GB2153197A

GB2153197A - Camomile flower picking or harvesting machine

Info

Publication number: GB2153197A
Application number: GB08431828A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gianfranco Savoia
Original assignee: EMILIA ROMAGNA AZIENDA FOREST
Current assignee: EMILIA ROMAGNA AZIENDA FOREST
Priority date: 1983-12-23
Filing date: 1984-12-17
Publication date: 1985-08-21
Also published as: FR2556925A1; IT1172673B; IT8318131A1; DE3446281A1; GB8431828D0; IT8318131A0

Abstract

The camomile flower picking or harvesting machine comprises a pick-up attachment (1) carried on a self-propelled vehicle frame mounted on wheels (12a, 12b, 13a, 13b), and comprising a combing device (11) effective to direct the plant stems with the flowers to be picked toward a means (17, 18, 19, 20a) operative to separate said flowers from said stems, an overlying reel (14), and a means (21,22,23,24,28) adapted to convey the thusly separated flowers toward a storage means (29) within said frame. The flower separating means may be a driven closed loop cutting wire or a rotating squeezer roller (50, Figs. 5 and 6) which latter means functions, in combustion with the combing device (11), to tear the flower heads from their stems. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Camomile flower picking or harvesting machine This invention relates to a camomile flower picking or harvesting machine.

As is known, increasing interest in the cultivation of officinal plants has met serious difficulties ragarding the harvesting thereof, such difficulties impose serious limitations which in many cases have prevented conversion from allotment type agriculture, for which harvesting is only feasible when carried out manually, to intensive agriculture, for which harvesting only becomes practicable if carried out mechanically.

In the particular instance of camomile, where officinal interest concerns the flowers growing at the top ends of fairly tender stems having their roots in the soil, harvesting is still performed in a prevailingly manual fashion, since still lacking are proposals for an appropriate mechanization of the operation, which clearly represents a limitation to the possibility of economically exploiting such agriculture.

It is an object of this invention to provide a camomile flower picking or harvesting machine which enables the harvesting operation to be performed in economically attractive conditions, which assures the attainment of a qualified crop and not-disturbance of the plants, which are left rooted in their soil bed.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a machine which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost and give full assurance of reliable operation.

These objects are achieved by a camomile flower picking or harvesting machine, according to the invention, characterized in that it comprises a pick-up attachment carried on a self-propelled vehicle frame mounted on wheels and comprising a combing device effective to direct the plant stems with the flowers to be picked toward a means operative to separate said flowers from said stems, an overlying reel, and a means adapted to convey the thusly separated flowers toward a storage means within said frame.

Further features and advantages will be more clearly apparent from the following description of two preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying non-limitative drawings, where: Figure 1 is a side elevation view of the machine in section along the line I-I of Fig.

2; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the machine pick-up attachment, together with some members of the self-propelled vehicle frame nearest to it; Figure 4 is a detail view of the fingered device and flower separating means, according to a first embodiment thereof; Figure 5 is a detail view of the fingered attachment and flower separating means, according to a second embodiment thereof; and Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the line Vl-VI of Fig. 5.

Making reference to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, generally indicated at 1 is the machine pick-up attachment, which is removably associated, by the insertion in pins 2 and 3 and other underlying pins, with the machine self-propelled vehicle frame, and more precisely with connecting rods 2a and 3a of two articulated quadrilaterals, identical to and facing each other, the first of which is also formed by rocker arms 2b and 2c and has for its bridge an upright 2d of the self-propelled frame, while only the rocker arm 3b of the second is shown in the drawings. Adjustment of the pick-up attachment level according to the quality and growth of the crop to be harvested, while holding its trim constant, is accomplished by the operator controlling hydraulic cylinders 4 and 5.

The pick-up attachment 1 will be now described in detail, wherein a supporting structure, as shown best in Fig. 3, comprises plates 6 and 7 interconnected by suitably shaped C-like stringers, indicated at 8 and 9, and angle stringer 1 0.

Connected to the stringer 9 of the frame is the combing device, generally indicated at 11, which is formed of elements comprising sheet metal blades 11 a of substantially trapezoidal contour which are attached to the C-like sectional member indicated at 1 1c; said blades are aligned in a plane, substantially parallel to the fixed axle 1 2 of the selfpropelled frame front wheels 1 2a, 1 2b, and contained in substantially perpendicular planes to said axle.

Indicated at 1 3 is the rear oscillating axle of the wheels 1 3a, 1 3b.

At a position overlying the combing device 11, the trim whereof may be made adjustable, and under which a jam-preventing device may be provided, is a reel, generally indicated at 14, which rotates in the direction of the arrows shown in the drawings and includes a shaft 14a, extending in a substantially parallel direction to the axle 1 2 of the wheels, which carries a cylinder 1 4b coaxially wherefrom blades 1 4c extend which have paddles 1 4d of an elastic material, attached thereto which are contained within the heads 14e, 14f.

The reel shaft 1 4a is supported on the pickup attachment structure such that the position of the reel relatively to the fingered device 11 can be adjusted both in height and in the longitudinal direction of the machine to find optimum operational characteristics; thus, to exemplify one of the many possible solutions, the ends of said shaft 1 4a may be inserted through and locked into slots, such as 1 spa, formed in the arms 1 5 and 16, which are journalled on the plates 6 and 7, respectively, and locked at an adjustable position; in particular, the arm 1 5 is journalled at 15b and locked by means of a pin 1 sic which may be associated with one of the holes, such as 6a, formed in the plate 6.

The kinematic train will be next described which drives the shaft 1 4a to impart the reel 14, which may evidently have a different configuration from that shown, with a peripheral speed which is equal to or greater than that of the machine forward motion.

The pick-up attachment 1 comprises a means effective to cause separation of the flowers from the stems, which comprises a closed loop cutting wire, supported on a transverse plane, to the machine by a first sheave 1 7 driven rotatively by an electric motor 1 8 or hydraulic motor attached to the plate 6, and by a second sheave 19, the upper and lower runs whereof are indicated at 20a and 20b respectively; the upper run 20a is passed through the blades of the combing device 11, whereas the lower run 20b underlies.

As the machine moves forward over a field being harvested, the stems of the camomile plants enter the spaces between the blades of the combing device 11 with the flowers overlying them, and at a certain point contact, as shown in Fig. 4, the upper run 20a of the cutting wire which cuts the stems thereby separating the flowers, which are retained above the combing device 11; the reel 14, which up to the cutting time had cooperated to determine a correct movement of the stems into the interspaces of the combing device and exert a certain pressure thereon against the cutting wire, forces the presently separated flowers onto conveyor belts 21 and 22 which are arranged sequentially proceed the combing device 11 with their upper runs at the same height as or slightly below the level of the uppermost surface of the combing device, these conveyor belts, move in the direction of the arrows indicated in the drawings to convey the crop onto the conveyor belt 23, which already receives harvested flowers directly from the combing device 11, which moves in the longitudinal direction of the machine.

On leaving the conveyor belt 23, the flowers are picked up by transfer means accommodated within the self-propelled frame, which comprises a transfer conveyor belt 24, which connects the drum 25 carried idle on the secondary shaft 26 connected to the connecting rods 2a and 3a of the articulated quadrilateral, and a drum not shown in the drawings, rigidly keyed to the driveshaft 27 which is supported on uprights such as 2d of the self-propelled vehicle frame, and further comprises the elevator generally indicated at 28, comprising the conveyor belt 28a formed with projections and driven by the hydraulic motor 28b and contained in the structure 28c removably associated with the self-propelled frame, and finally the hopper 29 which is supported detachably on the self-propelled frame, so as to be either tiltable or detachable.

The transfer conveyor belt 24 and all of the members of the pick-up attachment 1 are driven as follows.

The hydraulic motor 30, through the drive chain 31, drives the driveshaft 27 of the conveyor belt 24, and derived from this shaft, through the drive chain 32, is the motion for the secondary shaft 26; from this secondary shaft 26, the chain 33 derives the motion for the shaft 34, which has angle drives 35 and 36 for moving the conveyor belts 21, 22 and 23, while the chain 37 derives the motion for the small deflection shaft 38 wherefrom the motion for the shaft 1 4a of the reel is obtained through the gear wheels 39, 40 and drive chain 41 having a tensioner 42.

Of course, the kinematic drive train for the pick-up attachment members may have any desired configuration, and in particular, the motion for the reel shaft may be derived directly from a wheel axle of the self-propelled frame.

It remains to be said that the self-propelled vehicle frame includes a seat 43 for the driver and a steering wheel 44 controlling the rear wheels 1 3a and 13b, which are driving and steering wheels, because connected to a hydraulic motor accommodated on their respective axle, mounted on an oscillating bridge 45; indicated finally at 46 is an internal combustion engine supported on crossmembers 47 and 48 of the frame, which drives a hydraulic pump 49 adapted to power the cited hydraulic motors.

The means operative to separate the flowers, as heretofore described, acts on the stems with a shearing effect; in Figs. 5 and 6, an alternative means is shown, which instead operates on a tearing principle and comprises a rotating squeezer roller 50 below the combing device 11 which has stem gripping elements such as circumferential grooves 50a, thus causing the stems to be dragged downwards to bring the flowers in contact with the top surface of the combing device, which may comprise metal wires such as 51, and result in the consequent tearing of the flower stems.

Small bars 52 form the cleaning device for the roller 50.

It may be appreciated from the foregoing description that the machine of this invention enables the camomile flowers to be harvested in optimum conditions, leaving a minimal stem portion attached thereto and safeguarding the plants which remain rooted in the soil and possibly available for further harvesting passes.

The invention as hereinabove disclosed is susceptible to many modifications and variations, in addition to those described, without departing from the scope of this inventive idea. Thus, for example, the members operative to separate the flowers with a shearing effect may comprise, instead of the string described, a fixed or movable blade located near the rear end of the combing device, and the squeezer roller which effects the separation of the flowers with a tearing action may be provided with different gripper elements, such as helical grooves acting on the stems with a transverse component to the machine direction of motion.

Furthermore, the arrangments within the pick-up attachment and adapted to convey the separated flowers toward the storage means may comprise a coil adapted to establish dual opposed flows of the crop toward the machine longitudinal axis, and the self-propelled vehicle frame may have its front axle oscillating and steering and the rear one fixed.

In practicing the invention, all of the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent elements; further, any materials, shapes and dimensions, may be selected and used, dependant upon individual contingent requirements.

Claims

1. A camomile flower picking or harvesting machine, characterized in that it comprises a pick-up attachment carried on a self-propelled vehicle frame mounted on wheels and comprising a combing device effective to direct the plant stems with the flowers to be picked toward a means operative to separate said flowers from said stems, an overlying reel, and a means adapted to convey the thusly separated flowers toward a storage means within said frame.

2. A machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that the pick-up attachment is detachably associated with connecting rods of two articulated quadrilaterals facing the bridge formed by rods of the self-propelled frame and the rocker arms driven by working cylinders for adjusting the height of the pick-up attachment in constant trim.

3. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the self-propelled frame comprises at least one fixed axle.

4. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the combing device is formed of elements comprising aligned metal blades in a substantially parallel direction to the fixed axle of the selfpropelled frame wheels and lying on normal planes to said axle, having a substantially trapezoidal contour with the upper side sloping downwards in the direction of forward motion of the machine.

5. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the combing device includes elements comprising metal wires aligned in a substantially parallel direction to the fixed axle of the self-propelled frame wheels and extending perpendicularly to said axle.

6. A machine according to one or more of thr preceding claims, characterized in that the position of the combing device with respect to the direction of forward motion of the machine is adjustable.

7. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the provision of a jam-preventing device below the combing device.

8. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reel is arranged with its axis substantantially parallel to the fixed axle of the self-propelled frame wheels.

9. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reel comprises paddles of an elastic material attached to blades extending radially from a cylinder coaxially rigid with a shaft which is supported at the ends and receives rotary motion.

10. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reel is carried on the pick-up attachment structure at an adjustable position relatively to the underlying combing device both in height, and with respect to the longitudinal direction of the machine.

11. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reel is supported on arms journalled to the pick-up attachment structure and lockable at an adjustable position, the ends of the reel shaft being inserted and locked at an adjustable position in slots formed in said arms substantially in the longitudinal direction thereof.

12. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reel is driven rotatively at a peripheral speed equal to or higher than the machine travel speed.

1 3. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means operative to separate the flowers from the stems comprises members adapted to act on the stems close to the flowers with a shearing action.

14. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the members adapted to act on the stems close to the flowers with a shearing action comprises a wire configured as a closed loop carried in a substantiall transverse plane with respect to the longitudinal direction of the machine by two sheaves of substantially equal diameters, one of which is powered to set the string into motion, and is located at the ends of the combing device, the upper and lower wire runs extending between the sheaves be ing substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the reel, and the upper run being passed through the elements of the fingered device close to the upper edge thereof at a forward position.

1 5. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the powered sheave whereon the wire is operative which is effective to cause separation of the flowers from the stems is associated with an electric motor.

1 6. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the members adapted to act on the stems close to the flowers with a shearing action comprise a fixed blade located close to the rear end of the combing device.

1 7. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the members adapted to act on the stems close to the flowers with a shearing action comprise a movable blade located close to the rear end of the combing device.

1 8. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means operative to cause separation of the flowers from the stems comprises members adapted to act with a tearing action.

1 9. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the members adapted to act with a tearing action comprise a squeezer roller rotating below the fingered device with an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the reel, provided with stem gripping elements so as to determine the downward drag to bring the flowers to contact the upper surface of the combing device and consequently tear them from the stems.

20. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gripping elements for the stems provided on the squeezer roller comprise circumferential grooves.

21. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stem gripping elements provided on the squeezer roller comprise helical grooves.

22. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the provision of a cleaner device for the squeezer roller.

23. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means included within the pick-up attachment adapted to convey the separated flowers toward a storage means included within the frame comprises conveyor belts arranged sequentially to the combing device, two of which, located laterally moving in a transverse direction to the machine and located with the upper run at substantially the same level or slightly below that of the upper surface of the combing device elements, adapted to convey the harvested flowers onto a third center belt moving in a longitudinal direction to the machine and located with the upper run at a level below that of the side conveyor belts.

24. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means included within the pick-up attachment adapted to convey the flowers as separated toward a storage means included within the frame comprises a coil adapted to create dual opposed flows toward the longitudinal axis of the machine.

25. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveying means included within the selfpropelled frame comprises a transfer conveyor belt driven in the longitudinal direction of the machine, which receives the flowers from the means adapted to convey the same included within the pick-up attachment, and conveys them to an elevator adapted to transfer them into a hopper removably attached to the selfpropelled frame.

26. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transfer conveyor belt connects an idle drum on a secondary shaft supported by the connecting rods of the two facing articulated quadrilaterals to a drum on a driveshaft supported on the bridges of said articulated quadrilaterals.

27. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the provision of a hydraulic motor which transmits the motion through a drive chain to the driveshaft of the transfer conveyor belt; of a drive chain transmitting the motion from said driveshaft to the secondary shaft supported by the connecting rods of the articulated quadrilaterals; of a drive chain which transmits the motion from said secondary shaft to a shaft having angle drives for moving the three conveyor belts provided within the pick-up attachment; of a drive chain transmitting the motion from said secondary shaft to a small deflector shaft whence motion is derived for the reel shaft through a pair of sprocket wheels and a drive chain.

28. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the provision of a kinematic drive train adapted to derive the motion for the reel shaft directly from one wheel axle of the self-propelled frame.

29. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elevator comprises a conveyor belt having projections thereon, inserted into a containment structure removably associated with the self-propelled frame and driven by a hydraulic motor.

30. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the self-propelled frame comprises a fixed front axle having merely steering wheels mounted thereon, and an oscillating rear axle having steering and driving wheels mounted thereon for connection to a hydraulic motor.

31. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the provision of an internal combustion engine supported on the self-propelled frame, adapted to transmit the motion to a pump for operating the machines' hydraulic motors.

32. A machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises one or more of the features herein described and/or illustrated.