Sieve arrangements for a cleaning system in an agricultural harvester
A cleaning system for an agricultural combine harvester includes a sieve having a periphery and an interference member located at the periphery. A chaffer frame carries the sieve, and includes a clamp with a pair of spring fingers positioned on either side of the interference member, thereby retaining the sieve within the chaffer frame.
1. A cleaning system for an agricultural combine harvester, comprising:
a sieve having a periphery and an interference member located at the periphery, the interference member protrudes outwardly from the periphery; and
a chaffer frame carrying the sieve, the chaffer frame including a clamp with a pair of spring fingers positioned on and contacting either exterior side of the interference member such that the sieve is loaded into the chaffer frame as a cartridge, thereby retaining the sieve within the chaffer frame.
2. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the interference member is a rectangular block which is mounted to and extends from a peripheral frame member of the sieve.
3. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the chaffer frame includes a pair of rails, and the sieve rests on the rails.
4. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the clamp inhibits movement of the sieve within the chaffer frame in two axes.
5. The cleaning system of claim 4 , wherein the sieve is moved in both fore-aft directions and side-to-side directions, and the clamp inhibits relative movement between the sieve and chaffer frame in each of the fore-aft and side-to-side directions.
6. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the spring loaded fingers of the clamp act as a guide to guide the sieve into position within the chaffer frame during loading.
7. The cleaning system of claim 6 , wherein each of the spring fingers has a beveled distal end that assists in guiding the sieve into position within the chaffer frame.
8. An agricultural combine harvester, comprising:
a chassis; and
a cleaning system carried by the chassis, the cleaning system including:
a sieve having a periphery and an interference member located at the periphery, the interference member protrudes outwardly from the periphery; and
a chaffer frame carrying the sieve, the chaffer frame including a clamp with a pair of spring fingers positioned on and contacting either exterior side of the interference member such that the sieve is loaded into the chaffer frame as a cartridge, thereby retaining the sieve within the chaffer frame.
9. The agricultural combine harvester of claim 8 , wherein the interference member is a rectangular block which is mounted to and extends from a peripheral frame member of the sieve.
10. The agricultural combine harvester of claim 8 , wherein the chaffer frame includes a pair of rails, and the sieve rests on the rails.
11. The agricultural combine harvester of claim 8 , wherein the clamp inhibits movement of the sieve within the chaffer frame in two axes.
12. The agricultural combine harvester of claim 11 , wherein the sieve is moved in both fore-aft directions and side-to-side directions, and the clamp inhibits relative movement between the sieve and chaffer frame in each of the fore-aft and side-to-side directions.
13. The agricultural combine harvester of claim 8 , wherein the spring fingers of the clamp act as a guide to guide the sieve into position within the chaffer frame during loading.
14. The agricultural combine harvester of claim 13 , wherein each of the spring fingers has a beveled distal end that assists in guiding the sieve into position within the chaffer frame.