Apparatus for determining the moisture content of grain, or the like

Claim 1

GRAIN TESTING APPARATUS OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, COMPRISING: A STATIONARY DRUM; GRINDING MEANS DISPOSED WITHIN SAID DRUM FOR ROTATION ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS COAXIAL WITH SAID DRUM; SAMPLE RECEIVING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID DRUM AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREOF FOR RECEIVING A SAMPLE OF THE GRAIN TO BE TESTED; MEANS DEFINING A RADIALLY EXTENDING AXIALLY COMPRESSIBLE ELONGATED MEASUREMENT CHAMBER COMMUNICATING WITH SAID GRINDING MEANS AND CONNECTED FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, SAID MEASUREMENT CHAMBER BEING POSITIONED ECCENTRICALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE ROTATIONAL AXIS OF SAID GRINDING MEANS FOR GRAVITATIONAL FILLING AND DISCHARGE OF THE SAMPLE THEREFROM, AN OUTER END PORTION OF SAID MEASUREMENT CHAMBER BEING BROUGHT INTO REGISTER WITH SAID SAMPLE RECEIVING MEANS WHEN SAID CHAMBER IS IN AN UPWARDLY DIRECTED POSITION, SAID DRUM HAVING AN OUTLET APERTURE FORMED THEREIN WHEREWITH SAID OUTER END PORTION OF SAID MEASUREMENT CHAMBER IN REGISTER WHEN SAID CHAMBER IS IN A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED POSITION; TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT MEANS WITHIN SAID CHAMBER; ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY MEASUREMENT ELECTRODE MEANS WITHIN SAID CHAMBER; FIRST CAM-ACTUATED SLIDE MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY SHUTTING OFF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID MEASUREMENT CHAMBER AND SAID GRINDING MEANS; SECOND CAM-ACTUATED SLIDE MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY SHUTTING OFF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID OUTER END PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER AND THE INTERIOR THEREOF; RESILIENT MEANS BIASING SAID CHAMBER TO ELONGATE THE SAME FIXEDLY POSITIONED FIRST CAM MEANS WITHIN SAID DRUM, SAID FIRST CAM MEANS OPERATING TO OPEN BOTH OF SAID SLIDE MEANS WHEN SAID OUTER END PORTION OF SAID MEASUREMENT CHAMBER IS IN REGISTER WITH SAID SAMPLE RECEIVING MEANS FOR DELIVERY OF SAID SAMPLE TO SAID GRINDING MEANS THROUGH SAID MEASUREMENT CHAMBER AND TO CLOSE SAID SECOND SLIDE MEANS WHEN SAID OUTER END PORTION MOVES OUT OF REGISTER WITH SAID RECEIVING MEANS, SAID CAM MEANS CLOSING BOTH OF SAID SLIDE MEANS WHEN SAID MEASUREMENT CHAMBER HAS ARRIVED AT A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED POSITION AND SAID GRINDING MEANS HAS GRAVITATIONALLY DISCHARGED THE SAMPLE IN GROUND CONDITION INTO SAID CHAMBER; SECOND CAM MEANS ACTING ON THE OUTER END PORTION OF SAID MEANS DEFINING SAID MEASUREMENT CHAMBER WHEN BOTH OF SAID SLIDE MEANS ARE CLOSED TO COMPRESS SAID CHAMBER WHEREBY A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO SAID SAMPLE, ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID CHAMBER BEING INTERRUPTED WITH SAID PRESSURE APPLIED TO PERMIT MEASUREMENT OF THE TEMPERATURE AND ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF SAID SAMPLE, SAID PRESSURE BEING RELEASED BY SAID SECOND CAM MEANS AFTER ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT HAS BEEN RESUMED; SAID FIRST CAM MEANS OPENING BOTH OF SAID SLIDE MEANS AFTER RELEASE OF PRESSURE BY SAID SECOND CAM MEANS AND WITH SAID OUTER END PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER IN REGISTER WITH SAID OUTLET APERTURE.