Combine harvester having progressive separator vanes

A threshing and separating system of a combine harvester, the threshing and separating assembly comprising:

• a threshing cage sized to at least partially surround a threshing rotor,
• wherein the threshing cage defines a longitudinal axis extending in a rearward direction from an inlet end of the threshing cage to an outlet end of the threshing cage, and
• wherein the threshing cage further defines an interior surface that faces the threshing rotor;
• and
• a plurality of movable vanes mounted to the interior surface of the threshing cage;
• wherein the plurality of movable vanes are moveable between a first position in which vanes of the plurality of movable vanes are substantially parallel with one another and a second position in which an acute angle is defined between each pair of adjacent vanes of the plurality of movable vanes;
• wherein the acute angles progressively increase in the rearward direction of the threshing cage such that the acute angle between one set of adjacent vanes at a forward end of the threshing cage is less than the acute angle between another set of adjacent vanes at a rearward end of the threshing cage;
• wherein the adjacent vanes are connected together by a link;
• wherein each vane of the adjacent vanes comprises a leading end and a trailing end, with one end of the link being connected to either the leading end or the trailing end of a forwardly mounted vane of the adjacent vanes and an opposing end of the link is connected at a point on a rearwardly mounted vane of the adjacent vanes, and
• wherein the point is located between the leading end and trailing end of the rearwardly mounted vane.