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EP-4494440-B1 - LIFT SYSTEM FOR BUBBLE UP AUGER OF COMBINE HARVESTER

EP4494440B1EP 4494440 B1EP4494440 B1EP 4494440B1EP-4494440-B1

Inventors

  • LINDE, Karl

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240718

Claims (15)

  1. A bubble-up auger assembly for an agricultural vehicle (10), said bubble-up auger assembly comprising: an auger (301) at least partially surrounded by an outer tube (87), said auger having an axis of rotation (307); a bracket (420) that is configured to be non-rotatably connected to a rockershaft (302) of the agricultural vehicle for rotation about a first axis (303), characterized in that the bubble-up auger assembly further comprises: a slide rod (430) connected to the outer tube (87) and the bracket (420), the slide rod (430) being configured to cause the auger (301) to move between a raised position and a lowered position in response to rotation of the bracket (420), wherein, in the lowered position of the auger (301), the axis of rotation (307) of the auger is oriented oblique to the first axis (303).
  2. The bubble-up auger assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first axis (303) is an axis of rotation of the rockershaft (302).
  3. The bubble-up auger assembly according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the outer tube (87) includes a mount (436) and the slide rod (430) is slideably connected to the mount (436).
  4. The bubble-up auger assembly according to claim 3, wherein one end of the slide rod (430) forms a ball (434) that is configured to mate with a surface of the mount (436).
  5. The bubble-up auger assembly according to claim 4, wherein, in the raised position of the auger (301), the ball (434) is seated against said surface of the mount (436).
  6. The bubble-up auger assembly according to claim 4 or 5, wherein in the lowered position of the auger, the ball (434) is not seated against said surface of the mount (436).
  7. The bubble-up auger assembly according to any of the claims 4 to 6, wherein said surface of the mount comprises a pin (440) that is connected to the mount (436), said pin (440) having an opening (443) passing therethrough, wherein in the lowered position of the auger (87), the slide rod (430) is positioned through the opening (443) of the pin and the ball (434) is spaced apart from the pin (440).
  8. The bubble-up auger assembly according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the slide rod (430) is connected to the outer tube (87) by a first pin (440), and the slide rod (430) is connected to the bracket (420) by a second pin (432).
  9. The bubble-up auger assembly according to claim 8, wherein the first and second pins (440, 432) are oriented oblique to the first axis (303).
  10. A grain tank assembly for an agricultural vehicle comprising a grain tank (28) and the bubble-up auger assembly according to any one of the previous claims.
  11. The grain tank assembly according to claim 10, further comprising the rockershaft (302) that is rotatably connected with respect to the grain tank (28) about the first axis (303).
  12. The grain tank assembly according to claim 11, further comprising a grain tank cover (74) that is movably mounted to the grain tank (28) between an open position and a closed position, and a linkage (410) that is connected to both the grain tank cover and the rockershaft (302) such that rotation of the grain tank cover (74) causes movement of the linkage (410) which causes rotation of the rockershaft (302).
  13. The grain tank assembly according to claim 12, wherein in the closed position of the grain tank cover (74), the auger (301) is positioned in the lowered position, and in the open position of the grain tank cover, the auger is positioned in the raised position.
  14. The grain tank assembly according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the grain tank cover (74) is coupled to the grain tank by a hinge (84) that is separate from the linkage (410).
  15. An agricultural harvester (10) comprising the grain tank assembly according to any of the claims 11 to 14.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to agricultural harvesters. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bubble up auger for a combine harvester, and a system for lifting and supporting the bubble up auger. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is described in U.S. Patent No. 9,775,297 as well as U.S. Patent Nos. 2023/0072267 and 2023/0020643, a combine harvester generally includes a header which cuts the crop. The header then moves the cut crop into a feeder house. The feeder house lifts the cut crop into the threshing, separation and cleaning areas of the agricultural combine. The grain is separated from crop stalk by a rotor or threshing system. Grain enters a clean grain elevator typically positioned on one side of the combine. Near the top of the elevator the grain is deposited to a base of a bubble up auger. The purpose of the bubble up auger is to move the grain towards the center of the grain tank. At the end of the bubble up auger the grain is discharged into the grain tank's center. The bubble up auger is hinged at the base of the auger so that the auger can rotate or pivot between (i) a deployed, or raised position, where the auger can (optionally) extend above the top opening of the grain tank, and (ii) a transport, or lowered position, wherein the auger is positioned entirely within the grain tank. The grain tank includes a cover assembly that is movably (e.g., pivotably) mounted to the top end of the grain tank. The cover assembly is moveable between (i) an open position where the cover panels of the cover assembly expose the interior of the grain tank and (ii) a closed position where the cover panels of the cover assembly enclose the top end of the grain tank in an effort to shield the clean grain within the grain tank from the outside environment. A linkage connects the bubble up auger to the cover assembly such that (i) as the cover assembly moves to the open position, the linkage automatically raises the bubble up auger to the deployed (raised) position; and (ii) as the cover assembly moves to the closed position, the linkage lowers the bubble up auger to the transport (lowered) position such that the bubble up auger is positioned in its entirety within the grain tank interior and concealed by the closed cover assembly. The bubble up auger has traditionally been oriented perpendicular to a rockershaft of the linkage that rotates the bubble up auger between the deployed and transport positions. However, to accommodate a bubble up auger having a greater length, it would be beneficial to angle the bubble up auger relative to the rockershaft. There exists a need for a lift system that will raise the angled bubble up auger from the transport (storage) position in the grain tank and hold the bubble up auger in the raised position without any additional locking mechanisms or actuators. Another state of the art bubble up auger is known from US 7 585 214 B1. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention, a bubble-up auger assembly for an agricultural vehicle includes an auger at least partially surrounded by an outer tube. A bracket is configured to be non-rotatably connected to a rockershaft of the agricultural vehicle for rotation about a first axis. A slide rod is connected to the outer tube and the bracket. The slide rod is configured to cause the auger to move between a raised position and a lowered position in response to rotation of the bracket. In the lowered position of the auger, an axis of rotation of the auger is oriented oblique to the first axis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of an agricultural harvester in the form of a combine;FIG. 2 is a side view of a grain tank of the combine of FIG. 1 with tank cover sections shown in an open position;FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the grain tank of FIG. 2, wherein the tank cover sections are shown in an open position and the bubble up auger is shown in a raised position;FIG. 4 is a detailed isometric view of the raised bubble up auger of FIG. 3 and a lift system for the bubble up auger;FIG. 4A is a magnified view of FIG. 4; andFIGs. 5 and 6 are detailed isometric views of the bubble up auger of FIG. 4, wherein the bubble up auger is shown in a lowered position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates an embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Inasmuch as various components and features of harvesters are of well-kno