GB2126975A - Root crop harvesters - Google Patents

Abstract

A root crop harvester has flights (32) on an elevator trace (16) for conveying root crop after separation at traces (3, 6, 14) for a trailer (18). The flights (32) are pivotable so as to lie flat in a collapsed condition to receive root crop after separation and to be erect when lifting the root crop. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Root crop harvesters The invention relates to harvesters for root crops in particular potatoes, but of possible use also for carrots, bulbs etc.

Known agricultural harvesters employ a digging blade which lifts the root crop and soil onto a web or trace or a plurality of such traces in succession which elevate(s) the crop whilst removing soil in one or more stages. The crop is then dropped onto an elevator belt or trace having upstanding flights for conveying the crop into a trailer. Haulm removers etc. may be interposed as appropriate.

Crop damage occurs as the crop drops from one web or trace onto another or onto the elevator trace. As harvester speeds are increased the damage may be aggravated.

Amongst the aims of the invention is to permit harvesting whilst reducing crop damage.

The invention provides a harvester for root crop including an elevator trace for receiving root crop after separation and conveying root crop upwardly to a collection station in which the elevator trace carries pivotable flights and guide means are provided so that the flights are collapsed when receiving root crop and erected when conveying root crop upwardly.

The separation serves as usual to remove soil and haulm as appropriate. The collection station is generally in the form of a depending guide for the trace for lowering the crop into a trailer. The flight arrangement of the inventor not only permits crop to be deposited onto the elevator trace from a low height but also leads to a number of consequential or attendant advantages.

Such advantages can be achieved in a simple manner by using a construction in which the flights are pivoted on rods extending transversely to the path of movement of the elevator trace and have guide portions for engaging guide rails situated inside the trace to hold the flights erected when conveying root crop upwardly. Preferably then the elevator trace is arranged to convey root crop horizontally and downwardly over the side of a trailer for collection after conveying the root crop upwardly and the flights are guided by further guide rails to hold them erect when moving horizontally and with downward inclination.

The flights can be located closely together so as to lie virtually end-to-end in the collapsed condition. Carrying capacity can be increased.

Independent control of elevator speed permits this capacity to be used most efficiently. Other modifications may be made to reduce crop damage in other stages of harvester operation.

The details and advantages emerge more clearly from the following description with reference to the drawings.

Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of operating parts of a root crop harvester of the invention with structural and guidance components of conventional nature omitted for clarity; Figure 2 is an enlarged exploded view of flight and its mounting for use on an elevator trace of the harvester of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows successive stages in operation of the harvester of Figure 1; Figure 4A shows a cross-section through a midway position of a modified flight for use on the harvester of Figure 1; and Figure 48 shows a cross-section at a position laterally spaced from the position illustrated in Figure 4A.

Particular Embodiment A root crop harvester (Figure 1) has digging blades between discs 2 which lift root crop and surrounding soil onto a first trace 3 to a haulm removal roller 4 which may be assisted by deflecting fingers (not shown). The crop drops onto a second trace 6 along arrow A, and is conveyed past an optional agitator for the second trace to a second haulm and clod removal roller 8.

The trace 6 is guided at the top by a small diameter roller 10 and is driven by an underslung drive sprocket 12. The roller 8 can be pivoted along a considerable arc of approximately 900 from a 3 o'clock position to a 6 o'clock position along arrow B to adjust the haulm and clod removing action. This arrangement permits the crop to drop to an extent of from 5 to 6 inches (1 in = 25.4 mm) in the direction of arrow C on a supply trace 14. This low drop reduces crop damage at this stage when the crop usually is more vulnerable because its fall is no longer cushioned by soil to a great extent.The supply trace 1 4 advances the crop to a position midway an elevator trace 16 for lifting crop up and into a separately driven trailer 1 8. Flexible panels 1 7 may be provided to break the fall of some of the crop and help to distribute the crop evenly across the width of the trace 1 6. Optionally a platform 20 may be provided on the harvester. The panels 1 7 may be omitted and the trace 1 6 positioned at an angle (approximately 750) to the trace to obtain the same effect of spreading the crop evenly across the width of the trace 1 6. If however a haulm or trash remover is fitted (not shown) the trace 1 6 must be at 90 .

The harvester is supported on wheels 22 (only one of which is shown) and a frame which permits the elevator trace 1 6 to pivot bodily about an upright axis to align it parallel to the traces 3 and 6 for road transport. The upper and downwardly inclined parts of the elevator trace 1 6 are pivotably mounted by a hydraulic ram (not shown) to permit the end 24 to be kept close to the crop level in the trailer 1 8. Traces 3, 6, and 14 are driven by a take-off from the tractor pulling the harvester. The elevator trace can be driven at an adjustable speed by a hydraulic motor 26.

The traces are guided by appropriate guide rollers. The crop is confined on the traces by side panels not shown for clarity in conventional manner.

The elevator trace is made up of two traction belts one at each side to which are attached transversely extending rods 30 (Figure 2) at spacings appropriate for a given crop. The belts have a releasable junction to permit the trace to follow an endless path. Flights 32 are pivotably connected to the rods 30 at regular distances along the length of the trace 1 6. In one construction (Figures 2 Er 3) a pair of cores 34 are inserted at each side into a channel 36 in the flight 32. The cores 34 may be made of two tubes welded together. The flights are cut away at 38 to expose the underside of the cores 34 so that guide plate 40 can be welded to them. The rods 30 are passed through one tube of the cores 34 and the flight 32 is centered, unobtrusively on the rod 30 by a ring 42 or washer. The rod 30 and flight 32 can then be secured to the belts.

The shape of the flights 32 is such that they can pivot through approximately 900 with respect to the trace 1 6.

Travelling to the start position at 44, the flights 32 hang down vertically (see Figure 3). As the trace 1 6 is guided through 1 800 in the direction of arrow E by guide pulleys engaging the sides of the trace 16, the flights 32 collapse and come to lie flat on the trace 1 6 virtually end-to-end. The flights 32 travel through a crop collection area in this attitude in the direction of arrow F. Then as the tracer 16 commences to travel upward (arrow G), a set of guide rails 46 (which may be preceded by a roller 47 for an easier action) engage the guide plates 40 of the respective flights 32 and hold the flights 32 in a slightly upwardly inclined attitude for elevating the crop.The flights 32 retain their erected attitude when travelling horizontally and then downwardly towards the trailer 1 8 (arrow H) aided by guide rails 48.

Figure 3 shows as a dotted line the height to - which flights would reach in conventional machines. Root crop has to be supplied from well above that dotted line in such machines to allow for the turning of the supply trace. In the invention the root crop can be delivered from a position much closer to the trace 1 6. The drop of the crop may be equal to or less than the height of the flight. The crop is less likely to be damaged by the fall for this reason. The crop also falls onto the flat sides of the flights 32, made of rubber, and not onto the ends thereof or the metal rods 30 between them. The elevator trace 1 6 can be positioned higher permitting an operator standing on platform 20 to remove clods etc. from a convenient height.Alternatively a separate haulm remover arrangement can be attached to the back over the trace 1 6.

The crop can be spread out evenly over the trace 1 6 in the collection area so ensuring that when the flights are erected, they are loaded relatively evenly. The flights 32 need not be spaced widely to ensure proper loading in the crop collection area and can be mounted relatively closely. The conveyor can carry a greater load and/or run more slowly and the crop rolls about less between flights 32 when the trace 1 6 turns horizontally and then downwardly. The motor speed 26 can be set independently of the tractor and harvesting speed so as to utilise the lifting capacity of the trace 1 6 to the full. The guide rails 46 hold the trace 1 6 steady.

With reference to Figures 4A, and B in another construction the flights 32 are of generally similar shape but are bent over at the top so to permit closer layering of the flights when they lie alongside the trace and to provide better crop retention when elevated. The flight 32 has a longitudinally extending through aperture 52 with a key-hole type section including a circular part 54 and a flattened part 56. Recesses 58 are cut into the flight 32 and cross the aperture 52 at two positions spaced laterally from the midway position illustrated in Figure 4A. The circular part holds a tube 60 with a pin 62 at the midway position (See Figure 4A). Flat keying plates 64 are welded to the tube 60 and extend through the aperture 52 ta lie across each of the recesses 58 (Figure 4B) so as to hold the tube-plate assembly against turning. The guide plates 40 can be welded to the exposed portions of the flat plates 64. Assembly of these flights to the trace is completed by inserting a rod 66 one half of the rod length 30 into the tube 60 up to the pin 62. The plates 64 may have a length, if required corresponding to the full width of the flights 32.

This other flight arrangement has fewer exposed parts capable of damaging crops, can be assembled more easily as the rods 30 do not have to be threaded all the way through a pivot tube, centre conveniently on the trace, and is easily manufactured. The flights have a good lateral stability.

Claims (7)

1. A harvester for root crop including an elevator trace receiving root crop after separation and conveying root crop upwardly to a collection station in which the elevator trace carries pivotable flights and guide means are provided so that the flights are collapsed when receiving root crop and erected when conveying root crop upwardly.

2. A harvester according to claim 1 in which the flights are pivoted on rods extending transversely to the path of movement of the elevator trace and have guide portions for engaging guide rails situated inside the trace to hold the flights erected when conveying root crop upwardly.

3. A harvester according to claim 2 in which the elevator trace is arranged to convey root crop horizontally and downwardly over the side of a trailer for collection after conveying the root crop upwardly and the flights are guided by further guide rails to hold them erect when moving horizontally or with downward inclination.

4. A harvester according to any of the preceding claims in which a supply trace is arranged drop root crop on the elevator trace, means are provided for spreading the crop evenly over the elevator trace, and the supply trace is arranged close to the elevator trace.

5. A harvester according to claim 1 in which a further trace is driven by tractor take-off drive at a position remote from the end at which that trace turns for depositing crop onto the supply trace, and haulm removing roller is arranged between the further trace and the supply trace adjustable angularly through a large arc for controlling the haulm removing action.

6. A harvester according to claim 5 in which the elevator trace is driven by a motor at a variable speed independently of the speed of the other traces.

7. A harvester substantially as described with reference to and as shown in the Figures.