Dual action corn cob separation and corn cob separator

• US 20090264169A1
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2008
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 7,749,055 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 460/101
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 11/06 for maize, e.g. removing kernels from cobs
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 12/446 Sieving means

Abstract

A dual action corn cob separation and attendant corn cob separator, having a plurality of generally vertical or generally longitudinally elongated slots, and having disposed therebetween at least two of said slots, at least one generally vertical or longitudinal in-line row of smaller slots or openings, whereby whole corn cobs can be more effectively harvested.

Claims

1. An improved cob separation grate section for a combine harvester to separate corn cobs from the stalks and leaves, comprising:

a plurality of vertical or longitudinally disposed and latitudinally spaced apart elongated slot openings, each slot extending the substantial height of the grate;

two or more of said slots being separated therebetween by a longitudinal row of in-line smaller openings, said row also extending the substantial height of the grate and substantially parallel to the direction of the elongated slots; and

said grate having a peripheral row of in-line smaller slots located at a forward end and a back end of the grate;

whereby cobs are passable through the slots but not the smaller openings, and whereby the corn gain is passable through the smaller openings but most MOGC is not passable.

2. The grate of claim 1 having at least one of the elongated slots oriented at an angle from vertical of up to about 40°

in the direction of rotation of the rotor.

3. The grate of claim 1 wherein said slots vary in width from about 0.50″

to about 2.25″

.

4. The grate of claim 2 wherein said slots vary in width from about 0.5″

to about 2.25″

.

5. The grate of claim 1 wherein the slots are 1.25″

in width.

6. The grate of claim 2 wherein the slots are about 1.25″

in width.

7. The grate of claim 1 wherein the slots are adjustable in width.

8. The grates of claim 1 wherein framing elements are added across the great to reduce the length of the slots.

9. An improved method for separating corn cobs from material other than corn cobs, comprising:

providing a dual action separation having corn separated in an initial concave front section of an axial flow combine harvester having a rotor moving corn material in a direction of flow, and having said corn cobs substantially whole being separated from material other than corn or cobs at a rear grate section, having a plurality of vertical or longitudinally disposed slots, said slots being wide enough to accommodate the diameter of a cob, but long enough to longitudinally extend for the substantial entirety of the grate'"'"'s height, and said slots being separated by at least one in-line row of smaller openings also extending substantially entirely the height of the grate, whereby whole corn cobs are harvested.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein at least one of the slots are oriented down at an angle of up to about 40°

from vertical in the general direction of flow of the corn material.