Abstract:
A new and improved conveyor feeder house chain slat having a unique shape and structure that provides sufficient structural rigidity to improve crop throughput while reducing clogging of crop material. The unique slat also provides additional support to the chain. Because the chain rides on the rear of the elongated section of the slat, the slat contacts the feed house, rather than the chain, reducing chain wear, overheating and lubricant evacuation. Because of the new slat configuration, the slats can be secured to the chain with removable securing means, enabling easier replacement of an individual slat if necessary.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims priority to provisional U.S. Patent Application 60/721,326 filed Sep. 28, 2005, titled “Conveyor Feeder House Chain Slat” and having the same inventors as the current application. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a crop feeding conveyor for an agricultural harvesting machine, such as a combine or the like, and more particularly to a type of conveyor known as a chain-and-slat type conveyor. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Combines are large self-propelled vehicles used for harvesting and threshing agricultural crop in a field. A combine operates by cutting or gathering crop standing in a field, and feeding the cut crop to a separator by means of a conveyor mechanism. In the separator, grain is threshed, or beaten from the husk, stems, pods, or cobs, and then the threshed grain is separated from crop material other than grain. The cleaned grain is moved to a grain tank, and the crop material other than grain is generally distributed back out on the field behind the combine, or collected for use as animal feed or bedding. 
   The conveyor mechanism typically moves crop material from the header where it is cut from the field, upwardly and rearwardly along a floor of a feeder house to the separator mechanism. Typically, the conveyors have a plurality of continuous chains that are arranged to revolve around a transverse drum at the front of the feeder house and transverse sprocket means at the rear of the feeder house, the chains rotating generally in the direction of the length of the combine. The chains are connected to each other by a plurality of transverse slats, which engage the crop and move it upwardly and rearwardly along the floor of the feeder house. Typically, the slats have an L-shape, and are riveted to the chains at each end of the slat. The transverse slats perform the function of taking the crop material from the header and pulling it up and under the chain towards the separator, along the feeder house bottom floor. If the crop material is not fed to the separator mechanism in a timely and smooth manner, the crop material will back up and can spill out onto the ground, resulting in crop loss, and necessitating operating the combine at a slower speed to prevent additional crop loss. A heavy crop volume can also cause twisting or bending of the slats, which will result in inefficient operation and lead to increased wear, warpage and breakage of slats and/or chains. Additionally, excessive pressure on the slats and chains that occurs when there is a heavy crop load can cause increased friction and heat up the chains, resulting in loss of lubrication, leading to premature chain failure or the need to lubricate the chains more frequently. Therefore, what is needed is a slat that can maintain crop delivery speed to the separator in keeping with harvesting rates while not placing an excessive burden on the feeder chain or slats that would cause excessive or premature wear or failure. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved conveyor slat for a chain-and-slat type conveyor for feeding a crop in a harvesting machine such as a combine. More specifically, the improved conveyor slat comprises two “U-shaped” sections having the base of the U-shapes joined together along substantially the entire length. The shape of the slat provides for increased structure and rigidity over prior art slats, increasing crop-processing efficiency and reducing wear and breakage. One U-shaped section is longer than the other section, the longer piece being of a sufficient length that the feeder chains ride on the base, or back, of that extended U-shape, rather than on the feeder house floor, which reduces friction on the chain, which can lead to heating and consequent loss of lubrication, along with increased failures and wear. Additionally, the slats are bolted to the chain, rather than being riveted to the chain, making it easier to replace an individual slat if it should become worn or damaged. The ends of both U-shaped sections are tapered to reduce crop material wrapping around the edges thereof or the drum, which can also slow or stop processing, necessitating the combine be turned off and the clog cleared. In some arrangements of the present invention, the leading outer edge of the longer U-shaped section is serrated on the top to better pick up and pull in crop material being fed into the feeder. This improved processing of material reduces back-up of crop material from the header back into the feeder housing. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a combine shown with chain-and-slat type feeder house mechanism; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a feeder mechanism of a combine utilizing the slats of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of a slat mechanism of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of a slat mechanism of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   In the discussion of the FIGURES the same reference numerals will be used throughout to refer to the same or similar components. In the interest of conciseness, various other components known to the art, such as crops, storage mechanisms and the like necessary for the operation of the invention, have not been shown or discussed, or are shown in block form. 
   In the following, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. Additionally, for the most part, details concerning harvester combine operation and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not considered necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention, and are considered to be within the knowledge of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art. 
     FIG. 1  shows a combine  10  used for harvesting agricultural crops. The combine  10  comprises a supporting structure  12  having ground-engaging wheels  14  extending from the supporting structure  12 . The operation of the combine  10  is controlled from the operator&#39;s cab  15 . A harvesting platform  16  is used for harvesting a crop bearing grain. The cut crop is directed to a crop inlet  17  at a front of a feeder house  18 . The crop is directed upwardly and rearwardly through the feeder house  18 , then out a rear opening  19  in the feeder house  18  to the separator mechanism  20  which threshes the grain from the crop material. Once the grain has been separated from the crop material, it is fed into a grain tank  22 , and is ultimately unloaded from the combine  10  by means of the unloading auger  24  into other transport or storage mechanisms. 
   The feeder house  18  has an internal frame  30  which is used to provide support and structure to the feeder house mechanism  18 . The feeder house  18  also has an upwardly and rearwardly inclined bottom floor  34 . The chain-and-slat crop feeding conveyor  50  includes rear drive sprocket means  52  adjacent to the rear portion of the feeder house  18 , near the separator mechanism  20 , and a transverse drum  54  mounted on a shaft adjacent to the forward end of the feeder house  18 . The rear drive sprockets  52  are mounted on a shaft  53  which is driven from a power source (not shown) on the combine  10 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , conveyor chains  56  which run parallel to each other and are spaced equidistant from each other are entrained around the rear drive sprockets  52  and the front transverse drum  54 . The chains are continuous chains  56  that move laterally in the feeder house  18 , around the transverse drum  54  and the sprockets  52 . The number of chains  56  used corresponds with the number of drive sprockets  52  affixed to the shaft  53 . In the example shown in  FIG. 2 , three (3) chains  56   a ,  56   b ,  56   c  are used, although it can be appreciated that the number can vary. A plurality of identical slats  60  have their opposite ends connected to adjacent chains  56  and are spaced at regular intervals along the lengths of the chains  56 . One end of each slat  60  is connected to the center chain  56   b , while the outer ends of alternating slats  60  are attached to one of the outer chains  56   a  and the outer ends of the remaining slats  60  are attached to the other outer chain  56   c , so that the slats  60  are staggered for increased crop processing efficiency. 
   As can be seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , each slat  60  is comprised of two U-shaped channel portions: a longer portion  62 , and a shorter portion  64 , which are joined together at the base, or back of the U-shapes, with the open top sides of each U-shaped portion facing in opposite directions, with the shorter U-shaped portion  64  being centered on the back of the longer  62  U-shaped portion. When viewed from an end, the slat  60  resembles a figure-8 that is open at the top and bottom thereof. The longer U-shaped portion  62  is the one that actually contacts the crop to pull it into the feeder house  18  between the slats  60  on the side of the chain  56  below the transverse drum  54  and sprocket  52  and the feeder house bottom  34 , drawing the crop material upwardly and rearwardly into the feeder house  18 . In the arrangement of the slat  60  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the front or leading edge  62   a  of the longer U-shaped portion, which first makes contact with the crop material is serrated for greater ability to grip. and pull the crop upwards and rearwards, although it can be appreciated that a non-serrated edge, or a different serration pattern can also be used. The shorter U-shaped portion  64 , which is mounted to the center back of the longer U-shaped portion  62  serves the purpose of keeping the chains  56  properly spaced, and maintains additional rigidity and structure to the slat  60  so that the slats to do not bend or flex when drawing crop material into the feeder house  18 . A tendency of the slats to bend or twist in the prior art, thus slowing down crop processing and causing difficulties and failures of various components of the feeder house  18  and/or feeding conveyor  50  is overcome by the structure of the slat  60  of the present invention. The shorter U-shaped portion  64  is about the same height as the chains  56  to provide smooth operation so the chains  56  feed properly over the drum  54  and sprockets  52 , while still providing the necessary structural rigidity to the slat  60 . Additionally, the tapered ends of both the longer and shorter U-shaped portions  62 ,  64 , serve to keep crop material from wrapping around the slats  60  and getting wrapped around the drum  54 , which can further clog or slow crop processing, as was seen in the prior art. 
   Because the outer ends of the short U-shaped portion  64  are tapered, they are less likely to contact the internal frame  30  of the feeder house  18 . Additionally, in prior art conveyor mechanisms, the chain  56  would contact the feeder house floor  34  and other components of the feeder house  18 , which would increase chain wear and could also cause increased friction on the chain  56 , heating the chain and the lubricant, which would cause the lubricant to become more liquid and vacate the chain, requiring additional chain lubrication or more frequent chain failures. The present invention chain slat  60  is longer than previous slats, and the chain  56  is secured to the rear of the longer U-shaped portion  62 , and so the outer edges of the open side of the larger U-shaped portion  62  of the present invention contacts the feeder house components, rather than the chain  56  being the contacting portion, thus reducing chain wear and lubrication loss. 
   The slats  60  are connected to the chains  56  by securing means. In a preferred embodiment, the slats  60  are connected to the chains  56  with bolts  66  and nuts  68 , which hold the slats  60  to the chain  56 . Because bolts  66  and nuts  68  can be removed more easily than rivets typically used in the prior art, the individual slats  60  can be replaced more easily if a slat  60  is damaged or worn. Because the slat  60  contacts the feeder house  18  rather than the chain  56  contacting the feeder house  18 , there is less chance of wear or breakage, and so bolts  66  and nuts  68  can be used to secure the slats  60  of the present invention, unlike in the prior art, where rivets typically had to be used. However, rivets or other securing means ban also be used to secure the slats  60  of the present invention to the chains  56 . 
   In operation, the feeder house  18  has an crop inlet  17  at the front thereof to accept crop from the harvesting platform  16 , with crop material being pulled upwardly and rearwardly through the feeder house  18  by being processed between the slats  60  and chains  56  of the underside or lower run of the conveyor  50  and the bottom floor  34 . The crop material is delivered to the separator mechanism  20  for processing of the crop through an opening  19  at the rear of the feeder house  18 , and the chain  56  and slats  60  continue to rotate in the feeder house  18 , now frontwardly and downwardly toward the front of the feeder house  18  to receive more crop material after rotating around the transverse drum  54  and once again moving upwardly and rearwardly toward the separator mechanism  20 . The outer edges of the long U-shaped portion of the slats  60  slide along the feeder house bottom floor  34 , the serving to pull the material upwardly and rearwardly between the slat  60  and the feeder house floor  34 . 
   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.