An assembly for selectively activating a cleaning fan of a combine harvester. The assembly includes a hydraulic pump for distributing power to the cleaning fan. The hydraulic pump is movably connected to a fixed point, and is configured to move between first and second positions. The hydraulic pump has an input portion for receiving power and a pressurized fluid port for distributing fluid to power the cleaning fan. A drive belt is wound about the input portion of the hydraulic pump and a drive pulley of the combine harvester. An actuator is provided for selectively moving the hydraulic pump between the first position, in which the drive belt is maintained in a state of tension such that the drive pulley can drive the cleaning fan, and the second position, in which the drive belt is maintained in a relaxed state such that the drive pulley cannot drive the cleaning fan.

An assembly for selectively activating a cleaning fan of a combine harvester. The assembly includes a hydraulic pump for distributing power to the cleaning fan. The hydraulic pump is movably connected to a fixed point, and is configured to move between first and second positions. The hydraulic pump has an input portion for receiving power and a pressurized fluid port for distributing fluid to power the cleaning fan. A drive belt is wound about the input portion of the hydraulic pump and a drive pulley of the combine harvester. An actuator is provided for selectively moving the hydraulic pump between the first position, in which the drive belt is maintained in a state of tension such that the drive pulley can drive the cleaning fan, and the second position, in which the drive belt is maintained in a relaxed state such that the drive pulley cannot drive the cleaning fan.

An apparatus for separating plant material from a harvested plant includes a frame and: (a) a planar sheet attached to the frame, the planar sheet having a thickness thereof and an aperture therethrough, the aperture having a length defining a longitudinal axis and a width equal to or greater than the thickness of the planar sheet; and (b) a motor-driven blade defining a cutting edge dimensioned for sweeping adjacent to one side of the planar sheet, the cutting edge being aligned with the longitudinal axis when adjacent to the aperture.

The planar sheet may be sloped in a downwardly sloped direction toward a receiving tray for receiving separated plant material. A plurality of apertures of different widths may be covered by pairs of oppositely sliding covers having beveled edges at the apertures. A path from each aperture in the downwardly sloped direction does not intersect any other aperture.

An apparatus for separating plant material from a harvested plant includes a frame and: (a) a planar sheet attached to the frame, the planar sheet having a thickness thereof and an aperture therethrough, the aperture having a length defining a longitudinal axis and a width equal to or greater than the thickness of the planar sheet; and (b) a motor-driven blade defining a cutting edge dimensioned for sweeping adjacent to one side of the planar sheet, the cutting edge being aligned with the longitudinal axis when adjacent to the aperture.

The planar sheet may be sloped in a downwardly sloped direction toward a receiving tray for receiving separated plant material. A plurality of apertures of different widths may be covered by pairs of oppositely sliding covers having beveled edges at the apertures. A path from each aperture in the downwardly sloped direction does not intersect any other aperture.

A combine harvester self-adaptive cleaning control apparatus, includes a return plate, a cleaning sieve, a cleaning centrifugal blower, an impurity collection and stirring auger, a grain collection and stirring auger, a cleaning grain loss monitoring sensor, a grain tank grain impurity rate automatic monitoring apparatus, and an on-line monitoring and control system. The on-line monitoring and control system is connected to the cleaning centrifugal blower, the cleaning grain loss monitoring sensor, the grain tank grain impurity rate automatic monitoring apparatus, and a power driving mechanism of a louver sieve having an adjustable opening. Also disclosed is a self-adaptive cleaning method of the cleaning apparatus which can automatically adjust various working parameters according to a working quality of a working process, control failure rate, and improve a down-time working time for the apparatus.

A combine harvester self-adaptive cleaning control apparatus, includes a return plate, a cleaning sieve, a cleaning centrifugal blower, an impurity collection and stirring auger, a grain collection and stirring auger, a cleaning grain loss monitoring sensor, a grain tank grain impurity rate automatic monitoring apparatus, and an on-line monitoring and control system. The on-line monitoring and control system is connected to the cleaning centrifugal blower, the cleaning grain loss monitoring sensor, the grain tank grain impurity rate automatic monitoring apparatus, and a power driving mechanism of a louver sieve having an adjustable opening. Also disclosed is a self-adaptive cleaning method of the cleaning apparatus which can automatically adjust various working parameters according to a working quality of a working process, control failure rate, and improve a down-time working time for the apparatus.

A control system for a harvester having a crop cleaner for cleaning a cut crop. The control system includes a processor, a memory, and a human-machine interface. The processor is configured to receive an input corresponding to a desired cleaning level of the crop, monitor the actual cleaning level, and control the crop cleaner based on feedback from monitoring the actual cleaning level to move the cleaning level of the crop towards the desired cleaning level of the crop.

A control system for a harvester having a crop cleaner for cleaning a cut crop. The control system includes a processor, a memory, and a human-machine interface. The processor is configured to receive an input corresponding to a desired cleaning level of the crop, monitor the actual cleaning level, and control the crop cleaner based on feedback from monitoring the actual cleaning level to move the cleaning level of the crop towards the desired cleaning level of the crop.

The invention provides a positioning apparatus (17) for a rotary combine harvester (100) having a threshing concave (6a) and a separation grate (6b). The apparatus (17) has a concave adjustor mechanism for adjusting a threshing gap between the threshing concave (6a) and a rotor or rotors (5) of the harvester (100). The concave adjustor mechanism has a concave actuator (33) including a concave hydraulic cylinder having an adjustable hydraulic pressure to cause rotation of a concave control arm (31) so as to control a position of the threshing concave (6a). The apparatus (17) also has a grate adjustor mechanism for adjusting a separation gap between the separation grate (6b) and the rotor or rotors (5) of the harvester (100). The grate actuator mechanism has a grate actuator (330) including a grate hydraulic cylinder having an adjustable hydraulic pressure to cause rotation of the grate control arm (310) so as to control a position of the separation grate (6b). The concave hydraulic cylinder and the grate hydraulic cylinder both extend in a longitudinal direction (X) of the apparatus (17). Advantageously, the threshing and separation gaps may be adjusted independently and relatively quickly. Also advantageously, the invention provides a compact, space-saving layout for the apparatus (17).

The invention provides a positioning apparatus (17) for a rotary combine harvester (100) having a threshing concave (6a) and a separation grate (6b). The apparatus (17) has a concave adjustor mechanism for adjusting a threshing gap between the threshing concave (6a) and a rotor or rotors (5) of the harvester (100). The concave adjustor mechanism has a concave actuator (33) including a concave hydraulic cylinder having an adjustable hydraulic pressure to cause rotation of a concave control arm (31) so as to control a position of the threshing concave (6a). The apparatus (17) also has a grate adjustor mechanism for adjusting a separation gap between the separation grate (6b) and the rotor or rotors (5) of the harvester (100). The grate actuator mechanism has a grate actuator (330) including a grate hydraulic cylinder having an adjustable hydraulic pressure to cause rotation of the grate control arm (310) so as to control a position of the separation grate (6b). The concave hydraulic cylinder and the grate hydraulic cylinder both extend in a longitudinal direction (X) of the apparatus (17). Advantageously, the threshing and separation gaps may be adjusted independently and relatively quickly. Also advantageously, the invention provides a compact, space-saving layout for the apparatus (17).