Patent ID: 7867071

Claim:
Apparatus for receiving, detaching husks from, and collecting corn cobs after removal of corn therefrom, comprising: a cob collection device including an upstanding wall structure bounding an interior chamber, the upstanding wall structure including a predetermined wall having an upper region including an aperture therein, and a door configured and movable between a closed position covering the aperture, and an open position uncovering the aperture; an adjustable conveyor system configured and operable for receiving a flow of the cobs including at least some of the husks still attached thereto and distributing the cobs within the interior chamber of the collection device, the conveyor system including a conveyor portion including apparatus configured and operable for mechanically grasping and detaching the attached husks from the cobs, and a conveyor portion inclined upwardly and configured and operable for conveying the cobs through the aperture of the upper region of the predetermined wall and into the interior chamber, the conveyor portion inclined upwardly being movable through a range of positions between a first position adjacent to the aperture and external to the interior chamber, and a second position extending a predetermined maximum distance into the interior chamber through the aperture, the range of positions including different positions for distributing the cobs at different locations within the interior chamber; and a mechanism configured and operable for automatically moving the door to the closed position when the conveyor portion inclined upwardly is moved to the first position.