I. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the threshing unit intended for?

2. What types of cylinders do you know? Characterize them.

3. What is the concave and its main functions?

4. What are grates intended for?

5. What role does the separating unit play in the whole operation?

6. What mechanisms does the separating unit consist of?

7. What mechanisms does the cleaning unit consist of? What operations do they carry out?

8. What is the grain handling unit intended for? What parts is it subdivided into?

9. What role do the hydraulic controls play?

10. What are the propulsion drives and hydrostatic ground drives? Are there any differences between them?

II. Make up the list of verbs describing the combine operations and name all the implements carrying them out.

III. Mark true or false sentences and correct the false ones.

1. Threshing removes the chaff and straw from the head or pod.

2. Rasp-bar has transverse bars with grooved metal faces.

3. The spiral bars of the angle-bar cylinder are steel-faced, the steel being vulcanized to the metal.

4. Various types are used but all do the different work.

5. Much of the threshed grain falls through the openings of the straw rack to the grain pan beneath.

6. The grain travels the full length of the rack and is discharged at the rear of the combine.

7. In some models, the straw reel has four longitudinal sections.

8. The grain pan extends from the bottom of the cylinder to a point well back toward the rear.

9. Large particles and coarse residue are carried out the rear.

10. Clean grain elevator elevates crop from the auger and discharges it into the grain tank or bagger.

11. You will find hydraulic power used for many purposes in combine operation.

12. The hydraulic fluid is contained in an enclosed loop and is under low static pressure.

IV. Read the text, translate it and give a short summary of the text: Threshing and Separating Systems

Non-conventional combines (without walkers) are predominant in the uppermost power branches. In the market segment, axial combines compete with non-conventional tangential combines. A survey among farmers on non-conventional combines confirmed the well-known advantages and restrictions with regard to their use. While the Lexion 480 model with its great capacity has been on the market since last year, trials with John Deere’s CTS model, which was originally developed in the USA for the recent harvest, are now underway in Europe. In addition to these models, axial combines are still playing an important role. The ARCUS model by MDV represents an entirely new combine concept. For the axial double rotor is situated in the feeder house, this design provides enough space for two cleaning units in the body of the combine. Augers convey the mixture of grain and chaff to the cleaning units. After the grain has left the rotors, a separator deposits it on the right and on the left side. The front axle features small driven and steerable wheels. The larger driving wheels are situated below the high-capacity 2m grain tank. While getting accustomed to driving the combine in the field takes some time, the steered front axle allows for a maximum speed of 40km/h during road rides. The combine’s engine power amounts to 275kW.

With regard to the unit numbers, conventional combines with a tangential threshing system are still dominating the market because they can be used for various crops and because their power requirements are relatively low. Deutz-Fahr is developing a combine with eight walkers which will combine the advantages of a conventional combine with the high throughput achieved by non-conventional combines. A distributing drum situated behind the turboseparator permits the grain to be actively distributed over the entire width of the walker (2m) after it has left the threshing drum (width: 1.52m). Moreover, the walker is divided into two crank-throw double walkers arranged in an 180 angle. The additional step between the walkers provides for improved grain separation. A second air-flow step and, in particular, the sieve width of 2m are a prerequisite for the cleaning system to be adapted to the high grain throughput, which is planned to reach 40t/h.