Angled Concave Bar Improves Performance

Angled concave bar improves performance COMBINES Accessories 15-5-30 "I've tested the idea on my own Deere combine for seven years with fantastic results," says Saskatchewan farmer Ben Kambeitz who's patenting a new add-on bar for concaves fitted with angled ridges that he designed to direct the flow of crop material more evenly over the width of the con-cave. In the process of perfecting the idea, he discovered many more benefits. "The problem I had was with uneven wear, especially when we had a light crop. The concave would wear down the middle so when you tightened it up, it would grind up grain on the ends where it hadn't worn down. The angled ridges direct the flow of grain and crop material outward as it enters the concave. Works great in any crop," says Kambeitz, adding "Every farmer I talk to likes the idea and knows exactly what I'm talking about except for guys with Massey Ferguson combines. That's because MF combines have a paddle-type feederhouse system that spreads material out evenly across the entire width of concave." A big additional benefit of the modification that he hadn't expected is that the angled ridges turn the the grain heads and straw 90? to the direction of travel so that they roll through the concave rather than sliding through head first. That has a number of advantages, Kambeitz told FARM SHOW. "Number one, the straw now rolls out the rear of the concave straddling the straw walkers rather than sliding out lengthwise which prevents it from spearing the sieves and also keeps material from sliding to either side when the machine is tilted on hillsides. Additionally, concave and rub bar life is extended because the rolling action of the straw and grain reduce friction and fuel is saved. And the threshing action is gentler on the straw so it's chewed up less before going back onto the ground, so residue lasts longer on the surface, reducing erosion." Although Kambeitz has only tried the idea on small grains, he says he's had interest from corn farmers looking for a way to rotate cobs so they roll through the concave rather than going in head first. He says he believes the modification will work in corn and he plans to test the idea this summer. The add-on bar is 4 in. wide and has 3/4-in. high angled ridges spaced every 1 in. Although at the current time Kambeitz is selling limited number of complete con-caves with the bar attached ($400 Canadian), he is developing an insert that could be attached to concaves without removing them from combine. For more information, contact FARM SHOW Followup, Ben Kambeitz, Box 93, Richmound, Sask. SON 2E0 Canada (ph 306 669-2154).

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