A mechanical device designed to beat plant stems and loosen the edible grain or seed from the inedible chaff. Originally operated as a standalone stationary machine powered by belts, the threshing mechanism is built directly into the internal processing system of a combine harvester. It typically uses a rotating cylinder and a stationary concave grate to rub the crop material apart.
Heard on the job
Check the cylinder clearance on the thresher before we start on this dry wheat.
Insider tip
Setting the thresher speed too high will crack the grain, while setting it too low leaves unthreshed heads in the straw.
Also heard as
- threshing machine