Importance

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Abstract

A portable device as disclosed for threshing grain to obtain a sample to be tested, for example, for its moisture content, disease, and protein content. The grain sampling device includes a housing with a handle enabling the device to be carried, an inlet for sampled grain, a chaff outlet and a collection drawer for the threshed grain kernels. Grain entering the inlet first passes through a declustering device consisting of a first group of stationary, transversely disposed pins and a second plurality of transversely disposed pins that are carried on a rotating first gear wheel. The threshing function is performed between a vertically disposed, stationary surface having a layer of resilient, frictional material, and a second gear wheel disposed in substantially parallel, spaced relation to the stationary surface, and which includes a layer of resilient, frictional material in disk form that defines a movable threshing surface. The space between the two surfaces is adjustable and chosen as a function of the type of grain to be threshed. The threshed grain sample falls into a set of transversely disposed, angular vanes that are continuously reciprocated or shaken to facilitate sifting of the chaff from the grain kernels. A blower emanates a steam of air that passes from below the angular vanes on one side angularly through to the top of the vanes and toward the chaff outlet, carrying the chaff with it for discharge. The grain kernels are of sufficient density to fall through the angular vanes into the collection drawer. A sensor can be disposed in the drawer to determine the moisture content or other parameter of the grain sample.

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First Claim