Combine harvesters having air channel assemblies, and related methods
AssigneeAGCO International GmbH
InventorsAlastair Cameron Morrison, Morten Leth BILDE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A combine harvester includes a cleaning shoe, which has a chaffer, a sieve below the chaffer, a blower configured to direct air rearward and upward through the sieve and the chaffer, and an air channel assembly defining a plurality of longitudinal air channels positioned to receive air from the blower under a forward end of the sieve and deliver the air to a position rearward along a length of the sieve. The air channels are spaced such that the air channel assembly defines free paths between adjacent air channels such that grain falling downward through the sieve does not obstruct rearward air flow through the air channels.
Claims13
A combine harvester having a longitudinal axis extending from a forward end to a rearward end thereof, the combine harvester comprising:
- a cleaning shoe comprising:
- a chaffer;
- a sieve below the chaffer;
- a blower configured to direct air rearward and upward through the sieve and the chaffer;
- and
- an air channel assembly defining a plurality of longitudinal air channels positioned to receive air from the blower under a forward end of the sieve and deliver the air to a position rearward along a length of the sieve;
- wherein the air channels are open in a downward direction along an entire length thereof and are spaced such that the air channel assembly defines free paths between adjacent air channels such that grain falling downward through the sieve does not obstruct rearward air flow through the air channels.
An air channel assembly for a cleaning shoe of a combine harvester, the air channel assembly comprising:
- a body defining a plurality of longitudinal air channels configured to receive air from a blower under a forward end of a sieve and deliver the air to a position rearward along a length of the sieve;
- wherein the air channels are spaced such that the air channel assembly defines free paths between adjacent air channels such that grain falling downward through the sieve does not obstruct rearward air flow through the air channels.
A method of operating a combine harvester having an air channel assembly defining a plurality of longitudinal air channels positioned to receive air from a blower under a forward end of a sieve and deliver the air to a position rearward along a length of the sieve, the method comprising:
- passing a first portion of air toward a front underside of the sieve above the air channels;
- passing a second portion of air through the air channels and toward a rear underside of the sieve;
- and
- passing grain material downward through the sieve and between the air channels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.