GB2115773A - Collecting and packing vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A collecting and packing vehicle comprises a load carrying platform (11) having a ground-engageable transport means (15, 16); a conveyor (25) which extends transversely of the fore and aft axis of the vehicle to feed articles such as vegetables onto a packing portion of the platform (11) where the articles can be trimmed and packed; the platform (11) including a storage portion (12) where the packed articles can be stored, the conveyor (25) comprising a loading portion (28) which discharges to a further portion (29) which discharges to the load carrying platform (11), wherein the loading portion (28) can be raised and lowered relative to the platform (11) and the angle, about a horizontal axis, between the loading portion (28) and the further portion (29) can be varied, whereby the loading portion (28) can be disposed generally horizontally, at a desired height above the ground, whilst the conveyor (25) still discharges to the platform (11) at a constant height. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Collecting and packing vehicle This invention relates to a collecting and packing vehicle comprising; a load carrying platform having a ground-engageable transport means; a conveyor which extends transversely to the fore and aft axes of the vehicle to feed articles such as vegetables onto a packing portion of the platform where the articles can be trimmed and packed; the platform including a storage portion where the packed articles can be stored, such vehicles will be hereinafter referred to as of the kind specified.

Such a vehicle usually comprises a trailer towed behind a tractor through a field with the conveyor extending transversely across a plurality of rows of vegetables and operatives load articles such as lettuce, brassica or other vegetables which are ready for harvesting onto the conveyor, and the conveyor conveys the articles onto the packing portion of the platform where further operatives trim and pack the articles; the packed articles are then placed in the storage portion until that portion is full whereupon the conveyor is moved to a retracted position and the trailer towed to a collecting station where the packed articles are off loaded.

Hitherto, the loading end of a conveyor has been at a fixed height relative to the platform and hence relative to the ground but this creates difficulties due to differences between the articles to be loaded and hence is not fully satisfactory.

The present invention seeks to overcome this problem.

According to the invention, we provide a vehicle of the kind specified wherein the conveyor comprises a loading portion which discharges to a further portion which discharges to the load carrying platform, wherein the loading portion can be raised and lowered relative to the platform and the angle, about a horizontal axis, between the loading portion and the further portion can be varied.

As a result, the loading portion can be disposed generally horizontally, at a desired height above the ground, whilst the conveyor still discharges to the platform at a constant height.

The conveyor may include a discharge section, which discharges to the platform and the discharge section being at a fixed height relative to the platform, the further portion discharging to the discharge section.

The conveyor may be mounted on the platform for movement between an operative position wherein it extends transversely outwardly relative to the fore and aft axis of the trailer, generally at 90 thereto, and a position in which the conveyor lies longitudinally of the fore and aft axis, and generally parallel thereto.

The conveyor may be of any desired type, for example a bucket conveyor.

Fluid operated ram means may be connected between the further section and the platform to permit of adjustment of the angle of inclination of the further section.

Cables may extend between the platform and the loading portion to permit of adjustment of the height of the outboard end of the loading portion.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a trailer embodying the invention, shown with its conveyor in an operative position; FIGURE 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; FIGURE 3 is an end view of the trailer of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 1; FIGURE 4 is similar to that of Figure 3 but showing part of an alternative embodiment of the invention; and FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic fragmentary side view of part of the conveyor of the trailer shown in Figures 1 to 4.

Referring to the drawings, a collecting and packing trailer is indicated generally at 10 and comprises a load carrying platform 11 comprising a storage portion 12 and a packing portion 13 at a lower height at the rear of the trailer. The load carrying platform 11 is supported on a chassis 1 4 on which a pair of ground-engageable wheels 1 5 are rotatably mounted by a suspension means 1 6 which permits of adjustment of the track of the trailer so that the wheels may be arranged to fit between rows of produce in a field in which the trailer is operating. Of course, other ground engageable transport means may be provided such as one wheel or more than two wheels or continuous tracks; where one wheel is provided the connection to the towing vehicle is such as to maintain the vehicle stable.

The packing portion 1 3 is cantilevered from the rear of the chassis 14.

A towing hitch 1 7 is provided at the front end of a tow bar 18 pivotally mounted on a pair of downwardly depending brackets 1 9. The position of pivotal connection 20 may be adjusted and may occupy alternative positions indicated at 20a and 20b. Similarly, a pair of downwardly extending guides 21 are provided at the front of the trailer to restrain lateral movement of the tow bar 1 8 and the angle of inclination of the tow bar can be adjusted by inserting a pin (not shown) through a desired pair of holes indicated at 22a-c and through an aperture (not shown) in the tow bar 1 8. As a result, the towing hitch 17 can be adjusted to a desired height to suit the tractor vehicle.

The trailer is provided with a roof 23 which extends over both the storage portion 12 and the packing portion 1 3.

The roof 23 is supported on vertical posts 24 and suitable protective curtains are provided between the posts.

A conveyor indicated generally at 25 is mounted on the packing portion 1 3 for rotation about a vertical axis 26 for movement between an operative position, shown in full lines in the Figures, in which the conveyor 25 extends transversely relative to the fore and aft axis X-X, in the present example at 90 , and an inoperative position, shown in chain dotted lines, in which it extends longitudinally of the axis 26 and in particular to parallel thereto. In the inoperative position, the conveyor lies in a space beneath the underside 27 of the storage portion 1 2 and above one of the wheels 1 5.

The conveyor 25 comprises a loading portion 28 pivotally connected to a further portion 29 at an axis 30, whilst the further portion 29 is pivotally connected, at an axis 31 to a discharge section 32 which is maintained at a fixed height relative to the load carrying platform 1 2 and which is arranged to discharge as indicated by the arrow B in Figures 2 and 3 onto the packing portion 13.

A hydraulic ram 33 is connected between the further portion 29 and a framework 34 which braces the discharge portion 32 form a pivot post 35 mounted for rotation about a vertical axis 26.

A pair of flexible wire cables 36 extend from eye bolts 37 at the outboard end 38 of the loading portion 28 over a double pulley 39 mounted on the roof 23 and the other ends of the cables 36 are fixed to the sides of the discharge portion 22 adjacent the axis of pivot 31. If desired, instead of wire the cable 36 may be of synthetic fibre rope or of chain or the like.

Thus, in use, when the trailer is swung about the axis 26 to a position in a plane at right angles to the fore and aft axis X-X and the cables 36 are connected to the eye bolts 37 then, by operating the hydraulic ram 33, the angle of inclination of the further portion 29 can be adjusted, for example between the full and chain dotted line portions shown in Figure 3, and because as the further portion 29 is moved, for example from the full to the chain dotted line position, the distance from the pulley 39 to the eye bolt 37 increases this has the effect of causing a substantially equivalent raising of the outboard end 38 of the loading portion 28 to that which occurs at the discharge end 40 thereof and hence the loading portion 28 is maintained substantially horizontal whilst its height above the ground can be adjusted.

When it is desired to move the trailer, the conveyor is swung about the axis 26 and the cables 36 disconnected from the eye bolts 37 so that the conveyor can lie in the position shown in chain dotted line in Figures 1 to 3. The conveyor is of light-weight construction and so can be handled with the cables 36 disconected.

Of course, if desired, the cables 36 may be of such length initially that the section 28 is not horizontal but is at a desried angle to the ground and this angle will be maintained on operation of the ram 33.

In fact there is a small variation in the orientation of the loading portion 28. For example, a variation from strict horizontality as the ram 33 is operated but in practice the magnitude of the variation does not detract from the intended operation.

However, an alternative embodiment is shown in Figure 4 which maintains the loading portion 28 strictly in a predetermined orientation relative to the ground, for example horizontal. The embodiment of Figure 4 is indentical to that of Figures 1 to 3 except for the provision of a lever 41 on the further portion 29 to which said other ends of the cables 36 are fixed, instead of being fixed to the sides of the discharge portion 22 as is the case with the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3. The lever 41 has a length calculated so that as it rotates with the further portion 29, the loading portion 28 is maintained in said predetermined orientation.

The conveyor may be of any desired type, but preferably comprises a single endless belt extending over all three portions and provided with a plurality of pockets 42 and the belt being driven by a suitable drive, such as a hydraulic motor 43 driven from the hydraulic system of the tractor vehicle. Preferably each pocket 42 is provided by a flexible material which is preferably porous to permit of moisture and of small particles of dirt to escape. In the present example, each pocket is made of a net material and, as shown in Figure 5, the pockets adjust themselves to the different attitudes of the different portions of the conveyor so that articles 44 being conveyed are maintained within the pockets.

The ram 33 may be hand operated or power operated from the hydraulic power system of the vehicle.

If desired, instead, of the invention being embodied in a trailer vehicle, it may be embodied in a self-propelled vehicle.

Claims (6)

1. A vehicle of the kind specified wherein the conveyor comprises a loading portion which discharges to a further portion which discharges to the load carrying platform, wherein the loading portion can be raised and lowered relative to the platform and the angle, about a horizontal axis, between the loading portion and the further portion can be varied.

2. A vehicle according to Claim 1 wherein the conveyor includes a discharge section, which discharges to the platform and the discharge section being at a fixed height relative to the platform, the further portion discharging to the discharge section.

3. A vehicle according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the conveyor is mounted on the platform for movement between an operative position wherein it extends transversely outwardly relative to the fore and aft axis of the vehicle and a position in which the conveyor lies longitudinally of the fore and aft axis, and generally parallel thereto.

4. A vehicle according to Claim 3 wherein when the conveyor is in said operative position, it extends transversely at generally 90 to the fore and aft axes of the vehicle.

5. A vehicle according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the conveyor is a bucket conveyor.

6. A vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims wherein fluid operated ram means are connected between the further portion and the platform to permit of adjustment of the angle of inclination of the further portion.

6. A vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims wherein fluid operated ram means are connected between the further section and the platform to permit of adjustment of the angle of inclination of the further section.

7. A vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims wherein cables extend between the platform and the loading portion to permit of adjustment of the height of the outboard end of the loading portion.

8. A vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims which comprise a trailer.

9. A vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 5 or Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.

10. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 4 May, 1983.

Superseded claims 1 and 6.

New or amended claims

1. A load carrying plafform having a ground engageable transport means, a conveyor which extends transversely of the fore and aft axis of the vehicle to feed articles such as vegetables onto a packing portion of the platform where the articles can be trimmed and packed, the platform including a storage portion where the packed articles can be stored, the conveyor comprising a loading portion one end of which is pivotally connected to one end of a further portion, to discharge thereto, the other end of the further portion being pivotally connected about a horizontal axis to the load carrying platform, to discharge thereto, whereby the entire loading portion can be raised and lowered relative to the load carrying platform, whilst the angle between the load carrying platform and the further portion and the angle between the loading portion and the further portion are variabie.