Abstract:
A cleanout configuration is provided for a grain compartment on a harvesting apparatus. The grain compartment has walls that form a trough, and a vertically arranged auger that is supported on an auger casting located in a sump at a bottom of the trough. Wall portions, in the form of a unitary casting with the auger casting are adjacent to the auger casting and comprise cleanout openings covered by removable covers. The openings are in a grate pattern. The unitary casting can be a bridge member, which supports all, or a substantial amount of the weight of the unitary casting and the auger.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to harvesting apparatus, such as combines. Particularly, the invention relates to a cleanout arrangement for a grain compartment of a harvesting apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Horticultural crops may be classified as edible crops, inedible crops, genetically modified organisms (GMO&#39;s), non-GMO, organic, pesticide-free, or in accordance with other crop attributes. Inedible crops may include crops such as fiber, cotton or rubber, for example. Genetically modified crops may include vegetables that are genetically manipulated to hold their shelf life longer than traditionally cultivated vegetables. Organic crops are harvested from plants that are grown without exposure to certain pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals. 
     Crops may be grown to specific crop attributes or specifications. Crop attributes may be based on the genetic composition of a crop, the growing practices for a crop, or both. For example, a certain variety of corn may be grown that has greater oil content than other varieties because of genetic or environmental factors. Similarly, a certain variety of soybeans may be grown that has a different protein content or other crop attribute that is desirable. A processor, a pharmaceutical company, a manufacturer or another concern may desire to purchase agricultural products with specific crop attributes from a grower or another supplier. The grower or supplier may wish to charge a premium for crops with specific crop attributes compared to a commodity-type crop. The purchaser of the agricultural product may desire sufficient assurance that the agricultural product that is being purchased actually possesses the crop attributes that are sought. 
     Thus, a need exists to accurately identify crops with specific crop attributes throughout the growing and distribution of crops with specific crop attributes and any products derived therefrom. Further, a purchaser of an agricultural product or a crop may desire or demand the ability to trace the identity of the crop with specific crop attributes to verify the presence of the crop attributes, or the absence of undesired attributes, as a condition for a commercial transaction. Thus, there is a need to segregate crops during harvesting such that no mixing of crops or crop residue with different attributes occurs. 
     After unloading a grain compartment of a combine, there may be grain and residue left in the lower portions of the grain compartment that cannot be easily mechanically removed. The present inventors have recognized that in order to ensure segregation of crops with different attributes, it would be desirable if the combine was able to be thoroughly cleaned of grain and residue between harvesting of crops of different attributes. 
     Presently, to thoroughly clean grain compartments, the operator must sometimes crawl into a very small space that is not accessible from the ground and vacuum out or sweep out the grain and residue. The present inventors have recognized that it would be desirable if the grain compartment of a harvesting apparatus could be configured to be thoroughly cleaned, while reducing or eliminating the time that an operator spends in lower portions of the grain compartment vacuuming out or sweeping out grain or residue. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a cleanout configuration for a grain compartment on a harvesting apparatus. The grain compartment has walls that form a trough, and a vertically arranged auger that is supported on an auger casting carried by a bottom of the trough. According to the invention, at least one wall portion adjacent to the auger casting comprises cleanout openings covered by a removable cover. Preferably, the one wall portion comprises a casting having openings in a grate pattern. 
     According to one exemplary embodiment, the grain compartment comprises two wall portions, each wall portion adjacent to the auger casting. Each wall portion forms a portion of a sump or charge housing that is attached to the trough walls. Each of the wall portions comprises cleanout openings covered by a removable cover. Each of the wall portions comprises a casting, and each of the wall portions comprises a grate pattern of cleanout openings. The wall portions can be fastened to the trough walls at outside ends. 
     As a further aspect of the invention, one or both of the wall portions comprises a unitary casting with the auger casting. The unitary casting can function as a beam or bridge member, which supports all, or a substantial amount of the weight of the unitary casting and the auger. 
     As a still further aspect of the invention, a single piece casting is provided that incorporates the auger casting and both wall portions, as the front and rear angled sheets of the sump. The casting can serve as a structural member to eliminate the need for additional supports for the vertical auger. The casting can replace the heretofore known auger casting and front and rear sheet metal portions of the sump with one simple casting component, allowing more efficient assembly and the reduction in number of separately assembled parts. 
     The casting of the exemplary embodiment of the invention includes cleanout openings that allow for better access into the lower portions of the grain compartment and improved emptying of the grain compartment for thorough cleaning. The casting of the exemplary embodiment of the invention advantageously has a depth profile such that grain will easily flow through the casting cleanout openings during cleaning. 
     Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will be become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematical side view of a harvesting apparatus that incorporates the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematical plan view of the harvesting apparatus of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of a grain compartment area of the harvesting apparatus of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary bottom perspective view of the grain compartment area shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary side view of a sump portion of the grain compartment area with sidewalls removed to view internal components; 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the sump casting shown in FIGS. 4 and 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the sump casting of FIG. 6; and 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of the sump casting of FIG.  6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described herein in detail, specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a harvesting apparatus, such as an agricultural combine  10 . Such combines are of a type described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,285,198, herein incorporated by reference, and are also of the type commercially available as a JOHN DEERE 9650 STS or 9750 STS combine. Although the invention is being described as being incorporated into a rotary combine, it may also be used on other combines, such as conventional straw walker machines. 
     FIG. 1 shows an agricultural combine  10 , also known as a combine thresher. The combine  10  comprises a supporting structure  12  having ground engaging means  14  extending from the supporting structure. A harvesting platform  16  is used for harvesting a crop and directing it to a feederhouse  18 . The harvested crop is directed by the feederhouse  18  to a beater  20 . The beater directs the crop upwardly through an inlet transition section  22  to the axial crop processing unit  24 . The axial crop processing unit is located between, and supported by the sidesheets of the combine. 
     The axial crop processing unit  24  comprises an axial rotor housing  26  and an axial rotor  28  located in the housing. The harvested crop enters the housing through the inlet transition section  22 . The rotor is provided with an infeed portion, a threshing portion and a separating portion. The rotor housing has a corresponding infeed section, a threshing section and a separating section. 
     Both crop processing portions, the threshing portion and the separating portion, are provided with crop engaging assemblies. The threshing section of the rotor housing is provided with a concave and the separating section is provided with a grate. Grain and chaff released from the crop mat falls through the concave and the grate. The concave and grate prevent the passage of crop material larger than grain or chaff from entering the cleaning system  34 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 1, grain and chaff falling through the concave and grate is directed to cleaning system  34  which removes the chaff from the grain. The clean grain is then directed by a clean grain elevator  36  to a fountain auger  38 . The fountain auger  38  directs the grain into a grain tank or grain compartment  40 . The clean grain elevator  36  and the fountain auger  38  comprise a means for moving the clean grain from the grain floor of the combine to a storage bin formed by grain tank  40 . The grain is removed from the grain tank  40  by unloading auger  57 . As the straw reaches the end of the crop processing unit it is expelled through an outlet to a beater  46 . The beater  46  propels the straw out the rear of the combine. The operation of the combine is controlled from the operator&#39;s cab  48 . 
     When the clean grain compartment is to be unloaded, transverse unloading augers  56  and  58  direct the grain to the side of the compartment where it comes into contact with an unloading auger  57  which directs the clean grain through a vertical unloading tube  61  and a horizontal unloading tube  59 . The auger  57  includes a vertical section  57   a , at least partially within the tube  61 , a right angle gear  57   b , and a horizontal section  57   c  within the tube  59 . During an unloading operation, tube  59  would normally be extended outwardly from the side of the combine so that clean grain can be more readily directed into a wagon or truck. 
     The grain compartment  40  includes a trough  60 , which includes a major trough region  70  and a minor trough region  72  that house the horizontal augers  56 ,  58 , respectively. The trough  60  is open to a charge housing or sump  64 . The vertical auger section  57   a  extends through the vertical tube  61  and into the sump  64 . The grain which is fed through the trough horizontally by the horizontal augers  56 ,  58  is delivered into the sump  64  and is removed by the vertical auger section  57   a  through the tube  61 , and by the horizontal auger section  57   c  through the tube  59 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 3, the major trough region  70  includes a forward inclined wall  76  and a rearward inclined wall  78 . The minor trough region  72  includes a rearward inclined wall  82  that curves into the rearward inclined wall  78  of the major trough region  70 . The sump  64  includes sidewalls  84 ,  86  that extend substantially parallel and vertical and are fastened substantially continuously to the inclined walls  78 ,  82 . The sidewall  86  is not entirely visible in the Figures. The sidewall  86  has substantially the same shape as the sidewall  84 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 4, a casting  100  is fastened to the walls  76 ,  82 ,  84 ,  86 . The sidewalls  84 ,  86  and the casting  100  form a substantially enclosed sump  64  mounted to the trough  60 , except for drain and cleanout openings described below. When cover plates are installed on the casting  100 , the sump  64  has a substantially sealed integrity with the trough regions  70 ,  72 . 
     The augers  56 ,  58  are driven by sprockets  108 ,  110  (FIG.  3 ). The auger  57  is driven by a right angle gear drive  112  that is driven by a sprocket  116  (FIG. 3) via an input shaft  116   a . A chain drive arrangement for turning the sprockets  108 ,  110 ,  116  is described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,863, or as described in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/309,977, filed on the same day as the present application, both herein incorporated by reference. 
     The casting  100  comprises journals  122 ,  124  for rotatably holding a horizontal axis gear assembly  126  for the right angle gear drive  112 . Bearings  122   a ,  124   a  are used within the journals  122 ,  124 . The casting  100  also includes a journal  130  for supporting and rotationally holding a vertical axle  132  (FIG. 5) of the auger  57 . A rotation and thrust bearing arrangement (not shown) is used within the journal  130 . A vertical axis gear  134  is fixed to the axle  132  and enmesh with the gear  126 . Turning of the gear  134  by the gear  126  turns the axle  132  and flighting  135  of the auger  57 . 
     A rear casting portion  140  is fastened to the wall  82 , and the side walls  84 ,  86 . A front casting portion  150  is fastened to the wall  76  and the side walls  84 ,  86 . 
     The casting portions  140 ,  150  include respective openings  156 ,  158  for draining and cleaning the sump  64 . Preferably, the casting portions  140 ,  150  are formed with substantially open faces with a grate pattern of openings formed by parallel, elongated openings  156 ,  158 . The casting  100  maintains sufficient strength while having the advantages of reduced weight and substantially open, flow-through design. A bridge or beam formed by the casting  100  is sufficiently rigid to support the weight of the casting  100  and the auger  57 . Therefore, other structural supports normally provided to reinforce sheet metal panels for supporting the auger  57 , could be reduced in mass or eliminated. 
     During normal operation of the combine  10 , the openings  156 ,  158  are closed by underlying cover plates (not shown) fastened to the casting  100 . The cover plates are removed for cleaning the grain compartment of the combine. 
     FIGS. 6-8 illustrate that the casting  100  includes end plate portions  210 ,  212  that include end flanges  210   a ,  212   a  having holes  210   b ,  212   b  for receiving fasteners  210   c ,  212   c  (FIG. 4) for fastening the casting  100  to the trough walls  76 ,  82 . The casting  100  also includes sidewalls  216 ,  218  having side holes  216   a ,  218   a  for receiving fasteners  216   b ,  218   b  (FIG. 4) to fasten the sump sidewalls  84 ,  86  to the casting  100 . The holes  210   b ,  212   b ,  216   a ,  218   a  can be threaded or through-drilled. Bolts with corresponding nuts can be used for through-drilled holes. The casting sidewall  218  shown in FIG. 7 is substantially similar to the casting sidewall  216  in shape and hole pattern. 
     Cleaning of the grain compartment is undertaken by removing the cover plates that seal the openings  156 ,  158 . Cleaning is accomplished by using high velocity compressed air discharged from either nozzles located within the grain tank or from a wand to move grain and residue toward and into the sump  64  from bottom areas of the trough  60 . From the sump  64  the grain and residue can exit the grain compartment by falling through the openings  156 ,  158 . Alternatively, as enhancements, the grain and residue can be moved and removed according to systems and methods described in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/309,977, filed on the same day as the present application, and U.S. application Ser. No. 10/309,979, filed on the same day as the present application, both herein incorporated by reference. 
     The casting  100  described above is preferably composed of cast iron, although other materials of construction are encompassed by the invention. 
     From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.