Combo crop harvester crop transfer means

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9832930-B2
Application number	US-201414912814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2014
Priority date	Sep 10, 2013
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A system conveying material-other-than-grain (MOG) from a harvesting machine to a packaging machine towed by the harvesting machine. The system includes an joint pivotably joining a harvesting machine hitch to a packaging machine hitch. An accelerator is mounted to the packaging machine hitch. The accelerator has a housing with a top-side inlet and a side outlet. A MOG-propelling disk is disposed in the housing and is rotatable about an axis. A conduit is disposed above the packaging machine hitch and has an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end coupled to the side outlet. The conduit has first and second opposing side portions and a top side portion without an opposing bottom portion, with at least part of the top side portion is parallel with the plane of the disk. The accelerator, conduit, and packaging machine are collectively in pivotal arrangement relative to the harvesting machine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transfer system conveying material other than grain (MOG) from a harvesting machine to a packaging machine towed by the harvesting machine, the system comprising:
a harvesting machine comprising a harvesting machine hitch;
a packaging machine comprising a packaging machine hitch;
an omnidirectional articulating joint pivotably joining the harvesting machine hitch to the packaging machine hitch such that the harvesting machine is secured to the packaging machine in a towing relationship;
an accelerator, the accelerator comprising a housing mounted to the packaging machine hitch, the housing comprising a top-side inlet and a side outlet, the accelerator also comprising a MOG-propelling disk disposed in the housing and rotatable about an axis; and
a conduit disposed adjacent to and above the packaging machine hitch, the conduit comprising an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end coupled to, and adjacent to, the side outlet, the conduit comprising first and second opposing side portions and a top side portion without an opposing bottom portion, wherein at least part of the top side portion is parallel with the plane of the disk, wherein the accelerator is secured to the conduit and the packaging machine hitch, and the conduit is secured to the packaging machine, and wherein the accelerator, conduit, and packaging machine are collectively in pivotal arrangement relative to the harvesting machine.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the packaging machine hitch and conduit comprise an articulating range of approximately one hundred fifty (150) degrees.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conduit is adjustable in pitch, yaw, or a combination of both.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the top-side inlet comprises a lip adjacent a top edge of the top-side inlet, wherein the lip extends inward, downward, or a combination of inward and downward.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the axis is angled relative to a vertical axis, and wherein a top side of the conduit is substantially parallel to a plane corresponding to a top surface of the disk along at least a first portion of the conduit.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conduit comprises plural deflectors coupled beneath the top side portion, the plural deflectors beginning and ending proximal to the outlet end.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a gearbox and motor assembly that is configured to drive the disk at a variable speed.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conduit has a substantially bowed configuration from the inlet end to the outlet end.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the packaging machine comprises an inlet opening having a first area, the outlet end of the conduit secured to a frame of the packaging machine adjacent the inlet opening, the outlet end comprising a second area smaller than the first area.

10. A method, comprising:
receiving material other than grain (MOG) at an accelerator mounted to a harvesting machine, the accelerator comprising a motor-driven, rotating structure having plural blades that receives the MOG from above the accelerator; and
propelling the MOG, using the plural blades contacting the MOG as the rotating structure is driven, as a condensed stream from a side outlet of the accelerator to an inlet opening of a towed packaging machine and continuously and gradually changing a direction of the stream using a substantially bowed control surface located above the stream and extending between the harvesting machine and the packaging machine, wherein a plane in which the MOG is propelled is substantially parallel to a plane of at least a portion of the control surface.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising maintaining a same trajectory of the stream and same delivery point to the packaging machine regardless of orientation between the harvesting machine and the packaging machine while still operational.

Assignees

• Agco Corp

Inventors

• Herron Maynard M

Classifications

• A01F15/10

  Feeding devices for the crop material {e.g. precompression devices} · CPC title

• A01D61/008 Primary

  for longitudinal conveying, especially for combines · CPC title

• A01F15/04

  Plunger presses · CPC title

• B65G31/04

  comprising discs, drums, or like rotary impellers · CPC title

• A01D90/10

  Unloading means · CPC title