Agricultural combine with internal cob de-husking apparatus and system
View Patent ↗The combine includes internal apparatus incorporated into a system for threshing corn kernels from cobs, positively de-husking the cobs, cleaning other crop residue or material from the kernels, and direct the cleaned kernels and de-husked cobs to desired locations. The de-husking apparatus can include a modified type of husking bed, and is disposed for receiving a flow of grain, cobs and other residue from threshing apparatus of the combine, and positively grasping and pulling the remaining husks from the cobs and downwardly through the husking bed for disposal such as by discharge from the combine onto a field, with or separately from the other residue.
1. An agricultural combine, comprising:
a housing having an internal chamber containing a threshing system including a concave and a rotary beater, the threshing system configured and operable for threshing kernels of corn from cobs, discharging a flow of the kernels downwardly within the chamber, and discharging a flow of the cobs along a path within the chamber, wherein at least some of the discharged cobs include husks attached thereto;
de-husking apparatus comprising a generally horizontally disposed array of husking rolls, each husking roll extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the combine, each husking roll disposed at least partially below the concave and the rotary beater and extending a substantial distance therefrom, such that the husking rolls are disposed in a position in the path for receiving at least a substantial portion of the flow of cobs including the husks attached thereto, each of the husking rolls bounding a husking roll gap smaller than the cobs connecting with a region below the array, the husking rolls being supported for rotation about an axis therethrough and connected to drive apparatus configured for drivingly rotating the husking rolls about the axes, respectively, the husking rolls including husking elements thereon configured such that when the husking rolls are rotated by the drive apparatus, the elements will grasp and detach the husks from the cobs and drive the detached husks through the husking roll gaps into the region below the array, the husking rolls configured such that the rotation thereof will move the cobs along the de-husking apparatus toward one end thereof, and wherein the husking rolls each have a shaft positioned therethrough which supports each roll for rotation about the axis, the shaft connected to at least a portion of the drive apparatus, and wherein each husking roll terminates at an end thereof along its respective shaft and a distance from the portion of the drive apparatus such that large gaps are formed between ends of the rolls, shafts, and the drive apparatus so that the cobs conveyed along the husking rolls fall through the large gaps; and
a cleaning system including at least one sieve disposed within the chamber below the threshing system and the de-husking apparatus in a position for receiving at least a portion of the flow of the kernels and separating the kernels from crop residue mixed therewith larger than the kernels.
2. The combine of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the at least one sieve is disposed in the region below the array in position for receiving the detached husks.
3. The combine of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the cleaning system is disposed below the one end of the de-husking apparatus and configured for carrying the cobs to a collection apparatus.
4. The combine of claim 3 , wherein the portion of the cleaning system is configured to include a sieve section having openings therethrough sufficiently small to prevent passage of the cobs therethrough but sufficiently large for passage of elements of corn residue smaller than the cobs therethrough, and the sieve section being configured and operable to move in a manner for carrying the cobs thereon to the collection apparatus.
5. The combine of claim 4 , wherein the collection apparatus comprises a conveyor.
6. The combine of claim 1 , wherein the threshing system includes at least one grate disposed above the de-husking apparatus and having openings therethrough sufficiently large for passage of the cobs therethrough.
7. The combine of claim 1 , wherein the threshing system is configured and operable for discharging the flow of the cobs mixed with other corn residue directly onto the de-husking apparatus.
8. The combine of claim 7 , wherein the threshing system includes a powered device configured and operable for positively directing the flow of the cobs and the other corn residue onto the de-husking apparatus.
9. An agricultural combine for harvesting corn kernels from cobs, de-husking the cobs, and separating the de-husked cobs and the corn, comprising:
a housing having an internal chamber configured for receiving a flow of ears of corn; and
a system disposed within the internal chamber, including:
threshing apparatus configured and operable receiving the flow of ears of corn and threshing the kernels of the corn from the cobs of the ears, discharging a flow of the kernels downwardly within the chamber separately of the cobs, and discharging a flow of the cobs along a path within the chamber, wherein at least some of the discharged cobs have husks attached thereto;
cleaning apparatus disposed below the threshing apparatus in position for receiving the flow of the kernels and including at least one generally horizontal platform configured and operable for cleaning crop residue from the kernels; and
de-husking apparatus disposed for receiving at least the flow of the cobs having the husks attached thereto, comprising a side-by side array of husking rolls, each of the husking rolls bounding a husking gap smaller than the cobs connecting with a region below the array, the husking rolls being supported for rotation about an axis therethrough and connected to drive apparatus configured for drivingly rotating the husking rolls about the axes, respectively, the husking rolls including husking elements thereon configured such that when the husking rolls are rotated by the drive apparatus, the elements will grasp and detach the husks from the cobs and drive the detached husks through the husking gaps into the region below the array, the husking rolls configured such that the rotation thereof will move the cobs along the de-husking apparatus toward one end thereof, and wherein the husking rolls each have a shaft positioned therethrough which supports each roll for rotation about the axis, the shaft connected to at least a portion of the drive apparatus, and wherein each husking roll terminates at an end thereof along its respective shaft and a distance from the drive apparatus such that large gaps are formed between ends of the rolls, drive shafts, and the drive apparatus so that the cobs conveyed along the husking rolls fall through the large gaps.
10. The combine of claim 9 , wherein a portion of the platform of the cleaning apparatus is disposed in the region below the array in position for receiving the detached husks.
11. The combine of claim 9 , wherein each husking roll extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the combine.
12. The combine of claim 9 , wherein each husking roll is disposed at least partially below a concave and a rotary beater and extends a substantial distance therefrom.
13. The combine of claim 9 , wherein a portion of the platform of the cleaning apparatus is disposed below the one end of the de-husking apparatus and configured for carrying the cobs to a collection apparatus.
14. The combine of claim 13 , wherein the portion of the platform is configured to include a sieve section having openings therethrough sufficiently small to prevent passage of the cobs therethrough but sufficiently large for passage of elements of corn residue smaller than the cobs therethrough, and the sieve section being configured and operable to move in a manner for carrying the cobs thereon to the collection apparatus.
15. The combine of claim 14 , wherein the collection apparatus comprises a conveyor.
16. The combine of claim 9 , wherein the threshing apparatus includes at least one grate disposed above the de-husking apparatus and having openings therethrough sufficiently large for passage of the cobs therethrough.
17. The combine of claim 9 , wherein the threshing apparatus is configured and operable for discharging the flow of the cobs mixed with other corn residue directly onto the de-husking apparatus.
18. The combine of claim 17 , wherein the threshing apparatus includes a powered device configured and operable for positively directing the flow of the cobs and the other corn residue onto the de-husking apparatus.
19. An agricultural combine for harvesting corn kernels from cobs, de-husking the cobs, and separating the de-husked cobs and the corn, comprising:
a housing having an internal chamber configured for receiving a flow of ears of corn; and
a system disposed within the internal chamber, including:
threshing apparatus configured and operable receiving the flow of ears of corn and threshing the kernels of the corn from the cobs of the ears, discharging a flow of the kernels downwardly within the chamber separately of the cobs, and discharging a flow of the cobs onto a downwardly extending ramp within the chamber, wherein at least some of the discharged cobs have husks attached thereto;
cleaning apparatus including a platform structure having a portion disposed beneath the threshing apparatus for receiving the flow of the kernels and configured and operable for cleaning crop residue from the kernels; and
de-husking apparatus disposed adjacent to a discharge end of the ramp of the threshing apparatus for receiving the flow of the cobs, comprising a side-by side array of husking rolls, each of the husking rolls bounding a husking gap smaller than the cobs connecting with a region below the array, the husking rolls being supported for rotation about an axis therethrough and connected to drive apparatus configured for drivingly rotating the husking rolls about the axes, respectively, the husking rolls including husking elements thereon configured such that when the husking rolls are rotated by the drive apparatus, the elements will grasp and detach the husks from the cobs and drive the detached husks through the husking gaps into the region below the array, the husking rolls configured such that the rotation thereof will move the cobs along the de-husking apparatus toward one end thereof, and wherein the husking rolls each have a shaft positioned therethrough which supports each roll for rotation about the axis, the shaft connected to at least a portion of the drive apparatus, and wherein each husking roll terminates at an end thereof along its respective shaft and a distance from the portion of the drive apparatus such that large gaps are formed between ends of the rolls, shafts, and the drive apparatus so that the cobs conveyed along the husking rolls fall through the large gaps.
20. The combine of claim 19 , wherein the downwardly extending ramp comprises a grate.
21. The combine of claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of the de-husking apparatus is disposed beneath the threshing apparatus for receiving a portion of the kernels therefrom, and is configured for transferring the kernels to the cleaning apparatus.