Abstract:
A grain module for an agricultural combine. The module includes a longitudinally elongated grain tank. An endless conveyor conduit receives grain from the combine&#39;s grain tank and selectively feeds it into the module grain tank or removes it from the module grain tank. The module may comprise the rear section of an articulated combine vehicle wherein the front section contains grain threshing and separating systems.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to agricultural crop harvesters. It relates particularly to agricultural combines and, more specifically, to an improved grain handling, storage and unloading system for a combine.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    A crop harvesting combine conventionally has a header assembly which cuts the crop and carries the cut crop to a feeder assembly. The feeder assembly, in turn, conveys the cut crop to a threshing assembly. In the case of a rotary threshing machine, the rotor assembly threshes grain, for example, from crop stalks and the grain, together with straw and chaff, falls through perforations in a cylindrical shroud which forms the outer shell of the threshing assembly.  
           [0003]    The grain from the rotary threshing assembly falls onto a sieve assembly which oscillates, causing grain to fall through it while, at the same time, air under pressure is directed through the sieve assembly to blow straw and chaff out the rear of the combine. The clean grain which falls through the sieve assembly is collected on a grain pan and flows on the grain pan to a grain elevator.  
           [0004]    The grain elevator conveys clean grain upwardly into a grain tank in the combine body; usually above the threshing assembly. This is normally accomplished with an elevator including a combination of horizontal and vertical auger or paddle conveyors which are arranged in conduits and continuously collect grain from the grain pan. The conveyors discharge the grain into the grain tank.  
           [0005]    A recent innovation in grain harvesting, which has increased overall efficiency, involves the use of separate grain carts or modules. The grain carts or modules presently known are simply trailers containing large grain bins for storing the harvested grain. The use of such grain carts or modules permits the combines to continue harvesting when an onboard storage bin becomes filled with grain but a truck or wagon is unavailable for unloading the grain. The cart or module provides an interim storage location into which the combine can unload grain when its onboard bin becomes full.  
           [0006]    A conventional grain module is simply towed behind the combine and filled with grain from overhead by the standard grain unloading conduit associated with the combine. The grain module, in turn, normally has a grain unloading conduit similar to that of the combine associated with it.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    An object of the present invention is to provide an improved grain handling, storage and unloading system for an agricultural combine.  
           [0008]    Another object is to provide a system of the aforedescribed character which incorporates an improved grain handling module.  
           [0009]    Still another object is to provide an improved agriculture combine including a high capacity grain storage system.  
           [0010]    A further object is to provide an articulated agricultural combine wherein the rear articulated section comprises a high capacity grain handling, storage and unloading module.  
           [0011]    The foregoing and other objects are realized in different embodiments of the invention. In one embodiment, a multipurpose and high capacity grain handling module is attached to a conventional combine. The module accepts grain flow from the combine and distributes the grain to the proper location in its grain bin. Periodically the module is used to move the grain to another transport vehicle. In this one embodiment, the module includes a continuous loop elevator which encircles the module bin. The continuous loop elevator receives grain from combine bin storage and elevates it for discharge into the module bin.  
           [0012]    In another embodiment of the invention, the combine comprises articulated front and rear sections, with the rear section being a grain handling module incorporating features of the aforedescribed first embodiment. In one variation, the rear section comprises a module with a continuous loop elevator which encircles the module bin from front-to-back. In another variation, the elevator forms a continuous loop on the front end of the bin. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    The invention, including its construction and method of operation, is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the drawings, in which:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional rotary combine having a grain module comprising one embodiment of the invention connected to it;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the grain module in FIG. 2;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 3;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of an articulated combine and grain module comprising features of another embodiment of the invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the articulated combine and grain module seen in FIG. 4;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the grain module seen in FIG. 5, taken along line  6 - 6  of FIG. 5;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a portion of an articulated combine and grain module comprising features of a variation in the other embodiment of the invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the portion of the articulated combine and grain module seen in FIG. 7; and  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the grain module seen in FIG. 7, taken along line  9 - 9  of FIG. 8. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]    Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, a self-propelled, rotary combine is seen generally at  10 , with parts removed. The combine  10  includes a chassis  11  supported by two front wheels  12  and two rear wheels  13 .  
         [0024]    The chassis  11  supports a body  15  containing an internal combustion engine (not shown) which supplies power to the wheels  12  and  13 . Also inside the body  15 , mounted on the chassis  11 , is a rotary threshing assembly (not shown) inclined upwardly from front-to-back in a conventional manner.  
         [0025]    Above the rotary threshing assembly, within the body  15  and extending upwardly out of the body, is a grain tank  20 . The tank  20  is mounted on the chassis  11 . In front of the body  15 , adjacent the grain tank  20 , is an operator&#39;s cab  21  which is also supported from the chassis  11 .  
         [0026]    The combine  10  further includes a crop harvesting header assembly (not shown). The header assembly is connected to the front end of the chassis  11  by a harvested crop feeder assembly (not shown). As the combine  10  moves through a crop of grain, for example, the header assembly harvests the standing grain and delivers it to the feeder assembly, which feeds it to the rotary threshing assembly.  
         [0027]    The rotary threshing assembly threshes the grain from its stalks and chops up the stalks into straw and chaff. Separated grain, straw and chaff fall out of the threshing assembly. The grain is deposited on a sieve assembly (not shown). The sieve assembly is oscillated while, at the same time, air is blown through it. The air blows straw and chaff out of the rear of the combine  10 . The grain falls through the sieve assembly onto a grain pan (not shown). Grain flows from the grain pan into an augur conveyor  23  which elevates it into the grain tank  20 .  
         [0028]    When the grains tank  20  is full, it may be unloaded through an unloading system  33 . The unloading system  33  comprises a horizontally elongated unloading conduit  35  containing an augur conveyor  37 . The unloading conduit  35  is rotatable through 180° about vertical axis X at its inlet end  39 . Grain may be unloaded through the discharge end  41  of the conduit  35  into a truck which is traveling beside the combine  10 , if a truck is available at the time.  
         [0029]    When a truck is not available and it is desirable to continue harvesting rather than stop and wait until a truck arrives, a separate grain module towed by the combine is sometimes used. The present invention is embodied in a new and improved grain module  50 .  
         [0030]    Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 3, the grain module  50  which comprises features of the invention is a wheeled vehicle comprising an axially elongated, rectangular body  52  carried by a pair of wheels  54 . The wheels  54  are rotatably mounted on an axle  56  which supports the body  52  through an undercarriage  58 .  
         [0031]    The grain module  50  is connected to the chassis  11  of the combine  10  through a tow-bar  62 . The tow-bar  62  has a hitch  64  at its front end. The hitch  64  contains a conventional locking mechanism for connecting it to a universal hitch post  66  on the combine chassis  11 .  
         [0032]    The grain module body  52  includes a horizontal floor  72 , a pair of vertical sidewalls  74  and vertical front and rear walls  76  and  78 . The body, walls and floor form a grain bin, the top of which is open, as at  82 .  
         [0033]    Encircling the grain module body  52 , from front-to-back, is a loop conveyor assembly  85 . The loop conveyor assembly  85  includes a hollow conduit  87  containing a continuous loop, chain and paddle conveyor  89 .  
         [0034]    The loop conveyor conduit  87  includes a horizontal bottom run  91 , a vertical front run  92 , a horizontal top run  93  and a vertical rear run  94 . The conveyor conduit  87  circles the module body  52  mid-way between its side walls  74 , as best seen in FIG. 2.  
         [0035]    The continuous loop, paddle conveyor  89  is driven in a clockwise direction through the conduit  87  by a hydraulic drive motor  101  mounted on the front wall  76  of the body  52 . Hydraulic power is supplied to the motor  101  through a suitable hydraulic conduit complex (not shown) connected to the combines&#39; power plant via the tow bar  62 .  
         [0036]    At the juncture of the horizontal top run  93  and the vertical rear run  94  in the loop conveyor conduit  87 , a grain unloading arm assembly  105  is rotatably mounted. To this end the conduit  87  contains, at the juncture of the horizontal top conveyor run  93  and the vertical rear conveyor run  94 , an outlet fitting  107 . The arm assembly  105  is mounted on the fitting  107  for rotating movement about the fitting.  
         [0037]    The arm assembly  105  comprises a generally horizontal delivery tube  111  with a downwardly opening spout  112  at its free end. The delivery tube  111  contains a conventional augur conveyor  115  extending between its inlet end  116  and the spout  112 . The augur conveyor  115  is hydraulically driven by a suitable hydraulic motor (not shown) powered from the combine  10 .  
         [0038]    The loop conveyor conduit  87  has a sliding grain inlet door  121  above it, in the floor  72  of the grain module body  52 . It has a sliding grain outlet door  123  in the bottom of the conveyor conduit  87  adjacent the rear of its top run  93 .  
         [0039]    In operation of the combine  10  using the grain module  50 , grain is delivered to the front end of the grain bin in the module body  52  through the unloading conduit  33  from the combine grain tank  20 . The grain falls through the open top  82  of the bin on one side or the other of the loop conveyor conduit  87  and piles up on the floor  72 .  
         [0040]    When the module grain bin is nearly full adjacent its front end, the conduit door  121  is opened and the conveyor  89  begins carrying grain in a clockwise direction through the conduit  87 . The outlet door  123  in the conduit  87  is also opened, and grain falls through it into the rear of the bin.  
         [0041]    When unloading is called for, the outlet door  123  is closed. Grain in the conduit  97  is then carried to the outlet fitting  107  and literally thrown through the fitting by the moving conveyor  89 . Operation of the carrier unloading arm assembly  105  is then effective to unload the grain module body  52 .  
         [0042]    Referring now to FIGS.  4 - 6 , another embodiment of the invention is seen in the form of an articulated combine  210 . The combine  210  includes a harvester section  240  and a grain module section  250  connected in articulated relationship at the articulation joint  245 . The joint  245  permits the two sections  240  and  250  to pivot relative to each other about the articulations axis Z of the joint.  
         [0043]    The harvester section  240  includes a chassis  211  supported by two front wheels  212 . The chassis  211  mounts a body  215  containing an internal combustion engine (not shown) which supplies power to the front wheels  212 . The body contains a rotary threshing assembly (not shown) and a grain tank  120 .  
         [0044]    As described in the context of the previous embodiment of the invention, the harvester section  240  has a header assembly (not shown) and feeder assembly (not shown) on its front end. Cut crop is delivered to the harvester section from the header assembly by the feeder assembly.  
         [0045]    The rotary threshing assembly threshes the grain from its stalks and chops up the stalks into straw and chaff. Separated grain is deposited on a sieve assembly (not shown). The grain falls through the sieve assembly onto a grain pan and from there into a conveyor which elevates it into the grain tank  220 .  
         [0046]    According to the invention, when grain in the tank  220  accumulates to the extent that the tank is almost full, the grain begins to flow into the intake of a transfer conveyor  233 . The transfer conveyor  233  comprises a horizontally elongated transfer conduit  235  containing an augur conveyor  237 . The conduit  235  has a downwardly opening spout  238  at its rear end for discharging grain into the grain module section  250 .  
         [0047]    The grain module section  250  is a four-wheel vehicle comprising an axially elongated, rectangular body  252  carried by a pair of front wheels  254  and a pair of rear wheels  255 . The wheels are rotatably mounted on axles which support the body  252 .  
         [0048]    The grain module body  252  includes a horizontal floor  272 , a pair of vertical sidewalls  274  and vertical front and rear walls  276  and  278 . The body, walls and floor form a grain tank, the top of which is a horizontal roof  282 .  
         [0049]    Encircling the grain module body  252 , from front-to-back, is a loop conveyor assembly  285 . The loop conveyor assembly  285  includes a hollow conduit  287  containing a continuous loop chain and paddle conveyor  289 .  
         [0050]    The loop conveyor conduit  287  includes a horizontal bottom run  291 , a vertical front run  292 , a horizontal top run  293  and a vertical rear run  294 . The conveyor conduit  287  circles the module body  252  mid-way between its side walls  274 .  
         [0051]    The continuous loop, paddle conveyor  289  is selectively driven in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction through the conduit  287  by a hydraulic drive motor  301  mounted on the front wall  276  of the body  252 . Hydraulic power is supplied to the motor  301  through a suitable hydraulic conduit complex (not shown) connected to the combine&#39;s power plant.  
         [0052]    When the module  250  is loading, the conveyor  289  is driven in a counterclockwise direction. Grain from the tank  220  is delivered through the transfer conveyor into a grain inlet well  303  on the front end of the grain module body  252 . The well  303  opens through the front wall  276  into the conduit  287 .  
         [0053]    The paddle conveyor  289  in the conduit  287  carries the grain up into the horizontal top run  293  of the conveyor. There, midway between the front and rear walls  276  and  278  of the bin, the conduit  289  has a sliding door  310  in its floor  311 . This sliding door  310  is open during this loading operation so that grain can fall into the tank.  
         [0054]    The capacity of the front section tank  220  and the rear section tank far exceeds that of conventional combines. Accordingly, the combine  210  is able to operate for much longer periods of time without a truck to unload it.  
         [0055]    When unloading is called for, however, the sliding door  310  in the top run of the conduit  287  is closed. The conveyor  289  is driven in a clockwise direction and a sliding door  312  in the bottom run  291  of the conduit  289  is opened. Grain falls through the open door  312  and is carried around the conduit  287  to the unloading conveyor arm assembly  315 .  
         [0056]    The conveyor assembly  315  is mounted on the conduit  287  at the juncture of the horizontal top run  293  and the vertical front run  292  in the conduit. To this end the conduit  287  contains an outlet fitting  317 . The conveyor arm assembly  315  is mounted on the fitting  317  for rotation horizontally about the fitting.  
         [0057]    Grain in the conduit  297  during unloading is carried to the outlet fitting  317  and thrown through the fitting by the moving conveyor  289 . Operation of the unloading arm assembly  315  is then effective to unload the module body  252 .  
         [0058]    Referring now to FIGS.  7 - 9 , a variation on the other embodiment of the invention is seen in the form of an articulated combine  410 . The combine  410  includes a harvester section  440  (only partially shown) and a grain module section  450  connected in articulated relationship at the articulation joint  445 .  
         [0059]    The harvester section  440  is identical to the harvester section  240  hereinbefore discussed. Accordingly, any components shown are simply identified by identical reference numerals plus 200 digits.  
         [0060]    The grain module section  450  is a four-wheel vehicle comprising an axially elongated, rectangular body  452  carried by a pair of front wheels  454  and a pair of rear wheels  455 . The body  452  includes a horizontal floor  472 , a pair of vertical sidewalls  474  and vertical front and rear walls  476  and  478 . A horizontal roof  482  covers the body  452 .  
         [0061]    Mounted on the front wall  476  of the body  452  is a loop conveyor assembly  485 . The loop conveyor assembly  485  includes a hollow conduit  487  containing a continuous loop chain and paddle conveyor  489 . The loop conveyor conduit  487  includes a short horizontal bottom run  491 , a vertical front run  492 , a short horizontal top run  493  and a vertical rear run  494 .  
         [0062]    The continuous loop, paddle conveyor  489  is selectively driven in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction through the conduit  487  by a hydraulic drive motor  501  mounted on the front wall  476  of the body  452 . Hydraulic power is supplied to the motor  501  through a suitable hydraulic conduit complex (not shown) connected to the combine&#39;s power plant.  
         [0063]    When the module  450  is loading, the conveyor  489  is driven in a clockwise direction. Grain from the tank  420  is delivered through the transfer conveyor  43  into a grain inlet well  503  on the front end of the grain module body  452 . The well  503  opens into the vertical front run  492  of the conduit  487 . The conveyor  489  carries grain upwardly in the vertical run  492  and over the short horizontal run  493 , and throws the grain through the nozzle  519  into the body  452 .  
         [0064]    When grain piles up in the body  452  to a level near the top of the body, it encounters a horizontal auger  520 . The augur  520 , which rotates constantly during loading, moves any grain which reaches that level toward the rear of the body  452 .  
         [0065]    To unload the module  450 , the conveyor  428  is driven in a counter-clockwise direction in the conduit  487 . A horizontal auger  525  mounted immediately above the floor  472  of the body  452  is rotated and moves grain at the bottom of the grain pile into the conduit  487 .  
         [0066]    Grain carried by the auger  525  into the conduit  487  is lifted up the rear run  494  of the conduit  487  by the conveyor  489 . The unloading grain is carried over the short top run  493  of the conduit and thrown into the fitting  517 . The unloading conduit  515  then carries it to a waiting grain truck alongside the combine  410 .  
         [0067]    While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, it should be understood that the invention is not so limited and modifications may be made without department from the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, and all devices that come within the meaning of the claims, either literally or by equivalence, are intended to be embraced therein.