GB2120070A - Loading device for beets - Google Patents

Abstract

The loading device comprises a vertical endless conveyor (1, Figure 1) constituted by a plurality of comb elements that extend transversely to the movement direction of the said loader and are provided with a number of prongs 12, each of which is constituted by a wire made of material that yields to pressure and is fixed, at the inside extremity 12a, to the rod 3 that supports all the prongs on each comb element, each prong comprising a first part 12c adjacent to the said rod and extending inclined with respect to the movement direction of the loader, on the opposite side thereto, and a second part 12d that is generated by the first and extends perpendicularly to the said movement direction. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An improved loading device for channelling products such as beets and the like into containers Machines that perform multiple operations are known for harvesting products such as beets and the like, andthese have the necessary means, in line, with which to strip the tubers oftheir leaves, pull them out oftheground, remove from them anyclinging soil, and charge them intothe inside of suitable containers.

The lastofthe said operations, namelythecharging of the tubers, is achieved through the use of vertical loaders that are placed in the rear of the machine and utilize a plurality oftransverse combs, one extremity of which is connected to a pair of endless chains. The said combs collect the tubers infed into the bottom of a bin by devices upstream and channel them, first of all, upwards, and then, in the region of the upper extremity, into the inside of a container positioned underneath the opening through which the tubers pass out. On account of the centrifugal force, the tubers can be said to be "thrown" out of the loader at thetop rotation pointofthecombs.

The said combs are constituted by a plurality of wire prongs that are, for example, made of spring steel and yield to pressure, so astoenablethe machineto operate continuously, even on the frequent occasions when the combs are hindered by products that get wedged and are in some way prevented from moving into the inside of the said container.

What sometimes happens is that products close to the rodthatsupportsthe combs, that is to say products in proximity of the centre of rotation, are subjected to a centrifugal "throwing" force that is considerably less than that applied to the products lying in the region of the free extremity of the prongs, and thatfrequentlythe only products to be thrown into the inside of the container are those positioned more to the outside, while the ones further towards the centre of rotation can fall back into the loaderconveyor and join the others arriving from the harvesting devices. This results in a loss of the charging potential ofthe machineandthe need, in orderto overcome the said situation, forthe combsto rotate art a high speed.

The essential object of the invention is, therefore, to construct an improved loading device for channelling agricultural products into containers, with which it is possible to perform the said operation with a high charging potential and the certainty that the said products be "thrown" out ofthe loader without, because of this, the loader having to run at excessive speeds and, at the same time, with the prongs of the combs of the conveyor maintaining adequate elasticity.

This and other objects are attained with the device forming the subject of the invention, of the type that comprises: an endless conveyor that extends vertically and is constituted by a plurality of interspaced comb elements that extend horizontally and transversely with respect two the movement direction of the loader, provided with a number of prongs, each of which constituted by a rod shaped element fixed, at the inside extremity, to the horizontal support rod of all the prongs and comprising a first partadjacentto the said rod, this extending inclined with respecttothe movement direction of the conveyor, on the opposite sidethereto, and comprising a second partthatis generated by the first and extends perpendicularly to the said direction.

In one preferred embodiment, the said device is characterized by the fact that the said rod shaped element is constituted by a wire made of material that yields to pressure and is wound in turns in proximity ofthe said inside extremity, with the turns lying in a vertical plane that includes the said movement direction, the said second part lying in the same vertical plane in which the said inside extremity is included.

Further characteristics and advantages ofthe device according to the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description thatfollows of one preferred embodiment, illustrated purely as an unlimited example on the accompanying drawing, in which: - Figure 1 shows, diagrammatically in a perspective view, the loading device in question; - Figures 2,3 and 4show, in a lateral view, in a view seen from the top and in a frontview, respectively, one prong of the device in question; - Figure 5 shows, diagrammatically in longitudinal sectional form, the device in question.

With reference to Figure 1,the loading device in question is constituted by a vertical endless conveyor 1 comprising a plurality of charging combs 2 that extend in a horizontal plane and are fixed, th rough a rear rod 3, to a pair of bilateral endless chains 4 and 4', respectively, provided with continuous motion in the direction shown at 5. The said combs are housed inside a frame 6 that has an entry aperture 7 at the botton forthe tubers 8, and a discharge aperture 9 at the top from which they are channelled into the inside of a container 10 placed resting on the frame of the machine.

Each comb is constituted by the said rod 3to which are fixed (for example using pressure exerting screws 1 1,see Figure 2) a plurality of prongs 12 (see Figures 2, 3and4) placed in an equidistantfashion and made of wire that yields to pressure - preferably spring steel each provided with an inside extremity 1 2a by which it is anchored to the rod, and from this are initiated a number ofturns 1 2b that terminate in a first part 1 2c that extends sloping atan angle with respecttothe line perpendicularto the movement direction 5, on the opposite side thereto. Following on after thins is a second part 1 2d that extends perpendicularly to the said direction 5.

In the plane depicted in Figure 3, the said first part 1 2c slopes, again with respect to the direction 5, at an angle ss, in such a way asto position the second part 1 2d lying in the same vertical plane in which the inside extremity 1 2a is included.

With the device in question, the tubers 8 coming from the grubbers and from the subsequent elements that remove any clinging soil from them, shown in the figure at 15, drop into the inside of the frame-container 6through the aperture 7 and are continuously collected by the moving combs 2 which carrythem upwards towards the discharge aperture 9with the tubers resting, because ofthe conformation ofthe prongs 12, bn the extreme part 1 2d of these (see Figure 5).

In this way, all the products in the region of the upper rotation are subjected to the same centrifugal force with, therefore, the certainty oftheir being "thrown"through the discharge aperture 9, into the inside of the container 10.

Furthermore, the particular conformation of the said prongs (see Figure3) issuchasto preventtorquefrom occurring around the axis of the inside extremity 1 2a and exerting an effect on the part 1 2d due to the weight of the tubers resting thereon, just as the number ofturns 1 2b helpsto ensure sufficient elasticity with which to overcome any possible operational hindrance.

The invention can, in the practical embodiment thereof, also adopt forms that differ from the one outlined above and, in particular, numerous modifications of a practical nature may be introduced without, because of this, there being any deviation from the framework of protection afforded to the invention.

Claims (3)

CLAIMS:

1. An improved loading device for channelling products such as beets and the like into containers, of the type that comprises: an endless conveyor 1 that extends vertically and is constituted by a plurality of interspaced comb elements 2that extend horizontally and transversely with respect to the movement direction soothe loader, provided with a numberof prongs 12, each of which constituted by a rod shaped element fixed, at the inside extremity 1 2a, to the horizontal support rod 3 of all the prongs and comprising a first part 1 2c adjacentto the said rod, this extending inclined with respect to the movement direction ofthe conveyor 1, on the opposite side thereto, and comprising a second part 1 2d that is generated by the first and extends perpendicularlyto the said direction 5.

2. A device according to Claim 1, characterized by the factthatthe said rod shaped element is constituted by a wire, made of material that yields to pressure, wound in turns 1 2b in proximity of the said inside extremity 12a,with the said turns lying in a vertical plane that includes the said movement direction 5, the said second part 12d lying in the same vertical plane in which the said inside extremity 1 2a is included.

3. An improved loading device for channelling products such as beets and the like into containers substantially as hereinbefore described with refer encetotheaccompanying drawing.