Adjustable vane in combine harvester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9282696-B2
Application number	US-201314083702-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2013
Priority date	Oct 19, 2012
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

A processing system for a combine harvester having a rotor housing that receives a rotor. A cover directs crop material through the rotor housing. At least one adjustable vane guides the crop material. The vane has a cover-facing proximal edge adjacent the cover and an edge projecting toward the rotor. A leading end of the vane is connected with a first pivot connection and the vane is connected to the cover along its inner edge with a second pivot connection. A line drawn through the pivot connections intersects a plane perpendicular to an axis of the cover and forms an angle with the plane of between 5 and 15 degrees. The vane pivots with respect to the cover about an axis along the line to adjust a tilt angle of the vane. Also, tilting the vane adjusts an angle of the distal edge of the vane relative the plane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An improved processing system for a combine harvester having a rotor housing that concentrically receives a rotor used for threshing and separating grain in crop materials, the processing system comprising a plurality of concave and/or separator grate assemblies arranged side-by-side axially along the processing system, the rotor housing comprising a cover to direct flow of crop material through the rotor housing around the rotor, the improvement comprising at least one adjustable vane configured to guide crop material through the rotor housing extending from an inner surface of the cover, said vane having a curved shape such that a cover-facing proximal edge of the vane is in close proximity to the cover and an exposed distal edge projects away from the cover toward the rotor, wherein a leading end of the vane is connected to the cover by means of a first pivot connection and said vane is connected to the cover along said proximal edge with a second pivot connection, wherein the first pivot connection is positioned closer to a front end of the cover than the second pivot connection such that a line drawn through the first and second pivot connections intersects a plane perpendicular to an axis of the cover, said line forming an angle with the plane of between about 5 and 15 degrees, wherein said vane pivots with respect to the cover about a pivot axis along said line defined by the first and second pivot connections to adjust a tilt angle of the vane and wherein tilting the vane adjusts an angle of the distal edge of the vane relative the plane perpendicular to the cover axis.

2. The processing system of claim 1 wherein when the vane is adjusted such that the vane extends substantially perpendicular from the inner surface of the cover, the distal edge of the vane forms an angle with said plane that is substantially the same as the angle of said line.

3. The processing system of claim 2 wherein when the vane is pivoted such that the vane is tilted toward the front of the cover, the distal edge forms an angle with said plane that is smaller than an angle formed with said plane when the vane is not tilted.

4. The processing system of claim 3 wherein the angle formed by the distal edge when the vane is pivoted such that the vane is tilted toward the front of the cover is about 0 degrees.

5. The processing system of claim 2 wherein when the vane is pivoted such that the vane is tilted away from the front of the cover, the distal edge forms an angle with said plane that is larger than an angle formed with said plane when the vane is not tilted.

6. The processing system of claim 5 wherein the angle formed by the distal edge when the vane is pivoted such that the vane is tilted away from the front of the cover is about 20 degrees.

7. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the vane is connected to an actuation mechanism at the second connection point, said actuation mechanism causing swinging motion of the adjustable vane about said pivot axis along said line.

8. The processing system of claim 7 wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a bar located outside the cover with an arm linkage connected to the second connection point.

9. The processing system of claim 1 further comprising a shingle configured to shield a junction of the proximal edge of the vane and the inner surface to discourage crop material from entering any gap at said junction.

10. The processing system of claim 9 wherein the shingle is formed as part of the vane and extends from the vane in a direction generally parallel to the inner surface of the cover.

11. The processing system of claim 9 wherein the shingle attached to the inner surface of the cover.

12. The processing system of claim 1 wherein said second pivot connection is located at the middle of the vane.

13. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the first pivot connection is formed by a cylindrical end on the vane that is inserted into a circular opening in the cover such that the cylindrical end is rotatable in the circular opening.

14. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the second pivot connection is formed by a ball and socket connection.

15. The processing system of claim 1 wherein the line forms an angle of 10 degrees with the plane.

Assignees

• Agco Corp

Inventors

• Regier Bernard D

Classifications

• A01F12/28 Primary

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