JPH0378961B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention Technical Field The present invention relates to the processing of harvested crops, such as threshing and separation using a combine harvester, and in particular to an axial flow rotating type husk that separates husks threshed by a threshing device from straw other than the husks. It relates to a separation device or a separator.

Prior art and its problems Combine harvesters with separators of this type are well known. The harvest is delivered into an annular space between a generally stationary, generally cylindrical, partially perforated separator housing and a rotating rotor coaxially disposed within the housing. A crop control element, such as a fixed guide vane mounted in the housing as a helix and a blade mounted on the generally cylindrical surface of the rotor, engages the crop and directs the crop in a generally helical path as the rotor rotates. Promote in line with the following. The threshed husks are passed through holes in the housing to the sorting shed, and the residue (mostly straw) is discharged from the downstream outlet of the housing. Combines of this type are described in US Pat. Nos. 3,848,609 and 3,982,548. Known axial rotating separators of this type include a rotor with crop-engaging elements. A crop engaging element is secured to the rotor core. This type of rotor has been researched and developed to have the required efficiency and durability in certain harvest conditions.

A threshing device equipped with an axial flow rotating separator has a smaller volume than a conventional threshing device and can obtain the required throughput. However, the axial flow rotary separators, especially of the type currently available on the market, have extremely high power consumption per unit throughput and also generate a significant amount of straw waste.

The forces required to transport the crop are generated by friction and compression at the interface between the crop (husks and straw) and the rotor and housing. Since the ability to separate the grain from the straw is determined by the relatively narrow space between the rotor and the housing, separator efficiency is greatly influenced by crop conditions, such as moisture content and straw length. When the harvested product passes through the inner surface of the housing, friction is generated between the harvested product and the helical guide vanes that propel it in the axial direction, and also between the harvested product and the rotor.
For this reason, it requires significantly more energy than conventional threshing machines, etc., which have a mechanism to reliably transport harvested products. Additionally, the straw is compressed by the rotor and centrifugal force, thereby preventing shell particles from exiting the housing from within the straw mass. Therefore, it is necessary to stir the straw mass, which further increases energy consumption. Thus, most of the power consumed by the separator is consumed by the straw, which is cut into small pieces, necessitating the need to increase the capacity of the screening shoe.

Object of the invention The main object of the invention is to retain the advantages of known axial flow rotating separators, such as high volumetric efficiency, large throughput and low sensitivity to tilting, and to The purpose of the present invention is to provide a separator that consumes little power and is less affected by the type of harvested product and physical conditions.

Structure and Effects of the Invention That is, the separator according to the present invention includes a cylindrical wall having a lattice-like wall, which is provided on the upstream side of the wall, and which is subjected to threshing action to contain grains and straw other than the grains. An entrance for receiving the shaped harvest;
and a housing provided on the downstream side of the wall and having an outlet for discharging straw, etc. other than grains sorted and discharged to the outside through the lattice wall, and a rotor configured to rotate inside the housing. The harvest material supplied into the housing is rotated at such a speed that the harvest material is formed into a thin mat-like shape on the inner surface of the housing by centrifugal force, and the plurality of harvest engaging elements each element is rotated as the rotor rotates, and is moved in the downstream direction in the axial direction in a considerable portion of its rotational trajectory, and at least in part of the considerable portion The radially outer tip portion of the element inserts into and engages the crop and propels the crop toward the downstream side while rotating, and in the rotational trajectory other than the considerable portion, the tip ends in a pine-shaped crop. The rotor is separated from the harvested product so that no propulsion force is transmitted to the harvested product.

That is, in the separator according to the present invention, the harvested material supplied into the housing is arranged in a mat shape on the inner surface of the housing by centrifugal force, whereas the rotor disposes of the harvested material during one revolution. A coupling element is inserted into the crop within a range of rotation and propels the crop axially downstream while rotating.

Therefore, in the separator according to the present invention, the harvested product can be reliably conveyed by the engaging element, and slippage between the harvested product and the engaging element can be substantially eliminated unlike in the conventional separator. It is possible to significantly reduce power consumption. Additionally, as the crop-engaging element periodically moves in and out of the crop, it agitates the crop and prevents it from becoming compacted, thus removing any particles contained therein. To make it easier for the grains in the grain to be discharged to the outside from the lattice wall.

In one specific embodiment, the rotor is arranged in the direction of the coaxial line with a crankshaft eccentric from the axis of the cylindrical wall, parallel to the coaxial line, and adapted to rotate about the coaxial line. A plurality of members each having a circular cross section and fixed to the crankshaft at intervals, the axes of the members forming a predetermined angle with the axis of the crank; a ring-shaped member mounted for rotation about the cylindrical wall; and a rotating drum set within the cylindrical wall substantially coaxially therewith, the crop engaging element A finger is attached to the ring-shaped member and extends radially outwardly toward the radially outer tip, and the rotating drum further includes an opening through which the finger passes.

In the separator according to this embodiment, the movement of the finger, which is the crop engaging element, into and out of the pine-shaped crop and the application of a propulsive force toward the downstream side are performed by a member having a circular cross section, a ring-shaped member, caused by interaction with a rotating drum.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the members having a circular cross section are provided as part of the crankshaft at intervals in the axial direction, and are parallel to the axis of the cylindrical wall of the crankshaft. The inclined portion forms the predetermined angle with respect to the axis.

In another embodiment, the crop-engaging element periodically moves in and out of the pine-like crop as in the above embodiment, but the downstream driving force is generated by the crop-engaging element. It is adapted to be applied by mechanically displacing the element downstream while it is engaged with the crop.

The low power consumption of the separator according to the present invention is clear from a comparison of the characteristics with a conventional axial flow rotating separator. In the prior art, there is some slippage between both the crop and the rotor within the annular space between the rotor and the housing. The average circumferential speed of the pine is less than the circumferential speed of the rotor's crop-engaging elements. The crop may be thought of as a fluid propelled by a rotor within the housing. With conventional rotors, the speed of the harvested material is about 20-30% of the circumferential speed of the rotor. According to the present invention, when crop engaging elements of the required density are used, slippage is almost eliminated and an average effective circumferential velocity ratio between the pine and the rotor is greater than 80%. Therefore, for a given axial propulsion, the separator according to the invention allows significantly lower rotor speeds and consumes significantly less power than before. The power consumption of the rotor is a function of the rotor speed and torque, which varies depending on the friction between the crop and the housing. Therefore, the power consumption of the rotor is proportional to the rotor rotation speed. Because the rotor of the present invention has less compression and wedging of the mats, there is less friction between the mats and the housing, further reducing power consumption.

Embodiments Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

The axial flow rotary separator according to the present invention is preferably combined with a general-purpose self-propelled combine harvester shown in FIG. 1, for example. Combines of this type are described, for example, in US Pat. Nos. 3,848,609 and 3,982,548.

The combine shown in FIG. 1 has a vehicle body 10 and a front wheel 1.
2. It is supported on the ground by rear wheels 14 and moves on the ground by driving the wheels from an engine 16 via a power transmission device (not shown). The combine harvester is controlled from the front driver's seat 18. A front-mounted harvesting header 20 collects grain and pushes it up to a threshing separator 22 during forward movement of the combine.

The threshing separator 22 has a cylindrical housing 24 surrounding a cylindrical housing 26 . This threshing separation device includes a harvest receiving and sending section 28 at its front part;
A threshing section 30 and a separating section or separator 3 are provided at the rear.
2. The harvested material supplied from the header 20 to the feed section 28 is sent rearward through the threshing section and the separator. The rotor 26 is the housing 24
They work together to propel the crop into a relatively thin pine along a roughly spiral path. At least a portion of the housing 24 is porous so that small pieces of separated grain and other harvest material are collected through the small holes by the grain pan 34 and are fed to a conventional pickle pan 34.
6. The carefully selected shell grains are stored in shell grain tank 3.
8 and held by the discharge auger device 40
is discharged by the operation of The remaining crop (mostly straw) is sent to the rear outlet 42 and discharged to the ground by a peter 44.

The separator according to the invention can also be advantageously used in the combines shown in FIGS. In this separator, two parallel axial rotary separators 50 receive grain discharged from the threshing device from a cylinder 52 and receiving net 54 combination. The beater 56 feeds the threshed grain to the front upper inlet 58 of the separator 50 and the straw to the rear outlet 6 of the separator.
Discharge from 0.

The present invention mainly relates to the middle part of the rotor, and here we will explain the part that cooperates with a normal separator housing, but the general arrangement of the separator shown in FIGS. The explanation for this will be omitted. Therefore, although the inlet and outlet portions of the separator housing are simply shown in the following description and drawings, these portions are merely illustrative of known examples and are not limited to any particular structure. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5, the rotor is eccentric with respect to the separator housing and moves in a plane inclined to the axis of the housing. The housing wall 102 of the generally cylindrical separator housing 100 has a nonperforated upper wall 104 and a perforated lower wall 106 (ie, a lattice wall in the illustrated example). Upper wall 104
The inner surface of the lower wall 108 and the inner surface of the lower wall 108 are substantially on the same circle, and are collectively referred to as a housing inner wall surface 110.

For convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the separators shown in the fourth and fifth figures are attached in the same manner as in FIG. 2, and that their axes are substantially horizontal and extend in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester. The front and rear ends of the housing are thus closed by the front and rear bulkheads 112,114. Required portions of the housing wall 102 are opened to form an upstream inlet 116 and a downstream outlet 118. A rotor device 120 extends within the housing, its longitudinal axis is parallel to the housing axis, and has a crankshaft device 122. Crankshaft device 1
22 supports a series of relatively closely spaced finger wheel devices 124. Further, a drum device 126 is provided surrounding the finger wheel device 124.

The drum assembly 126 is generally cylindrical and configured with five axially spaced coaxial bulkheads 128 each supporting four circumferentially equally spaced slats 130. has been done. Outward flanges 132 are formed on both side edges of the slat 130, and wear plates 134 are attached to the flanges 132. The wear-resistant plate 134 is made of a material with high wear resistance and elasticity, and the wear-resistant plate 1
34 opposing walls 136 define a longitudinal slot 138 extending longitudinally of the drum assembly 126. The front end of the drum assembly 126 is supported coaxially with the housing by a stub shaft 140 secured to the bulkhead 128 and projects through a bearing 142 supported in the front bulkhead 112 of the shaft housing. A bearing sleeve 144 that is secured to the bulkhead 128 at the rear end of the drum apparatus and extends rearwardly has a conventional keyway 146 at the rear end.
It is supported by a flanged bearing 148 and connects the rear end of the drum device 126 to the separator housing 10.
It is supported coaxially with 0. Each intermediate bulkhead 128 has a bearing 150 concentric with the drum arrangement.

Crankshaft assembly 122 provides a rotor support and is supported on drum assembly 126 by a series of short journals. That is, the front journal 152,
Two intermediate journals 154 are supported in bearings 150 of their respective drum bulkheads 128 for free relative rotation. A long rear journal 156 has a keyway 158 at its rear end and is supported in the rear sleeve 144 of the drum assembly 126 by bearings 160.

As shown in FIG. 4, the crankshaft device 122 includes three eccentric crankshafts 1 diametrically opposed to each other.
62, and a stub crankshaft 164 extending forward at the front of the separator. The axis of each crankshaft is the main axis of the rotor, and is parallel to and eccentric to the housing axis. Crankshaft 162, 164
is journalled by crank web 166
Fixed to 2,154,156. Each crankshaft 1
62 secures a plurality of equally spaced finger wheel journals 168, and one finger wheel journal 168 is secured to the front stub crankshaft 164. The axis of the journal 168 is inclined at the same angle with respect to the axes of the crankshafts 162 and 164, and intersects with the axes of the crankshafts. As shown in FIG. 4, all finger wheel journals 168 are inclined in the same direction by the same angle with respect to the crankshaft with the same eccentricity. That is, with respect to a common plane between the crankshaft journal axes, all finger wheel journals 168 are inclined at the same angle and in the same direction;
The surfaces of the finger wheels 124 are parallel.

A finger wheel device 124 is provided on each finger wheel journal 168 to be freely rotatable via a roller bearing (not shown) or the like. The mounting surface of the finger wheel device shall be perpendicular to the finger wheel axis. Each finger wheel device has a hub 170 formed with a radially extending coaxial flange 172 as shown in FIG. 5, and four sets of double fingers 176 are attached to the flange 172 by clamp members 174. Each double finger 176 consists of two generally radially extending fingers 178;
The tip of 8 forms the crop engaging element of the finger wheel device. The finger tip extends out of the slot 138 of the drum assembly 126. Fifth
As shown, the shape of each double finger 176 is similar to that of the adjacent finger 17 within each slot 138.
8 opens slightly to create a fork effect. Finger wheel device 124 can be thought of as a crop engaging element or intermediate transfer roller element having finger tips 180.

In the illustrated example, the crop-engaging elements are shown as having circular cross-sections and radially extending elements. However, it is not limited to this shape. Each element is of relatively small cross-section, and the tip preferably minimizes compression of the grain mat at the inlet. The cross section can be made elliptical to increase the bending strength in the direction of operation of the element, and other shapes can be used to improve threshing efficiency and reduce friction when engaging and releasing from the harvest mat.

Drive devices 182 and 184 shown in FIG. 4 are connected to the drum device 126 and crankshaft device 122 via keyways 146 and 158, and are individually driven to achieve the desired speed and direction of rotation. The drive device is, for example, a variable speed V-belt drive or a hydraulic motor drive, and is connected to the engine of the combine, and the driver controls the control device 1.
86 and 188 to adjust the relative rotational speeds of the drum device and crankshaft device to suit grain conditions. It can be reversed to clear blockages if necessary. When the drive device is a conventional chain and sprocket drive, the dimensions of the sprocket or gear can be changed as required.

6, 7, 8 and 9 show two variations of the tilted eccentric rotor of FIGS. 4 and 5. As shown in FIG. 6, this variant is similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, so the last two digits of the numbers in FIGS. The explanation of the overlapping structural details will be omitted.

In FIG. 6, a stationary separator housing 200 has a generally cylindrical wall 202 and an inner surface 210.
and a downstream end outlet 218. Rotor device 22
The axis of 0 is parallel to the axis of the housing 200, and the crankshaft device 222 is used as a rotor support member.
A plurality of finger wheel devices 224 and drum devices 226 are provided. Drum assembly 226 is coaxial with housing wall 202 and projects fingers 278 of finger wheel assembly 224 into longitudinal slots 238. Bearing sleeve 2
44 is supported in a flange bearing 248 at the rear end of the separator. The drum device 226 is the sleeve 24
4 by a drive device 282.

Rear journal 256 of crankshaft device 222
extend coaxially within the drum sleeve 244 and are supported by a bearing 264. crankshaft 2
62 is connected to the crank rear journal 256 by a crank 266. Finger wheel device 224 rotates on an oblique axis journal 268. The journal 268 is integral with or fixed to the crankshaft 262. Finger wheel device 2
24 has a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced fingers 278. finger 2
78 has an end as a crop engaging element 280 in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the finger wheel journal 268 and is rotatably attached to the journal 268 by a finger wheel hub 270 and a finger wheel bearing 271. supported.

The difference between the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6-9 is that in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6-9, the crankshaft device 222 is not rotationally driven. That is, the crankshaft 262 is held at a constant position relative to the central axis of the housing during operation. However, the 6th~
In the example shown in FIG. 9, an adjustment device 300 for rotating the crankshaft 262 is attached to the separator housing 20 in order to adjust the position of the crankshaft with respect to the central axis.
0 rear bulkhead 214. The bracket device 302 is attached to the housing wall 214.
The rear face 304 is generally parallel and spaced apart from the housing wall 214 . The rear journal 256 of the crankshaft device is connected to the bracket surface 304.
The inside of the boss 306 that is integrated with the main body is extended. A series of adjustment holes 308 are disposed in bracket surface 304 on a circle coaxial with boss 306 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. An adjustment slot 310 coaxial with the boss 306 is formed in the lower half of the bracket surface 304 as an arc of about 180 degrees.

The rear crankshaft journal 256 has an axial passage 312 at its rear end with a lug 314 adjacent the rear side of the bracket surface 304 and a slot 3.
It has grown over 10. The required clamping device, such as a bolt/nut device 316, is used as shown in FIG. 6 to fix the rotational position of the flange 314 relative to the bracket surface 304. A hole 318 coaxial with the crankshaft 262 is formed in the crank 266 . A control shaft 320 extends within a bore 312 in the rear crankshaft journal with a transverse pin bore 322 at its rear end and a control shaft gear 324 secured to its forward end. Crankshaft 262 is rotatable relative to crank 266 and has a spur gear 326 that meshes with control shaft gear 324 and is supported in crank hole 318 by crankshaft stub shaft 328 .

A lever device 330 for adjusting the rotation of the crankshaft 262 has a lever 332 secured to the control shaft 320 by a pin 334 which engages a stop device 336 in one of the holes 308 in the bracket surface 304. and held in place. For example, lever 3
32 is rotated by 90 degrees as shown in FIG. do.

To adjust the rotational position of the crankshaft 262,
Loosen the clamped flange 314 and remove it from slot 3.
Rotate it to the desired position within the range of 10. The adjustment for rotating the crankshaft device 222 from the bottom dead center position to another position is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The operation and adjustment of the separator according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 4-9 will be explained based on FIGS. 10-21.

For this purpose, FIG. 10 shows several components of the invention. The cylindrical housing 400 has a grate 406 and a rotor device 424 is supported for rotation about a center 462' offset from the housing center A. Rotor device 424 has a plurality of spaced apart fingers 478. The rotor device has a device for rotating the rotor in the direction of arrow Y, and the radial tip 480 of the finger 478 as a crop engaging element is connected to the housing 4.
Draw a circular path B within 00. Path B is approximately tangential to housing 400 at tangent point C. Although the tangent point C is actually the position where the distance between the finger 478 and the housing 400 is approximately the minimum, it is referred to as the tangent point for convenience.

A stream of grain to be shelled is introduced into the housing and is contacted by the crop engaging element or finger tips 480 to achieve stable conditions, with the grain being distributed around the circumference of the housing in a continuous manner. A mat D having a substantially uniform thickness is formed and is propelled along the inner circumferential surface of the housing in the direction of arrow Z by contact with the finger 478, and maintained in contact with the inner surface of the housing wall by centrifugal force.

Assuming that the path drawn by the rotor device 424 is a circle B, the range in which the fingers make contact with the mat D is a predetermined limited contact arc E, and during the engagement phase E1, the tip 480 of the finger 478 is approximately in the radial direction F. The mat is inserted into the mat without compressing it, and in the release phase E2, the finger 47
8 is pulled out of the mat in the radial direction G.

Crankshaft 46 supporting rotor device 424
2 is located away from the housing center A by a crank 466.

As can be seen from the above embodiment, the crankshaft 46
2 can be adjusted to rotate relative to the crank. Additionally, the crank 466 can be adjustably rotated relative to the housing center A to adjust the center 462' of the rotor arrangement 424. Furthermore, the crank 466 can also be driven to rotate around the housing center A.

In the above description, the rotor rotates in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the housing, and the rotor device 424 is
was assumed to be moved in the circumferential direction. Next, the axial propulsion of the harvested pine will be explained with reference to FIGS. 11 to 18.

FIG. 11 shows a particular construction of a separator according to the invention, with the center 462' of the rotor arrangement being at bottom dead center relative to the housing center A. For convenience of illustration, rotor arrangement 428 is shown as a thin disc J. Assuming that this disk J rotates in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the webbing 400, the crop will be propelled only in the circumferential direction. However, the disk of FIG. 11 has been rotated about a vertical diameter H (FIG. 12), an axis passing through the axis A of the housing 400 and passing through the tangent point C, so that the arc of contact E is It has an axial component force corresponding to the vector. Therefore, the rotor 424 provides an axial thrust against the crop pine, the force of which is proportional to the vector. FIG. 7 shows a state similar to that in FIG. 12.

The mechanism shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 is similar to that shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, but shows an example in which the crank 466 is rotated 90 degrees to a new fixed position. The contact arc E is in a new position but the axial propulsion effect is the same and is shown as a vector.

The conditions in Figures 15 and 16 are 11 and 12.
It is similar to the figure, but only the crankshaft 462 is rotated 90 degrees, so that the rotation axis and plane of the disc J are the 16th
As shown in the figure, the posture is different from that in FIG. 12. The effective axial propulsion effect of the rotor on the crop at the engagement position E1 within the contact arc E is the vector K1
, the release phase E2 is an equal and opposite effect, shown as vector K2, and the effective effect is zero. An example with the opposite slope is shown in FIG.

17 and 18 show an example in which the conditions in FIGS. 13 and 14 are modified to rotate the crankshaft 462 by 180 degrees, and the direction of propulsion is reversed as shown as vector L.

Figures 19 and 20 show the basic elements described above plus additional elements. housing 40
Bearings 460, 461 rotor device 420 in 0
It is supported by The crankshaft device 422 supports a rotor device 424 (only one is shown) which is driven and rotated. Alternatively, the rotation of the roller device is controlled (suppressed) by the control member 426.

Crankshaft portion 462 of crankshaft device 422
is a substantially integral rotor journal portion 468
The axis of the journal portion 468 is inclined by an angle M with respect to the axis of the crankshaft 462.
The releasable coupling ring 425 is attached to the crankshaft 46
2 and the crank 466. In the configuration shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the axis of rotation of the rotor device 424, that is, the journal portion 4
68 is perpendicular to the plane of the crankshaft device 422 and crank 466. This condition is the position with the maximum axial propulsion effect at a given inclination angle M.

The rotor rotational position control or rotational drive input by the rotor control member 426 is provided by a drive device 482;
This is done by the control device 486. Crankshaft device 4
Input for drive rotation or rotational position control of 22 is performed by a drive device 484 and a control device 488.

The above description has shown that the effective axial propulsion effect is provided by the crop-engaging element of the rotor arrangement which is eccentric to the separator housing and has an inclined axis. The eccentric mounting causes the crop-engaging element of the rotor device to engage the crop mat in the housing intermittently and to varying depths of engagement;
This combined effect propels the crop pine circumferentially at a speed that allows it to remain in centrifugal contact with the housing wall.

The axial propulsion effect of the components shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 can also be seen from the following description. Second
1, the rotor device 424 is connected to the control member 4.
Assume that it does not rotate due to the restraint of 26.
As the crankshaft device 422 rotates, the rotor device 424 tends to rotate, but the control member 426
It does not engage and rotate. The rotation of the crankshaft device 422 causes the crankshaft 462 to rotate to the rotor device 4.
24 and rotates around the housing axis A. Thus, relative rotation occurs between the rotor device 424 and the crankshaft 462, and since the axis of rotation or journal portion 468 of the rotor device 424 is tilted, the rotor device swings relative to the control member 426 and the housing 400.

The rolling trajectory of the crankshaft 462 about the housing axis A is shown as N, O, P, Q in FIG. Shown as R, S, T, U.

Crop engaging end 480 while engaging matt D
That is, the trajectory between W and X is always in the same direction as shown as vector V. As shown in Figure 21,
Intermittent engagement with the crop pine according to the present arrangement always propels the engaged portion of the pine in the same axial direction. A similar effect occurs even if the crop engaging element does not completely leave the pine during the operating cycle. Crankshaft device 422 and control member 426
Such an effect occurs when there is relative rotation between the two. The trajectory of engagement of end 480 with matt D is generally helical with respect to the housing between points W and X, and the engaged crop undergoes combined axial movement.

This is the mode of operation of the device according to the invention, for example, the crankshaft device 122 in FIG. By appropriately selecting , virtually the entire interior of the housing is scanned. The minimum circumferential speed of the crop engaging element for pressing the crop mat against the housing wall against the housing surface is determined, and the relative rotational speed between the rotor and the crankshaft device to obtain the desired axial propulsion effect. Once determined, the crankshaft device is rotated in the same direction or in the opposite direction as the rotor device, so that the engagement arc of the crop engaging element with the pine is in the same direction or in the opposite direction to the direction of circumferential movement of the crop engaging element. Make it move.

Figures 22 and 23 illustrate another embodiment of the invention in which intermittent engagement of the crop engaging element to the crop mat along the inner wall of the housing occurs from a pivot member on the eccentric rocking element. The intermittent engagement generating device has a large degree of freedom, unlike the previous embodiments in which intermittent engagement was caused by mere eccentricity. However, even in this embodiment, a certain degree of eccentricity is allowed and may be advantageous in some cases.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 22, like the previous embodiment, the intermediate rotor is supported on an axis inclined with respect to the axis of the housing, and the plurality of crop engaging elements are coupled to swing in the axial direction. . A major advantage of this embodiment is that it is easy to arrange a large number of crop engaging elements, such as fingers, in parallel in the axial direction.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 22, the upstream (right) side of the housing 500 is a threshing section 504, and the downstream (left) side is a separating section, that is, a separator 522. The threshing section 504 has a spiral guide vane 508 on its inner surface. The ends of the separator housing are closed by upstream and downstream bulkheads 510, 512, forming an upstream inlet 514 and a downstream outlet 516 as openings in the housing walls.

A relatively low rotor circumferential speed is suitable and effective for the separator, but a relatively high rotor circumferential speed is effective for the threshing section. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 22, the rotors for the threshing section and the separator are driven by separate drive devices to optimize their respective speeds.

The rotor 520 of the threshing section is keyed to a shaft 524 that is coaxial with the housing wall 502 and a grate or lattice wall 504 provided below the housing wall 502 and is supported at its upstream end in the upstream bulkhead 510 via a bearing 526. The downstream end of shaft 524 extends from the separator casing and is connected to V-belt pulley 5.
28 is fixed to transmit power to the rotor 520 of the threshing section. Guide vanes 508 cooperating with the threshing section rotor 520 direct the crop downstream to the separator 522 .

Two coaxial finger drum devices 530 and 532 are provided within the separator and are rotationally driven by a hollow drum drive shaft device 536.

The drive shaft assembly 536 has a square tube 540 that extends the length of the separator and is connected to the drive sprocket by a tubular sleeve 544 that extends within the downstream bulkhead 512. Drive shaft assembly 536 is supported on shaft 524 by three spaced apart roller bearings 546 .

The drum device is adapted to be reciprocated in the axial direction by a rocking plate device 534. The wobble plate assembly includes a sleeve 548 supported in a downstream valve head 548 by a bearing 538 and an inclined wobble plate 550 secured to the inner end of the sleeve.
and a drive sprocket 552 fixed to the outer end.
It has Two roller bearings 554 enable the rocking plate device 534 to rotate about the drum drive shaft device 536. Rocking plate output member 5
56 is flush with the rocking plate 550 as shown in FIG.
It is said that it can be rotated at the top. Diametrically opposed drive members 560 coupled to output member 556 are radially extended and each have a bulbous end 562.

The finger drum devices 530 and 532 each have two
It is supported on the square tube 540 of the drum drive shaft assembly 536 by two axially spaced support arrangements 564 . Both finger drum devices 530,5
32 differs only in the axial position. Therefore, only one drum device 530 will be described below.

Each support device 564 has two rollers 574 whose V-shaped grooves engage opposite corners of the square tube 540 to allow the support device 564 to reciprocate over the tube. Drum 568 of drum device 530
Channel members 580 are fixed at regular intervals in the axial direction and at intervals in the circumferential direction, and a double finger 578 is pivotally supported on the channel member by a pin 582. Each finger is formed, for example, by bending a piece of round cross-section material into two juxtaposed fingers 586. Each finger 586 has a pivot 588 that receives a pin 582.
and leg portions 590. When pivoted to the channel member, each finger 578 freely rotates about the pin 582, but rotation in the downstream direction is limited to the leg 5.
90 is blocked by contacting the floor 592 of the channel, in which condition the fingers 586 themselves are oriented generally radially. Lug 59 shown in FIG.
4 are provided between the side walls 584 of the channel member to restrict the crop engaging fingers 586 from collapsing into an angled position, such as the angled position 593 shown in phantom in FIG. 22.

A reciprocating drive connector 596 fixed to the rear end (left end) of each drum device 530, 532 extends rearward and connects to the spherical end 562 of the drive member 560 of the rocking plate device 534 by a socket 598 of a desired shape. engage. As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the drum devices 530, 532 extend in the axial direction,
They reciprocate in the same direction but in opposite directions. The axial spacing of the support devices 564 prevents mutual interference during reciprocation of the drum device.

The operating characteristics of the configurations shown in FIGS. 22 and 23 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 24 and 25.

In the rotor device shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, a rocking plate device 534, a drum device 530,
532 rotate about a common axis, and the relative rotation between the two devices provides one cycle of rocking or reciprocating motion. This cycle is illustrated in FIG. 24, where the main constituent mechanisms are shown as a diagram. A rocker plate assembly 534' is coaxially mounted within the separator housing 502' and has a finger-shaped crop engagement element 586' connected to the output member 556'.
The finger 586' is pivotable relative to the output member 556', but stops on both sides limit the range of rotation of the finger to a first position extending radially outwardly and tilting in the direction of crop transport. and the second position. Driving the mechanism, the finger pivots 588 coaxially rotate within the housing 502', and the crop is propelled through the housing by a plurality of intermittently engaged fingers 586';
The crop becomes a pine of approximately uniform thickness and is kept in contact within the housing by centrifugal force. However, the axial component of the movement of finger 586' can be considered as if its rotational motion had been stopped for one relative rotation of rocker plate arrangement 534. That is, as shown in FIG. 24, it can be considered as the movement of one finger in the mat conveying direction g and the movement of the opposite finger in the return direction h.

For a portion of the transport stroke, for example between a and b, the fingers are fully erect (as shown in the top half of Figure 24) and engage the maximum dimension within the mat of crop. However, at point C, the direction begins to reverse, and the combined effect of the deceleration of the finger and the inertia of the mat D causes the finger to be tilted to some extent in the conveying direction. 2nd return trip
The starting point C' of the direction reversal, shown in the lower part of Figure 4, has the same slope as the point C mentioned above. In the middle part d, e of the return stroke, the finger is fully tilted and contacts the other stop. This is because the finger moves to the right and the mat D moves to the left, and the finger is released from the mat. When the reversal starts from the return stroke at point f, the finger rotates outward due to the deceleration and inertia of the finger and engages with the mat D. The complete radial position is reached at the midpoint of the transport stroke.

Figure 25 shows the movement of the finger similar to Figure 24, with the finger shown as one revolution within the housing from position a to f(f'), with the finger pivot 588' rotating about the housing axis. . In FIG. 25, it is assumed that the actual rotation of the finger causes one relative rotation of the rocking plate device 534', and that one cycle of reciprocating motion of the finger corresponds to one rotation of the finger. It is clear from FIG. 25 that the finger engages the mat D intermittently. In the illustrated example, the maximum engagement is always between positions a and b, and positions d,
Completely separate between e. The depth of engagement or release changes sequentially between positions b and d and between positions e and a. The relative rotational speeds may be selected such that more than one cycle of mat engagement occurs during one actual rotation of the finger. During the engagement arc, e.g. between positions a and b, the finger is attached to some crop pine D
propelled in a circumferential and axial direction, the mat follows a generally helical path relative to the housing 502'.
With the arrangement shown in Figures 22 and 23, the combined effect of the multiple fingers causes all the mats within the housing to be propelled in a generally helical path.

In the axial propulsion device shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the reciprocating stroke dimension is made larger than the maximum axial displacement dimension of the tip of the finger to provide a margin for the feeding dimension. Even with the same mechanism, the effective axial thrust dimension varies depending on various variables, such as operating speed, mat thickness, etc. Even with the same mechanism, performance changes depending on the balance of the fingers. For example, the weight of the legs 590 can be selected to increase the inertia effect when the fingers 578 reciprocate between the radial and folding directions. The center of gravity of the finger is radially outward from the pivot point.

Figures 26 and 27 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the apparatus in which fingers are intermittently engaged with the crop pine to propel the crop pine in a helical manner. As shown in FIGS. 26 and 27, a separator housing 60 having a grate portion 602
0 receives the crop through the upstream inlet 604 and discharges it through the outlet 606. The ends of the housing are closed by upstream and downstream bulkheads 608, 610. The rotor arrangement 612 has a generally cylindrical drum 614 with a series of helical parallel slots 616 and upstream and downstream bearings 614.
18,620 to the housing bulkheads 608,610. The downstream support portion has a bulkhead 61 in the form of a sleeve 622.
Pass through 0. Parallel bar arrangement 624 has upstream and downstream reel ends 626, 628, with upstream reel end 262 supported diagonally by upstream bearing support member 630, and downstream reel end secured to sleeve 622. gear case housing 63
Output shaft 6 of gear case device 634 supported in 5
It is supported diagonally by 32. Gear housing 635 and sleeve 622 form part of the rotor frame. A gear case input shaft 636 extends coaxially within the drum drive sleeve 622 .

Four parallel finger bars 638 are coupled between the reel ends 626, 628, with the coupling portions being equally spaced circumferentially around the respective reel ends 626, 628. Reel ends 626, 628 act as intermediate rotors and rotate within housing 635 to move finger bar 638 axially.

Each finger bar 638 has parallel rigid fingers 640 as a series of crop engaging elements such that each finger follows an oblique axis when the parallel bar arrangement 624 is driven in rotation. Select the timing of the device and the finger is on the drum 61
4, so that part of the finger's trajectory enters the slot 616 and projects from the drum 614 into the annular space 642 between the drum and the housing 600. Maximum extension occurs when the fingers 640 are extended radially relative to the drum 614 and the crop pine 644
engage within. Drum 614 and parallel bar device 624
are the input shaft 636 and the input sleeve 622, respectively.
It is driven by a drive device (not shown) connected to, for example, a variable speed V-belt or a hydraulic drive. Finger 640 by changing relative speed and direction of rotation
By controlling the speed and path of the separator relative to the housing 600, the direction of movement and throughput of the crop within the separator can be controlled. In this embodiment, each crop-engaging element or finger 640 has a track that is partially coaxial with the housing and follows a path oblique to the housing axis to engage the crop in the space between the rotor and the housing. The engagement is radial during at least a portion of the period of engagement between the finger and the mat.

The embodiment of FIG. 26, compared to the embodiments of FIGS. 4-9, has the effect that the effective eccentricity or intermittent engagement of the crop-engaging elements is determined by a special rotor structure rather than by an eccentricity of the intermediate rotor or rotor itself. I can get it. The special structure in this case is one in which the direction of the finger bar is constant and the trajectory of the outer end of the finger is eccentric.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 28 uses substantially similar members to the embodiments of FIGS. Then, the cage-shaped drum 706 is rotated about an axis 707 below the axis of the housing 700.
The gap between the grate portion 702 can be changed, for example,
702'. A threshing member 710 and a separating member 712 extending in the axial direction are attached to the slats 708 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

A plurality of finger wheel devices 714 are coaxial with housing 700 and supported on shaft 716 with fingers 718 extending within slots 720 of drum device 706. A conventional drive drives drum assembly 706, thereby engaging slat 708 with finger 718 and rotating the finger wheel assembly. finger 7
18 is at a substantially constant radial spacing with respect to the housing 700, but due to the eccentricity of the drum device 706, a special threshing separation feature 722 is created in the center of the grate section 702, and the threshing member 710 and the separating member 712 are connected to the grate. It engages the crop in close proximity to the part to perform a predetermined function. In this portion, the finger 718 is substantially in the retracted position due to the eccentricity. At the top of the separator, the crop is propelled by the fingers; at the bottom of the separator, the fingers are drawn into the drum. Select and control the inclination of the finger wheel device to propel it in the desired axial direction. The inclination of the finger wheel device has been explained with reference to FIGS. 7 and 12. The configuration shown in FIG. 28 can be combined with other embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, to control the inclination of the finger wheels and change the throughput.
Separation functions can be adapted.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a self-propelled combine harvester using the separator of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram of a combine harvester according to another embodiment, FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of half of the separator of the present invention shown in Figure 2, and Figure 5 is 5-5 in Figure 4.
6 is a drawing of a separator according to another embodiment; FIG. 7 is a side view of one of the finger wheel devices of the device of FIG. 6; FIG. 8-8 line, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the finger wheel position adjustment in FIG. 8, FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing the operation of the separator in FIG.
1 to 18 are diagrams showing the operation of one finger wheel device of the separator and the axial propulsion operation, and FIGS. 19 and 20 are views showing the position of the finger wheel device of the separator corresponding to the crankshaft position. Figure 21 is similar to Figures 19 and 20.
22 is a sectional view of a separator according to another embodiment; FIG. 23 is a sectional view of a separator according to another embodiment;
The figure is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 23-23 in Figure 22.
4 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the device shown in FIG. 22, FIG. 25 is a diagram showing the finger positions of FIG. 24 distributed in the circumferential direction, FIG. 26 is a sectional view of a separator according to another embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 26 is a sectional view taken along line 27-27, and FIG. 28 is a sectional view of a separator according to another embodiment. 22,50... Separator; 24,100,2
00,400,500,600,700... Housing; 58,116,216,514,604
...Entrance; 60,118,218,516,6
06...Exit; 224...Finger wheel device; 126, 226, 530, 532, 706...
...Drum device; 640,718...Finger (harvest engaging element); 422,518,61
2...Rotor device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A cylindrical wall having a lattice-like wall, and a harvested product provided on the upstream side of the wall and containing grains and straw other than the grains through threshing action. A housing having an inlet for receiving the grain, and an outlet provided on the downstream side of the same wall for discharging straw, etc. other than grains that have been sorted and discharged to the outside through the lattice wall, and the housing is configured to be rotated within the housing. The rotor is configured to rotate the harvested material supplied inside the housing at a speed such that the harvested material is formed into a thin mat-like shape on the inner surface of the housing by its centrifugal force, and the rotor is configured to rotate the harvested material supplied inside the housing and to form a thin mat shape on the inner surface of the housing by the centrifugal force of the harvested material. each element is rotated as the rotor rotates, and is moved in the axial downstream direction during a substantial portion of its rotation trajectory; The radially outer tip portion of the element inserts into and engages the crop in a portion of the rotational trajectory to propel the crop toward the downstream side. An axial flow rotating type crop separator comprising: a rotor that is separated from the pine-shaped crop so that no propulsion force is transmitted to the crop; 2. The rotor is fixed to the crankshaft at intervals in the direction of the coaxial line, and the crankshaft is eccentric from the axis of the cylindrical wall, parallel to the coaxial line, and rotated around the coaxial line. a plurality of members each having a circular cross section, the axes of which form a predetermined angle with the axis of the crank; and a member mounted on the member so as to be rotated about the axis of the member. a ring-shaped member having a radius of 2. The separator according to claim 1, wherein the separator has fingers extending radially outward toward an outer tip, and further characterized in that the rotating drum is provided with an opening through which the fingers pass. . 3 The members having circular cross sections are provided as part of the crankshaft at intervals in the axial direction, and form the predetermined angle with respect to an axis parallel to the axis of the cylindrical wall of the crankshaft. The separator according to claim 2, wherein the separator has an inclined portion.