Grain loss monitor sensor mounting arrangement for a combine

• US 4,517,792 A
• Filed: 05/07/1982
• Issued: 05/21/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Ziegler, Duane H., Denning, Barry K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirsch, Paul J.
• Application Number:
  US06/375,894
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 56/DIG. 15, 56/10.2, 130/24, 130/27 R, 248/214, 248/222.2, 248/222.1, 248/205 R
• US Class Current: 460/5
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1273 for measuring grain loss
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 56/15 Condition responsive

Abstract

A combine grain loss monitor system includes sensors adjacent the discharge ends of straw walkers and the upper sieve or chaffer of a cleaning shoe. The shoe sensor is carried in an assembly which is easily mounted on and dismounted from the chaffer without the use of tools. The mounting of the straw walker sensor includes a shield which protects the rear edge and underside of the sensor from damage by flying particles of grain and other material. Both mountings include a baffle designed so as to deflect grain onto the sensor working surface without snagging or holding longer pieces of material such as straw and husks.

Claims

1. In a combine harvester having a plurality of elongated reciprocating straw walkers each walker having a discharge end, a cleaning shoe including at least one reciprocating generally horizontal foraminous member having a rear discharge edge, and a grain loss monitor system including at least one first sensor carried by a straw walker adjacent its discharge end and at least one second sensor carried by the reciprocating member adjacent its discharge edge, each sensor having a sensing surface and a mounting face approximately parallel to the sensing surface, and in which threshed crop material is received by the straw walkers and conveyed rearwardly so that a first portion of material passes over their discharge ends while some grain and other small fractions of the crop material pass downwards to the cleaning shoe which processes that portion of the material so that a second portion passes over the discharge edge of the reciprocating member and at least some of the first and second portions of crop material makes an impact on the sensing surfaces of the first and second sensors respectively, the grain loss monitor system being operable to discriminate between the impacts on the sensors of kernels of grain and other materials so as to indicate a rate of loss of grain according to the amount of grain contained in the first and second portions respectively, an improved mounting arrangement for the sensors comprising:

a socket means carried by the reciprocating member adjacent its discharge edge;

bracket means carried by the reciprocating member adjacent its discharge edge, spaced generally vertically from the socket means, and carrying a first latching element; and

a sensor mounting bracket having a generally upright wall, a sensor mounting surface for receiving the sensor mounting face extending rearwardly and downwardly from the base of the upright wall, and a tang extending forward from the upright wall, and carrying a second latching element for mating with the first latching element, spaced vertically from the tang so that the sensor mounting bracket may be attached to the reciprocating member by engaging the tang in the socket means and positioning the sensor mounting bracket so that the second latching element engages the first latching element to position the bracket and so that the sensor is disposed with its sensing surface directed rearwardly and upwardly, the upright wall also carrying a rearwardly extending support arm and a deflector plate spaced vertically upwards from the sensor and having opposite portions extending cantilever fashion in opposite directions from the support arm and approximately spanning the lateral extent of the sensor sensing surface.

2. The sensor mounting arrangement of claim 1 wherein the reciprocating member is a chaffer.

3. The sensor mounting arrangement of claim 1 wherein the mounting bracket further includes an open grate spanning the space between the upright wall and the top of the deflector plate so that at least a portion of the crop material engages the grate and is carried rearwardly of the deflector plate.

4. The sensor mounting arrangement of claim 2 and further including a second sensor mounting bracket and wherein one bracket is disposed adjacent each opposite lateral side of the chaffer.

5. The sensor mounting arrangement of claim 1 wherein the latching elements include a pair of opposed laterally extending coaxial spring loaded pins.

6. In a combine harvester having a plurality of elongated reciprocating straw walkers each walker having a discharge end, a cleaning shoe including at least one reciprocating generally horizontal foraminous member having a rear discharge edge, and a grain loss monitor system including at least one first sensor carried by a straw walker adjacent its discharge end and at least one second sensor carried by the reciprocating member adjacent its discharge edge, each sensor having a sensing surface and a mounting face approximately parallel to the sensing surface, and in which threshed crop material is received by the straw walkers and conveyed rearwardly so that a first portion of material passes over their discharge ends while some grain and other small fractions of the crop material pass downwards to the cleaning shoe which processes that portion of the material so that a second portion passes over the discharge edge of the reciprocating member and at least some of the first and second portions of crop material makes an impact on the sensing surfaces of the first and second sensors respectively, the grain loss monitor system being operable to discriminate between the impacts on the sensors of kernels of grain and other materials so as to indicate a rate of loss of grain according to the amount of grain contained in the first and second portions respectively, an improved mounting arrangement for the sensors comprising:

a socket means carried by the reciprocating member adjacent its discharge edge;

bracket means carried by the reciprocating member adjacent its discharge edge, spaced generally vertically from the socket means, and carrying a first latching element; and

a sensor mounting bracket having a generally upright wall, a sensor mounting surface for receiving the sensor mounting face extending rearwardly and downwardly from the base of the upright wall, and a tang extending forward from the upright wall, and carrying a second latching element for mating with the first latching element, spaced vertically from the tang so that the sensor mounting bracket may be attached to the reciprocating member by engaging the tang in the socket means and positioning the sensor mounting bracket so that the second latching element engages the first latching element to position the bracket and so that the sensor is disposed with its sensing surface directed rearwardly and upwardly; and

a walker sensor mounting bracket assembly carried by a straw walker and having a rearwardly and downwardly sloping sensor mounting surface for receiving a sensor mounting face and a shield member included in the mounting bracket assembly extending rearwardly from the discharge end of the straw walker and having a rearwardly and upwardly sloping flange disposed so that when a sensor is mounted on the sensor mounting surface, said flange is closely adjacent an edge of the sensor to shield it from below.

7. The mounting arrangement of claim 6 wherein the straw walker sensor shield member includes a floor portion substantially forwardly overlapping the underside of the discharge end of the straw walker and wherein said floor portion includes a longitudinally extending groove opening upwards for receiving an electrical harness portion connected to a mounted sensor and holding it between the underside of the straw walker and the shield so as to shield the wire from mechanical damage.