FR2543792A1 - Agricultural machine for thinning the leaves of trees and shrubs - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine for thinning the leaves of vegetable seedlings 39. The rotary blowing nozzles 1 are mounted on a tractor 37. As the latter advances along the row of plants 39, said plants have their leaves thinned by the air blown from the balls 1. This air is blown by rotary nozzles during only part of their circular trajectory. Application: improvement of leaf thinning, particularly for vines or seedlings to be shipped by nurserymen, without damaging the vegetation.

Description

 The present invention relates to a mechanical leaf stripper with compressed gas, intended for stripping all trees, trees, plants, on which the practice of lteffeuillaae is total, or partial, is practiced.

 This sort of leaf stripping is practiced in different types of crops (nurseries S Vines, shrubs, trees X seed, fruit, flowering plants medicinal plants 9 food 9 etc ...) either manually or with various mechanical or chemical processes .

Manual stripping is a very expensive operation and requires a lot of manpower, so
THAT many give up (gain in cost price).

 Mechanical leaf stripping has the disadvantage of causing injury to plants as well as to fruits, seeds or flowers.

Chemical leaf stripping is considered dangerous, unlike mechanical "gas stripping" having no mechanical contact with vegetation
The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks, by making a leaf stripper of a new type, which allows de1 stripping at a lower cost price and which does not harm trees, shrubs, plants, etc. ,,.

 A mechanical stripper with compressed air is characterized in that it comprises at least one nozzle blowing a gas jet in the direction of trees, shrubs or plants to be stripped, this nozzle being animated in movements in a substantially vertical plane and parallel to one or more rows of trees 9 of shrubs or plants, so as to remove only the leaves of these trees, shrubs or plants, without causing injury or falling fruit and seeds.

 According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the leaf stripper only comprises nozzles blowing in one direction and on the same side of one or more rows of trees, shrubs or plants, so that stripping is only carried out on this side of the rows.

 According to a variant of the invention, this side to be stripped can be chosen by the user by a vertical pivoting system.

 According to a variant of the invention, the leafing machine comprises at least one nozzle on each side of the row of trees, shrubs or plants, these nozzles blowing in opposite directions 2 to simultaneously strip the leaves. sides of one or more rows.

 According to an additional characteristic of the invention, each nozzle is situated at a curved end of a pipe supplied with gas and capable of turning around a substantially horizontal axis, which is perpendicular thereto.

 According to a variant of the invention, each nozzle is situated at one end curved at a variable angle, so as to blow in a more or less oblique direction around a substantially horizontal axis which is perpendicular to it.

 According to an additional characteristic of the invention, this pipe is articulated on a support animated by a vertical reciprocating movement.

 According to an additional characteristic of the invention, this pipe is articulated on a support animated by a horizontal reciprocating movement.

 According to a variant of the invention, each nozzle is only driven by a vertical reciprocating movement.

 According to a variant of the invention, each nozzle is only driven by a horizontal reciprocating movement.

 According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the leaf stripper comprises adjustment means making it possible to choose the amplitude of the vertical movements of each nozzle, as a function of the height of the row of trees, shrubs or plants to be stripped .

 According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the leaf stripper comprises adjustment means making it possible to choose the amplitude of the horizontal movements of each nozzle, as a function of the stripping to be carried out.

 According to a variant of the invention, the leafy ef comprises several axes supplied with cha gas that side of the row or rows of shrubs, trees or plants to be stripped.

 According to an additional characteristic, each axis can be moved vertically, horizontally, or obliquely, depending on the height or the density of the stripping to be performed.

 According to a characteristic of the invention, each nozzle has, internally, a conical shape.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the gaseous jets are supplied by the compressed air of a gas turbine turbo-compressor
According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the leaf stripper is adapted on a tractor or on any other mobile device provided with a source of compressed air.

 According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the leaf stripper is adapted on a fixed frame, daps which pass the trees, shrubs, or plants to be stripped.

 According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the air circuit is equipped with a compressed air cooling circuit.

 According to a variant of the invention, there is added a circuit for supplying treatment liquids so as to make leaf removal and treatment on different shrubs, trees and plants, this simultaneously.

 According to a variant of the invention, the leaf stripper is adapted on a mechanical harvesting machine so that stripping is done simultaneously with the harvesting of fruits, seeds or flowers, the stripper being located towards the front of said machine, in the direction of travel.

 According to a variant of the invention, the axial tube is an air distributor which can be provided with a pipe provided with a nozzle.

According to a variant of the invention, the axial tube is an air distributor which can be provided with several pipes provided with a nozzle rotating around a substantially horizontal axis.
According to a variant of the invention, the distributor is provided with a system which makes it possible to supply one or more pipes fitted with a nozzle
According to a characteristic of the invention, each dispenser is equipped with a central core serving as a support for the dispenser capable of rotating around the axis.

 According to a variant of the invention, a stripper element is equipped with at least one distributor.

According to a characteristic of the invention, each distributor can supply compressed air to one or more pipes fitted with a nozzle.
According to a characteristic of the invention, one or more pipes provided with a nozzle can blow in the direction of trees, shrubs or plants, over the entire circumference described by the linear displacement of the pipes around the central axis.

 According to a variant of the invention, one or more pipes provided with a nozzle can blow in the direction of trees, shrubs, or plants, on an arc of a circle of the circumference described by the linear displacement of the pipes around the central axis. .

 According to a characteristic of the invention each stripper element is provided with an adjustment support on a vertical plane.

 According to a variant of the invention, each stripper element is provided with an adjustment support on a horizontal plane.

 According to a characteristic of the invention, each stripper element is provided with a protection guide which channels the vegetation in front of the blower nozzles.

 According to a variant of the invention, each leaf stripper element is provided with a protective casing to avoid any mechanical contact with the vegetation and to protect the moving parts.

 According to a characteristic of the invention, each stripper element is orientable around the axis which is perpendicular thereto.

 According to a characteristic of the invention, each casing which protects the moving organs from a stripper element, comprises a semi-circular slot, on the part facing the vegetation.

 According to a variant of the invention, each housing comprises a circular slot on its part facing the vegetation.

 According to a characteristic of the invention, the slot on each casing is arranged in such a way that it allows air to pass through, without hindering the movement of the nozzles and a support rib is located on each side of the slot.

 According to a feature of the invention, each rib situated on either side of the slot comes to bear on the side of the nozzle, when there is deformation of the casing, so as not to hinder the rotational movement of said nozzle.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the movement of the nozzles is driven by an electric, pneumatic hydraulic motor)
According to a characteristic of the invention, each position adjustment of a stripper element is caused by control - manual, hydraulic, mechanical, electrical, pneumatic.

 According to a feature of the invention, each leaf stripper can be arranged either on a tractor or on any other mobile device.

 According to a characteristic of the invention, several leaf strippers can be arranged according to the needs of the work to be performed, on a mobile device.

 According to a feature of the invention one or more leaf strippers can be arranged on a fixed frame; in this way, it is the trees, shrubs and plants which are placed, as necessary, either manually or by mechanical system, in front of the stripper elements.

The appended drawing, given by way of nonlimiting example, will allow a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention
Figure 1 shows a leaf stripper according to the invention, mounted on an agricultural tractor intended to work between the rows or rows of a plantation.

 Figure 2 is a rear view showing a straddle tractor equipped according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a plan section along III
III (Figure 2), showing a possible arrangement of the blowing "balls".

 Figure 4 is a diametrical section of a blowing "ball" according to the invention.

 Figure 5 is an axial section along V - V (Figure 6) of the rotary hub of a "ball" of circular blowing according to the invention.

Figure 6 is a corresponding section following
VI - VI (Figure 5).

Figure 7 is an axial section of a variable angle blowing nozzle, movable inside a "ball
Figures 8 and 9 are corresponding views for another variant which corresponds to an air distributor for a "ball" blowing over 1800
Figure 10 is a rear view of the machine mounted on a tractor-straddle 2 to work on two rows at a time.

 Figure 11 is a plan view, in the direction of arrow XI (Figure 10) of the device.

 Figure 12 shows a fixed station equipped according to the invention, for stripping shrubs that parade in the chain.

 The machine according to the invention, illustrated in the drawings, comprises one or more blowing "balls" 1, formed by a cover 2 behind the slot in an arc 3 of which rotate one or more jets of compressed gas. In the example illustrated in FIG. F, the slot 3 corresponds practically to an arc of a circle of angle at the center of 1800. The "ball" comprises a flat bottom 4 (FIG. 4) which is fixedly, but adjustable, mounted on a support bar 5. Thanks to the presence of a stirrup 6 for tightening on the support 5 the bottom 4 is adjustable in height on this support 5. Thanks to the presence, on the stirrup 6, of a sleeve 7 in which a rotary tube 9 can be clamped, the bottom 4 is adjustable in rotation around the longitudinal axis 10 of the tube 9, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4 by the arrow 14 - 11.

 Finally, thanks to a clamping bracket 12 whose bottom 4 is provided, to adjust its position on a pivot -13 secured to the tube 9, one can choose its orientation on this pivot 13, as shown schematically in Figure 4, by the arrow double 14. In other words, the blowing "ball" 1 can be adjusted according to any height and orientation relative to the support 5. This support can in particular be secured to a tractor 15 (Figure 1), or a fixed gantry 16 (Figure 12).

Each blowing "ball" 1 (FIG. 4) comprises an air supply pipe 17, opening through a hub 18 on a central rotary distributor 19. The latter is integral with several radial pipes 20, each of which ends, at its end, by a blowing nozzle 21. Of course, the orientation of the blowing axis of the nozzle 21 can vary according to the uses chosen, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 7, by the three possible directions 22, 23, 24. The distributor 19 rotates freely, and in a sealed manner, on the hub 18 which carries a fixed lateral distribution chamber 25. We see in FIGS. 6 and 9 that this distribution chamber 25 concerns only part of the periphery of the hub 18 ( only about 1500, in the example illustrated), so that, when the distributor 19 rotates, only the supplied air is supplied, the pipes 20, the upstream end of which is screwed into a connector 26, 27, 28, 29 of the distributor 19 is located opposite said chamber 25. In the example illustrated in FIG. 9, it can be seen that only the nozzle 21 will blow air, the tube 20 of which is fixed in the connector 26, while the other three , corresponding to the connector 27, 28, 29, will not be supplied (or only slightly supplied), since they are masked by the fixed portion 30 of the hub 18
On its periphery, the distributor 19 compor
te a pinion 30, on which meshes an endless chain 31, which rotates a motor or gear motor 32 (Figure 4)
Above the fixed bottom 4, the "ball" 1 includes a fixed protective casing 2 already mentioned in a rounded and circular shape, behind which the distributor 19 and the blowing nozzles 21 rotate. One or more slots 34 are cut according to a profile in an arc of a circle in front of the part of the trajectory of the nozzles 21, where the latter are supplied with air, and blow outwards as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4S by the arrow 35. The purpose of this casing 2 is to protect the vegetation during use.

The operation is as follows
In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, a blowing ball 1 has been shown, placed on the side of the tractor 15, in a substantially vertical plane. The tractor can then advance between two rows of vegetation (for example, between two rows of vines, or in a row of fruit trees), and the air blown in a rotary manner through the slots 34, from a central 36 producing air or blown gas. This operation results in stripping the vegetation, following a process which experience has shown to be extremely favorable.

 In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, a straddle tractor 37 is used, equipped with two balls 1, located face to face, between its rear wheels 38. Thus, when the tractor 37 advances over a row of plants, shrubs, or vine stocks 39, the leaves are detached by blowing the balls 1.

Of course, the relative orientation of two blowing balls 1 depends on the nature of the work to be performed, and on the plant species to be stripped. Schematically illustrated in Figure 3, several possibilities of orientation, corresponding to a section along III
III (Figure 2). For example, the balls 61 are oriented parallel to each other, and side by side, so as to blow in a plane
On the other hand, the balls 71 are oriented obliquely face to face, in an arrangement similar to that of the balls 1 of FIG. 2
The balls 81 are arranged parallel to each other, but face to face, to blow uniformly, on either side of a row of plants.

 The balls 91 are arranged side by side in the same way as the balls 61, but this time, they blow forward in the direction of movement of the tractor 37, while the balls 61 blow backwards.

 Another variant is illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, designed to work simultaneously on two rows of plants 40 and 41. In this case, the two balls 1 are mounted parallel to each other, parallel to the vertical plane of each row 40 and 41. They are both carried by the same support 42, which an endless chain system 43 and with two return sprockets 44 makes it possible to move transversely, in one direction or the other, as shown schematically by the double arrows 45. This transverse movement makes it possible to follow the exact course of the rows of plants 40 and 41. Of course, the arm 46 supporting each blowing ball 1 is adjustable in orientation (yokes 47) relative to the support 42 of the assembly.

 In the example illustrated in FIG. 12, the two blowing balls 1 are arranged face to face, on a gantry 16, which supports them. This time, the balls 1 are stationary, and it is the plant plants 48 which move relative to them, for example by means of an endless belt conveyor 49 on which they are placed. This type of installation is advantageously used by nurserymen, to prepare 48 plants which have just been dug up and which are proposed to be stripped before sending them for sale.

Claims (23)

 1 - Mechanical stripper with compressed air, characterized in that it comprises at least one nozzle (21) blowing a gas jet (35) in the direction of trees, shrubs or plants to be stripped (-39), (40), (41), (48), this nozzle (21) being moved with respect to one or more rows of trees, shrubs or plants, so as to eliminate only the leaves of these trees, shrubs or plants, without causing injury or falling fruit or seeds  2 - Leaf stripper according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises only nozzles (21) blowing in one direction, and on the same side of one or more rows of trees, shrubs or plants , so that the stripping is carried out only on this side of the rows (40), (41).  3 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that this side to be stripped can be chosen by the user by an adjustable pivoting system (7), (9), (12), (13)  4 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one nozzle (21) on each side of the row of trees, shrubs or plants (39), (48), these nozzles (21) blowing in opposite directions, for simultaneously stripping the two sides of one or more rows.  5 - Leaf stripper according to claim 1, characterized in that each nozzle (21) is located at a curved end of a tube (20) supplied with gas and capable of rotating around a hub (18) with substantially horizontal axis , which is substantially perpendicular to it.  6 - Leaf stripper according to claim 5, characterized in that each nozzle (21) is located at one end curved at a variable angle (22), (23), (24), -on- blow in a direction (35) more or less oblique around a substantially horizontal axis which is perpendicular thereto.  7 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tube (20) is articulated on a support driven by a vertical reciprocating movement.  8 - Leaf stripper according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the tube (20) is articulated on a support animated by a horizontal reciprocating movement.  9 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each nozzle (21) is only driven by a vertical reciprocating movement  10 - Leaf stripper according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that each nozzle (21) is only driven by a horizontal reciprocating movement  11 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises adjustment means making it possible to choose the amplitude of the vertical movements of each nozzle (21) as a function of the height of the row of trees, shrubs or leaf plants.  12 - Leaf stripper according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that 'elme cpm carries adjustment means making it possible to choose the amplitude of the horizontal movements of each nozzle (21) according to the stripping to be carried out  13 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises several axes supplied with gas on each side of the row or rows of shrubs, trees or plants to be stripped (39), ( 48).  14 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each distributor hub (18) of the nozzles (21) is driven in a vertical, horizontal or oblique movement, depending on the height or the density of the stripping to carry out.  15 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims I characterized in that it is adapted on a tractor or on any other mobile device provided with a source of compressed air (36).  16 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is adapted on a fixed frame with gantry (16) in which pass the trees, shrubs or plants (48) to be stripped  17 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a circuit for supplying treatment liquids so as to make stripping and treatment on different shrubs, trees and plants, this simultaneously.  18 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is adapted on a mechanical harvesting machine, so that the stripping is done simultaneously with the harvesting of fruits, seeds or flowers, the leaf stripper being located towards the front of said machine in the direction of travel.  19 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each hub (18) is associated with an air distributor (19) which can be provided with at least one tube (20), carrying a nozzle ( 21).  20 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or more pipes (20) provided with a nozzle (21) can blow in the direction of trees, shrubs, or plants, over the entire circumference described by the linear displacement of the pipes around the central axis of the hub (18)  21 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or more pipes (20) provided with a nozzle (21) can blow towards the trees, shrubs or plants on a circular arc (34) the circumference described by the linear displacement of the tubes around the central axis  22 - Leaf stripper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each leaf stripper element (1) is provided with a protective casing (2), to avoid any mechanical contact with the vegetation and to protect the moving parts.  23 - Leaf stripper according to claim 22, characterized in that each casing (2) which protects the moving organs of a stripper element (1) comprises a slot (34) 'semi-circular on the part facing the vegetation.