TITLE OF INVENTION: GRAIN DELIVERY CONTROL MECHANISM FOR AGRICULTURAL VEHICLES
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
5 The present invention relates generally to, agricultural vehicles such as, combine harvester. Particularly, it relates to a hydraulic circuit based automated mechanism to prevent concurrent feeding of grains from the feeder box into the grain tank and unloading of grains from the grain tank via the grain unloading channel.
10 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
During harvesting, an agricultural vehicle for instance, a combine harvester is driven to the portion of a field in which, the harvesting is to be performed. Crop that is harvested is cut by a cutter bar, conveyed through the feeder box from where it is threshed by a thresher and 15 conveyed and stored in the grain tank. Grain stored in the grain tank is unloaded through unloading augur either into a grain storage area or in a waiting trailer vehicle.
Typically, it is the combine harvester operator's judgment to operate any one of the driving mechanisms- either the feeder box driving mechanism or the grain unloading mechanism at a 20 time. However, it happens many a time that the operator commits a human error and activates both the feeder box mechanism and the grain unloading mechanisms simultaneously. This results in large wastage of harvested grain since, a waiting trailer vehicle may not be positioned in the agricultural field at that point of time.
25 Therefore, there is a need in the art for an automated mechanism that ensures both feeding of grains into the grain tank and unloading of grains from the grain tank do not occur simultaneously.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION
The present invention as embodied by a grain transport control mechanism for agricultural vehicle(s) succinctly fulfills the above-mentioned need(s) in the art. The present invention has 5 objective(s) arising as a result of the above-mentioned need(s), said objective(s) being enumerated below. Inasmuch as the objective(s) of the present invention are enumerated, it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that, the enumerated objective(s) are not exhaustive of the present invention in its entirety, and are enclosed solely for the purpose of illustration. Further, the present invention encloses within its scope and purview, any structural altemative(s)
10 and/or any functional equivalent(s) even though, such structural alternative(s) and/or any functional equivalent(s) are not mentioned explicitly herein or elsewhere, in the present disclosure. The present invention therefore encompasses also, any improvisation(s)/ modification(s) applied to the structural altemative(s)/functional altemative(s) within its scope and purview. The present invention may be embodied in other specific form(s) without departing from
15 the spirit or essential attributes thereof.
In the context of the present invention, an objective of the present invention is to prevent operation of the feeder box driving mechanism and the grain unloading driving mechanism concurrently.
20
Another objective of the present invention is to enable exclusive operation of the feeder box drive
or the grain unloading drive to eliminate the chance of human error in operating both the driving
mechanisms simultaneously.
25 Yet another objective of the present invention is to enable exclusive operation of the feeder box drive or the grain unloading drive in an automated manner, which is less cumbersome and consumes less time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention as embodied by a grain transport control mechanism for agricultural vehicle(s), succinctly fulfills the objective(s) of the present invention as broadly enumerated in the 5 present disclosure. However, it would be perfectly clear to a person skilled in the art that, inasmuch as the objectives have been enumerated, said objectives are only indicative of the scope and general coverage of the present invention.
The present invention comprises a hydraulic system which enables exclusive operation of feeding 10 of grains into a grain tank or unloading of grains from the grain tank (hereinafter "grain feeding and unloading mechanism"). Additionally, the present invention comprises of a plurality of hydraulic cylinders for engaging or disengaging their respective drives (such as reeling, cutting, threshing, feeder box and grain unloading drives), a reservoir for hydraulic oil, and a plurality of valves for activating the plurality of hydraulic cylinders. While actuating the valves, the hydraulic 15 oil from the reservoir flows to their respective cylinders via their respective flow paths accordingly.
The grain feeding and unloading mechanism comprises a plurality of cylinders (including a feeder box cylinder and a grain unloading cylinder) and, a plurality of driving mechanisms, implemented as belt drive units for engaging a feeder box where, grain is transferred to a grain tank (feeding), 20 or for engaging grain unloading where, grain is unloaded from the grain tank to a waiting vehicle or a grain storage area (unloading) and a plurality of non-return valves, that selectively allow the flow of hydraulic oil into a head end and a cap end of the feeder box cylinder and the grain unloading cylinder, respectively.
25 The belt drive unit for engaging the feeder box comprises a first belt which travels between a first driven pulley and a first driver pulley. It further comprises a feeder box drive belt tensioning pulley, which serves to engage or disengage the drive by maintaining the first belt under a state of tension or a slackened state, according to requirement. The feeder box drive belt tensioning pulley is pivotably connected with a piston of the feeder box cylinder via a first metal plate.
30

On similar lines, the belt drive for unloading grains from the grain tank comprises a second belt which travels between a second driven pulley and a second driver pulley. It further comprises a grain unloading drive belt tensioning pulley which serves to engage or disengage the drive by maintaining the second belt under a state of tension or a slackened state, according to 5 requirement. The grain unloading drive belt tensioning pulley is pivotably connected with a piston of the grain unloading cylinder via a second metal plate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
10 The description of the present invention in conjunction with the drawings, illustrating the present invention and in application(s) illustrative of the present invention, explain in detail, the working of the present invention. It will be amply clear to a person skilled in the art, that the application as disclosed in the drawings are merely illustrative of the scope of the present invention and not exhaustive of the scope of the present invention, in its entirety.
15
Figure 1 illustrates the hydraulic system to engage/disengage various drives including grain
feeding and unloading mechanism (marked with dotted lines).
Figure 2 illustrates the grain feeding and unloading mechanism with their respective driving units 20 and hydraulic cylinders in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
During harvesting, an agricultural vehicle for instance, a combined harvester is driven to the 25 portion of a field in which, the harvesting is to be performed. Upon reaching the harvesting portion of the agricultural field, the crop to be harvested is cut via a cutting mechanism, generally implemented as a cutter bar. Still, the crop comprises grains and straw which is required to be removed by threshing the crop. The threshing of the cut crop is performed by a threshing mechanism generally implemented as a threshing cylinder. The threshed crop comprises grains 30 separated from straw. Straw is exhausted via a straw exit provided in the combine harvester for the purpose. Further, the threshed grains are stored in a grain tank via a conveyor using feeder

box driving mechanism for feeding threshed grains into the grain tank. The feeder box drive is operative till the threshed grains stored in the grain tank reach a particular level. Then, the operator unloads the grains via a grain unloading mechanism through a grain unloading channel at a place where the grain is to be stored or to a waiting trailer vehicle in which the grains are 5 transported to a grain storage area, such as, a godown. Further, the operations of feeding of grains into the grain tank and unloading of grains from the grain tank should not happened simultaneously. Either one of the operations has to be performed at a time.
A hydraulic system (100) comprising a grain feeding and unloading mechanism and various other
10 components is illustrated in Figure 1. The portion (200) of the hydraulic system that enables
exclusive grain feeding or unloading is illustrated within dotted lines in Figure 1. The hydraulic
system (100) comprises a grain feeding and unloading mechanism (200), a plurality of hydraulic
cylinders (101, 102, 103) for engaging or disengaging their respective drives (such as reeling,
cutting, threshing, feeder box and grain unloading drives), a reservoir (104) for hydraulic oil, a
15 pump (105) for pumping the hydraulic oil form the reservoir, and a plurality of valves (V1-V5) for
activating the respective cylinders (101, 102, 103, 201, 203) accordingly. While actuating the
valves (V1-V5) the hydraulic oil from the reservoir flows to their respective cylinders via their
respective flow paths (A1-A5) and (B1-B5) accordingly. Said valves (V1-V5) are preferably
directional control valves, may be 4 way 2 position or 4 way 3 position manual/automatic vale or
20 any other equivalent.
As illustrated in Figure 2, the grain feeding and unloading mechanism (200) comprises a plurality of cylinders, [including a feeder box cylinder (202) and a grain unloading cylinder, (201)], a plurality of driving mechanisms, implemented as belt drive units, [including a belt drive unit for the 25 feeder box (400) and a belt drive unit for unloading grains (300)] for engaging a feeder box where grains are transferred to a grain tank, or for engaging grain unloading where grains are unloaded the from grain tank to a waiting vehicle or a grain storage area, respectively and a plurality of non-return valves (C1, C2) that selectively allow the flow of hydraulic oil into a head end and a cap end of the feeder box cylinder and the grain unloading cylinder, respectively.

The belt drive unit (400) for the feeder box comprises a first belt (403) which travels between a first driven pulley (401) and a first driver pulley (402). It further comprises a feeder box drive belt tensioning pulley (404), which serves to engage or disengage the drive by maintaining the first 5 belt (403) under a state of tension or a slackened state, according to requirement. The feeder box drive belt tensioning pulley (404) is pivotably connected with the feeder box cylinder (202) piston via a first metal plate.
On similar lines, the belt drive (300) for unloading grains from the grain tank comprises a second
10 belt (303) which travels between a second driven pulley (301) and a second driver pulley (302). It
further comprises a grain unloading drive belt tensioning pulley (304) which serves to engage or
disengage the drive by maintaining the second belt (303) under a state of tension or a slackened
state, according to requirement. The grain unloading drive belt tensioning pulley (304) is pivotably
connected with the grain unloading cylinder (201) piston via a second metal plate.
15
The method of operation of the feeding and unloading mechanism (200) according to an
embodiment of the present invention is explained as follows:
The valve V4 is actuated to enable the flow of hydraulic oil into the flow path (A4); upon taking
20 the path of least resistance, the oil enters the head end of the grain unloading cylinder (201) via
the non-return valve (C2), the oil pressure expands the grain unloading cylinder piston. Due to
the expansion of the grain unloading cylinder piston and pivoting mechanism of the grain
unloading drive belt tensioner pulley (304), the grain unloading drive belt tensioner pulley (304)
moves backward and thus disengages the grain unloading drive (300) by slackening the second
25 belt (303). Further, as the pressure builds-up, the hydraulic oil enters into the head end of the
feeder box cylinder (202) and expands the feeder box cylinder piston. Due to the expansion of
the feeder box cylinder piston and pivoting mechanism of the feeder box drive belt tensioner
pulley (404), the feeder box drive belt tensioner pulley (404) moves forward and thus engages the
feeder box drive (400) by tightening the first belt (403). Therefore disengaging of the second belt
30 (303) for driving the grain unloading drive (300) results in engaging of the first belt (403) for

driving the feeder box drive (400). Similarly, the valve V5 is actuated to enable the flow of hydraulic oil into the flow path (B5); upon taking the path of least resistance, the oil enters the cap end of the feeder box cylinder (202) via the non-return valve (C2), the oil pressure retracts the feeder box cylinder piston. Due to the retraction of the feeder box cylinder and the pivoting 5 mechanism of feeder box drive belt tensioner pulley (404), the feeder box drive belt tensioner pulley (404) moves backward and thus disengages the feeder box drive (400) by slackening the first belt (403). Further, as the pressure builds-up, the hydraulic oil enters into the cap end of the grain unloading cylinder (201) and retracts the grain unloading cylinder piston. Due to the retraction of the grain unloading cylinder piston and pivoting mechanism of the grain unloading 10 drive belt tensioner pulley (304), the grain unloading drive belt tensioner pulley (304) moves forward and thus engages the grain unloading drive (300) by tightening the second belt (303). Therefore, disengaging of the first belt (403) for driving the feeder box drive (400) results in engaging of the second belt (303) for driving grain unloading drive (300).
15 The present invention discloses alternate disengagement and engagement of the feeder box drive and the grain unloading drive , thus ensuring that feeding of grains into the feeder box and unloading of grains into the grain unloading channel is not simultaneous and thereby, wastage of precious harvested grains in a field is prevented.
20 ADVANTAGES
In the context of the present invention, an advantage of the present invention is to prevent operation of the feeder box driving mechanism and the grain unloading driving mechanism concurrently. Yet another advantage of the present invention is to enable exclusive operation of 25 the feeder box drive or the grain unloading drive in an automated manner, to eliminate the chances of human error (operation of both the driving mechanisms simultaneously). Still another advantage of the present invention is to enable exclusive operation of the feeder box drive or the grain unloading drive in an automated manner, which is less cumbersome and consumes less

We Claim:
1. A grain delivery control mechanism for agricultural vehicles, comprising:
5 a. a grain feeding and unloading mechanism (200) that enables exclusive operation of
feeding of grains into a grain tank or unloading of grains into a storage area,, comprising a plurality of cylinders, including a feeder box cylinder (201) and a grain unloading cylinder (202), a plurality of driving mechanisms implemented as belt drive units (300, 400), including a belt drive for the feeder box (400) and a belt drive for
10 unloading stored grains (300), and a plurality of non-return valves (C1, C2) that are
associated with the plurality of driving mechanisms; b. a plurality of hydraulic cylinders (101, 102, 103) for engaging or disengaging their respective drives that are associated with a plurality of valves (V1-V5) for activating the respective cylinders;
15 c. a reservoir (104) to hold hydraulic oil;
d. a pump (105); that pumps the hydraulic oil from the reservoir; and
e. a plurality of flow paths (A1-A5 and B1-B5) for allowing the hydraulic oil to flow into
their respective cylinders.
20 2. The grain delivery control mechanism for agricultural vehicles as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the plurality of valves (V1-V5) are directional control valves.
3. The grain delivery control mechanism for agricultural vehicles as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the belt drive for the feeder box (400) comprises a first driver pulley (402), a first
25 driven pulley (401), a first belt (403) which travels between the first driver pulley (402)
and the first driven pulley (401), and a feeder box drive belt tensioning pulley (404) which engages or disengages the belt drive for the feeder box (400).
4. The grain delivery control mechanism for agricultural vehicles as claimed in claim 1,
30 wherein the belt drive for unloading stored grains (300) comprises a second driver pulley

(302), a second driven pulley (301), a second belt (303) which travels between the second driver pulley (302) and the second driven pulley (301), and a grain unloading drive belt tensioning pulley (304) which engages or disengages the belt drive for grain unloading (300).
5
5. The grain delivery control mechanism for agricultural vehicles as claimed in claim 3 and
claim 4, wherein the feeder box drive belt tensioning pulley (404) and the grain unloading
drive belt tensioning pulley (304) are pivotably connected with the feeder box cylinder
(202) piston and the grain unloading cylinder (201) piston via a first metal plate and a
10 second metal plate respectively.
6. A method of alternate engagement and disengagement of the belt drive for the feeder
box (400) and the belt drive for unloading stored grains (300) of a grain delivery control
mechanism for agricultural vehicles, comprising the steps of:
15 a. actuating the valve V4 to enable the flow of the hydraulic oil into a flow path (A4);
b. entering of oil into a head end of the grain unloading cylinder (201) via the path
of least resistance;
c. expanding of the grain unloading cylinder (201) piston due to the oil pressure;
d. disengaging of the belt drive for unloading stored grains (300) due to the
20 expansion of the grain unloading cylinder (201) piston and the pivoting
mechanism of the grain unloading drive belt tensioner pulley (304);
e. entering of the oil into a the head end of the feeder box cylinder (202);
f. expanding of the feeder box cylinder (202) piston due to the oil pressure;
g. engaging of the belt drive for the feeder box (300) due to the expansion of the
25 feeder box cylinder (202) piston and the pivoting mechanism of feeder box drive
belt tensioner pulley (304). h. actuating the valve V5 to enable the flow of hydraulic oil into the flow path (B5); i. entering of oil into the cap end of the feeder box cylinder (202) via the path of
least resistance;
30 j. retracting of the feeder box cylinder piston due to oil pressure;

k. disengagement of the belt drive for feeder box (400) due to retraction of the
feeder box cylinder and the pivoting mechanism of feeder box drive belt
tensioner pulley (404); I. entering of oil into the cap end of the grain unloading cylinder (201); m. retracting of the grain unloading cylinder piston due to the oil pressure; and n. engaging of the belt drive for unloading stored grains (300) due to the retraction
of the grain unloading cylinder piston and pivoting mechanism of the grain
unloading drive belt tensioner pulley (304).