Adjustable vanes for use in a cylindrical rotor cage of an agricultural harvester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10123484-B2
Application number	US-201615155380-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2016
Priority date	May 16, 2016
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

An adjustable vane system for use with a rotor cage of a threshing system of an agricultural harvester. The vane system includes a vane having a generally helically curved inner profile; a surface being an outer profile that is opposite the inner profile and is generally helically curved over a portion of the vane; a first flat portion proximate an end of the vane on the outer profile; and a second flat portion proximate to another end of the vane on the outer profile.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable vane system for use with a rotor cage of a threshing system of an agricultural harvester, the vane system comprising:
a vane having:
a generally helically curved inner profile;
a surface being an outer profile that is opposite the inner profile and is generally helically curved over a portion of the vane, the outer profile being positioned closer to the rotor cage than the inner profile;
a first flat portion proximate an end of the vane on the outer profile;
a second flat portion proximate to an other end of the vane on the outer profile; and
further comprising a third flat portion located midway along the outer profile.

2. The adjustable vane system of claim 1 , wherein the third flat portion is larger than the first flat portion and the second flat portion.

3. The adjustable vane system of claim 1 , wherein the first flat portion and the second flat portion are of a similar size.

4. The adjustable vane system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first coupling device connected to the vane at the first flat portion; and
a second coupling device connected to the vane at the second flat portion.

5. The adjustable vane system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first bushing extending through the rotor cage and in contact with the first flat surface; and
a second bushing extending through the rotor cage and in contact with the second flat surface.

6. The adjustable vane system of claim 5 , wherein the first bushing and the second bushing have different lengths.

7. The adjustable vane system of claim 5 , wherein the coupling devices extend through the bushings.

8. The adjustable vane system of claim 6 , wherein the lengths of the bushings allow movement of the vane up to a predefined distance from the rotor cage.

9. The adjustable vane system of claim 8 , wherein the predefined distance is approximately 4 mm or less.

10. A threshing system for use in an agricultural harvester, the threshing system comprising:
a rotor cage with a plurality of slots therein, the rotor cage having a generally cylindrical inner surface; and
a plurality of adjustable vanes pivotally coupled to the rotor cage, each vane having: a generally helically curved inner profile;
a surface being an outer profile that is opposite the inner profile and is generally helically curved over a portion of the vane, the outer profile being positioned closer to the rotor cage than the inner profile;
a first flat portion proximate an end of the vane on the outer profile;
a second flat portion proximate to an other end of the vane on the outer profile; and
wherein each vane further comprises a third flat portion located midway along the outer profile.

11. The threshing system of claim 10 , wherein the third flat portion is larger than the first flat portion and the second flat portion.

12. The threshing system of claim 10 , wherein the first flat portion and the second flat portion are of a similar size.

13. The threshing system of claim 10 , wherein each vane has:
a first coupling device connected to each vane at the first flat portion; and
a second coupling device connected to each vane at the second flat portion.

14. The threshing system of claim 13 , wherein each vane has:
a first bushing extending through the rotor cage and the first bushing is in contact with the first flat surface; and
a second bushing extending through the rotor cage and the second bushing is in contact with the second flat surface.

15. The threshing system of claim 14 , wherein the first bushing and the second bushing have different lengths.

16. The threshing system of claim 14 , wherein the coupling devices extend through the bushings.

17. The threshing system of claim 15 , wherein the lengths of the bushings allow movement of the vane up to a predefined distance from the rotor cage.

18. The threshing system of claim 17 , wherein the predefined distance is approximately 4 mm or less.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Kemmerer Benjamin
• Flickinger Wayne T

Classifications

• A01F12/46

  Mechanical grain conveyors · CPC title

• A01F12/446

  Sieving means · CPC title

• A01D41/12 Primary

  Details of combines · CPC title

• A01F7/067 Primary

  with material-flow influencing means · CPC title

• A01F12/181 Primary

  Adjustable threshing mechanisms · CPC title