GB2032240A - Root crop harvester - Google Patents

Abstract

In a root crop harvester, a header assembly 12 feeds beets from digger unit 42 to a conveyor 52 and thence to a transverse conveyor which converges the crop. The transverse conveyor comprises a flighted grab roll 56 and two short rolls 58 and 60 with a central space between them. The converged crop drops through this space on to an upwardly inclined fore-and-aft conveyor formed by pairs of contra- rotating grab rolls 98 and 100, 102 and 104, 106 and 108. The beets are tumbled up this conveyor and discharged sideways into an elevating wheel conveyor 92 which, with the fore-and-aft conveyor alongside, lies between the ground wheels 80 of the processing chassis. The sideways discharge is promoted by rotating rear parts 130, 132, 134 of the rolls 98, 102, 106 in opposite sense to the front parts 136, 138, 140 so that, at the rear, all six rolls urge the beets across to the wheel conveyor 92. In addition, the incline of the rolls increases from the roll 98 to the roll 108 so that the rear part of the fore-and-aft conveyor has a transverse slope down towards the wheel conveyor. <IMAGE>

Description

1

GB 2 032 240 A

1

SPECIFICATION Root crop harvester

5 The present invention relates generally to root crop harvesters such as beet harvesters.

Root crops such as sugar beets commonly have substantial amounts of dirt clinging to them as they are removed from the soil. If the dirt is not substan-10 tially removed from the beets during the field harvesting operation, harvesting productivity and capacity will be reduced and the price received for the beets will be affected.

To remove the dirt, conventional beet harvesters 15 are provided with multiple conveyors to separate the dirt from the beet as it is conveyed through the harvester. These harvesters typically provide a first conveyor which receives the beets from the digging means and then delivers the beets for subsequent 20 tumbling and cleaning to several other conveyors prior to elevating them for discharge into a storage tank or a cart moving alongside the harvester. These conveyors are generally quite long in orderthatthe time during which the beet or root is tumbled and 25 scrubbed shall be sufficient to remove the dirt.

As a result, conventional root crop harvesters are typically wide and long with portions of cleaner conveyors extending laterally beyond the ground support wheels of the harvester. Often these con-30 veyors prevent transport of the harvester over narrow roads or bridges. Further, large buildings must be provided to store the implement between the harvesting seasons.

Another problem encountered with many conven-35 tional harvesters arises from the weight distribution of these multiple and lengthy conveyors on the ground support wheels. To permit the beets to be elevated for transfer to a truck, some of the conveyors must be grouped to one side of the harvester. 40 The weight of that portion of the conveyors that extends laterally outside the ground support wheels results in side drafts during transport or field operations. Accordingly, steering is affected and the wheels will often slip or skid in wet or muddy field 45 conditions.

According to the present invention, there is provided, a root crop harvester comprising a main frame supporting a fore-and-aft conveyor formed by at least one pair of flighted, contra-rotating rolls, a 50 header assembly at the front of the main frame and including crop digging and lifting means and the fore-and-aft conveyor, the transverse conveyor between digging and lifting means and the fore-and-aft conveyor, the transverse conveyor being formed by 55 a plurality of flighted rolls including at least one short roll adjacent the end of which is an opening in the transverse conveyor over the front end of the fore-and-aft conveyor, the tranverse conveyor being arranged to move crop to the opening to drop on to 60 th e fo re-a n d-aft co nveyo r.

The longitudinal conveyor is preferably on a narrow processing chassis that can be attached to header assemblies of different widths and also has the capacity to process the harvest of each header 65 assembly. The chassis of the preferred embodiment is provided with simplified support connections whereon the various header assemblies can be mounted. The power train arrangements between the chassis and header require that only two drive 70 couplings be connected to transmit power from the PTO of the tractor to the operating components of the header assembly and processing chassis. The transverse conveyor is part of the header assembly. A bracket on the chassis serves as a header support 75 in that it supports the spaced apart terminating ends of two transverse grab rolls on the header which form the discharge opening to the fore-and-aft roll conveyor. The bracket further serves to support the forward end of the fore-and-aft grab roll conveyor. 80 The narrow configuration for the processing chassis is provided by utilizing a single cleaner conveyor in the form of a fore-and-aft extending roll conveyor that is carried between the support wheels of the chassis. The processing capacity of this four roll 85 conveyor is easily changed by adding or removing two rolls. To further aid in maintaining the narrow configuration, an elevating wheel conveyor is also carried between the ground support wheels and receives the beets from the fore-and-aft conveyor 90 which has been adapted at its rearward end to move beets transversely.

Dirt and other foreign material are removed from the beets by utilizing grab rolls in the header gathering conveyor and the fore-and-aft processing 95 conveyor. The grab rolls of the latter conveyor are inclined upwardly from front to rear to increase the beet travel time and scrubbing action and they also have a transverse slope at their discharge end to assure sideways discharge of the beets. 100 Steering control ofthe harvester is improved and wheel slippage in wet or muddy field conditions is minimized through positioning the processing chassis conveyors between the support wheels and by supporting the header assembly on the framework 105 of the processing chassis.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 is a plan view of a beet harvester 110 embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side view ofthe beet harvester.

Figure 3 is a view from the rear end ofthe beet harvester.

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the 115 beet discharge area between the transverse conveyor and a modified fore-and-aft conveyor having four fore-and-aft rolls.

Figure 5 is a schematic illustration ofthe header assemblies which can be simply mounted on the 120 processing chassis.

Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of the operating component drives and connections on the header assembly and processing chassis.

Figure 7 is an enlarged plan view ofthe reversing 125 roll area and its drive arrangement.

Figure 8 is a view taken along line 8--8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a view taken along line 9-9 of Figure 7.

Figure 10 is an end view ofthe drive arrangement illustrated in Figure 7.

130 Referring to Figures 1,2 and 5, the beet harvester

2

GB 2 032 240 A

2

10 includes a header assembly 12 and processing chassis 14.

As illustrated in Figures 1,2 and 5, the header assembly 12 is rigidly attached to the processing 5 chassis 14. The header assembly 12 includes a frame structure composed of vertically spaced, transverse forward beams 16 and 18 joined together by vertical plates 20. The top beam 16 is rigidly connected at its opposite ends to transversely spaced fore-and-aft 10 beams 22 and 24. These latter beams 22 and 24 are in turn connected by bolts to a chassis frame 26 at positions 28 and 30 respectively. A third header fore-and-aft beam 32 provides additional structural stability to the header assembly 12 and is connected 15 at its opposite ends to the header beam 16 and the chassis frame at position 34. Figure 5 illustrates three different header assemblies 12,12' and 12" adapted for mounting on the processing chassis 14. In the large assemblies, the similar components are 20 identified by identical members with prime designations or double prime designations. Those components function essentially the same as in the more narrow header assembly 12 discussed herein in detail.

25 The forward end ofthe header assembly 12 is supported by a hitch structure 36 illustrated partially in Figures 1,2 and 6. This structure 36 is pivotally connected to the transverse forward beams 16 and 18for swinging movement about a horizontal axis 30 and is adapted at its forward end in a conventional manner for connection to the drawbar of a tractor. The hitch 36 carries a PTO shaft 38 which transmits power from the tractor PTO to the various operating components ofthe harvester 10. 35 Conventionally supported on respective standards 40 which depend from the lower transverse beam 18 are digger wheel units 42. The standards 40 are adapted for transverse movement on the lower beam 18 to accomodate various row spacings. While 40 not illustrated, each digger unit 42 is adapted for vertical adjustment as well as lateral adjustment. Each unit 42 is composed of a pair of cooperating digger wheels 44 rotatably supported on opposite sides ofthe vertical standard 40.

45 Rearwardly spaced from each digger wheel unit 42 is a paddle wheel 46 which projects between the upper, rear portions ofthe adjacent wheels 44 to receive beets lifted from the soil. The paddles 46 are carried on a common shaft 48 which extends 50 transversely between upstanding side plates 50 of „ the header assembly 12. Each paddle 46 is mounted on the shaft 48 to permit it to be transversely adjusted for the desired row spacing.

The paddles 46 are driven in a counterclockwise 55 direction, as viewed in Figure 2, to lift the beets elevated by the digging units 42 and shift them rearwardly on to a transverse chain conveyor 52 located immediately behind the digger units 42. Conventional star wheel-type conveyors could be 60 utilized in place ofthe preferred chain conveyor illustrated. The chain conveyor 52 extends rearwardly and is inclined upwardly from the digging units 42 as best shown in Figure 2. After the beets have been deposited on the chain conveyor 52, they are moved 65 rearwardly on to a transversely extending grab roll conveyor 54 positioned immediately to the rear.

The transverse grab roll conveyor 54 in the preferred embodiment is composed of three parallel, cooperating grab rolls 56,58 and 60. The roll 56 70 spans the whole width ofthe processing frame 14. The rolls 58 and 60 are short rolls coaxially arranged behind the roll 56 with a space between the rolls 58 and 60. Each roll 56,58 and 60 is composed of a cylindrical tube having spiral flightings 62 fixed 75 thereto. The diameters of these tubes and their respective flightings are similar so as to minimize the damage that could occur to the beets as they are conveyed and tumbled in the trough formed between the rolls.

80 Each tube is supported on a shaft 64,66 and 68 which extends through to opposite ends. Each end ofthe shaft 64 and its roll 56 and the outer ends of the shafts 66 and 68 and their respective rolls 58 and 60 are carried in bearing supports mounted on the 85 upright plates 50. As will hereinafter be described in detail, the inner ends ofthe shafts 66 and 68 for the rolls 58 and 60 respectively are supported by L-shaped brackets 70 carried beneath the chassis frame 26 and best illustrated in Figure 4.

90 The roll 56 has opposite-handled flightings on its two halves which converge the crop to the centre. Each roll 58 and 60 rotates in the opposite sense to the roll 56 and has flighting of opposite hand to that of the flighting on the adjacent half of the roll 56. The 95 rolls 58 and 60 thus also converge the crop to the centre. The crop drops on to a fore-and-aft grab roll conveyor 72 carried beneath the chassis frame 26, through the opening illustrated in Figure 4 between the spaced rolls 58 and 60. As the beets are 100 conveyed towards this opening, the scrubbing and tumbling action caused by the rotating flightings 62 removes dirt and other foreign material from them.

The discharge opening in the transverse conveyor 54 is formed between the adjacent terminating ends 105 ofthe grab rolls 58 and 60. As is best viewed in Figure 4, these rolls 58 and 60 are supported by bearings 74 and 76 which in turn are carried by the L-spaced brackets 70 that depend from the front end of the transverse beam 78 ofthe processing chassis 110 14. These bearing supports 74 and 76 and the bolted connections at 28,30 and 34 are the only structural connections supporting the header assembly 12 on _ the chassis 14. As schematically illustrated in Figure 5, various header assemblies of differing widths can 115 be provided whereby the same connecting structure, will permitthedealerorbuyertoadapttheimple-ment to whatever row width, row spacing or capacity is required.

Returning to Figure 1,the processing chassis 14 120 includes a generally rectangular frame structure carried on left and right pairs of ground-engaging wheels 80. The frame structure includes transversely spaced, fore-and-aft extending members 82 and spaced, transversely extending members 78,84 and 125 86. The tandem wheels 80 are rotatably supported on respective beams 88 which in turn are pivotally coupled with respective depending supports 90 that are bolted to the transverse frame member 84.

The chassis 14 carries the centrally loacated, 130 fore-and-aft extending, roll conveyor 72 between the

3

GB 2 032 240 A

3

wheels 80 and an elevating wheel conveyor 92 which is offset from a fore-and-aft centre line through the chassis 14. A storage tank 94 is carried on the frame structure and a reversible and extensible cross 5 conveyor 96 receives roots from the wheel conveyor 92 and discharges to the tank 94.

The fore-and-aft roll conveyor 72 is composed of three adjacent, paired, cooperating, counter-rotating grab rolls 98 and 100,102 and 104, and 106 and 108. 10 The forward end of this conveyor 72 is below the discharge opening in the transverse conveyor 54 of the header assembly 12. The forward ends ofthe grab rolls 98,100,102,104,106 and 108 are supported along a generally horizontal line below 15 and forwardly of the transverse grab rolls 58 and 60. These six rolls are supported at their forwardly ends in bearing blocks that are carried by the depending L-shaped brackets 70.

These brackets 70 are best shown in Figures 2 and 20 4 and are composed of a first leg 110 bolted to the transverse frame member 78 ofthe chassis 14 and depending therefrom and extending slightly to the rear. At its lower end, the leg 110 carries in cantilevered fashion a forwardly projecting leg 112 25 which supports at its forward end the bearing supports 114 for the fore-and-aft grab rolls ofthe roll conveyor 72. Each depending leg 110 of each bracket 70 further carries midway between, its ends a bearing support 74 or 76 upon which a respective shaft 66 30 and 68 is mounted. It is between the terminating ends of these grab rolls 58 and 60 and above the lower forward end of the fore-and-aft conveyor 72 that the discharge opening is formed and through which the beets pass from the transverse roll 35 conveyor 54 to the fore-and-aft roll conveyor 72.

As is best shown in Figures 2 and 3, the fore-and-aft roll conveyor 72 is inclined upwardly from front to rear and also transversely inclined at its rearward end across its width from a low point adjacent the 40 wheel elevator 92.

Each fore-and-aft grab roll ofthe conveyor 72 is composed of a cylindrical tube supported on a respective shaft 116,118,120,122,124 and 126. The forward ends of these shafts are supported in the 45 journal supports carried by the L-shaped brackets 70. Each pair of counter-rotating rolls 98 and 100,102 and 104, and 106 and 108 is provied with opposed flightings 128 to move the beets rearwardly in the troug formed between the pair of rolls. The flightings t 50 128 additionally act to scrub and tumble the beets to remove dirt and other foreign material as they are conveyed.

The rearward end of the fore-and-aft conveyor 72 is provided with a reversing roll area adapted to 55 move the beets transversely for discharge into the elevating wheel conveyor 92. The construction ofthe reversing roll area forms the subject matter of our copending application No. 7933314 (Serial No. 2032239) of even data also claiming priority from 60 U.S. applications 947 181 and 947 182. To accomplish this transverse movement, the rearward portions ofthe grab rolls all rotate in the same direction, i.e., towards the elevating wheel conveyor 92. As is best viewed in Figures 1 and 7, the rearward sections 65 130,132 and 134 ofthe rolls 98,102 and 106 are separate from their respective forward sections 136, 138 and 140. Each set of coaxial sections rotates about a common shaft with the forward end of the rearward sections 130,132 and 134 being suported 70 on separate bearings carried on their respective shafts within them. The drive arrangement illustrated in Figures 7,8,9 and 10 rotates each ofthe rear sections 130,132 and 134 in a direction opposite from that direction of rotation of its forward counter-75 part section 136,138 or 140. Consequently, beets conveyed rearwardly between adjacent pairs of rolls are tumbled transversely toward the wheel conveyor 92 as they reach the area ofthe rear or reversing sections 130,132 and 134. The reversing roll sections 80 130,132 and 134 have a diameter similarto that of the flightings of their respective forward sections 136,128 and 140 to minimize crushing damage to the roots as they reach the discharge area. Further the reversing roll sections 130,132 and 134 have no 85 flightings fixed thereto which could inhibittrans-verse movement ofthe beets toward the wheel elevator 92.

The fore-and-aft conveyor 72 is inclined from front to rear to extend the time required for the beets to be 90 conveyed along it. In the preferred embodiment, the incline is approximately 7°.

Bar-type side shields 142,144 and 146 are also provided along each side of the fore-and-aft conveyor 72 to contain the beets as they are scrubbed 95 and tumbled up the 7° incline.

As best shown in Figures 3 and 10, the rearward ends ofthe shafts about which the fore-and-aft rolls rotate are also inclined upwardly from a low point adjacent the elevating wheel conveyor 92 to utilize 100 gravity in discharging the beets transversely into the wheel conveyor 92. This incline in the preferred embodiment is approximately 3°. Accordingly, the grab roll 98 nearest to the wheel conveyor 92 is inclined at approximately 7° and the grab roll 108 105 furthest from the wheel conveyor 92 is inclined at approximately 10°.

To contain the beets and ensure that they are discharged from the fore-and-aft conveyor 72 into the wheel conveyor 92, the side shields 142,144 110 adjacent the grab roll 98 nearestthe wheel conveyor 92 extend both forwardly of and rearwardly ofthe wheel conveyor beet-receiving area.

The wheel conveyor 92 is supported for rotation about a generally horizontal axis. As shown in Figure 115 3, this axis is inclined from horizontal slightly so as to position the beet-receiving, bottom portion ofthe conveyor 92 adjacent to the fore-and-aft conveyor 72 yet permit the beet-discharging portion near its top to be centered betweeen the retracted and extended 120 position of the cross conveyor 96. The wheel conveyor 92 is supported for rotation upon rollers 148 which are engageable with a circularframe structure 150. Similar rollers 152 at the top of the wheel conveyor 92 contain it within its plane of rotation by 125 exerting generally transverse forces upon the circularframe structure 150.

As beets are elevated by the wheel conveyor 92, they are discharged on to an endless cross conveyor 154 carried on top ofthe tank 94. To convey the beets 130 into the tank 94, the cross conveyor 154 is shifted

4

GB 2 032 240 A

4

from its transverse position illustrated by solid lines in Figure 3 to its operational position illustrated by dotted lines. The beets are then conveyed along the endless conveyor 154 which is driven by a hydraulic 5 motor (not shown) and drop into the tank 94 for later discharge through the bottom of the tank 94 and on to the fore-and-aft conveyor 72 when a truck becomes available to receive them. If a truck is available, the conveyor 154 is driven clockwise, as viewed in 10 Figure 3, to deliver the beets outwardly away from the tank 92 and into the waiting truck.

Looking now at Figure 6, the drives for the various operating components ofthe header assembly 12 and chassis 14 are illustrated in schematic form. The 15 operating components ofthe header assembly 12 include the paddle wheel shaft 48, the shaft 156 which drives the chain conveyor 52 and the three shafts 64,66 and 68 which drive the transverse conveyor rolls 56,58 and 60.

20 Each of these shafts are powered by the PTO shaft 38 through a gear box 158. The shaft 48 on which the paddle wheels 46 are mounted is driven by a shaft 160 that is driven through the gear box 158. Sprocket and chain assemblies 162 and 164 are provided to 25 step up the rotational speed ofthe shaft 48 over the speed of the PTO shaft 38. The shaft 64 of the transverse conveyor roll 56 is driven by a shaft 166 that extends from the gear box 158 transversely and downwardly, as viewed in Figure 6, to transmit 30 power through a chain 168. Both transverse rolls 54 and 60 are driven by the shaft 166 through the chain connection 168. The transverse roll 48 is driven by a chain 170 coupled with the other end of the shaft 64 ofthe roll 54.

35 Two universal joints 174 and a shaft 190 and a chain 176 transmit power between the header assembly 12 and chassis 14 to drive the fore-and-aft roll conveyor 72 and the wheel conveyor 92. The cross conveyor 96 is driven by a separate hydraulic 40 motor. The wheel conveyor 92 is rotated by a chain 178 which is trained around the circumference ofthe wheel conveyor 92 and a sprocket 180 mounted on a shaft 182. At the other end ofthe shaft 182 is carried a sprocket 184 that can be quickly coupled by the 45 chain 176 to a compatible sprocket 188 carried on the shaft 166 ofthe header assembly.

The fore-and-aft rolls are driven by the shaft 190 extending from the front ofthe chassis 14 to its rear portion and coupled with a drive arrangement 192 50 provided to drive the fore-and-aft rolls in the reversing manner described above. A detailed description ofthe drive arrangement will be found below. Power is transmitted from the PTO to the shaft 190 through a pulley 198, belt 200, pulley 196, and one ofthe 55 joints 174. Thus, to transmit powerfrom the header 12 to the chassis 14 requires only thatthe chain 176 be installed and the forward universal joint 174 connected.

The drive arrangement illustrated in Figures 7,8,9 60 and 10 rotates the paired rolls in a counter-rotating manner and also reverses the rotational direction of the reversing sections 130,132 and 134 to discharge the beets transversely into the wheel elevator 92.

The paired counter-rotating rolls, that is the non-65 sectioned rolls 100,104 and 108 and their respective forward sections 136,138 and 140 are fixed to their respective shafts and rotate with those shafts as they are driven. The reversing sections 130,132 and 134 are rotated about their respective shafts 116,120 and 124 on conventional bearing arrangements schematically illustrated in Figure 7. The reversing sections 130,132 and 134 are fixed with the respective sprockets 200,202 and 204 and rotate as the sprockets are rotated.

The forward section 136 is driven by the shaft 116 which is fixed to sprocket 206. A chain 218 drives the sprocket 206. Sprockets 208 210 are fixed to the shaft 118 with the sprocket 208 driving this shaft. The sprocket 210 drives the adjacent reversing section 130 through a chain 212 (see Figure 8).

Sprockets 214,216 and 202 are fixed to the shaft 120. The sprocket 214 drives the shaft 120 and its forward roll section 138. The sprocket 216 drives the chain 218 to drive the sprocket 206, its shaft 116 and the forward section 136.

A pulley 217 is fixed to the shaft 122 and powers all the shafts as well as driving the shaft 122. Also fixed to the shaft 122 are sprockets 220,222 and 224. The sprocket 220 drives a chain 226 which drives shafts 120 and 118 and respectively the forward section 138 and the roll 100. The sprocket 224 drives a chain 228 to rotate the reversing section 132 carried on the adjacent shaft 120. Sprockets 238 and 204 are fixed to the shaft 124 and are driven by a chain 230. Sprockets 232 and 234 are fixed to the shaft 126 and are driven by the chain 230. The sprocket 234 drives the adjacent reversing section 134 through a chain 236.

In operation, the pulley 217 rotates the shaft 122 and its roll 104 clockwise. The shaft 122 rotates the sprockets 220,222 and 224 clockwise to drive the respective chains 226,230 and 228 clockwise about the shaft 122. Accordingly, the chain 226 drives the sprocket 208 and its shaft 118 and roll 100 clockwise and the sprocket 214 and its shaft 120 and the forward section 138 counterclockwise. As the shaft 118 is rotated clockwise, so is its sprocket 210 which drives the sprocket 200 and its reversing roll 130 in a clockwise direction. As the shaft 120 is rotated counterclockwise, the sprocket 216 is rotated counterclockwise to drive the chain 218 and the sprocket 206 fixed to the shaft 116 counterclockwise. Accordingly, the forward section 136 fixed to the shaft 116 is driven counterclockwise.

The sprocket 224 fixed to the shaft 122 and roll 104 is driven in a clockwise drection and in turn drives the chain 228 and sprocket 202 fixed to the reversing section 132 in a clockwise drection.

The sprocket 222 fixed to the shaft 122 is also driven in a clockwise direction and drives the sprocket 232 fixed to the shaft 126 clockwise and the sprocket 238 fixed to shaft 124 counterclockwise. The respective roll 108 and forward section 140 are driven clockwise and counterclockwise respectively.

The sprocket 234 fixed to the shaft 126 is rotated clockwise and drives the chain 236 clockwise to rotate the sprocket 204 fixed to the reversing roll 134 in a clockwise direction.

This drive arrangement thus rotates the reversing rolls 130,132 and 134 oppositely to their respective

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

115

120

125

130

5

GB 2 032 240 A

5

foreward sections 136,138 and 140 to discharge the beets transversely from the fore-and-aft conveyor 72. If the processing capacity ofthe harvester 10 requires four instead of six fore-and-aft conveyor 5 rolls, the drive arrangement 192 can nevertheless be utilized. In such a situation, rolls 106 and 108 would be eliminated and no chain 230 would be trained i over the sprocket 222 that is fixed to the shaft 122.

Once at the field and in operation, the digger units 10 42 lift the beets from the soil and swing them , upwardly and rearwardly where the paddle wheels 46 shift them on to the chain conveyor 52. They are then conveyed over the leading transverse grab roll 56. The flightings 62 of the transverse conveyor rolls 15 54,58 and 60 then converge the beets towards the discharge opening meanwhile scrubbing and cleaning the dirt from them as they are conveyed. As the beets reach the discharge opening, they drop on to the forward end of the fore-and-aft conveyor 72. 20 They then settle between each counter-rotating pair of rolls ofthe fore-and-aft conveyor 72 and the flightings 128 continue to scrub and tumble them to remove the dirt. Due to the incline of the fore-and-aft conveyor 72, the scrubbing action is extended as the 25 beets are moved to the rearward portion. The bar-type guards 142,144 and 146 contain the beets on the conveyor 72 during this rearward movement. Once in the reversing roll area, they are tumbled toward the wheel elevator 92 due to the sideways 30 incline and reversing roll rotation. They then fall into the wheel elevator 92, are elevated as it rotates and are discharged on to the cross conveyor 96 for delivery to either the holding tank 94 or a cart travelling alongside the harvester 10.

35

Claims (13)

1. A root crop harvester comprising a main frame supporting a fore-and-aft conveyor formed by

40 at least one pair of flighted, contra-rotating rolls, a header assembly at the front ofthe main frame and including crop digging and lifting means, and a transverse conveyor between the digging and lifting means and the fore-and-aft conveyor, the transverse 45 conveyor being formed by a plurality of flighted rolls including at least one short roll adjacent the end of

* which is an opening in the transverse conveyor over the front end of the fore-and-aft conveyor, the transverse conveyor being arranged to move crop to

• 50 the opening to drop on to the fore-and-aft conveyor.

2. A root crop harvester according to claim 1, wherein the transverse conveyor comprises two spaced, coaxial short rolls between which is the said opening.

55

3. A root crop harvester according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fore-and-aft conveyor discharges transversely at its rear end to an elevating conveyor, and wherein the rolls of the fore-and-aft conveyor incline upwardly from front to rear by amounts which 60 increase progressively from the side at which the fore-and-aft conveyor discharges.

4. A root crop harvester according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the header assembly is detachable from the frame and the transverse conveyor is part ofthe 65 header assembly.

5. A root crop harvester according to claim 4, wherein the frame includes supporting parts which support both the front ends ofthe rolls ofthe fore-and-aft conveyor and the end adjacent the said

70 opening of the or each short roll of the transverse conveyor.

6. A root crop harvester according to claim 5, wherein the supporting parts comprise L shaped brackets with depending legs and forwardly directed

75 legs at the bottoms ofthe depending legs, the or each depending leg carrying a support for the end of a short roll at the point intermediate along the length ofthe depending leg, and means supporting the front ends ofthe rolls ofthe fore-and-aft conveyor 80 being mounted between the front ends ofthe forwardly directed legs.

7. A root crop harvester according to any preceding claim, wherein the fore-and-aft conveyor discharges transversely at its rear end to an elevating

85 conveyor, and wherein the rear part of one roll of the or each pair of rolls ofthe fore-and-aft conveyor rotates in opposite sense to the forward part ofthe roll so that all rolls rotate at the rear in the sense urging the crop to discharge to one side ofthe 90 fore-and-aft conveyor.

8. A root crop harvester according to claim 7, wherein the or each said rear part is unflighted.

9 A root crop harvester according to claim 8, wherein the diameter ofthe or each said rear part is 95 substantially equal to the external diameter ofthe flighting on the corresponding front part.

10. A root crop harvester according to claim 7,8 or 9, wherein, in relation to the or each pair of rolls of the fore-and-aft conveyor, a shaft carrying the front 100 part ofthe said one roll and the other roll ofthe pair and the rear part ofthe one roll are coupled at the rear of the conveyor by belt or chain drives so that the said rear part and other roll rotate in one sense and the shaft rotates in the other sense.

105

11. A root crop harvester according to preceding claim, wherein the main frame is mounted on wheels at its two sides and the fore-and-aft conveyor and a laterally adjacent elevating conveyor also supported on the mainframe lie inside the wheels. 110

12. A root crop harvester comprising a cleaning conveyor formed by flighted rolls inclined upwardly from an input end ofthe conveyorto an output end of the conveyor whereat the crop is discharged to one side ofthe conveyor, the rolls rotating, in 115 operation, to feed the crop up the slope ofthe conveyor and the content to which the rolls incline upwardly increasing away from the said one side so as to give the upper part of the conveyor a transverse slope assisting the sideways discharge. 120

13. A root crop harvester substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Croydon Printing Company Limited, Croydon Surrey, 1980.

Published by the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A1AY, from which copies may be obtained.