Grain Extractor Disintegrator Shaft for Caked Moisture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional grain bag extractors face difficulties in removing high moisture grain due to caking, which prevents the grain from flowing readily, especially when the cross augers contact dry grain, but not high moisture grain, leading to inefficient extraction.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a disintegrator shaft with blades that break up caked high moisture grain, allowing it to flow through the feed and main augers for effective extraction, with adjustable length to accommodate different bag widths and a drive system to rotate the augers and disintegrator shaft.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional grain bag extractors use cross augers to move grain, then dry grain flows readily into the auger, but high moisture grain cakes and refuses to flow
Solution Approach 1:
The disintegrator shaft breaks up caked high moisture grain before it reaches the feed auger, preventing the caking problem from affecting the extraction process. This preliminary action of breaking up clumps ensures that grain flows properly into the auger system regardless of moisture content.
Solution Approach 2:
The disintegrator shaft acts as an intermediary device between the grain bag and the feed auger. It processes the grain by breaking up caked material, transforming it into a flowable state that can then be efficiently moved by the feed auger into the main auger system.
2Strength
If feed augers are made narrower to reduce bag tearing risk, then bag damage is reduced, but caked grain at outer bag portions is not contacted and does not flow
Solution Approach 1:
The disintegrator shaft performs preliminary breaking of caked grain clumps before the narrower feed auger attempts to move the grain. This ensures that even grain at the outer portions of the bag that the narrow auger cannot reach are broken up and will flow toward the auger.
Solution Approach 2:
The disintegrator shaft breaks the caked grain mass into smaller segments or individual grains, transforming a unified caked mass that the narrow auger cannot move into separable units that can flow more easily into the auger system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables the efficient removal of high moisture grain from grain bags by breaking up caked grain with disintegrator blades, facilitating its transfer to a transport vehicle, improving extraction efficiency and accommodating various bag sizes.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of disintegrator blades are spaced along a length of the disintegrator shaft and extend outward from the disintegrator shaft. The disintegrator shaft with disintegrator blades extending therefrom breaks up caked high moisture grain stored in grain bags
Implementation Method 2
an upright oriented main auger attached to a rear end of the frame such that an intake end thereof is above the ground and in proximity to the ground, and a discharge end thereof is oriented to discharge grain into a transport vehicle. A feed auger extends substantially horizontally right and left of the intake end of the main auger
Data Source
AI summary
An extractor apparatus for moving grain from a grain bag has a frame mounted for movement along the ground in a rearward direction, and an upright oriented main auger attached to a rear end of the frame. A knife extends rearward from the main auger to cut the grain bag. A feed auger extends horizontally right and left of the intake end of the main auger, and is configured to auger grain to the intake end of the main auger. A disintegrator shaft is mounted rearward of the feed auger and parallel to the feed auger, and a plurality of disintegrator blades are spaced along a length of the disintegrator shaft and extend outward from the disintegrator shaft. A drive system is operative to rotate the main auger, feed auger, and disintegrator shaft. The length of the disintegrator shaft can be adjusted to suit the width of a particular bag.