Patent ID: 7837542

Claim:
A corn cob cleaning system, comprising: a corn residue conveyor system including at least one inclined conveyor having a lower first end configured and positioned for receiving a flow of corn residue including cobs mixed with other material, an opposite second end disposed higher than the first end and adjacent to a space, and a movable, upwardly facing surface extending between the first end and the second end and configured for carrying the flow of corn residue, the inclined conveyor including a cover disposed over at least a substantial portion of the upwardly facing surface defining a passage thereover extending between a first opening adjacent to the first end of the inclined conveyor and a second opening adjacent to the second end of the conveyor, the inclined conveyor being operable for moving the upwardly facing surface for carrying the flow of corn residue upwardly through the passage to the second end and propelling the flow of residue away from the inclined conveyor and into the space, wherein the inclined conveyor is pivotably rotatable about the first end to adjust an angle of inclination of the conveyor, and further wherein the conveyor is operable to control the speed of movement of the upwardly facing surface, such that varying the combination of angle of inclination and speed of the upward facing surface determines the propulsion distance and the trajectory of the residue into the space; a fan adjustable mounted on the cover and disposed generally above the space, configured to operate to generate a first flow of air downwardly through the passage, and a second flow of air downwardly through the space, so as to remove at least some of the other material from the cobs, and wherein the first flow of air will carry the material removed thereby downwardly through the passage over the upward flow of corn residue therethrough and outwardly from the passage through the first opening, and the second flow of air will carry the material removed thereby downwardly through the space away from the cobs, wherein the fan orientation is adjustable for at least one of horizontal, vertical and rotational movement relative to the second end of the inclined conveyor, such that adjusting the at least one of horizontal, vertical and angular orientation of the fan increases or decreases the first flow of air downwardly through the passage, and similarly increases or decreases the second flow of air downwardly through the space.