GB2057241A - Beating mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

A beating mechanism (3) for the preliminary threshing of pea crops is mounted at the discharge end of conveyor 2, and comprises a beater shaft 4 running at right angles across the width of the conveyor and carrying beating arms 5 staggered in relation to one another in the direction of rotation A, preferably three such arms at 120 DEG . The beating arms are also spaced axially on the beater shaft and are swingably mounted on shafts 7. The direction of rotation is such that the motional vector of the arms as they pass over the conveyor is in the conveying direction thereof. A cover 8 is provided and co-operates with the conveyor to define an intake opening 9 for the beating mechanism. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Beating mechanisms for preliminary threshing of pea crops The invention relates to a beating mechanism for the preliminary threshing of a harvested pea crop priorto its full threshing.

German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2419420 describes a threshing machine for peas as a part of a complete pea-picking machine. The pea picking machine therein described comprises, at its front end, a plucking roller positioned horizontally and at right angles to the lines of peas to be harvested and extending across the whole width of the machine.

Behind the plucking roller and extending across its whole width, a collector belt is provided for the harvested crop which transports the peas to the rear of the machine behind which there are two transverse conveyors compacting the products toward the machine centre, as well as an elevating conveyor whose discharge end leads into the threshing machine itself. The threshing machine comprises a horizontally mounted sieve drum mounted longitudinally of the pea picking machine. The inside walls of the sieve drum are provided with lifting beams that serve as threshing bars. Inside the sieve drum, in a horizontal plane at the approximate level of the sieve drum central axis, two beater shafts rotating in the same sense as the sieve drum are mounted axially in parallel, each forming a threshing zone together with the respectively adjacent lifting beams of the sieve drum.Between and above these two beater shafts, a third counter-rotating shaft is provided which forms two further threshing zones with the two beater shafts and transports the threshing products from one beater shaft to the other. The radial height of the beaters increases from the sieve drum intake side to its discharge side, so that, viewed as a section through the sieve drum the width of the threshing zones formed with the inside walls of the sieve drum continuously decreases from the intake side of the discharge side. To facilitate the transportation of the threshing products through the sieve drum in the axial direction, the two beater ends on the intake side and the parallel line to the beater shaft going through this point enclose an acute angle that opens toward the discharge side, as seen in plan view.

Such a threshing machine is hereinafter referred to as a threshing machine of the kind described".

The invention provides a beating mechanism for the preliminary threshing of peas, prior to full threshing in a threshing machine of the kind described, the beating mechanism being mounted in use at the discharge end of a conveyor for discharging the harvested pea crop into the threshing machine and comprising a beater shaft running at right angles across the width of the conveyor, beating arms carried by the beater shaft, the beating arms being staggered in relation to one another in the direction of rotation which is such that the motional vector of the beating arms as they rotate over the conveyor is in the conveying direction of the conveyor, the beating arms being spaced apart in the axial direction and arranged to swing freely within their rotary plane, and a fixed cover which together with the conveyor forms an intake opening for the harvested pea crop.

The incorporation of such a beating mechanism, which in its dimensions, is very small compared with the beater shafts provided in the sieve drum, has surprisingly proved to increase the threshing performance of the machine significantly. The beating mechanism effects a preliminary threshing of the pea pods still lying on the conveyor, immediately before they are ejected into the sieve drum. Through the beating arms of the beater mechanism, the pea pods receive an additional impulse in the conveying direction of the conveyor and their ejection into the sieve drum is thus accelerated. At the same time, they are more loosely and evenly distributed which also results in an improvement of the threshing performance.As a result of this preliminary threshing, the speed at which the crop passes through the sieve drum is raised and thus the capacity of the threshing machine considerably increased.

The cover surrounding the beating mechanism can, on the discharge side, form an upper baffle plate that leads directly to the intake of the sieve drum. This ensures that the pea pods, even though accelerated by the beating mechanism, will land safely in the sieve drum.

The effectiveness of the preliminary threshing will be particularly high if there are three beating arms staggered by 120" in relation to one another in the direction of rotation. The free ends of the beating arms can be slightly bent or offset counter to the direction of rotation, so as to prevent any damage to the crop. The beating arms can consist of flat bar irons. Practical tests have shown beater arm widths of about 40 mm to produce good preliminary threshing results.

In a particularly suitable design construction, the beater shaft can consist of a rotary-driven tube that passes through metal plates which, at axially identical spacings from one an other, are welded to the tube and which are provided with aligned holes for the insertion of shafts on which the beating arms are fitted so that they can swing freely.

In order to facilitate an adaptation of the beating mechanism to varying threshing products, it is useful forthe speed of rotation of the beating arms to be continuously variable. Practical tests have revealed it to be preferable if the tangential speed of the free ends of the beating arms is slightly higher than the speed of the conveyor. The latter may suitably be a slatted conveyor.

The invention further provides a pea-picking machine including a threshing machine of the kind described, a beating mechanism according to any preceding claim and a conveyor for discharging the harvested pea crop into the threshing machine. As the use of such a picking machine leads to less pea leaves going through the threshing machine than the use of a harvesting machine that takes in previously repeaped pea leaves, it is advantageous if the clear distance between the circumference prescribed by the free ends of the beating arms and the top of the conveyor slats passing underneath is adjustable.

A suitable distance for the use of the picking device mentioned is about 15 mm.

The invention is illustrated with reference to the drawing, which is a schematic elevation of a beating mechanism according to the invention. In the drawing, the inlet of a horizontally mounted sieve drum 1 is superposed by a longitudinal conveyor 2 formed by a slatted belt, the slats of which are shown as rods or studs 2a. The sieve drum 1 can in its construction resemble the design described in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2419420 so that a detailed description can be dispensed with. The longitudinal conveyor 2 designed as a high-angle conveyor ejects the harvested crop coming in, e.g. from a picking device, into the sieve drum.

At the discharge end of the longitudinal conveyor 2 and above the latter, a beating mechanism 3 is mounted whose beater shaft 4 runs at right angles across the width of the longitudinal conveyor and includes beating arms 5.

The beater shaft 4 consists of a rotary-driven tube passing through metal plates 6 which, in the configuration illustrated, have an approximately triangular shape. At identical axial spacings from one another, these metal plates 6 are welded to the beater shaft 4 and they are provided with aligned holes for the insertion of shafts 7, one through each line of holes, on which the beating arms 5 are attached so that they can swing freely within their plane of rotation.

The beating arms 5 are staggered by 120"in relation to one another in the direction of rotation and are spaced apart in the axial direction. The free ends of the beating arms 5 are slightly bent or offset counter to the direction of rotation A.

The beating mechanism 3 is enclosed by a cover 8 which, together with the longitudinal conveyor 2, on the inlet side, forms an opening 9 for the harvested crop. On the discharge side, the cover 8 forms an upper baffle plate 10 that is taken directly to the inlet of the sieve drum 1.

The direction of rotation A of the beating mechanism 3 is such that the motional vector of the beating arms 5 rotating over the longitudinal conveyor 2 is in its conveying direction B. Furthermore, the beating mechanism 3 is so arranged that the clear distance between the circumference 11 prescribed by the free ends of the beating arms 5 and the upper edge of the rods or studs 2a ofthe conveyor 2 passing underneath is about 15 mm. There is a similar clear distance between the circumference 11 and the cover 8.

Claims (11)

1. Abeating mechanism forthe preliminary threshing of peas, priortofull freshing in a threshing machine ofthe kind described, the beating mechanism being mounted in use at the discharge end of a conveyor for discharging the harvested pea crop into the threshing machine and comprising a beater shaft running at right angles across the width of the conveyor, beating arms carried by the beater shaft, the beating arms being staggered in relation to one another in the direction of rotation which is such that the motional vector of the beating arms as they rotate over the conveyor is in the conveying direction of the conveyor, the beating arms being spaced apart in the axial direction and arranged to swing freely within their rotary plane, and a fixed cover which together with the conveyor forms an intake opening for the harvested pea crop.

2. A beating mechanisn according to claim 1 in which the cover forms a baffle plate leading directly to the intake of the sieve drum.

3. A beating mechanism according to claim 1 or 2 in which there are three beating arms staggered by 120" in relation to one another in the direction of rotation.

4. A beating mechanism according to any preceding claim in which the free ends of the beating arms are slightly bent counter to the direction of rotation.

5. A beating mechanism according to any preceding claim in which the beating arms are flat bar irons.

6. A beating mechanism according to any preceding claim in which the beater shaft comprises a rotary-driven tube passing through metal plates which, at axially identical spacings from one another, are welded to the tube and which are provided with aligned holes for the insertion of shafts on which the beating arms are attaching to swing freely.

7. A beating mechanism according to any preceding claim in which the speed of rotation of the beating arms is continuously variable.

8. A pea-picking machine including a threshing machine ofthe kind described, a beating mechanism according to any preceding claim and a conveyor for discharging the harvested pea crop into the threshing machine.

9. A pea-picking machine according to claim 8 in which the conveyor is a slatted conveyor.

10. A pea-picking machine according to claim 9 in which the distance between the circumference prescribed by the free ends of the beating arms and the top of the conveyor slats is approximately 15 mm.

11. A beating mechanism substantially as described herein with reference to the drawing.