| Inside a combine |
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This is the combine’s mouth or actually, it is called the
feeder house. (The header has been removed.) The plant material– grain
and straw, is pulled into the combine to be threshed. Let’s go inside
the combine. |
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This combine has twin rotors that carry the straw and grain
to the back (toward you). As it presses and squeezes in a rubbing action
against the concave, which has holes in it, the grain is removed from the
head. The grain and other small material falls through the concave for
further cleaning. |
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What you can see now is the cleaning shoe or cleaning area.
The grain and other small material that fell from the concave passes
across the top of this vibrating sieve or screen. The vibrating action and
air blowing upward through the sieve allows the grain to fall through the
screen and the lighter, chaffy material to be blown out the back of the
combine. The clean grain is carried up to the grain hopper or bin where it
is stored until the bin is full and then it is dumped into a grain cart or
truck. |
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This is an artist’s drawing of a Case IH rotary combine
that might give you a better idea of where things are inside a combine.
The plant material is taken into the combine on the left, it travels under
the driver’s seat to the rotor, which is tilted upward. You can see the
holes of the concave and rotor. Under the back part of the rotor is the
cleaning area where the sieves are located. You can see the fan behind (or
inside) the front wheel. The air from the fan blows the chaff away from
the grain. And behind the cab you can see the grain bin. To dump the grain
from the bin, the long spout is moved into place and the grain is augered
out. Pretty neat, huh? I know a question that you have– do these
combines have radios? Yes, they do! |
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