EP0104676A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic sieve and chaffer adjustment in a combine harvester
Assignee: New Holland Inc
•
Filing: 1983-08-16
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2003-08-16
Abstract
Abstract In a combine harvester, a microprocessor (100) controls the adjustment of the cleaning sieve or sieves (132) and/or chaffer sieve or sieves (130) in response to information keyed into a keyboard (110) by the combine operator, If the actual setting of a device (130-132) (sieve or chaffer) is greater than the desired setting the device is first fully opened and maintained in that position for a predetermined period of time to allow foreign objects and crop material to clear itself from the device by normal combine operation. This avoids damage to the control linkage, sieve slats, and so forth. After the device is fully opened and maintained open for the predetermined interval of time it then closes beyond the desired setting by some predetermined amount after which the device is opened to the desired setting. This arrangement insures that the approach to the final adjustment is always made as the device is being opened, thereby allowing for compensation of play or backlash in the mechanical linkages which adjust the device.
Inventors
- 👤 William E. Rowland-Hill
- 👤 Ronald T. Sheehan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 22:59
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01F; A01F12/00; A01F12/44; A01F12/446; A01F12/448; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S56/00; Y10S56/15
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of automatically setting adevice (130,132) on a combine harvester which is selectively settable at positions between a fully opened position and a fully closed position; characterized in that it comprises the steps of : - generating values representing the actual setting and the desired setting of the device (130,132); - comparing the values representing the actual setting and the desired setting (206); - driving the device (130,132), when the comparison indicates that the desired setting is less than the actual setting, first to a setting of increased opening (302 in Fig 3B); and, - subsequently driving the device (130,132) from the setting of increased opening to the desired setting (303, 304 in Fig. 3B).
Claim 2
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of automatically setting adevice (130,132) on a combine harvester which is selectively settable at positions between a fully opened position and a fully closed position; characterized in that it comprises the steps of : - generating values representing the actual setting and the desired setting of the device (130,132); - comparing the values representing the actual setting and the desired setting (206); - driving the device (130,132), when the comparison indicates that the desired setting is less than the actual setting, first to a setting of increased opening (302 in Fig 3B); and, - subsequently driving the device (130,132) from the setting of increased opening to the desired setting (303, 304 in Fig. 3B).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of subsequently driving the device ( 130,132) to the desired setting (303,304 in Fig. 3B) is delayed (216); the device (130,132) being shaken during the interval of said delay to remove material therefrom.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the setting of increased opening coincides with the fully opened setting.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
51 words
A method according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that it further also comprises the step of driving the device (130,132) directly from the actual setting to the desired setting (301 in Fig.3A) if the comparison of values indicates that the actual setting is less than the desired setting.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
80 words
A method according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the step of driving the device (130,132) from the setting of increased opening to the desired setting comprises the steps of : - first driving the device (130,132) from the setting of increased opening to a backlash-compensating setting intermediate the desired setting and the fully closed setting (303 in Fig.3B); - subsequently driving the device (130,132) from the backlash-compensating setting to the desired setting (304 in Fig.3B) .
Claim 7
Independent Claim
92 words
A method according to any of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it further also comprises the step of driving the device (130,132) from the actual setting to the desired setting if the comparison of values indicates that the actual setting is less than the desired setting; this step consisting of : - first driving the device (130,132) from the actual setting to a backlash-compensating setting intermediate the desired setting and the fully opened setting; and - subsequently driving the device (130,132) from the backlash-compensating setting to the desired setting.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
42 words
A method according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the device is formed by a chaffer sieve (130) and/or a cleaning sieve (132) which is/are selectively adjustable at settings between a fully opened setting and a fully closed setting.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
144 words
A combine harvester comprising an apparatus for automatically setting a device (130,132) thereof which is selectively settable at positions between a fully opened setting and a fully closed setting, characterized in that the apparatus comprises : - sensor means (114,116) for sensing the actual setting of the device (130,132) - means (110/112) generating a value representing a desired setting of the device (130,132); - actuator means (118,121) for driving the device (130,132); - means (100) for comparing the actual setting of the device (130,132) with the desired setting; and - means (122) responsive to the comparing means (100) for, when the comparing means (100) indicate that the desired setting is less than the actual setting, applying signals to the actuator means (118-121) to first drive the device (130,132) to a setting of increased opening and subsequently drive the device (130,132) to the desired setting.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
144 words
A combine harvester comprising an apparatus for automatically setting a device (130,132) thereof which is selectively settable at positions between a fully opened setting and a fully closed setting, characterized in that the apparatus comprises : - sensor means (114,116) for sensing the actual setting of the device (130,132) - means (110/112) generating a value representing a desired setting of the device (130,132); - actuator means (118,121) for driving the device (130,132); - means (100) for comparing the actual setting of the device (130,132) with the desired setting; and - means (122) responsive to the comparing means (100) for, when the comparing means (100) indicate that the desired setting is less than the actual setting, applying signals to the actuator means (118-121) to first drive the device (130,132) to a setting of increased opening and subsequently drive the device (130,132) to the desired setting.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
114 words
A combine harvester according to claim 8 characterized in that said means (122) responsive to the comparing means (100) comprise - first means for applying first signals to the actuator means (118-121) do drive the device (130,132) to the setting of increased opening when the comparing means (100) indicate that the desired setting is less than the actual setting ; - means (114,116/100) for detecting when the device (130,132) has reached the setting of increased opening; and - means (100) responsive to the detecting means (114,116/100) for terminating the first signals to the actual means (118-121) and applying to send actuator means (118-121) second signals for driving the device (130,132) to the desired setting.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
A combine harvester according to claim 9 characterized in that the means (100) responsive to the detecting means (114,116/100) includes means for terminating the first signals and then waiting for an interval of time before applying the second signals to the actuator means (118-121)
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A combine harvester according to any of the claims 8-10, characterized in that the setting of increased opening coincides with the fully opened setting.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
67 words
A combine harvester according to any of the claims 8-11 characterized in that the apparatus further also comprises means (122) responsive to the comparing means (100) for, when the comparing means (100) indicate that the desired setting is greater than the actual setting, applying signals to the actuator means (118-121) to drive the device directly from the actual setting to the desired setting (301 in Fig. 3A).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
95 words
A combine harvester according to claim 9 or 10 characterized in that the means (100) responsive to the detecting means (114,116/100) comprises : - means for applying the second signals to the actuator means (118-121) until the device (130,132) is driven to an intermediate setting between the fully closed setting and the desired setting ; - means for detecting when the device (130,132) has reached the intermediate setting ; and .- means for terminating the second signals and applying the first signals to the actuator means (118-121) until the device (130,132) reaches the desired setting.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
116 words
A combine harvester according to any of the claims 8-11 characterized in that the apparatus further also comprises : - means responsive to the comparing means (100) for when the comparing means (100) indicate that the desired setting is greater than the actual setting, applying signals to the actuator means (118-121) to drive the device (130,132) from the actual setting to an intermediate setting between the desired setting and the fully opened setting ; - means for detecting when the device (130,132) has reached the intermediate setting; and - means for terminating said signals and applying further signals to the actuator means (118-121) for driving the device (130,132) from the intermediate setting to the desired setting.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
A combine harvester according to any of the claims 8-14, characterized in that the device is in the form of a combine harvester chaffer sieve (130) and/or cleaning sieve (132) ; and in that means are provided for shaking said chaffer sieve and/or cleaning sieve.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.