Grain conveyor for a combine harvester
View Patent ↗A grain conveyor for a combine harvester capable of increasing capacity and reducing component wear is disclosed. The grain conveyor includes a grain elevator, a transition chamber and an auger assembly. The grain elevator has an inlet for receiving a flow of grain. The transition chamber includes an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the transition chamber inlet and the grain elevator inlet. The transition chamber outlet has an asymmetric non-circular opening larger than the non-cylindrical opening of the transition chamber inlet. The auger assembly is operatively connected to the transition chamber and includes an inlet for receiving a flow of grain and an outlet in fluid communication with the transition chamber inlet.
1. A grain elevator of a combine harvester comprising:
a housing having an inlet for receiving a flow of grain;
a conveyor within the housing having a return side and a grain conveyor side; and
wherein the inlet is in fluid communication with the return side and the grain conveyor side and wherein a section of the inlet aligned with the return side is greater than a section of the inlet aligned with the grain conveyor side.
2. The grain elevator of claim 1 , wherein the inlet is an asymmetric non-circular opening.
3. The grain elevator of claim 1 ,
wherein the inlet is formed by at least a semicircle having a first radius of curvature, a second curve having a second radius of curvature smaller than the first radius of curvature, and a third-curve having a third radius of curvature larger than the second radius of curvature.
4. A grain elevator of a combine harvester comprising:
a housing having an inlet for receiving a flow of grain;
a conveyor within the housing having a return side and a grain conveyor side;
wherein the inlet is in fluid communication with the return side and the grain conveyor side and wherein a section of the inlet aligned with the return side is greater than a section of the inlet aligned with the grain conveyor side;
wherein the inlet is formed by at least a semicircle having a first radius of curvature, a second curve having a second radius of curvature smaller than the first radius of curvature, and a third curve having a third radius of curvature larger than the second radius of curvature; and
wherein the inlet is further formed by a first planar segment between the semicircle and the second curve, and a second planar segment between the semicircle and the third curve.
5. The grain elevator of claim 4 , wherein the first and second planar segments are diametrically opposed and parallel to each other.
6. The grain elevator of claim 5 , wherein the inlet is further formed by a third planar segment between the second curve and the third curve.
7. The grain elevator of claim 6 , wherein the third planar segment is substantially perpendicular to at least one of the first and second planar segments.
8. The grain elevator of claim 3 , wherein an area of the inlet formed by the semicircle and second curve is greater than an area of the inlet formed by the semicircle and the third curve.
9. A grain elevator of a combine harvester comprising:
a housing having an inlet for receiving a flow of grain;
a conveyor within the housing having a return side and a grain conveyor side;
wherein the inlet is in fluid communication with the return side and the grain conveyor side and wherein a section of the inlet aligned with the return side is greater than a section of the inlet aligned with the grain conveyor side; and
a transition chamber connected to the housing in fluid communication with the inlet of the housing, and wherein a volume of a top portion of the transition chamber above a top edge of an auger situated within the transition chamber and on a same side as the return side of the housing is larger than a volume of a top portion of the transition chamber above a top edge of the auger and on a same side as the grain conveyor side of the grain elevator.
10. A grain elevator of a combine harvester comprising:
a housing having an inlet for receiving a flow of grain;
a conveyor within the housing having a return side and a grain conveyor side; and
wherein the inlet includes a first side coincident with the return side that is larger than a second side coincident with the grain conveyor side.
11. The grain elevator of claim 10 , wherein the inlet is an asymmetric non-circular inlet.
12. The grain elevator of claim 1 , wherein the conveyer is arranged for lifting grain received through the inlet.
13. The grain elevator of claim 10 , further comprising a transition chamber connected to the housing and in fluid communication with the inlet of the housing, and wherein a volume of a top portion of the transition chamber above a top edge of an auger situated within the transition chamber and on a same side as the return side of the housing is larger than a volume of a top portion of the transition chamber above a top edge of the auger and on a same side as the grain conveyor side of the grain elevator.
14. The grain elevator of claim 10 , wherein the conveyer is arranged for lifting grain received through the inlet.