Closure for a cleanout opening of a harvesting apparatus

Abstract

A plug for a drain and grain-emptying opening for a grain compartment on a harvesting apparatus prevents clogging of the opening. The grain compartment has an auger casting for supporting a vertical unloader auger. The auger casting has openings therethrough that serve as a bottom drain for the grain compartment. The drain system includes a plug having plug bodies sized and shaped to be inserted into the openings to effectively close a bottom of the grain compartment. The openings comprise crescent shapes in horizontal cross-section, and the plug bodies comprise corresponding crescent shapes in horizontal cross-section. The plug bodies can have lengths substantially equal to depths of the openings. The plug of the invention is made from a soft plastic, which molds to the bottom surface of the casting and eliminates the need for a sealable casting cover.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.