Unloading system for agricultural combine
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorKarl Linde
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for unloading a grain storage tank of a combine harvester includes a conduit that is sized to extend into an interior region of the grain storage tank. The conduit defines an interior space that is sized to receive an auger that is configured to remove the grain from the grain storage tank. The conduit further defines an opening for receiving grain from the interior region of the grain storage tank. A panel is positioned adjacent the opening in the conduit. The panel is movable between a first position in which the panel at least partially conceals the opening to meter the entrance of grain through the opening, and a second position in which the panel does not conceal the opening to freely permit the entrance of grain through the opening and into the conduit.
Claims20
A combine harvester comprising:
- a storage tank defining an interior region for holding grain;
- a conduit extending into the interior region of the storage tank, said conduit defining an interior space that is sized to receive a vertically oriented grain conveyance device that is configured to remove the grain from the storage tank, said conduit defining an opening for receiving grain from the interior region of the storage tank;
- a panel that is positioned adjacent the opening in the conduit, said panel being movable between a first position in which the panel conceals the opening to prevent entrance of grain through the opening and into the conduit, and a second position in which the panel does not conceal the opening to freely permit the entrance of grain through the opening and into the conduit;
- and
- a controller that is configured to actively adjust the panel to positions between the first and second positions during a grain unloading operation in order to meter the entrance of grain through the opening.
A system for unloading a grain storage tank of a combine harvester, said system comprising:
- a conduit that is sized to extend into an interior region of the grain storage tank, said conduit defining an interior space that is sized to receive a vertically oriented grain conveyance device configured to remove the grain from the grain storage tank, said conduit defining an opening for receiving grain from the interior region of the grain storage tank;
- a panel that is positioned adjacent the opening in the conduit, said panel being movable between a first position in which the panel conceals the opening to prevent entrance of grain through the opening and into the conduit, and a second position in which the panel does not conceal the opening to freely permit the entrance of grain through the opening and into the conduit;
- and
- a controller that is configured to actively adjust the panel to positions between the first and second positions during a grain unloading operation in order to meter the entrance of grain through the opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.