Patent CA-1061576-A (CA)
Inventor: HANAWAY ROGER D
IPC: B60P1/40
Filed: 1976-08-05
Granted: 1979-09-04
Abstract: SELF-RAISING BIN LOADING AUGER FOR COMBINES                  ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE         A loading apparatus for the grain tank or bin of an agricultural combine.  The grain tank or bin is located in the upper part of the combine, and, in the illustrated embodiment, the grain bin comprises a main grain bin and a grain bin extension mounted above the main grain bin.  Clean grain which has been separated from the straw, chaff, or the like is conveyed by an elevating conveyor which discharges the grain via a chute into the intake end of an elongated pivotally mounted "floating" auger conveyor.  When the level of the grain in the bin is below a predetermined level, the floating auger conveyer will assume a horizontal position contiguous the upper portion of the bin, but spaced below the upper end of the bin extension, and will also extend laterally inwardly to the bin from the general region of one longitudinal side of the bin and in overlying relation to the hollow interior of the bin, whereby the floating auger conveyor discharges into the bin at a substantially central location.  The rotatable shaft of the floating auger conveyor is connected in driven relation to a suitable rotatable drive means through a universal drive joint, whereby the auger shaft of the pivot-ally mounted floating auger conveyor is rotatably driven at any angular position in a vertical plane which the pivotally mount-ed auger tube of the floating auger conveyor may be required to assume about its horizontal pivotal axis. As the grain level in the grain bin approaches a full condition, the floating auger conveyor moves angularly upwardly from a horizontal position due to the reaction of the discharging grain with the upper surface of the already loaded grain, the floating auger conveyor riding on the upper surface of the already loaded grain.  A tension spring may also be used to exert an upward force on the floating auger conveyor, supple-menting the aforementioned reaction force of the discharging grain.  The use of a floating discharge auger conveyor which rides on the upper surface of the already loaded grain as the grain bin approaches a full condition minimizes grain damage and lowers power requirements as compared to a discharge auger conveyor which might become submerged in the already loaded grain, and also avoids excess height of the combine as compared to a fixed position discharge auger conveyor which is permanently located at the maximum height required, whereas the "floating" discharge auger conveyor only reaches its maximum height when the grain level in the bin reaches its maximum height.  An important feature of the construction is that the universal drive joint by means of which the floating auger shaft is connected to the rotatable driving means is located out of the path of grain flow to the intake end of the floating auger conveyor, thereby permitting increased volume of grain flow to the floating auger conveyor, and reducing grain damage and power requirements as compared to a construction in which the universal drive joint is positioned in the path of grain flow to the floating auger conveyor.