Patent ID: 6584424
Filing Date: 2003-06-24
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
A grain flow monitor for measuring volume flow rate of grain discharged by a power driven conveyor in a grain harvester, comprisinga hopper having an open top and an open bottom, said hopper disposed to receive all grain discharged by said conveyor, a rotatable paddlewheel disposed below said hopper and covering said open bottom of said hopper, said paddlewheel having a multiplicity of compartments circumferentially mounted thereon, each compartment of predetermined volume, a height sensor disposed upon said hopper above said paddlewheel, said height sensor generating a control signal responsive to the height of grain in said hopper, said paddlewheel selectively controlled by said control signal to rotate sufficiently rapidly to maintain grain at a predetermined height within said hopper, an angular displacement monitor responsive to the rotation of said paddlewheel generating a first data signal responsive to the rotation of said paddlewheel over unit of time, a computer receiving said first data signal and calculating therefrom a volume flow rate of grain exiting said conveyor.