Concave adjustment system in a combine harvester twin axial-flow crop processor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11375667-B2
Application number	US-201816650612-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2018
Priority date	Sep 27, 2017
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

A combine harvester including a frame and two axial-flow crop processing rotors mounted to the frame. An inner support structure is located between the two rotors and is mounted to the frame by a first linkage. Two outer support structures are located outboard of the two rotors and are mounted to the frame by respective second and third linkages. The inner support structure and two outer support structures carry first and second pluralities of concave grate segments at a radial distance from the respective rotors. A concave adjustment system includes a first actuator coupled to the first linkage which is configured to raise and lower the inner support structure. A second actuator is coupled to one of the second and third linkages and is configured to raise and lower at least one of the two outer support structures.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A combine harvester comprising:
a frame;
two axial-flow crop processing rotors mounted to the frame and arranged side-by-side, each rotor having a longitudinal rotation axis;
an inner support structure located between, and extending parallel to, the two rotors, the inner support structure movably suspended from the frame by a first linkage;
two outer support structures located outboard of, and extending parallel to, the two rotors, the outer support structures movably suspended from the frame by respective second and third linkages;
wherein the inner support structure and the two outer support structures are configured to carry first and second pluralities of concave grate segments at a radial distance from the respective rotors; and,
a concave adjustment system comprising:
a first actuator coupled to the first linkage and configured to raise and lower the inner support structure, the outer support structures are moveably mounted to the frame by respective second and third linkages, wherein the second linkage and the third linkage each comprise a rockshaft mounted to the frame aligned substantially parallel to the rotation axis, and first and second cranks keyed to the rockshaft and coupled to the associated outer support structure by respective hangers;
a second actuator connected between the frame and a third crank which is keyed to one of said rockshafts, wherein the second actuator is configured to raise and lower at least one of the two outer support structures.

2. The combine harvester of claim 1 , wherein the first linkage comprises fore and aft arms pivotally mounted to the frame and configured to move around respective transverse pivot axes, wherein a distal end of each arm is connected to the inner support structure by a hanger, wherein the first actuator is connected between the frame and one of the fore and aft arms.

3. The combine harvester of claim 1 , wherein at least one end of the inner support structure is slidingly connected to the frame by a vertical guide mechanism that constrains horizontal displacement of the inner support structure.

4. The combine harvester of claim 1 , wherein the second and third cranks together comprise a bell crank keyed to the rockshaft.

5. The combine harvester of claim 1 , wherein the second linkage is coupled mechanically to the third linkage.

6. The combine harvester of claim 1 , wherein the second actuator is connected between the frame and the second linkage, and wherein the concave adjustment system further comprises a third actuator connected between the frame and the third linkage.

7. The combine harvester of claim 6 , wherein the first actuator extends along a first axis in a vertical longitudinal plane, and wherein the second and third actuators each extend along respective axes in respective vertical transverse planes.

8. The combine harvester of claim 1 , wherein each concave grate segment is hinged at an inboard side to the inner support structure and secured at an outboard side to one of the two outer support structures.

9. The combine harvester of claim 8 , further comprising a rotor drive system that is drivingly connected to the rotors and configured to drive the two rotors in mutually opposite directions wherein an inboard side of each rotor turns upwardly, and wherein the outboard sides of the concave grate segments correspond to a concave inlet and the inboard sides of the concave grate segments correspond to a concave outlet.

10. The combine harvester of claim 1 , wherein the first and second actuators are hydraulic actuators.

11. A combine harvester comprising:
a frame;
two axial-flow crop processing rotors mounted to the frame and arranged side-by-side, each rotor having a longitudinal rotation axis;
an inner support structure located between, and extending parallel to, the two rotors, the inner support structure movably suspended from the frame by a first linkage;
two outer support structures located outboard of, and extending parallel to, the two rotors, the outer support structures movably suspended from the frame by respective second and third linkages;
wherein the inner support structure and the two outer support structures are configured to carry first and second pluralities of concave grate segments at a radial distance from the respective rotors; and,
a concave adjustment system comprising:
a first hydraulic actuator coupled to the first linkage and configured to raise and lower the inner support structure;
a second hydraulic actuator coupled to one of the second and third linkages and configured to raise and lower at least one of the two outer support structures; and
a hydraulic control system comprising:
the first and second hydraulic actuators; and
first and second pressure relief valves, each valve hydraulically connected to a respective one of the first and second hydraulic actuators, wherein the first and second pressure relief valves permit movement of the inboard and outboard sides of the concave gate segments respectively in response to slugs of crop material passing adjacent the concave grate segments.

12. The combine harvester of claim 6 , wherein:
each of the concave grate segments are hinged at an inboard side to the inner support structure and secured at an outboard side to one of the two outer support structures;
the first, second, and third actuators are hydraulic actuators;
the concave adjustment system further comprises a hydraulic control system which includes the first, second, and third hydraulic actuators, and first, second, and third pressure relief valves each being connected hydraulically to a respective one of the first, second, and third hydraulic actuators; and
the first, second, and third pressure relief valves permit movement of the inboard and two outboard sides respectively in response to slugs of crop material passing around the concave grate segments.

13. The combine harvester of claim 1 , wherein the concave adjustment system further comprises an electronic control module configured to control the first and second actuators.

14. The combine harvester of claim 13 , wherein the concave adjustment system further comprises a first position sensor mounted to the frame and in communication with the control module, wherein the first position sensor is mechanically coupled to the first linkage and is configured to generate a signal representative of a current position of the inner support structure.

15. The combine harvester of claim 13 , wherein the concave adjustment system further comprises a second position sensor mounted to the frame and in communication with the control module, wherein the second position sensor is mechanically coupled to one of the second and third linkages and is configured to generate a signal representative of a current position of the outboard side of one of the two outer support structures.

Assignees

• Agco Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Broholm Brian
• Morrison Alastair Cameron

Classifications

• A01F12/28 Primary

  Devices for adjusting the concaves · CPC title

• A01F12/26

  Multi-part threshing concaves · CPC title

• A01F7/06

  with axles in line with the feeding direction {; Axial threshing machines} · CPC title