Agricultural harvester concave clamping system
An agricultural harvester including a chassis and a threshing and separating section for threshing and separating grain from gathered crop material. The threshing and separating section is carried by the chassis. The threshing and separating section includes at least one concave having a hooking feature, at least one sliding support, and a frame assembly for carrying and coupling the at least one concave thereto. The frame assembly includes a support bar allowing the hooking feature of the at least one concave to hook over the support bar to support one side of the at least one concave. Another side of the at least one concave is coupled to the frame assembly. The at least one sliding support supports the at least one concave as the at least one concave is moved toward or away from the support bar.
1. An agricultural harvester, comprising:
a chassis; and
a threshing and separating section for threshing and separating grain from gathered crop material, the threshing and separating section being carried by the chassis, the threshing and separating section comprising:
at least one concave comprising a hooking feature;
at least one sliding support; and
a frame assembly for carrying and coupling the at least one concave thereto, the frame assembly comprising a support bar allowing the hooking feature of the at least one concave to hook over the support bar to support one side of the at least one concave, another side of the at least one concave being coupled to the frame assembly, the at least one sliding support configured for supporting the at least one concave as the at least one concave is moved toward or away from the support bar in a direction that is generally normal to an axial direction of the threshing and separating section.
2. The agricultural harvester of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sliding support is affixed to the frame assembly, the at least one sliding support configured for supporting a bottom of the at least one concave as the at least one concave is inserted into the frame assembly to allow the at least one concave to slide and be pivoted on the at least one sliding support, thereby allowing the hooking feature of the at least one concave to engage the support bar.
3. The agricultural harvester of claim 2 , wherein the at least one concave is not in contact with the at least one sliding support once the other side of the at least one concave is coupled to the frame assembly.
4. The agricultural harvester of claim 2 , wherein the frame assembly further comprises a slotted support member to which the other side of the at least one concave is configured to be loosely coupled.
5. The agricultural harvester of claim 4 , wherein the at least one concave and the frame assembly are configured for the at least one concave to be axially slid along the frame assembly so that the at least one concave moves along the support bar and the slotted support member.
6. The agricultural harvester of claim 5 , wherein the at least one concave is a plurality of concaves, wherein another of the plurality of concaves is configured to be inserted into the frame assembly after the concave has been slid axially.
7. The agricultural harvester of claim 4 , wherein a fastener is coupled to the concave in the slotted support member so that the fastener may be slid along with the concave.
8. The agricultural harvester of claim 4 , wherein the slotted support member comprises a slot that has a length that is approximately one half of an axial length of the frame assembly, the slot configured for accommodating the sliding of a fastener.
9. The agricultural harvester of claim 2 , wherein the frame assembly further comprises an inner support that is coupled to the sliding support and the support bar.
10. The agricultural harvester of claim 9 , wherein the inner support is spaced downwardly to allow the concave to be slid thereover.
11. A method of loading the at least one concave into the frame assembly of the agricultural harvester of claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of:
sliding the at least one concave over the at least one sliding support in a direction generally normal to an axial direction of the threshing and separating section;
hooking the hooking feature of the at least one concave onto the support bar;
lifting the at least one concave off of the at least one sliding support; and
coupling the at least one concave to the frame assembly.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the frame assembly further comprises a slotted support member, the method further comprising the step of sliding the at least one concave in the axial direction after the coupling step, wherein the step of coupling comprises coupling the at least one concave to the slotted support member.
13. An agricultural harvester, comprising:
a chassis; and
a threshing and separating section for threshing and separating grain from gathered crop material, the threshing and separating section being carried by the chassis, the threshing and separating section comprising:
a concave comprising a hooking feature;
a sliding support; and
a frame assembly for carrying and coupling the concave thereto, the frame assembly comprising a support bar allowing the hooking feature of the concave to hook over the support bar to support one side of the concave, another side of the concave being coupled to the frame assembly, the sliding support configured for supporting the concave as the concave is moved toward or away from the support bar in a direction that is generally normal to an axial direction of the threshing and separating section.
14. The agricultural harvester of claim 13 , wherein the sliding support is affixed to the frame assembly, the sliding support configured for supporting a bottom of the concave as the concave is inserted into the frame assembly to allow the concave to slide and be pivoted on the sliding support, thereby allowing the hooking feature of the concave to engage the support bar.
15. The agricultural harvester of claim 14 , wherein the frame assembly further comprises a slotted support member to which the other side of the concave is configured to be loosely coupled.
16. The agricultural harvester of claim 15 , wherein the concave and the frame assembly are configured for the concave to be axially slid along the frame assembly so that the concave moves along the support bar and the slotted support member.
17. The agricultural harvester of claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of concaves, wherein one of the plurality of concaves is configured to be inserted into the frame assembly after the concave has been slid axially.
18. The agricultural harvester of claim 15 , wherein the slotted support member comprises a slot that has a length that is approximately one half of an axial length of the frame assembly, the slot configured for accommodating the sliding of a fastener.
19. The agricultural harvester of claim 14 , wherein the frame assembly further comprises an inner support that is coupled to the sliding support and the support bar.
20. The agricultural harvester of claim 19 , wherein the inner support is spaced downwardly to allow the concave to be slid thereover.