Grain cleaner and destructor of foreign matter in harvesting crops
AssigneeBoard of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
InventorJohn Reyenga
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for removing foreign matter from a harvested crop and for destroying the foreign matter, wherein grain produced by a threshing process is passed over a screen to allow relatively fine foreign matter to fall through the screen, while the grain is conveyed to a receptacle, and the foreign matter preferably is directed to a pair of rollers operative to crush the foreign matter to present germination of any seeds therein. Foreign matter removed during the threshing process also preferably is directed to a pair of rollers for crushing.
Claims23
A combine including a device for removing foreign matter from grain harvested by the combine, said device comprising:
- a conveyor operative to convey the grain and foreign matter along a path of travel;
- a screen disposed under the conveyor along the path of travel, said screen having a mesh size selected such that said grain cannot pass through said screen while said foreign matter can pass through said screen, said screen being disposed such that said grain and foreign matter are conveyed by said conveyor along said screen;
- a collector operatively disposed beneath said screen to collect said foreign matter as it passes through said screen;
- a discharge provided at one end of said screen for discharge of said grain;
- and
- a receptacle operative to receive said grain as it is discharged from said discharge of said screen.
A combine having a bin in which harvested grain is collected, a grain elevator operative to convey harvested grain to the bin, and a leveling auger disposed along a top side of the bin and extending from a discharge of the grain elevator, comprising:
- a cleaner attached to the leveling auger and operative to receive grain discharged from the grain elevator and to remove foreign matter from the grain by separating the grain and the foreign matter, said cleaner further collecting said foreign matter and discharging it;
- and
- a destructor carried on said combine, said destructor receiving said foreign matter discharged by said device and operative to destroy said foreign matter so that any seeds contained therein are rendered incapable of germination.
A combine having a grain elevator operative to convey grain from a threshing process, a receptacle disposed to receive grain discharged from said grain elevator, and a leveling auger disposed along a top side of said receptacle and extending from a discharge of said grain elevator, said combine further comprising:
- a cleaner device attached to said leveling auger operative to separate foreign matter from said grain discharged from said grain elevator and to convey said foreign matter;
- a first destructor device operative to receive said foreign matter from said cleaner device and to crush said foreign matter so as to destroy any seeds therein and thereby to prevent germination of said seeds;
- and
- a second destructor device operative to receive waste material discharged from said threshing process and operative to crush said waste matter thereby destroying any seeds contained therein.
A cleaner device comprising:
- a conveyor operative to convey grain and foreign matter along a path of travel;
- a screen disposed under the conveyor along the path of travel, said screen having a mesh size selected such that grain cannot pass through said screen while said foreign matter can pass through said screen, said screen being disposed such that said grain and foreign matter are conveyed by said conveyor along said screen;
- a collector operatively disposed beneath said screen to collect said foreign matter as it passes through said screen;
- a discharge provided at one end of said screen for discharge of said grain;
- and
- a receptacle operative to receive said grain as it is being discharged from said discharge of said screen.
A method of cleaning harvested grain comprising:
- directing a collection of grain and foreign matter in
- the form of a stream flowing along a longitudinal direction;
- screening the stream to classify the components of the stream into constituent parts;
- collecting said foreign matter as it falls through upon separation by said screening;
- and
- discharging cleaned grain for delivery to a point of utilization.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.