What is this Red Thing ?

I know what the orange thing in the foreground is; it's the red thing behind it that I am curious about.

This is on a huge grain farm, so I figure it has something to do with grain.

I also see electrical circuit breakers mounted on it; that puzzles me even more.

What is it; what does it do; and, how does it do it ?

Edited by BuckSkin - 18 Feb 2025 at 11:36pm

I agree with Dave. I think it’s a pre-bin grain cleaner.

When people had All-Crops they weren't needed. As combines got bigger and were operated faster, the grain became trashier.

I have seen a similar device that was used to separate fishing worms from their worm castings. Not sure about this one though.

they are still used if grain is harvested with green combines. local elevators use theirs all the time.

Just think of the amount of trash in a 1,000 bushel load. It can really add up if you're hauling all that trash a considerable distance. Yep, the grain elevator docks you for the trash then sells it for filler in feed. 

My Dad's cousin back in the '60's started hauling grain into the grain elevators and he would be docked for his loads. He started cleaning the grain running it through a screener and had no trash at all and had bought the most accurate moisture tester there was and had it right on the percentage point the elevator wanted the grain at.  Well, he still got No.2 price for it... He asked what does it take to get number 1 price? And the elevator rep said that Number one price was reserved for the elevator when they sold it.  So he asked them what the percentage of trash was allowed on Number 2 corn and they said so much, ( I don't remember what value it was for the trash), but he looked at the moisture tester they had at the dump and he bought one just like it and then started combining wet corn and mix in the dry corn just enough to still get number two corn without getting docked... and the fellows couldn't make as much money off his loads after that by mixing it into the trashy wet corn that came. LOL

Had me guessing guys, never seen such a contraption, then again I've ran a Gleaner for years

Batwing mower?

The orange thing appears to be a reporter for cnn

jaybmiller wrote: Have to ask what's the 'green' thing behind the red thing behind the orange thing ??

Next in line behind the red machine are two John Deere "Batwing" mowers; first is a HX20 and second is a HX15.

I have photos of a MX20 that to my eye looks identical to the HX20; anyone know what the difference is ?

Until the batwing MX20, I thought all of the MX__ were 3-point-hitch single-gearbox cutters.

i started screening corn after the 2nd year we used a grain bin on the farm. we were docked from the fines that flowed out into the trucks from the center of the bin. we also found out it was a good thing to screen the grain going into the bins as the less fines that clogged up air flow thru the grain...thus better and cheaper by not using as much electric/gas. in a few problem fields i left the solid covers on the elevators of the combine, putting the weed seed into the grain tank, lots less chemicals were needed in those fields the next year. the weed seed was screened out at the bin, and was used to feed poultry, they ate the weed seed just as good as the grain fines.  when a local feed mill found out i screened all my grain, they made offers to buy my grain over others and always gave me a better price than the others and always over the market prices. having a screener was a win/win. of course you don't learn all this in just a few years, have to keep track of what's happening each year, no one is gonna tell you about any benefits of this, elevators don't want you cutting into their profits!