Swather-Mounted Auger Keeps Grain Flowing Smoothly

Swather-Mounted Auger Keeps Grain Flowing Smoothly AUGERS Augers (29B) 21-3-7 "We mounted a 16-in. dia. feeder auger from an old International 403 combine onto an International 75 pull-type swather. It keeps the canola crop flowing evenly without al-lowing it to bunch up at the outlet," says Ralph Jorgensen, Calgary, Alberta. He and his partner got the idea after having problems with the swather leaving lumpy, uneven windrows. "The crop has to change directions on the machine as it leaves the drapers. The material catches on the frame, causing it to bunch up. The auger helps move the crop along, as well as compressing it so it can get under the frame member. The retractable fingers at the center of the auger also help pull the crop through the opening." They used the entire length of the 13 1/ 2-ft. long auger and welded support brackets onto each end to support it. The auger is driven through a pulley system by a hydraulic motor. A control valve is used to vary the speed. "It's a simple solution that really works well," says Jorgensen. "Having more even windrows lets us increase the combine speed and reduces the possibility of plugging. Newer machines don't have as serious a problem because they have larger openings. We already had the combine, hydraulic motor, and flow controls. We spent less than $100 for the belt, pulleys, and paint. "Each end of the auger is held up by a pair of chains that are attached to the mounting brackets. The height is fixed by adjusting the chains. Heavier crops require the auger to be lifted. The swather is 19 ft. long so the auger is about 3 ft. short at either end. However, the bunching doesn't occur until the material accumulates to-ward the middle of the swather." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ralph Jorgensen, Box 7, Site 9, RR 6, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2M 4L5 (ph 403 226-0429).

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