Patent ID: 7207882

Claim:
A textured trough element for a trough of a tailings conveyor for an agricultural combine, the conveyor including a rotary auger in the trough and rotatable about an axis therethrough, the auger having a helical radial outer periphery having a circular shape profile when viewed from an axial end thereof, the textured trough element comprising: a concave surface having a curved profile when viewed from a longitudinal end thereof of marginally larger diametrical extent than the circular cross section of the auger, the trough element being positionable in a bottom portion of the trough with the concave surface facing and extending partially around a bottom portion of the helical radial outer periphery of the auger such that the auger will convey the tailings on and along the concave surface, and the concave surface having a sufficiently rough surface texture substantially covering the concave surface in the longitudinal direction for causing tumbling and rolling of at least a substantial portion of the tailings conveyed thereover for loosening and releasing at least some of any grain partially or fully contained in elements of the tailings, wherein the surface texture is in continuous contact with the concave surface along the longitudinal direction, such that the surface texture has a curved profile concentric with the concave surface and that the surface texture is a substantially planar layer when viewed from the longitudinal end thereof.