Crop material cleaning apparatus

Claim 1

FOR USE WITH A CORN SHELLING ARRANGEMENT WHICH DELIVERS A MIXTURE OF SHELLED CORN TOGETHER WITH DIRT AND LIGHT TRASH THROUGH AN INLET APERTURE, A CLEANING APPARATUS COMPRISING MEANS DEFINING A SURFACE INCLINED RELATIVE TO THE HORIZONTAL, MEANS DEFINING A DISCHARGE APERTURE ABOVE SAID INCLINED SURFACE, MEANS INCLUDING UPPER AND LOWER GUIDE MEMBERS FOR DIRECTING AN AIR STREAM SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL TO STRIKE THE INCLINED SURFACE AT AN ACUTE ANGLE, CAUSING A CLEANING AIR MOVEMENT UPWARDLY OVER THE TOP OF SAID INCLINED SURFACE AND THROUGH SAID DISCHARGE APERTURE, AND MEANS FOR SPREADING THE MIXTURE AND FOR MOVING SAID MIXTURE OVER SAID UPPER GUIDE MEMBER TO FALL WITH MINIMUM VELOCITY OVER THE EDGE OF SAID UPPER GUIDE MEMBER INTO SAID AIR STREAM, WHEREUPON THE TRASH AND LIGHT DIRT IS CARRIED BY THE CLEANING AIR MOVEMENT UPWARDLY AND OVER THE EDGE OF THE INCLINED SURFACE, AND THE SHELLED CORN DROPS DOWNWARDLY BELOW SAID INCLINED SURFACE INTO A SUITABLE COLLECTION MEANS.