Reversing Gearbox Makes Auger Cleanout Easy

Reversing Gearbox Makes Auger Cleanout Easy AUGERS Augers (29B) 28-3-35 After receiving a large number of farmer requests for a better way to reverse grain augers, Bob Hawes and his associates at Hawes Agro Ltd., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, developed a reversing gearbox. "It turned out to be a bit harder to do than we initially thought," Hawes says. "We thought it would be fairly easy to find a gearbox that would do this. What we found was there was nothing available that could do this and still fit the same footprint as the original gearbox." After a couple years in development, Hawes finally has a product that works. They've applied for a patent on parts of the gearbox. The gearbox resembles a small transmission, with a shifter that changes it from forward to neutral to reverse. It has a linkage and lever that allows it to be shifted even when the auger is raised and the gearbox is too high to reach easily. For convenience, an electric clutch is also available that allows the gearbox to be shifted without shutting down the power. Without the clutch, the drive should be shut down. "The reversing gearbox can be used on any auger, regardless of drive system," Hawes says. "It's a safe way to reverse a grain auger to clear a plug or empty it out to prevent cross contamination of grains," he says. The gearbox itself sells for $750 (Canadian). The optional electric clutch is another $850. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Hawes Agro Ltd., 833 50th St. East, Saskatoon, Sask., Canada. S7K 3Y5 (ph 866 373-8448 or 306 373-8448; email: bob.hawes@sk. sympatico.ca).

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