Tuesday, July 12, 2011

July Equipment Highlight

Our equipment highlight continues with grain handling and storage. Today we have a little history. Long before modern auger and grain systems were in place grain still have to be moved and stored. A granary was used for storage. If they were storing corn they were simple called a corn crib.

The cob was harvested and moved up a simple conveyor in to wagon.

Tractor-Mounted Corn Harvester

The angled conveyors can be seen here. There were, of course, driven off power from the tractor. Much earlier machines were horse driven.

Unlike today where corn is stored as a kernel, a corn crib stored the entire cob with kernels attached (threshing was done at a later date.

File:Corn crib in Pinehurst, NC.jpg

A corn crib



A simple granary.


Scoop shovels (some called grain shovels) were used to move the "ear" of corn or kernels (post threshing) within the corn crib or granary.
Aluminum Grain Scoop

Gravity wagons were used to transport the grain when in the kernel mode.

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The AGTV Network will continue its Equipment Highlight on grain handling and storage come Thursday.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

July Equipment Highlight

Thursday July  7, 2011 and The AGTV Network continues to look at grain handling / storage systems. Today we look at augers and conveyors. Augers and conveyors allow grain to overcome gravity they do this in 3 ways. They lift grain, move it horizontally and they stir grain.

There is equipment that do these jobs in combination. Westfield Industries is one company who makes a version of such equipment.



This is the MK Flex series from Westfield Industries. It allow for easier unloading by dumping the grain into a small movable hopper that raises the grain in two stages.


NEW MK Flex

Save time when it matters most!

Westfield Industries pioneered the swing away auger in North America, and they have done it again with the new MK Flex series of portable augers.
The MK Flex is designed to address the harvest needs of today’s largest farms. With a hopper that can cover up to 287% more surface area than a conventional swing away and a patented double-joint design to reach and retract further, you’re able to unload double hopper bottom trailers without moving the truck.
A built in hydraulic hopper mover and swing cylinder takes all the work out of positioning the intake and offers maximum flexibility.
Best of all, the MK Flex has all the capacity, quality and safety features you’ve come to expect from a Westfield auger.

The MK Flex: Faster, more efficient and easy to use. It's the auger with all the right moves!

Contact your authorized Westfield dealer today for more information.
The NEW MK Flex Features:
  • Available in 13" tube diameter
  • Available lengths are 71', 81', 91' and 111'
  • Patented double-joint design to reach and retract further
If you are looking for a more traditional auger to move lift your grain than Mayrath may be an option. 


TD Painted Finish
TD-Plus Galvanized Finish

Available in Painted or Galvanized Finish.

The Mayrath TD & TD-PLUS deliver the most impressive collection of operating and construction features available on any portable grain auger today.

The TD & TD-Plus Mayrath auger lines offer a wide range of model lengths in painted or galvanized finishes. In addition, the TD-PLUS galvanized line is loaded with optional choices.
TD-PLUS- OPTIONS
  • Internal bearings on 6", 8" and 10" models. (Standard on 12")
  • Heavy gauge flight on 6", 8", 10" and 12" models.
  • Corn screens available on 8" and 10" models.
Sealed Oil Bath Drive
The sealed oil bath drive adds years of life to the drive chain and sprocket as a result of constant self-lubrication. All drivelines are solid steel and supported by low maintenance sealed bearings. Not available on 12”.
High Capacity Discharge
The optional spout offers additional auger protection. Heavy duty bearings and components throughout will result in years of trouble free service.
Tough Galvanized FinishThe main tube of the TD-PLUS is a durable galvanized finish. Heavy-duty aircraft cable with trussing aid in supporting the main auger.
Maximum Capacity Intake
The open design of the auger intake provides maximum capacity while insuring the safest operation. Heavy duty flighting maximizes screw life.
Manual or Powered Lift System
A manual winch is standard equipment with labor saving hydraulic or electric winch options available. Hydraulic winch standard on 12” x 71’ & 81’ models.
Wide-Based Undercarriage Design
Mayrath's wide wheel base design and scissor type undercarriage constructed of high strength round tubing means greater stability during operation or while being lowered. The tapered roller bearing hubs permit increased towing capability.
Elevates and Lowers Smoothly
The undercarriage slides on four nylon rollers for smoother operation and reduced winch strain. The dual angle iron track is welded to the tube for additional strength on the 6", 8" and 10" models. A box channel is used on the 12” model.
Choice of Drives
Your choice of PTO or Electric Drive (Electric not shown). The PTO drive can be driven from either side of the auger. A shear mechanism is incorporated in the PTO driveline for component protection. A band-on support provides a convenient method to carry the driveline during transport. 






Is space an issue and yet you still need to lift the grain, then a bucket system maybe what you need.


This is an option from Sudenga Industries Inc. 




Head
  • Explosion vent standard
  • Crowned drum style pulleys with SCOF vulcanized lagging or removeable slide lagging
  • Heavy Duty double tapered pillow block bearings on turned, ground and polished shaft. Dust seals and bearing supports are included.
  • Shaft mount torque arm speed reducers with taper lock bushings are standard.
Ladder & Cage
  • Standard galvanized ladder & safety cages available in 4' or 8' lengths
  • Available with OSHA rest platforms
Trunking
  • Heavy Duty jig/robot continuous seam welded trunking
  • 2', 4', 6', 8', lengths available
  • Angle iron tie braces at 8' intervals
  • Reinforced inspection sections with removable covers provide convenient inspection & service of belts/cups
Boot
  • Heavy duty upside/downside hoppers with dual cleanout slides
  • Self cleaning wing style boot pulleys ride on heavy duty shafts with heavy duty pillow block bearings





Last Update :22 August, 2007



Bucket elevators are available with heights of up to 210' with standard capacities of up to 20,000 BPH. Capacities higher than 20,000 BPH are quoted to specs. A variety of accessories are available along with support towers, catwalk, trussing kits, spouting and distributors.

Perhaps lifting grain is not your goal but moving air flow through the grain or transport horizontally. 

Using an auger without the tube in a vertical fashion stirs the grain to help dry down moisture. Here is an example from Red Giant

The Stir-Ator turns any drying bin into a self-contained drying and storage system. With a Stir-Ator in your bin, you have wet holding, drying and storage all in the same unit.
A Stir-Ator decreases static pressure by fluffing or loosening grain to allow maximum air flow. Grain is mixed so it dries faster, thus avoiding the problem of overdrying bottom layers of grain while the top layers are still wet.
When all the grain is dry, a Design III Stir-Ator equipped bin can be used for storage.
Periodic running of a Stir-Ator (with or without aeration) helps prevent grain spoilage and damage when storing over a long period of time.
Higher equipment cost and constant monitoring required by other drying methods are eliminated with a Design III Stir-Ator.
Stir-Ator’s rugged, yet simple, maintenance-free design ensures long trouble-free operation under the most demanding conditions.
Engineered to require a minimum amount of maintenance, the Design Ill Stir-Ator has been the most popular selling stirring machine ever built.
Features that make it so popular include the following:-
1. Unique, patented, spiral stirring pattern allows all grain to be stirred equally. (Patent #3,251,582)
2.  Larger permanently sealed auger bearings and minimal adjustments result in low maintenance and trouble-free operation.
3. “Quick clamp” auger shaft connectors and extra heavy duty stub shafts allow for easy installation and truer running augers.
4. Exclusive DMC graduated pitch augers start easier, require less power, allow optimum air flow, and efficiently blend and stir all the grain so the moisture is consistent from top to bottom.
5. Low profile design allows more grain storage in the bin.
Lower Investment :-
Drying grain in-bin allows for a relatively low investment as compared to out-of-bin grain drying systems.
Low investment because you can use one bin for wet holding and drying at the same time. After harvest is over, this same bin can also be used for storage.
One piece of equipment—your drying bin—can perform three functions instead of just one.
With out-of-bin dryers you have to have a wet holding bin in addition to the dryer. After harvest is over, the dryer sits unused for the remainder of the year.
That one piece of equipment— the dryer—remains unused for 85% to 90% of the year, the  DMC Stir-Ator can be used all 12 months.
In today's agricultural environment where each pound must be stretched to the limit, in-bin grain drying beats the alternatives, especially for seed, when comparing initial cost, drying cost per ton of grain and grain quality.
Increases the flexibility of any drying system:-
The Design HI Stir-Ator increases the flexibility and efficiency of any in-bin drying system.
When using conventional fan &  heater drying, you can fill the bin without worry of static pressure build­up or over-dried bottom layers.
Fight rising fuel costs by using a Stir-Ator with your natural air drying system. It will require more time than using heat, but it can save money on fuel.
A Stir-Ator will cut drying time 50% in low temperatures or solar drying bins. This is accomplished by eliminating hot spots and maximizing air flow.
The Design III Stir-Ator can also increase capacity of in-bin continuous flow systems. By cutting the Stir-Ator augers off 30 inches (76 cm) above the drying floor, the drying zone is then not affected. The grain above this zone (grain depths of up to 16 feet or 4.9 meters) is constantly being stirred, allowing the excess heat to move upward through the wet grain providing greater drying capacity and maximum efficiency.
The Optional Stir-Guard protects your grain:-
The Stir-Guard option protects your grain from over-stirring. If for any reason the Stir-Ator does not move forward within 45 minutes, Stir-Guard automatically shuts the Stir-Ator down.
Stirring all grain equally is important:-
Your main concern in selecting a stirring machine is how well it stirs the grain. The stirring pattern of the DMC Stir-Ator is the most thorough of any stirring machine available.
Any machine that only comes “close” to the bin wall or “close” to the center is not stirring all of the grain. Only the DMC Stir-Ator stirs to the bin wall and to the center of the bin. Stir-Ator’s advanced design moves the outside auger closer to the bin wall than competitors’ machines.
The Stir-Ator provides a spiral stirring pattern that completely and evenly stirs the entire bin every stirring cycle. Competitive machines with stationary augers that stir in concentric circles greatly over-stir the center area of the bin while under-stirring the outer third of the bin where over half of the grain is stored.
A rugged cable drive mechanism provides the in-out auger movement that covers the whole bin evenly without unstirred gaps. The Stir-Ator cable drive system has proven to be the most reliable ever manufactured.
Offset auger stirs against wall:-
DMC’s optional offset allows stirring right up against the bin wall. No other stirring machine has this option.
How important are stirring augers?
Many people think stirring augers are all the same. But no matter how good the Stir-Ator is, stirring performance will suffer if the stirring auger is not of good qua1ity.
How do you tell if an auger is good?
DMC builds all these performance features into their hard surfaced augers.
   1. Square edges on auger fighting provides the most efficient stirring as compared to any other shape. Square edges move more grain to the top, thereby blending grain with all levels of moisture and temperatures. Square edges on augers also help the augers travel through the grain faster than rounded edges, which gives you more complete stirring in a shorter period of time.
    2. Auger flighting with smooth surfaces. Rough, uneven welds damage grain, creating fines that can complicate drying and cause storage problems. Rough surfaces also move less grain upward.
    3. Hardest flighting possible and consistent wear area. Hardness is directly related to wearability.  The harder the auger, the longer it will last.
You will find DMC is the only company with all these features together on one auger.
        Red Giant Stir-Ator :-  The “big red machine” for larger drying bins .

DMC Red Giant is a different design of Stir-Ator with many of the same features as the Design 111—such as the preferred Stir-Ator pattern.
Because there are four to six augers, auger speeds vary to compensate for the area stirred by each auger. This feature allows the Red Giant to evenly stir grain all through the bin and eliminates over-stirring in the center of the bin which could cause grain damage.
A choice of four or six augers makes Red Giant the only sensible choice for larger drying bins and high capacity drying.
Designed for today’s busy farmer:-
If you are like most farmers, you do not have time for unnecessary chores.
The Rekord DMC  Stir-Ators are  engineered to require minimal maintenance, allowing you to do more important tasks during harvest time.


But what is you need to move horizontally...

This is what Shivvers has to offer. 

Horizontal Transfer Auger

When multiple bins are used in the system, you may need to add additional horizontal transfer augers with drop outlets to fill the various bins. All horizontal transfer augers are automatically controlled by the COMPUDRY™ Command Center.




There are several more options, sizes and styles of augers on the market today. Check on Tuesday when The AGTV Network continues to showcase grain handling and storage systems. 



Tuesday, July 5, 2011

July Equipment Highlight

The calendar has turned to July and The AGTV Network starts another month of our Equipment. This month the focus is on grain handling and storage systems. We are talking more than just grain bins. There are several tools on the market today that can handle your corn, soybeans, oats or other grains you may have.

We start out the month a look at grain tools used in the field. Here is a model from the J&M Manufacturing Co, Inc., the 525-14W.


Specifications
525-14W Grain Cart
DIMENSIONS:
A1'-5"
B12'-10"
C5'-11"
D12'-0"
E18'-1"
F12'-9"/13'-9"
G7'-3"/8'-3"
H10'-4"
I8'-7"
J1'-2"
K1'-7"
L10'-0"/12'-0"
M12'-0"/13'-4"
N10'-0"
O9'-10"
  
 Capacityup to 525 bushels 
 Auger, one vertical14" diameter 
 Wheels16x42, 18x42, 20x26, 21x32 or 27x32 
 Hubs10 bolt 
 Spindles4-1/2" diameter 
 Weight (approx.)6,300 Lbs. 
 PTO1,000 RPM (1-3/8" or 1-3/4") 
 Tire Size18.4x42 or 20.8x42 (3 Star); 23.1x26 (10 ply); 24.5x32 or 30.5x32 (12 ply lug / 14 ply diamond) 
 Tongue Weight: 
 Empty950 Lbs. 
 Loaded1,950 Lbs. 
 Construction: 
 Hopper12 GA Steel 
 Undercarriage8" x 4" x 3/16" Tubing 
 Axle5" x 5" x 1/2" Tubing "V" Truss 
 Unloading Time3.5 minutes (approx.) 
 * Bushel capacity measured with #2 corn at 15% moisture content (56 lb. test weight) 
** Time varies with RPM and moisture content of grain




Standard Features
    Primer Coating & Choice of Red, Green or Blue Urethane Paint 
    Graphite Coated Interior 
    Hydraulically Operated Grain Flow Gate with Front Mounted Gauge 
    PTO with Self-Adjusting Slip Clutch and Spline 
    Hydraulic Hoses to Tractor with Pioneer Ends 
    Hydraulic Locking System 
    Hydraulic Cylinders 
    Tapered Top Extensions 
    Inspection Windows and Observation Ladder 
    Swivel Hitch - Single Prong (Spade) or Double Clevis 
    Clean-Out Door 
    Tongue Jack 
    Flow Control Spout 
 Options 
     True-Lock Roll Tarp 
     Hydraulic Drive (25-35 gpm or 35-50 gpm) 
     Electronic Weigh System 
     Rice Axle 
     Fully Adjustable Axle 
     Mobile Video Camera System


There are several models and options to choose from J&M check out this link.
http://www.jm-inc.com/new/specifications/grain_cart.asp

As with model equipment in the industry there are many manufactures to chose. Here are the choices from
Unverfert Manufacturing Co, Inc.with the Brent line.


Avalanche® Grain Carts

Model 1394 Brent Avalanche Grain CartModel 2096 Brent Avalanche Grain CartBrent® Avalanche® dual-auger grain carts from Unverferth set new standards for unloading speed, convenience and durability – the features that count most when it comes to measuring grain cart value and harvest efficiency.

Augers

For the fastest unloading, nothing compares to the double-auger design of Brent Avalanche grain carts. The horizontal auger continuously feeds the vertical auger for maximum auger efficiency and unloading speed. Combined with the proven drivetrain you can achieve unloading speeds of up to 1,000 bushels per minute.

Chassis

When traveling across fields with a loaded grain cart, it takes a tough undercarriage to dependably handle the long hours and rough conditions. Brent Avalanche carts deliver with a durable design that stands up year after year with several undercarriage options to meet your operation's needs.

Convenience

Where others may skimp on features, Brent carts feature many standard items to make your harvest more convenient and productive.

Accessories

For maximizing the productivity of your Avalanche grain cart, choose from two different scale packages and electric operation for the standard rollover tarp.

Visit there web site for even more information http://www.brentequip.com/

Check back here throughout the month to keep up The AGTV Network's look a grain handling systems.