Rock trap for combines

Claim 2

A rock trap for a combine having a casing, a feeder, and an adjustable concave, with the outlet of said feeder and the front plate of said concave being horizontally spaced from each other, said rock trap comprising a tray structure located between same, means mounted on said concave for supporting the rear end of said tray structure, means for supporting the front end of said tray structure, both of said support means engaging said tray structure to permit transverse sliding movement of said tray structure, said casing including side walls, and a door in one of said side walls adjacent to said tray structure and separate therefrom to provide access to said tray structure to permit the same to be withdrawn in a transverse direction from said support means.

Claim 3

A rock trap as claimed in claim 1 in which said tray support means each comprises an elongate transverse member having a substantially cylindrical tray engaging surface, said tray structure having means providing a front groove and a rear groove engaging the cylindrical surfaces of said support means to accommodate relative angular movement of said tray incident to adjusting movement of said concave.

Claim 4

In a combine having a feeder and a concave with the outlet of said feeder and the front plate of said concave being horizontally spaced from each other, a tray structure located between same, means mounted on said concave for supporting the rear end of said tray structure, means for supporting the front end of said tray structure, both of said support means engaging said tray structure to permit transverse sliding movement of said tray and being adapted for engagement with said tray structure when said tray structure is inverted, the undersurface of the bottom wall of said tray structure constituting a guide plate extending from said feeder outlet to said concave when said tray structure is inverted, the rear end of said guide plate being substantially flush with the front of the upper surface of said concave.

Claim 5

In a combine having a feeder and a concave with the outlet of said feeder and the front plate of said concave being horizontally spaced from each other, a tray structure located between same, means mounted on said concave for supporting the rear end of said tray structure, means for supporting the front end of said tray structure, both of said support means engaging said tray structure to permit transverse sliding movement of said tray and being adapted for engagement with said tray structure when said tray structure is inverted, the undersurface of the bottom wall of said tray structure constituting a guide plate extending from said feeder outlet to said concave when said tray structure is inverted, the rear end of said guide plate being substantially flush with the front of the upper surface of said concave.

Claim 6

The combination as claimed in claim 3 in which said tray structure includes a rear wall and a front wall, said rear tray support means engaging the upper end of said rear wall, and said front tray support means engaging said tray structure near said bottom wall, and said tray structure being reversed from front to back when in inverted position so that said bottom wall in either position is substantially horizontal.

Claim 7

The combination as claimed in claim 4 in which the edge portion of said guide plate extends beyond said rear wall so that when said tray structure is in inverted and reversed position, the front edge portion of said guide plate extends forwardly, a fixed transverse member for mounting said front tray support means, said fixed support mounting member having a substantially horizontal portion located above said front tray support means and located beneath said front edge portion.

Claim 8

The combination as claimed in claim 5 in which said fixed support mounting member is mounted on said feeder.

Claim 9

The combination as claimed in claim 5 in which said combine has a casing enclosing said concave, said feeder being adjustably mounted with respect to said casing, and said fixed support mounting member being mounted in said casing and being structurally independent of said feeder.

Claim 10

The combination as claimed in claim 3 which includes pivot means for supporting the rear end of said concave, cam means for adjusting the angular position of said concave with respect to said pivot means, said front tray support being fixed, and said rear tray support means being located in substantial alignment with a line connecting said front tray support means and said pivot means.

Claim 11

In a combine having a feeder and an adjustably mounted concave with the outlet of said feeder and the front plate of said concave being horizontally spaced from each other, a tray structure located between same, means mounted on said concave for supporting the rear end of said tray structure, means for supporting the front end of said tray structure, both of said support means engaging said tray structure to permit transverse sliding movement of said tray, pivot means for supporting the rear end of said concave, means for adjusting the angular position of said concave with respect to said pivot means, said front tray support being fixed, and said rear tray support means being located in substantial alignment with a line connecting said front tray support means and said pivot means.

Claim 12

In a combine having a feeder and an adjustably mounted concave with the outlet of said feeder and the front plate of said concave being horizontally spaced from each other, a tray structure located between same, means mounted on said concave for supporting the rear end of said tray structure, means for supporting the front end of said tray structure, both of said support means engaging said tray structure to permit transverse sliding movement of said tray, pivot means for supporting the rear end of said concave, means for adjusting the angular position of said concave with respect to said pivot means, said front tray support being fixed, and said rear tray support means being located in substantial alignment with a line connecting said front tray support means and said pivot means.

Claim 13

In a combine having a feeder and an adjustably mounted concave with the outlet of said feeder and the front plate of said concave being horizontally spaced from each other, a tray structure located between same, means mounted on said concave for supporting the rear end of said tray structure, fixed means for supporting the front end of said tray structure, both of said support means engaging said tray structure to permit transverse sliding movement of said tray, pivot means for supporting the rear end of said concave, means for adjusting the angular position of said concave with respect to said pivot means, said front tray support being fixed, and said rear tray support means being located in substantial alignment with a line connecting said front tray support means and said pivot means, both of said support means being adapted for engagement with said tray structure when said tray structure is inverted and reversed, the undersurface of said bottom wall of said tray structure constituting a guide plate extending from said feeder outlet to said concave when said tray structure is inverted and reversed, said tray structure including a rear wall with the bottom wall of said tray structure extending beyond the bottom of said rear wall so that when said tray structure is in inverted and reversed position, the front edge of said guide plate extends forwardly beyond said inverted and reversed rear wall, and a fixed mounting member for said front tray support means, said fixed mounting member having a portion located above said fixed front tray support means and providing an upwardly facing surface substantially perpendicular to a line connecting the midpoint of said surface portion and said fixed front tray support means, said surface portion being located beneath and closely adjacent said front edge and cooperating therewith to prevent development of a gap between said front edge and said fixed mounting member during angular movement of said front edge away from said mounting member and about said fixed front tray support means incident to adjustment of said concave.

Claim 14

In a combine having a feeder and an adjustably mounted concave with the outlet of said feeder and the front plate of said concave being horizontally spaced from each other, a tray structure located between same, means mounted on said concave for supporting the rear end of said tray structure, fixed means for supporting the front end of said tray structure, both of said support means engaging said tray structure to permit transverse sliding movement of said tray, pivot means for supporting the rear end of said concave, means for adjusting the angular position of said concave with respect to said pivot means, said front tray support being fixed, and said rear tray support means being located in substantial alignment with a line connecting said front tray support means and said pivot means, both of said support means being adapted for engagement with said tray structure when said tray structure is inverted and reversed, the undersurface of said bottom wall of said tray structure constituting a guide plate extending from said feeder outlet to said concave when said tray structure is inverted and reversed, said tray structure including a rear wall with the bottom wall of said tray structure extending beyond the bottom of said rear wall so that when said tray structure is in inverted and reversed position, the front edge of said guide plate extends forwardly beyond said inverted and reversed rear wall, and a fixed mounting member for said front tray support means, said fixed mounting member having a portion located above said fixed front tray support means and providing an upwardly facing surface substantially perpendicular to a line connecting the midpoint of said surface portion and said fixed front tray support means, said surface portion being located beneath and closely adjacent said front edge and cooperating therewith to prevent development of a gap between said front edge and said fixed mounting member during angular movement of said front edge away from said mounting member and about said fixed front tray support means incident to adjustment of said concave.

Claim 15

The combination as claimed in claim 1 which includes pivot means for supporting the rear end of said concave, cam means for adjusting the angular position of said concave with respect to said pivot means, said front tray support being fixed, and said rear tray support means being located in substantial alignment with a line connecting said front tray support means and said pivot means.