US3769988A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Legume harvester with auger feeds
Assignee: FMC Corp
•
Filing: 1972-07-21
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Granted: 1973-11-06
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Expires: 1992-07-21
Abstract
Abstract A field harvester for a crop of vines with attached legumes has a rotating drum screen with a main central beater and an infeed auger of large diameter projecting forwardly past the screen. The infeed auger has a peripheral housing with a feed opening formed in the lower front portion thereof. A pair of oppositely rotating crop elevator augers is mounted in a housing that connects to the opening in the infeed auger housing so that a mass of vines and legumes is fed up into a lower portion of an infeed auger housing and thereupon drops into the large rotating drum screen without being excessively compacted. A shelled crop conveyor runs forwardly beneath the drum screen and in its delivery end extends past the screen. A primary trash cleaning blower is mounted directly above the delivery end of the crop conveyor so that its inlet duct delivers trash directly to the fan portion of the blower without the need for elbows or the like in the duct.
Inventors
- 👤 T Burenga
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 15:53
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D45/00; A01D45/22; A01D45/24; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A40/00; Y02A40/10; Y02A40/28
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
In a field legume harvester of the type having a mobile chassis with means for picking up a crop of vines and attached legumes in the field, a rotating drum screen, a rotating beater substantially at the center Of said screen, means for feeding unthreshed crop into said drum screen, and a threshed crop conveyor running forwardly beneath said screen; the improvement wherein said beater has a front infeed auger projecting axially past the drum screen, an infeed auger housing having a peripheral wall surrounding said infeed auger and an end wall, said infeed auger housing having a feed opening formed in the lower, axially outer portion of the peripheral wall of the housing, a pair of oppositely rotating, side by side crop elevating augers, said augers being upwardly inclined for feeding crop into said opening in the lower portion of said infeed auger housing, an elevating auger conforming housing around the lower portions of said elevating augers and connected to said infeed auger housing at the latter''s feed opening, the lateral extent of said two elevating augers being substantially equal to the diameter of said infeed auger, said crop pickup means feeding the crop of vines and attached legumes to the lower ends of said elevating augers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
208 words
In a field legume harvester of the type having a mobile chassis with means for picking up a crop of vines and attached legumes in the field, a rotating drum screen, a rotating beater substantially at the center Of said screen, means for feeding unthreshed crop into said drum screen, and a threshed crop conveyor running forwardly beneath said screen; the improvement wherein said beater has a front infeed auger projecting axially past the drum screen, an infeed auger housing having a peripheral wall surrounding said infeed auger and an end wall, said infeed auger housing having a feed opening formed in the lower, axially outer portion of the peripheral wall of the housing, a pair of oppositely rotating, side by side crop elevating augers, said augers being upwardly inclined for feeding crop into said opening in the lower portion of said infeed auger housing, an elevating auger conforming housing around the lower portions of said elevating augers and connected to said infeed auger housing at the latter''s feed opening, the lateral extent of said two elevating augers being substantially equal to the diameter of said infeed auger, said crop pickup means feeding the crop of vines and attached legumes to the lower ends of said elevating augers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
The harvester of claim 1, wherein the lower portion of said infeed auger housing peripheral wall is widely spaced from the infeed auger whereas the sidewall portion of said peripheral wall on the upwardly turning side of said infeed auger is very close to the auger for providing a nonjamming feed zone beneath the infeed auger while minimizing vine wrap around by the auger.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The harvester of claim 2, wherein the side wall portion of said auger housing peripheral wall on the downwardly turning side of said infeed auger is also widely spaced from said infeed auger.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The harvester of claim 3, wherein the upper portion of said auger housing peripheral wall is very close to the upper portion of said infeed auger.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The harvester of claim 2, wherein the lower portion of the peripheral wall of said housing is formed with a flared section leading upwardly and rearwardly from said infeed opening to the remainder of said lower wall portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The harvester of claim 1, wherein said crop pickup means feeds the crop to the upper sides of the lower ends of said elevating augers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The harvester of claim 6, wherein the lower end of said elevating auger housing has an end plate, and outboard bearings on said end plate for the lower ends of said elevating augers, the upper ends of said augers being supported solely by said housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
207 words
In a field legume harvester of the type having a mobile chassis with means for picking up a crop of vines and attached legumes in the field, a rotating drum screen, a rotating beater substantially at the center of said screen, means for feeding unthreshed crop into said drum screen, and a threshed crop conveyor running forwardly beneath said screen; the improvement wherein said beater has a front infeed auger projecting axially past the drum screen, an infeed auger housing having a peripheral wall surrounding said infeed auger and an end wall, said infeed auger housing having a feed opening formed in the lower, axially outer portion of the peripheral wall of the housing, upwardly inclined crop elevating conveyor means for feeding crop from said pickup means into said opening in the lower portion of said infeed auger housing, the delivery end of said threshed crop conveyor extending forwardly past said drum screen, and a trash removal fan including a fan housing mounted directly above the delivery end of said crop conveyor and beneath said infeed auger housing and said crop elevating conveyor means, said fan having a laterally flared inlet duct extending straight down from the fan housing to the delivery end of said crop conveyor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
207 words
In a field legume harvester of the type having a mobile chassis with means for picking up a crop of vines and attached legumes in the field, a rotating drum screen, a rotating beater substantially at the center of said screen, means for feeding unthreshed crop into said drum screen, and a threshed crop conveyor running forwardly beneath said screen; the improvement wherein said beater has a front infeed auger projecting axially past the drum screen, an infeed auger housing having a peripheral wall surrounding said infeed auger and an end wall, said infeed auger housing having a feed opening formed in the lower, axially outer portion of the peripheral wall of the housing, upwardly inclined crop elevating conveyor means for feeding crop from said pickup means into said opening in the lower portion of said infeed auger housing, the delivery end of said threshed crop conveyor extending forwardly past said drum screen, and a trash removal fan including a fan housing mounted directly above the delivery end of said crop conveyor and beneath said infeed auger housing and said crop elevating conveyor means, said fan having a laterally flared inlet duct extending straight down from the fan housing to the delivery end of said crop conveyor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The harvester of claim 8, wherein the fan housing has a discharge direct extending substantially straight down from the front side of the fan housing to the ground.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The harvester of claim 9, wherein said fan housing is forwardly and downwardly inclined.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-05 | 1977-05-07 | 1977-11-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-05 | 1981-05-07 | 1981-11-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-05 | 1985-05-07 | 1985-11-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |