Unloading system for a combine

In an apparatus having a mobile frame, an improved storage means for storing grain comprising in combination:

• grain bin mounted to the frame, the grain bin having a lower portion with a partition dividing the lower portion of the grain bin into two compartments;
• a discharge conveyor mounted to the frame, the discharge conveyor having an intake which is in communication with one of the two compartments, the discharge conveyor having a discharge end remote from the intake for discharging grain from the grain bin;
• an auxiliary conveyor having an inlet in communication with the other of the two compartments and a grain outlet which opens into the discharge conveyor for delivering grain from the other of the two compartments into the discharge conveyor, the discharge conveyor discharging grain from said one of the two compartments and the auxiliary conveyor so that grain is unloaded from the grain bin;
• and wherein the discharge conveyor includes:
• a conveyor housing having an interior and having a substantially upright lower section and a substantially horizontal upper section, the intake of the discharge conveyor being located on the lower section and the discharge end being located on the upper section, the discharge end having a discharge opening, the conveyor housing having an auxiliary opening located between the intake of the discharge conveyor and the discharge opening for receiving grain delivered from the auxiliary conveyor through the grain outlet;
• a plurality of conveyor paddles spaced apart from each other at intervals and mounted within the conveyor housing;
• and
• drive means for moving the conveyor paddles through the conveyor housing so that the conveyor paddles move past the intake of the discharge conveyor and the auxiliary opening to the discharge opening, the paddles forcing grain received from the intake and the auxiliary opening to the discharge opening, carrying grain through the conveyor housing and discharging the grain through the discharge opening.

In an apparatus having a mobile frame, an improved storage means for storing grain comprising in combination:

• a grain bin mounted to the frame, the grain bin having a lower portion with a partition dividing the lower portion of the grain bin into two compartments;
• a discharge conveyor mounted to the frame, the discharge conveyor having an intake which is in communication with one of the two compartments, the discharge conveyor having a discharge end remote from the intake for discharging grain from the grain bin;
• an auxiliary conveyor having an inlet in communication with the other of the two compartments and a grain outlet which opens into the discharge conveyor for delivering grain from the other of the two compartments into the discharge conveyor, the discharge conveyor discharging grain from said one of the two compartments and the auxiliary conveyor so that grain is unloaded from the grain bin;
• and wherein the auxiliary conveyor includes:
• a conveyor housing having an interior, the inlet of the auxiliary conveyor being located at one end of the conveyor housing, the grain outlet being located opposite the inlet;
• a plurality of paddles spaced apart from each other at intervals and mounted within the conveyor housing;
• and
• drive means for moving the paddles through the conveyor housing so that the paddles move past the inlet to the grain outlet, the paddles forcing grain received from the inlet to the grain outlet so that grain is carried through the conveyor housing and delivered through the outlet to the discharge conveyor.

In a combine for harvesting crop, the combine having a mobile frame, an improved storage unit for storing clean grain comprising in combination:

• a grain bin mounted to the frame, the grain bin having a lower portion with a partition dividing the lower portion of the grain bin into two compartments;
• a discharge conveyor mounted to the frame, the discharge conveyor including:
• a discharge conveyor housing having an interior and an intake at one end which is in communication with one of the two compartments of the grain bin and having a discharge opening located at a free end of the discharge conveyor housing remote from the intake for discharging grain from the grain bin;
• a plurality of discharge conveyor paddles spaced apart from each other at intervals and mounted within the discharge conveyor housing;
• and
• drive means for moving the discharge conveyor paddles through the interior of the discharge conveyor housing;
• and
• an auxiliary conveyor mounted to the frame of the combine, the auxiliary conveyor including:
• an auxiliary conveyor housing having an interior and an inlet in communication with the other of the two compartments of the grain bin, the auxiliary conveyor housing having a grain outlet opposite the inlet which opens into the interior of the discharge conveyor housing for delivering grain from the other of the two compartments into the discharge conveyor;
• a plurality of auxiliary conveyor paddles spaced apart from each other at intervals and mounted within the auxiliary conveyor housing;
• and
• drive means for moving the auxiliary paddles through the interior of the auxiliary conveyor housing so that the auxiliary conveyor paddles move past the inlet to the grain outlet, the paddles forcing grain received from the inlet to the grain outlet so that the grain is carried through the conveyor housing and delivered through the outlet to the interior of the discharge conveyor housing;
• and wherein
• the drive means of the discharge conveyor moves the discharge conveyor paddles past the intake of the discharge conveyor housing and the grain outlet of the auxiliary conveyor housing to the discharge opening, the paddles forcing grain received from the intake and the auxiliary conveyor through the discharge opening so that grain is unloaded from the grain bin.

A method of unloading grain from a storage bin of an apparatus having a mobile frame, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a grain bin mounted to the frame, the grain bin having a lower portion;
• dividing the lower portion of the grain bin into two compartments;
• mounting a discharge conveyor to the frame, the discharge conveyor having a generally vertical lower section and a generally horizontal upper section with an intake located on the lower section and a discharge end located on the upper section remote from the intake with the intake being in communication with one of the two compartments;
• providing an auxiliary conveyor having an inlet in communication with the other of the two compartments, the auxiliary conveyor having a grain outlet which opens into the upper section of the discharge conveyor;
• delivering grain from the other of the two compartments through the auxiliary conveyor into the upper section of the discharge conveyor;
• and
• transporting grain from said one of the two compartments and the auxiliary conveyor through the upper section of the discharge conveyor and discharging said grain out the discharge end so that grain is unloaded from the grain bin.