Combine elevator system
AssigneeAgri-Technology
InventorMark R. Underwood
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A grain harvesting combine has an elevator system for conveying tailings and clean grain. The tailings are conveyed above the grain storage bin where they enter a chute and flow back to the threshing rotor. A window located at the entrance of the chute cooperates with impellers on the threshing rotor to create a strong downdraft to facilitate flow of the tailings. A stuck crop chamber has a trap door that senses when product jams in the elevator and automatically opens to discharge crop if so.
Claims20
In a grain combine having a rotating threshing rotor which threshes grain from crop, a sieve section which separates chaff from grain received from the rotor, a storage bin, a clean grain conveyor which transports clean grain which passes through the sieve section to the storage bin, and a tailings conveyor which transports partially threshed tailings which fail to pass through the sieve section to a chute located above the rotor, the tailings moving through the chute into the rotor for rethreshing, the improvement comprising:
- a window in the tailings conveyor adjacent the chute for creating a downdraft due to rotation of the rotor to facilitate movement of the tailings through the chute.
In a grain combine having a rotating threshing rotor which threshes grain from crop, a sieve section which separates chaff from the grain received from the rotor, and a storage bin, an improved elevator for transporting clean grain which passes through the sieve section to the storage bin and returning partially threshed tailings which fail to pass through the sieve section to the rotor for rethreshing, comprising in combination:
- an elevator housing assembly which has a lower section extending below the sieve sections, an upper section extending over the storage bin, an ascending side section joining the upper and lower sections on one side of the combine, and a descending side section joining the upper and lower sections on another side of the combine, defining a continuous path;
- partition means for dividing the elevator housing assembly into a clean grain section and a tailings section;
- a continuous driven linkage extending around the continuous path;
- a plurality of spaced apart clean grain paddles mounted to the linkage for movement therewith and located in the clean grain section of the elevator housing assembly, defining clean grain compartments for transporting clean grain to the storage bin;
- a plurality of spaced apart tailings paddles mounted to the linkage for movement therewith and located in the tailings section of the elevator housing assembly, defining tailings compartments for transporting tailings to the upper section of the elevator housing assembly;
- a chute having an entrance in the tailings section of the upper section of the elevator housing assembly and leading to the rotor for rethreshing the tailings;
- and
- a window formed in the tailings section of the upper section of the elevator housing assembly adjacent to the entrance to the chute for creating a downdraft of air due to the rotation of the threshing rotor.
In a grain combine having a rotating threshing rotor which threshes grain from crop, a sieve section which separates chaff from the grain received from the rotor, and a storage bin, an improved elevator for transporting grain products from the sieve section, comprising in combination:
- an elevator housing assembly which has a lower section extending below the sieve sections, an upper section extending over the storage bin, an ascending side section joining the upper and lower sections on one side of the combine, and a descending side section joining the upper and lower sections on another side of the combine, defining a continuous path;
- a continuous driven linkage extending around the continuous path;
- a plurality of spaced apart paddles mounted to the linkage for movement therewith and located in the elevator housing assembly, defining compartments for conveying at least some of the grain products to the storage bin;
- a jammed product discharge chamber located at the junction of the upper section and descending section of the elevator housing assembly, the chamber having a discharge opening on its lower end;
- and
- a trap door located in the discharge chamber above the discharge opening and movable from a normally closed position, blocking the discharge opening to an open position, providing access to the discharge opening, the trap door being movable to the open position should excessive grain products from the compartments enter the discharge chamber for discharging the excessive grain products onto the ground.
In a grain combine having a rotating threshing rotor which threshes grain from crop, a sieve section which separates chaff from the grain received from the rotor, and a storage bin, an improved elevator for transporting clean grain which passes through the sieve section to the storage bin and returning partially threshed tailings which fail to pass through the sieve section to the rotor for rethreshing, comprising in combination:
- an elevator housing assembly which has a lower section extending below the sieve sections, an upper section extending over the storage bin, an ascending side section joining the upper and lower sections on one side of the combine, and a descending side section joining the upper and lower sections on another side of the combine, defining a continuous path;
- partition means for dividing the elevator housing assembly into a clean grain section and a tailings section;
- a continuous driven linkage extending around the continuous path;
- a plurality of spaced apart clean grain paddles mounted to the linkage for movement therewith and located in the clean grain section of the elevator housing assembly, defining clean grain compartments for transporting clean grain to the storage bin;
- a plurality of spaced apart tailings paddles mounted to the linkage for movement therewith and located in the tailings section of the elevator housing assembly, defining tailings compartments for transporting tailings to the upper section of the elevator housing assembly;
- a chute leading from the tailings section in the upper section of the elevator housing assembly to the rotor for rethreshing the tailings;
- a jammed product discharge chamber located at the junction of the upper section and descending section of the elevator housing assembly, the chamber having a discharge opening on its lower end;
- and
- a trap door located in the discharge chamber above the discharge opening and movable from a normally closed position, blocking the discharge opening to an open position, providing access to the discharge opening, the trap door being spring-biased and movable to the open position should sufficient force be exerted to an upper side of the door due to jammed contents from the compartments for discharging the jammed contents onto the ground.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.