GB623886A - Improvements in or relating to potato harvesting machines - Google Patents

Abstract

623,886. Harvesting root-crops. JOHNSON. T. S. May 28, 1947, No. 14235. [Class 6(iii)] In a potato-digging machine the material excavated by the shares 6 is discharged on to the inclined surface of an upwardly - travelling conveyer 13 3 and passes therefrom on to a discharge conveyer 26 across an adjustable gap which permits stones, earth and small potatoes to fall therethrough. The excavated material is first conveyed rearwardly by a conveyer 8 which discharges on to a wide-mesh conveyer 9. Potatoes and stones fall through the mesh, but haulms, retained on the conveyer, are discharged rearwardly. A short transverse conveyer 10 receives the discharge from the conveyer 9 and in turn discharges on to an elevator 11 which includes raised bars 12 at intervals. From the top of the elevator 11 the material falls on to. the upwardly-travelling, inclined surface of a slat conveyer 13, down which potatoes, stones and earth roll, the irregular stones becoming wedged between the slats and being discharged over the top of the conveyer. From the base of the conveyer 13, the remaining material passes across a gap (see Fig. 2) to a final conveyer 26 arranged to discharge potatoes laterally to a bagging point or to a cart. The gap is adjustable by moving the lower roller 17 of the conveyer 13 along a slot and permits potatoes and stones below a predetermined size to fall therethrough. Operators may stand adjacent to the discharge end of the final conveyer to remove unbroken lumps of earth. All the conveyers, which are of openwork construction, are driven from a shaft 3 coupled to the power take-off of the towing vehicle. Material falling through the conveyer 13 enters a wire basket 20 the base 21 of which can be opened periodically to deposit trash on the ground: Spring-loaded flaps 14 are provided adjacent to the top of the conveyer 13.