Axial flow combine with a rotary discharge

Claim 2

An axial flow type combine comprising axial flow threshing and separating means for threshing crop material, separating means for separating grain from the remainder of the material, a grain pan underneath said means for collecting grain and moving the grain rearwardly, grain cleaning means underneath and extending rearwardly of said grain pan to clean the grain and discharge the chaff at the rear of the combine from said cleaning means and in an airborne stream, said separating means having opening means at the rear thereof for discharging the threshed crop material, a discharge assembly extending transversely to said separating means at the rear thereof for receiving material discharged from said opening means, said assembly having means at said opening means for receiving the discharged crop material, grate means extending substantially horizontal and rearwardly from said crop receiving means, a transverse beater rotatably mounted above said grate means to turn downwardly and rearwardly across said grate means to move the crop material across the grate means for removing entrained grain and propelling the material rearwardly out of the combine clear of the cleaning action of the grain cleaning means.

Claim 3

An axial flow type combine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said discharge assembly is downwardly and rearwardly of said threshing and separating means and said crop receiving means is a transverse deflector shield sloped downwardly and rearwardly from said threshing and separating means underneath said opening means, and said grate means is along the lower part of the shield.

Claim 4

An axial flow combine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said grate means is pivotally mounted for adjustment in relation to said beater.

Claim 5

An axial flow combine as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is an upper wall extending rearwardly from said beater to guide the propelled crops rearwardly of the discharge of the airborne stream of discharged chaff from the grain cleaning means.

Claim 6

An axial flow combine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said grate means are parallel bars extending rearwardly with parallel spaces between the bars.

Claim 7

An axial flow combine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said beater comprises a transverse rotatably mounted shaft having axially spaced circular discs at each end of said shaft and blades.

Claim 8

An axial flow type combine as set forth in claim 6 wherein said shaft is square shape and tubular and said blades are formed from two sheet metal pieces each bent into substantially similar parts and said pieces attached to opposite sides of said square tubular shaft with said parts extending outwArdly to form said blades.

Claim 9

An axial flow combine as set forth in claim 7 wherein said blades have the free end portion bent opposite to the direction of rotation.

Claim 10

An axial flow combine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said transverse deflector shield is horizontally pivoted at the upper end adjacent said separator sections and said grate means is attached to said shield at the lower end and has brackets adjustably attaching said grate and shield to said combine.

Claim 11

An axial flow combine comprising a supporting frame mounted on wheels; a housing on said frame including a hood, said housing having a downwardly facing opening for passing chaff and threshed crop material to ground; axial flow threshing and separating means extending for-and-aft in said housing; means on the front of said frame for feeding harvested crops to said threshing and separating means; said axial flow threshing and separating means having generally cylindrical casing means and rotor means in said cylindrical casing, said casing means having concave means and separator grate means along the bottom, means for spirally rotating the fed crop from the front of the axial flow threshing and separating mean through the casing in successive threshing actions and separating actions to separate the grain from the crop, and downwardly facing opening means at the rear for discharge of threshed material, grain handling and cleaning mechanism underneath said axial flow threshing and separating means and extending rearwardly to said hood with the discharge end of said mechanism extending over said housing opening for discharge of chaff and debris, said grain handling and cleaning mechanism having a blower for creating an air stream to carry light chaff grain over the grain handling and cleaning mechanism out through the housing opening, and a discharge assembly extending across said housing at the rear of said threshing and separating means and having a deflector shield downwardly and rearwardly sloped underneath said opening means for receiving the discharged threshed material, curved grate means extending substantially horizontal along the lower part of the shield, a transverse beater rotatably mounted above said grate means to move downwardly past the lower part of the shield and rearwardly across said grate means to sweep the threshed crop material across said grate means for removing entrained grain and propel the material upwardly and rearwardly, and a guide wall extended rearwardly from said beater at a gradual upward angle in said housing and in said hood downwardly curved to the rear of said housing opening for discharge of said threshed crop material over and beyond the chaff bearing air stream.

Claim 12

An axial flow combine comprising a supporting frame mounted on wheels; a housing on said frame including a hood, said housing having a downwardly facing opening for passing chaff and threshed crop material to ground; axial flow threshing and separating means extending for-and-aft in said housing; means on the front of said frame for feeding harvested crops to said threshing and separating means; said axial flow threshing and separating means having generally cylindrical casing means and rotor means in said cylindrical casing, said casing means having concave means and separator grate means along the bottom, means for spirally rotating the fed crop from the front of the axial flow threshing and separating mean through the casing in successive threshing actions and separating actions to separate the grain from the crop, and downwardly facing opening means at the rear for discharge of threshed material, grain handling and cleaning mechanism underneath said axial flow threshing and separating means and extending rearwardly to said hood with the discharge end of said mechanism extending over said housing opening for discharge of chaff and debris, said grain handling and cleaning mechanism having a blower for creating an air stream to carry light chaff grain over the grain handling and cleaning mechanism out through the housing opening, and a discharge assembly extending across said housing at the rear of said threshing and separating means and having a deflector shield downwardly and rearwardly sloped underneath said opening means for receiving the discharged threshed material, curved grate means extending substantially horizontal along the lower part of the shield, a transverse beater rotatably mounted above said grate means to move downwardly past the lower part of the shield and rearwardly across said grate means to sweep the threshed crop material across said grate means for removing entrained grain and propel the material upwardly and rearwardly, and a guide wall extended rearwardly from said beater at a gradual upward angle in said housing and in said hood downwardly curved to the rear of said housing opening for discharge of said threshed crop material over and beyond the chaff bearing air stream.

Claim 13

An axial flow combine as set forth in claim 10 wherein said beater has a shaft with opposite ends rotatably mounted in said housing blades extending from said shaft and discs at opposite ends of said shaft to prevent crop material from wraPping on said opposite ends of said shaft.

Claim 14

An axial flow combine as set forth in claim 10 wherein said beater has a square shaft and a single piece of sheet metal bent intermediately and longitudinally to form two blades and said piece attached to said shaft to extend said blades outwardly.

Claim 15

An axial flow combine as set forth in claim 10 wherein said deflector shield is pivotally mounted to move said shield and grate means away from said beater.

Claim 16

An axial flow combine as set forth in claim 13 wherein said deflector shield is pivotally attached to the end of the separator grate means.

Claim 17

An axial flow combine as set forth in claim 10 wherein said grate means extends upwardly along the rear and said guide wall extends from said beater above the horizontal level of the axis of rotation of said beater.

Claim 18

An axial combine comprising two axial flow threshing and separating units in parallel side-by-side relation and each having in axial alignment a feed section, a threshing and separating section and a seParating section, said feed sections axially and circumferentially feeding harvested crop material to said respective threshing and separating sections for separation of the grain from the remainder of the crop material and passing the crop material to respective following separating sections for removal of separated grain, said sections having downwardly facing openings at the rear end thereof for discharging the crop material, a discharge beater assembly extending transversely to said units at the rear ends thereof, said assembly having a transverse downwardly and rearwardly sloped feed plate underneath said opening for receiving discharged crop material, a grate receiving the crop material from the plate and a transverse beater sweeping the crop material across the grate for removing any remaining entrained grain and discharging the crop material rearwardly from the combine.

Claim 19

An axial combine comprising two axial flow threshing and separating units in parallel side-by-side relation and each having in axial alignment a feed section, a threshing and separating section and a seParating section, said feed sections axially and circumferentially feeding harvested crop material to said respective threshing and separating sections for separation of the grain from the remainder of the crop material and passing the crop material to respective following separating sections for removal of separated grain, said sections having downwardly facing openings at the rear end thereof for discharging the crop material, a discharge beater assembly extending transversely to said units at the rear ends thereof, said assembly having a transverse downwardly and rearwardly sloped feed plate underneath said opening for receiving discharged crop material, a grate receiving the crop material from the plate and a transverse beater sweeping the crop material across the grate for removing any remaining entrained grain and discharging the crop material rearwardly from the combine.