Apparatus and method for monitoring grain content within a tailings system of an agricultural harvester

A cleaning and tailings system of an agricultural harvester including an upper sieve and a lower sieve spaced from the upper sieve. A clean grain sheet is disposed below the lower sieve, and a tailings sheet is disposed below the clean grain sheet for receiving grain from the lower sieve and upper sieve. A tailings auger is disposed about a forward end of the tailings sheet, and a sensor is disposed about an inlet of the tailings auger for sensing impact of grain received by the tailings sheet. A controller is in communication with the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to determine an amount of grain received by the tailings sheet.

The exemplary embodiments of subject disclosure relate generally to a plant harvesting machine (e.g., a combine harvester) and, more specifically, to apparatuses and methods for monitoring grain content within a tailings flow of a combine harvester.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An agricultural harvester e.g., a plant harvesting machine, such as, but not limited to, a combine, generally includes a header operable for severing and collecting plant or crop material as the harvester is driven over a crop field. The header has a plant cutting mechanism, e.g., a cutter bar, for severing the plants or crops via, for example, an elongate sickle mechanism that reciprocates sidewardly relative to a non-reciprocating guard structure. After crops are cut, they are collected inside the header and transported via a conveyor such as a draper belt towards a feederhouse located centrally inside the header.

From the feederhouse, the cut crop enters the crop processing area of the combine where it is threshed, separated and cleaned to separate grain from material other than grain (hereinafter “MOG”), whereby the grain is collected by the combine and the MOG discharged from the combine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure, there is provided a cleaning and tailings system of an agricultural harvester comprising an upper sieve and a lower sieve spaced from the upper sieve. A clean grain sheet is disposed below the lower sieve, and a tailings sheet is disposed below the clean grain sheet for receiving grain and MOG from the lower sieve and upper sieve. A tailings auger is disposed about a forward end of the tailings sheet, and a sensor is disposed about an inlet of the tailings auger for sensing impact of grain received by the tailings sheet.

In accordance with another exemplary embodiment there is provided an agricultural combine comprising the cleaning and tailings system described above, and a controller in communication with the sensor. The controller is configured to determine an amount of grain received by the tailings sheet.

In accordance with another exemplary embodiment there is provided a method for monitoring grain content within the tailings flow of the cleaning and tailings system of an agricultural harvester having an upper sieve and a lower sieve spaced from the upper sieve. The cleaning and tailings system further includes a clean grain sheet situated below the lower sieve and a tailings sheet situated below the clean grain sheet. A tailings auger is situated about a forward end of the tailings sheet. The method comprises the steps of disposing a sensor about an inlet to the tailings auger to sense impact of grain delivered from the tailings sheet, and using a controller in communication with the sensor, determining an amount of grain received by the tailings sheet.

In accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure, there is provided an apparatus and method for monitoring grain content within a tailings flow of a combine harvester which accurately determines an amount of grain received by the tailings sheet in real time by virtue of disposing a sensor about an inlet to the tailings auger to sense impact of grain received by the tailings sheet. By placing the sensor about an inlet of the tailings auger, an accurate determination of the amount of grain received by the tailings sheet is achieved.

Other features and advantages of the subject disclosure will be apparent from the following more detail description of the exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

Reference will now be made in detail to the various exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same or like reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like features. It should be noted that the drawings are in simplified form and are not drawn to precise scale. Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. Directional terms such as top, bottom, left, right, above, below and diagonal, are used with respect to the accompanying drawings. The term “distal” shall mean away from the center of a body. The term “proximal” shall mean closer towards the center of a body and/or away from the “distal” end. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the identified element and designated parts thereof. Such directional terms used in conjunction with the following description of the drawings should not be construed to limit the scope of the subject application in any manner not explicitly set forth. Additionally, the term “a,” as used in the specification, means “at least one.” The terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.

The terms “grain,” “ear,” “stalk,” “leaf,” and “crop material” are used throughout the specification for convenience and it should be understood that these terms are not intended to be limiting. Thus, “grain” refers to that part of a crop which is harvested and separated from discardable portions of the crop material. The agricultural harvester of the subject application is applicable to a variety of crops, including but not limited to wheat, soybeans and small grains. The terms “debris,” “MOG,” and the like are used interchangeably.

“Substantially” as used herein shall mean considerable in extent, largely but not wholly that which is specified, or an appropriate variation therefrom as is acceptable within the field of art.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages and characteristics of the exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, in light of the description herein, that the subject disclosure can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular exemplary embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring now to the drawings,FIG. 1illustrates an agricultural harvester100in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. For exemplary purposes only, the agricultural harvester is illustrated as a combine harvester. Agricultural harvesters including a cleaning and tailings system are known. For example, an agricultural harvester including a cleaning and tailings system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,999,176, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. The harvester100according to the exemplary embodiment includes a header102attached to a forward end of the harvester100, which is configured to cut crops, including (without limitation) small grains (e.g., wheat, soybeans, grain, etc.), and to induct the cut crops into a feederhouse as the harvester moves forward over a crop field. The harvester100further includes a threshing system including a threshing rotor136and a cleaning and tailings system108which separates grain from MOG in the manner described below.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, the cleaning and tailings system108comprises an upper sieve110and a lower sieve112spaced from the upper sieve. A clean grain sheet114is disposed below the lower sieve, and a tailings sheet116is disposed below the clean grain sheet for receiving grain from the lower sieve and upper sieve. A tailings auger118is disposed about a forward end of the tailings sheet, and a sensor120is disposed about an inlet122of the tailings auger, e.g., along a front wall of the tailings auger housing123, for sensing impact of grain received by the tailings sheet.

By disposing the sensor120about the inlet122of the tailings auger118, the tailings are travelling at considerable rolling speed along the tailings sheet whereby the grain strikes the sensor with sufficient force in order to provide a clear and accurate signal to a controller124, described below, of the amount of grain received by the tailings sheet and striking the sensor.

As shown inFIGS. 2-5, the upper sieve110is a generally planar, metal grate-like structure having openings for passage of grain and MOG onto the lower sieve112. As shown inFIG. 2, a rear portion126of the upper sieve extends rearwardly of a rear portion128of the lower sieve112. In order to facilitate passage of matter through upper sieve110, the upper sieve is mounted to an upper shaker shoe frame130that agitates the upper sieve by moving the upper sieve in alternating fore and aft directions.

Still referring toFIGS. 2-5, the lower sieve112is a generally planar, metal grate-like structure having openings for passage of grain onto the clean grain sheet114. In order to facilitate passage of matter through lower sieve112, the lower sieve is mounted to a lower shaker shoe frame132that agitates the lower sieve by moving the lower sieve in alternating fore and aft directions.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, the clean grain sheet114is a downwardly sloping metal sheet that extends from the rear portion128of the lower sieve112, past the sensor120to a location above and between a clean grain auger134and the tailings auger118. The clean grain sheet114receives grain passing through the lower sieve and delivers the grain to the clean grain auger. The clean grain auger transports grain via a conveyor154to a storage receptacle such as a hopper156, discussed below, carried by the harvester100.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, the tailings sheet116is a downwardly sloping metal sheet that extends from rear portion126of the upper sieve to the inlet122of the tailings auger118. The tailings sheet116receives tailings including grain and MOG that passes through the rear portion126of the upper sieve110as well as grain and MOG that fails to pass through the lower sieve112and falls from the rear portion128of the lower sieve. The grain and MOG received by the tailings sheet is delivered by the tailings sheet to the sensor120whereupon it impacts the sensor before falling through the inlet122of the tailings auger into the tailings auger.

As shown inFIGS. 7 and 8, the tailings auger118is an elongated screw auger substantially spanning the width of the cleaning and tailings system108. As described below, the tailings auger operates to deliver tailings in the form of grain and MOG to a tailings housing146which, in turn, returns the tailings to the upper sieve110for further separation. Alternatively, tailings may be delivered back to the threshing rotor136of the threshing system.

The sensor120is an impact sensor positioned about a forward end121of a housing123of the tailings auger118. The impact sensor can be, e.g., a piezoelectric sensor such as part numbers 47403727 and 47403728 marketed by New Holland Agriculture of Racine, Wis. The sensor120can extend at least a partial width of the inlet122of the tailings auger118. Alternatively, as shown inFIGS. 6 and 7, the sensor120′ can extend substantially the entire width of the tailings auger. Optionally, as described below in connection withFIG. 8, a plurality of sensors120may be spaced apart along the width of the tailings auger. Additionally, as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, the sensor120can have a height extending substantially from the tailings auger to the clean grain sheet114to prevent tailings from entering the clean grain auger134.

The harvester further includes a threshing rotor136which receives cut crops from the feederhouse. As is known, threshing rotor136rotates and threshes the cut crop. In particular, larger elements of cut crop, such as stalks, leaves and the like are discharged from the threshing rotor136to the rear of the harvester. Smaller elements of crop material including grain and MOG (e.g., chaff, duct and straw) are discharged through perforations in the lower half of the threshing rotor136. The grain and MOG discharged from the threshing rotor138is directed to fall on a grain pan140. From the grain pan140, the grain and MOG can be delivered to a pre-sieve142through which some grain and MOG passes to the lower sieve112and from which some grain and MOG passes to the upper sieve110. In addition, the cleaning portion of the cleaning and tailings system108can include a cleaning fan144for blowing pressurized air toward the various sieves to facilitate separation of grain from MOG.

Some combine cleaning systems known in the art include a lateral compensation system which can counteract the effects of harvesting on side hills or the effects of uneven grain and MOG distribution. Examples include the leveling cleaning system described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,443 and the lateral shaking cleaning system described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,076,078, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein in the entirety for all purposes. The sensor arrangement illustrated inFIG. 8, i.e., a plurality of spaced apart sensors120, likewise provides the capability to adjust side compensation in response to a sensed tailings distribution on the tailings sheet116.

Referring toFIG. 5, the cleaning and tailings system108is shown to further include a tailings housing146the bottom of which receives tailings from the output of the tailings auger. The tailings housing146comprises a conveyor148including a plurality of elevator components148A,148B and148C that are driven by an endless belt or chain150which is driven by an unillustrated power take off from the motor of the agricultural harvester100or from an unillustrated hydraulic, pneumatic or electric motor carried by the harvester. The conveyor conveys grain and MOG received in the tailings auger118to the upper sieve110through a shoot152for further processing by the cleaning and tailings system108.

In addition, as shown inFIG. 1, the grain handling system includes a conveyor154for delivering clean grain from the clean grain auger134to a hopper156carried by the agricultural harvester100. From the hopper156, clean grain may be delivered by a clean grain conveyor158to a receiving vehicle such as a truck or the like or to a clean grain delivery station.

Referring back toFIGS. 2 and 3, the cleaning and tailings system108may additionally include at least one second sensor160positioned about a rear end of the tailings sheet116and in communication with the sensor120. The second sensor160provides an initial input of data, e.g., impact data, regarding grain contacting the tailings sheet.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, the controller124is in communication with the sensor120. The controller is configured to determine an amount of grain received by the tailings sheet116. The controller may also be in communication with the sensor160. The controller124is configured to determine an amount of grain received by the tailings sheet in real time, e.g., by determining a number of grain impacts per square feet per second on the sensor120and the sensor160.

Referring toFIG. 1, the agricultural combine100comprises a cab162having a monitor164in communication with the controller124for displaying an amount of grain received by the tailings sheet116. According to an aspect, the monitor164displays the amount of grain received by the tailings sheet in real time, e.g., via a graphical representation of an estimated amount of grain received based on data received at least from the sensor120.

Referring toFIG. 7, there is shown a first exemplary arrangement of grain sensors on the tailings sheet116. More particularly, each of sensors120′ and160is a single sensor substantially spanning the width of the tailings sheet116. Sensor120′ is positioned about a forward end121of the tailings auger118and sensor160is positioned at a rear end of the tailings sheet. In contrast,FIG. 8shows a plurality of discrete sensors120spaced along the forward end121of the tailings auger118. Similarly, a plurality of discrete sensors160are spaced along the rear end of the tailings sheet. It will be understood that the number of sensors120and160may vary from that shown inFIG. 8. Moreover, a single sensor120′ substantially spanning the width of the tailings sheet116may be used in conjunction with zero, one or more sensors160positioned at a rear end of the tailings sheet. Likewise, a single sensor160substantially spanning the width of the rear of the tailings sheet116may be used in conjunction with one or more sensors120positioned about a forward end121of the tailings auger118.

In accordance with the subject disclosure there is provided a method for monitoring grain content within the cleaning and tailings system108of an agricultural harvester100having an upper sieve110, a lower sieve112spaced from the upper sieve, a clean grain sheet114situated below the lower sieve, a tailings sheet116situated below the clean grain sheet, and a tailings auger118situated about a forward end of the tailings sheet. The method comprises disposing a sensor120about an inlet122of the tailings auger118to sense impact of grain received by the tailings sheet116. The method further comprises using the controller124in communication with the sensor120, and determining an amount of grain received by the tailings sheet116. The step of determining can comprise determining the amount of grain received by the tailings sheet116in real time.

The method can further comprise providing a second sensor160positioned about a rear end of the tailings sheet116and in communication with the first sensor120.

Additionally, the method can further comprise providing a monitor164to display an amount of grain received by the tailings sheet116. The step of displaying comprises displaying on the monitor an amount of grain received by the tailings sheet in real time.

Additionally, the method can utilize a plurality of sensors120and the controller124to affect the behavior of a lateral compensation system of a cleaning portion of the cleaning and tailings system108in response to s sensed lateral distribution of grain in the tailings.