GB2292874A

GB2292874A - Waste crop separator

Info

Publication number: GB2292874A
Application number: GB9418344A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Booth Weston; Joseph Leonard Smalley
Original assignee: Richard Pearson Ltd
Current assignee: Richard Pearson Ltd
Priority date: 1994-09-12
Filing date: 1994-09-12
Publication date: 1996-03-13
Anticipated expiration: 2014-09-12
Also published as: GB9418344D0; GB2292874B

Abstract

A device for separating materials comprises two spaced, substantially parallel rotatable members (3, 4). One of the rollers has at least one flat side so as to facilitate in use the drawing down between the rollers of material to be separated. The device may be used for separating haulms from potatoes or for clearing rubbish from a beach. <IMAGE>

Description

A DEVICE FOR SEPARATING MATERIALS The present invention relates to a device for separating materials, particularly, but not exclusively, for extracting haulm from crop, especially from potato tubers.

It is known to separate haulm from potato tubers by passing potatoes over contra-rotating rollers. If the rollers are smooth, the amount of grip on the haulm may not be sufficient, but reasonable separation can be achieved by cutting a plurality of longitudinally-extending grooves in the rollers.

A disadvantage of grooved rollers is that when working with wet materials, e.g. wet soil, the grooves tend to fill up with wet soil, which is then compressed into the grooves by the contra-rotating roller. The result is a smooth cylindrical roller and separation is impaired.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device for separating materials in which separation is enhanced.

The invention provides a device for separating materials as claimed in claim 1.

By providing one or both of the rollers with a flat side, separation of haulm from tubers is enhanced.

The roller may have a polygonal cross section with, e. g. three flat sides (e. g. has a triangular cross section) or four or more flat sides, and preferably has a substantially square cross section. The other roller member may be a cylindrical roller, or have a likewise polygonal cross section, e.g. with three, four or more flat sides, preferably with a substantially square cross section.

Alternative cross sections of the rollers may be preferred depending on the material being separated, e. g. oblong, rhombic etc.

Alternatively, the flat side could be a single flat side or two, three or more flat sides on a roller having an otherwise curved (eg cylindrical) cross section, the flat sides being adjacent or separated by curved portions.

The invention also provides a separating machine comprising means for lifting materials from the ground and feeding the materials to a device as described above.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompany drawing, wherein: Figure 1 shows diagramatically in part section a side view of the haulm extraction section of a potato harvester having two separating devices according to the invention, and Figure 2 shows in similar section one of the separating devices of Figure 1.

In the figures a potato harvester (not shown) has a haulm extraction section comprising a first crop delivery section 1, a haulm separating device 2, a second crop delivery section 1' and a second haulm separation section 2'.

The delivery sections 1 and 1' are shown with conventional starwheels, but any other delivery mechanism may be used, e.g conventional web conveyors.

Each separating device 2,2' consists of essentially two rollers in the form of a smooth cylindrical roller 3 and a downstream roller 4 having a substantially square cross section.

As can be seen by comparing the relative positions of the rollers 3,4 in the separating devices 2 and 2' the gap between the rollers 3,4 increases and decreases cylically as the rollers rotate so that haulm and weeds are periodically gripped between the rollers 3 and 4.

The potatoes (not shown) flow over the top of the first roller 3 and bounce off either a flat side or an apex between flat sides of the second roller 4 and carry on travelling down stream.

One or other of the rollers 3,4 may be provided with at least a resilient outer surface if the rollers 3,4 actually engage periodically on rotation.

Alternatively, the rollers 3,4 may be arranged so that the gap therebetween there is between a minimum 5 and a maximum 6 as shown in Figure 2.

Scrapers 7 are provided to remove any material adhering to the rollers 3,4.

If the rollers 3,4 are contra-rotating, separation is at its best. If a more gradual separation is required, the rollers 3,4 may be arranged to rotate in the same direction.

The separating devices described above may be incorporated in harvesters, e. g. potato harvesters, or in any other separating machine i.e. in any kind of machine or apparatus in which separation is required, e. g. a machine for clearing rubbish from a beach, particularly from a sandy beach.

A plurality of separating devices comprising rollers 3, 4 may be provided in series in separating apparatus to form a separating conveyor, which may be horizontal or inclined.

Claims

1. A device for separating materials comprising two spaced, substantially parallel rotatable members, wherein one of the rollers has at least one flat side so as to facilitate in use the drawing down between the rollers of material to be separated.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said one roller has a polygonal cross section.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the said one roller has four flat sides.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the said one roller has a substantially square cross section.

5. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the other of the two rollers is a substantially cylindrical roller.

6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the other of the two rollers has at least one flat side.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the said other roller has a polygonal cross section.

8. A device as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the said other roller has four flat sides.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the said other roller has a substantially square cross section.

10. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the rollers are contra-rotating.

11. A device for separating materials substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A separating machine as claimed in claim 12 in the

12. A separating machine comprising means for lifting materials from the ground and feeding the materials to a device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

13. A separating machine as claimed in claim 12 in the form of a potato harvester.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A device for separating materials comprising two spaced, substantially parallel, counter-rotating rotatable members, wherein the rotatable members extend substantially horizontally across the direction of movement of the materials being separated and one of the rollers has at least one flat side so as to facilitate in use the drawing down between the rollers of material to be separated.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the said other roller has a substantially square cross section.

10. A device for separating materials substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A separating machine comprising means for lifting materials from the ground and feeding the materials to a device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.