GB2222508A

GB2222508A - Grain separator

Info

Publication number: GB2222508A
Application number: GB8920260A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Esmond Eaton Kimbell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-09-07
Filing date: 1989-09-07
Publication date: 1990-03-14
Also published as: GB8920260D0

Abstract

A grain separator, and a method for separating grain comprises a tubular housing 5 having inlet means 11 for receiving several ears of cereal crops or the like, rotatable screw blade means 16 within the housing for releasing grain from the severed ears and for conveying material along the housing when the screw blade means is turned, in use, the housing having first outlet means 13 for allowing the released grain to fall from the housing beneath the screw blade means, and second outlet means 7 for allowing unwanted material to leave the housing. <IMAGE>

Description

GRAIN SEPARATORS The invention relates to grain separating apparatus.

More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to an apparatus for separating grain from ears of cereal crops or the like and this apparatus may be used in combination with crop stripping apparatus for severing crop heads from their stalks. Such crop stripping apparatus will be referred to herein as a crop stripper.

Crop strippers have been in existence now since the mid 1980's and, because use of them has lead to big increases in harvesting work rates, it has been suggested that they may replace conventional combine harvesters for harvesting wheat, corn, barley, rye grass, red fescue, oil seed rape and the like.

In general, crop strippers are fitted to conventional combine harvesters, and typically comprise rows of plastic teeth that comb the ears and seeds out of a standing crop, leaving the stalks (i.e. straw) remaining in the soil. The severed ears are then threshed by the threshing mechanism of the combine harvester, and the separated grain is then collected.

However, despite crop strippers cutting down the volume of material to be separated, and thus increasing the efficiency of the combine harvester, the final grain separation stage is still dependent upon the large, and expensive, threshing mechanism of the combine harvester.

The present invention seeks to overcome this problem by providing an inexpensive and relatively simpler mechanical grain separating apparatus that can be fitted to a tractor or the like. The term "tractor or the like" is to be construed as including an agricultural vehicle capable of moving the separator forwards through a crop behind a crop stripper.

It is of course appreciated that fitting both the crop stripper and a grain separator to a tractor or the like will not only cut a farmer's costs in harvesting crops but will also enable the farmer to harvest the crop in a quicker time. Moreover, a stripper and separator when both fitted to a tractor could give the same output as a conventional combine harvester, but for a far cheaper cost.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a grain separator comprising a tubular housing having inlet means for receiving severed ears of cereal crops or the like, rotable screw blade means within the housing for releasing grain from the severed ears and for conveying material along the housing when the screw blade means is turned, in use, the housing having first outlet means for allowing the released grain to fall from the housing beneath the screw blade means, and second outlet means for allowing unwanted material to leave the housing.

The distance between at least a part of the periphery of the screw blade means and the housing inner wall may be such as to assist release of the grain from the severed ears.

The inlet may comprise an opening in the upper surface of the housing, preferably at or adjacent one end thereof.

The opening may comprise a channel. The first outlet means may comprise a series of holes, slots or the like in the lower surface of the housing, and the second outlet means may be at the end of the housing remote from the inlet. The holes, slots or the like are preferably providing in a sheet of material removable from the housing. This gives an advantage that the sheet may be replaced by another carrying different sizes of holes, slots or the like to separate different crops.

The screw blade means is preferably an auger including discontinuities to provide blade surfaces. The blade surfaces may be spaced along the length of the auger, and are preferably cut into the auger screw so that conveying of material is still carried out at the bladed portions..

The housing may include a discharge portion at the end thereof remote from the inlet, for example a second tubular housing extending at an obtuse angle to the first housing.

The second outlet means from the first housing may feed an inlet to the second housing, and an outlet for unwanted matter may be provided in the second housing. The first housing may be of a greater length than the second housing.

Advantageously, where the separator has first and second housings, an auger may extend along the longitudinal axis of the second housing.

Preferably, a second auger possibly with intermittent blade surfaces, hereinafter referred to as an awner, extends along at least part of the longitudinal axis of the second housing.

Advantageously the distance between at least part of the periphery of the blades of the awner and at least part of the inner wall of the second housing is such to release, while the awner is turning, any grain not separated from ears in the first housing.

The grain separator may be provided with means for securing the separator to a tractor and the like.

The separator may further comprise means for collecting separated grain from the first outlet means. The collection means is preferably elongate extending beneath the first outlet means. The collection means preferably includes conveying means to move collected grain along the collection means.

The collection means is preferably C-shaped in section to provide an elongate opening at the top thereof beneath the first outlet means of the housing. Wall means defining an upwardly and outwardly tapering channel preferably extend from the elongate opening of the collection means. Auger means may be provided in the collection means for conveying collected grain therealong.

The collection means may include a plurality of holes, slots or the like in its upper surface, the holes, slots or the like in the collection means being aligned with the holes, slots or the like of the housing.

The collection means may comprise a collecting section lying beneath the housing and an elevating section which sections form an obtuse angle to each other, wherein the length of collecting section is at least the same length as the first housing.

Blower means may be provided for blowing air into the apparatus.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of separating grain from a harvest crop, the method comprising the steps of: (a) severing ears from the stalks of said crop, (b) feeding the severed ears into a housing having screw blade means located therein for releasing grain from the severed ears while the screw blade means is turning, (c) turning said auger, (d) allowing separated grains to fall from the housing and (e) collecting the separated grains.

By way of example only, embodiments of the separating apparatus and a separating method according to the invention will now be described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view representing diagrammatically a grain separator and collector; Figure 2 is a sectional view of part of a grain separator, Figure 3 is an exploded view of the grain separator mounted below a crop feeder tank.

Figure 4 is a view, partly cutaway, of part of a grain separator; Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a grain separator mounted on a tractor together with a crop stripper; and Figure 6 is a plan view of the arrangement of Figure 5.

Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a crop stripper 10 which is mounted on front forks (now shown) of a tractor.

Typical movement of the crop stripper 110 is illustrated by arrow 111 in Figure 1. Stripped heads are conveyed from the stripper 110 via a conveyor unit 112 to a feed box 113 located above and at one end of a tubular housing 114.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, one embodiment of a grain separator 1 comprises two straight tubular housings 5 and 7 extending at an obtuse angle to each other in a fashion as shown in Figure 2.

Near one end of, and in the upper surface of, the first housing 5 is an inlet opening 11, so shaped that severed ears of cereal crops (e.g. wheat and the like) can enter the housing 3. In the lower surface of the first housing 7 is a multiplicity of holes, slots or the like 13, spaced at intervals and each dimensioned so as to allow separated grains to fall from the housing 3.

Extending from end to end of and along the longitudinal axis of the first housing 5 is an awner 15, which awner is an auger having discontinuities in the screw to provide blades 16 spaced at intervals along the longitudinal axis of the augers. The distance between the periphery of the awner 15 and the inner wall of the first housing 5 is such that grain will be separated from the crop ears during rotation of the auger.

Extending from end to end of and along the longitudinal axis of the second housing 7 is an awner 17 having like blade portions 16. The distance between the periphery of the awner 17 and the inner wall of the second housing 7 is such that grain will be separated from any native (i.e. unseparated and unground) crop ears during rotation of the awner. However, it is to be appreciated that, instead of two housings, it would be sufficient just to have one long housing that extends at a gentle incline to the horizontal plane.

For use, the two housings 5 and 7 are secured, by suitable attachment means (not shown), to the side of a tractor (not shown) in such a fashion that the inlet opening 11 is located just below an outlet port 19 of a feed tank 21, secured to the front forks of the tractor. The feed tank 21 essentially comprises a walled body 23 having two outlet ports 19 and an internal centrally pitched roof 25.

Due to the construction of the tank 21, any materials falling into the body 23 will fall either side of the roof 25 and out through the ports 19. Depending upon the means of securement of the housings 5 and 7 to the tractor side, it may be necessary to have an extendible conduit, such as, for example, a cloth hood, secured between and to the outlet ports 19 and the inlet opening 11.

A grain collection apparatus 27 is secured to the first housing 5 by welding or other suitable means, and the housings 5 and 7 dnd the apparatus 27 are mounted on a tractor (not shown) beneath the tank 21. The provision of two ports 19 enables two grain separators to be secured to one tractor, thereby increasing the efficiency of the machinery. However, for the sake of clarity, only one separator is shown in Figure 3.

The grain collection apparatus 27 essentially comprises a tubular collecting section 29 and a tubular elevating section 31, extending at an obtuse angle to each other in a fashion as shown in Figure 2. Located within and extending along the axis of each section 29 and 31 is an auger (not shown).

The collection apparatus 27 has a series of holes, slots or the like 35 formed in the upper surface of the collecting section 29. The holes, slots or the like 35 are aligned with the holes, slots or the like 13 of the first housing 5. The collection apparatus 27 also has an inlet port 37 formed in one end of the collecting section 29, through which a strong current of air can be blown into the collection apparatus.

When in use, severed ears of cereal crop (not shown), such as wheat, are poured into the top of the feed tank 21.

The ears fall either side of the roof 25, down the outlet ports 19 and then into the first housing 5 of the grain separator 1, by means of the inlet opening 11.

On falling into the first housing 5, the ears engage with the rotating awner 15, and so travel along the housing 3 in a direction away from the opening 11 (i.e. from left to right as shown in Figures 1 and 2). The rotating action of the awner 15 causes the ears to release grains.

The released grains initially fall to the bottom of the first housing 5, and then fall from the housing, via the holes, slots or the like 13, into the collecting section 29 of the collection apparatus 27, via the holes, slots or the like 35. The residual chaff, husks and the like remain in the first housing 5, and are then transported, by means of the awner 17, out of the open end of the second housing 7.

The waste chaff etc is then deposited onto the harvested field.

It is to be appreciated that the awner 17 not only transports the chaff out from the second housing 7 but provides further means to separate grain from any native (i.e. unground and unseparated) ears not separated in the first housing 5. The released grains then slide down the second housing, and then enter the collecting section 29 of the collection apparatus 27, by means of holes, slots and the like 13 and holes, slots and the like 35.

On entering the collecting section 29 of the collection apparatus, the separated grains are transported along the length of the apparatus by means of an auger (not shown). To assist the motion of the grains a strong current of air is blown into the collecting section, by means of an inlet port 37. The air current will also assist in separating the released grains from any chaff that may have inadvertently entered the collecting section 29.

Having been transported along the collecting section 29, the grains are then carried up and ultimately ejected from, the open end of the elevating section 31, by means of an auger (not shown). The ejected grains are then collected in a trailer (not shown) which may be pulled behind the tractor. The configuration of the collection apparatus may differ from that shown, and grain transport may be effected in different ways.

A second embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to Figures 1 and 4.

The housing 114 of Figure 1 includes an auger 115 having one or more sections of awner blades 116, as shown in Figure 4. Rotation of the auger/awner has the effect of both conveying material along the housing 114 and separating grain from the chaff.

As can be seen in Figure 4, the base of the housing 114 is formed as a perforated, curved sheet 118 having holes 117 therein, the sheet 118 performing the function of a sieve. The construction is such that the sheet 118 can be removed to allow replacement by a different sheet with different hole sizes so that the apparatus can be adapted to separating different crops.

Beneath the sheet 118 are tapering walls 119, 120 leading to an elongate opening 121 in a collector tube 122.

The tapering walls 119 and 120 serve to funnel grain falling through the sheet 118 into the collection tube 122, an auger 123 then conveying collected grain along it.

A drive unit 125 is diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 1, driving the upper auger/awner directly and driving the lower auger 123 via a belt, chain or the like 126.

Grain transported to the right in Figure 1 and 4 by the auger 123 reaches a discharge tube 130 swivelable by a coupling 131, the discharge tube 130 including an auger (not shown) to raise the grain to a discharge opening and thence typically to a trailer for collection and subsequent transport. Similarly, chaff transported along the upper housing 114 is led to a waste discharge tube 132 also including an auger (not shown) for discharge into the field.

The waste discharge tube 132 is swivelable relative to the housing 114 by means of a coupling 133.

An air supply to the assembly feeds in at tube 134 to keep chaff and dust suspended in the collection tube 122.

Figures- 5 and 6 illustrate a slightly different arrangement mounted on a tractor 140. The arrangement shows a crop stripper 1141 having fingered blades 142 for separating ears 143 from stalks 144. Separated ears move within a housing 145 in the direction of arrow 146 to a trough 147 in which an auger 150 conveys material outwardly from the centre to tubes 151 and 152. The tubes 151 and 152 allow ears to fall into openings in the upper housing 114' of respective separators, the configuration of the separators shown in Figures 5 and 6 being essentially the same as that shown in Figures 1 and 4 with the exception of the absence of a feed box 113. The tubes 151 and 152 are flexible to allow for upward and outward movement of forks 160 of the tractor 140 to allow for crops of different height without moving the separating apparatus relative to the tractor.

The separator according to the present invention provides a significant advantage over the use of conventional combine harvesters for separating grains from severed ears in that the capital costs and maintenance costs for this apparatus are far less, and yet just as good a grain separation is achieved. Moreover the separator according to the present invention can be mounted conveniently on a tractor, which is a piece of equipment possessed by virtually every farmer.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the separator and collection apparatus according to the present invention can be easily constructed from augers that are available on today's market.

It will of course be understood that the foregoing description is by way of example only and that variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A grain separator comprising a tubular housing having inlet means for receiving severed ears of cereal crops or the like, rotable means within the housing for releasing grain from the severed ears and for conveying material along the housing when the screw blade means is turned, in use, the housing having first outlet means for allowing the released grain to fall from the housing beneath the screw blade means, and second outlet means for allowing unwanted material to leave the housing.

2. A grain separator-according to claim 1, wherein the distance of between at least part of the periphery of the screw blade means and the housing inner wall is such as to assist release of the grain from the severed ears.

3. A grain separator according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said screw blade means includes discontinuities to provide blade surfaces to assist grain release.

4. A grain separator according to claim 3, wherein said discontinuities are spaced along the length of said screw.

5. A grain separator according to any preceding claim, wherein said first outlet means comprises a series of holes, slots or the like in the lower surface of the housing.

6. A grain separator according to claim 5, wherein said holes, slots or the like are provided in a sheet of material removable from the housing and replaceable by another sheet carrying different sized holes, slots or the like.

7. A grain separator according to any proceeding claim, wherein said inlet comprises an opening in the upper surface of the housing.

8. A grain separator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said inlet comprises a channel in the upper surface of the housing.

9. A grain separator according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein said inlet is located at or adjacent one end of the housing.

10. A grain separator according to claim 11, wherein said second outlet means is located at the end of the housing remote from said inlet means.

11. A grain separator according to claim 10, further comprising a discharge portion at the end of the housing remote from said inlet.

12. A grain separator according to claim 11, wherein said discharge portion comprises a second tubular housing extending at an obtuse angle to the first housing.

13. A grain separator according to claim 12, wherein said second outlet means feeds a second inlet to said second housing.

14. A grain separator according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein said second housing is provided with an outlet for allowing chaff to leave said second housing.

15. A grain separator according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein said second housing is provided with an auger extending along its longitudinal axis.

16. A grain separator according to any preceding claim, further comprising means for securing the separator to a tractor or the like.

17. A grain separator according to any preceding claim, further comprising collection means for collecting separated grain from the first outlet means.

18. A grain separator according to claim 17, wherein said collection means extends beneath said first outlet means.

19. A grain separator according to claim 18, wherein the collection means is C-shaped in section to provide an elongate opening at the top thereof beneath the first outlet means of the housing.

20. A grain separation as claimed in claim 19, wherein wall means defining an upwardly and outwardly tapering channel extend from the elongate opening of the collection means.

21. A grain separator according to any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein said collection means further comprises conveying means to move collected grain along the collection means.

22. A grain separator according to claim 17 or 18, wherein said collection means includes a plurality of holes, slots or the like in its upper surface thereof.

23. A grain separator according to any one of claims 17 to 22, wherein said collection means comprises a collecting section and an elevating section, which sections form an obtuse angle to each other, and wherein the length of said collecting section is at least as great as that of said first housing.

24. A grain separator according to any preceding claim, comprising blower means for blowing air with the apparatus.

25. A grain separator substantially as described herein with reference to an as shown in Figures 2 and 3 or in Figures 1, 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

26. A method of separating grain from a harvest crop comprising the steps of: severing the ears from the stalks of said crop; feeding the severed ears into a housing having screw blade means located therein for releasing grain from the severed ears while the screw blade means is turning said auger; allowing the separated grain to fall from the housing; and collating the separated grains.

27. A method of separating grain from a harvest crop substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.