Thresher for Immature Soybeans 1

Some experiments with soybeans [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] require harvest and shelling before complete maturation. A threshing mechanism was developed that orients and breaks the pods of artificially dried soybeans without damaging the seeds. The thresher orients the soybean pods by making use of the pod width‐to‐thickness ratio that is characteristically greater than one. The shelling is done by four wheels. Two wheels grip each pod and the other two crush it. The seeds then can be manually separated from the pieces of crushed pod. The thresher for immature soybeans significantly decreased threshing time when compared with traditional manual methods.