Expandable grain bagging apparatus and method thereof

A grain bagging apparatus for loading grain into a grain bag for storage, the grain bagging apparatus comprising an expandable grain discharge tunnel having:

• a stationary section;
• a first flank slidably coupled to the stationary section;
• and
• a first drive means having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first drive means being coupled to the first flank and the second end of the drive means being coupled to the stationary section;
• wherein the first drive means slidably transitions the expandable grain discharge tunnel from a first position to a second position by sliding the first flank in an outward direction away from the stationary section along a rectilinear path and the first drive means slidably transitions the expandable grain discharge tunnel from the second position to the first position by sliding the first flank in an inward direction towards the stationary section along the rectilinear path;
• and
• wherein the expandable grain discharge tunnel has a wider width in the second position than in the first position such that differently sized grain bags are mountable on the grain discharge tunnel.

A method of loading a grain bag on a grain bagging apparatus having an expandable grain discharge tunnel, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing the grain bagging apparatus, the grain bagging apparatus having the expandable grain discharge tunnel, the expandable grain discharge tunnel having a stationary section and at least one flank and the expandable grain discharge tunnel being configured to have a first position and a second position and the expandable grain discharge tunnel being configured to slidably transition from the first position to the second position by sliding the at least one flank in an outward direction away from the stationary section along a rectilinear path, the grain discharge tunnel having a larger width in the second position than in the first position;
• securing the grain bag on the expandable grain discharge tunnel while the tunnel is in the first position;
• and
• slidably transitioning the expandable grain discharge tunnel from the first position to the second position along the rectilinear path to thereby secure the grain bag around an outer perimeter of the expandable grain discharge tunnel.