Header and feeder for a grain combine

In a grain combine of the type having a threshing assembly disposed within a central housing for threshing grain from crop, a header housing having outermost ends which extend from the grain combine on opposite lateral sides of the central housing and a header discharge port defined between the outermost ends the header housing, a feeder for transporting the crop from the header discharge port to the threshing assembly for threshing, a sieve section for receiving threshed crop from the threshing assembly and separating the grain from chaff and tailings, and grain conveyance means for transporting the grain which passes through the sieve section to a storage bin, the improvement comprising:

• centerline drive means mounted to the header housing between the outermost ends of the header housing, and having a first end rotatably connected to the header housing for securing to a drive shaft means;
• first and second sickle sections, each movably secured to the header housing and directly connected to the centerline drive means for extending therefrom toward a different one of the opposite ends of the header housing from the other of the first and second sickle sections, and reciprocating relative to the header housing to sever crop from a field;
• first and second auger sections, each rotatably secured to the header housing and directly connected to the centerline drive means for extending therefrom toward a different one of the opposite ends of the header housing from the other of the first and second auger sections, and moving relative to the header housing to transport crop toward the header discharge port;
• and
• wherein the centerline drive means transfers mechanical power from the drive shaft means directly to each of the first and second sickle sections to sever crop from the field, and directly to each of the first and second auger sections to transport crop to the header discharge port.

In a grain combine of the type having a threshing assembly disposed within a central housing for threshing grain from crop, a header for severing crop from a field and directing the crop to flow through a header discharge port, a feeder for transporting the crop from the header discharge port to the threshing assembly for threshing, a sieve section for receiving threshed crop from the threshing assembly and separating the grain from chaff and tailings, and grain conveyance means for transporting the grain which passes through the sieve section to a storage bin, the improvement comprising:

• a lower conveyor included within the feeder, extending between the first and second ends of the feeder, and having a continuously extending lower conveyor belt with laterally extending lower ribs;
• an upper conveyor included within the feeder, disposed above the lower conveyor belt, extending between the first and second ends of the feeder, and having a continuously extending upper conveyor belt with laterally extending upper ribs;
• wherein the upper and lower conveyors are vertically aligned with the upper conveyor above the lower conveyor with a space defined therebetween for receiving the crop from the header discharge port, and conveying the crop to the second end of the feeder for discharging the crop from the feeder to the central housing and the threshing assembly;
• and
• wherein the upper and lower conveyors are aligned to converge in passing the crop from the first end to the second end of the feeder for pressing the crop therebetween to prethresh the crop, prior to passing the crop into the threshing assembly.

In a grain combine of the type having a threshing assembly disposed within a central housing for threshing grain from crop, a header for severing crop from a field and directing the crop to flow through a header discharge port, a feeder for transporting the crop from the header discharge port to the threshing assembly for threshing, a sieve section for receiving threshed crop from the threshing assembly and separating the grain from chaff and tailings, and grain conveyance means for transporting the grain which passes through the sieve section to a storage bin, the improvement comprising:

• a plate extending between the feeder and the threshing assembly, the plate having a protuberances which extend from a rearward facing surface of the plate and an aperture through which the crop flows to pass into the threshing assembly;
• the threshing assembly including a threshing rotor and an impeller mounted forward of the threshing rotor, facing the protuberances of the rearward facing surface of the plate;
• and
• wherein a forward end of the impeller and the protuberance of the rearward facing surface of the plate are spaced apart for rotating the forward end of the impeller relative to the plate and threshing the crop therebetween.

In a grain combine of the type having a threshing assembly disposed within a central housing for threshing grain from crop, a header for severing crop from a field and directing the crop to flow through a header discharge port, a feeder for transporting the crop from the header discharge port to the threshing assembly for threshing, a sieve section for receiving threshed crop from the threshing assembly and separating the grain from chaff and tailings, and grain conveyance means for transporting the grain which passes through the sieve section to a storage bin, the improvement comprising:

• a plate extending between the feeder and the threshing assembly, the plate having a rearward facing surface and an aperture through which the crop flows to pass into the threshing assembly;
• the threshing assembly including a threshing rotor and an impeller mounted forward of the threshing rotor, facing the rearward facing surface of the plate;
• and
• rasp bars mounted to the forward end of the impeller, spaced apart from the rearward facing surface of the plate for rotating relative to the rearward facing surface of the plate to thresh the crop therebetween.

A method for operating a grain combine of the type having a threshing assembly disposed within a central housing for threshing grain from crop, a header for severing crop from a field and directing the crop to flow through a header discharge port, a feeder for transporting the crop from the header discharge port to the threshing assembly for threshing, a sieve section for receiving threshed crop from the threshing assembly and separating the grain from chaff and tailings, and grain conveyance means for transporting the grain which passes through the sieve section to a storage bin, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a centerline header drive means for transferring mechanical power from a drive shaft means extending in a forward direction in relation the combine and directly to an intermediate portion of the header, which is a centrally disposed between outer ends of the header which extend on opposite lateral sides of the drive shaft means;
• transferring the mechanical power directly to the intermediate portion of the header, and, from the intermediate portion, to portions of the header which extend toward the outer ends of the header to sever crop from the field on laterally opposite sides of the intermediate portion and to direct the crop to flow from the laterally opposite sides of the header through the header discharge port;
• transporting the crop from the header discharge port, through the feeder, and to the threshing assembly;
• directing the crop into and through the threshing assembly to thresh grain from the crop;
• passing the crop, after threshing, through a sieve section and separating the grain from chaff and tailings;
• and
• transporting the grain which passes through the sieve section to a storage bin.

A method for operating a grain combine of the type having a threshing assembly disposed within a central housing for threshing grain from crop, a header for severing crop from a field and directing the crop to flow through a header discharge port, a feeder for transporting the crop from the header discharge port to the threshing assembly for threshing, a sieve section for receiving threshed crop from the threshing assembly and separating the grain from chaff and tailings, and grain conveyance means for transporting the grain which passes through the sieve section to a storage bin, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing the feeder with an upper and lower conveyor belt which both extend from a first end of the feeder to a second end of the feeder and converge in passing the crop from the first to the second end to compress the crop therebetween, to prethresh the crop prior to passing the crop to the threshing assembly;
• operating the header to sever crop from a field and direct the crop to flow through a header discharge port;
• transporting the crop from the header discharge port, through the feeder, between the upper and lower conveyor belts to prethresh the crop, and then, to the threshing assembly;
• directing the crop into and through the threshing assembly to thresh grain from the crop;
• passing the crop, after threshing, through a sieve section and separating the grain from chaff and tailings;
• and
• transporting the grain which passes through the sieve section to a storage bin.

A method for operating a grain combine of the type having a threshing assembly disposed within a central housing for threshing grain from crop, a header for severing crop from a field and directing the crop to flow through a header discharge port, a feeder for transporting the crop from the header discharge port to the threshing assembly for threshing, a sieve section for receiving threshed crop from the threshing assembly and separating the grain from chaff and tailings, and grain conveyance means for transporting the grain which passes through the sieve section to a storage bin, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a plate having a directing means for directing the crop to flow into the threshing assembly in two directions for passing to distally disposed sides of the threshing assembly;
• operating the header to sever crop from a field and direct the crop to flow through a header discharge port;
• transporting the crop from the header discharge port, through the feeder, and to the threshing assembly;
• directing, by means of the plate, the crop to flow into the threshing assembly in the two directions, and through the distally disposed sides of the threshing assembly to thresh grain from the crop;
• passing the crop, after threshing, through a sieve section and separating the grain from chaff and tailings;
• and
• transporting the grain which passes through the sieve section to a storage bin.