GB1299445A - Improvements in or relating to apparatus for harvesting root crops - Google Patents

Abstract

1299445 Root crop harvesters K TOULE 15 July 1970 [22 Aug 1969] 41992/69 Heading A1F [Also in Division B2] A root-crop harvester comprises an openended rotating, drum of apertured construction, through which the crop passes. A share 27 lifts the crop, which is carried to the drum 38 by the main and auxiliary lifting conveyors 17, 18. The facing laps of these conveyors are substantially parallel, travelling in the same direction at substantially the same speed, and their lower portions are relatively adjustable by the bracket 37. The share pivots about the lower shaft of the main lifting conveyor enabling its angle to be varied by the turnbuckle device 31. The frames 19, 21 of the lifting conveyors are carried by the rod 24, passing through the main framework 11, which is fitted with an adjustable compression spring 26 serving to support a substantial part of the weight. The drum is made up of axially-spaced hoops 42 held in place by circumferential bars 43, and fitted with spaced annuli 44 which enable the drum to be rotated by pairs of rollers 45, thus causing a tumbling action in which loose soil is shaken from the crop. The drum lies horizontally and the crop passes through by means of a multi-start helical conveyor 41, formed with a series of spaced fingers 47. These fingers serve to lift tops or other leaf matter, dropping them on to a disposal conveyor 48 passing through the drum, whilst the crop passes into a further lifting conveyor 49 in the shape of a wheel. This wheel is rotated in a similar manner to the drum, by means of channels 51 and rollers 52, and is provided with a series of lifting blades 53 which transport the crop and deposit it on to a main sorting conveyor 54 passing through the upper part of the wheel. The crop is maintained between the blades in the upper part of its path by one lap of an endless guide belt 57. Above this conveyor 54 is a series of adjustable rotatable brushes 59, 60, 61, rotating such that their lower peripheries move in an opposite direction to that of the upper lap of the conveyor. The brushes are arranged to collect different sizes of crop and deposit them in distinct lanes on a manual sorting conveyor 62 'where any remaining stones are removed. The sorted crop is transported to a delivery conveyor 63 and thence to a chute 64, whereas small stones and small sizes of crop pass under the third brush 61 and are carried to a disposal chute 56. The harvester is towed behind a tractor, and has two shares 27 to deal with two ridges at the same time.