Abstract:
A system and method of clearing a lump of cut crop material from an internal conveyor of the feeder house of an agricultural combine and an auger conveyor of a belt pickup mounted on the feeder house by ejecting the lump of cut crop material to a position forward of the auger conveyor, then shredding the lump of cut crop material by the auger conveyor and feeding the shredded portions of the lump of cut crop material into the internal conveyor, and then accelerating a belt conveyor on the belt pickup located immediately in front of the auger conveyor to its full harvesting speed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to belt pickups for agricultural combines. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Belt pickups for agricultural combines are agricultural harvesting heads that gather previously cut crop plants that have been gathered into windrows. They include an endless conveyor belt extending forward from the front of the belt pickup that lifts the windrow up and feeds it rearward into the feeder house of an agricultural combine. 
         [0003]    The windrows vary in their height and density depending upon the bulk of the crop that was harvested and gathered. As a result of this variation, the feeder house conveyor in the agricultural combine will occasionally jam with excess cut crop material. 
         [0004]    When the feeder house is jammed in this manner, the operator stops the forward motion of the combine and reverses the feeder house conveyor to eject the lump of cut crop material jamming the feeder house conveyor. This sends the lump forward and deposits it back into the belt pickup. 
         [0005]    Once the lump has been ejected, the operator restarts the feeder house conveyor and the endless conveyor belt of the belt pickup. 
         [0006]    One problem with this arrangement is that the lump of cut crop material is occasionally drawn back into the feeder house and jams the feeder house again. At this point, the operator will repeat the process of clearing the feeder house conveyor. If the lump is particularly large and this does not work, the operator may have to eject the lump, climb down from the operator&#39;s cabin and remove the lump from the belt pickup. This is a time-consuming process. 
         [0007]    What is needed, therefore, is an improved system for clearing a feeder house and belt pickup. It is an object of this invention to provide such a system. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a system for clearing a feeder house and belt pickup is provided, comprising: an agricultural combine wherein the agricultural combine comprises a feeder house, wherein the feeder house extends forward from the agricultural combine and has a feeder house belt conveyor disposed inside the feeder house, wherein agricultural combine also comprises a first operator input device; a belt pickup further comprising: a frame having an aperture through which cut crop material is conveyed, an auger conveyor supported on the frame and configured to convey cut crop material to the feeder house belt conveyor through the aperture, a first belt conveyor supported on the frame and disposed in front of the auger conveyor to convey cut crop material to the auger conveyor, a first motor coupled to the first belt conveyor to drive the first belt conveyor; a variable drive coupled to the first belt conveyor and to the auger conveyor to synchronously drive the first belt conveyor and the auger conveyor; and an ECU coupled to the variable drive and to the first motor, and to the first operator input device, and wherein the ECU in response to a signal from the first operator input device is configured to first accelerate the first belt conveyor and the auger conveyor to its operating speed in a first stage of operation, and then to subsequently accelerate the first belt conveyor to its operating speed over a first pre-programmed time delay interval in a second and successive stage of operation. 
         [0009]    The system may further comprise a second operator input device that is coupled to the ECU, wherein the ECU is configured to immediately accelerate the first belt conveyor to its full operating speed in a time shorter than the first pre-programmed time delay interval in response to a signal from the second operator input device. 
         [0010]    The first preprogrammed time delay interval may be between 10 and 60 seconds. 
         [0011]    The first preprogrammed time delay interval may comprise an initial preprogrammed time delay interval portion during which the ECU is programmed to stop the first belt conveyor from rotating, and also comprises a second and subsequent preprogrammed time delay interval portion during which the ECU accelerates the first belt conveyor to its full operational speed. 
         [0012]    The belt pickup may further comprise a second hydraulic motor and a second belt conveyor, wherein the second hydraulic motor is coupled to and drives the second belt conveyor. 
         [0013]    The first belt conveyor may be a transfer conveyor that is disposed to receive cut crop material from a pickup conveyor and convey the received cut crop material to the auger conveyor. 
         [0014]    The second belt conveyor may be a pickup conveyor comprising a pickup belt with a plurality of fingers extending outward therefrom, and wherein the plurality of fingers are configured to lift cut crop material from the ground. 
         [0015]    In accordance with a second aspect of the invention a method for clearing a belt pickup and feeder house of an agricultural combine is provided, wherein the combine has a feeder house with an internal belt conveyor, and wherein the belt pickup has an auger conveyor disposed to feed the internal belt conveyor and a first belt conveyor disposed to feed the auger conveyor, the method comprising the steps of: stopping the internal belt conveyor, the auger conveyor, and the first belt conveyor; ejecting a lump of cut crop material jamming the internal belt conveyor of the feeder house by the internal belt conveyor and the auger conveyor in a reverse clearing direction; depositing the lump of cut crop material on the first belt conveyor; starting the internal belt conveyor and the auger conveyor in a forward harvesting direction after the step of depositing; waiting a first time delay interval after the step of starting; and operating the first belt conveyor in a forward harvesting direction at its full harvesting speed after the step of waiting. 
         [0016]    The step of operating may comprise the steps of not moving the first belt conveyor for a first portion of the first time delay interval; and accelerating the first belt conveyor in a first harvesting direction to its normal harvesting speed for a second portion of the first time delay interval. 
         [0017]    The first time delayed the interval may be between 10 and 60 seconds. 
         [0018]    The method may further comprise the step of terminating the first time delay interval and accelerating the first belt conveyor to its normal harvesting speed in the first harvesting direction. 
         [0019]    In accordance with the third aspect of the invention a method for clearing a lump of cut crop material from a feeder house of an agricultural combine is provided, wherein the combine has a feeder house with an internal belt conveyor, and wherein a belt pickup is supported on the feeder house and has an auger conveyor disposed to feed the internal belt conveyor, and wherein the belt pickup has a first belt conveyor disposed to feed the auger conveyor, the method comprising the steps of: stopping the internal belt conveyor, the auger conveyor, and the first belt conveyor; ejecting the lump of cut crop material jamming the internal belt conveyor of the feeder house; shredding the lump of cut crop material with the auger conveyor and gradually feeding shredded portions of cut crop material into the internal belt conveyor while the first belt conveyor is either stopped or moving at less than its full harvesting speed; and accelerating the first belt conveyor in a forward harvesting direction to its full harvesting speed after the step of shredding. 
         [0020]    The step of ejecting may further comprise the step of depositing the lump of cut crop material onto the first belt conveyor. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a belt pickup, feeder house and agricultural combine in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a schematic plan view of the belt pickup and feeder house of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is an operational flowchart of the system for clearing the feeder house and belt pickup. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    The term “ECU” as used herein means a single ECU, or a plurality of ECUs connected together in a network to perform the functions described herein. 
         [0025]    In  FIG. 1 , a belt pickup  100  is supported on the forward end of the feeder house  102  of an agricultural combine  104 . The belt pickup  100  comprises a frame  106 , which supports a pickup conveyor  109 , a transfer conveyor  111 , and an auger conveyor  112 . 
         [0026]    The agricultural combine  104  carries the belt pickup  100  through the field in the direction “V”. The pickup conveyor  109  engages the windrow of cut crop material, lifts it up, and carries it rearward. 
         [0027]    The pickup conveyor  109  deposits the cut crop material on the transfer conveyor  111 , which carries the cut crop rearward. The transfer conveyor  111  deposits the cut crop material in the auger conveyor  112 . The auger conveyor  112  carries the cut crop material laterally inward from the sides of the belt pickup  100  to the center of the belt pickup  100 , and then feeds the cut crop material through an aperture  211  ( FIG. 2 ) in the frame of the belt pickup  100  and into the inlet of the feeder house  102 . 
         [0028]    A belt conveyor  114  in the feeder house  102  carries the cut crop upward and rearward to a drum conveyor  116 , which then conveys the cut crop into a threshing and separating system  118  where grain in the cut crop material is threshed and separated from the material other than grain. 
         [0029]    A further conveyor (not shown) carries the now-clean grain upward into a grain tank  120  in the agricultural combine  104  from whence it can be periodically transferred to a vehicle (not shown) traveling alongside the agricultural combine  104 . 
         [0030]    An operator&#39;s cabin  122  is disposed above and behind the belt pickup. The operator&#39;s cabin  122  has an operator seat and several operator controls to permit the operator to operate the agricultural combine  104  and the belt pickup  100 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the pickup conveyor  109  comprises an endless pickup belt  108  that is supported for recirculating movement about an idler roller  200  and a drive roller  202 . The pickup belt  108  is made of a vulcanized rubber impregnated fabric to which small steel fingers have been attached. These fingers extend outward from the pickup belt  108  and gather up the windrow that is being harvested. 
         [0032]    The drive roller  202  is coupled to and driven by a drive motor  204 , here shown as a hydraulic motor. The transfer conveyor  111  comprises an endless transfer belt  110  that is supported for recirculating movement about an idler roller  206  and a drive roller  208 . The drive roller  208  is coupled to and driven by a drive motor  210 , here shown as a hydraulic motor. 
         [0033]    The drive rollers and idler rollers of the pickup conveyor  109  and the transfer conveyor  111  are supported on the frame  106 , which permits them to rotate about their longitudinal axes relative to the frame  106 . 
         [0034]    The auger conveyor  112  includes an elongate cylinder  212  upon which spiral flights  214  are fixed at each end. The elongate cylinder  212  is supported at each end on the frame  106 , such that it can rotate with respect to the frame  106 . 
         [0035]    When the auger conveyor  112  rotates in a forward direction to harvest crops, the spiral flights  214  engage the cut crop material received from the rear portion of the transfer belt  110  and convey that cut crop material inwards from both ends of the elongate cylinder  212  toward a midpoint of the elongate cylinder  212 . The auger conveyor  112  then pushes the cut crop material through an aperture  211  in the frame  106  where it is received by the belt conveyor  114  in the feeder house  102 . 
         [0036]    When the auger conveyor  112  is driven in a reverse direction, the cut crop material flows in a direction opposite that described in the paragraph above. The auger conveyor  112  pulls cut crop material from the aperture  211  in the frame  106  and deposits it on the rear portion of the transfer belt  110 . 
         [0037]    A pulley  216  is fixed to the elongate cylinder  212  to drive the auger conveyor  112  in rotation. The pulley  216  is driven by an endless belt  218 , which is wrapped around the pulley  216 . The endless belt  218  is wrapped around and driven by a second pulley  220 . The second pulley  220  is fixed to a shaft  222  which is driven by another belt and pulley arrangement  224  connected to a variable speed drive  226 . The belt and pulley arrangement  224  is also coupled to and drives the belt conveyor  114  which is disposed inside the feeder house  102 . 
         [0038]    The belt conveyor  114  in the feeder house  102  comprises an idler roller  228 , a drive roller  230 , and an endless belt  232 . The ends of the two rollers are supported at the sidewalls of the feeder house  102  to rotate with respect to the feeder house  102 . The drive roller  230  is driven in rotation by the belt and pulley arrangement  224 . When the belt conveyor  114  is driven in a forward direction to harvest crops, cut crop material is received from the auger conveyor  112  through the aperture to  11  and underneath the drive roller  230 . 
         [0039]    In one common arrangement, the endless belt  232  comprises two endless chains to which laterally extending slats are fixed, and the drive roller and idler rollers comprise sprockets mounted on shafts that engage and drive the two endless chains. 
         [0040]    The variable speed drive  226  is electrically coupled to an ECU  234 . The ECU  234  includes at least one digital microprocessor, an internal memory to store programmed instructions and working variables for the digital microprocessor, and driver circuits for controlling the valve  236  and the variable speed drive  226 . The variable speed drive  226  may be a gearbox, a continuously variable transmission, or other mechanical or electrical device in which the direction (and preferably the speed) of the output shaft  248  can be varied under the control of ECU  234 . 
         [0041]    The pulley  216 , the belt  218 , the pulley  220 , the shaft  222 , the belt and pulley arrangement  224 , the variable speed drive  226 , and the belt and pulley arrangement  244  constitute a variable drive that couples the engine  242  to the belt conveyor  114  and the auger conveyor  112  to drive the belt conveyor  114  and the auger conveyor  112  bidirectionally (and preferably at a plurality of ECU-selectable speeds). The ECU  234  is coupled to a first operator input device  238 , and a second operator input device  240 . These operator input devices are configured to be manipulated by the operator and to generate operator signals. These operator signals are communicated to the ECU  234 . 
         [0042]    In this manner, the operator can signal the ECU  234  how the ECU  234  should control the valve  236  and the variable speed drive  226  in accordance with the preprogrammed digital instructions that are stored in the ECU  234 , and which will be described in greater detail in conjunction with  FIG. 3 . 
         [0043]    The operator input devices may comprise touchscreens, buttons, switches, dials, levers, potentiometers, shaft encoders, variable resistors, or the like. 
         [0044]    An engine  242  of the internal combustion type is drivingly coupled to the variable speed drive  226 . They are coupled by a belt and pulley arrangement  244 . The engine  242  drives the input shaft  246  of the variable speed drive  226 , which (through a sequence of internal gears) drives the output shaft  248  of the variable speed drive  226 . The output shaft  248  can be selectively engaged, disengaged, driven in a first direction of rotation, driven in a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction of rotation, and driven at a plurality of speeds in both directions. This operation is controlled by signals received from the ECU  234 . 
         [0045]    The variable speed drive  226  is connected to and drives both the belt conveyor  114  in the feeder house and the auger conveyor  112 . “Synchronously” as used herein means that whenever one of the two conveyors is driven in a forward direction, the other is driven likewise in a forward direction, whenever one of the two conveyors is driven in a reverse direction, the other is driven likewise in the reverse direction, whenever one of the conveyors is accelerated or decelerated, the other conveyor likewise accelerates or decelerates. In the arrangement illustrated herein, the speeds of the two conveyors may differ, but they differ proportionately. 
         [0046]    Thus, when the ECU  234  controls the speed and direction of one of the belt conveyors  114  in the auger conveyor  112 , it controls the speed and direction of the other conveyor as well. 
         [0047]    Valve  236  is coupled to the ECU  234  and is driven by the ECU  234 . Valve  236  is a proportional control hydraulic valve capable of selectively setting and controlling both the speed and direction of fluid flow through the hydraulic motor  204  and the hydraulic motor  210  in response to signals received from the ECU  234 . The hydraulic motor  204  and the hydraulic motor  210  are connected in a series hydraulic circuit with each other and with the valve  236 . Both the hydraulic motors move in the same direction (either forward or reverse) and at the same (or proportionate) speeds. 
         [0048]      FIG. 3  illustrates a preferred mode of operation of the ECU  234 . It illustrates a programmed loop that is periodically executed several times per second when the agricultural combine  104  is traveling through the field harvesting crops. This programmed loop is stored in the form of digital instructions in the memory circuits of the ECU  234 . 
         [0049]    At the start of the loop in step  300  the ECU  234  reads a signal from the first operator input device  238  to determine whether the operator has manipulated it. 
         [0050]    In step  302 , the ECU determines from the signal from the operator input device  238  whether the operator has requested that the belt pickup  100  be turned off. 
         [0051]    If the ECU  234  determines that the answer is “yes” in step  302  (i.e. the operator requested that the belt pickup  100  be turned off), the ECU continues to step  304  in which it signals the valve  236  to stop hydraulic fluid flow through the hydraulic motors  204  and  210 , to thereby stop the motors, and the pickup conveyor  109  and the transfer conveyor  111  which are driven by the motors. The ECU  234  also signals the variable speed drive  226  to stop rotating the output shaft  248 , and thereby stop the auger conveyor  112  and the belt conveyor  114 . 
         [0052]    If the ECU  234  determines that the answer is “no” in step  302  (i.e. the operator did not request that the belt pickup  100  be turned off) the ECU then proceeds to step  306 . 
         [0053]    In step  306  the ECU  234  determines from the signal whether the operator has requested that the belt pickup  100  be reversed. The operator does this when the belt conveyor  114  in the feeder house has become jammed with a lump of cut crop material. 
         [0054]    If the ECU  234  determines that the answer is “yes” in step  306  (i.e. the operator has requested that the belt pickup  100  be reversed), the ECU then continues to step  308  in which it signals the valve  236  to stop the hydraulic motors  204  and  210  and thereby stop the pickup conveyor  109  and the transfer conveyor  111 . The ECU also signals the variable speed drive  226  to shift the auger conveyor  112  and the belt conveyor  114  into reverse. This causes the variable speed drive  226  to start moving the belt conveyor  114  and the auger conveyor  112  in a reverse direction of rotation. This sends the lump of cut crop material plugging the feeder house  102  toward the auger conveyor  112 , then through the auger conveyor  112 , and then deposits the lump of cut crop material onto the trailing portion of the transfer belt  110  (which has been stopped). 
         [0055]    If the ECU  234  determines that the answer is “no” in step  306  (i.e. the operator has not requested that the belt pickup  100  be reversed), the ECU continues to step  310 . 
         [0056]    In step  310 , the ECU  234  determines whether the signal from the operator input device  238  indicates that the operator has requested that the belt pickup  100  be operated in a forward direction (i.e. in a direction to harvest crops). 
         [0057]    If the ECU  234  determines that the answer is “yes” in step  310  (i.e. the operator just requested that the belt pickup  100  be operated in a forward direction), the ECU  234  continues to step  312 . 
         [0058]    In step  312 , the ECU  234  sequences the startup of the pickup belt  108 , the transfer belt  110 , the auger conveyor  112 , and the belt conveyor  114  in the following manner. 
         [0059]    In step  312 , the ECU  234  first starts the auger conveyor  112  and the belt conveyor  114  in the feeder house  102  turning in a forward direction. For a typical agricultural combine  104 , the two conveyors achieve full harvesting speed in 2-5 seconds. 
         [0060]    The ECU  234  does not immediately start up the pickup belt  108  and the transfer belt  110 , however. Instead, the ECU  234  delays the startup of the pickup belt  108  and the transfer belt  110  for a short period of time, on the order of 10-60 seconds. The short period of time depends upon the type of crop material being harvested, the size of a typical lump of that crop material, and the specific dimensions of the belt pickup  100 . 
         [0061]    As the inventors have discovered, one of the primary problems causing the belt conveyor  114  in the feeder house  102  to become jammed all over again is the fact that the lump of cut crop material ejected onto the transfer belt  110  (in step  308 ) is fed too rapidly back into the auger conveyor  112  and the belt conveyor  114  in the feeder house  102 . 
         [0062]    By delaying the startup of the pickup belt  108  and the transfer belt  110 , the lump of cut crop material can be torn apart by the auger conveyor  112  and be fed gradually into the feeder house  102  at a rate that does not cause the feeder house  102  to become immediately plugged up again. 
         [0063]    Third, after the initial startup delay of the pickup belt  108  and the transfer belt  110 , the ECU  234  automatically increases the speed of the pickup belt  108  and the transfer belt  110  to full harvesting speed. 
         [0064]    There are several ways that the ECU  234  can delay the startup of the pickup belt  108  and the transfer belt  110 . 
         [0065]    In one configuration of step  312  the ECU  234  keeps the pickup belt  108  and the transfer belt  110  stopped for a first predetermined period of time (on the order of 10-30 seconds), which is typically several seconds after the auger conveyor  112  and the belt conveyor  114  have reached full operational speed. The ECU  234  then gradually accelerates the pickup belt  108  and the transfer belt  110  in a forward direction for a second predetermined period of time (on the order of 10-30 seconds) until the pickup belt  108  and the transfer belt  110  reach full harvesting speed. 
         [0066]    In another configuration of step  312 , the ECU  234  can start the pickup conveyor  109  and the transfer conveyor  111  operating in a forward direction at a much reduced speed such that the transfer belt  110  very slowly feeds the lump of cut crop material into the auger conveyor  112  for shredding. At this much reduced transfer belt speed, on the order of a few inches per second, the auger conveyor  112  will still shred the lump of cut crop material, but at a slightly faster rate than it would shred the lump of cut crop material if the transfer belt  110  was completely stopped. 
         [0067]    Whether the transfer belt  110  is completely stopped in step  312  for an initial predetermined time interval as in the first configuration, or if it is inched forward at a much reduced speed that gradually increases as in the second configuration, the benefit is the same: by preventing the transfer belt  110  from operating at full forward operational speed immediately, the auger conveyor  112  has time to tear the lump of cut crop material apart and feed it more gradually into the feeder house  102 , and by feeding it more slowly, significantly reduce the likelihood that the feeder house  102  will be immediately jammed all over again. 
         [0068]    On occasion, the lump of cut crop material that had previously jammed the feeder house and has been ejected from the auger conveyor  112  may be quite small, or it may be shredded very quickly. 
         [0069]    In this case, there is no reason for the operator to continue the gradual startup of the pickup conveyor  109  and the transfer conveyor  111 . Instead, the operator would prefer to bring both conveyors up to full speed as quickly as possible. 
         [0070]    To provide this capability of aborting the gradual, staged startup performed in step  312 , the ECU  234  is programmed to respond to the operator input device  240  as the ECU  234  performs the staged startup process of step  312 . 
         [0071]    If the operator manipulates the second operator input device  240  while the ECU  234  is executing step  312 , the ECU  234  is configured to immediately accelerate the pickup conveyor  109  and the transfer conveyor  111  to full harvesting speed with no delay. 
         [0072]    The claims define the invention, which is not limited to the specific embodiment or embodiments described herein. Obvious variations of the specific embodiment shown herein will be apparent to one skilled in the art. 
         [0073]    For example, rather than the variable speed drive, belts, pulleys, internal combustion engine arrangement to provide bidirectional rotary motion at variable speeds, one or more hydraulic motors can be provided. Multiple belts with multiple pulleys of varying diameters can be selectively tensioned and released in order to change the speed and/or direction of the conveyors. Multiple hydraulic or electric motors operating in different directions can be selectively engaged and disengaged and their speed changed by proportional control valves and electric drive circuits to provide both variable speed control and direction control. Further, these motors can be connected directly to the conveyors. A single hydraulic motor that can be driven bidirectionally driven at variable speed can be coupled to the conveyors. 
         [0074]    As another example, the pickup belt and the transfer belt can be driven by pulley and belt arrangements (which include sprocket and chain arrangements) coupled to electric or hydraulic motors. Instead of two motors, one motor (electric or hydraulic) can be coupled to both the pickup belt and transfer belt to drive them simultaneously.