Ribbon bar configuration for an agricultural implement

Abstract

The invention relates to a rotor (40) for an agricultural implement such as a self-propelled harvester, the rotor comprising one or more tines (80'), the tine comprising a crop engaging portion fixed relative to a rotor surface (82) and a crop engaging portion movable relative to said surface, i.e. at least a part of the movable portion is variable in distance from the rotor surface. One of said crop engaging portions is a primary portion (99) configured to engage with the crop irrespective of its movability, the other is a secondary portion (103) comprising crop engaging features, such as teeth (108) for increasing the traction on the crop, which are activated or deactivated with the change in position of the movable portion, extending radially outwardly from the primary portion or at the same radial position or radially inwardly of the primary portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to agricultural implements, such as self-propelled harvesters for processing crops harvested from the field, and more specifically, to threshing and / or separating systems for such implements. Background Technology

[0002] Agricultural harvesters, historically known as "combination harvesters," are called such because they combine multiple harvesting functions into a single harvesting unit, such as picking, threshing, separating, and cleaning. A combination harvester consists of a harvesting platform that removes the crop from the field and a feeder housing that transports the crop material into the threshing rotor.

[0003] More specifically, the rotary threshing and separating system includes one or more threshing and / or separating rotors that can extend axially (from front to back, also referred to as "axial flow rotors") or laterally within the body of the combine harvester and are partially or completely surrounded by perforated recesses. Crop material is threshed and separated by the rotation of the rotors within the recesses or by the rotation of the rotors relative to the recesses. Coarser non-cereal crop material, such as stalks and leaves, is conveyed to the rear of the combine harvester and then discharged back into the field. The separated grain, along with some finer non-cereal crop material such as husks, dust, straw, and other crop residues, is discharged through the recesses onto a grain pan and then conveyed to a cleaning system. Alternatively, the grain and finer non-cereal crop material may fall directly onto the cleaning system itself.

[0004] Multiple spits are mounted on the surface of the rotor. These spits are designed for threshing and / or separating the crop between the spits and recesses. Specific spit designs have been developed for both axial and lateral rotor configurations. In harvesters including axially arranged rotors, crop material passes through the rotor surface from front to back. To allow the crop material to travel the length of the rotor during rotation, the spits are arranged in a helical pattern, guiding the crop material along the length of the rotor.

[0005] The threshing bar typically has a convex crop-engaging surface with multiple transversely oriented grooves at a non-perpendicular angle to the longitudinal direction of the rotor. The axially arranged threshing and / or separating rotor comprises an upstream threshing section and a downstream separating section. The most intense interaction with the crop occurs in the upstream threshing section, while in the downstream separating section, the crop flow has thinned, and the interaction with the crop is less intense. However, under certain crop conditions or due to specific circumstances related to moisture conditions and / or the type of crop being harvested, the crop layer in the downstream region of the rotor may be denser than average, and higher traction is desired on the crop in this region. In other cases, the interaction between the threshing bar and the crop may consume excessive power due to the excessive impact force exerted on the crop by the multiple threshing bars. In the current configuration, it is not possible to apply higher or lower traction forces exerted on the crop by the threshing bar as needed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned problems. This object is achieved by the rotor and method for agricultural implements as described in the appended claims, and implements such as self-propelled harvesters that include such rotors. The rotor's function is to process a layer of crop between the rotor and a recess in the implement, the recess being a circular and perforated element mounted entirely or partially around the rotor, as is known in the art. The processing of the crop may include threshing the crop and / or separating grains and other smaller crop materials from larger crop material. The rotor may be an axial-flow rotor configured to be mounted along the longitudinal direction of the self-propelled harvester, or a rotor configured to be mounted transversely to the longitudinal direction of the harvester. Therefore, the present invention relates to a rotor comprising one or more riveted bars, each riveted bar including a crop engagement portion fixed relative to a rotor surface and a crop engagement portion movable relative to said surface, i.e., at least a portion of the movable portion being at a variable distance from the rotor surface. One of the crop-engaging parts is a primary part configured to engage with the crop regardless of its movable nature, and the other is a secondary part comprising a crop-engaging feature structure whose crop-engaging function is fully or partially activated or fully deactivated as the position of the movable part changes, extending radially outward from the primary part or located at the same radial position or radially inward of the primary part. The phrase "extending radially outward from the primary part" above can encompass a range of radial positions of the crop-engaging feature structure relative to the primary part. Within this range, the degree of outward extension of the feature structure varies with the position of the movable part. The phrase "fully or partially activated" refers to the distinction between a feature structure extending fully outward from the primary part, as determined by, for example, a stop mechanism, and a feature structure extending partially outward, for example, pushed inward from its maximum outward position by a dense crop pad between the rotor and the recess.

[0007] One embodiment includes a rib with a pivotable rib body as a primary portion having a convex crop-engaging surface, and wherein a secondary portion is fixed and includes crop-engaging features in the form of teeth, points, fangs, or similar shapes, which extend radially outward from the rib body when the rib body is in a first angular position, for example, extending through a slit in the rib body, and are in the same radial position or inside the rib body when the rib body is in a second angular position.

[0008] The movable part can move between extreme positions defined by the stop mechanism. Apart from the centrifugal force generated by the rotor rotation, the movable part can be unaffected by other forces. In this case, the movable part can be actuated against the centrifugal force by a given crop layer density, thereby enabling the crop-attachment feature structure of the primary section in a self-adjusting manner. According to other embodiments, the movable part can be actively actuated by an actuation mechanism. According to other embodiments, the movable part is fixed during rotor operation but can be adjusted by moving the movable part and re-fixing it in another position.

[0009] The movable part can move radially inward on the rotor surface.

[0010] This invention enables the adjustment of the crop-engaging characteristics exhibited by the threshing bar in response to changes in crop conditions and / or the conditions of the rotor itself. According to different embodiments, the adjustment can be performed during the operation of the threshing rotor in a self-regulating or actively controlled manner, or between subsequent rotor operations. Thus, this invention represents a solution to the problems highlighted in the introduction. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 The combine harvester and its main components are shown.

[0012] Figure 2 A threshing and separating rotor configured for mounting in the axial direction of a combine harvester is shown, including a sprue configuration known in the prior art.

[0013] Figure 3 and Figure 4 A pattern bar according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, including a pivotable pattern bar body located in a first position.

[0014] Figure 5 and Figure 6 It shows Figure 3 and Figure 4 The patterned rod, wherein the main body of the patterned rod is located in the second position.

[0015] Figure 7 An alternative embodiment of the ribbed bar according to the invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This detailed description does not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the appended claims.

[0017] refer to Figure 1 The image shows an agricultural harvester in the form of a combine harvester 10, which typically includes a chassis 12, ground wheels 14 and 16, a harvesting platform 18, a feeder housing 20, an operator's cab 22, a threshing and separating system 24, a cleaning system 26, a grain bin 28, and an unloading conveyor 30.

[0018] The front wheel 14 is a larger floating wheel, and the rear wheel 16 is a smaller steerable wheel. Power is selectively applied to the front wheel 14 via a power source in the form of a diesel engine 32 and a transmission (not shown). Although the combine harvester 10 is shown as including wheels, it should be understood that the combine harvester 10 may include tracks, such as full tracks or half tracks.

[0019] The harvester 18 is mounted at the front of the combine harvester 10 and includes a cutter bar 34 for cutting the crop from the field during the forward movement of the combine harvester 10. A rotatable spool 36 feeds the crop into the harvester 18, and a twin-helix conveyor 38 feeds the cut crop laterally inward toward the feeder housing 20 from each side. The feeder housing 20 conveys the cut crop to the threshing and separating system 24 and can be selectively moved vertically using a suitable actuator, such as a hydraulic cylinder (not shown).

[0020] The threshing and separating system 24 is axial-flow type and typically includes a rotor 40 that is at least partially surrounded by and rotatable within corresponding perforated recesses 42. The rotation of the rotor 40 within the recesses 42 threshes and separates the cut crop, and larger components, such as stems and leaves, are discharged from the rear of the combine harvester 10. Smaller components of crop material, including grains and non-grain crops, including particles lighter than grains such as chaff, dust, and straw, are discharged through the perforations in the recesses 42.

[0021] The grain separated by the threshing and separating component 24 falls onto the grain tray 44 and is conveyed to the cleaning system 26, which may include an optional pre-cleaning sieve 46, an upper sieve 48 (also called a bran sieve), a lower sieve 50 (also called a cleaning sieve), and a cleaning fan 52. The grain on the sieves 46, 48, and 50 undergoes a cleaning action performed by the fan 52, which provides airflow through the sieves, removing chaff and other impurities, such as dust, from the grain by spreading the material in the air to exit through the straw hood 54. The grain tray 44 and the pre-cleaning sieve 46 oscillate back and forth, conveying the grain and finer non-grain crop material to the upper surface of the upper sieve 48. The upper sieve 48 and the lower sieve 50 are arranged vertically relative to each other and also oscillate back and forth to distribute the grain on the sieves 48 and 50, while allowing the cleaned grain to pass through the openings of the sieves 48 and 50 by gravity.

[0022] The cleaned grain falls into a cleaning grain screw conveyor 56, which is positioned crosswise in front of the lower screen 50. The cleaning grain screw conveyor 56 receives the cleaned grain from each screen 48, 50 and the bottom plate 58 of the cleaning system 26. The cleaning grain screw conveyor 56 laterally conveys the cleaned grain to a generally vertically arranged grain elevator 60 for delivery to the grain bin 28. Tail material from the cleaning system 26 falls into a tail material screw chute 62. The tail material is conveyed via a tail material screw conveyor 64 and a return screw conveyor 66 to the upstream end of the cleaning system 26 for repeated cleaning. A cross screw conveyor 68 located at the bottom of the grain bin 28 laterally conveys the cleaned grain within the grain bin 28 to an unloading screw conveyor 30 for discharge from the combine harvester 10.

[0023] Typical axial flow rotors known in the art, such as 40 Figure 2 As shown, a plurality of ribs 80 are connected to the outer surface 82 of the rotor 40. It can be seen that the rotor 40 may include a transition region 84, the diameter of which gradually increases from the longitudinal end 86 of the rotor 40 to the outer surface 82 of the rotor 40, with the ribs 80 mounted on the outer surface of the rotor. It can be seen that the rotor 40 can be mounted on a support shaft 88 at the longitudinal end 86 of the rotor 40 to support the rotor 40 when rotating about its central axis of rotation 89. As is known, a transition screw conveyor 90 can also be connected to the rotor 40 adjacent to the transition region 84. The direction of rotation of the rotor 40 about the central axis 89 is... Figure 2 Arrows are used to indicate this.

[0024] like Figure 2 As shown, the ribs 80 are distributed in a spiral pattern, and each rib 80 has a raised and recessed crop engagement surface, i.e., a surface that interacts with the crop supplied to the space between the rotor 40 and the recess 42. Figure 2(Not shown in the figure). The threshing bar 80 applies threshing action to the crop in the first section of the rotor immediately downstream of the transition screw conveyor 90. As can be seen from the figure, the threshing bars 80 are placed close together in this threshing section due to the high density of the crop layer and the need for a high-impact threshing interaction. Further downstream is the separation section of the rotor 40, which has fewer and more widely spaced threshing bars due to the reduced density of the crop layer. Its main function is to further separate the grain and smaller chaff from the larger stalks, which are guided towards the end of the rotor by the helical pattern of the threshing bars 80. The threshing bar 80 has two sidewalls 91 and 92. The first sidewall 91 is oriented substantially perpendicular to the central axis 89 of the rotor, while the second sidewall 92 is inclined relative to the central axis 89. The inclination angle of the inclined sidewall 92 is designed to guide the crop along the helical path from the inlet section to the outlet section of the rotor 40. Figure 2 In the prior art configuration shown, the threaded bar 80 is typically fixed to the rotor surface 82 by bolts.

[0025] Figure 3 and Figure 4 A pattern bar 80' according to an embodiment of the invention is shown. The convex surface 95, provided with two substantially parallel grooves 96, is similar to prior art pattern bars, except that the orientation of the grooves is now perpendicular to the central axis of the rotor (however, this orientation is not a limiting feature of the invention and will be explained in more detail later). The first sidewall 91 perpendicular to the central axis of the rotor and the inclined sidewall 92 are also similar to prior art pattern bars. However, in this case, the pattern bar body 99, i.e., the portion of the pattern bar having the convex and grooved surfaces 95 and the two sidewalls 91 and 92, is pivotally mounted relative to the outer surface 82 of the rotor.

[0026] from Figure 4 As can be seen in the cross-sectional view, the riveting bar 80' is an assembly of different parts, which will be described in detail below. A platform-shaped support 100, having inclined sidewalls 101 and a horizontal upper portion 102, is welded to the rotor surface 82. This support can be similar to supports used for existing riveting bars, which are fixedly attached to these supports by bolts passing through the horizontal upper portion 102 of the support. However, the shape of the support 100 can differ from that shown in the figure, as long as it fulfills the function of the support described below.

[0027] In the illustrated embodiment, the non-pivotable crop engagement portion 103 is bolted to the horizontal upper portion 102 of the support 100 by bolts 104 screwed into nuts 105 that may be integral with the support 100. The non-pivotable portion 103 also includes an inclined front portion 106 that rests against one of the inclined walls 101 of the support 100. Additional bolted connections (not shown) may pass through the inclined wall 101 and through the front portion 106.

[0028] Near the base of the inclined wall 101, the inclined front portion 106 includes an opening into which a pin 107 is inserted. The orientation of the pin 107 is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rotor. The shank body 99 is pivotally connected to the pin 107 via suitable pivot connections on both sides of the pin 107, allowing the shank body 99 to pivot about a pivot axis substantially parallel to the central axis 89 of the rotor. The pivoting motion allows the shank body 99 to move upward or downward relative to the rotor surface 82, i.e., the shank body 99 moves closer to or further away from the rotor surface 82 depending on its angular position about the pivot pin 107.

[0029] In the illustrated embodiment, a protective cover bracket 98 is bolted to the rotor surface 82 and covers the non-pivotable portion 103 and the front end of the pivotable riveting body 99 near the pivot pin 107. Thus, the cover bracket 98 protects the pivot pin 107 from dust and crop particles (which could otherwise impede pivoting movement) and extends the crop-engaged bevel of the riveting body 99 to the rotor surface 82. However, such a cover bracket 98 is an optional feature of the invention.

[0030] The non-pivotable portion 103 further includes a tooth 108 that engages with a slit 109 disposed in the shank body 99, such that when the convex surface 95 of the shank body 99 is in a pivoting position... Figure 3 and Figure 4 In the position shown, the tooth 108 protrudes radially outward from the convex surface 95 of the shank body 99 (viewed from the central rotation axis 89 of the rotor). However, as Figure 5 and 6 As shown, when the tread bar body 99 pivots upward, the teeth 108 no longer protrude outward from the tread bar body 99. In this particular embodiment, the teeth have a planar front wall 115, a curved rear wall 116, and parallel side walls 117 that engage between the parallel walls of the slit 109. The front wall 115 of the teeth 108 is a crop-engaging surface, configured to... Figure 3 and Figure 4 When the bar is in the fully downward position, the traction force exhibited by the bar 80' as a whole is increased. When the bar body 99 pivots upward relative to the tooth 108, the traction force applied by the tooth 108 is reduced.

[0031] When the thread bar body is 99 Figure 5 and Figure 6 At the maximum upward position shown, the end of tooth 108 is essentially in the same radial position as the crop engagement surface 95 of the tread bar body 99, and the crop engagement function of tooth 108 is therefore completely disabled.

[0032] exist Figures 3 to 6 In the illustrated embodiment, the assembly of support 100 and non-pivotable portion 103 forms the "fixed crop joint portion" of the shank as mentioned in the appended claims. However, the structural details of the illustrated embodiment do not limit the scope of the invention. In alternative embodiments, the fixed crop joint portion may be a single component welded to the rotor surface, the shape of which is similar to the assembly of portions 100 and 103 in the illustrated embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, the stop mechanism restricts the angular displacement of the shank body 99 within a range between the two extremes shown in the figure. Figure 6 As shown, the mechanism includes a curved groove 118 disposed in the sidewall of the tooth 108 and configured to receive a sliding pin (not shown) inserted through an opening 119 provided through the inner lip 120 of the shank body 99. A matching opening 121 is provided on one sidewall 91 of the shank body 99 to allow the sliding pin to be inserted. The opening 119 is preferably threaded to secure the sliding pin. Thus, the stop mechanism limits the angular displacement of the shank body 99 to... Figure 3 and Figure 5 The range between the positions shown in the figures. However, the invention is not limited to the specific stop mechanism shown in the figures. In another embodiment, the shank body 99 may also move radially inward on the rotor surface.

[0033] According to different embodiments of the invention, the pivoting motion of the rib body 99 can be actuated in different ways. In the illustrated embodiment, there is no active actuation device; therefore, the rib body 99 pivots upward by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotor 40 about its central axis 89. When no significant reaction force is applied to the rib body 99, the rib body is held in its maximum upward position by the stop mechanism, i.e., the teeth 108 do not protrude outward from the rib body 99 and are thus deactivated. Only a significantly high reaction force exerted by the crop advancing between the rotor 40 and the recess 42 can resist the centrifugal force and push the rib body 99 down, allowing the crop engagement function of the teeth 108 to be activated in a self-adjusting manner. Although the rib according to the invention can be placed anywhere on the rotor surface, it is particularly advantageous to place the self-adjusting pivotable rib 80' in the separation region of the axial-flow rotor 40, i.e., in the downstream portion of the rotor. In this region, only when the advancing crop layer is denser than normal is it necessary to increase the traction force on the crop. The thickness of the crop layer is limited by the spacing between the rotor surface and the recess, but the crop density increases with the amount of crop pressed into the spacing. When this increased crop density occurs above a given level, the crop pad is able to resist centrifugal force and push the tread bar body downwards, thereby activating the teeth 108 and the required increased traction.

[0034] According to other embodiments of the invention, additional force is applied to the rib body 99 to actively actuate pivoting motion or influence the threshold at which the crop resists centrifugal force pushing the rib body 99 downward. The latter can be achieved by installing a spring between the non-pivotable portion 103 of the rib and the rib body 99. For example, the spring can be configured to pull the rib body 99 toward its downward position when the rotor 40 is not rotating. In other words, centrifugal force counteracts spring force. The spring can be designed so that even when the crop density is normal or low, the centrifugal force still resists the spring force and pulls the rib toward its maximum upward position. However, the required reaction force exerted by the crop to activate the teeth 108 is smaller compared to the case without a spring. This allows the rib to be designed so that the teeth are activated at a specific crop density. Different spring tensions can be applied at different locations along the rotor, and the spring can be replaced to adapt the rotor to a specific crop type or condition. The spring can be a mechanical spring, a hydraulic spring, or any other suitable elastic device with the desired spring effect.

[0035] According to other embodiments, the pivoting movement of the bar body 99 is actively controlled by an actuation mechanism. This may include, for example, an electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic actuator mounted within the rotor 40 and operatively coupled to the pivotable bar body 99 of a plurality of bars 80'. The actuation mechanism is configured to move the pivotable bar body 99 and hold it in a desired position. Active control can enable or disable the teeth 108 based on factors such as crop type, crop density, or other crop conditions. The position of the bar body 99 can be manually controlled by the harvester operator via a user interface in the operator's compartment, which can set the position of the bar body 99 to a desired value, or the position of the bar body 99 can be automatically controlled based on a control algorithm executed by an electronic control unit that receives input from several sensors, such as one or more moisture sensors measuring crop moisture, or load sensors measuring the load applied to the axis of rotation 89 of the rotor or the surface 82 of the rotor 40.

[0036] Therefore, the present invention also relates to a method for controlling the position of a movable portion of a rib on a rotor according to an embodiment of the invention described above, the rotor comprising one or more ribs having a stationary portion and an actively controllable movable portion. Generally, the method includes detecting or measuring operating conditions of the crop being processed using a rotor conforming to the embodiments described and / or operating conditions of the rotor itself. Based on the detected or measured conditions, an optimal position of one or more of the movable and actively controllable rib portions is determined, the optimal position being set by an actuation mechanism coupled to the movable portion. These actions can be performed by a suitably programmed control unit capable of receiving input signals from one or more sensors and sending control signals to an actuator configured to set the position of the movable rib portion. Any suitable operating parameter can be used as input to the method. According to a preferred embodiment, this parameter can be one or more of the following: crop moisture measured by one or more moisture sensors known in the art; grain loss measured by a grain loss sensor known in the art (i.e., a sensor that measures the amount of grain the rotor failed to separate from the harvested crop); and power consumption associated with driving the rotor, such as power consumption measured via one or more load sensors on the rotor or rotor shaft.

[0037] The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings in terms of the appearance and function of the movable and stationary parts of the treadle. For example, according to one embodiment, the treadle body 99 and the teeth 108 have a similar appearance as shown in the figures, but now the treadle body 99 is non-pivotable, while the portion 103 including the teeth 108 can pivot freely between stop positions relative to the non-pivotable treadle body 99, or a spring is installed between them, or a mechanism is provided for actively positioning the tooth portion 103 in a desired position. In such embodiments, it may be advantageous to provide: the treadle body 99, which in Figure 3 The device is fixed to the support 100 in the indicated position; and a pivotable tooth 108, which is concealed below or flush with the rib body 99, or pivots upward through a slit in the rib body 99 to protrude outward from the convex surface 95 of the rib body, thereby enabling engagement with the crop. In such an embodiment, it is preferable to provide active actuation of the pivotable tooth 108 so that it can be pushed outward when the density of the crop is higher than average.

[0038] Another alternative is as follows Figure 7 As shown, the figure illustrates a top view of a threshing bar 80' with a pivotable threshing bar body 99 and non-pivotable teeth 108, but now the pivot axis 125 of the threshing bar body is perpendicular to the inclined sidewall 92 of the threshing bar body 99. The grooves 96 and teeth 108 are now substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis 125 and therefore inclined relative to the longitudinal direction of the rotor, as shown by line 126. This inclined position of the grooves 96 is actually a more common orientation for these grooves in prior art threshing rotors, such as... Figure 2 The orientation shown. In Figure 3 and Figure 4 In one embodiment, the groove 96 is oriented perpendicular to the central axis of the pivot pin 107, but may also be inclined relative to the central axis. However, the orientation of these grooves 96, or even whether such grooves 96 are provided on the shank body 99, is not important within the scope of this invention.

[0039] exist Figure 7 In some embodiments, the tooth 108 is positioned on the side of the shank body 99, meaning it does not protrude through the slits of the shank body. This lateral placement of the tooth 108 can also be applied to embodiments where the shank body 99 or the tooth itself can pivot about an axis parallel to the rotor's central axis (e.g., Figure 3 and 4 (As shown). Additionally, Figure 7 The embodiment can also be implemented as having slits with sidewalls on both sides of the tooth 108, instead of the tooth 108 being placed laterally.

[0040] In general, the present invention relates to a treadle comprising primary and secondary crop engagement portions, wherein one of the portions is movable and the other is fixed relative to a rotor surface, wherein the crop engagement function of the secondary portion is eliminated or reduced as the position of the movable portion changes. The precise shapes of these portions may vary depending on the embodiment. The primary portion, such as the treadle body 99, may have a shape similar to existing treadles, such as the convex groove shape shown in the figures, or any other shape of the element that engages with the crop when the crop enters the space between the rotor surface and the recess. In other words, the primary portion engages with the crop regardless of whether it is movable or not. The secondary portion, such as portion 103 including teeth 108, engages with the crop only when the movable portion is in a specific position.

[0041] Therefore, it is obvious that other variations of the invention can be readily conceived by those skilled in the art. For example, the shape of the teeth may differ, being narrower or wider than the illustrated embodiment, or positioned differently relative to the shank body. A more general definition of a crop-engaging feature structure like tooth 108 is that it is an extension that, viewed from the direction of the rotor's central axis 89, is narrower than the crop-engaging surface 95 of the shank body 99. Instead of tooth 108 shown in the figures, the crop-engaging feature structure may have a circular shape, such as a pointed tip or sharp teeth.

[0042] The invention is not limited to embodiments involving pivotable movable joint portions. According to other embodiments, one of the crop joint portions of the shank can be moved by translation rather than rotation. For example, a movable tooth can be coupled to an actuator within the rotor 40 that pushes the tooth outward as a whole or pulls the tooth inward relative to the stationary shank body.

[0043] According to an embodiment of the invention, the movable part can be movable only when the rotor is not in operation, for example, by providing a positioning bolt that can change the position of the movable part and fix it in a desired position. In this way, the crop engagement action of the secondary crop engagement part, such as the part including the teeth 108, can be set and fixed according to a given crop type or harvesting conditions.

[0044] This invention is not limited to axial-flow rotors. The grooved bar according to the invention can also be applied to rotors configured to be mounted transversely to the longitudinal direction of the harvester.

[0045] The rotor of the present invention can be a combined threshing and separating rotor as described above. The rotor of the present invention can also be a rotor configured only for threshing or a rotor configured only for separating.

[0046] The present invention is also related to any type of harvester equipped with a rotor according to the invention having one or more grooved rods.

Claims

1. A rotor for an agricultural implement for processing harvested crops, the rotor being configured to rotate about a central longitudinal axis (89) and comprising a cylindrical rotor surface (82) and a plurality of grooved bars mounted on the rotor surface for processing a layer of crops between the rotor and a recess (42) of the agricultural implement. Its features are, At least one of the ribs (80') includes a primary crop junction (99) and a secondary crop junction (103), wherein: One of the crop joint portions is fixed relative to the rotor surface (82). Another crop engagement portion is movable relative to the rotor surface (82) and relative to the stationary crop engagement portion, such that the distance between at least a portion of the movable crop engagement portion and the rotor surface (82) is variable. The secondary crop joining portion (103) includes a crop joining feature structure (108) that, depending on the position of the movable joining portion, extends radially outward from the primary crop joining portion (99) or is located at the same radial position or radially inward of the primary crop joining portion (99), such that the crop joining function of the crop joining feature structure (108) of the secondary crop joining portion (103) is fully or partially enabled or fully disabled as the position of the movable joining portion changes. The rotor is configured to be positioned along the axial direction of an agricultural harvester, the rotor including an upstream threshing section and a downstream separating section, wherein the downstream separating section includes one or more of the plurality of twigs (80'), the one or more twigs including the stationary crop engagement portion and the movable crop engagement portion.

2. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein the primary crop joining portion (99) is a rib body having a convex crop joining surface (95), and wherein the crop joining feature structure (108) of the secondary crop joining portion (103) is an extension that is narrower than the convex crop joining surface (95) of the rib body when viewed in the direction of the central longitudinal axis (89) of the rotor.

3. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein the crop engagement feature structure (108) of the secondary crop engagement portion (103) is a tooth configured to increase the traction force applied by the tread bar (80') on the crop moving between the rotor (40) and the recess (42) rotating about the central longitudinal axis (89) of the rotor as the tooth extends radially outward from the primary crop engagement portion (99).

4. The rotor according to claim 2, wherein the extension includes a crop-joining front wall (115) that is oriented substantially perpendicular to the convex crop-joining surface (95) of the tread bar body as the extension extends radially outward from the tread bar body.

5. The rotor according to claim 2, wherein the sprue body includes a slit (109) having parallel sidewalls, and wherein the extension also has parallel sidewalls (117) to fit between the sidewalls of the slit (109).

6. The rotor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the movable engagement portion is pivotable relative to the rotor surface (82).

7. The rotor according to claim 6, wherein the movable engagement portion is capable of pivoting about a pivot axis that is substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis (89) of the rotor.

8. The rotor according to claim 6, wherein the primary crop engagement portion (99) is a bar body having a convex crop engagement surface (95) located between a first sidewall (91) and a second sidewall (92) of the bar body, the first sidewall (91) being substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis (89) of the rotor, the second sidewall (92) being inclined relative to the central longitudinal axis (89), and wherein the movable crop engagement portion is pivotable about an axis (126) substantially perpendicular to the inclined second sidewall (92).

9. The rotor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a spring between the stationary crop engagement portion and the movable crop engagement portion.

10. The rotor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein one or more of the grooved rods (80') of the stationary crop joint and the movable crop joint are self-adjusting in the following sense: The movable joint is pushed outward by the centrifugal force generated by the rotor rotating around its central longitudinal axis (89). When the density of the crop exceeds a given limit, the movable joint portion is pushed inward by the crop layer present between the rotor and the recess. The crop-connecting feature structure (108) of the secondary crop-connecting part (103) is activated by the inward movement of the crop-actuated part.

11. The rotor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising an actuator mechanism configured to actuate the movable member engagement relative to the stationary member engagement.

12. A method for treating crops using a rotor according to claim 11, wherein when the rotor is installed in an agricultural implement, the method comprises the following steps: Detect or measure the operating conditions of the crop and / or rotor. Based on detected or measured operating conditions, determine the optimal position of one or more movable engagement portions in the threaded rod. The movable engagement portion of the textured rod is positioned in the optimal location.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the operating conditions are one or more of the following: crop moisture, grain loss, and load on the rotor.

14. An agricultural implement comprising a rotor according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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