Abstract:
The present invention relates to a feeding device of an agricultural vehicle having a first auger, arranged on the floor of a collecting device for harvested crop. A second auger receives the harvested crop from the first auger. The second auger extends, at least across a portion of its length, at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the first auger. A flexible continuous feeding spiral extends through the first and second augers. The feeding spiral ( 44 ) is preferably flexible and coreless.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention is directed to a feeding device for an agricultural vehicle wherein a flexible continuous feeding spiral forms part of a first auger arranged on the floor of a collecting device for grain and a second auger which receives the grain from the first auger and which extends, at least across a portion of its length, at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the first auger.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Known self-propelled combines (DE 196 06 730 A) are provided with devices for emptying the grain tank which have several augers. A first auger extends across the width of the floor of the grain tank and directs the grain to a second auger which is arranged in a first, vertically extending section of a discharge pipe which is rigid. The first section of the discharge pipe is divided into two parts, so that its upper part can be pivoted about a vertically extending axis together with the approximately horizontally extending second section of the discharge pipe. In the second section of the discharge pipe, a third auger is located. Here, it is to be regarded as disadvantageous that the drives of the three augers and the bearings, especially for the third auger, narrow the cross-section of the discharge pipe.  
           [0003]    In JP 09 117 219 A, a combine with a discharge device for a grain tank is described, wherein a first horizontal auger is mounted on the floor of the grain tank and directs the grain to a second auger which is arranged in a flexible discharge pipe. Also here, two separated augers are provided, so that separate drives are required.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a reliable, cost-efficient and mechanically simple feeding device for harvested crops.  
           [0005]    It is proposed to provide first and second augers with a continuous feeding spiral. The continuous feeding spiral extends across the length of the first auger on the floor of the collecting device as well as across the length of the second auger which is arranged, at least in a portion of its length, at an angle with respect to the first auger.  
           [0006]    In order to be able to realize the angle between the first and the second auger, the feeding spiral is advantageously flexible and preferably has no central longitudinally extending support shaft.  
           [0007]    The second auger may also have curves and bends to which the flexible, bendable feeding spiral adapts. It may extend, either entirely or across a partial area, in an oblique or straight line in upward or downward direction.  
           [0008]    Since the continuous feeding spiral is to be driven only at one end, no drive is needed for one of the augers. The driving of the feeding spiral may take place from a side wall of the collecting device. Also, no bearings for the feeding spiral are required since it supports itself on the walls of a pipe of the auger in which it is arranged.  
           [0009]    In particular, the invention can find application in the case of an emptying device for a grain tank of a combine. The first auger gathers the threshed grain on the floor of the grain tank and the second auger corresponds to the discharge pipe. Thus, the common, continuous feeding spiral extends across the floor and through the discharge pipe. It is also conceivable to arrange the collecting device below a sieve arrangement and to collect the cleaned grain with the first auger and to direct it with the second auger, serving as an elevator for clean grain, to the grain tank. Furthermore, the first auger may serve for gathering tailings, while the second auger again directs the tailings toward a threshing arrangement.  
           [0010]    The invention may also find application on so-called tank trucks, which have a container and are loaded with grain by a combine. The feeding device of the invention serves for emptying the container of the tank truck. The invention may also be used on sowing vehicles which are loaded with seeds. The feeding device of the invention moves the seeds from the sowing vehicle into the seed container of a sowing or drill machine. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a sideview of a combine with a feeding device of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the grain tank and the discharge pipe of the combine of FIG. 1.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]    A harvesting machine, as shown in FIG. 1, in the form of a self-propelled combine  10  is carried on forward driven front wheels  12  and rear steering wheels  14 . The combine is provided with an operator&#39;s compartment  16  from which the combine is controlled by a driver. The present invention can be used on other agricultural harvesting machines, for example, a stationary thresher, an experimental threshing arrangement or the like. A grain tank  18  is located behind the operator&#39;s compartment  16 . The grain tank  18  is used to temporarily store clean grain during combine operations. The clean grain is expelled from the grain tank  18  by a discharge pipe  20 . The grain tank  18  rests on a frame  22  formed by the combine side sheets. Typically, a standing crop is harvested by a harvesting platform or corn head, not shown, and directed through feeder house  38  past stone trap  40  to a threshing assembly  25 . The illustrated threshing assembly  25  comprises a transverse threshing cylinder  24 , a concave  26  and a beater  28 . The threshing assembly  25  separates the harvested crop received from the feeder house  38  into its large and small components. Additional separation of the large components from the small components is carried out by straw walkers  30 . The large components, straw, is directed out the rear of the combine by the straw walkers  30 . The grain pan  32  receives clean grain and chaff from the threshing assembly  25  and straw walkers  30  and directs the clean grain and chaff to sieves  34 . An air blast from cleaning fan  36  blasts the chaff out the rear of the combine and the remaining clean grain falls through the sieves  34  to the floor of the combine. The clean grain is raised from the floor by a clean grain elevator, not shown, to the grain tank  18 .  
         [0014]    As shown in FIG. 2, the floor of the grain tank  18  is provided with a first auger  46  having a feeding spiral. The first auger  46  extends across the width of the grain tank  18  and horizontally transports the threshed crop deposited in the grain tank  18  laterally toward the left, as shown in FIG. 2. Naturally, it would also be conceivable for the auger  46  to extend in the driving direction of the combine  10 , longitudinally across the length of the grain tank. On a side wall of the grain tank  18 , drawn in FIG. 2 on the right side, a drive  45  is arranged for turning the feeding spiral  44  of the auger  46  as required. The area toward the end of the auger  46 , opposite the drive  45 , extends inside a horizontal pipe  50 , which makes available a lateral and vertical guidance of the feeding spirals  44 . In the center, between the side wall with the drive  45  and the pipe  50 , a short channel  54  is provided which surrounds and guides the feeding spiral  44  vertically and horizontally and, in particular in the presence of greater loads, prevents the deformation of the feeding spiral  44 .  
         [0015]    The feeding spiral  44  is manufactured from a flexible and bendable material and is not provided with a central longitudinally extending support. For this reason, it can be placed into curved spaces and can transport the crop around bends. Such feeding spirals make possible a transport with minimal wear and tear and can be obtained, for example, from the Wildfellner Company, of Austria.  
         [0016]    A substantially vertical pipe  52  is connected to the horizontal pipe  50 . The feeding spiral  44  extends upwardly through the vertical pipe  52  and directs the crop in upward direction. A right angle bend is provided between the horizontal pipe  50  and the vertical pipe  52 . Due to the already mentioned flexibility of the feeding spiral  44 , this bend can be realized without problems.  
         [0017]    At the upper end of the vertical pipe  52 , a swivel ring  48  is arranged which connects the vertical pipe  52  with the discharge pipe  20 . The discharge pipe  20  is mounted in such a way as to be pivotable by the swivel ring  48  about a vertically extending axis relative to the stationary vertical pipe  52 . As such it is possible to pivot the discharge pipe  20  toward the rear during transport and outwardly to the side during discharge into an appropriate wagon or the like. The discharge pipe  20  has a short vertical section where it is connected to the swivel ring  48 . The short vertical section is bent to transition into a relatively long, horizontal section. The discharge pipe  20  is typically made of metal as are the vertical pipe  52  and the horizontal pipe  50 , however, it may also be manufactured from a plastic.  
         [0018]    The continuous, one-piece feeding spiral  44  extends through the discharge pipe up to its outer end on the discharge side.  
         [0019]    The first auger  46  is formed by the lower part of the feeding spiral  44 , extending along the floor of the grain tank  18 . The remaining portion of the feeding spiral  44  provides a second auger  42  which extends at first in upward direction and then again horizontally through the discharge pipe  20 . Only a single drive  45  of the discharge device of the grain tank  18  is necessary. In addition, the typical bearings concentrated in the cross section of the discharge pipe  20  become unnecessary. Thus, a mechanically very simple and reliable feeding device is obtained. Also, the elevator for clean grain and/or the tailings elevator may be equipped with augers with continuous spirals.  
         [0020]    Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.