Stepped grate for an agricultural combine

• US 20060019731A1
• Filed: 07/22/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Ricketts, Jonathan E., Bennett, Kelvin Eugene, DeLeersnyder, Serge
• Granted Patent: US 7,166,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 460/108
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 12/26 Multi-part threshing concaves

Abstract

A grate for an agricultural combine includes curved grate segments, each of which include mounting holes in at least one end segment. To provide a threshing grate, the end segments of the grate segments are offset to provide a “step”, or discontinuity in the radius of the assembled grate, which improves the threshing efficiency of the combine. The step can be provided by offsetting mounting holes between adjacent grate segments, and securing the grates to a frame member.

Claims

1. A grate for an agricultural combine comprising:

a frame including first and second offset end members and first and second semi-circular side members extending between the offset end members;

a longitudinally-extending mounting bracket extending between the first and second semi-circular side members at a position between the first and second end members, the longitudinally-extending mounting bracket including at least one mounting aperture;

a first grate member including first and second ends and first and second curved sides and sized and dimensioned to be received in the frame between the first end member and the longitudinally-extending mounting bracket, at least one of the end members of the first grate member including a mounting aperture for mounting the first grate member to the longitudinally-extending mounting bracket, the mounting aperture being offset from the top of the respective end member of the first grate by a first selected distance; and

a second grate member including first and second ends and first and second curved sides and sized and dimensioned to be received in the frame between the second end member and the longitudinally-extending mounting bracket, at least one of the end members of the second grate member including a mounting aperture for mounting the second grate member to the longitudinally-extending mounting bracket, the mounting aperture being offset from the top of the respective end member of the second grate by a second selected distance;

wherein, when the first and second grate members are positioned in the frame member, the first grate member is stepped upward a distance from the second grate member.

2. The grate as defined in claim 1, wherein the end segment of each of the first and second grate members includes a mounting tab extending away from the grate member, the mounting tab comprising the mounting aperture for receiving the fastener.

3. The grate as defined in claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of longitudinally-extending mounting brackets spaced along the side members and between the first and second ends of the frames, and a plurality of grate members sized and dimensioned to be positioned between adjacent pairs of longitudinally-extending mounting brackets.

4. The grate as defined in claim 1, wherein the end segments of the first and second frame members are substantially rectangular.

5. The grate as defined in claim 1, wherein the first selected distance is different from the second selected distance.

6. The grate as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second grate members each comprise a plurality of apertures.

7. The grate as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second grate members each include a plurality of ribs that are substantially parallel to the curved side segments and a plurality of longitudinally extending bar members that are substantially parallel to the end segments, the ribs and bar members together forming a grid including a plurality of apertures.

19. The grate as defined in claim 1, wherein the longitudinally-extending mounting bar includes downwardly extending tabs each including the at least one aperture for coupling the first grate member and the second grate member to the frame.

8. A grate for an agricultural combine, comprising:

a coupling device;

a first grate member comprising first and second ends and first and second semi-circular sides, at least one of the ends including a mounting hole sized and dimensioned to receive the coupling element;

a second grate member comprising first and second ends and first and second semi-circular sides, at least one of the ends including a mounting hole sized and dimensioned to receive the coupling element for coupling the first grate member to the second grate member, the mounting hole in the first grate member being longitudinally offset from the mounting hole in the second grate member such that, when the mounting hole in the first grate member is aligned with the mounting hole in the second grate member, the first grate member is offset from the second grate member to form a step.

9. The grate as defined in claim 8, further comprising a frame, the frame including a first and a second semi-circular side member coupled between a first and a second end member, and a bracket extending between the first and second side members between the first and second end members, the bracket including a mounting aperture for receiving the threaded fasteners.

10. The grate as defined in claim 8, wherein a space defined between each end member, the side members, and the bracket is sized and dimensioned to receive one of the first and second grate members.

11. The grate as defined in claim 8, wherein each of the grate members comprises a plurality of apertures.

12. The grate as defined in claim 8, wherein each of the grate members comprises a plurality of ribs extending between the first and second ends and parallel to the sides and a plurality of transverse cross members extending from the first side to the second side.

13. The grate as defined in claim 8, further comprising at least one additional grate member, the at least one additional grate member including a mounting hole in an end segment for coupling the at least one additional grate member to an adjacent grate member.

14. The grate as defined in claim 8, wherein each of the grate members comprises a pierced plate.

20. The grate as defined in claim 9, wherein the bracket includes downwardly extending tabs each including the mounting aperture for receiving the threaded fasteners.

21. The grate as defined in claim 9, wherein the end segment of each of the first and second grate members includes a mounting tab extending away from the grate member, the mounting tab comprising the mounting aperture for receiving the fastener.

15. An apparatus for threshing grain comprising:

a rotor provided in a rotor housing;

a threshing grate located between the rotor and the housing, the threshing grate comprising at least a first and a second curved grate member each grate member comprising first and second curved side members extending between first and second rectangular end members, at least one of the end segments of the first grate member abutting at least one of the end segments of the second grate member to form a grate having a radius extending substantially around the rotor, the end segment of each of the first and second grate members including a mounting tab extending away from the grate member, the first grate member being offset from the second grate member at the abutment surface to provide a step in the radius of the grate at which one of the first and second grate members is radially closer to the rotor than the other of the first and second grate members; and

a frame member having first and second end segments, first and second parallel curved sides extending between the first and second end segments, and at least one longitudinally-extending mounting bar extending between the first and second parallel curved sides at a location between the first and second end segments, the area between each of the first and second end segments and the longitudinally-extending mounting bar being sized and dimensioned to receive one of the first and second grate members, wherein the longitudinally-extending mounting bar includes includes downwardly extending tabs including aperatures for coupling the first grate member and the second grate member to the frame.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein the mounting tabs at the first and second grate members each comprise a plurality of apertures.

17. (canceled)

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 157, wherein mounting tabs at the end members of each of the first and second grate members includes an aperture for mounting the grate member to the longitudinally extending mounting bracket.