Concave for a combine harvester

• US 7,285,043 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dale W. Mackenzie, Gerald A. Foster
• Original Assignee: Dale W. Mackenzie, Gerald A. Foster
• Inventors: Foster, Gerald A., MacKenzie, Dale W.
• Primary Examiner(s): FABIAN-KOVACS, ARPAD
• Application Number:
  US11/062,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20050197176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 460/110, 460/46, 460/32, 460/71, 460/72, 460/107, 460/109, 460/108, 460/149, 209/393, 209/395, 209/394, 56/146
• US Class Current: 460/110
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 12/24 One-part threshing concaves

Abstract

A concave for a combine harvester includes a body consisting of a grid of straight longitudinal bars arranged in a concave configuration. Each of the longitudinal bars have a leading face, a trailing face, and an upper extremity. At least one of the longitudinal bars has a longitudinal cavity positioned along the leading face at the upper extremity. A wear resistant insert is positioned in the longitudinal cavity. The wear resistant insert is detachably secured to and receives underlying support from the said at least one of the longitudinal bars. The wear resistant insert provides a replaceable leading edge.

Claims

1. A concave for a combine harvester, the concave comprising:

a body consisting of a grid of straight longitudinal bars arranged in a concave configuration, and each of the longitudinal bars having a leading face, a trailing face, and an upper extremity;

at least one the longitudinal bars having an integrally formed longitudinal cavity positioned along the leading face at the upper extremity thereof; and

a wear resistant insert positioned in the longitudinal cavity, the wear resistant insert being detachably secured against the leading face and receiving underlying support along a majority of the wear resistant insert from said at least one of the longitudinal bars thereby providing a replaceable leading edge.

2. The concave as defined in claim 1, wherein the longitudinal bars are maintained in a concave configuration by concave transverse bars.

3. The concave as defined in claim 1, wherein the body has a front edge and more than one of the longitudinal bars, extending parallel to the front edge of the body has the longitudinal cavity with the wear resistant insert.

4. The concave as described in claim 1, wherein the wear resistant insert is secured to the longitudinal bar by rotatable fasteners.

5. The concave as described in claim 4, wherein the rotatable fasteners extend from the trailing face through the longitudinal bars into threaded apertures in the wear resistant insert.

6. The concave as defined in claim 1, wherein the wear resistant insert protrudes past and protects the leading face of the longitudinal bars.

7. A concave for a combine harvester, the concave comprising:

a body consisting of a grid of straight longitudinal bars and concave transverse bars, each of the longitudinal bars having a leading face, a trailing face, and an upper extremity, and the body having a front edge;

more than one of the longitudinal bars extending parallel to the front edge of the body having an integrally formed longitudinal cavity positioned along the leading face at the upper extremity; and

a wear resistant insert position in each longitudinal cavity, the wear resistant insert being detachably secured against the leading face and receiving underlying support along a majority of the wear resistant insert from the longitudinal bar thereby providing an replaceable leading edge, and the replaceable leading edge protruding past and protecting the leading face of the longitudinal bars.

8. The concave as defined in claim 7, wherein the wear resistant insert is secured to the longitudinal bar by rotatable fasteners.

9. The concave as defined in claim 8, wherein the rotatable fasteners extend from the trailing face through the longitudinal bars into threaded apertures in the wear resistant insert.