A method for controlling crop material speed through a rotor/cage assembly of an agricultural combine. The method includes the steps of monitoring a grain loss of the combine; computing an engine power reserve value; and adjusting an orientation of a vane coupled to the cage responsive to the engine power reserve value and to the grain loss, a cleaning system load and/or a straw length.

A combine harvester comprises a threshing unit arranged to receive and thresh a crop stream. Separating apparatus are located downstream and rearward of the threshing unit and are arranged to receive the threshed crop stream and convey such a rearward direction. The front of a return pan, disposed below the separating apparatus, overlaps the rear of a stratification pan, disposed below the threshing unit. The stratification pan is driven in an oscillating manner to convey a primary grain/chaff stream rearwardly to a rear edge from where the primary grain/chaff stream falls under gravity into a cleaning unit. The return pan is driven in an oscillating manner to convey a secondary grain/chaff stream forwardly to a front edge from where the secondary grain/chaff stream falls under gravity to combine with the primary grain/chaff stream on the stratification pan. The cleaning unit comprises a fan for generating a cleaning airstream which is directed through the falling grain/chaff stream to encourage the lighter material away from the grain. A plurality of crop flow disrupting elements in the form of fins or tines are secured to the underside of the return pan above the stratification pan to disrupt the grain/chaff stream and enhance stratification thereof.

A threshing and separating system for an agricultural harvester includes a concave having a plurality of perforations; a rotor having an outer surface and at least partially enclosed by the concave; and a plurality of rasp bars connected to the outer surface of the rotor, each rasp bar having a working surface defining a working angle relative to a tangent of the outer surface. At least one of the rasp bars is an adjustable rasp bar with an adjustable working surface pivotably coupled to the rotor. The system further includes an actuator coupled to the adjustable rasp bar and configured to selectively pivot the adjustable working surface to adjust the working angle of the adjustable rasp bar.

A combine harvester includes a threshing device 4 configured to perform a threshing process of threshing reaped grain culm in a threshing chamber 23, in which the threshing chamber 23 includes a threshing cylinder 31 configured to rotate around a front-rear axis X, and an arc-shaped receiving net 32 provided extending along an outer circumferential portion of the threshing cylinder 31, and a top plate 30 covering an upper portion of the threshing chamber 23 is supported detachably along the rotation axis direction of the threshing cylinder 31.

A self-propelling combine and a method for operating a self-propelling combine are disclosed. The combine includes an axial spreader, which generates a residual flow of material and supplies the residual flow of material to a downstream distribution device that discharges the residual flow of material from the combine. The axial separator in the end-side material delivery region has at least one guide element that may be moved by an actuator, thereby affecting a distribution of the exiting residual flow of material over the supply width of the distribution device. The distribution of the residual flow of material is detected by at least one sensor unit, and when a deviation from a target distribution is detected, the guide element is adjusted. A control device receives and uses a signal representing a side wind used to automatically adjust of the at least one guide element.

The present invention comprises a removable cover plate assembly, which may be quickly attached, detached and adjusted to the exterior of a concave grate of a combine harvester in order to adjust the flow characteristics of the concave or separator grate assemblies. The cover plate assembly improves the threshing capability of the rasp bar threshing cylinder while simultaneously capturing additional threshed grain. Moreover, the cover plate assembly of the present invention enables a single set of concave grate assemblies to better harvest a wider variety of crop types.

A combine harvester is provided with a conveyance system for transporting crop material discharged by overhead grain separating apparatus to a grain cleaning shoe. The conveyance system comprises a series of oscillating pans which move the grain in a generally longitudinal direction. A return pan conveys the collected material forwardly to a front discharge edge from where the material falls onto a stratification pan below. The stratification pan conveys the collected material rearwardly to a rear discharge edge from where the material falls into the grain cleaning shoe. At least one of the return pan and the stratification pan is non-rectangular and has a non-transverse discharge edge.

A rotary cleaning system for a combine harvester that includes a hollow drum having a plurality of apertures along at least a portion of a length of an exterior surface of the drum, the drum having a feeding end configured to receive a harvested crop and a discharge end configured to expel chaff from the harvested crop and a guiding vane positioned in an interior of the drum, wherein one of the drum and the guiding vane is configured for rotation while the other one of the drum and the guiding vane is stationary to expel grain through the plurality of apertures in the drum. A feeding mechanism can be attached to supply the crop to the hollow drum. A fan can be attached to the rotary cleaning system to generate an air flow stream. A plurality of fingers can be positioned in the drum.

A combine harvester is provided with a conveyance system for transporting crop material discharged by overhead grain separating apparatus to a grain cleaning shoe. The conveyance system comprises a series of oscillating pans which move the grain in a generally longitudinal direction. A return pan conveys the collected material forwardly to a front discharge edge from where the material falls onto a stratification pan below. The stratification pan conveys the collected material rearwardly to a rear discharge edge from where the material falls into the grain cleaning shoe. At least one of the return pan and the stratification pan is non-rectangular and has a non-transverse discharge edge.

A threshing and separating system for an agricultural harvester includes a concave having a plurality of perforations; a rotor having an outer surface and at least partially enclosed by the concave; and a plurality of rasp bars connected to the outer surface of the rotor, each rasp bar having a working surface defining a working angle relative to a tangent of the outer surface. At least one of the rasp bars is an adjustable rasp bar with an adjustable working surface pivotably coupled to the rotor. The system further includes an actuator coupled to the adjustable rasp bar and configured to selectively pivot the adjustable working surface to adjust the working angle of the adjustable rasp bar.