TITLE OF THE INVENTION: THRESHER MECHANISM FOR HARVESTING EQUIPMENTS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

In general, the present invention relates to harvesting equipments used for separating the grain or the edible portion of the crop from the straw or stalks. Particularly, the present invention relates to a thresher mechanism for harvesting equipments. More particularly, the present invention relates to the spike configuration and rod arrangement of said thresher mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The productivity of agriculture is dependent on the amount of crop harvested from the sown seeds, with minimal wastage of grains during harvesting and post harvesting leading to higher productivity. During harvesting, one of the operations that is carried out is threshing. Threshing is defined as separating the grain or the edible portion of the crop from the straw or stalks. In this context, a person skilled in the art knows that threshing is an important and very difficult process in harvesting. Threshing may be carried out by hand or with the help of animals or machines. The choice of threshing process depends on agronomic, economic and social factors. Regardless of how threshing is carried out, the efficiency of threshing is to be increased to increase the productivity of harvesting.

Presently, threshing is carried out by using harvesting equipments such as combine harvesters. Conventionally, the severed crop material is fed through a feeder into a threshing area. In the threshing area, the crop material is threshed as it passes between rotor assemblies comprising a rotor that is enclosed within a cylindrical housing which is stationary. The rotor is rotatably driven at variable speeds depending on the crop material being threshed. The rotor has a series of metallic thresher elements peripherally arranged thereabout. The outer surface of the thresher elements is arranged proximal to the cylindrical housing. The thresher elements are implement able as spikes provided on the rotor surface. The threshing of the crop is achieved by passing it between the spikes provided on the rotor surface and the stationary cylindrical housing. When the rotor starts rotating, the crop gets beaten on the stationary cylindrical housing. The spikes enhance the flow of material and provide an aggressive threshing action.

Conventional arrangement of spikes causes the incoming crop to be beaten on only one plane resulting in insufficient driving force for crop movement and thus improper threshing. Hence, due to non-uniform threshing, crop delivery is also not uniform and this leads to crop damage. In addition there is a requirement that the straws at the output should have uniform length. There is therefore a need in the art for a threshing mechanism, in which the spikes are configured to enable the crop to beaten on more than one plane. There is therefore a need in the art for a threshing mechanism, in which the spikes are configured to enable efficient threshing of crops.
There is therefore a need in the art for a threshing mechanism, in which the frequency of contact between the threshing spikes is increased, thereby increasing the quality of threshing.
There is therefore a need in the art for a thresher mechanism to produce straw of uniform length.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention as embodied by the thresher mechanism for harvesting equipments succinctly fulfils the above-mentioned need(s) in the art. The present invention has objective(s) arising as a result of the above-mentioned need(s), said objective(s) being enumerated below. Inasmuch as the objective(s) of the present invention are enumerated, it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that, the enumerated objective(s) are not exhaustive of the present invention in its entirety, and are enclosed solely for the purpose of illustration. Further, the present invention encloses within its scope and purview, any structural altemative(s) and/or any functional equivalent(s) even though, such structural altemative(s) and/or any functional equivalent(s) are not mentioned explicitly herein or elsewhere, in the present disclosure. The present invention therefore encompasses also, any improvisation(s)/modification(s) applied to the structural altemative(s)/functional alternative(s) within its scope and purview. The present invention may be embodied in other specific form(s) without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a threshing mechanism in which the spikes are configured so as to enable crop beating in more than one plane.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a thresher mechanism, which is capable of performing crop threshing uniformly. Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a thresher mechanism, which is capable of producing uniform and lengthy straw at the output.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a thresher mechanism, which reduces grain and straw damage due to lesser crushing of crops. Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a thresher mechanism, which consumes less power due to proper and uniform threshing. Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a thresher mechanism, which is economical due to lesser power consumption.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention as embodied by a thresher mechanism for harvesting equipments, succinctly fulfils the objective(s) of the present invention as broadly enumerated in the present disclosure. However, it would be perfectly clear to a person skilled in the art that, inasmuch as the objectives have been enumerated, said objectives are only indicative of the scope and general coverage of the present invention. The thresher mechanism comprises a crop feeder box in which the crop to be threshed is fed, a rotor assembly comprising a rotor to enable threshing of fed crop, and a straw exit to enable exhausting of straw separated from the grains. The rotor is enclosed within a stationary cylindrical housing. The stationary cylindrical housing comprises a fixed top cover and a fixed bottom frame. The rotor is mounted on a frame of harvesting equipment such as a combine harvester, and is rotatably driven at variable speeds depending on the crop material being harvested.

The rotor assembly further comprises a plurality of drums that are evenly placed, inter-connected to one another and lie on the same plane, and a plurality of surfaces aligned in different planes, inclusive of x, y and z planes, said surfaces being connected horizontally between a first end of the rotor assembly and a second end of the rotor assembly. The plurality of surfaces comprises a plurality of evenly placed spikes on every plane. When the rotor starts rotating, the crop gets beaten on the planes. The configuration of the plurality of spikes ensures that the crops get beaten on more than one plane. Hence, the driving force for crop movement is better, which results in uniform threshing. As a result, the grains are separated from the crops, and the separated grains fall on the fixed bottom frame. This uniform threshing notably reduces the energy consumption during threshing, due to increased efficiency of threshing.

To manage the traverse movement of the crop within the thresher, the fixed top cover comprises a plurality of inventively provided curved metal blades. To reduce the sharpness of the plurality of the curved blades, a plurality of rods are placed on a first edge of each curved blade. This notably reduces the straw damage during threshing. Hence, the straw delivery on is uniform in length through out the threshing operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The description of the present invention in conjunction with the drawings, illustrating the present invention and in application(s) illustrative of the present invention, explain in detail, the working of the present invention. It will be amply clear to a person skilled in the art, that the application as disclosed in the drawings are merely illustrative of the scope of the present invention and not exhaustive of the scope of the present invention, in its entirety.

Figure 1 shows the thresher mechanism with the crop feeder box (FB) and the straw exit (SE), in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows the rotor assembly comprising the thresher drum (TD), the plurality of planes (X,Y,Z), and the plurality of spikes (S), in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 shows the rotor assembly comprising the thresher drum (TD), the plurality of planes (X,Y,Z), the plurality of spikes (S), and an imaginary line (IL) which connects the plurality of spikes in the plurality of planes, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 illustrates the plurality of curved blades, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the thresher mechanism comprising a crop feeder box (101) in which the crop to be threshed is fed, a rotor assembly comprising a rotor (102) to enable threshing of fed crop and a straw exit (103) to enable exhausting of straw separated from the grains. The rotor (102) is enclosed with in a stationary cylindrical housing, said stationary cylindrical housing comprising a fixed top cover (104) and a fixed bottom frame (105). The rotor (102) is mounted on a frame of a harvesting equipment such as a combine harvester, and is rotatably driven at variable speeds depending on the crop material being harvested.
As depicted in Figure 2, the rotor assembly further comprises a plurality of drums (201) that are evenly placed, inter-connected to one another and lie on the same plane, and a plurality of surfaces aligned in different planes, inclusive of x (202), y (203) and z (204) planes, said surfaces being connected horizontally between a first end of the rotor assembly and a second end of the rotor assembly. The plurality of surfaces comprise a plurality of evenly placed spikes (205) on every plane. However the starting point for the plurality of spikes (205) is different for each plane among the plurality of planes (202,203, and 204) (Figure 3).

The plurality of spikes (205) are configured in such a manner to ensure the crop gets beaten on more than one plane. Preferably, this is achieved by a helical configuration of the plurality of spikes (205) in the plurality of surfaces (Figure 3). The helical configuration of the plurality of spikes (205) is explained using a plurality of imaginary lines (301), which connect the plurality of spikes (205) in the plurality of surfaces aligned with the plurality of planes (202, 203, and 204). The distance from the starting point of a particular spike in a surface aligned with one plane is different when compared with the distance from the starting point of the same spike in a surface aligned with a different plane. For example, if the distance from the starting point of the first spike in a surface aligned with the x plane (202) is 10mm and the distance between the two consecutive spikes is 30mm, then the distance from the starting point of the first spike in a surface aligned with the y plane will be 20mm. Similarly, the distance from the starting point of the first spike in a surface aligned with the z plane will be 30mm and so on.

When the rotor (102) starts rotating, the crop gets beaten on the plurality of planes (202,203, and 204). The configuration of the plurality of spikes (205) ensures that the crop gets beaten on more than one plane. Hence, the crop movement in the thresher cylinder is longer and the driving force for crop movement is better, which results in uniform threshing. As a result, the grains are separated from the crops, and the separated grains fall on the fixed bottom frame (105). This uniform threshing notably reduces the energy consumption during threshing, due to increased efficiency of threshing. In another embodiment, to manage the traverse movement of the crop within the thresher, the fixed top cover (104) comprises a plurality of inventively provided curved metal blades (401) (Figure 4).

To reduce the sharpness of the plurality of the curved blades (401), a plurality of rods (402) are placed on a first edge of each curved blade (Figure 4). This notably reduces the straw damage during threshing. Hence, the straw delivery on is uniform in length through out the threshing operation. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the above description is for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting. Various modifications, additions, alterations, and improvements without deviating from the spirit and the scope of the invention may be made by a person skilled in the art.

ADVANTAGES

The below-mentioned advantage(s) arising out of the application in conjunction with the enclosed drawing(s) are merely indicative and are not to be considered as exhaustive of the entire advantage(s) arising by the deployment of the present invention. It will be amply clear to persons skilled in the art that, any primary advantage(s) arising out of the present invention as against the problem(s) in the conventional thresher mechanism are to be construed to be well within the scope and purview of the present invention. Further, any secondary advantage(s) arising as a result of the primary advantage(s) are also to be construed to be well within the scope and purview of the present invention.

1. Uniform crop threshing and thus, improved threshing efficiency

2. Output straw is uniform

3. Reduction of grain and straw damage (lesser crushing of the crop)

4. Low power consumption due to uniform threshing

5. Economical due to low power consumption, as well as reduced grain and straw damage

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

101-Crop feeder box 102- Rotor 103-Straw exit 104-Fixed top cover 105-Fixed bottom frame 201-Plurality of drums 202- x plane 203-y plane

204- z plane

205- Plurality of spikes

301- Plurality of imaginary lines

401- Plurality of curved metal blades

402- Plurality of rods

We Claim:

1. A thresher mechanism for a harvesting equipment, comprising: a. a crop feeder box (101) in which the crop to be threshed is fed; b. a rotor assembly that enables threshing of the fed crop, said rotor assembly comprising: rotor (102), said rotor being enclosed with in a stationary cylindrical housing, said stationary cylindrical housing comprising a fixed top cover (104) and a fixed bottom frame (105), wherein the rotor (102) is mounted on a frame of the harvesting equipment; a plurality of drums (201) that are evenly placed, inter-connected to one another and lie on the same plane; a plurality of surfaces aligned in different planes, inclusive of x (202), y (203) and z (204) planes, said surfaces being connected horizontally between a first end of the rotor assembly and a second end of the rotor assembly; and a plurality of evenly placed spikes (205) associated with the plurality of surfaces on every plane, said plurality of spikes (205) being configured in such a manner to ensure the fed crop gets beaten on more than one plane; and c. a straw exit (103) to enable exhausting of straw separated from the grains.

2. A thresher mechanism for a harvesting equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the harvesting equipment is a combine harvester.

3. A thresher mechanism for a harvesting equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotor (102) is rotatably driven at variable speeds depending on the crop being threshed.

4. A thresher mechanism for a harvesting equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixed top cover (104) further comprises a plurality of curved metal blades (401), wherein a plurality of rods (402) are placed on a first edge of each curved blade.

5. A thresher mechanism for a harvesting equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of spikes (205) are helically configured.