Flow rate control for a combine harvester
AssigneeAGCO Corporation
InventorsFrederic Ducroquet, Joseph M. Biggerstaff, Gerald R. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a grain unloading system for a combine harvester a grain bin includes a frame, the frame has a floor with a trough. An unloading auger is disposed at least partially within the trough. An auger cover at least partially covers the auger. The auger cover has a hat for a top portion of the auger cover and a pair of gates movable between the hat and locations on the floor that are proximal to the trough. A gate adjustment structure is coupled to the pair of gates to move the pair of gates relative to the auger. A control system is coupled to the gate adjustment structure and configured to control the gate adjustment structure.
Claims17
A grain unloading system for a combine harvester comprising:
- a grain bin comprising a frame, the frame comprising a floor with a trough disposed therein;
- an unloading auger disposed at least partially within the trough;
- an auger cover that at least partially covers the auger, the auger cover comprising a hat for a top portion of the auger cover and a pair of gates movable between the hat and locations on the floor that are proximal to the trough;
- a gate adjustment structure coupled to the pair of gates to move the pair of gates relative to the auger;
- and,
- a control system coupled to the gate adjustment structure and configured to control the gate adjustment structure, wherein the control system further comprises a sensor to detect moisture of grain entering the grain bin, wherein based on the detected moisture, the control system is configured to cause the gate adjustment structure to move the gates to a predetermined position.
A grain unloading system according to claim, for a combine harvester comprising:
- a grain bin comprising a frame, the frame comprising a floor with a trough disposed therein;
- an unloading auger disposed at least partially within the trough;
- an auger cover that at least partially covers the auger, the auger cover comprising a hat for a top portion of the auger cover and a pair of gates movable between the hat and locations on the floor that are proximal to the trough;
- a gate adjustment structure coupled to the pair of gates to move the pair of gates relative to the auger;
- and
- a control system coupled to the gate adjustment structure and configured to control the gate adjustment structure
- wherein the gate adjustment structure comprises:
- a rotatable shaft;
- a first crank rigidly affixed to the rotatable shaft;
- and,
- a link assembly coupled between the first crank and the gates;
- wherein in response to a first rotation of the rotatable shaft, one end of the pair of movable gates moves up to a predetermined distance that is greater than a predetermined distance the other end of the pair of movable gates moves up to.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.