RATIONALE FOR CHOOSING THE PROFILE OF STRIPPING FINGERS OF THE STRIPPING CYLINDER
One of the main geometric parameters of the stripping fingers of the stripping cylinder, which determine the possibility of sustainable combing of plants and transportation of the heap, is a profile shape of the stripping fingers. The simplest version of the profile is generally admitted as rectilinear. While investigating, the author defined possible negative processes in the motion of grain heap along straight stripping fingers, namely the early discharge of a portion of the combings from the stripping fingers, which leads to grain losses; identified a special case of the mutual arrangement of the stripping fingers and the ear of the plant, i.e. the case of maximum displacement of the combing area of the plant to the end of the stripping fingers. This area was designated as a critical zone of the process. The author analyzed the scheme of interaction of the ear and radially located straight stripping fingers, and the variant of interaction of the ear and the stripping fingers with bent forward curved front surface. On account of equilibrium of a body on a rough surface, the possibility of sliding of the stripping fingers along the ear at the initial moment of their interaction was discussed. The analysis of the schemes showed that at the initial moment rectilinear stripping fingers didn't slide along the ear. At the same time, there occurred the destruction of grain connection with the ear, i.e. the process of stripping began. Due to the lack of the time period, the portion of the stripping mass didn't form the heap that could be moved further, and thus the early discharge of a portion of the combings from the stripping fingers is inevitable. The advantages of the stripping fingers with bent forward curved front surface are obvious, i.e. the ears can slide easily along the stripping fingers into the workspace of the stripping device, as well as the stripping mass can be formed for further motion along the stripping fingers and for normal discharge of the heap. In this case, an early discharge of the heap can be minimized.