GB2071475A - Beet bolter - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for cutting stems of sugar beet bolters comprises a row of blades 11, 12 mounted for rotation about vertical axes on a horizontal boom 10 arranged to traverse a field at a predetermined elevation. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Beet bolter topper The invention relates to agricultural apparatus of particular application for removing tops of sugar beet plants which have bolted.

In sugar beet growing areas of the country a serious problem has arisen by the inadvertant introduction of a related plant species known as "weed beet". Where weed beet plants grow in the same field as sugar beet they compete with the desired crop for nutrients and space, and sugar beet farmers are at pains to limit the spread of weed beet.

Individual sugar beet plants tend to "bolt" or throw up a flower head at some time during the growing season and if these heads are not removed they may become cross-pollinated with any weed beet in the vicinity with the resu It that seeds of weed beet are propagated and the weed species becomes more widespread.

In an effort to stop the spread of weed beet in this way, sugar beet farmers have attempted to destroy the flower heads or "bolters" by electrification or by flails rotated about horizontal axes, but these means have proved to be inefficient. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a meansforthe removal of sugar beet bolters or other plant stems projecting higher than desired which is simple of manufacture and effective in operation.

According to the invention there is provided agricultural apparatus for removal of sugar beet bolters and the like and adapted to be moved across a field by a tractor, said apparatus comprising a plurality of horizontal cutting means arranged in a row transverse to the direction of said movement at a pre-determined level above the surface of the field.

Each of said cutting means preferably comprises a blade mounted, and provided with drive means, for rotation about a vertical axis. The drive means may comprise a hydraulic motor.

Preferably each blade is arranged at a different elevation from, and on rotation overlaps with, an adjacent blade in the row. The row of cutting means may be mounted on a common horizontal boom or a pair of such booms which may be articulated about vertical axes for storage and transport to and from the field. Preferably the height of the boom or booms is adjustable to vary said pre-determined level.

The invention will be further described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of the invention, whilst Fig. 2 is a side elevation and Fig. 3 is a fractional plan view of the embodiment of Fig. 1; Figs. 4 and 5 are sections on respectively the central and an off-centre spindle in an alternative embodiment.

As shown particularly in Fig. 1, the apparatus comprises a rigid central frame 1 comprising a pair of vertical I-sectioned beams 2, 3, cross braced for rigidity, and a horizontal beam 4. The frame 1 is pivotally mounted by two pairs of arms 5, 6 from a support 7 which is attached to or forms a part of a tractor.

Frame 1 supports an elongate boom 9 comprising upper and lower channel-sectioned beams 8 and 10.

A plurality of flat cutting blades 11 are each supported on a horizontal spindle 13 mounted in suitable bearings in the beams 8 and 10.

On each spindle 13 carrying a blade 11 or 12 has two pulleys 14, 1 l5tastThernon, and one pulley is in driving engagement through an endless band 16 with a corresponding pulley on the next adjacent spindle to one side, whilst the other pulley is drivingly engaged by another band 16 with the corresponding pulley of the next adjacent spindle at the other side. Thus each spindle except the central spindle 17 is driven by an adjacent spindle and each except the terminal spindles in the boom drives at least one adjacent spindle. The central spindle 17 extends upwardly through beam 8 where it carries a further fast pulley 18 which in this embodiment is turned by hydraulic motor 20 acting through pulley 21 and band 22.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 the hydraulic motor 20 is operatively connected to the hydraulic system of the tractor in a conventional manner. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the pulley 18 is replaced by a gear wheel or sprocket wheel and is mechanically coupled to the power-take-off of the tractor (not shown) on which the apparatus is mounted.

As shown particularly in Fig. 1 neighbouring blades 11, 12 are set at different elevations so that although they overlap they do not collide.

In the alternative embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the boom comprises a single rectangular sectioned hollow beam 30 through which pass a plurality of spindles 31 supported in bearings 32. Each spindle carries at its lower end a rotary blade 33 and drives and/or is driven by a neighbouring spindle via pulley 34. The central spindle 36 which also carries blade 33 and pulley 34, extends upwardly from the pulley and carries a further pulley 35 by which it is driven by a hydraulic motor (not shown) as described in relation to the Fig. 1 embodiment.

Guards 37 and 38 (not shown in Fig. 4) are provided respectively for the pulley and for the blades to the rear of the boom in respect of its operational direction of travel.

In order to cut bolters at different elevations according to the season of the year, say at one foot above the ground in July or two-and-a-half feet above the ground in September, the frame 1 and with it the boom 9 may be elevated without any change in orientation by operation of hydraulic cylinder 25 which again is operatively connected to the hydraulic system of the tractor. The hydraulic cylinder 25 operates a ram 24 which is pivotally connected to the lower of the pair of arms 6 whereby each of the arms 5, 6 is tilted upwardly, elevating the frame 1 whilst retaining it in a vertical plane.

The drawing(s) originally filed was/were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

In order to cut any bolters in a broad band of plants in a single path of the apparatus across the field, the boom 9 may be 30 feet or more in length, and for transport to and from the field and for storage the boom is articulated at a point at each side of the centre and such an articulation point is shown in Fig. 3. At each articulation point the beams 8, 10 are divided but secured in end-to-end relationship during the cutting operation by means of a hinge-pin 26 and a removable peg 27 each passing through aligned holes in parallel plates secured respectively to the two portions of the beams. In orderto reduce the width of the apparatus, the peg 27 is removed from the holes and the outer portion of the boom 9 is swung about the hinge-pin 26 until it lies at an angle of 90" or less with the central portion of the boom.

Whilst the machine has been described particularly in terms of its application to the cutting of sugar beet bolters, machines built according to the invention may have other applications.

Claims (8)

1. Agricultural apparatus for removal of sugar beet bolters and the like and adapted to be moved across a field by a tractor, said apparatus comprising a plurality of horizontal cutting means arranged in a row transverse to the direction of said movement at a pre-determined level above the surface of the field.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein each of said cutting means comprises a blade mounted, and provided with drive means, for rotation about a vertical axis.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein each blade is arranged at a different elevation from, and on rotationoverlaps with, an adjacent blade in the row.

4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the row of cutting means is mounted on horizontal boom means.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein the boom means are articulated.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5 wherein the articulation is about vertical axes.

7. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 4, 5 or 6, wherein the boom means are adjustable to vary the predetermined level.

8. Agricultural apparatus for removal of sugar beet bolters and the like and adapted to be moved across a field by a tractor, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.