GB2116526A

GB2116526A - Filling assembly for potatoes and other root crop planters

Info

Publication number: GB2116526A
Application number: GB08207139A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Carruthers
Original assignee: National Research Development Corp UK
Current assignee: National Research Development Corp UK
Priority date: 1982-03-11
Filing date: 1982-03-11
Publication date: 1983-09-28
Also published as: GB8306427D0; GB2119771A; DE3306347A1; GB2119771B; NL8300714A

Abstract

An open topped container 10 e.g. for root crops, is divided into two halves hingedly connected together at the top of the container to allow it to open into the position shown in Figure 2. Opening is controlled by two hydraulic cylinders 41, 42 acting on pivoted support frames 35, 36 for the container. Reference numeral 46 indicates the planter hopper into which the crop is discharged. Friction prevents the container slipping on the cross-bars 38, 40 of the support frames. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Filling assembly for potatoes and other root crop planters The present invention relates to a filling assembly for potatoes and other root crop planters.

It is known to unload tubers from a simple box container by tipping this upside down using a suitable rotating head on a fork lift truck.

However, apart from the damage to the tubers and their sprouts during free fall of tubers from the box into the planter, this system is also subject to the disadvantage that it is difficult to control the quantity of tubers placed in the hopper and so spillage occurs. Other drawbacks are that partially used boxes have to be handled twice and that the hopper filling operation has to take place with the planter stationary.

In an attempt to reduce drop height of tubers it has already been proposed to use a side-opening box and to discharge the tubers through the open side of the box once this is in position over the planter. However, the hinged side of the box drags on the potatoes and causes chit damage while the control of quantity of tubers placed into the hopper is poor and spillages often occur.

Moreover, latches fitted to secure the opening side of the box have to be released with the box held over the hopper and this causes delay especially in one man operated systems.

According to the present invention, a filling assembly for a potato or other root crop planter comprises a container for the crop which container is adapted to open for the controlled discharge of crop into the planter, and control means adapted to be secured to the planter and operative to open the container as above described.

Conveniently, the container comprises an open topped box divided vertically into two halves which are hingedly connected together, e.g. by a horizontal hinge connection at the top of the box.

Conveniently, the control means includes two support members for the container and drive means for separating the container-engaging parts of the support members thereby to open the container by relative pivotal motion of the two halves of the container about the hinge connection.

Conveniently, significant relative motion between the container-engaging parts of the support members and the container is prevented during operation of the assembly by friction between these items.

Alternatively, or additionally, however, the container is provided with abutment surfaces which in operation of the assembly will be engaged by the container-engaging parts of the support.

Conveniently, each half of the container is provided with downwardly projecting leg members or the like so as to enable the container to be supported on one or more surfaces lying in a common horizontal plane without any tendency for the container to open of its own accord e.g.

when full or part full. The leg members or equivalent will space the container from the supporting surface thereby allowing the use of a fork lift to load the container on to the control means of the assembly.

Conveniently, the container-engaging parts of the support members comprise bars of circular or other cross-section.

Conveniently, the support members are pivotally mounted on a base structure adapted to be secured to the planter in which case separation of the container-engaging parts of the support members is obtained by a corresponding pivotal motion of the support members.

Conveniently, the support members are urged into their container-opening positions by hydraulic rams or the like.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 and 2 are respectively a side view of an assembly in place on a planter prior to discharging its load and a perspective view of the same assembly as it will appear during discharge; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative design of container for use in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2.

Thus referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a filling assembly 10 for a potato or other root crop planter 12 comprises a container 14 for the crop 16 and control means 18 secured to the planter and operative to open the container into the discharge portion shown in Figure 2.

As can be seen from the drawings, in the illustrated embodiment, the container 14 comprises a slatted wooden open topped box divided vertically into two halves 20, 21 which are connected together by horizontal hinge connections 23, 24 at the top of the box.

These hinges are each mounted on vertical leg members 26, 27 secured to the appropriate box half and projecting downwardly beneath the bottom of the box by the same amount as wooden runners 29. This enables the box to be supported e.g. in a stack of such boxes, without any tendency for it to open of its own accord.

The control means 18 comprises two goal post shaped support frames 35, 36 pivotally connected at their bases to a base structure 38 secured to the planter as shown. Suitable planters include, for example, the Howard Rotoplanter, Smallford Setrite, Lerebours Plantmasta, Amac, Faun and Gruse, and side loading allows 2 or 4 row models of each of these planters to be catered for.

The assembly of the present invention wouid not affect the filling of these planters by traditional means, such as bags and trays, if desired.

Conveniently, the cross-bars 39, 40 of the frames 35, 36 are of circular or any other suitable cross-section, relative movement between the cross-bars and those parts of the box engaged by the bars being prevented by friction or engaging the runners 29.

Reference numerals 41,42 indicate two small bore and short stroke hydraulic double acting cylinders acting betwen between the frames and the base structure 38.

In use, the box 14 is removed from the usual stack of loaded boxes by a fork lift which places it on the cross-bars 39, 40 of control means 1 8 (Figure 1). The cylinders 41, 42 are then actuated to open the box (Figure 2) typically to provide a four inch separation at the bottom of the box. This enables a gentle and controlled flow of tubers to occurfrom the container 14 into the hopper 46 of the planter. The assembly is conveniently operated from the tractor seat by a double acting valve normally fitted to modern tractors. Spring closure could be added to the assembly however if older tractors without double acting valves had to be used.

Referring now to Figures 2, this shows a convenient form of chitting box 50 for use as an alternative to the bulk box 14 of the earlier embodiment. In use, the chitting box 50 is filled layer by layer and then stacked in the chitting house until the planting date. Mounting the chitting box on support frames 35,36 in the same way as box 14 will enable chitted seed to be planted without further handling.

It is an advantage of the illustrated assemblies that a full T tonne box 14, 50 can always be over the hopper 46 whether this latter is empty, partially filled, or completely filled. With an empty hopper and the box opened as shown in Figure 2, for example, about half the quantity of tubers in the box will transfer to the hopper. If the hopper is already fairly full, on the other hand, the box 14 will continuously top it up. The flow of tubers into the hopper is self regulating and will not overfill the hopper. Moreover as the downward movement of the tubers will be very small if the planter is kept full, chit damage due to dropping can be kept to a minimum.

Other advantages are that the assemblies of the present invention enable the capacity of the planter to be greatly increased and the driver can operate the assembly while planting so that stoppage time and turn around time should be greatly reduced as compared with existing devices, where the complete filling operation has to take place with the planter stationary.

Planting from chitting trays or bags can be further speeded up if the fork lift operator fills spare boxes while the planting operation is being carried out. If a quantity of boxes are purchased a whole day's planting could be already boxed.

Although in the illustrated embodiments, the box hinges are parallel to the longer sides of the box 14, 50 (viewed in plan), this has the slight drawback that it requires the box to be loaded from the side of the planter and hence the longer forks usually available for fork lift trucks need to be fitted. In alternative embodiments, suitable for rear mounted hoppers, the box is hinged about its longer centre-line dimension and this drawback is overcome.

Although the invention has been described above as an assembly including a receptacle and a control means, it will be appreciated that in practice it may prove attractive to market only those parts of the assembly not readily available to the user, e.g. the box hinges and a suitable sort of separable support for use as part of the boxopening control means. The scope of the invention should be interpreted accordingly.

Claims

1. A filling assembly for a potato or other root crop planter comprises a container for the crop which container is adapted to open for the controlled discharge of crop into the planter, and control means adapted to be secured to the planter and operative to open the container as above described.

2. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 in which the container comprises an open topped box divided vertically into two halves which are hingedly connected together.

3. An assembly as claimed in Claim 2 in which the two halves of the box are hingedly connected together by a horizontal hinge connection.

4. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the control means includes two support members for the container and drive means for separating the container-engaging parts of the support members thereby to open the container by relative pivotal motion of the two halves of the container about the hinge connection.

5. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which significant relative motion between the container-engaging parts of the support members and the container is prevented during operation of the assembly by friction between these items.

6. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the container is provided with abutment surfaces which in operation of the assembly will be engaged by the containerengaging parts of the support.

7. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which each half of the container is provided with downwardly projecting leg members or the like so as to enable the container to be supported on one or more surfaces lying in a common horizontal plane without any tendency for the container to open of its own accord e.g.

when full or part full.

8. An assembly as claimed in Claim 8 in which the leg members or equivalent will space the container from the supporting surface thereby allowing the use of a fork lift to load the container on to the control means of the assembly.

9. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the container-engaging parts of the support members comprise bars of circular or other cross-section.

10. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the support members are pivotally mounted on a base structure adapted to be secured to the planter in which case separation of the container-engaging parts of the support members is obtained by a corresponding pivotal motion of the support members.

11. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the support members are urged into their container-opening positions by hydraulic rams or the like.

12. An assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

13. A kit of parts comprising hinges and separable support members for use in the assembly of Claim 4 when including the limitations of Claim 2.