SOYBEAN THRESHING MECHANICS .1. FRICTIONAL RUBBING BY FLAT BELTS

An experimental rubbing belt device was built to study the use of frictional rubbing forces generate passing material between two flat-belts to thresh soybeans from standing plants. Threshing efficiencies greater than 93% were achieved over a range of belt speeds in excess of normal combine ground speeds when the pod moisture content was 10% w.b. Mechanical damage to the threshed seeds was of no consequence. The estimated energy required to thresh the soybeans from one pod was 0.012 J. The energy used by conventional combines to thresh soybeans is four times the energy required by the rubbing belt device.