AU539552B2 - Sugar cane harvester - Google Patents

Description

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COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTR ALXA

J APP L ICATI ON FGR, h-,TANDARD 'PATENT :90OT3 6 /82 I/We, VERSATILE CORPORATION, I of 2603-595 Burrard Street, VANCOUVER, B.C. CANADA. y her~eby'apply for the grant of' a'standard patent for an invention entitled "SUGAR CANE HARVESTIER"

,which is described in the accompanying provisional/g1KVQ specification.

Details of-basi lication(s): Number of basic Name of o country in Date of basic app!:4 cat ion whip sic applicat 1 filed application

Myour aadress o~ is care of CLEMENT HACK CO., Patent Attorneys, 140 William Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia.

DATED this 20 th day of November, 1981.

VERSATILE CORPORATION

CLEMENT HACK CO,. To: The Coiumi~sioner of Patents-

PF/App/ 2/801

'4

'C inwogff~ofAuslialia The Patent&Act 195 2 -DECARTION IN SUPPORT a

In support of the 6Applicationmnade VERSATILE CORPORATION

.for a patent for 8n invenlioa~enitled: "SUA CANE HARVE.-STEPAt

l( J~~OHN-RUSSEL UREN',' Corporate Solicitor 'of and'careofthe applicant company da solemnly and sincerely declare as follows: ii or h amn R*bej autborised by the applicant(s*for the patent to make this declaration on its behalf,

8 Delete the fOllowing if not aConvention Application.

iIP~ ~~L~atioiJgl an c~ntinnd nc~fi~n 1 '11 fI 4 tb~ -f4e

4 04

4 8 .0 a -4 20y0B-- NnvzmbQr 4 1 1931

Lv VERATILECORP~lATIO

_1 MA

or b) RODNEY ALLEI STIFF, 2.7 Jocumsen Street, Bundaberg, Queensland MALCOMJOHN BAKER, Langbeckers Road, Bundaberg, Queensland, -and 4 LESLIE JOHN LESTER, 72 Sinclair Street, Bundaberg/ Queensland

i4 I(are) the actual inventor(s) of the invention and the facts upon which VERSATILE CORPORATION ir, fare) entitled to make the a.ppliration a~re as-follo-ws: The applicant is the assignee of the said invention f rom the said actual inventors

Declared at'e~,~4his of v 19 8.A

Signed Status- Q1 4 Tb,

Declarant's Nam j. z A F B. RICF CO PATENT ATTORNEYS This forin Issuitable for any typo pf Patent Application. No legalisation re~oired.

A-

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INTRODUJCTION

>ii AUSTRALI APATENT ABRIDGMENT (19) AU (11) AU-B-90736/82

i

(54) SUGAR CANE HARVESTER (71) VERSATILE CORPORATION (21) 90736/82 539552 (22) 20.11.81 (23) 18.11.82 (24) 20-.11.81 (43) 26.5.83 (44) 4.10.84 (51)3 AO1D 45/10 A01D 55/264 A0ID 69100 (72) RODNEY ALLEN STIFF, MALCOLM JOHN BAKER AND LESLIE JOHN LESTER

PF 1633 20.11.81 (74) RI

(56) 44108/79 522060 IPC 3 AO1D 45/10 AU.CL. 33.1 20609/76 485048 IPC 3 AO1D 45/10 AU.CL. 33.1 16770/67 LAPSED IPC 3 A01D 45/10 AU.CL. 33.1 5.47 D(1)

(57) Claim A sugar cane harvester comprising feed means, cutting means to sever crop after it has entered said feed means,

conveying rollers to cdnvey the o-rop to a chopping means

following the severing of said crop by said cutting means,

said chopping means cutting said cfop after said crop has

been conveyed to said cutting means by said conveying

rollers;, and cleaning means to olean said cop, said

-cleaning means domprising a cleaning cylinder, an extractor

fan positioned in the upper port-ion of said cleaning annu/ar cylinder, air intake means surrounding a substantial

portion of the periphery of sa.d cleaning cylinder, and

conveying means for receiving and conveying cut crop from

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0116.(56)/19

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AZ e (11) AU-B-9073682 2- .Z f said cleaning means, said conveying means being rotaitable about an axis and said redciving area of said conveying means being located substantially directly below.said extradtor fan

A sugar bane harvester comprising feed means, cutting means

to sever crop after it has entered said feed means, a

chopping means to c-t said crop after..said crop has been

c6nvefyed to said chopping means by conveying rollers,

cleaning means t o-lean. said cut crop,..said cleaning means

comprising a- cleaning chamber located downstream from said

chopping means, a cleaning cylinder and an extractor fan

located in the upper portion of said cleaning cylinder, air

intake means surrounding a substantial'portion of said

cleaning cylinder allowing air to directly enter the intake

side of said extractor fan, and a conveying means for

receiving and conveying cut ocop from said cleaning means,

said conveying means being rotatable about a substantially

verticl axis and having a receiving area substantially

directly below said extractor fan.

'I- -116(,§6)/20

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9

COMMONEAILTH- OF AUSTRALIA

I'atents Act icy:);:

C 0-ivP L E TE S P EC lFl12AT 0 N (ORGINAL)

90736/82 S, L:tion 49. P;

Application Number PF1633/81 on qovember 191 PL a kr,

14 OO~It ta 11u

aConplt;e S~ecfication Zlodgedl 0C

Accepted Published k01 .Rlioeit0 Y 0 -36 2 Related rt

bh.qame of Api ic ant VERSATILE CORPORATION 0

a 00'.

aaw-Addresk of Applicant 3340-1055 Dunsmuir Street, Box 40153 Bentall Centre, u I n VANCOUVVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, V7X 1K3.

ucQ8 FC tuaI inventor RODNEY ALLEN STIFF iMALCOLM JOHN BAKER LESLIE JOHN LESTER Address for Service F.B. RICE CO." Patent Attorneys, The Forth and Clyde, 101 Mort Street, BALMAIN. 2041 Complete Specification for the invention entitled:

"Sugar Cane Harvester"

The following statement iis a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it kpown to- us

-1I- i iw wpo aU. ay r twn ppllcation ?o legaisauon rerired.

la i I

INTRODUCTION s rl:I

;i -li This invention relates to sugar cane harvesters and, in :I

particular, to an improved leaning and conveying system used

on sugar cane harvesters.

0

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 9

0 4 9 99 0 99Q Sugar cane growing uses medhanization techniques 9r 999

9909 extensively and these techniques have resulted in sugar cane C 99901

9L8S0 99' 9 harvesters being used which are satisfactory for the crop

conditions under which they are used, Present harvesters, 901

however, with few exceptions, are adapted to cut burned cane. foI *n 9 0 9. This is crop which has had the trash cover burned prior to 9' 99

0, 9 99 9 99 O 9 cutting and which, therefore,reduces by a large portion the

9.9Q percentage of chaff or trash to cane which enters the harvester. 9099

0 9;0 o9

9 09 99 CANADA, V7X 11(3. .9r As opposed to this practice, "green cane cutting" has 99 S99 o

0'90I become a favoured method in some circumstances. Green cane 9 0,

cutting is desirable since burning requires additional labour

and is dangerous. Further, green cane cutting allows

harvesting flexibility during wet weather. -C,

Nevertheless, the art of mechanically cutting-green cane is

in its infancy and the problems associated with its cutting I n-vention

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a; .04 have not been fully investigated. Bearing this in mind, it T4q

should be understood that the explanations hfrein are believed

to be correct but that they may nevertheless .rove to be

incorrect or qualified in the years to come as further

knowledge of green cane harvesting becomes available.

4 o a, 000o

*0 a In harvesters used for cane harvesting, the cleaning a* assembly is the area of primary concern. jUniform air .a 4

distribution throughout the cleaning system is desirable since ils a

this'will more efficiently separate the cane from the chaff or

crop trash such as loose leaves and the like. When unburned *o,

crop is being harvested, the cleaning system is under

a a0 additional labor to adequately separate the crop from the chaff a~ 4

for milling purposes, While various cleaning systems have been

431+ used for green cane harvesting, there are disadvantages

*044*44 inherent in all. -4

44, 04

For example, some burned cane harvesters have been used for D green cAvne cutting. These harvesters, while satisfactory at

low' p eds due to the ability of the oleaning system of the

harviester to accept relatively low speed loading, are not able :i to harvest otop at the large capacities which are desirable due

to the qonfiguration of the machine, the inefficiency of the

cleaning system and the general ability of the machine to

accept heavy loading.

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n mind, it

are believed C Harvesters used for green cane harvesting may suffer

,e to be various other disadvantages. For example, a harvester may be

rther adapted for one-row cutting only. One-row cutting is not

ble, desirable because the harvester must travel between rows which

is inefficient. This particular disadvantage is caused by the e

,leaning configuration of the cleaning and conveying system which is i, *i

I- (4p. 7 air (4I (4 required, in part, by the cleaning requirements of green cane it

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sirable since (4 harvesting. i: u

(4 i (4 4 L

the chaff or

en unburned 1401 A further problem relates to present drive systems which

nder are used for driving the chopper rollers in harvesters.

from the chaff Chopper rolls may jam if the soil is rocky or debris laden. At

tems have been the same time, the chopper rolls have relatively little inertia

ntages -by themselves,-and, therefore, without some-additional inertia

comp4risation, they cannot adequately cut the billets when the

crop mat suddenly increases. To overcome this problem, a

been used for flywheel is ordinarily connected to the chopper rolls. In one 4/ 4

sfactory at design, the flywheel, through reduction gears, drives the

ter, of the chopper rolls, the flywheel being driven by the source of r are not able 29 harvester power. In the event the chopper rolls jam however,

desirable due the large inertia of the flywheel is transmitted to the chopper s-I ency of the rolls and since the reduction gears further amplify the inertia j

force of the flywheel, damage to the chopper rolls can result. -1 chine to i To prevent this damage, unnecessarily elaborate release

mechanisms have been designed.

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Similarly, it is also desirable to provide a reversal to

the chopper rolls in the event of jamming so as to attempt to

free the rolls. Methods used to accomplish this with flywheel

driven chopper rolls, however, have been unsatisfactory, again

because they are over-elaborate and do not provide full

operating power in the reverse direction.

Yet a further problem relates to a desire to achieve

o" uniform crop distribution in the cleaning area of a sugar cane

o harvester. Uniform crop distribution is difficult to achieve

because of the various varieties of sugar cane and the crop

conditions under which cane is harvested. Further, the speed

S°o of the chopper rolls may usually be changed to increase or

o.0 decrease the billet length of the cane which also affects crop

Sdistribution in the cleaning area.

Yet still a further problem relates to the conveyancing of

Sthe cut crop from the base cutter to the chopper rolls. The

crop mat which is being conveyed should be substantially

uniform across the width of the c6nveying passage. The feed

2D rolls, used for conveying the crop, should provide a uniform

conveying speed to the crop mat and a uniform pressure on the

crop. Hydraulic flow dividers have been used for the feed

rolls. These are ineffioient and reduce power.

1L S o

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aGpet e f the present invention, there is

disclosed a sugar cane harvester comprising feed means, cutting

means to seyer the cane after it has.entered said feed means,

$4c conveying rollers to convey the cane to a chopping means 4$ 4$ 4; '7 following the severing of said cane by said cutting means, said

oB 44 chopping means cutting said cane after said cane has been ~4 Q

4 conveyed to said cutting means by said conveying rollers, and

cleaning means to clean said crop, said cleaning means

comprising a cleaning cylinder, an extractor fan positioned in a17/7 /s the upper portion of said cleaning cylinder, air intake means '7~r

00 7 surrounding a substantial portion of the periphery of said 4$ 4 4

444

000440 cleaning cylinder, and conveying means for receiving and 4'

conveying cut cane from said cleaning means, said conveying

means being rotatable about an axis and said receiving area of

said conveying means being located substantially directly below

said extractor fan.

Coring to a further aspect of the invention, there

disclosed a e system for chopper rolls in a sugar cane

harvester, said,drive se ct-omprising a plurality of

rotatable chopper rolls, blades on eac said chopper rolls, .1d a reversible hydraulic motor used to drive each of chopper

rolls, first gear means interconnecting said chopper rolls, a

0o

hydraulic fluid pa hrough from one of said hydraulic

motors on one side of said conveying pas the o]pposed feed oll on the opposite side cf said assaae.

0 '0 '0 '0~s BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS u '0 '0 '0o siS '0

'0 '0 '0 An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by

^f way of example only, with reference to the accompanying '0 drawings in which: V

"o Figure 1 i: a side view of a sugar cane harvester according '0

Vl -o to the invention;

o Figure 2 is an enlarged cutaway view of the cleaning and conveying system of the harvester of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cutaway plan view of the harvester showing

the conveying system and the rotation of the conveying system;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the drive system for the

chopper rolls;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the timing and release

~f~i~i i mechanisms of the drive system chopper rolls taken along the id hydraulic line 5-5 of Figure 4; the ojposed

Figure 6 is a schematic of the hydraulic circuit used to

power the drive system; and

STHE DRAWINGS aa r- c Bnuo

OC C Figure 7 is a view of the elevator rotating mechanism. 0; ~t Qcj described, by r EI1)C

qCnu ompanying C C14u p

DEkSCRTPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT ae s

Referring now to the drawings, a sugar cane htvester is rvester according (j ai s shown generally at 100 in Figure 1. It comprises four general a

OQ 1 a D1) mechanisms, namely the gathering area 101, cutting area 102,

,.f C1 feeding area 103, and the cleaning and conveying area 104. e cleaning and R see. c:r 4 CI

C14 The gathering. rea 101 includes topper 105 and crop O O'Q dividers 106. Topper 105 comprises ga{hering discs 107 (see vester showing ,POI I also Figure 3) and cutting discs 108. The gathering discs 107 Dnveying system; and cutting .discs l0S,8 are hydralically driven and fully

reversible. The topper 105 is height adjustable by way of a system for the pair of arms 109 which can be hydraulically raised or lowered

as desired by the operator.

and release Crop dividers 106 inclhde two spiral feed rollers 110, each

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with a respective ground shoe 111 at Its lower portion.

Rotatable "knock-down" rollers 112, 113 are present in the

crop passage area. Fins 114 are intermittently mounted to

knock-down roller 113 across its width to separate the cane

stalks as they are knocked down by roller 113.

The cutting area 102 comprises basecutters 115 which rotate

S and which have blades (not shown) mounted on their periphery

1 "I which sever the base of the cane as it passes into the crop

passage or feeding area 103 of the harvester. Butt roller 116

separates rocks and dirt from the crop mat after it passes from

the base&utters 115. The feeding area 103 comprises feed

rollers 117, 118, 119, 120, each roller being paired with its

opposed pinch roller 117', 118', 119', 120', respectively and

each feed roller being hydraulically powered. The pinch rollers

117', 118', 119', 120' can move inwardly and away from the crop

mat idepending on the width of the mat being conveyed from the

.cutting area 102 through the feeding area 103. At the end of

6- the'~ed roller train, two hydraulically driven chopper rolls

o; 122, 123 are located which sever the crop mat at desired

intervals as they rotate. The chopper rolls 122, 123 are

S attached to a flywheel 124 which allows a greater crop concentration to be cut. The chcpper rolls 122, 123 and the

flywheel 124 connected thereto will be explained in greater

detail hereafter.

uI. 1 1 r portion. The cleaning and conveying area 104 (shown more clearly in

Figure 2) comprises the cleaning chamber 125, extractor fan re preserrt in the 126, discharge hood 127 and elevator 128. Cleaning chamber 125 ly mounted to is substantially cylindrical and a large air intake area 129 arate the cane extends outwardly from the cleaning chamber 125 and extends

Sabout a substantial portion of its periphery as also shown in

Figure 3. s 115 which rotate

their periphery The elevator 128 rotates about vertical axis 129 which into the crop passes substantially through the axis of the extractor fan Butt roller 116 S 9 126. The elevator 128 is rotated in the direction of the ter it passes from arrows (Figure 2) by the use of twin hydraulic cylinders 130 mprises feed (only one of which is shown) as desired by the operator. The paired with its elevator 128 is supported and moved vertically about horizontal respectively and as 131 by hydraulic cylinders 132 (only one of which is The pinch rollers shown). Hydraulic cylinders 132 are each mounted to chain 133 away from the crop which has a track about the base of discharge hood 127. onveyed from the

SAt the end of An energy absorbing plate 134 is positioned on the inside an chopper rolls of cleaning chamber 125. The plate 134 is adjustable about a at desired 21,o: hinge 135 by means of a fastener 136 which extends through an L22, 123 are arcuate opening 137 in the cleaning chamber 125 and is fastened ster crop at any position on the opening. It ipay also be controlled from 12, 123 and the the operator's console if desired. led in greater

i 22.

Tile extractor fan 126 is mounted in the upper portion of the cleaning chamber 125 and is powered by hydraulic motor 138. It creates a draft by utilsing the air sucked into the machine through the air intake -area 129 and discharges the air and crop chaff through discharge hood 127. Discharge hood 127 is rotatable relative to cleaning cba~hber 125 so that the chaff may be discharged in a desired direCtion.

Located directly below the cleaning chamber 125 and extractor fan- 126 is tbe receiving area 121 of the, elevator 128,. The receiving area 121 communicates directly with the intake of -elevator 128. Elevatof 128 also includes elevator chain 139 and flights 140 which rotate about lower and upper axes 1,31, 141. A second extra~ctor fan 142 in extractor hood 143 creates a draft trc remove additional chaff from the cane crop. Deflector plate 144 is mounted on the -end ot elevator 128 to deflect the billets into a transporter (not shown).

The mechanisms used for rotation of the elevator 128 between the two-.sides of the harvester 100 are, 8hown in mor8 detail in Figure 7.

An elevator slew mechanism shown generally at 145 is used -to rotate elevator 128 about vertical axis 129. Two two-arm parallel linkages are used on each side of axis 129. Since the

I mechanism is symmetrical about axis i29, only one side will be described.

Hydraulic cylinder 130 extends frame 146 and piston 147

extends from cylinder 130 with clevis 148 mounted thereon.

Clevis 148 fits between one end of the two link arms 149, 150

which are pivotably mounted to frame 146 by pin 151. A further o link pair 152 is mounted to clevis :48 and excend to bracket 153

where the links are pivotably mounted by pin 154.

Elevator 128 is secured in bracket 153 by pins (not shown)

and may rotate upwardly and downwardly a:bout the pins on

horizontal axis 131 by extending or retracting hydraulic

cylinders 132 (only one of which is shown).

The drive system, the timing and release mechanisms and the

hydraulics used for powering the feed system are shown in more

detail in Figures 4-6.

S Figure 4 depicts the drive system of the chopper rolls 122,

123. Blades 155 are attached to the periphery of the chopper

rolls 122, 123 which are driven by hydraulic motors 156, 157.,

Shafts 158, 159 extend from .he opposed ends of chopper rolls

122, 123 and hubs 160, 161 are mounted on shafts 158, 159. Ring

gears 162, 163 are mounted on hubs 160, 161 and are attached thereto by bolts 164 (not all of which are shown) extending through arcuate shaped openings 165 on the ring gears 162,

163. The combination of the ring gear 163, the hub 161 the

bolts 164 and the arcuate openings 165 act as an adjustment

device shown generally at 166 since the hub 161 may be rotated

relative- to ring gear 163 by loosening the bolts extending through the arcuate openings. When the proper relationship

between ring gears 162, 163 is achieved as is necessary, for

Sexample, when the gears become worn, the bolts are tightened o Thus, the chopper rolls 122, 123 are mechanically securely.

joined by meshing ring gears 162, 163.

A pinion 168 meshes with ring gear 162 and it, in turn,

S drives flywheel 124. A release mechanism is used to. release

the flywheel from the ring gears 162, 163, and pinion 168.

Referring to Figure ring gear 162 meshes with pinion 168

S which is integral with hub 169. Hub 169 rotates on bearings

1 :170, 0. 171 mounted on shaft 172. Hub 169 has an outwardly

.extending circumferential protuberence 173 with a groove

machined in its periphery. A first friction disc-174 is

r' u nied in the groove. Flywheel 124 is positioned with its

disc 175 mounted between friction disc 174 and second .running

friction disc 176. A keeper ring 177 is mounted. against second

'fr disc 176. "ic'tion Bolts 178 extend from protuberance 173

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through keeper ring 177 and a plurality of Belleville washers

179 are positioned over bolts 178 and are secured with nuts

Accordingly, the pressure exerted on the running disc 175

of flywheel 124 by the friction discs 174, 176 can be increased

or decreased as desired by tightening or loosening nuts 180.

Referring now to Figure 6, the hydraulic circuit used to

power the butt roller 116, the spiral feed rollers 110, and the

feed and pinch rollers 117, 117', 118, 118', 119, 119', 120,

a 120' and the chopper rolls 122, 123 is depicted in schematic

form. It will be understood that each of the rollers referred a 9 a4: 9 to is the functioning operative of its respective hydraulic

motor where the fluid flow actually occurs.

A control valve 181 has three positions. In the first

S position, as depicted in Figure 6, hydraulic fluid flows a

through valve 181-and back to. the tank. In this position, no

t fluid passes to the hydraulic motors. In the second position,

.0 I wherein portion A of control valve 181 is operable, such as

Swhen the harvester is under normal operation, fluid flows

0.1 1Athrough valve 181 via line C in parallel"through chopper rolls

S122, 123 and, thence, from one line from chopper roll 122 to

butt roller 116 where, it will be noted, there is double power Sil l exerted because of the parallel fluid source. Chopper feed

Srolls 122i 123 and butt rolls 116 are mechanically connected as

:li,

i.

depicted. Hydraulic fluid also passes in series through pinch

roller 120', feed roller 119, pinch roller 118', and through

feed roller 120, pinch roller 119' and feed roller 118

alternatively, as depicted, such that the mat between the

rollers is subject tQ alternate pressures by the various

rollers throughout the drop cdnveying passage. The fluid also

passes through and powers spiral feed rollers 110, power feed

roller 117, and pinch roller 117' in series as.depicted. S0

In the third position, wherein portion B of control alve' 0 0001 181 is operable, the hydraulic fluid flow is reversed. In this

r ou position, fluid flows first to the various feed and pinch

rollers through line D, thence to the chopper rolls 122, 123 0~ 0a 0 and thereafter to the tank.

In the event the chopper rolls 122, 123 become jammed in

0 0a the normal operating mode, relief valve 182 opens and allows 0

0Cbb the fluid to return to the tank. cr000

0

In the event any of the feed or pinch rolls become jammed

qi 0 in the normi' operating mode, fluid may flow through check

~0 valves 183, 184 and back intoL tjhe tank through relief valve 185.

00,00* 0 In the event, any of the feed or pinch rollers become jammed

ni the reversible mode- with the control valve 181 in

1 Ar V y

0r

position fluid may flow back to. the tank through the

appropriate check valve to protect the jammed motors.

j .4 OPERATION

In operation, after the cane harvester 100 is transported

to the desired area, the operator moves the machine along the 0

row Of cane. The gathering, discs 107 gather the cane tops and

sever and dispose of them on either side of the harvester 100.

The ground shoes 111 set the operating width which determines i a 0: the quantity of cane entering the throat of.the harvester 100

and the :spiral feed rollers 110 gather the crop into the throat 4 00

where the knock-down roller 112 bends the stalks of the cane in tAs

0ga conjunction with the action of knock-down.roller 113. The baseeutters 115 sever the ane and the butt roller 116 feeds ;3 i*0

4~:s the severed cane into the feeding area 103. The crop mat passes through the feed and pinch rollers 117, 117', 118, 118',

I j+ 119, 119', 120, 120' respectively, where the mat is compressed ~b and made more uniform and the rocks and debris are shaken IQ1P iY free. .The crop then passes to the chopper rolls 122, 123 where

it is severed into billet length sections. The drop then

passes to the cleaning and conveying area 104 where the cane

A- billets fall downwardly from the cleaning chamber 125 into the c receiving area 121 and thence to elevator 128.

As the crop leaves the dhopper rolls 122, 123 it may be

deflected by energy absorbing plate 134 if it is desirable to

use the iplate under the particular crop coiditions in order to

,provide -better distribution in the cleaning chamber.

The chaff in the crop, being lighter in weight than the

Sbill'bts, is blown from the discharge hood 127 by extractor fan

126.

;:The billets which have fallen into.the elevator 128 are

Sconveyed to the tap of the elevator 128 by flights 140 on

elevator chain 139 and are thrown towards deflector plate .144

where they are deflected downwardly int. transporters (not

S shown).for shipment to the milling fac-lity.

S Second extractor fan 142 removes additional chaff still

renaining in the crop on elevator 128 with the billets and a discharges it through extractor hood 143.

he turns the harvester around, rotates the elevator 128 to the opposite side of the harvester as depicted in Figure 3 and ,re-commences the harvesting operation. To rotate the elevator

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128, the piston 147 of hydraulic cylinder 130 is extended.

This moves link arms 149, 150 counter clockwise about pin 151. Link pair 152 exerts the necessary force on bracket 153 through

pin 154 and, therefore, elevator 128 rotates through the

desired angle. The two hydraulic,-cylinders 130 are in the .same

hydraulic circuit but c6upled in a reverse flow position such

'that when piston 147 is extended, the opposed piston is

retracted. Thus, the action of the hydraulic cylinders is

complementary.

SIn the event the chopper rolls 122, 123 become jammed by

i n rocks or other debris, they are fully rotatable in a reverse

Sdirection by hydraulic motors 156, 157. Since flywheel 124

contains considerable energy, (in the event the chopper rolls

122, 123 become jammed, thie energy must be dissipated over some interval to prevent- damage. To that end, the release mechanism

for the flywheel 124 is adjusted by either .tightening or

loosening nuts 180. They, in turn, compress or loosen

Belleville washers 179 which, acting on keeper ring 177,

'1 S2o determine the force between running,disc 175 and friction discs

174 176. 'This for-ce determines when the flywheel will break l 1;V hub 169.4 thereby avoiding damage to the chopper rolls :i loose h from fywel s duse b eter.igteig r iu 122, 123.

i Because it is necessary that the blades 155 of the chopper iea ope

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i_:(1;i I' a ._i (i4 roll 122, 123 pass close together to.achieve _-i ,orrect drop jI cutting, the blades 155 may become too close when gears 162, a:1 3 163 begin to wear and interfere. This is compehsated by loosening bolts 164 and rotating rinrg gear 163 relative to hub

Fi 161." Bolts 164 are then tightened. Thus, the blades 155 will

j be prevented from 6ontacting each other and becoming damaged. i

rl

1:r There has been described particular embodiment of the

invention in which many modificitions may be made which will i i- ;i ab~ fall within the .scope of the invention. Accordingly, the r' 'a a a invention should be c5nstrued only by reference to the a ao i ea accompanying claims. ae,~o 4 a ad a~o ;s

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)rrect drop n gears 162, ksated by elative to hub )lades 155 will rniing damaged.

ment of the le which will nyly, the to the

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THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARF AS FOLLOWS

1. A sugar cane harvester comprising feed means, cutting means

to sever crop after it has entered said feed means,

conveying rollers to convey the orop to a chopping means

following the severing of said crop by said cutting means,

said chopping means cutting said crop after said crop has

been 6coveyed to said cutting means by said conveying

rollers, and cleaning.meahs to olean said crop, said

cleaning means romprising a cleaning cylinder, an extractor

fan positioned in the upper portion of said cleaning annu/ar a cylinder, air intake means surrounding a substantial

portion of the periphery of said cleaning cylinder, and

conveying means for receiving and conveying cut crop from

Ssaid cleaning means, said conveying means being rotatable

S* about an axis and said receiving area of said conveying

means being located substantially directly below said

extractor fan.

2. A sugar cane harvester as in claim 1 wherein said chopping

means cuts the cane in said crop into.billets, said billets

dropping from said chopping means into the receiving area

of said conveying means.

3. A sugar cane harvester as in claim 2 wherein the chaff in

said crop is sucked through said extractor fan anc out an

r- exit area located adjacent said extractor fan.

4. A sugar cane harvester as in claim 3 wherein said billets

may be deflected in said cleaning cylinder by a movable

deflector mounted insaid cleaning chamber.

A sugar cane harvester as in claim 4 wherein said air

intake means is located directly adjacent the intake side

of said extractor fan.

6. A sugar cane harvester as in claim 5 wherein said axis of

rotation of said conveying means is substantially colinear ol o

with the axis of rotation of said extractor fan.

000 C 0

7. A sugar cane harvester as in claim. 6 wherein said deflector

is hingedly mounted in said cleaning chamber to be C QO 0) I adjustable about said hinge.

C C 0

0000 8. A sugax cane harvester as in claim 7 wherein said air 0 0 #0 0

intake means surrounds approximately three fourths of the

00040 circumference of said extractor fan.

9. A sugar cane harvester as in claim 8 wherein the entrance

portion of said air intake means is directed upwardly and

air enters said extractor fan after passing downwardly

I

.Ar 4;

:ollers 110, each flywheel 124 connected thereto will be expla-ied in greater

detail hereafter.

"I 3

-2 4

r fan. through said entrance portion and-said air intake means.

rein said billets 10. A sugar ane harvester comprising feed means, cutting means

er by a movable to sever crop after it has entered said feed means, a

er. chopping means to czit said crop aftersaid crop has been

conveyed to said chopping means by conveying rollers,

rein said air cleaning, means tQcLleansaid cut crop, said cleaning means

t the intake side comprising a oalaning chamber located downstream from said

chopping means, a cleaning cylinder and an extractor fan

located in the upper portion of said cleaning cylinder, air

:ein..said axis of intake means surrounding a substantial portion of said

zantially colinear cleaning cylinder allowing air to directly enter the intake

:or fan. side of said extractor fan, and a conveying means for

receiving and cdnveying cut crop from said cleaning means,

:ein said defleGtor said conveying means being rotatable about a substantially

,iber to be vertical axis and having a receiving area substantially

directly below said extractor fan.

ii so -emn said air o 11. A sugar cane harvester as in claim 10 wherein said chopping o r r n?

e fourths of the means cuts the cane in said crop into billets which-drop

from.said cihopping means into said reci~iving area.

emn the entrande 12. A sugar c~ne 'arvester as in claim 11 wherein the chaff in C'

te upwardly and said oxtop is sucked through said extractor fan and blown

ng downwardly out an exit area located adjacent said extractor fan.

-IB i.w_:

13. A sugar cane harvester as in claim 12 wherein said air

intake means surrounds approximately three fourths of the

circumference of said cleaning cylinder.

14. A sugar cane harvester comprising feed means, cutting means

to sever crop after it has entered said feed means,

chopping means to cut the cane in said crop into billets

after .conveying said crop to said chopping means by

conveying means, cleaning means to clean said cut crop,

said cleaning means comprising a cleaning cylinder, an

extractor fan located in the upper portion of said cleaning

cylinder, air intake means surrounding a substantial

portion of said cleaning cylinder and allowing ambient air

i'1 to directly enter the intake side of said extractor fan, o said extractor fan being adapted to suck air through said

cut crop and blow the chaff in..said crop to an exit area tt

downstream from said extractor fan, and a conveying means

for receiving and c6nveying said billets from said cleaning

C; means, the rec'iving area of said conveying means, being

located substantially directly below said extractor fan.

A sugar bane harvester as in ilaim 14 wherein said

c6nveying means is rotatable about a substantially vertical ac a

C~so axis, said axis and said receiving area being located

substantially directly below said extractor fan.

C' 1

A'/7.

23 I 16. A sugar cane harvester substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DATED this 22nd day of May 1984

VERSATILET CORPORATION patent Attorneys for the Applicant:

F.B. RICE t CO.

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