GB2072049A

GB2072049A - Rotary separator

Info

Publication number: GB2072049A
Application number: GB8010042A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: VNII MEK SEL KHOZY
Current assignee: VNII MEK SEL KHOZY
Priority date: 1980-03-25
Filing date: 1980-03-25
Publication date: 1981-09-30
Also published as: GB2072049B

Abstract

A separator for separating soil and other foreign matter from the crop in a harvesting machine has a sectional structure, each section including at least four shafts (1, 2, 3 and 4) of which only the inner shafts (2 and 3) have mounted thereon discs (5) with a radially elongated portion (6) which terminates in an enlarged area (8). The speed of rotation of each shaft is different from that of each adjacent shaft. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rotary separator The present invention relates to agricultural machinery, and more particularly it relates to apparatus incorporated in machines for harvesting farm crops, especially, root and tuber crops.

The invention can be utilized for separating soil lumps and other foreign matter in machines harvesting potatoes, beet, onions, tomatoes and like farm crops.

The invention resides in a rotary separator comprising parallel shafts with discs mounted thereon, rotatable in the same direction, the discs being arranged in a checkered pattern over the separation area, which separator, in accordance with the present invention, is of a sectional structure, each section comprising at least four shafts of which the inner shafts only have mounted thereon discs including each a radially elongated portion.

Said portion has preferably an enlarged area of which the size is selected to provide for passage of these portions through the gaps defined by the discs of the respective adjacent shafts and also to provide for cleaning these gaps.

It is expedient that within each section each inner shaft should be rotatable at an angular speed of which the ratio to the rotation speed of the respective successive inner shaft equals a fraction of which the numerator is an integer selected from series from two to nine, and the denominator equals the numerator plus one.

It is further expedient that the respective speeds of rotation of each outer shaft of the section and of the inner shaft adjacent thereto shall be different.

The essence of the present invention is, as follows.

With the separator having a sectional structure and the herein disclosed combination of at least four shafts in each section, this enables to have such arrangement of the separator, wherein cleaning of the gaps between the respective discs of all the shafts of the separator is provided for, with the separator incorporating the minimized number of the shafts carrying discs of an intricate design including an elongated and enlarged portion.

A separator, naturally, may have several sections with the number of the shafts in each section other than four, but it has been found than any different amount of the shafts in a section affects the efficiency of the performance, same as a different arranged ment of the shafts within a section.

Thus, with a section including three shafts, or else with discs having elongated portions being mounted on outer shafts, the performance is seriously affected, on account of cyclically varying gaps being defined between the separator and the respective feeding or receiving device. These varying gaps involve either additional losses of the vegetables, or else their inadvertent physical damaging when the successive or preceding device is mounted to overlap the separator.

The possibility of incorporation of more than four shafts into the section is not altogether denied, because, should it be necessary, each section may include not two inner shafts with the abovementioned discs of the intricate design, but three such shafts, or even more. However, apart from the complication of the structure of the separator, this would affect the reliability of its performance, particularly, while harvesting crops in soils with small rocks or stones, bringing as it does the hazard of such small stones or other hard objects becoming jammed between the discs of adjacent shafts.

The herein disclosed shape of the discs mounted on the inner shafts and the ratio of the speeds of their rotation provides for the optimized degree of cleaning of the gaps between the discs on these shafts. It is expedient that the width of the enlarged areas of the elongated portions of the discs should be such that these areas shall clear in operation but slightly (i.e. with a clearance of 1 to 2 mm) the side walls of the discs on the adjacent shafts.

While preparing the separator to its very first operation, it is necessary to place one end of the enlarged area of the disc of every preceding inner shaft so that it should be in close proximity to the opposite end of the enlarged area of the adjacent disc on the successive inner shaft of the same section.

With the discs on the inner shafts being thus preset, collision of their enlarged areas in operation is precluded, whereas the maximum possible length of these areas can be selected in dependence on the selected ratio of the speeds of rotation of adjacent inner shafts.

The difference between the speeds of rotation of the outer shafts and their respective adjacent inner shafts provides for complete cleaning of the gaps between the discs of the outer shafts by the enlarged areas of the discs of the inner shafts.

The present invention will further described in connection with an embodiment thereof, with reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a section of a rotary separator; Figure 2 is a schematic view in plan of the section of the rotary separator; Figure 3 shows on a larger scale the disc on an inner shaft; Figure 4 to Figure 7 show various possible modes of the relative arrangement of the discs on two adjacent inner shafts, prior to starting the separator for the very first operation.

In the drawings, the rotary separator embodying the invention is of a sectional structure (Figures 1 and 2), each section including four parralel shafts 1, 2,3 and 4 rotatable in the same direction, the shafts of the present embodiment being square in crosssection.

In machines for harvesting root and tuber crops there may be included three to five sections with four shafts in each one. The inner shafts 2 and 3 of each section have mounted thereon discs 5 of a hexagonal shape, each having one radially elongated portion 6, while the outer shafts 1 and 4 carry discs 7 of a hexagonal shape. The discs 5 and 7 are preferably made of an elastic material, e.g. rubber reinforced with metal, e.g. sheet steel 2.5 to 3.0 mm thick. The discs 5 and 7 are arranged in a checkered order over the area of the separator and overlap one another, i.e. the discs on each preceding shaft are arranged to enter the gaps between the discs of the respective successive shaft.

The discS is shown in more detail on Figure 3 where it can be seen that the elongated portion 6 terminates in an enlarged area 8. The profile of the elongated portion 6 with the enlarged area 8 is convex, which enables to avoid stones and other hard objects getting jammed between the elongated portion 6 of the disc 5 and the discs of the successive shaft.

The shape and dimensions of the enlarged area 8 in a plan view (Figure 2) are selected so that these areas should clear the hubs 9 and the side walls of the discs of the adjacent shafts by 1 to 2 mm, which enables to clean the gaps between the discs of the adjacent shafts from sticking earth, small objects, and also to preclude winding of vegetation aboutthe shafts.

Prior to starting the separator for the very first operation, one end of the enlarged area 8 of each disc 5 of the preceding inner shaft 2 should be positioned to clear by 5 to 10 mm the other or opposite end of the enlarged area 8 of the respective disc5 of the successive inner shaft 3, as it is illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7. The pattern of the relative arrangement of the discs 5 and the maximum permissible length of the enlarged areas 8 depend on the ratio of the speeds of rotation of the inner shafts 2 and 3 and are selected in practice in an experimental way.

In operation on moist earth, the ratio of the speed of rotation of the preceding inner shaft 2 to that of the successive inner shaft 3 preferably equals the smallest of the above-mentioned fractions (e.g. 3:4).

This ratio has been found to provide forthe fullest mutual cleaning of the side walls of the discs of the inner shafts. If the separator, on the other hand, is to be operated on soils with normal or low moisture content, this ratio may equal the greatest among the above-specified values of the fraction, e.g. 5:6.

The disclosed rotary separator operates, as follows.

The matter to be separated, e.g. a mixture of potatoe tubors, soil and green tops is fed into the section of the rotary separator where the action of the rotating discs 5 and 7 subjects itto intense loosening, while forwarding it in the direction of rotation of the discs, whereby finer soil particles drop through the gaps between the discs, while the remaining foreign matter and the crop are fed onto the succesive section of the separator, or else onto another work-performing device.

The enlarged areas 8 of the elongated portions 6 of the discs 5 passthroughthe gaps between the discs of the respective adjacent shafts and clean their side surfaces from sticking soil, while preventing the vegetation, i.e. green tops and weeds getting would about the hubs 9 of the discs and pushing out stones, soil lumps and the smaller crops such as small potatoes, beet roots, onions, tomatoes, etc.

that have been caught between the discs.

The use of the presently disclosed rotary separator provides for enhancing the reliability and efficiency of screening out soil within the practically unlimited range of the moisture and small rock content of the soil where harvesting is done, in comparison with hitherto known similar apparatus.

Claims

1. A rotary separator, particularly, for incorporation in machines for harvesting agricultural crops, such as root and tuber crops and the like, comprising parallel shafts rotatable in the same direction, having mounted thereon discs arranged in checkered order over the area of separation, with at least every four said shafts being combined into a separating section, the inner shafts only of such-sections having mounted thereon discs with radially elongated portions.

2. A rotary separator as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said radially elongated portion of said discs has an enlarged area of which the dimensions are selected to provide for the passage of said area through the gaps between the discs of the respective adjacent shafts, and for cleaning said gaps.

3. A rotary separator as claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein each inner shaft is rotatable at a rotation speed of which the ratio to the speed of rotation of the respective next successive inner shaft equals a fraction where the numerator equals an integer selected from a series from two to nine, while the denominator equals the numerator plus one, the respective speeds of rotation of each outer shaft and of the inner shaft adjacent thereto being different from each other.

4. A rotary separator as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, substantially as hereintofore described and illustrated in the appended drawings.