GB1529905A - Root crop harvester - Google Patents

Abstract

1529905 Root crop harvesters COMHLUCHT SIUICRE EIREANN TEORANTA 4 Nov 1976 [4 Nov 1975] 45969/76 Heading A1F A topping unit 200 comprising subframes 12a, 12b connected about a vertical pivot 19a, is mounted on the front of a tractor for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis 11a under the action of a ram 13. Rootfeeling arms 15 mounted on the subframe 12b have horizontal portions 15E, 15F for engaging opposite sides of untopped roots, and vertical portions 15c, 15d which turn in bosses 40a, 40b according to the deflection by the roots of the horizontal arm portions 15E, 15F. Radial arms 41a, 41b secured to the arms 15 are connected by a track rod 42 and biased into a central position by springs 43a, 43b. A further radial arm 44 secured to the arm portion 15c is operably connected, by means of a turnbuckle 46, to a valve 45 which controls a ram 26, connected between the sub frames 12a, 12b, to steer the sub frame 12b along the row of crop being topped. A lifter unit 300 follows the topping unit and roots are lifted by shares (not shown) or co-operating wheels 32 and flicked by rotating rubber flippers 33 onto a conveyor belt 35 having high-carbon steel cross rods; debris is removed from the roots by a spiked drum 36 which lifts them into an elevating bucket-conveyor 37 for discharge to a collector trailer (not shown). The unit 300 is automatically steered along a row by means of a "Y" shaped root-feeling member 49 the rotation of which operates a valve 45a which controls a steering ram (not shown) between the tractor and the unit 300.