# US 9,516,811 B1 · Combine harvester grain bulk tank unloading system

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- Number: US 9,516,811 B1
- Document ID: US9516811B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 14/714,608
- Filed: 2015-05-18
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-13
- Applicants: Ronald J. Kile
- Inventors: Ronald J. Kile
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9516811B1

## CPC

- A01D 41/1217: {Unloading mechanisms}
- A01D 41/1208: {Tanks for grain or chaff (for threshing machines A01F12/60)}
- B60P 1/42: mounted on the load-transporting element
- B65G 33/34: Applications of driving gear
- A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING
- B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00)
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)

## Abstract

A combine harvester grain bulk tank and grain unloading system includes opposed bulk tank augers and an unloading auger formed in a grain bulk tank of a combine harvester. The bulk tank augers are for receiving and conveying grain through the bulk tank to the unloading auger, and the unloading auger is for receiving grain from the bulk tank augers and conveying grain to a grain unloading spout for grain unloading. A primary drive gear is coupled to the unloading auger and to an input, a secondary drive gear is drivingly coupled to the bulk tank augers, and a clutch is coupled between the primary drive gear and the secondary drive gear, which is movable between an engaged position for transferring power from the input to the unloading auger and to the bulk tank augers, and a disengaged position for isolating the bulk tank augers from the primary drive gear.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of unloading grain from a grain bulk tank, comprising the steps of:
providing opposed first and second bulk tank augers and an unloading auger formed in the grain bulk tank, the first and second bulk tank augers are horizontal, the unloading auger is upright and is between the first and second bulk tank augers, the first bulk tank auger is housed in a first shroud, the second bulk tank auger is housed in a second shroud, the first shroud is formed with a first chute, the second shroud is formed with a second chute, the first chute extends downwardly from the first shroud to the unloading auger for delivering grain downwardly from the first bulk tank auger to the unloading auger, and the second chute extends downwardly from the second shroud to the unloading auger for delivering grain downwardly from the second bulk tank auger to the unloading auger;
filling the bulk tank auger with grain; and
concurrently activating the first and second bulk tank augers and the unloading auger concurrently conveying the grain in the grain bulk tank horizontally through the first and second shrouds to the first and second chutes via the first and second bulk tank augers, delivering the grain downwardly from the first and second bulk tank augers to the unloading auger via the first and second chutes, and conveying the grain upright from the gain bulk tank to the grain unloading spout via the unloading auger.

### Claim 2

A method of unloading grain from a grain bulk tank, comprising the steps of:
providing opposed first and second bulk tank augers and an unloading auger formed in the grain bulk tank, the first and second bulk tank augers are horizontal, the unloading auger is upright and is between the first and second bulk tank augers, the first bulk tank auger is housed in a first shroud, the second bulk tank auger is housed in a second shroud, the first shroud is formed with a first chute, the second shroud is formed with a second chute, the first chute extends downwardly from the first shroud to the unloading auger for delivering grain downwardly from the first bulk tank auger to the unloading auger, and the second chute extends downwardly from the second shroud to the unloading auger for delivering grain downwardly from the second bulk tank auger to the unloading auger;
filling the bulk tank auger with grain;
concurrently activating the first and second bulk tank augers and the unloading auger concurrently conveying grain in the grain bulk tank horizontally through the first and second shrouds to the first and second chutes via the first and second bulk tank augers, delivering the grain downwardly from the first and second bulk tank augers to the unloading auger via the first and second chutes, and conveying the grain upright from the gain bulk tank to the grain unloading spout via the unloading auger;
deactivating the first and second grain bulk tank augers halting grain delivering to the unloading auger and concurrently continuing activating the unloading auger; and
deactivating the unloading auger when emptied of grain.