Understanding How Combine Harvesters Work

A combine harvester is a popular piece of agricultural equipment, especially during the fall harvest season. If you've ever wondered about the history of combine harvesters or how they work, read on. We cover the basics of combine harvesters below. For more information or to shop combine harvesters for sale, reach out to the experts at Arnold's Inc. Our seven dealerships are based throughout Minnesota.

A Brief History of Combine Harvesters

In 1835, an American inventor named Hiram Moore created the first combine harvester. The name 'combine harvester' comes from the heavy equipment's purpose: it combines the ability to harvest and separate grain crops.

Before this efficient piece of agricultural equipment existed, over 90% of American citizens spent their days laboring on farms. The arrival of the combine harvester allowed for the heavy equipment to take on some of the work previously handled by farmers. By 1870, the percentage of Americans laboring on farms dropped to only 50%!

The Parts of the Combine Harvester

• A combine harvester is made up of many moving parts.
• Header: cuts the crop close to the ground.
• Spinning auger: takes the crop up a conveyor.
• Threshing segment: separates out the grains from their stalks.
• Grain tank: holds the separated grains.
• Conveyors: the moving belts that move the chaff or the grain through the combine harvester.
• Elevator: moves the harvested grain out of the tank.
• Unloader: the side pipe where grain goes out of and gets deposited into a cart or other such receptacle.
• Straw chopper: an optional attachment at the rear of the combine harvester. It chops up the crop residue and then spreads it out on the field behind the combine harvester.

The Use of a Combine Harvester

A combine harvester is able to tackle various steps of the grain crop harvesting process. It commonly works with crops such as wheat and barley.

First, the combine harvester cuts the crop at its base. The plant gets fed into the threshing drum, which serves to separate out the grains from the stalks. The chaff gets moved to the back of the combine harvester. The separated grains are moved to a grain tank, which then moves the grains out of an unloader and onto a waiting cart.

The refuse created by the combine harvester can be utilized in other farm tasks, such as creating bedding for animals, getting baled into straw, or spread across the ground to give nourishment to the soil.

Want more information on combine harvesters? Ready to shop combine harvesters for sale? Whatever you need, the experts at Arnold's Inc are here to help. Contact us or stop by one of our seven dealerships. We proudly serve those throughout Minnesota.