"CLEANING CHAMBER OF A HARVESTER AND HARVESTER"
[0001] Patent of Addition of Indian Patent application no.
1607/MUM/2015, filed on April 20, 2015.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present addition generally refers to a new model of cleaning
chamber of a harvester, particularly those designed to harvest tall and stalky plants, such as sugarcane. The cleaning chamber has been designed and developed to improve the airflow inside the extractor assembly so as to improve the working conditions for the withdrawal of waste from the harvested material and improve the efficiency of the cleaning process in the field.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The state of the art is home to numerous models of equipment and
agricultural machinery developed to provide increased productivity in the harvest of various types of vegetable crops, for example, harvesters of grain, forage and harvesters of the so-called tall and stalky plants, as in the case of sugarcane and sorghum.
[0004] Machinery for harvesting these tall and stalky plants is designed
and developed to harvest this specific type of crop, because its intrinsic
characteristics require suitable conditions for the appropriate processing
thereof, from cutting to transfer for transshipment and/or trucks.
[0005] In this context, it is known that these harvesters of tall and stalky
plants comprise a chassis that supports a series of mechanisms, including a series of carrier rollers and choppers responsible for driving and chopping the sugarcane into billets, which are transferred for transshipment and/or to trucks through an elevator assembly.
[0006] As those persons skilled in the art will be aware, together with the
billets, waste is transported formed by light residues such as, for example, dust, dirt, leaves, branches, roots, etc. which are separated from the sugarcane

billets and are flushed from the harvester by equipment referred to as extractors, or extractor assembly, which are normally positioned at the outlet of the set of chopping rollers, referred to as primary extractor assembly, and at the end of the elevator assembly, which is referred to as secondary extractor assembly.
[0007] These extractors are comprised of a cleaning chamber and a
ventilation and extraction assembly, which are responsible for drawing and guiding the waste collected out of the harvester. The cleaning chamber is responsible for promoting the separation of light waste from the billets of heavier plants. Accordingly, the ventilation and extraction assembly needs to generate an upward flow that drags a certain volume of air so that it can properly separate the waste from the sugarcane billets, flushing out the light waste and promoting the drop by gravity of the cane billets which are forwarded to the elevator assembly, in the case of the primary extractor assembly, or to the transshipments and transport carts, in the case of the secondary extractor assembly.
[0008] In this context, there is an awareness in the state of the art of the
need to seek solutions capable of increasing and improving the airflow that traverses the cleaning chamber of these extractor assemblies so as to improve the level of cleaning and, consequently, increase the productivity of the harvests, bearing in mind that the transfer of waste to the transshipments and transport carts ends up adversely affecting the final processing of the harvested material at the factories.
[0009] One solution known in the state of the art is the replacement and
use of exhaust fans with more powerful motors, but to some extent this proved unsuitable from a practical and functional standpoint because it required structural adaptations and, moreover, increased energy demands, requiring

greater fuel consumption and ultimately affected the profitability of the harvest in general.
[0010] As already indicated in patent BR102016008931-0, which is
incorporated herein as reference, the state of the art is short on practical and functional solutions that are effectively capable of improving the cleanliness and separation of the billets and stalks of plants harvested from the waste, such as leaves, roots and other foreign materials. Accordingly, a cleaning system was developed, comprising a cleaning chamber, the lower section of which is formed by an outer surface wall which has a plurality of ventilated openings which extend circumferentially.
[0011] Although proven to be highly functional and having managed to
improve the internal aerodynamics of the cleaning chamber and substantially increased the airflow by allowing the entry of air through the said outer surface wall, it was also noted that the internal aerodynamics of the cleaning chamber could be further improved without requiring the replacement or increase in the power of the exhaust fan motors.
[0012] More specifically, according to a first point, it was noted that the
structural arrangement for mounting the cleaning chamber on the main structure
of the harvester could be modified to improve the airflow mainly in the billet
unloading region where, in practice, the amount of harvested material is
relatively large, as is the level of waste mixed with the billets, which increases
the risks that this waste be dragged down by the downward flow of the billets.
[0013] Another factor that has been identified as eligible for adaptation
and improvement concerns the structural arrangement of the ventilated openings to provide the entry of air into the cleaning chamber. The model from the state of the art, as represented in patent BR102016008931-0, provides for means of covering the air ventilation, purpose of which is to prevent the passage of billets out of the cleaning chamber. In spite of increasing and

improving the internal aerodynamics of the cleaning chamber, it was ascertained that they could be modified in respect of the amount and configuration of these air passages so as to encourage the formation of an upward airflow even more suitable for the separation of waste and sugarcane billets.
[0014] In addition, according to studies and simulations, although said
openings formed at the back of the cleaning chamber provide increased airflow
in this region. In contrast, it was found that the airflow generated in the opposite
region, in the discharge near the chopping rollers, presented a reduced speed
and, accordingly, formed a potential vortex that spins downwardly, which
possibly justified the identification of an increasingly negative effect related to
the drag of waste downwardly towards the elevator assembly.
[0015] Another limiting point of this model from the state of the art is
related to the configuration of structural arrangements of the air vents, which are shaped like grids obtained through the disposition of horizontal bars and, therefore, disposed perpendicularly to the airflow. This type of arrangement may affect the efficiency of the extractor assembly bearing in mind the risks from the waste such as leaves, twigs, roots, blockage of bars and the passage of air, affecting the cleaning process and, as need be, requiring the stoppage of the harvester in order to clear said air passages.
[0016] In short, as can be seen, the solutions known in the state of the art
relating to the efficiency of the cleaning process are inadequate or could be improved, bearing in mind that in the models where the cleaning chambers do not have air vents, there is a need to use more powerful motors for the exhaust fan, resulting in higher fuel consumption to meet the energy demand generated. In contrast, where the cleaning chambers are endowed with air vents, the arrangement of the openings could be modified to improve the upward airflow and increase the efficiency of cleaning the billets and flushing out the waste.

Therefore, these are, among others, the objectives to be attained with the development of the present improvement.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Therefore, the objective of the present addition is to provide a new
cleaning chamber of a harvester, such as those used for harvesting cane and
sorghum, being formed by technical, constructive and functional characteristics
designed and developed to improve the working conditions of the extractor
assembly by adapting the inner aerodynamics of the cleaning chamber and,
accordingly, obtain increased efficiency in cleaning the harvested material.
[0018] More particularly, it is one of the objectives of the present addition
to provide a cleaning chamber for harvesters designed to harvest tall and stalky plants, which was configured to improve the upward airflow that passes through the cleaning chamber and thereby improve the productive yield of the harvested material.
[0019] It is also another objective of the present addition to provide an
agricultural machine, particularly destined to harvest tall and stalky plants, such
as sugarcane harvesters, that comprises a new extractor assembly formed by
the new cleaning chamber, as commented upon above.
[0020] Therefore, with the aim of attaining the objectives and technical
and functional effects summarized above, among others, the present improvement refers to a cleaning chamber for a cleaning system as defined in patent BR102016008931-0, and this cleaning chamber comprises an upper section and a lower section. Said upper section is formed by a hollow inner member which extends vertically, and said lower section is formed by an outer surface wall, which is connected to said hollow inner member of the upper section, and additionally has at least one ventilated opening which extends circumferentially. Said cleaning chamber being further endowed with side

plates, wherein at least one of said side plates is also endowed with a plurality of ventilated openings.
[0021] According to an embodiment of the present improvement, said
outer surface wall has a tapered-cone shape and comprises a series of vertical ventilated openings provided next to each other, forming a type of grid. Optionally, this series of vertical ventilated openings disposed on the outer surface wall are configured to correspond with the direction of the upward airflow.
[0022] Additionally, according to another embodiment of the present
improvement, said outer surface wall is configured so as to make up three areas of activity, namely: area of end activity which corresponds to said side plates, area of intermediate activity disposed adjacently and extending to said side plates, and the area of subsequent activity which is the distantmost region opposite said side plates. According to an optional embodiment of the present improvement, all said areas of activity are endowed with vertical ventilated openings. Alternatively, according to other possible embodiments of the present improvement, only one of the aforementioned areas of activity is endowed with vertical ventilated openings, or, in another embodiment, said lower section comprises a combined configuration, where only two areas of activity are endowed with ventilated openings.
[0023] According to a particular embodiment of the present improvement,
said lower section is formed by the side plates endowed with ventilated
openings and, also, by the outer surface wall which is configured to contain
ventilated openings only in the area of intermediate activity, so as to keep the
area of subsequent activity smooth and free of openings.
[0024] According to another embodiment of the present improvement,
said side plates are complementary and independent parts of the outer surface wall of the lower section. Alternatively, these side plates are extensions of the

outer surface wall of the lower section, being, for example, a single molded and/or folded part.
[0025] According to another embodiment of the cleaning chamber, object
of the present improvement, said hollow inner member comprises support projections to support this outer surface wall by way of fasteners, which can be screws, nuts, rivets and/or washers.
[0026] Additionally, according to another embodiment of the cleaning
chamber, according to the present improvement, said hollow inner member is endowed with a series of air deflectors which are fastened circumferentially at equidistant positions, and extend radially therefrom and are projected axially towards the center of said hollow inner member.
[0027] Lastly, as commented upon above, the present improvement also
refers to a harvester of the type that harvests tall and stalky plants, which comprises an elevator assembly and a cleaning system as defined in patent BR102016008931-0, and at the respective proximal and distal ends of this elevator assembly extractor assemblies are installed comprising a cleaning chamber as commented upon and defined above. More particularly, and according to an embodiment of the present improvement, this harvester is designed and developed to promote the harvest of sugarcane and/or sweet sorghum.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] The characteristics, advantages and functional improvements of
the present addition, as indicated above, will be better understood by one skilled in the art from the following detailed description, given solely as a non-restrictive example of possible embodiments, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a cane and sorghum
harvester, such as those known in the state of the art;

[0030] Figure 2 is a side view of an extractor assembly, such as those
known in the state of the art;
[0031] Figures 3A and 3B show schematic perspective views of the parts
that make up the cleaning chamber, according to the present addition;
[0032] Figure 4 is a bottom perspective view, representing the lower
section of the cleaning chamber, according to the object of the present addition;
and
[0033] Figure 5 is a top view plan of the lower section of the cleaning
chamber, according to an embodiment of the present addition.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE IMPROVEMENT
[0034] The present addition will now be described with respect to its
particular embodiments, making reference to the accompanying drawings. Said
drawings are schematic, and their dimensions and/or proportions may not
correspond to reality, since they are intended to describe the utility model in a
didactic manner. In addition, certain constructive and common details may
have been omitted for greater clarity and conciseness of the description which
is set out below. The reference numbers used are repeated throughout the
drawings to identify identical or similar parts. Any terms as may be used such
as "above", "below", "front", "behind", "right", "left" and variations thereof should
be interpreted according to the guidance given in Figure 1.
[0035] The terms employed herein such as harvester, harvesting
machine and variations thereof are used interchangeably to indicate an agricultural machine used to harvest a vegetable crop and, in the case of this description, to harvest tall and stalky plants such as sugarcane, energy cane, sorghum etc.
[0036] With respect to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a side view of an
embodiment of an agricultural harvester 10 according to aspects known in the state of the art. As shown, the harvester 10 is configured as a sugarcane

harvester. However, in other embodiments the harvester 10 may correspond to
any suitable agricultural harvester known in the state of the art.
[0037] Still with respect to Fig. 1, the harvester 10 includes a chassis 12,
a pair of front wheels 14, a pair of rear wheels 16, and an operator's cabin 18. The harvester 10 can also include a primary source of energy (for example, an engine mounted on the chassis 12) that powers one or both pairs of 14, 16 wheels through a transmission (not shown). Alternatively, the harvester 10 may be a harvester driven on belts and, therefore, may include belts driven by the motor mechanism replacing the wheels illustrated 14, 16. The motor mechanism can also drive a hydraulic fluid pump (not shown) configured to generate pressurized hydraulic fluid to drive various hydraulic components of the harvester 10, including the wheels or belts.
[0038] Additionally, the harvester 10 may include various components for
cutting, processing, cleaning and unloading sugarcane as the cane is harvested from a farm field 20. For example, the harvester 10 may include a tip-cutting set 22 positioned at its front end to intercept the sugarcane as the harvester 10 moves forward. As shown, the tip-cutting set 22 may include both a binder disk 24 and a cutter disk 26. The binder disk 24 can be configured to bind sugarcane stalks, such that the cutter disk 26 can be used to cut the tip of each stalk. Generally, the height of the tip-cutting set 22 can be adjustable by means of a pair of arms 28 hydraulically raised and lowered, as desired by the operator.
[0039] Additionally, the harvester 10 may include a line splitter 30 which
extends upward and backward from the field 20. In general, the line splitter 30 may include two spiral feed rollers 32, also known as "lollipop". Each feed roller 32 may include a soil shoe 34, since its lower end assists the line splitter 30 by separating the sugarcane stalks for harvesting. In addition, as shown in Fig. 1, the harvester 10 may include a tipper roller 36 positioned near the front wheels

14 and a roller with projections 38 positioned behind the tipper roller 36. As the tipper roller 36 is turned, the stalks of sugarcane harvested are toppled as the line splitter 30 binds the stalks from the agricultural field 20 towards the inside of the machine 10. In addition, as shown in Fig. 1, the roller with projections 38 may include a plurality of fins intermittently mounted 40 to help in forcing the sugarcane stalks down. As the 38 roller is turned during the harvest, the sugarcane stalks that were toppled by the tipper roller 36 are separated and subsequently toppled by the roller 38 as the harvester 10 continues to be moved forward in relation to the field 20.
[0040] Still with reference to Fig. 1, the harvester 10 may also include a
base cutting set 42 positioned behind the roller 38. As is generally understood, the base cutting set 42 may include blades (not shown) to cut the sugarcane stalks as the cane is harvested. The blades, located on the outskirts of the set 42, can be turned by a hydraulic motor (not shown) driven by the vehicle's hydraulics system. Additionally, in a number of embodiments, the blades can be angled downwards to cut the base of the sugarcane as the cane is toppled by the roller 38.
[0041] In addition, the harvester 10 may include a set of one or more
carrier rollers 44 located downstream of the base cutting set 42 to move the cut stalks of sugarcane from the base cutting set 42 along the processing trajectory. As shown in Fig. 1, the carrier roller set 44 may include a plurality of lower carrier rollers 46 and a plurality of upper carrier rollers 48. As the cane is transported via the set of carrier rollers 44, waste (for example, rocks, dirt and/or the like) may also be transported or fall through the bottom carrier rollers 46 onto the field 20.
[0042] Additionally, the harvester 10 may include a chopper set 50
located in the downstream end of the carrier roller set 44 (for example, adjacent to the upper and lower rearmost carrier roller 46, 48). In general, the chopper

set 50 can be used to cut or chop the harvested sugarcane stalks into smaller pieces or "fragments" 51 which may, for example, measure 15.24 centimeters (six (6) inches), also known as billets or setts. The fragments 51 may then be driven toward an elevator assembly 52 of the harvester 10 to be collected in an external receiver or storage device (not shown), such as a trans-shipment or transport cart.
[0043] As generally understood, waste pieces 53 (e.g., dust, dirt, leaves,
etc.) separated from the fragments of sugarcane 51 can be flushed out of the harvester 10 through a primary extractor 54, which is located behind the chopper set 50 and is guided to direct the waste 53 out of the harvester 10. Additionally, a fan 56 can be mounted on the primary extractor 54 to generate a suction force or enough vacuum to capture the waste 53 and force this waste 53 through the primary extractor 54. The waste 53 is then routed out and generally in the opposite direction of the harvester 10 through an output of the primary extractor 54. The separated fragments 51 that are heavier than the waste 53 being expelled from the extractor 54 can then fall to the elevator assembly 52.
[0044] According to this specification, the elevator assembly 52 should be
understood as comprising, in general, an elevator accommodation structure 58
and an elevator 60 which extends inside said elevator accommodation structure
58 between one lower proximal end 62 and one upper distal end 64. The lower
proximal end 62 being fixed to the machine 10 and the upper distal end 64
having an opening 82 for discharging harvested material.
[0045] In additional or alternative embodiments, the elevator 60 may
include a chain or conveyor belt 66 and a plurality of blades or cleats 68 coupled or spaced evenly on the chain 66. The 68 cleats can be configured to hold the fragments of sugarcane 51 on the elevator 60 as the fragments 51 are elevated to the upper portion 70 of the elevator 60. Additionally, the elevator 60

may include lower and upper cogs 72, 74 positioned around the proximal and
distal ends 62, 64, respectively. As shown in Fig. 1, an elevator engine 76 may
be coupled to one of the cogs (for example, the upper cog 74) to drive the chain
66, thus allowing the chain 66 and cleats 68 to travel in an endless cycle
between the proximal and distal ends 62, 64 of the elevator 60.
[0046] In addition, waste pieces 53 (for example, dust, dirt, leaves, etc.)
separated from the sugarcane fragments 51 can be expelled from harvester 10
through a secondary extractor 78 coupled to the rear end of the accommodation
structure of the elevator 58. As shown in Fig. 1, the secondary extractor 78
may be located in a manner adjacent to the distal end 60 of the elevator and 64
may be guided to direct the waste 53 out of the harvester 10. Additionally, a fan
80 may be mounted on the secondary extractor 78 to generate a suction force
or enough vacuum to extract the waste 53 and force this waste 53 through the
secondary extractor 78. The separated fragments 51 which are heavier than
the waste 53 flushed out through the extractor 78 can then fall out of the distal
end 60 of the elevator 64. Typically, the fragments 51 can fall through a
discharge opening 82 of the elevator assembly 52 in an external storage device
(not shown), such as a car, a transshipment, a skip etc.
[0047] During the operation, the harvester 10 is driven across the entire
agricultural field 20 to harvest sugarcane or any other tall and stalky plant. After adjusting the height of the tip cutter 22 (if used) by means of the arms 28, the binder disk 24 on the tip cutting set 22 can work in order to bring together the sugarcane tips as the harvester 10 proceeds through the field 20, while the disk cutter 26 cuts the leafy tips of the sugarcane stalks to dump them along both sides of the harvester 10. As the stalks enter the line splitter 30, the shoes 34 can configure the width of the operation to determine the amount of sugarcane that enters into the harvester's throat 10, either in a fixed or adjustable manner. The lollipops 32 thus agglutinate the stalks at the entrance of the machine to

allow the tipper roller 36 to topple the stalks downward in conjunction with the
action of the feeder roller 38. Once the stalks are positioned at an angle as
shown in Fig. 1, the base cutting set 42 can then cut the base of the stalks of
the field 20. The cut stalks are then directed to the carrier roller set 44.
[0048] The cut sugarcane stalks are transported backwardly by the
carrier rollers, 46, 48 which compress the stalks and harvested matter. At the
downstream end of the carrier roller set 44, the chopper set 50 cuts or minces
the compressed sugarcane stalks into pieces or fragments 51. Waste
transported 53 (for example, dust, dirt, leaves, etc.) separated from the
fragments of sugarcane 51 are then extracted through the primary extractor 54
using the suction created by the fan 56. The separated/washed fragments 51
then fall onto the elevator assembly 52 and travel up through the elevator 60
from its proximal end 62 to the distal end 64. During normal operation, once the
fragments 51 reach the distal end 64 of the elevator 60, the fragments 51 fall
through the discharge opening 82 to an external storage device. Similar to the
primary extractor 54, waste is blown out of the harvester 10 through the
secondary extractor 78 with the assistance of the fan 80.
[0049] A harvester 10, as described above, can be, for example, a
machine known in state of the art, such as the sugarcane harvester of CNH
Industrial N.V. commercialized bearing the Case IH mark.
[0050] More particularly in relation to Fig. 2, representing an extractor
assembly, for example, the primary extractor assembly 54 specified in Fig. 1, but in isolation, it is noted that this assembly comprises a cleaning chamber 202, also referred to as chassis of the extractor, on which the exhaust fan assembly 206 is installed, basically comprising a fan 207 having a propulsion element endowed with a plurality of blades 208 which extend on a horizontal plane in an upper portion of the upper section of the cleaning chamber 202 and, accordingly, operatively connects to the swing axis 209 and to the motor 210,

which is disposed above the swing axis 209 to drive the exhaust fan 207, and
create sufficient suction to lift the residues and light waste 53 during the work
operation and which is directed through the extractor hood 211.
[0051] Further in reference to Fig. 2, said cleaning chamber 202 can be
divided between an upper section formed by a hollow inner member 204 the purpose of which is to support the exhaust fan assembly 206, and a lower section formed by the outer surface wall 205, and both upper and lower sections are endowed with assembly structure 201 that are configured for fastening onto the main structure of the harvester, next to the discharge outlet of the chopper set 50.
[0052] In light of the context disclosed above, and as best represented in
Figures 3A, 3B and 4, it can be said that the cleaning chamber 202, according to an embodiment of the present addition, is formed by an upper section that comprises a hollow inner member 204 endowed with assembly structure 201a, and a lower section that comprises an outer surface wall 205 whose ends have extensions referred to as side plates 201b, which act as assembly structures of the lower section, and said side plates 201b, envisaged in the lower section of the present cleaning chamber 202, are endowed with a series of ventilated openings 315 so as to improve the airflow generated by the exhaust fan assembly 206, specifically in the billet discharge region 51, at the outlet of the chopper set 50 of the harvester 10.
[0053] Optionally, according to another embodiment of the present
addition, said outer surface wall 205 comprises a tapered-cone shape and has a series of vertical ventilated openings 315b disposed next to each other to form a kind of vertical grid. The main advantage of this embodiment of the present addition is in relation to the arrangement of these vertical ventilated openings 315 in forming a structural arrangement that provides better working conditions of the cleaning chamber, since these openings are configured so as to

correspond to the direction of the airflow generated by the exhaust fan
assembly 206 and, accordingly, it is possible to prevent potential blockage and
clogging of the ventilated openings from the build-up of residues.
[0054] According to an embodiment of the present addition, said outer
surface wall 205 can be configured so as to make up three areas of activity. More particularly, as represented in Fig. 5, these areas of activity can be formed as an area of end activity 205A which corresponds to said side plates 201b, area of intermediate activity 205B disposed adjacently and extending to said side plates 201b, and the area of subsequent activity 205C which is the distantmost region opposite said side plates 201 b.
[0055] In this sense, according to possible embodiments of the present
addition, and more specifically of these areas of activity 205A, 205B and 205C,
it is possible to provide configurations wherein all these areas of activity are
provided with vertical ventilated openings 315, or only one of the areas of
activity be endowed with ventilated openings vertical 315, for example, only in
the area of end activity 205A, or only in the area of intermediate activity 205B,
or only in the area of subsequent activity 205C. Alternatively, it is also possible
to obtain a combined configuration, wherein only two areas of activity are
provided with ventilated openings 315, for example, in the area of end activity
205A and in the area of intermediate activity 205B, or in the area of end activity
205A and in the area of subsequent activity 205C, or in the area of intermediate
activity 205B and in the area of subsequent activity 205C.
[0056] According to a particular embodiment of the present addition, said
lower section is formed by the side plates 201b endowed with ventilated openings 315 and, also, by the outer surface wall 205 the configuration of which is in the sense of comprising ventilated openings only in the area of intermediate activity 205B, keeping the area of subsequent activity 205C smooth. It is emphasized that according to this particular embodiment, the

cleaning chamber manages to carry out the cleaning process of the billets and, at the same time, eliminate the risk of retaining the billets due to clogging in the ventilated openings 315 as may be designed in the area of subsequent activity 205C.
[0057] In relation to said side plates 201b, provided in the lower section of
the cleaning chamber 202, they may be complementary and independent parts of the outer surface wall 205 and, optionally, these side plates 201b can be extensions of the outer surface wall 205, such as a single molded and/or folded part in a corresponding manner so as to provide due docking into the main structure of the harvester 10.
[0058] According to an embodiment of the present addition, said hollow
inner member 204 comprises support projections 204a designed to support said outer surface wall 205, which is pinned by fasteners 204b such as screws, nuts, rivets, washers, etc.
[0059] Optionally, said hollow inner member 204 is endowed with a series
of air deflectors 617, 618 which are fastened circumferentially inside said hollow inner member 204 at equidistant positions and extend radially therefrom and are projected axially towards the center of this hollow inner member. The purpose of these deflectors is to alter the internal aerodynamics of the cleaning chamber and improve the upward airflow generated by the exhaust fan assembly 206.
[0060] Therefore, as can be ascertained, the new cleaning chamber for a
harvester, according to the present addition, is capable of substantially improving the upward airflow generated by the exhaust fan assembly 206, allowing a reduction in the power of the motor 210 and in the specifications of the exhaust fan per se, but provides thereby a substantial reduction in the fuel consumption, without affecting or compromising the efficiency of the cleaning,

on the contrary, increasing the level of cleaning of the billets and, consequently,
the productive yield of the cane and sorghum harvests.
[0061] Additionally, the present addition refers to a harvester 10, such as
those designed to harvest tall and stalky plants and as set out above, and this
machine comprises an extractor assembly which is built and assembled with a
cleaning chamber 202, as detailed above.
[0062] According to possible embodiments of the present addition, this
harvester 10 is designed and developed to carry out the harvest of cane and/or
sorghum.
[0063] Finally, considering all the foregoing, it is important to note that
this description is only designed to present and define certain exemplary
embodiments of the new cleaning chamber for a harvester of tall and stalky
plants, such as the present addition. Therefore, persons skilled in the art will
appreciate that various modifications and combinations of equivalent elements
and details are possible without straying from the scope of protection defined by
the accompanying claims.

WE CLAIM
1. A CLEANING CHAMBER OF A HARVESTER, for a cleaning
system, wherein:
a cleaning chamber (202) comprises an upper section and a lower section;
said upper section is formed by a hollow inner member (204) which extends vertically; and
said lower section is formed by an outer surface wall (205), which is connected to said hollow inner member (204), and additionally comprising at least a ventilated opening (315) which extends circumferentially;
characterized in that the cleaning chamber further comprises side plates (201b), wherein at least one of said side plates (201b) is endowed with a plurality of ventilated openings (315).
2. The CLEANING CHAMBER, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer surface wall (205) comprises a tapered-cone shape and has a series of vertical ventilated openings (315) disposed next to each other, forming a vertical grid.
3. The CLEANING CHAMBER, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the series of vertical ventilated openings (315) disposed on said outer surface wall (205) are configured to correspond with the direction of the upward airflow.
4. The CLEANING CHAMBER, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer surface wall (205) is configured so as to make up three areas of activity, namely: area of end activity (205A) which corresponds to said side plates (201b), area of intermediate activity (205B) disposed adjacently and extending to said side plates (201b), and the area of subsequent activity (205C) which is the distantmost region opposite said side plates (201b).
5. The CLEANING CHAMBER, as claimed in claim 4, wherein all said areas of activity (205A, 205B, 205C) are provided with vertical ventilated

openings (315).
6. The CLEANING CHAMBER, as claimed in claim 4, wherein only one of said areas of activity (205A, 205B, 205C) is provided with vertical ventilated openings (315).
7. The CLEANING CHAMBER, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said lower section comprises a combined configuration, wherein only two areas of activity (205A, 205B, 205C) are provided with ventilated openings (315).
8. The CLEANING CHAMBER, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said lower section is formed by the side plates (201b) endowed with ventilated openings (315) and, also, by the outer surface wall (205) which is configured to contain ventilated openings (315) only in the area of intermediate activity (205B), keeping the area of subsequent activity (205C) smooth.
9. The CLEANING CHAMBER, according to claim 1, wherein said side plates (201b) are complementary and independent parts of the outer surface wall (205).

10. The CLEANING CHAMBER, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said side plates (201b) are extensions of the outer surface wall (205), being a single molded and/or folded part.
11. The CLEANING CHAMBER, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hollow inner member (204) has support projections (204a) to support said outer surface wall (205) by way of fasteners (204b), which may be screws, nuts, rivets and/or washers.
12. The CLEANING CHAMBER, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hollow inner member (204) is endowed with a series of air deflectors (617,618) which are fastened circumferentially at equidistant positions, extending radially therefrom and are projected axially towards the center.
13. A HARVESTER, of the type for harvesting tall and stalky plants which comprises an elevator assembly (60) and a cleaning system,

wherein at the proximal (62) and distal (64) ends extractor assemblies are installed which comprise a cleaning chamber (202) as defined in any one of the preceding claims.