Abstract: A tailings return system for use in a combine harvester includes a tailings conveyor having an upper part and a lower part. The upper part is hingedly connected to the lower part, allowing the upper part to be folded back against the lower part to create an open space in the combine harvester, facilitating access to other components within the combine harvester.

Abstract: An agricultural combine including a residue processing system including a straw spreader and at least one chaff spreader. The at least one chaff spreader includes a first chaff accelerator and a second chaff accelerator so that, in operation, chaff particles are accelerated by the first chaff accelerator to an intermediate energy level after which the chaff particles are further accelerated by the second chaff accelerator to an ejection energy level. The second chaff accelerator includes grinding elements for grinding the chaff particles while accelerating them to the ejection energy level.

Abstract: A clean grain conveyor for an agricultural combine (10) includes an auger conveyor (52) and a paddle elevator (53) that are connected by a transition tube (218) having a triangular aperture.

Abstract: A rethreshing system and method for a combine having a cleaning system that includes at least one sieve or like material separating mechanism. The rethreshing system includes a tailings collection pan for collecting tailings that do not pass through the sieve and a tailings rethreshing mechanism receiving the tailings from the collection pan and rethreshing the tailings. A distribution auger is arranged across a return pan of the cleaning system and is operable to substantially evenly distribute rethreshed tailings on the return pan of the cleaning system. The distribution auger includes a tubular auger housing having an entrance for receiving material to be conveyed, a closed end opposite the entrance, and a longitudinally elongated and tapered slot formation through a sidewall of the tubular auger housing, the slot formation having a small width near the entrance to the tubular housing and a wide width near the closed end of the tubular housing.

Abstract: A re-threshing system for a combine includes a delivery mechanism for transporting tailings from the cleaning section of the combine to a re-threshing apparatus and a bypass that can be used to bypass the tailings around the re-threshing apparatus. The re-threshing apparatus includes a re-threshing housing that at least partially surrounds a re-threshing rotor. The rotor and housing have cooperating threshing elements that act to re-thresh the tailings delivered into the housing and deliver the re-threshed tailings out of a housing outlet into a discharge passage to be directed to the cleaning section of the combine harvester. The delivery mechanism is configured to throw or fling the tailings into an inlet opening of the housing in a direction substantially tangential to the rotor rotating direction. To bypass the re-threshing apparatus, a deflector can be deployed to block the inlet opening and deflect the tailings into a bypass passage that is open to the discharge passage.

Abstract: A rethreshing system and method for a combine having a cleaning system that includes at least one sieve or like material separating mechanism. The rethreshing system includes a tailings collection pan for collecting tailings that do not pass through the sieve and a tailings rethreshing mechanism receiving the tailings from the collection pan and rethreshing the tailings. A distribution auger is arranged across a return pan of the cleaning system and is operable to substantially evenly distribute rethreshed tailings on the return pan of the cleaning system. The distribution auger includes a tubular auger housing having an entrance for receiving material to be conveyed, a closed end opposite the entrance, and a longitudinally elongated and tapered slot formation through a sidewall of the tubular auger housing, the slot formation having a small width near the entrance to the tubular housing and a wide width near the closed end of the tubular housing.

Abstract: An agricultural harvesting machine includes a tailings conveyor housing. The agricultural harvesting machine provides a cleaning device for cleaning threshed and separated grain. The tailings conveyor housing collects tailings from the cleaning device and propels the tailings with a first impeller against a first rethreshing member and radially to a second impeller. The second impeller propels the tailings against a second rethreshing member and radially to a third impeller. The third impeller propels the tailings against a third rethreshing member and radially through the second opening and past a baffle, where the tailings are redirected back to the cleaning device and spread out over the cleaning device.

Abstract: A tailings conveyor includes a housing for receiving tailings from the cleaning system, a first rotary impeller having threshing portions rotatable at a first speed for accelerating and propelling tailings along a predetermined path in the housing, and at least one additional impeller having threshing portions rotatable at a greater rotational speed for further accelerating and propelling the tailings along the path, such that the tailings collide with others of the tailings and against and along an interior surface of the housing for threshing the tailings, such that the tailings are progressively accelerated and threshed as they are conveyed through the conveyor. At least the first and second impellers are located in closely spaced relation for defining a threshing area within the housing and preventing build up of tailings that could lead to clogging and loss of efficiency and tailings throughput.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selectively harvesting multiple components of a plant material. A grain component is separated from the plant material such as by processing the plant material through a primary threshing and separating mechanism. At least one additional component of the plant material is selectively harvested such as by subjecting the plant material to a secondary threshing and separating mechanism. For example, the stems of a plant material may be broken at a location adjacent one or more nodes thereof with the nodes and the internodal stem portions being subsequently separated for harvesting. The at least one additional component (e.g., the internodal stems) may then be consolidated and packaged for subsequent use or processing. The harvesting of the grain and of the at least one additional component may occur within a single harvesting machine, for example, during a single pass over a crop field.

Abstract: An agricultural harvesting machine includes a tailings conveyor housing. The agricultural harvesting machine provides a cleaning device for cleaning threshed and separated grain. The tailings conveyor housing collects tailings from the cleaning device and propels the tailings with a first impeller against a first rethreshing member and radially to a second impeller. The second impeller propels the tailings against a second rethreshing member and radially to a conduit in the tailings conveyer housing, where the tailings are redirected back to the cleaning device and spread out over the cleaning device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selectively harvesting multiple components of a plant material. A grain component is separated from the plant material such as by processing the plant material through a primary threshing and separating mechanism. At least one additional component of the plant material is selectively harvested such as by subjecting the plant material to a secondary threshing and separating mechanism. For example, the stems of a plant material may be broken at a location adjacent one or more nodes thereof with the nodes and the internodal stem portions being subsequently separated for harvesting. The at least one additional component (e.g., the internodal stems) may then be consolidated and packaged for subsequent use or processing. The harvesting of the grain and of the at least one additional component may occur within a single harvesting machine, for example, during a single pass over a crop field.

Abstract: A thresher provides a rotating roller and an arcuate fixed plate to thresh grain crops. The roller and the plate surfaces are constructed of a rubber-like material providing resiliency. The roller surface is provided with a series of crescent shaped paddles for catching and lifting the grain kernels. Grain kernels are stripped from a cut crop and moved past the stripping plate to a point on the roller for pickup and transport. In the preferred mode the fixed plate is positioned so that the gap between roller and plate narrows as the cut crop moves on the roller.

Abstract: A grain combine according to the present invention includes a primary threshing rotor which rotates to thresh grain from crop, a sieve section for separating grain from chaff, a clean grain conveyor, a clean grain storage bin, and a rethreshing section for rethreshing tailings. The rethreshing section has a rethreshing rotor which receives the tailings from the sieve section. The rethreshing rotor extends completely across an end of the sieve section for rotating about an axis which extends in parallel to the end of the sieve section. The rethreshing rotor includes rasp bars which extend along the end of the sieve section for receiving the tailings and pressing the tailings against a rethreshing pan. In a preferred embodiment, blowers are provided for removing loose chaff from the tailings in the rethreshing section. The rethreshed tailings, including clean grain separated from the tailings by rethreshing, are returned to the primary rotor for rethreshing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a threshing device for pulse crops, said threshing device being provided with a drum rotatable about its at least substantially horizontally arranged axis of rotation, the surface of said drum being provided with openings. In the interior of the drum there is arranged a main threshing means, which is rotatable about its axis of rotation extending at least substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum, in such a manner that during operation parts of the main threshing means located near the drum surface of the drum move in the same direction as the adjacent part of the drum surface. The main threshing means is furthermore provided with projecting parts which, besides imparting a component of movement of the crop directed towards the interior surface of the drum, also impart a component of movement to the crop in the longitudinal direction of the drum.

Abstract: A harvester thresher comprises a chassis, a housing, a threshing and separating mechanism operating in accordance with the principle of a tangential flow and including a threshing drum and a threshing basket, a shaker located after the threshing mechanism as considered in direction of an agricultural product flow, and a threshing and separating device located after the shaker in the housing, operating in accordance with the principle of axial flow and including a rotor and a casing.