GB2048040A

GB2048040A - Root Crop Harvester

Info

Publication number: GB2048040A
Application number: GB8011791A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Hestair Farm Equipment Ltd
Current assignee: Hestair Farm Equipment Ltd
Priority date: 1979-04-11
Filing date: 1980-04-09
Publication date: 1980-12-10

Abstract

An agitating mechanism 62 for a separating conveyor 28 of a root crop harvester 10 comprises rollers 66, 68 on a pivotally mounted frame 70 at the underside of the conveyor. The frame is rocked by a crank-driven lever mechanism 72. The velocity ratio of the lever mechanism can be varied by an operator from a remote position by means of a Bowden cable 86 connected to a control pivot 82 on the lever mechanism whereby the control pivot can be moved lengthwise of the lever 80 so as to change the amplitude of the agitation. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Root Crop Harvesters This invention relates to root crop harvesters, and in particular though not exclusively to potato harvesters comprising lifting means to lift the crop and earth from the ground, and one or more separating conveyors to receive lifted crop and earth from the lifting means, the separating conveyor comprising spaced bars forming a grid to allow earth to sift through while crop is retained, and an agitator roller positioned below the separating conveyor or below one or more of the separating conveyors to agitate the conveyor to promote the separation of earth from crop.

Previously proposed agitator rollers for root crop harvesters have in many cases been nonadjustable and have therefore provided a fixed degree of agitation of the separating conveyor. An example of such a non-adjustable agitator is an eccentric roller or an oval roller or the like.

Some proposals have been made to provide means for adjusting the degree of agitation provided by agitator rollers in root crop harvesters. However, such provision has been in a form requiring the use of tools by the operator of the root crop harvester, to effect adjustment.

Consequently, adjustment of the degree of agitation can only be effected after stopping the harvester and making a time-consuming alteration to the setting of the agitator roller.

However, in certain harvesting conditions the problem arises that the condition of the soil within which the root crop has been growing varies from place to place in the field being harvested.

Accordingly, the degree of agitation required for efficient separation of root crop from earth likewise varies from place to place in the field and it is desirable, for efficient harvesting, to vary the degree of agitation provided in the harvester.

An object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the degree of agitation provided by an agitator roller in a root crop harvester can be readily changed during harvesting.

According to the invention there is provided a root crop harvester comprising: lifting means to lift crop and earth from the ground; and one or more separating conveyors to receive lifted crop and earth from the lifting means; the separating conveyor comprising spaced bars forming a grid to allow earth to sift through while crop is retained; and an agitator roller positioned below the separating conveyor or below one or more of the separating conveyors to agitate the conveyor to promote the separation of earth or other unwanted matter from crop; wherein the agitator roller is connected to an oscillating drive whereby the agitator roller can be moved up and down to agitate the conveyor; the drive being connected to a rotary component of the harvester and comprising a pair of drive links connected to each other by a control pivot which is position-adjustable lengthwise of one of the links so as to change the velocity ratio of the drive; and wherein a manually operable control member is connected to said control pivot through a control linkage operable from a remote location to change the position of the control pivot.

Preferably the agitator roller forms one of two pairs of agitator rollers mounted on a common frame, one pair of rollers at each side of the conveyor, the frame being pivotally mounted on the harvester and connected to said oscillating drive to agitate the conveyor. The common frame may be mounted on a pivot shaft extending transverse to the conveying direction of the converor and having one of said drive links secured to it.

Preferably also, one of said drive links has a trunnion located within it, with the ends of the trunnion projecting through respective slots at each side of the link, said ends of the trunnion providing the control pivot. The control linkage may extend lengthwise of said one drive link and be connected to the trunnion.

The control linkage may comprise a wire cable, and a coiled spring may be provided within said one drive link to bias the trunnion towards one end of said slots so as to tension the wire cable.

An operating lever and a releasable ratchet device may be connected to the wire cable at the end thereof remote from the oscillating drive. The rotary component of the potato harvester to which the oscillating drive is connected may comprise a crank mounted on an end roller of a conveyor of the harvester.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the main crop and earth conveying systems of a potato harvester, with the frame of the harvester the ground wheels and related structural items omitted for clarity; Figure 2 shows a side elevation view of the harvester of Figure 1, including the frame of the harvester, the ground wheels and related structural items; Figure 3 shows a perspective cutaway view of an agitator roller assembly mounted on the primary digger web of the potato harvester; and Figure 4 shows a perspective view of an agitator roller assembly according to the invention mounted on the haulm conveyor at the rear end of the potato harvester.

As shown in the drawings, a potato harvester 10 10 comprises a frame 12 mounted on ground wheel 14 and having a draw bar 16 for connection to an agricultural tractor (not shown).

Driven components of the potato harvester are connected to a drive train powered by a drive input shaft 18 connected to the p.t.o. drive of the tractor pulling the harvester.

Harvester 10 is intended for manned operation, and a platform 20 and associated safety rails 22 are provided for one or more operators assisting with separating operations and will be described below. Steps 24 provide access to platform 20.

As shown in Figure 1, harvester 10 comprises lifting means in the form of a digger share 26 to lift potatoes and earth from the ground, and a series of separating conveyors 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 and 42. Details of the structure and arrangement of all these conveyors are not required for the purpose of the present invention.

It suffices to say that conveyor 28 is the primary digger web and comprises spaced parallel bars forming a grid to allow earth to sift through while the potatoes are retained. Conveyor 30 is an elevator conveyor having paddles 44 defining compartments. Conveyor 30 cooperates with a retaining conveyor 46 which operates to retain the potatoes in the compartments between paddles 44 during the portion of their travel in which the potatoes would otherwise fall away.

Conveyors 32 and 34 provide an automatic stone and clod separating facility for the potato harvester, and conveyors 36 and 38 are trash conveyors onto which operators standing on platform 20 transfer clods and stones from the central conveyor 40 which feeds potatoes to a tank 48 having a discharge conveyor 50.

Conveyor 42 is a haulm separator conveyor which receives crop from digger web 28 via a paddle transfer roller 52. Upstanding rubber pintles 54 cooperating with stiff rubber fingers (not shown) serve to separate the potatoes from the haulm which is discharged at the rear of conveyor 42.

A diabolo roller 56 is mounted on digger web 28 and is actuable by a linkage 58 to provide control of digging depth.

Diabolo roller 56 cooperates with a pair of row discs 60 which latter are mounted in relation to digger share 26 to define the row gathering width of the potato harvester.

Two agitating mechanisms 62, 64 are positioned below primary digger web 28 and haulm conveyor 42 respectively to agitate these conveyors to promote the separation of earth and other unwanted matter from potatoes.

Figure 3 shows agitating mechanism 62 at the rear end of digger web 28, and this will be described first.

Agitating mechanism 62 comprises two pairs of agitator rollers 66, 68 mounted on a common frame 70, with one pair of rollers at each side of conveyor 28. Frame 70 is pivotally mounted on the harvester frame 12 and connected to an oscillating drive 72 whereby the agitator rollers can be moved up and down to agitate conveyor 28.

Oscillating drive 72 is connected to a rotary component of the potato harvester in the form of a crank 74 mounted on the rear end of the roller 76 of the digger web 28. The drive comprises a pair of drive links 78, 80 connected to each other by a control pivot 82 which is position-adjustable lengthwise of link 80 so as to change the velocity ratio of the drive from crank 74.

A manually operable control member in the form of a hand lever 84 is connected to control pivot 82 through a control linkage in the form of a Bowden cable 86 which is operable by hand lever 84 from a remote location (such as platform 20) to change the position of control pivot 82.

As shown in Figure 3, agitator rollers 66 and 68 are freely rotatable on agitator frame 70 and are engageable with the endless bands 38, 90 of reinforced polymeric material at the side edges of digger web 28, and between which parallel bars 92 extend. Frame 70 is mounted on a pivot shaft 94 extending transverse to the conveying direction of conveyor 28 and forming the central spar of the frame 70. Shaft 94 is freely pivoted in the frame 12 supporting conveyor 28 and has drive link 80 secured thereto for drive transmitting purposes.

Crank 74 rotates with end roller 76, and drive link 78 is freely pivoted on the crank and therefore is oscillated, as indicated in Figure 3. This oscillating drive is transmitted to drive link 80 through control pivot 82, and frame 70 oscillates about the axis of central shaft 94.

Drive link 80 is a fabricated hollow structure having a trunnion (not shown) located within it, with the end of the trunnion projecting through respective slots 96 at each side of the link, the ends of the trunnion providing the control pivot 82. Bowden cable 86 is secured to the lower end of drive link 80 and the core of the cable extends lengthwise through link 80 and is connected to the trunnion therein. A coiled compression spring within drive link 80 biases the trunnion towards the upper end of slot 96.

The other end of Bowden cable 86 is connected to hand lever 84 in a fairly conventional way in association with a releasable ratchet device 98, whereby the tension in the cable can be easily set at any desired level and quickly released or changed as necessary.

In use, drive 72 oscillates agitator rollers 66, 68 up and down about the axis of central tube 94, thereby shaking conveyor 28 and promoting efficient separation of potatoes from earth and other matter. The amplitude of the movement of rollers 66 and 68 is easily adjustable during harvesting by means of hand lever 84. Clockwise movement of hand lever 84 about its pivot axis 100 moves control pivot 82 downwards in slot 96 thereby reducing the amplitude of movement of rollers 66 and 68 and thereby reducing the degree of agitation of conveyor 28. Thus, the agitating effect of the rollers on the conveyor can be quickly and easily adjusted on the go during harvesting to cope with changing field conditions.

Figure 4 shows agitating mechanism 64 which is constructed and arranged in substantially the same manner as mechanism 62, and in Figure 4 corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals as in Figure 3.

Mechanism 64 operates in a substantially identical manner to mechanism 62 and therefore no further description is deemed necessary. In the case of mechanism 64 the agitating effect of the agitating rollers serves to shake potatoes free from their haulm whereas in the case of mechanism 62 the agitating effect is principally to separate potatoes from earth.

The principal advantage of the embodiment of the invention described above lies in the facility it provides for adjustment during harvesting, of the agitating effect of the agitating rollers quickly and easily and without interrupting the harvesting operation.

Numerous modifications to the details of the mechanism disclosed above could of course be made. Such modifications include variations of the form of frame 70, drive links 78 and 80, crank 74, Bowden cable 86 and hand lever 84.

The invention is applicable to other root crop harvesters such as harvesters for carrots, onions and other vegetables, and bulb harvesters.

Claims

1. A root crop harvester comprising: lifting means to lift crop and earth from the ground; and one or more separating conveyors to receive lifted crop and earth from the lifting means; the separating conveyor comprising spaced bars forming a grid to allow earth to sift through while crop is retained; and an agitator roller positioned below the separating conveyor or below one or more of the separating conveyors to agitate the conveyor to promote the separation of earth or other unwanted matter from crop; wherein the agitator roller is connected to an oscillating drive whereby the agitator roller can be moved up and down to agitate the conveyor; the drive being connected to a rotary component of the harvester and comprising a pair of drive links connected to each other by a control pivot which is position-adjustable lengthwise of one of the links so as to change the velocity ratio of the drive; and wherein a manually operated control member is connected to said control pivot through a control linkage operable from a remote location to change the position of the control pivot.

2. A harvester according to claim 1 wherein the agitator roller forms one of two pairs of agitator rollers mounted on a common frame, one pair of rollers at each side of the conveyor, the frame being pivotally mounted on the harvester and connected to said oscillating drive to agitate the conveyor.

3. A harvester according to claim 2 wherein said common frame is mounted on a pivot shaft extending transverse to the conveying direction of the conveyor and having one of said drive links secured to it.

4. A harvester according to any preceding claim wherein one of said drive links has a trunnion located within it, with the ends of the trunnion projecting through respective slots at each side of the link, said ends of the trunnion providing the control pivot.

5. A harvester according to claim 4 wherein said linkage extends lengthwise of said one drive link and is connected to said trunnion.

6. A harvester according to claim 5 wherein said control linkage comprises a wire cable and a coiled spring is provided within said one drive link to bias the trunnion towards one end of said slots so as to tension the wire cable.

7. A harvester according to claim 6 comprising an operating lever and a releasable ratchet device connected to the wire cable at the end thereof remote from the oscillating drive.

8. A harvester according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said rotary component of the harvester comprises a crank mounted on an end roller of a conveyor of the harvester.

9. A harvester comprising an agitating mechanism for a separating conveyor of the harvester substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.