Unloading Auger Elbow

• US 20090297312A1
• Filed: 04/09/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Dulong, Renee A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,696,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/523
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 12/46 Mechanical grain conveyors

Abstract

An unloading auger elbow for use on an agricultural harvester, comprising an unloading auger elbow assembly with a unitary cast body on which a pivot joint is mounted.

Claims

1. An unloading auger elbow for use on an agricultural harvester, comprising:

a unitary cast body having a grain inlet configured to receive a flow of grain from a vertical auger and a grain outlet configured to transmit the flow of grain to a horizontal auger, the unitary cast body having a pivot joint mounting surface machined on an outer upper surface; and

a pivot joint fastened to the pivot joint mounting surface.

2. The unloading auger elbow for use on an agricultural harvester of claim 1, wherein the pivot joint comprises a first pivot member and a second pivot member, the first pivot member fastened to the pivot joint mounting surface, and the second pivot member coupled to the first pivot member to pivot with respect thereto about a pivot axis.

3. The unloading auger elbow of claim 2, wherein one of the first and second pivot members has a spherical outer surface, and the other of the first and second pivot members has a spherical inner surface configured to receive and support the spherical outer surface for relative pivoting movement about the pivot axis.

4. The unloading auger elbow of claim 3, wherein the ball comprises steel, and the socket comprises plastic.

5. The unloading auger elbow of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises a pivot arm connector.

6. The unloading auger elbow of claim 5, wherein the unloading auger elbow further comprises a hydraulic cylinder that is attached to the pivot arm connector and the chassis of the agricultural harvester to drive the arm in rotation about the axis.

7. The unloading auger elbow of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises first and second mating surfaces that are formed in the auger elbow.

8. The unloading auger elbow of claim 2, wherein the body further comprises an annular machined surface configured to support the unloading auger elbow on the vertical auger, and the annular machined surface is machined concentric with the pivot axis.

9. The unloading auger of claim 8, wherein the annular machined surface is concentric with the pivot joint mounting surface.

10. The unloading auger elbow of claim 4, wherein the body further comprises a pivot arm connector formed in the auger elbow, and first and second mating surfaces formed in the auger elbow.

11. An agricultural harvester comprising a grain tank having an outlet;

an unloading auger coupled to the outlet to receive grain therefrom and convey the grain from the combine to a nearby container, the unloading auger comprising a generally vertical auger and a generally horizontal auger and an unloading auger elbow coupling the vertical and horizontal augers together, the unloading auger elbow comprising a unitary cast body, the body having a downwardly facing grain inlet configured to receive a flow of grain from the vertical auger and having a grain outlet configured to transmit the flow of grain to the horizontal auger, wherein the body comprises a mounting surface machined in an upper and outer surface of the auger elbow for supporting a pivot joint; and

an upwardly extending pivot joint fastened to the mounting surface.

12. The agricultural harvester of claim 11, wherein the pivot joint comprises a first pivot member and a second pivot member, and further wherein the first pivot member is fastened to the pivot joint mounting surface, and the second pivot member is coupled to the first pivot member to pivot with respect thereto about a pivot axis.

13. The agricultural harvester of claim 12, wherein one of the first and second pivot members is a ball, and the other of the first and second pivot members is a socket.

14. The agricultural harvester of claim 13, wherein the ball comprises steel, and the socket comprises plastic.

15. The agricultural harvester of claim 11, wherein the body further comprises a pivot arm connector formed in the body.

16. The agricultural harvester of claim 15, wherein the unloading auger elbow further comprises a hydraulic cylinder that is attached to the pivot arm connector and the chassis of the agricultural harvester.

17. The agricultural harvester of claim 11, wherein the body further comprises first and second mating surfaces formed in the body.

18. The agricultural harvester of claim 12, wherein the body further comprises an annular machined surface configured to support the unloading auger elbow on the vertical auger, and the annular machined surface is machined concentric with the pivot axis.

19. The agricultural harvester of claim 18, wherein the annular machined surface is concentric with the pivot joint mounting surface.

20. The agricultural harvester of claim 14, wherein the body comprises a pivot arm connector formed in the auger elbow, and first and second mating surfaces formed in the body.