Abstract: A charge fan assembly is located behind the forward operator cab and draws air from about the top of the PPU and a portion of an airflow from the charge fan assembly is directed downwardly into the crossflow cleaning fan assembly. A pair of closely spaced-apart sheets create a venturi and speed up the charge fan airflow into the crossflow cleaning fan and impact the crossflow cleaning fan at an angle where the blades of the crossflow cleaning fan are widely open. The exhaust air from the crossflow cleaning fan is nearly the same across the entire lengthwise extent of the crossflow cleaning fan.

Abstract: A harvester may include a chassis, a first separation frame movably supported by the chassis and upon which crop material is deposited, a second separation frame movably supported by the chassis and upon which the crop material is deposited; a reciprocating drive operably coupled to the separation frame to reciprocate the separation frame and an adjustable link operably coupled between the separation frame and the chassis. The adjustable link facilitates adjustment of an orientation of the first separation frame independent of an orientation of the second separation frame without altering a reciprocation stroke distance.

Abstract: A delivery device is located at an inlet side of the cleaning shoe in a combine harvester. The delivery device is controlled in order to control a feed rate of grain that is fed to the cleaning shoe. One or more controllable subsystems are controlled based upon the feed rate.

Abstract: A combine harvester includes a grain pan arranged to catch a crop stream, the grain pan being driven in an oscillating manner to convey the crop stream rearwardly to a rear edge. A cleaning unit includes a fan for generating a cleaning airstream which is directed under the rear edge. The grain pan includes a floor profile which defines a transverse profile having ridges and troughs. The troughs provide a plurality of longitudinal channels, wherein the ridge-to-trough height increases in the direction of conveyance. Crop material conveyed by the grain pan experiences channels that deepen towards the rear edge of the pan.

Abstract: A thresher for a combine harvester has a concave cage and a rotor disposed within the concave cage. The rotor carries material manipulators that extend outward from the rotor toward the cage to manipulate material in the concave cage as the rotor rotates. One or more air nozzles are provided that direct air outward from the rotor and toward the concave cage. A source of forced air circulates air through the one or more air nozzles.

Abstract: A crop harvester is operable to separate grain from severed crop material and broadly includes a threshing rotor, cleaning shoe, and separator pan. The separator pan is interposed between the threshing rotor and the cleaning shoe. The separator pan includes a floor and an air deflector. The floor is configured to urge separated grain on the floor forwardly while allowing a rearward air stream between the floor and rotor to carry material other than grain rearwardly. The air deflector is positioned relative to the floor to direct the rearward air stream above the floor and thereby permit forward grain movement along the pan.

Abstract: A cutting longitudinal swaths grain harvesting and baling combine, includes a grain cutting and conveying system, a threshing and separation system, a grain cleaning apparatus, a grain collection and holding system, a straw compression and baling apparatus, a chassis travelling system, and a driving system; when the combine is harvesting grain in fields, the stalks are cut and conveyed to the threshing and separation system by the grain cutting and conveying system; the threshed and separated straw is compressed and baled by the straw compression and baling apparatus; the threshed and separated grain is cleaned by the grain cleaning apparatus; and the cleaned grain is conveyed by the grain collection and holding system to a grain storage bin. The combine can achieve harvesting of grain such as rice and wheat as well as compression and baling of threshed straw, having advantages of high working efficiency, stable performance, a simple process, and being time and labor saving.

Abstract: A combine (10) includes a cleaning system (28) and an air conduit (80), which air conduit is arranged outside of a side wall (78) and through which the cleaning air is conducted downstream of the cleaning screens (48, 50, 66) to a suction blower (86) of the straw chopper (68), which suction blower is driven by a drive shaft (96).

Abstract: An air cleaner structure for blocking an inflow of debris to prevent the debris from inflowing into an engine intake passage of an air cleaner housing when replacing a filter includes a rotator fixing the filter and a filter cover to the air cleaner housing and generating a rotating force to open and close the engine intake passage. An engine intake passage door opens and closes the engine intake passage by the rotating force of the rotator. A connector has one end connected to the rotator and another end connected to the engine intake passage door to deliver the rotating force to the engine intake passage door.

Abstract: An integrated fan and axle arrangement for an agricultural machine having a an impeller may include a front axle assembly and a fan housing. The front axle assembly supports one or more front wheels of the agricultural vehicle. The impeller rotates within the fan housing to provide an air flow within the agricultural vehicle. A laterally extending portion of the fan housing may form part of the front axle assembly, such that the laterally extending portion of the fan housing may provide structural rigidity to the front axle assembly for the support of the one or more front wheels.

Abstract: A combine harvester is provided that separates grain material from material other than grain using multiple processing areas, including a harvesting area, a feederhouse area, a threshing area, a cleaning area, and a grain delivery area. In a location at or prior to entering one of the processing areas, the material may be collected and held until a collection threshold is reached. Once it is determined that the collection threshold is reached, the material forming a first group of material may be transported from the location to the processing area or a subsequent processing area. The first group of material is transported from the location to the processing area or the subsequent processing area substantially simultaneously and thus simulates the gathering of a large amount of crop material even when small plots are involved. In this way, reduced cycle times may be achieved, and the efficiency benefits of large-plot harvesting may be extended to small-plot applications.

Abstract: An apparatus for harvesting bast stalks includes a cutting device and a first moving belt. The cutting device is configured to receive bast stalks includes at least one cutter at a front end of the apparatus, where the cutter is configured to cut bast stalks from bast plants. The first moving belt has a first end for receiving the cut bast stalks from the cutter, a second end, and a top surface configured to move the cut bast stalks between the first end and the second end. The apparatus includes a plurality of spaced tines extending toward the top surface of the first belt to orient a substantial majority of the bast stalks generally parallel to each other and generally along the direction the first moving belt is configured to move.

Abstract: A sugarcane harvester and related method are disclosed for powering various sugarcane harvester operations. An energy storage device may be configured to receive electrical power from one or more electric machines for storage. The energy storage device may be configured to provide electrical power to the one or more electric machines to power operation of the one or more electric machines. An operating state of the sugarcane harvester may be identified, wherein the operating state is associated with one or more of a power requirement, a torque requirement, and an engine speed requirement for the sugarcane harvester. Based upon identifying the operating state, the one or more electric machines may be caused to receive electrical power from the energy storage device for conversion by the one or more electric machines to mechanical power, in order to power an operation of the sugarcane harvester.

Abstract: A clean grain evacuation device for a grain harvester having a threshing system configured to separate grain harvested by the harvester from crop residue and direct a flow of the grain to a cleaning system disposed within the harvester including at least two sieves disposed and configured to sequentially clean the grain. The evacuation device is disposed for receiving a portion of the flow of the clean grain from a first of the sieves, and is configured to evacuate the received clean grain away from the cleaning system. The evacuation device can include a conveyor disposed for directing the evacuated grain directly to a desired location such as a clean grain receiving system on the harvester. The evacuation device can also be located in an air flow path to the sieves for improving operation and MOG removal.

Abstract: A cart is towed behind a combine harvester for collecting corn cobs and includes a conveyer belt feeding into a system for separating cobs from residue to be discharged and a tank for receiving and transporting the cobs. An unload auger is provided from the tank to one side of the cart while the cart moves forward. Power for driving the cart is obtained from a chopper drive of the combine harvester. The separating arrangement includes a series of sequential blower fans for blowing air through the discharged material as it is discharged from a conveyor and into a spreading guide disperses the residue. The cobs are conveyed using a series of augers where the auger to flight distance is at least 2 inches and particularly a pair of augers feed the cobs through a front wall of the tank so as to push cobs upwardly into the tank.

Abstract: A combine harvester has a threshing mechanism with a rotor and a plurality of concaves for threshing grain and cleaning apparatus for removing chaff from the threshed grain. The cleaning apparatus includes a rotor pan arranged below the concaves and a sieve arranged below the rotor pan. A fan is arranged to blow air into an inlet. A duct has a wall defining a passage in fluid communication with the inlet, a first exhaust and a second exhaust in fluid communication with the passage. The first exhaust is arranged to direct a first portion of airflow on the sieve and then up toward the underside of the rotor pan. The second exhaust is located above the rotor pan and arranged to direct a second portion of airflow between the top of the rotor pan and an underside of the concaves.

Abstract: A cascade pan may be disclosed. The cascade pan may comprise a surface located proximate a fan having an exhaust. The surface may comprise an upper portion arranged above a lower portion. The surface may define a plurality of openings and may be arranged to receive a portion of air exiting the exhaust.

Abstract: An articulated harvester is composed of a forward bogey having an operator's cab, an engine, a grain harvesting assembly, a grain transfer assembly, but being devoid of an on-board grain bin. A rearward bogey is attached by a joint to the forward bogey and has a powered wheel assembly, an on-board grain bin for receiving grain from the forward bogey grain transfer assembly, and a grain off-loading assembly. The grain separating and cleaning assembly including a grain cleaning fan are located in front of the forward bogey axle and offset from the forward bogey centerline. The forward bogey transmission may be located ahead of or behind the forward bogey axle and offset opposite of the grain fan.

Abstract: A cart is towed behind a combine harvester for collecting corn cobs and includes a conveyer belt feeding into a system for separating cobs from residue to be discharged and a tank for receiving and transporting the cobs. An unload auger is provided from the tank to one side of the cart while the cart moves forward. Power for driving the cart is obtained from a chopper drive of the combine harvester. The separating arrangement includes a series of sequential blower fans for blowing air through the discharged material as it is discharged from a conveyor and into a spreading guide disperses the residue. The cobs are conveyed using a series of augers where the auger to flight distance is at least 2 inches and particularly a pair of augers feed the cobs through a front wall of the tank so as to push cobs upwardly into the tank.

Abstract: Apparatus for evacuating water and dirt from a cooler box of a cooling system, incorporated with a blow-off for an air screen of the system. The water and dirt will flow through an aperture in a lower region of the cooler box into a smaller box of the apparatus disposed therebelow. A fan operable for generating the air flow through the air screen and the cooler box, also blows a portion of the flow through a blow-off channel to the air screen for blowing debris away from the air screen. The channel and smaller box are cooperatively configured such that the air flow through the channel will generate a partial vacuum condition in the smaller box operable for evacuating the water and the dirt into the channel so as to be carried away with debris from the air screen.

Abstract: An agricultural combine includes a supporting structure. A work assembly is coupled to the supporting structure. The work assembly has a plurality of components to assist in the performing of crop processing operations. The work assembly is configured to define an air stream path. The work assembly has at least one rotary component that generates an air stream that flows through the air stream path to aid in crop processing in the work assembly. A fluid system is configured to circulate a fluid. The fluid system includes a fluid cooler that is positioned at a location in the air stream path to provide cooling of the fluid.

Abstract: A self-cleaning blow-off for a rotary air screen, includes a blow-off channel including an inlet disposed for receiving a flow of air from a pressurized air source, and a movable blow-off channel section configured and supported to be movable between an operational position disposed adjacent to a portion of the air screen for directing the flow of air for blowing debris and dirt from the screen, and a cleaning position disposed away from the screen such that accumulated debris and dirt in the blow-off section will be released. And, an actuator is connected to and controllably operable for moving the movable blow-off section between the operating position and the cleaning position. The actuator can be controlled to move the movable blow-off section to the cleaning position periodically, as desired, or responsive to an input.

Abstract: A conveyor system for receiving corn cobs with husks still attached thereto after harvesting of the corn from the cobs, and detaching the husks from the cobs, including a conveyor inclined at an angle of at least about 30 degrees and bounding a passage for receiving a flow of the cobs including the husks attached thereto, the conveyor including apparatus configured and operable for mechanically grasping and detaching the husks from the cobs and pulling the detached husks through the conveyor, and at least one blower configured and operable for urging the husks within the passage toward the apparatus. The conveyor system can be provided in connection with a cob collection device, such as on a trailer to be towed by a harvester. The conveyor system can also include an additional conveyor or conveyors, optionally including apparatus for removing or cleaning crop residue from the cobs.

Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a self-propelled vehicle adapted for separating grain from non-grain material, a cleaning shoe and a fan for controlling air flow. The fan is positioned downstream of the cleaning shoe and the fan having an air inlet for providing air to the fan and an aspiration outlet for providing air from the fan. The fan assists in reducing static air pressure within the harvesting machine. The fan may be a centrifugal fan. The harvesting machine may further include a chopper operatively connected to the vehicle and adapted for receiving the non-grain material and chopping the non-grain material and a blower adapted for assisting in conveying the non-grain material from the chopper such as for collection in a collection container.

Abstract: A display unit is provided in an agricultural working vehicle to display at least one operating parameter of the working vehicle, so that it is possible to change the operating parameter as a function of one or more setting parameters of the working vehicle. The display unit is designed to display a change in the operating parameter resulting from a change made to at least one of the setting parameters.

Abstract: A cleaning system for an agriculture work vehicle including a combination of a grain cleaning sieve having a limited region containing larger apertures providing increased grain throughput and also increased air throughput relative to the other regions of the sieve, utilized with a fan system that provides a substantially higher air flow rate through the region relative to the other regions of the sieve, such that a downward airborne flow of crop material above and flowing toward the limited region is subject to an air flow having a substantially higher flow rate compared to the other regions above the sieve, which operates to aggressively separate material other than grain from the grain above the limited region, and such that substantially only grain will fall onto and pass through the limited region of the grain cleaning sieve.

Abstract: A transverse fan assembly that includes a fan rotatably disposed in an air plenum for drawing air through an inlet opening and drivingly forcing air from an outlet opening defined by the air plenum, the inlet opening having an elongate, bladed, inlet rotor oriented on a rotational axis parallel to the fan, extending the length of the fan, and positioned proximate to the fan periphery to increase air flow from the outlet of the air plenum along the length of the fan while generating less noise.

Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a self-propelled vehicle adapted for separating grain from non-grain material, a cleaning shoe and a fan for controlling air flow. The fan is positioned downstream of the cleaning shoe and the fan having an air inlet for providing air to the fan and an aspiration outlet for providing air from the fan. The fan assists in reducing static air pressure within the harvesting machine. The fan may be a centrifugal fan. The harvesting machine may further include a chopper operatively connected to the vehicle and adapted for receiving the non-grain material and chopping the non-grain material and a blower adapted for assisting in conveying the non-grain material from the chopper such as for collection in a collection container.

Abstract: An integrated axle and fan wrapper for an agricultural harvesting machine, including a fan wrapper structure connected between first and second spaced apart side sheets and extending sidewardly therebetween in spanning relation to the space, the wrapper structure incorporating at least one cross member connected between the first and second side sheets for holding the side sheets in the parallel spaced relation, and the fan wrapper structure defining and at least partially enclosing an internal cavity configured for receiving a fan for rotation therein.

Abstract: A clean-out construction for a fan housing for a cleaning fan construction of an agricultural combine, which clean-out construction includes an access opening formed in the fan housing generally beneath the fan body and an access door installed to be readily openable and reclosable by an operator so that any grain collected within the fan housing beneath the fan body can be quickly and easily evacuated from the housing, such access door being hingedly rotatable about a door pivot axis adjacent one side of the access door and having a linkage assembly therewith operatively coupling the access door to the fan housing to limit and control the extent of rotation of the access door about the door pivot axis.

Abstract: A combine harvester has a blower for pneumatic cleaning which comprises an impeller (22) able to rotate in a blower casing (23) and an air duct (25) leading out of the blower casing (23). The air duct (25) is bounded by a wall (28) having an inside surface of convex curvature.

Abstract: A cart is towed behind a combine harvester for collecting corn cobs and includes a conveyer belt feeding into a system for separating cobs from residue to be discharged and a tank for receiving and transporting the cobs. An unload auger is provided from the tank to one side of the cart while the cart moves forward. Power for driving the cart is obtained from a chopper drive of the combine harvester. The separating arrangement includes a suction fan or a single blower fan or a series of blower fans for blowing air through material from a conveyor and into a spreading guide which disperses the residue. The cobs are conveyed using a series of augers where the auger to flight distance is at least 2 inches and particularly a pair of augers feed the cobs through a front wall of the tank so as to push cobs upwardly into the tank.

Abstract: A combine is provided with an improved system for collecting agricultural material, such as stover, from an agricultural field. The combine is provided with an impeller to assist in driving stover through a duct and into a container. The combine separates and cleans the stover and any seed before directing the stover and seed into separate containers provided on the combine.

Abstract: A self-propelled combine harvester has a machine housing, and a suction fan configured so as to convey at least one stream of material out of the machine housing, so that it causes the stream of material to be distributed across a spreading width.

Abstract: The subject matter of the present invention relates to a cleaning device for a combine harvester, with a precleaning sieve, to the upper surface of which a mixture of grain and chaff can be fed during the operation, an upper sieve, to which the mixture of grain and chaff rearwardly discharged from the back surface of the precleaning sieve can be fed, a lower sieve, to which the mixture of grain and chaff passing through the precleaning sieve can be fed, and with a fan for applying currents of air to the precleaning sieve, the upper sieve and the lower sieve. On its way between the precleaning sieve and the lower sieve, the mixture of grain and chaff that has passed through the precleaning sieve be passed via a grating which is permeable to air and disposed separately from the lower sieve, to which grating a current of air can be applied by the fan as well.

Abstract: An integrated axle and fan wrapper for an agricultural harvesting machine, including a fan wrapper structure connected between first and second spaced apart side sheets and extending sidewardly therebetween in spanning relation to the space, the wrapper structure incorporating at least one cross member connected between the first and second side sheets for holding the side sheets in the parallel spaced relation, and the fan wrapper structure defining and at least partially enclosing an internal cavity configured for receiving a fan for rotation therein.

Abstract: A transverse fan assembly including a fan rotatably disposed in an air plenum for drawing air through an inlet opening and drivingly forcing air from an outlet opening defined by the air plenum, the fan having elongated fan blades angled toward a peripheral center plane of the fan such that the blades have a chevron-like configuration between opposite ends of the fan, the plenum having an inverted V-shaped inlet opening edge structure whereby the edge angles mirror the chevron angles of the adjacent fan blades thereby improving air flow uniformity and flow from the outlet of the air plenum while generating less noise.

Abstract: A cleaning shoe of an agricultural combine is provided with a front chaffer located upstream from the main chaffer. The front chaffer has a closed upstream portion and an open downstream portion. The closed upstream portion is upwardly inclined and the open downstream portion is downwardly inclined. The front chaffer is oriented so that an air blast from the cleaning fan passes beneath the closed upstream portion and upwardly through the declined open downstream portion. The open downstream portion is provided with transversely extending louvers through which the air blast passes. The cleaning fan comprises a plurality of radially and transversely extending fan blades. Blade inserts forming air dams are located near each transverse end. The blade inserts are provided with apertures that limited the transverse air flow along the blades.

Abstract: A drive for a cleaning fan of an agricultural combine that provides resilient flexibility in connection to a structural element of the combine and/or to the fan for correcting or allowing angular misalignment and axial movement between an output of the drive and the fan input. In one embodiment the drive includes a resiliently flexible member connecting the output of the motor in rotatably driving relation to the rotatable input of the fan, the flexible member having sufficient resiliently flexibility so as to allow limited variations in relative angular orientation and axial spacing between the input and the output. In another embodiment a mounting element for mounting the motor to the structural element includes a resiliently flexible member for supporting and holding the motor in alignment with the fan while allowing a limited amount of relative axial and angular movement therebetween.

Abstract: An airfoil is placed in ductwork that directs airflow from a combine cooling fan the pneumatically blast dust, chaff and other debris off the top of a separator unit. The airfoil comprises a leading edge, a trailing edge located downstream from the leading edge, a thickness, and a chord extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge. The airfoil is adapted to encourage airflow downward toward to outlet of the ductwork and to discourage air from swirling back toward the inlet of the ductwork.

Abstract: A cleaning shoe of an agricultural combine is provided with a front chaffer located upstream from the main chaffer. The front chaffer has a closed upstream portion and an open downstream portion. The closed upstream portion is upwardly inclined and the open downstream portion is downwardly inclined. The front chaffer is oriented so that an air blast from the cleaning fan passes beneath the closed upstream portion and upwardly through the declined open downstream portion. The open downstream portion is provided with transversely extending louvers through which the air blast passes. The cleaning fan comprises a plurality of radially and transversely extending fan blades. Blade inserts forming air dams are located near each transverse end. The blade inserts are provided with apertures that limited the transverse air flow along the blades.

Abstract: A grain cleaner has an indent cylinder assembly which includes a removable cylinder. The cylinder is removed by unwrapping it from around a frame. The grain cleaner also includes at least some augers with drop away troughs. The grain cleaner also includes grain cleaning assemblies such as, for example, indent cylinders and rotary screen drums and/or grain cleaning assemblies drive systems which are mounted on framework members capable of pivoting outwardly from the machine allowing access to machinery and components positioned centrally within the grain cleaner.

Abstract: A self-propelled combine harvester includes a separation unit having at least one rotor housing, a sieve mechanism with sieve openings and a rotor rotatably mounted therein. A grain collecting element is arranged adjacent the sieve mechanism. A cleaning apparatus receives the grain kernels collected from the grain collecting element. A sucking blower unit generates a sucking air flow stream. The sucking blower unit draws an air stream in an upward direction through a conduit which guides the air flow stream from a space between the rotor housing of the separation unit and the grain collecting element around a front wall of the housing of the separation unit towards the sucking blower unit. A second discharge location for chaff and broken straw draws the chaff and the broken straw from under the separation unit through the conduit via the sucking blower unit. The mixture of the air, the chaff and the broken straw is directed to the ground or into a chopper via a collection duct.

Abstract: A drive train with a torsional vibration damper and a torsionally flexible coupling is described, with the torsional vibration damper comprising a damping mass on the driven side which is resiliently supported with respect to a part (1) on the drive side and the torsionally flexible coupling comprising a damping mass on the drive side which is resiliently supported with respect to a part (11) on the driven side. In order to provide advantageous constructional conditions it is proposed that the torsionally flexible coupling and the torsional vibration damper are assembled into a modular unit with a common damping mass for the torsional vibration damper and the torsionally flexible coupling.

Abstract: A chaff distributor for a combine harvester or similar for the distribution of chaff, the chaff distributor (6) possesses a trough (8) with a conveyor screw (9) supported drivably therein.

Abstract: Duct work directing air from a combine cooling fan to the top of a separator unit, the duct work extending in an arc between its inlet and a flared outlet, and includes a neck portion that hinders air within the duct work from swirling upward in that location.

Abstract: A rotary combine in which the cleaning system is located directly under the threshing and separating sections of the rotary threshing and separating assembly. The rotary threshing and separating assembly is separated from the cleaning system by a longitudinally extending, unobstructed air passage that extends from the front to the rear of the combine. Grain and material other than grain (MOG) are discharged from the threshing concave and separating grate portions of the rotor assembly at a relatively high velocity. The cleaning system includes a fan which produces a high velocity stream of air that flows upwardly through the shoe sieve and chaffer sieve and then along the unobstructed passage. Grain falls through the air stream to the chaffer sieve. The MOG, on the other hand, has a lower weight density, and is less aerodynamic than the grain so it is picked up by and carried along with the air stream. The MOG is discharged to the field out the rear of the rotary combine.

Abstract: An agricultural machine having at least one crop processing work unit, a plurality of crop transport units operatively assembled as a straw walker step, wherein the crop transport units convey crop streams in opposite directions and are spaced apart defining a crop through-gap, and a cleaning device having a forced-draught fan before the cleaning device, further comprising an exhaust fan located after the cleaning device, wherein the transport units are located between the forced-draught fan and the exhaust fan, wherein an air stream is produced by the forced-draught fan and the exhaust fan and is directed from the forced-draught fan to the exhaust fan, and wherein the air stream improves a cleaning process in the straw walker through-gap of the straw walker step.

Abstract: A combine system which includes at least two on-board bins in combination with associated equipment for harvesting ears of corn, separating corn kernels from cobs, and directing the corn kernels and whole cobs to separate bins for accumulation therein.

Abstract: A rotary threshing and separation unit for grain harvesting comprising a rotor housing with a feeding zone, separation zone and discharge zone, sieve at least partially located within said separation zone, rotary driven separation rotor arranged in said rotor housing, fan or blower for generating a main air flow stream moving through at least the separation zone and discharge zone, an auxiliary flow stream, adjustable flaps and grain collecting element arranged below the sieve. To improve the performance of the rotary threshing and separation unit in more difficult conditions, an air flow stream is created between the sieve and grain collector element in at least the separation zone.