Method and apparatus for determining combine efficiency

A system to collect samples of crop material discharged by a harvester during harvesting operations, the system comprising:

• a first pan magnetically supported on the harvester above a ground surface by a first set of electromagnets in a default holding state;
• a second pan magnetically supported on the harvester above the ground surface by a second set of electromagnets in a default holding state;
• a signal controller configured to transmit a signal upon actuation by a user;
• a control circuit configured to switch the first set of electromagnets from the default holding state to a release state in response to the signal transmitted by the signal controller upon a first actuation of the signal controller by the user, while maintaining the second set of electromagnets in the default holding state, the control circuit configured to switch the second set of electromagnets from the default holding state to a release state in response to the signal transmitted by the signal controller upon a second actuation of the signal controller by the user;
• whereby, when the first set of electromagnets are switched to the release state, the first set electromagnets lose magnetism causing the first pan to drop from the harvester to the ground surface;
• whereby, when the second set of electromagnets are switched to the release state, the second set electromagnets lose magnetism causing the second pan to drop from the harvester to the ground surface;
• whereupon the first pan that has dropped to the ground surface collects a first sample of crop material discharged by the harvester during harvesting operations and the second pan that has dropped to the ground surface collects a second sample of crop material discharged by the harvester during harvesting operations.

A method of collecting samples of crop material discharged by a harvester while harvesting a crop in a field, the method comprising:

• magnetically supporting a first pan on the harvester above a ground surface with a first set of electromagnets in a default holding state;
• magnetically supporting a second pan on the harvester above a ground surface with a second set of electromagnets in a default holding state;
• selectively switching the first set of electromagnets from the default holding state to a release state causing the first pan to drop from the harvester to the ground surface in a first desired location in the field while the second pan remains supported on the harvester by the second set of electromagnets remaining in the default holding state;
• selectively switching the second set of electromagnets from the default holding state to a release state causing the second pan to drop from the harvester to the ground surface in a second desired location in the field;
• whereupon the first pan that has dropped to the ground surface collects a first sample of crop material discharged by the harvester during harvesting operations and the second pan that has dropped to the ground surface collects a second sample of crop material discharged by the harvester during harvesting operations.