JPH09257535A - Device for measuring flow of granular material to be worked such as grain - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately measure the flow of grains to be worked by a grain thresher. SOLUTION: In a grain thresher 3, a flow measuring electrostatic capacity sensor 45 (46) is arranged at a grain passing position of a chaff sheave 18 and/or a grain pun 21, and on the other hand, a moisture correcting electrostatic capacity sensor 50 is stood on the surface of a grain flowing plate of a first receiver gutter 23 arranged in the downstream of the electrostatic capacity sensor 45 (46). In this case, an electrically insulated board is stood so that a wide width surface thereof is arranged along the flow direction of the passing grain, and one comb-shaped electrode unit and the other comb-shaped electrode unit are arranged in the wide width surface of the board so that the longitudinal part of the comb-shaped part is engaged with each other along the flow direction of the grain, and a difference between the electrostatic capacity between one comb-shaped electrode surface, which gets into layers of the flow of the grains, and the other comb-shaped electrode surface is computed so as to accurately measure the flow of the passing grains independently of the moisture content of the grains.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a self-propelled self-decombining combine and a stationary threshing device for measuring a flow rate of a granular object to be treated such as threshing grains per unit time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a granular object to be threshed in a handling room in a threshing device such as a combine is a rocking / sorting mechanism provided below the handling room and a front lower part thereof. It is sorted into grain and straw waste by the sorting wind by the placed Kara Min Juan, and the grain as the fine grain is collected in the most gutter, while the second reduced products such as the branch shoot attached grain and the spike cutting grain are The waste is collected in a guard trough, and is returned from the second reduction thrower to the handling room through a second reduction cylinder for reprocessing.

In this case, if the amount of threshing per unit time is too large, the amount of the second reduced product increases accordingly, and the amount of treatment in the handling chamber becomes too large, resulting in an overload condition. Detecting this condition reduces the amount of grain culm supplied to the handling room, changes the inclination angle of the chaff sheave in the swing selection mechanism with respect to the horizontal, and reduces the forward speed of the combine to reduce the amount of threshing. In order to do so,
The publication discloses that an ultrasonic sensor is provided in the second reducing cylinder to measure the flow rate of grain in the second reducing cylinder per unit time.

On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-8480 proposes that a capacitance type sensor is arranged on an inclined plate for grain selection in a swing sorting machine to determine the presence or absence of falling grain. However, it was not yet possible to measure the amount of grain flow. Therefore, the applicant has previously filed Japanese Patent Application No.
-310198 and the like, in the capacitance type sensor,
Even non-conductive materials (dielectrics) that have no free charge,
When this is brought close to the electrode, polarization occurs in which charges move at the molecular level of the dielectric (insulator), and as a result, the capacitance of the electrode changes depending on the amount of the dielectric (insulator). We proposed to measure the flow rate of grain such as paddy, which is an electrical insulator, by using the phenomenon of increase and decrease. That is, by arranging a capacitance type sensor on a rocking plate such as a swing selection mechanism in the threshing device or a receiving gutter below it, and detecting the layer thickness of the grain flowing down on the rock plate. , Proposed to measure the grain flow rate per unit time accurately.

[0005]

However, in the threshing device, the amount of water held in the grains varies at the time of processing, such as the grain cullets to be threshed, and thus the paddy (grain), get wet with morning dew or rain. On the other hand, the capacitance type sensor has a problem that the capacitance to be detected changes depending on the amount of water held in the grain or the like that is the object to be detected even if the flow rate is the same. In order to carry out the measurement, there was a problem that the grain flow rate could not be measured accurately unless the water content was corrected.

The present invention has been made to solve this problem.

[0007]

Therefore, the measuring apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a granular material to be processed such as a grain of the invention according to claim 1 is provided with a swing sorting mechanism and a lowermost position below the handling chamber. In a threshing device such as a grain harvester such as a combine harvester comprising a grain receiving gutter, either or both of the chaff sheave or the grain pan in the swing selection mechanism,
While placing a capacitance type sensor configured to measure the capacitance that changes depending on the amount of passage of the granular processing object such as grain passing through that location, the grain is placed in the first grain receiving trough. After arranging the capacitance sensor for moisture correction of, and detecting the passage of the grain by the capacitance sensor for moisture correction,
The flow rate measurement is started.

The invention described in claim 2 is the same as claim 1.
In the apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a granular material to be treated such as the grain described in (1), the first grain receiving trough is for guiding the grain toward the arrangement position of the capacitance-type sensor for moisture correction. It is provided with a guiding means. And the electrostatic capacitance type sensor according to claim 3 is the measuring device for the flow rate of granular processed material such as grain according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the electrostatic capacitance type sensors is An electrically insulating substrate having a wide surface along the flow direction of the object to be treated and a pair of comb-teeth-shaped electrodes formed along the wide surface of the substrate are provided such that the tips of the comb-teeth parts are opposite to each other. It is configured to be inserted into the base side of the comb tooth portion.

[0009]

That is, according to the present invention, the capacitance type sensor is arranged on one or both of the chaff sheave and the grain pan of the rocking / sorting mechanism in the threshing device, and is arranged below the rocking / sorting mechanism. By installing a capacitance-type sensor for moisture correction in the first grain receiving trough, the granular material to be measured, such as the grain, reaches the first receiving trough after passing through the swing sorting mechanism. It is possible to calculate the correction value of the capacitance with respect to a constant flow rate by detecting the passage of the granular processing object such as grain on the first receiving trough side and measuring the water content of the granular processing object at that time. After that, if the capacitance value is measured based on this correction value according to the flow rate of the granular processing object such as grains passing through the swing selection mechanism side, the granular processing of granular particles passing correctly can be performed. The flow rate of the material can be measured.

[0010] The invention described in claim 2 is the same as the claim 1.
In the apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a granular material to be treated such as the grain described in (1), the first grain receiving trough is for guiding the grain toward the arrangement position of the capacitance-type sensor for moisture correction. Since the guide means is provided, immediately after the start of threshing when the flow rate of the granular material to be processed is low, the granular material can be collected at the location of the capacitance type sensor for moisture correction by the guiding means. The effect of being able to quickly calculate the correction value for a constant flow rate at the location of the capacitance type sensor for water content correction is obtained.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the capacitance type sensor according to the first aspect or the second aspect of the present invention, each of the capacitance type sensors is a device for measuring the flow rate of a granular material such as a grain. An electrically insulating substrate having a wide surface along the flow direction of the granular material to be processed, and a pair of comb-tooth-shaped electrodes formed along the wide surface of the substrate, the tips of each comb-tooth portion being mutually Since it is configured to be inserted into the base side of the mating comb tooth portion, when the layer of the granular processing object passing through the surface of the capacitance type sensor is arranged across both electrode portions. By the polarization phenomenon caused by the granular object to be processed, the electrostatic capacity proportional to the layer thickness of the granular object to be passed will be measured, whereby the flow rate of the grain per unit time can be accurately measured. Has the effect.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a combine will be described. FIG. 1 is a side view of a traveling machine body 1 of a combine having a pair of left and right traveling crawlers 2, and FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the threshing device 3 on the traveling machine body 1, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIG.

A threshing device 3 is mounted on the left side in the traveling direction of the traveling machine body 1, and a cutting pretreatment device 4 which can be moved up and down by a hydraulic cylinder (not shown) is arranged at the front part of the traveling machine body 1. A clipper-type cutting device 5 is provided on the lower side of the lower frame of the pre-cutting device 4, and a grain culm raising device 6 for six rows is arranged in the front side, and a front end of a feed chain 7 in the grain culm raising device 6 and the threshing device 3 is arranged. A grain culm transporting device is disposed between and, and a grass body 9 projects in the lower front of the grain culm raising device 6.

The handling barrel 11 in the handling chamber 10 of the threshing device 3
Are arranged along the traveling direction of the traveling body 1, and the tip portion of the grain culm conveyed while being clamped at the root by the feed chain 7 arranged at the left end of the handling chamber 10 is used as the handling cylinder 11.
Is threshed on the underside of. A crimping net 14 is provided in the processing chamber 12 below the handling room 10 except for the dust outlet 13, and the processing object leaking from the crimping net 14 is moved downward in the traveling direction of the traveling machine 1. It is received by a pair of feed pans 16 and 17 in a swing sorting mechanism 15 swinging forward and backward along the same, and undergoes swing sorting by a chaff sheave 18. At that time, the object to be processed is subjected to the wind selection by the dust blower fan 20 that blows to the Karawan fan 19 and the feed pans 16 and 17 of the front and rear pairs below it, from the Glen pan 21 and the selection net 22 toward the most receiving gutter 23 direction. To fall. A processing drum 29 is arranged on the side of the handling chamber 10, and a part of the object to be processed is sent in the direction of the processing drum 29 at the rear side of the handling drum 11, and is further threshed.

The second treated material dropped from the rear chaff sheave of the swing selecting mechanism 15 is received by the second receiving trough 24,
The screw conveyor 24a and the second reduction conveyor 2
It is discharged onto the sieve line 26 via 5 and undergoes another sorting. The grains that have become fine grains by the swing sorting and the wind sorting are collected in the grain tank 27 via the screw conveyor 23a of the first receiving trough 23, and carried out of the machine via the discharge auger 28. . The dust in the processing chamber 12 is discharged outside the machine by the suction fan 30, and the straw inherited at the rear end of the feed chain 7 is discharged to the rear of the traveling machine 1 in a long state via the straw chain 31. Alternatively, it is discharged after being appropriately cut by the straw cutter 33. Reference numeral 32 denotes an operator's cab arranged on the front right side of the traveling body 1.

In the processing chamber 12, supported by a link,
The chaff sheave 18 in the swing selection mechanism 15, which swings back and forth by a swing actuator (not shown), is used in the processing chamber 1.
2. A plurality of fins 36 made of narrow plates, which are long in the direction substantially perpendicular to the swinging direction, are arranged in parallel between the left and right side plates 35, 35 arranged along the one side plate 12a and the other side plate 12b. Arrange them, and attach the pivot pins at the left and right upper ends of each fin 36 to each side plate 3
5, the pivot pins at the lower left and right sides of each fin 36 are rotatably connected to the chaff connecting bar 37, and the turning lever mechanism 38 connected to the chaff connecting bar 37 is connected to the wire. The fan-shaped gear 40 in the opening degree control means is connected via 39, and the pinion gear 42 of the opening degree control motor 41 is meshed with the fan-shaped gear 40. Then, when the opening degree control motor 41 is rotated in the forward rotation direction, the chaff connecting bar 37 is moved rearward so as to increase the inclination angle of the fin 36 with respect to the horizontal plane, and the selection wind from the Karafu Juan 15 is directed upward and obliquely rearward. When the amount of air to be passed is increased and the opening degree control motor 41 is rotated in the reverse rotation direction, the chaff connecting bar 37 is moved forward so as to reduce the inclination angle of the fin 36 with respect to the horizontal plane, and the chaff connecting bar 37 moves from It is controlled so that the amount of air that passes the sorted air upward and obliquely backward is reduced (see FIG. 5).

Then, on the upper surface side of the inclined Glen pan 21 above and / or below the midway portion of the chaff sheave 18 in the swing selection mechanism 15, there is a static pressure for detecting the flow rate of the grain passing through those points. Capacitive sensor 4
Place 5,46. On the other hand, on the upper surface side of the shed board in the first receiving trough 24, a capacitance type sensor 50 for correcting the displacement of the capacitance due to the water content of the threshed grain is arranged (see FIGS. 3 and 6). ). In this case, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, each of the capacitance type sensors 45, 46, 50 has one electrode portion 52a and the other electrode on the surface of the substrate 51 made of an electrically insulating material such as ceramics. The portions 52b are arranged in a flat plate shape so as to be arranged in a comb shape in a plan view. In this case, the comb-teeth portions of the electrode portions 52a and 52b are arranged in mesh with each other so as to be positioned in the gaps between the comb-teeth portions of the other, and the comb-teeth portions of the adjacent electrode portions 52a and 52b are Arrange them so that there is a gap between them as appropriate. In other words, the pair of comb-teeth-shaped electrode portions 52a and 52b formed along the wide surface of the air-insulating substrate 51 are arranged such that the tips of the comb-teeth portions are located on the base side of the other comb-teeth portion. It is configured to be inserted. The direction of flow of the granular material to be processed (arrow E in FIG. 7) is the same as that of the electrode portions 52a, 52a.
It may be arranged to extend substantially along the longitudinal direction of each comb tooth portion of b. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8, each capacitance type sensor may be arranged so as to intersect at right angles with the longitudinal direction of the comb tooth portion. May be. The surface of each electrode portion of each capacitance type sensor is covered with a film 53 made of synthetic resin, for example, polypropylene or polyimide resin (see FIG. 9) to prevent deterioration of the electrode due to humidity or the like. Preferably.

These capacitance type sensors 45, 46, 5
0 means that the substrate 51 or a support plate 54 having the substrate 51 attached to the surface thereof is erected on the surface of a shedding board (the Glen pan 21 or the receiving gutter board) so that the wide surface thereof extends along the grain flow direction. As a result, by measuring the increase change in the capacitance of the portion where the grain layer 55 having the layer thickness H1 flowing down extends over the one electrode portion 52a and the other electrode portion 52b, Moreover, the grain flow rate per unit time can be measured. When the capacitance type sensor 45 is arranged above the middle part of the chaff sheave 18, the side plate 3 of the swing selecting mechanism 15 is arranged.
A capacitance type sensor 45 is attached to a bracket (not shown) protruding from 5.

Further, on the surface of the inclined first receiving trough 23, grains are collected so that granular objects such as grains can be collected and passed toward the capacitance-type sensor 50 for moisture correction. A pair of left and right guide plates 5 as guiding means for guiding
6a and 56b are arranged in a substantially inverted "C" shape in a plan view, and the capacitance type sensor 50 for moisture correction is erected on the downstream side where the arrangement interval of the pair of left and right guide plates 56a and 56b is short. Yes (see FIGS. 6 and 10). Thus, if the capacitance type sensor 50 for moisture correction is erected on the downstream side of the pair of left and right guide plates 56a and 56b as the guiding means, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, the granular processing objects such as the falling grain can be collected at one place, and the thickness H2 of the layer 54 thereof can be made larger than the height of the capacitance-type sensor 50 for moisture correction. Therefore, the electrostatic capacitance value of the granular processing object such as grains flowing down at a constant flow rate that completely fills the wide surface of the vertically installed electrostatic capacitance type sensor 50 for moisture correction can be quickly and surely obtained. It can be detected.

FIG. 12 shows, as a representative of one capacitance type sensor 46, a first embodiment of a measuring circuit diagram (block diagram) of the capacitance type sensor 46. An alternating electric field is applied by connecting one electrode 52a side of the capacitive sensor 46 and one electrode of a comparison (reference) capacitor sensor 57 to the oscillation circuit 60. In this case, the electrostatic capacity of the comparison capacitor 57 does not change depending on the use environment such as temperature and humidity, and it goes without saying that the granular object is not passed, and the so-called reference electrostatic capacity is used. It is a sensor to know, usually
Use a capacitor with a specified capacitance value.

Then, the detection signal from the other electrode 52b of the capacitance type sensor 46 is converted into a capacitance / voltage conversion circuit (C
/ V conversion) 61a to convert the detected capacitance into a voltage, and then input the voltage to the voltage comparison circuit 62. Similarly, a detection signal from the other electrode of the comparison (reference) capacitor 57 is converted into a capacitance / voltage conversion circuit (C / V conversion).
The detected electrostatic capacitance is converted into a voltage through 61b and then input to the voltage comparison circuit 62 to measure the electrostatic capacitance of the reference capacitor 57.
It is input to the differential amplifier circuit 63 in order to obtain the output value of the difference between the voltage values.

Similarly, a capacitance type sensor 5 for moisture correction is used.
An AC electric field is applied by connecting one electrode 52a of 0 and one electrode of the capacitor sensor 58 for comparison (for reference) to the oscillation circuit 60. Capacitor sensor 5 in this case
8 also has a capacitance that does not change depending on the use environment such as temperature and humidity. Then, the detection signal from the other electrode 52b of the capacitance sensor 50 for moisture correction is converted into a voltage through the capacitance / voltage conversion circuit (C / V conversion) 64a. After that, the voltage comparison circuit 6
Enter in 5. Similarly, after the detection signal from the other electrode of the comparison (reference) capacitor 58 is converted into a voltage through the electric capacitance / voltage conversion circuit (C / V conversion) 64b, , Input to the voltage comparison circuit 65,
It is input to the differential amplifier circuit 66 in order to obtain the output value of the difference in voltage value of the capacitance sensor 50 for moisture correction with respect to the capacitance of the reference capacitor 58. Then, the output signals of both the differential amplifier circuits 63 and 66 are input to the microcomputer type controller unit 67, and the water holding amount of the flowing down grain and its flow rate are calculated.

In other words, the differential amplifier circuit 66 obtains a change value of the electrostatic capacity due to the water content of the grain at a constant flow rate, for example, a flow rate of 100.
From the output itself of 6, it is possible to numerically calculate the magnitude relationship of the water content of the grain. Then, by comparing the detection value obtained by the other differential amplification circuit 63 (the detection value for the one having the same water content but the unknown flow rate) with the detection value of the differential amplification circuit 66, The flow rate of grain passing through the grain pan 21 per unit time can be measured.

As a result, the controller unit 67
When it is determined that the water content is large, it is determined that the moist material has been cut, and the opening area of the air suction port of the dust-feeding fan 20 and / or the sardines 19 is proportionally increased in order to send a larger amount of air than usual. The actuator (not shown) is actuated so as to make it larger. Further, the controller unit 67 determines that the grain flow rate is large, or
When the voltage value is low, it is determined that the grain flow rate is low, and the predetermined drive circuit 68 is operated to drive the actuator 69. For example, when the grain flow rate to the receiving trough 23 is too large, the inclination angle of the fin 36 in the swing selection mechanism 5 is reduced to reduce the grain leakage amount, and conversely, when the flow rate is too small, the fin flow rate is reduced. The open degree control motor 41 for increasing or decreasing the angle of the fins 36 is driven such that the leakage angle is increased by increasing the inclination angle of 36, while the display meter 70 displays the state. .

In addition, for example, if the flow rate of the object to be treated in the second reduction conveyor 25 becomes large, the traveling speed of the combine is reduced to reduce the amount of threshing, and the fin 36 of the swing selection mechanism 15 is set up. If the flow rate of the object to be treated is small, the traveling speed of the combine is increased to increase the grain threshing amount, and further the swing sorting is performed. Even if control is performed such that the vibration frequency or vibration amplitude of the mechanism 15 is increased to increase the swing selection action, or the rotation speed of the Karafu Juan 19 is increased to increase the grain selection capability per unit time. good.

In this embodiment, the control for starting the measurement is executed as in the flow chart shown in FIG. That is, following the start of control, prior to the cutting and threshing operations, the respective detection values of the capacitance sensor 46 and the capacitance sensor 50 for moisture correction are read and the values (data) are stored (S1). ). This is because the capacitance value of the capacitance sensor 46 (first reference value = α1) and the moisture content of the capacitance sensor 46 and the moisture correction capacitance sensor 50 where only air is present. The capacitance value (second reference value = α2) of the capacitance sensor for correction 50 is detected. Next, the reaping threshing work is started (S2), and then the detection values (β1, β2) of the capacitance sensor 46 and the moisture correction capacitance sensor 50 are read at appropriate time intervals (S3). . Then, the capacitance type sensor 5 for moisture correction
It is determined whether the detected value β2 of 0 is different from the second reference value (α2) (S4). If they are different (S4: yes
), Since the leaked grain immediately after the start of threshing has reached the location of the capacitance type sensor 50 for moisture correction, the moisture retention amount of the grain is calculated based on the detected value β2 ( S5) Next, the flow rate of the grain is calculated by comparing β1 and β2 (S6).

In this way, if control is performed so that the flow rate measurement is started by comparing the detection value β2 of the capacitance sensor 50 for moisture correction with the second reference value α2, the most receiving gutter 2
Various controls can be started immediately in the state where the grains have reached the position 3 and the threshing work can be quickly controlled. In the second embodiment of the measuring circuit shown in FIG. 14, one of the electrodes 52a of the capacitance type sensor 46 for measuring the flow rate of the granular object to be measured and one of the capacitance type sensor 50 for moisture correction are used. The oscillation circuit 60 is connected to the electrode portion 52a, an AC electric field is applied, and a detection signal from the other electrode portion 52b of the capacitance type sensor 46 is passed through the capacitance / voltage conversion circuit (C / V conversion) 61a. Then, the detected capacitance is converted into a voltage and then input to the voltage comparison circuit 62.
Similarly, the detected capacitance from the other electrode portion 52b of the capacitance type sensor 50 for moisture correction is converted into a voltage through the capacitance / voltage conversion circuit (C / V conversion) 61b. After the conversion, the voltage is input to the voltage comparison circuit 62, and the output value of the difference between the voltage values of the capacitance sensor for measurement 46 and the capacitance of the capacitance sensor for moisture correction 50 at a constant flow rate is obtained. Therefore, it is input to the differential amplifier circuit 63. In this case, even if the capacitance type sensor 50 for moisture correction is used,
The amount of water held cannot be measured directly,
Using the fact that the capacitance of the capacitance sensor 46 fluctuates due to fluctuations in the flow rate of grains with the same water content, differential amplification is performed using the difference between the detection values of both capacitance sensors 46 and 50. The circuit 63 can measure the flow rate of the grain at the passing location per unit time. Since the other construction of the measuring circuit is the same as that of the first embodiment,
The same reference numerals are given and the description is omitted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a combine.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the combine.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the threshing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the opening degree control means of the chaff sheave.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of essential parts of a Glen pan and a first receiving gutter portion.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the first embodiment of the capacitance type sensor.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a second embodiment of the capacitance type sensor.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX of FIGS. 8 and 9.

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an arrangement state of the moisture correcting capacitance type sensor in the first receiving gutter portion.

11 is a side view taken along the line XI-XI of FIG.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a measuring circuit using a capacitance type sensor.

FIG. 13 shows a control flowchart of measurement start according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of a measuring circuit using a capacitance type sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Threshing device 15 Swing selection mechanism 18 Chaf sheave 21 Glen pan 23 Ichiban receiving gutter 45, 46, 50 Capacitive sensor 51 Substrate 52a, 52b Electrode part 63, 66 Differential amplification circuit 67 Controller unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A threshing device, such as a combine, having a swinging selection mechanism and a first grain receiving trough located below the handling chamber, wherein either a chaff sheave or a grain pan is provided in the swinging selection mechanism. On one or both sides, a capacitance type sensor configured to measure the capacitance that changes depending on the amount of passage of a granular object to be processed, such as grains passing through that location, is arranged while A capacitance type sensor for moisture correction of the grain is arranged in the grain receiving trough, and after detecting the passage of the grain by the capacitance type sensor for moisture correction,
An apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a granular material to be processed, such as a grain, characterized by starting a flow rate measurement. 2. The first grain receiving trough is provided with a guiding means for guiding the grain toward a position where the capacitance sensor for moisture correction is arranged. The apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a granular material to be processed such as the grain described in. 3. Each of the capacitance type sensors includes an electrically insulating substrate having a wide surface along the flow direction of the granular object to be processed, and a pair of comb teeth formed along the wide surface of the substrate. The electrode is configured such that the tips of the comb tooth portions are inserted into the root sides of the comb tooth portions on the other side of each other.
Alternatively, the apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a granular material to be processed such as a grain according to claim 2.