Lecture – 12

THRESHER - COMPONENTS - TYPES OF THRESHING CYLINDERS -

THRESHING EFFICIENCY. COMBINE - FUNCTIONS AND USES.

THRESHING
It is the process of detaching grains from the earheads or from the plants.
Principle of threshing
Threshing separates grains from panicles, cobs and pods. Threshing is based on
the principle that when :
(1) some impact or pounding is given on crops, the grains are separated from panicles,
cobs or pods.
(2) The crop mass passes through a gap between drum and concave, wearing or rubbing
action takes place. This separates grains from panicles.
Thus the rupture of the bond between the grains and ears is due to the factors, like
: (1) impact of beaters or spikes over grains and (2) wearing or rubbing action.
The strength of the bond between the grain and the panicle depends upon :
(i) type of crop (ii) variety of crop (iii) ripening phase of grain and (iv) moistuer
content of grain.
The efficiency and quality of threshing depends up : (1) drum speed (2) number of
beaters (3) drum size (4) gaps between drum and concave (5) quality and condition of
plant mass fed to the thresher (6) direction of feeding and (7) rate of feeding.
Threshing methods
The common methods of threshing are : (i) by manual labour (ii) by animals and
(iii) by mahcines.
Threshing by manual labour
Threshing by manual labour is slow and labour consuming device. Process of
beating the harvests on a floor or beating by stick is the method followed for small
quantity of harvests.
Threshing by animals
 Threshing by animals is very common method used in villages. The harvest is
spread on a clean threshing space, the animals are tied in line one after the other with the
help of a strong pole, fixed in the centre of the threshing space. Animals move round and
round on the harvest and trample them continuously till the grains are completely
separated from straw. One man drives the animals from the back.
Threshing by machines
With the increase of mechanisation in farms, threshing machines are getting
popular day by day. Different type of threshers are used for threshing.
Olpad thresher
It is mainly a wheat thresher consisting of notched discs placed on three axles,
fixed on a wooden or iron frame on which a seat and a platform are provided. This
thresher is operated by animals(s) (Fig.1 ).

Fig.1. Olpad thresher

Olpad thresher is said to have its origin at a small place named Oplad in Gujarat
State. This thresher is useful for threshing wheat, barley, gram etc. on a threshing floor.
This thresher has three or four wheels to facilitate its movement from one place to
another. Olpad thresher mainly consists of : (1) Frame (ii) Disc spacer (spools) (iii) Disc
axles and (iv) Bearing blocks.
Power thresher
It is a machine operated by a prime mover such as electric motor, engine, tractor
or power tiller used for threshing.
A power thresher performs several functions such as :
i) to feed the harvest to the threshing cylinder
ii) to thresh the grain out of the head
iii) to separate the grain from the straw
iv) to clean the grain
v) to put the grain in a bag
vi) to make bhusa (chaff) suitable for animal feeding.
Removal of seeds from the grain heads is done by rotating cylinders, whose
threshing action depends primarily upon impact. When a slow moving material comes in
contact with the high speed cylinder, the heads or pods are shattered and grains are freed
from straw. Further threshing is done when the material passes through the restricted
clearance space between the cylinder and the concave portion of the unit .
Types of Power Thresher
There are following types of thresher : (1) Hammer mill type (2) Raspbar cylinder
type (3) Spike-tooth cylinder type (4) Syndicator type (5) Drummy type thresher.
1) Hammer-mill type - It is a thresher with threshing unit consisting of hammers or
beaters with a closed cylinder casing and concave. It is equipped with a set of
oscillating sieves and an aspiratory blower for separation and cleaning of grains.
2) Rasp-bar cylinder type - In this thresher, the thresher unit consists of bars with
serration having an open concave.
3) Spike-tooth type - It is a thresher, the threshing unit of which consists of drum
having rows of spikes with a closed cylinder casing and concave and equipped with a
set of sieves and aspiratory blower.
4) Syndicator type -It is a thresher, the threshing unit of which consists of a corrugated
flywheel with serrated chopping knives and a closed cylinder casing and concave.
This is also known as chaff-cutter type thresher.
5) Drummy type thresher - It is a hammer mill type thresher without separation and
cleaning system. Usually a centrifugal blower is provided for partial separation and
cleaning of grain.
On the basis of feeding system, the power thresher can be of four types :
1) Chute – feed thresher : A thresher in which the feeding of the crop is done through a
chute.
2) Conveyer-feed thresher : A thresher in which the feeding of crop is done through a
conveyer.
3) Feed roller – feed thresher : A thresher in which the feeding of the crop is done
through a conveyer.
4) Hopper-feed thresher : A thresher in which feeding of the crop is done through the
hopper. It is also known as bulk feed thresher.
On the basis of crop, thresher may be of following types :
1) Wheat thresher : An equipment used for threshing of wheat crop with or without
bhusa making provision.
2) Paddy thresher : An equipment used for threshing paddy crop.
3) Groundnut thresher : An equipment used for threshing of groundnut.
4) Millet thresher : An equipment used for threshing of millet crop.
5) Soyabean thresher : An equipment used for threshing of soyabean crop.
6) Multicrop thresher : An equipment used for more than one crop with or without
minor adjustment.
This thresher has either spike tooth cylinder or rasp bar cylinder depending upon
the manufacturer. It has cleaning and bagging attachments. This thresher can be used for
crops like paddy, wheat, sorghum, soyabean, gram, millets, etc. It can be operated by 5-
20 hp power depending upon the models. Its capacity may be 300-2500 kg/hr.

Fig.2. Concave Fig.3. Concave and cylinder

Components of power thresher
The main components are : (1) Concave (2) Cylinder or drum and (3) Cleaning
unit.
1. Concave
 It is a concave shaped metal grating, partly surrounding the cylinder against
which the cylinder rubs the grain from the plant or ear heads and through which the
grains fall on the sieve (Fig.2).
2. Cylinder or drum
It is a balanced rotating assembly, comprising rasp, beater bar or spikes on its
periphery and their support for threshing the crop (Fig.3).
There are five types of threshing cylinders commonly used in the country (Fig.
4 ).
i) peg tooth for spike tooth cylinder
ii) rasp-bar cylinder
iii) angle bar cylinder
iv) loop type cylinder
v) hammer will type cylinder.

Fig..4. Types of threshing drums

i) Peg tooth cylinder
The teeth on the concave and cylinder are so arranged that the cylinder teeth pass
midway between the staggered teeth on the concave (Fig.4a). The concave assembly is
pivoted at the rear portion of the machine. The clearance space between the cylinder and
the concave is adjusted according to the requirement. As the stalks pass through the
clearance space, the grains get separated from the head due to impact action between the
teeth.
ii) Loop type
The cylinder is studded with a number of wire loops throughout its outer
periphery. This is mostly used on paddy threshers (Fig.4b).
iii) Angle bar cylinder
Cylinder is equipped with angle iron bars, helically fitted on the cylinders
(Fig.4c ). The bars have rubber pads on their faces. The concave unit is fitted with a
rubber faced shelling plate and steel jacketed rubber bars. The clearance between the
cylinder and concave unit at the clearance is from 13mm to 19mm and reduces to about 6
to 9 mm only.
iv) Hammer mill type
The beaters are in the shape of hammer mill (fig.4d ). The beaters are attached
with the beater arm at the tip. Beater arms are highly fixed to a hub which is mounted on
main shaft.

v) Rasp bar cylinder

The cylinder has corrugated bars round it. Threshing is accomplished between
corrugated cylinder bards and stationary bars of the concave portion (fig.4e). The rotating
cylinder takes the grains out from the heads as it is drawn over the bars on the concave
unit. Usually 6 to 8 bars are spirally fixed on the cylinder.
Cleaning Unit
The function of the cleaning unit is to separate and clean the threshed grain. The
cleaning unit mainly consists of two or more oscillating sieves, a fan and an air sucking
duct known as aspirator. Usually two ducts are there, one primary duct and the other
secondary duct. The function of the primary duct is to remove major portion of straw,
dust and other foreign matter. The secondary duct is used for final cleaning of the grains.
Those threshers which are not fitted with aspirator unit have got only one blower,
which blows air in horizontal direction. This type of thresher is commonly called drummy
thresher
Aspirator - It is a component of the cleaning unit used for cleaning grain by drawing
air through the grain mass.
Blower - It is a device to produce air blast.
Winnower - It is a machine with one or two sieves and fan using air stream across falling
grain Winnowing fan - It is a machine used for creating air blast mainly for the
purpose of winnowing of grains.
Seed damage - Seed damage may occur due to cylinder concave clearance being too
small. In some cases the damage is due to the impact blow which is directly related to the
cylinder peripheral speed. The seed damage may or may not visible. The internal damage
may be known only by germination test.
Cylinder adjustment
Cylinder concave clearance may be adjusted to raising or lowering the cylinder
and the concave unit. Clearance should be a great as can be used with satisfactory
threshing. Cylinder speeds may be changed by changing sheaves and sprockets.
Threshing efficiency
Threshing efficiency depends upon following factors :
(i) Peripheral speed of the cylinder (ii) Cylinder-concave clearance, (iii) type
of crop (iv) Moisture content of crop, (v) Weather condition, (vi) Feed
rate.
TERMINOLOGY CONNECTED WITH POWER THRESHER
Clean grain - It is the threshed grain, free from foreign matter and broken grain.
Cleaning efficiency - It is the clean grain received at main grain outlet (s) with respect to
the total grain mixture received at main grain outlet(s) expressed as percentage by mass.
Concave clearance - It is the clearance between beater or cylinder tip and concave.
Feed rate - It is the quantity of crop fed into the inlet of thresher per unit time.
Threshing efficiency - The threshed grain received from all outlets with respect to total
grain input expressed as percentage by mass.
Combine
It is a machine, which performs the functions of a reaper, thresher and winnower.
Functions:
i. Cutting the standing crops
ii. Feeding the cut crops with the threshing unit
iii. Threshing the crops
iv. Cleaning the grains freeing it from straw
 v. Collecting the grains in a container
The functional components are header, reel, cutter bar, elevator, feeder, concave,
feeding drum, threshing drum, feeder concave, fan, chaffer sieve, grain sieve, return
conveyor, tailing auger, grain elevator and grain container.
Header is used to cut and gather the grain and deliver it to the threshing cylinder.
The straw is pushed back on the platform by the reel. The scoop type header while large
combines use T type header with auger tables. However cutting unit does the harvesting
which uses the cutter bar similar to that of the mower. The knife has got serrated edge to
prevent the straw from slipping while in operation. There is a suitable cutting platform,
which is provided with a real and canvas. The reel is made of wooden slates, which helps
in feeding the crops to the cutting platform. The reel gets the power through suitable
gears and shafts. The reel revolves in front of the cutter bar while working in the field.
The reel pushes the standing crops towards the cutting unit. The reels are adjustable up
and down as in or out. The cutter bar of the combine operates like the cutter bar of a
mower. It cuts the standing crops and pushes them towards the conveyor. The conveyor
feeds the crop to the cylinder and concave unit. The threshing takes place between the
cylinder and concave unit of the combine. The basic components of the threshing unit of
the combine are similar to a power thresher. As soon as the crops are threshed the
threshed material move to straw racks. These racks keep on oscillating and separating the
grains. The cleaning unit consists of a number of sieves and a fan. The unthreshed grains
pass through the tailing auger and go for rethreshing. The clean grain passes through the
grain elevator and finally goes to the packing unit. Grains are collected in a hopper
provided at suitable place. The fan is adjusted such that the chaff etc., blown off the rear
side of the machine. The size of the combine in indicated by width of cut it covers in the
field.
A combine may be self-propelled type and PTO driven type
i. Self propelled type:
This has got an own dependent engine. This engine gives power for operating all
the mechanisms as well as for pulling the weight of the combine. Size varies from 2-4 m.
ii. PTO driven type:
This combine is pulled by a tractor. The tractor pulls the combine by its tractive power.
The power take off shaft of the tractor supplies power to the cutting and threshing
mechanism. The power requirement of the combine may be taken on 8 HP/m width of
cut for per pulled type machine and 12 HP/m width of cut for self propelled type
machine.
M,8

Model questions:
1. State the principles of threshing
2. Explain different methods of threshing
3. Define threshing efficiency
4. Explain the working of a power thresher with a neat sketch
5. Mention the components of combine harvester with a neat sketch and explain
their importance
i. List the advantages of combine harvester
ii. Mention the basic components of thresher
iii. List the types of threshing cylinders with neat sktech
iv. Differentiate Cleaning efficiency and threshing efficiency.
v. Mention principles of threshing