GB2061685A

GB2061685A - Self-propelled combine harvester with stepped shaker means

Info

Publication number: GB2061685A
Application number: GB8031432A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Claas KGaA mbH
Current assignee: Claas KGaA mbH
Priority date: 1979-10-25
Filing date: 1980-09-30
Publication date: 1981-05-20
Also published as: GB2061685B; FR2467538A1; DE2943042C2; FR2467538B1; DE2943042A1

Abstract

In a self-propelled combine harvester with an attached maize picker and with a stepped straw walker, whose individual steps are provided with coverings having grain passage openings, the covering 7 of at least one step is provided with rake-like extensions 4 at its rear end, said extensions partly projecting over the following step the covering 7 of the following step having in its area covered by the extensions 4 a cutout which is large when compared with a grain passage opening. In this way a predetermined proportion of the cobs or cob fragments can be directed into the grain tank to provide a grain/cob fragment mixture for use as an animal feedstuff. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Self-propelled com bine harvester with stepped shaker means The invention relates to a seif-propelled combine harvester with stepped shaker means (or walkers), whose individual steps are provided with coverings (upper surfaces) having openings for the passage of the grain.

Combine harvesters of the aforementioned type operate in a satisfactory manner when threshing maize if it is only necessary to separate the grain from the cob-leaf mixture. A combine harvester constructed inthis way cannot, however, be used if only the leaves and part of the cobs are to be separated, whilst the grain and most of the cobs are collected in a grain tank (this grain-cob mixture is processed into top-quality animal fodder). In order to achieve this it is proposed in Offenlegungsschrift (published German Patent Application) 2 520 081 to provide an extractor pocket with a screen located above it at the end of a stepped shaker means, so that cobs dropping down from said means pass through the screen on to the pocket base and from there into the grain tank.However, it has been found that in practice only an inadequate proportion of the cobs can be collected.

The problem from which the present invention arose was therefore to provide a combine harvester of the aforementioned type which on the one hand fulfils the demands made on it regarding the collection of most of the cobs and which on the other hand can be used, without using large-scale conversion, when only grain is to pass into the storage tank.

According to the invention there is provided a selfpropelled combine harvester with (preferably) an attached maize picker and with a stepped shaker means, whose individual steps are provided with coverings having grain passage openings, wherein the covering of at least one step is provided with rake-like extensions at its rear end when viewed in the product conveying direction, said extensions partly projecting over the step following the step in question, the covering of the said following step having in its area covered by the extensions a cutout (or opening) which is large when compared with a grain passage opening. The rake-like extensions are desirably formed from stepped, reinforced sheet metal strips, whose relative spacing is greater than the diameter of the cob. Preferably the extensions can be removed individually or in their entirety.An important optional feature of the invention is that the cutouts can be wholly or partly covered. Using a combine harvester, whose stepped shaker means are constructed in accordance with the invention, it is possible to filter out most of the cobs from the cob-leaf mixture because there are rake-like extensions behind each step of the shaker means through which the cobs can drop downwards, the leaves being conveyed onwards in the direction of the straw discharge hood. The cutouts of the step coverings located below the extensions are sufficiently large that the cobs can drop through. If only a few cobs are to be separated the cutouts located below the extensions are covered to a greater or lesser extent, so that the cobs dropping between the rake bars are conveyed onwards in the direction of the straw discharge hood by the underlying step.

Another advantage of a combine harvester constructed in this way is that it is possible to thresh out grain only by merely covering the cutouts.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a side view of a combine harvester; Fig. 2 shows an enlarged plan view of the area encircled by broken lines in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the area shown in Fig. 2.

A self-propelled combine harvester 1 has a maize picker 2 at its front end. The maize cobs picked by the maize picker 2 then pass in known manner through the threshing apparatus in which the individual grains are separated. From here most of the maize grains are conveyed by a screw conveyor into the grain tank. The remainder, mixed with the leaves and cobs, pass on to the stepped shaker means (or walkers) only one such means 3 being shown. If the harvested product is to be used as animal feed it is desirable to pass a substantial, and optionally also a precisely definable, proportion of the cobs and cob fragments into the grain tank, after which this mixture is crushed and sillaged. Forthis purpose the individual steps of the stepped shaker means 3 are extended buy a plurality of members 4 directed in the direction of travel of the combine harvester.The distance between the parallel members 4 is sufficiently large forthe cobs to be able to drop through them.

Below the said members 4 the coverings 7 for the shaker means are cut away in areas 5 and 6, so that relatively large openings 8 are formed through which the cobs or cob fragments can drop on to a conveying surface (not shown) located below the shaker means and from there on to the screening means. The leaves are conveyed by the shaker means into the vicinity of the discharge zone 9 and then drop on to the field. The openings 8 are partly or wholly coverable, so that on the one hand it is possible to determine the partial covering of the cob portion and on the other as a result of complete covering the thus covered shaker means can still be used when only grain is to pass into the tank.

Although in the embodiment shown only two steps of the shaker means are extended, with the coverings cut away below them, it is possible for all or fewer steps to be constructed in accordance with the invention. Furthermore, instead of being constructed as stepped, reinforced metal sheets the members 4 can, for example, also comprise smooth bars.

1. A self-propelled combine harvester with an attached maize picker and with a stepped shaker means, whose individual steps are provided with coverings having grain passage openings, wherein the covering of at least one step is provided with rake-like extensions at its rear end when viewed in the product conveying direction, said extensions partly projecting over the step following the step in question, the covering of the said following step hav

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Self-propelled com bine harvester with stepped shaker means The invention relates to a seif-propelled combine harvester with stepped shaker means (or walkers), whose individual steps are provided with coverings (upper surfaces) having openings for the passage of the grain. Combine harvesters of the aforementioned type operate in a satisfactory manner when threshing maize if it is only necessary to separate the grain from the cob-leaf mixture. A combine harvester constructed inthis way cannot, however, be used if only the leaves and part of the cobs are to be separated, whilst the grain and most of the cobs are collected in a grain tank (this grain-cob mixture is processed into top-quality animal fodder). In order to achieve this it is proposed in Offenlegungsschrift (published German Patent Application) 2 520 081 to provide an extractor pocket with a screen located above it at the end of a stepped shaker means, so that cobs dropping down from said means pass through the screen on to the pocket base and from there into the grain tank.However, it has been found that in practice only an inadequate proportion of the cobs can be collected. The problem from which the present invention arose was therefore to provide a combine harvester of the aforementioned type which on the one hand fulfils the demands made on it regarding the collection of most of the cobs and which on the other hand can be used, without using large-scale conversion, when only grain is to pass into the storage tank. According to the invention there is provided a selfpropelled combine harvester with (preferably) an attached maize picker and with a stepped shaker means, whose individual steps are provided with coverings having grain passage openings, wherein the covering of at least one step is provided with rake-like extensions at its rear end when viewed in the product conveying direction, said extensions partly projecting over the step following the step in question, the covering of the said following step having in its area covered by the extensions a cutout (or opening) which is large when compared with a grain passage opening. The rake-like extensions are desirably formed from stepped, reinforced sheet metal strips, whose relative spacing is greater than the diameter of the cob. Preferably the extensions can be removed individually or in their entirety.An important optional feature of the invention is that the cutouts can be wholly or partly covered. Using a combine harvester, whose stepped shaker means are constructed in accordance with the invention, it is possible to filter out most of the cobs from the cob-leaf mixture because there are rake-like extensions behind each step of the shaker means through which the cobs can drop downwards, the leaves being conveyed onwards in the direction of the straw discharge hood. The cutouts of the step coverings located below the extensions are sufficiently large that the cobs can drop through. If only a few cobs are to be separated the cutouts located below the extensions are covered to a greater or lesser extent, so that the cobs dropping between the rake bars are conveyed onwards in the direction of the straw discharge hood by the underlying step. Another advantage of a combine harvester constructed in this way is that it is possible to thresh out grain only by merely covering the cutouts. An embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a side view of a combine harvester; Fig. 2 shows an enlarged plan view of the area encircled by broken lines in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the area shown in Fig. 2. A self-propelled combine harvester 1 has a maize picker 2 at its front end. The maize cobs picked by the maize picker 2 then pass in known manner through the threshing apparatus in which the individual grains are separated. From here most of the maize grains are conveyed by a screw conveyor into the grain tank. The remainder, mixed with the leaves and cobs, pass on to the stepped shaker means (or walkers) only one such means 3 being shown. If the harvested product is to be used as animal feed it is desirable to pass a substantial, and optionally also a precisely definable, proportion of the cobs and cob fragments into the grain tank, after which this mixture is crushed and sillaged. Forthis purpose the individual steps of the stepped shaker means 3 are extended buy a plurality of members 4 directed in the direction of travel of the combine harvester.The distance between the parallel members 4 is sufficiently large forthe cobs to be able to drop through them. Below the said members 4 the coverings 7 for the shaker means are cut away in areas 5 and 6, so that relatively large openings 8 are formed through which the cobs or cob fragments can drop on to a conveying surface (not shown) located below the shaker means and from there on to the screening means. The leaves are conveyed by the shaker means into the vicinity of the discharge zone 9 and then drop on to the field. The openings 8 are partly or wholly coverable, so that on the one hand it is possible to determine the partial covering of the cob portion and on the other as a result of complete covering the thus covered shaker means can still be used when only grain is to pass into the tank. Although in the embodiment shown only two steps of the shaker means are extended, with the coverings cut away below them, it is possible for all or fewer steps to be constructed in accordance with the invention. Furthermore, instead of being constructed as stepped, reinforced metal sheets the members 4 can, for example, also comprise smooth bars. CLAIMS

1. A self-propelled combine harvester with an attached maize picker and with a stepped shaker means, whose individual steps are provided with coverings having grain passage openings, wherein the covering of at least one step is provided with rake-like extensions at its rear end when viewed in the product conveying direction, said extensions partly projecting over the step following the step in question, the covering of the said following step hav ing in its area covered by the extensions a cutout which is large when compared with a grain passage opening.

2. A harvester according to Claim 1, wherein the rake-like extensions are formed from stepped, reinforced metal sheets, whose spacing is largerthan the diameter of a cob.

3. A harvester according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the step extensions can be removed individually or in their entirety.

4. A harvester according to anyone of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the cutout(s) can be wholly or partly covered.

5. Aself-propelled combine harvestersubstantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.