BRANDON — With so many combine hopper covers available, why would anyone bring yet another one to market?
Adding an additional 100 bushels capacity to the hopper is one good reason, said Lawrence Dueck of Horizon Agro in Morris Man., developer of the new Umbrella Bin Extension.
Dueck said the Umbrella also forms a weather tight seal around the top perimeter of the hopper extensions.
“It’s always been very difficult to cover a combine if it has the fold down extensions. It’s not a problem with the Umbrella system,” said Dueck. “It’s sealed tight where the tarp meets the extensions, so no grain escapes and no water gets in.
Read Also
Interest in biological crop inputs continues to grow
It was only a few years ago that interest in alternative methods such as biologicals to boost a crop’s nutrient…
“That allows you to pile grain up to the peak inside. You can heap it right to the tip at the middle of the tarp without any loss.”
A Velcro sealed vent pops open if the operator ignores the optional grain level indicator light or fails to visually check the hopper.
This allows excess grain to flow out instead of damaging the mechanisms. The entrance hatch is located at the front of the tarp near the cab roof.
The grain level indicator uses proximity sensors in the hopper that are triggered when anything gets close to them.
The sensors are strategically mounted on a vertical plane and send their signals as the grain level grows progressively higher.
The Umbrella remains on the combine once it is installed.
Opening and closing the tarp takes less than a minute, with the electric motor controlled from the cab. There are no rollers or cranks.
Dueck said he built two of the cover systems for his own combines two years ago. He liked them so much that he decided to manufacture them.
The tarp and lift mechanism sell for $3,000. The optional grain level indicator sells for $1,000.
For more information, contact Lawrence Dueck at 204-746-2026 or visit www.horizonagro.com.
