevent damage to the threshed material and also provide more aggressive threshing of the material.

Rotary combine with improved concave

A combine of the axial flow type having a coacting rotor and concave assembly having a threshing region therebetween, said concave being provided with a relief section at the forward end of said concave to accommodate abnormal masses of crop material operable to thin out said masses prior to passing rearwardly into said threshing region.

Axial flow combine having concave relief

An axial flow type combine provided with twin rotors having rasp bars thereon rotatable within cylindrical compartments partly comprised of concaves for coaction with said rasp bars, the forward ends of said rotors having conical augers mounted thereon and rotatable therewith respectively in opposite directions, the largest diameter of said augers being outermost and portions of said augers being in overlapping relationship with respect to each other to improve the feeding of cut grain material to said rotors and concaves of the combine.

Axial flow combine having conical augers

A rotary combine having axially extending threshing rotor and coacting concave positioned to receive crop material to be threshed from auger means on the forward end of the rotor, and an elevator which extends upward and rearward from a header to the auger means delivers the crop material to an upwardly and rearwardly extending feed plate which guides the crop material upwardly in an undershot manner to said auger means. Several embodiments of a grain trapping and back-flow retarding plate are associated adjustably with said feed plate to permit discharge of threshed crop material and prevent tendencies for the material being fed upward along the feed plate to slide back down the same toward the elevator.

Back-flow retarding feed plate for rotary combine

Control means for the feeding of crop material from a header and condensing auger to the forward, inlet end of an upwardly and rearwardly extending elevator having an endless flight therein, said control means comprising plates connected to the inlet end of said elevator to restrict the width thereof and thereby prevent crop material from being engaged by the outer edges of said endless flight in said elevator, thereby preventing the accumulation and backfeeding of crop material along opposite side edges of said elevator.

Growing community of inventors

Lancaster, PA, United States of America

Edward W Rowland-Hill