Deere + Company

Richard L Day

James W Hall

Neil L West

Roderick James Jensen

Mark F Stickler

Edwin Milton Gerber

An agricultural combine having a transverse threshing cylinder and concave and an axial separator. The axial separator is provided with two side-by-side axial separator units, each unit having a rotor and a casing for housing the rotor. The casings are non-concentric housing having a semi-circular top, a semi-circular bottom and straight side walls joining the top and bottom. The rotor is provided with fixed teeth that extend radially outward from the rotor. The rotor is located at the bottom of the casing so the teeth can engage and penetrate the crop material at the bottom of the casing. The rotor throws the crop material upwardly against the top of the casing which is provided with downwardly projecting spiral vanes for directing the crop rearwardly. The rotor is rotated so that the tip speed of the teeth is greater than or equal to 11.8 m/sec and less than or equal to 20.9 m/sec.

Operation parameters for an axial separator

A combine having a transverse threshing cylinder and concave and an axial separator. The axial separator comprises a pair of side-by-side axial separator units each having a rotor and a casing in which the rotors are housed. Each axial separator units is provided with three detachable covers having inwardly projecting spiral vanes. The covers are axially arranged and the first cover is adjacent to the transverse threshing cylinder and concave. The first cover is provided with at least five spiral vanes. The first vane has an angle of inclination to the transverse axis of approximately forty-five degrees; the second, third and fourth vanes have an angle of inclination of approximately thirty degrees; and the fifth vane has an angle of inclination of approximately twenty-five degrees. In small grains, such as rice, the second and third covers each have at least four vanes all with an angle of inclination of approximately twenty degrees. In corn, the second and third covers each have at least four vanes all with an angle of inclination of approximately ten degrees. The second and third covers are designed to be interchangeable depending on crop.

Detachable covers for an axial separator

An endless belt type windrow pickup mechanism is mounted on the front of a combine platform and includes a frame with opposite sides supported on ground engaging gauge wheels so that the opposite sides of the frame swing vertically relative to one another as the machine advances over uneven terrain. The pickup mechanism includes a belt with a large number of fingers that lift the crop from the ground and move the crop rearwardly along the upper run of the belt. An improved windrow hold-down device has a plurality of flexible fingers that engage the top of the mat of crop material moving rearwardly on the upper run of the belt, and means are provided for adjusting the attitude of the fingers and also accommodating vertical shifting of one side of the pickup mechanism relative to the other.

Growing community of inventors

Port Byron, IL, United States of America

Richard L Day