Threshing spine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11925145-B2
Application number	US-202016735111-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2020
Priority date	Jan 6, 2020
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

Abstract

A harvesting machine that has a first rotor rotationally coupled to a chassis, a second rotor rotationally coupled to the chassis, and a spine separating the first rotor from the second rotor. Wherein the spine has threshing inserts coupled thereto to facilitate threshing of crop processed by the first and second rotors.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A harvesting machine, comprising:
a first rotor rotationally coupled to a chassis about a first axis;
a first cover element and a first concave positioned partially around the first rotor to partially define a first cavity for the first rotor;
a second rotor rotationally coupled to the chassis about a second axis;
a second cover element and a second concave positioned partially around the second rotor to partially define a second cavity for the second rotor; and
a spine separating the first rotor from the second rotor and having a first surface and a second surface, the first and second surface being solid, the spine providing structural support with the chassis;
wherein, the spine is coupled to the first cover element and the first concave to partially define the first cavity and the spine is coupled to the second cover element and the second concave to partially define the second cavity;
wherein the spine has threshing inserts coupled directly to the first surface and the second surface to facilitate threshing of crop processed by the first and second rotors;
wherein each of the threshing inserts extend parallel with the first and second axis along a threshing section of the spine.

2. The harvesting machine of claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the spine has a first curved profile directed towards the first rotor and the second surface of the spine has a second curved profile directed towards the second rotor.

3. The harvesting machine of claim 2 , further wherein the threshing inserts are coupled to the spine along the first curved profile and the second curved profile.

4. The harvesting machine of claim 1 , further wherein the threshing section extends partially the length of the corresponding first and second rotor.

5. The harvesting machine of claim 4 , further wherein the threshing inserts are only positioned along the threshing section.

6. The harvesting machine of claim 1 , further wherein the threshing inserts are permanently coupled to the spine.

7. The harvesting machine of claim 1 , further wherein the threshing inserts are removeably coupled to the spine.

8. The harvesting machine of claim 7 , further wherein the spine has a plurality of coupler receivers formed therein that selectively receive fasteners to couple the threshing inserts to the spine.

9. The harvesting machine of claim 8 , further wherein the coupler receivers are spaced to couple the threshing inserts thereto in a plurality of spacing orientations.

10. The harvesting machine of claim 1 , further wherein the spine spans about thirty percent of a circumference of the first rotor and of the second rotor.

11. A spine for providing structural support for a dual rotor harvesting machine, comprising:
a first surface of the spine that is solid and directed towards a first rotor configured to rotate about a first axis;
a second surface of the spine that is solid and directed towards a second rotor configured to rotate about a second axis; and
at least one threshing insert positioned directly on the first surface and extending parallel with the first axis along a threshing section of the spine and at least one threshing insert positioned directly on the second surface and extending parallel with the second axis along the threshing section of the spine;
wherein, the threshing inserts are extensions from the corresponding first and second surface that assist the threshing process of the first and second rotor;
wherein, the spine is coupled to a first cover element and a first concave positioned partially around the first rotor to partially define a first cavity for the first rotor and the spine is coupled to a second cover element and a second concave to partially define a second cavity for the second rotor.

12. The spine of claim 11 , further wherein the first surface and the second surface are positioned at least partially between the first and second rotor.

13. The spine of claim 11 , further wherein the first and second surface have an arced profile.

14. The spine of claim 11 , further wherein the at least one threshing insert is removeably coupled to the first and second surface wherein the number and spacing of the threshing inserts on each of the first and second surface is variable.

15. A method for manufacturing a harvesting machine, comprising:
providing a chassis, a first rotor, a first cover element, a first concave, a second rotor, a second cover element, a second concave, a spine, and at least one threshing insert;
rotationally coupling the first rotor to the chassis along a first axis;
rotationally coupling the second rotor to the chassis along a second axis;
coupling the spine to the chassis to structurally support the harvesting machine and so at least a portion of the spine is positioned between the first axis and the second axis;
coupling at least one of the threshing inserts directly to a solid surface of the spine so the at least one threshing insert extends parallel with the first and second axis along a threshing section of the spine;
coupling the first cover element and the first concave to the spine to partially define a first cavity for the first rotor; and
coupling the second cover element and the second concave to the spine to partially define a second cavity for the second rotor;
wherein, the threshing insert is configured to aid in a threshing process of the first or second rotor.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising removeably coupling the at least one threshing insert to the spine with a fastener.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising coupling more than one threshing insert to the spine.

18. The harvesting machine of claim 1 , wherein the first cover element and first concave form a majority of a first circumference of the first cavity and the second cover element and the second concave form a majority of a second circumference of the second cavity.

19. The spine of claim 11 , wherein the first cover element and first concave form a majority of a first circumference of the first cavity and the second cover element and the second concave form a majority of a second circumference of the second cavity.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Singh Manish
• Meschke Michael T
• Mattson Mark L
• Noord Corey A

Classifications

• A01F12/20 Primary

  Threshing cylinders with ribs · CPC title

• A01F12/185 Primary

  Mounting means · CPC title

• A01F7/06 Primary

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

• A01F12/181

  Adjustable threshing mechanisms · CPC title

• A01F12/22 Primary

  Threshing cylinders with teeth · CPC title