Clean grain elevator paddles for a combine harvester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10123487-B2
Application number	US-201815985675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2018
Priority date	Jan 21, 2013
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

A grain paddle for a clean grain elevator of a combine harvester. The paddle includes a substantially rigid body with a planar portion having ends disposed distal and proximal to an elevator chain of the combine harvester. Some paddle embodiments include an angled end adjacent the proximal end of the planar portion. Some paddle embodiments include an angled end adjacent to the distal end of the planar portion. Some paddle embodiments include sloped lateral edges.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A paddle attached to an elevator chain of a clean grain elevator of a combine harvester, the elevator chain disposed around an upper sprocket and a lower sprocket defining an elevator plane, the paddle comprising:
a wear resistant, rigid, non-flexible body, whereby, when viewed in cross-section in a plane parallel with said elevator plane, said body includes:
an aft surface which slopes at a aft angle upwardly relative to a perpendicular plane which is perpendicular to said elevator plane and in a direction away from the elevator chain, said aft surface having a first lateral aft end and a second lateral aft end disposed along a lateral aft plane extending laterally perpendicular to said elevator plane, said first and second lateral aft ends defining a lateral aft width;
a fore surface which slopes at a fore angle upwardly relative to said perpendicular plane and in a direction toward the elevator chain, said fore surface having a first lateral fore end and a second lateral fore end disposed along a lateral fore plane extending laterally perpendicular to said elevator plane, said first and second lateral fore ends defining a lateral fore width;
a first lateral side surface extending between said first lateral aft end and said first lateral fore end;
a second lateral side surface extending between said second lateral aft end and said second lateral fore end.

2. The paddle of claim 1 , wherein said first lateral side surface slopes upwardly relative to said perpendicular plane along a first transverse plane which is transverse to said lateral plane and said elevator plane, and wherein said second lateral side surface slopes upwardly relative to said perpendicular plane along a second transverse plane which is transverse to said lateral plane and said elevator plane.

3. The paddle of claim 1 , wherein said paddle comprises polyethylene.

4. The paddle of claim 1 , wherein said aft angle is between about 2 and 6 degrees with respect to said perpendicular plane.

5. The paddle of claim 1 , wherein said fore angle is between about 30 and 60 degrees with respect to said perpendicular plane.

6. The paddle of claim 1 , wherein said aft angle is less than about 10 degrees with respect to said perpendicular plane.

7. The paddle of claim 1 , wherein said fore angle is between about 25 and 40 degrees with respect to said perpendicular plane.

8. A clean grain elevator for a combine harvester, comprising:
an elevator housing;
an upper sprocket disposed in said elevator housing;
a lower sprocket disposed in said elevator housing, said upper and lower sprockets defining an elevator plane;
a chain passing over and extending between said upper and lower sprockets; and
a plurality of substantially equally spaced paddles attached to said chain, each of said paddles comprising a wear resistant, rigid body which retains its shape during use, whereby, when viewed in cross-section in a plane parallel with said elevator plane, said body includes:
an aft surface which slopes at a aft angle upwardly relative to a perpendicular plane which is perpendicular to said elevator plane and in a direction away from the elevator chain, said aft surface having a first lateral aft end and a second lateral aft end disposed along a lateral aft plane extending laterally perpendicular to said elevator plane, said first and second lateral aft ends defining a lateral aft width;
a fore surface which slopes at a fore angle upwardly relative to said perpendicular plane and in a direction toward the elevator chain, said fore surface having a first lateral fore end and a second lateral fore end disposed along a lateral fore plane extending laterally perpendicular to said elevator plane, said first and second lateral fore ends defining a lateral fore width;
a first lateral side surface extending between said first lateral aft end and said first lateral fore end;
a second lateral side surface extending between said second lateral aft end and said second lateral fore end.

9. The clean grain elevator of claim 8 , wherein said first lateral side surface slopes upwardly relative to said perpendicular plane along a first transverse plane which is transverse to said lateral plane and said elevator plane, and wherein said second lateral side surface slopes upwardly relative to said perpendicular plane along a second transverse plane which is transverse to said lateral plane and said elevator plane.

10. The clean grain elevator of claim 8 , wherein said aft angle is between about 2 and 6 degrees with respect to said perpendicular plane.

11. The clean grain elevator of claim 8 , wherein said fore angle is between about 30 and 60 degrees with respect to said perpendicular plane.

12. The clean grain elevator of claim 8 , wherein said aft angle is less than about 10 degrees with respect to said perpendicular plane.

13. The clean grain elevator of claim 8 , wherein said fore angle is between about 25 and 40 degrees with respect to said perpendicular plane.

14. The clean grain elevator of claim 8 , wherein as each of said plurality of paddles rounds said upper sprocket, said aft surface is substantially co-planar to a plane intersecting a rotational axis of said upper sprocket.

15. In combination, a grain elevator and a yield sensor:
the grain elevator comprising:
an elevator housing;
an upper sprocket disposed within said elevator housing;
a lower sprocket disposed within said elevator housing, said upper and lower sprockets defining an elevator plane;
a mass flow yield sensor positioned above said upper sprocket;
a chain passing over and extending between said upper and lower sprockets; and
a plurality of substantially equally spaced paddles attached to said chain, each of said paddles comprising a wear resistant, substantially rigid body, whereby, when viewed in cross-section in a plane parallel with said elevator plane, said body includes:
an aft surface which slopes at a aft angle upwardly relative to a perpendicular plane which is perpendicular to said elevator plane and in a direction away from the elevator chain, said aft surface having a first lateral aft end and a second lateral aft end disposed along a lateral aft plane extending laterally perpendicular to said elevator plane, said first and second lateral aft ends defining a lateral aft width;
a fore surface which slopes at a fore angle upwardly relative to said perpendicular plane and in a direction toward the elevator chain, said fore surface having a first lateral fore end and a second lateral fore end disposed along a lateral fore plane extending laterally perpendicular to said elevator plane, said first and second lateral fore ends defining a lateral fore width;
a first lateral side surface extending between said first lateral aft end and said first lateral fore end;
a second lateral side surface extending between said second lateral aft end and said second lateral fore end.

16. The combination of claim 15 , wherein said aft angle is between about 2 and 6 degrees with respect to said perpendicular plane.

17. The combination of claim 15 , wherein said fore angle is between about 30 and 60 degrees with respect to said perpendicular plane.

18. The combination of claim 15 , wherein said aft angle is less than about 10 degrees with respect to said perpendicular plane.

19. The combination of claim 15 , wherein said fore angle is between about 25 and 40 degrees with respect to said perpendicular plane.

20. The combination of claim 15 , wherein as each of said plurality

Assignees

• Prec Planting Llc

Inventors

• Strnad Michael
• Koch Justin

Classifications

• G01F15/028

  for low flow rates · CPC title

• G01F1/80

  operating by measuring pressure, force, momentum, or frequency of a fluid flow to which a rotational movement has been imparted · CPC title

• G01F1/30

  for fluent solid material · CPC title

• G01F15/00

  Details of, or accessories for, apparatus of groups G01F1/00 - G01F13/00 insofar as such details or appliances are not adapted to particular types of such apparatus · CPC title

• A01F12/46 Primary

  Mechanical grain conveyors · CPC title