A feeding system for an agricultural implement includes a hopper configured to receive agricultural crop material. An auger extending across the hopper is configured to meter the agricultural crop material from the hopper into a tapered passageway. A movable belt is disposed along one side of the tapered passageway and is configured to urge the agricultural crop material through the tapered passageway toward an outlet of the tapered passageway to form the agricultural crop material into a mat having a thickness substantially equal to a width of the outlet.

A feeding system for an agricultural implement includes a hopper configured to receive agricultural crop material. An auger extending across the hopper is configured to meter the agricultural crop material from the hopper into a tapered passageway. A movable belt is disposed along one side of the tapered passageway and is configured to urge the agricultural crop material through the tapered passageway toward an outlet of the tapered passageway to form the agricultural crop material into a mat having a thickness substantially equal to a width of the outlet.

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.

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.

An extractor may include an extractor housing extending from an inlet to an outlet. The housing may define an airflow channel for directing debris through the extractor from the inlet to the outlet, with the housing forming an outer perimeter of the extractor. The extractor may also include at least one flow-generating device configured to generate an airflow directed through the airflow channel that creates a negative pressure at the inlet to draw debris into the housing. In addition, the flow-generating device(s) may be positioned adjacent to the housing along the outer perimeter of the extractor such that a central flow region is defined within the airflow channel at the location of the flow-generating device(s) that extends from a center of the housing radially outwardly towards the outer perimeter of the extractor, with the central flow region defining an unobstructed flow path for the debris through the housing.

An extractor may include an extractor housing extending from an inlet to an outlet. The housing may define an airflow channel for directing debris through the extractor from the inlet to the outlet, with the housing forming an outer perimeter of the extractor. The extractor may also include at least one flow-generating device configured to generate an airflow directed through the airflow channel that creates a negative pressure at the inlet to draw debris into the housing. In addition, the flow-generating device(s) may be positioned adjacent to the housing along the outer perimeter of the extractor such that a central flow region is defined within the airflow channel at the location of the flow-generating device(s) that extends from a center of the housing radially outwardly towards the outer perimeter of the extractor, with the central flow region defining an unobstructed flow path for the debris through the housing.

Weed seeds are destroyed in the chaff from a combine harvester by repeated high speed impacts caused by a rotor mounted in one of a pair of side by side housings which accelerate the discarded seeds in a direction centrifugally away from the rotor onto a stator including angularly adjustable stator surfaces around the axis. Thus the discarded seeds rebound back and forth between the rotor and the stator to provide a plurality of impacts. The seeds are carried axially of the rotor by a controlled airstream so that they move to an axial discharge location where a discharge fan is mounted. The angle of the discharge around the rotor axis can be changed to direct the seeds to the side of the combine away from a straw chopper, towards the guide fins of the tailboard of the chopper, or into the housing of the straw chopper.

Weed seeds are destroyed in the chaff from a combine harvester by repeated high speed impacts caused by a rotor mounted in one of a pair of side by side housings which accelerate the discarded seeds in a direction centrifugally away from the rotor onto a stator including angularly adjustable stator surfaces around the axis. Thus the discarded seeds rebound back and forth between the rotor and the stator to provide a plurality of impacts. The seeds are carried axially of the rotor by a controlled airstream so that they move to an axial discharge location where a discharge fan is mounted. The angle of the discharge around the rotor axis can be changed to direct the seeds to the side of the combine away from a straw chopper, towards the guide fins of the tailboard of the chopper, or into the housing of the straw chopper.

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.

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.