MXGT05000009A - Vegetable harvesting machine with a container and a discharge system. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention refers to a machine for harvesting bulb and aerial stem vegetables. The inventive machine is an implement dragged by an agricultural tractor, which is characterised in that it has a frame with tires, supports for supporting the whole machine components, and an adjustable draft link for engaging the tractor and allowing the present implement to be aligned with the harvested rows. The machine also comprises a system for pulling plants including opposite bands regarding a vertical plane, the system being particularly useful for this type of machines; an adjustable blade for ploughing the soil is located under the extracted roots; a device for separating conventional foliage based on the principle patented by William E. Urschel in 1993 (US 1,894,802), which consists in two sets of bars positioned and actuated by tilted heads; a multiple axis conveyor having rotating elastic elements useful for removing soil adhered to roots by a scratching and agitating action perfor med while said elements are moved forward; a chain lift having bars and laths useful for filling a temporary storing hopper; a discharge device for lifting and turning the hopper down so as to empty the same into a conventional transport means; a hydraulic system for actuating the harvesting machine mechanisms using a power take-off from the tractor as a power source.

Description

VEGETABLE HARVESTING MACHINE WITH DEPOSIT AND DISCHARGE SYSTEM FIELD OF THE TNVENTION The present invention relates to equipment for harvesting vegetables that have a bulb root and aerial stem and are cultivated in rows or rows.

BACKGROUND Mechanical operations for the cultivation of vegetables with bulb roots, such as carrots, harvesting is the one that requires the most labor and, consequently, the one with the greatest influence on crop profitability. For the soil conditions typical of the central region of Mexico, where the carrot is grown, an average of 50 experienced people are needed to harvest a hectare in a day, which in economic terms means the expense equivalent to 25% of the price of market of this vegetable. For harvesting it is necessary to start the plant, clean (separate soil), separate foliage and group the product (load on a trailer, bagging, etc.).

At present, the foreign market offers the following possibilities to mechanize the harvest: blades, strippers, strippers, windrowers, starters-cleaners-loaders, traction harvesters and push harvesters. The current trend is the use of combine harvesters, both pulled and self-propelled, and the use of hydraulic systems to drive the mechanisms.

The traction combines work by holding the plant through the foliage by two rubber belts facing each other, with a vertical contact plane and inclined to raise the plant once it has been uprooted. At the same time that the plant is taken by the stem, a grate penetrates below the roots, loosening the soil, so that they do not offer resistance to the traction exerted on the leaves by the belts. Good leaf development is needed so that losses in the field are not excessive. Once the plant is extracted, it is conducted to the upper part of the belt, where a mechanism of bars or discs that separate the stem from the root acts. The plucked foliage is thrown to the ground; the roots, once defoliated, fall on an elevator, which unloads them in a trailer or hopper, which accompanies the harvester. The lift can simultaneously perform preliminary cleaning. Other designs include devices for filling sacks or boxes of capacities greater than 500 kg, which are deposited along the path of the machine, to be picked up by agricultural forklifts, accompanied by a cargo vehicle. Subsequently the product can be washed and selected in stationary devices, according to its destination.

Trailed pull harvesters work mainly on a single line, requiring a tractor of medium power to drive and drive, reaching working capacities of 0.15 to 0.2 ha / h. Self-propelled machines that operate on the same principle can harvest up to five rows simultaneously; Its discharge system is continuous, although a design with a large hopper is known, which allows periodic unloading with an elevator that starts from the bottom of said hopper.

Push harvesters suitable for low foliage varieties resemble beet harvesters and the sequence of their operations is to eliminate the foliage, lift the root along with the soil, separate and clean the soil, discharge into a hopper.

The cultivation of carrot-type vegetables in Mexico uses mostly heavy soils, whose characteristics make it difficult to start the soil plant, in addition to remaining attached to the root a good amount of soil, which needs to be eliminated. Therefore, the use of push harvesters is excluded, since the methods of separation of the root of the soil they use would be inefficient.

The unloading systems of traction harvesters coupled to the tractor, which collect the product in bags, sacks or large boxes, require the use of agricultural hoists, expensive equipment that are not common in most agricultural fields. In addition, soil conditions during a good part of the harvest season prevent the entry into the field of heavy trucks and trailers, because they get stuck easily.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is to provide a vegetable harvester machine with bulb root and aerial stem, coupled to the agricultural tractor, which starts the plants along one or more rows, previously loosening the soil, separating and discarding the foliage, perform the preliminary cleaning eliminating the Most of the soil adhered to the roots, deposit the roots in a hopper, which allows the storage of the product and its periodic discharge in the headwaters, thus avoiding the entry into the field of heavy transport vehicles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention is described below according to the drawings of figures 1 to 10, in order to better illustrate it. The present invention relates to a crop harvester machine with bulb root and aerial stem. The harvester is in the form of an implement, pulled by an agricultural tractor, whose power take-off is used as a power source to drive all the mechanisms of the same.

Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 show the main assemblies and components of the harvester: a main frame (1) with wheels with tires, supports to hold all the components of the machine and an adjustable shot of coupling with the tractor , which allows, by means of a hydraulic cylinder (9), the alignment of the implement with the row or rows harvested; a system for starting the plant and separating the root (2), characteristic for this class of machines; a multi-axis conveyor (3) with rotating elastic elements, whose function is to eliminate the earth adhered to the roots by the action of scraping and agitation as they progress; a chain elevator (4) with bars and slats, whose function is to fill the hopper (5) for temporary storage; a discharge device (6) that lifts and flips the hopper to empty it to a conventional means of transport; a hydraulic system that drives the combine's mechanisms (7), which uses the tractor's power take-off as a power source; this system, complete, is shown in Figure 10; a folding mechanical jack (8), whose function is to provide additional support for the implement in the unloading phase and when it is not coupled to the tractor.

To start the work with the implement attached to the tractor, the starting and separating device (2) is aligned with the row to be harvested by means of the hydraulic cylinder (9) of the draft, it is lowered by the cylinder (10) (see figure 2) the front end of said device (2) up to the desired level, according to the height of the groove and the foliage, the elevator (4) is placed in the lower position by means of the cylinder (11) (see figure 3). Figures 2 and 3 show the harvest of a single row but depending on the conditions of the crop and the used tractor could have devices (2) parallel to harvest more than one row at a time.

When advancing the machine during work, an adjustable blade (13) of the device (2) (see figures 2 and 5) loosens the soil below the roots; said blade, with its rear end articulated in the fixed frame (1) and suspended laterally on the frame (12) of the device (2) is raised and lowered together with said device, further counting with a gradual vertical and horizontal adjustment, to adapt to the size of the harvested root and soil conditions. The curved (eccentric) shape of its body seen from above (14), allows the free flow of the soil and roots raised. The frame (12) of the device (2) consists of two main longitudinal profiles that define the displacement conduit of the uprooted plants and others that provide rigidity to the frame and support the components of the start and separation system. At the front end of the frame (12) of the assembly (2) is the culture separation device (15), of conventional design, whose function is to separate the foliage from the plants of the harvested row, from the foliage of the adjacent row, lift it and guide it towards the feed throat, formed by the two front pulleys (16) of the two belts facing each other (17). The device (15) is coupled to the end of the frame (12) so that it allows its free movement (rotation) in the vertical plane, to allow its skids to slide on the ground. It also has an opening adjustment to adapt to different crop conditions.

At the same time that the blade (13) loosens the soil under the root of the plant, its stem is taken by the two rubber belts (17), with vertical contact plane and inclined to raise the plant once uprooted; its speed is synchronized with the speed of the machine so that the direction of the absolute speed of the extracted plant is close to the vertical, to facilitate the start without breaking the foliage. The bands are guided by two rows of pulleys (18) joined to the main profiles of the frame (12), on the one hand in the fixed manner and on the other with the possibility of inward movement, under the adjustable force of the springs, for ensure adequate and constant tightening between the two bands, along the path. The pulleys (18) have individual cleaning knives (not shown), adapted to the trapezoidal groove at the periphery of the pulleys, for the purpose of scraping the adhered earth. The bands (17) are driven by the tensioning pulleys (19) placed at the rear end of the frame (12), by the individual hydraulic motors (20), connected in series to match the speeds of both bands. The grooves made in the base plates (21) of the axes of the pulleys (19) at the rear end of the frame (12), make it possible to carry out both longitudinal adjustment (tension of the bands), and transversal (separation of bands in the output), using simple screw mechanisms. The bands move the uprooted plants upwards, making them pass through the foliage separation mechanism (22), to finally release the foliage at the rear end of the machine. The conventional foliage separation device, based on the principle patented by William E. Urschel in 1933 (US PatentN0 1,894,802) and adapted with minor modifications by most current root crop harvesting machines (Donald Mortensen, Root Crop Harvester, US Patent No. 4,173,257), consists of two sets of bars of elliptical cross section and driven through the inclined heads where the ends of said bars are connected. The partial overlap between the bars of both sets (shown at a larger scale in the cross section 23), requires a synchronization in the relative movement of both upper heads, driven by a hydraulic motor through a transmission by sprockets and chain (24 ). The inclination of the heads with respect to the bars adds a longitudinal (axial) component to the movement in the contact zone, which prints the bars to the stems by rotational movement. As a result, the roots have a forward movement, with speed similar to that of the stems pulled by the bands and a transverse ascending movement, which makes them approach and stick to the bands.

When it is intended to trim (eliminate) the end of the root (eg in the case of beet for industrial processing), the function of the set of bars is to align (match the roots) and a cutter disk is used to eliminate these surpluses (not shown in the figures). If the root is for direct consumption (for example carrot for fresh commercialization) the bars make the function of pulling the stems fairly evenly and without mechanical damage, thanks to the action of bending and pull that exert on the stems without leaving enter and without damaging the roots. The kinematic parameters of the bar mechanism must be in accordance with the parameters of the lifting system by bands.

The design of the suspension and the drive of the bar assemblies must take into account different sizes of both the root and the foliage, depending on the variety and the specific conditions of the crop. The use of the adjustable springs (25), which define the position and mutual tightening of both sets, allows an automatic adaptation of the system to the variable parameters of the crop harvested.

In the working position of the starting and separating system (2) the set of bars (22) is just above the lower end of the conveyor (3), whose main function is to receive the separated roots, transport them and download them into the lower end of the elevator (4); its additional function is to preliminarily clean the separated roots, eliminating the earth and other organic residues that may be attached. The conveyor (3) extends at the rear of the machine, with a slight inclination to achieve an initial rise in the mass of the product and consists (Figure 6) of a structural frame (26) with two side walls and one front, a sufficient number of parallel axes (27) supported by the foot bearings at their ends, rotating rubber elements (28) on each axis with axial positioning spacers and an axle drive system, composed of a hydraulic motor (29) ) with a series of sprockets and chains (30) to transmit the same rotational movement to all the axes. The form shown of the rotating elements (28) ensures an effective flow of the mass transported without causing gaps and exerts an action of cleaning the roots by rubbing without causing mechanical damage to the roots. The cut made in the side walls of the structure (26) of the conveyor (3) allows the free flow of the roots and stems that were separated in the set of bars (22), with the closest possible approach to the plane of operation of the rotating elements (28), in order to reduce the probability of suffering mechanical damage by falling of the separated roots.

The conveyor (3) unloads the roots at the lower end of the elevator (4), placed on the back of the left side of the machine, whose function is to raise the roots to a height sufficient to discharge them into the hopper of the implement for storage temporary. The elevator (4) (Figure 7) consists of a frame (31), a conveyor belt formed by the parallel bars (32) with rubber coating, screwed at their ends to the roller chains (33) with attachments, guided to turn for the ladybirds (34). The spaces between the bars drop the soil and other impurities, which are released from the roots at this stage of the process. At appropriate intervals, one of the bars (32) is replaced by a rod with rubber coated fin (35), to ensure the thrust of the material transported upwards. Said fin or strip (35) supports its base in the adjacent bar (32) without rubber coating, to maintain its position. The riser band is driven by a hydraulic motor (36) by a pair of sprockets wedged on the upper shaft (37). The tension adjustment of the chains (33) is done by moving the lower shaft (38) of the elevator, using the screw mechanisms (39). On both sides of the band walls (40) extend, forming a conduit to control the flow.

The frame (31) of the lift is articulated in the main frame (1) of the implement (figure 3 and 7b) and positioned by means of the hydraulic cylinder (11). The above allows its overlap with the hopper (5) during the work and its total withdrawal during the unloading operation; both positions are shown schematically in figure 7b.

Once the hopper is full, the tractor stops at the head of the land, the truck or trailer approaches and the unloading operation begins. The jack (8) is put in working position (see figure 3) and the cylinder (11) is activated by lifting the elevator (4) and leaving the space above the unloading device (6) free with the temporary storage hopper (5). The discharge device (6) (figures 8 and 9) consists of a fixed frame (41) attached to the main frame (1) of the implement, a scissors-like lifting mechanism (42), coupled to the fixed frame (41) by pivots (43) and guides-skids (44) on both sides of the hopper and driven with a pair of hydraulic cylinders (45), one per side; a mobile frame (46) that surrounds the hopper (5), joins the scissor mechanism by means of an upper guide-skate (47) and a pivot (48) on each side of the hopper and performs a movement of ascending translation or descending with outward or inward displacement, respectively, when the scissors are opened or closed (figure 8a and 8b). Inside the mobile frame (46) lies the hopper (5), coupled by the lateral pivots (49), around which it rotates under the action of a pair of hydraulic cylinders (50), to effect the unloading and retraction (figure 8c) ).

During the unloading the hydraulic cylinders (45) of the scissor mechanism and the movable frame (46) are activated together with the hopper is raised, until its upper edge exceeds the height of the redila of the truck (trailer), moving at the same time towards the truck box. Once the required height is reached, the cylinders (50) are operated, forcing the hopper to rotate around the pivot (49), thus unloading the product to the means of transport. Having unloaded the material, the hopper and the moving frame are returned to their lower initial position.

To minimize the possibility of mechanical damage to the product when filling and emptying the hopper, it has installed a series of elastic straps between the side walls, in order to reduce the speed of material fall, as well as a soft and perforated coating on the bottom and the front wall, to allow the exit of earth and water without causing damage to the product, by scrapes. The capacity of the hopper allows storing the harvested material in a distance of not less than 400 m, according to the type of crop, its yield, as well as the customary size of the plots, in order to adjust the discharges to the path of the harvest and at the headwaters of the land.

The drive of all the mechanisms and devices of the machine is carried out by means of its own hydraulic system (figure 10), which has an axial piston pump (51) with variable flow and pressure control, which is driven by the intake tractor force through the rev amp. As seen in the circuit diagram, the starting and stopping of the six continuous working hydraulic motors is controlled by means of a single lever of the directional valve (52). The revolutions of the motors are adjusted with the individual flow regulating valves, according to the proper working speeds for each one of the mechanisms of the start and separation system (20, 24), of the conveyor (29), of the elevator ( 36) and the oil cooler fan (53), placed under the tank (7) (figure 2).

The hydraulic cylinders, which adjust the vertical (10) and horizontal (9) position of the starting system (2), according to the height of the row and harvested row, are controlled by a double directional valve (54) (two levers) ) placed next to the directional control valve of the motors (52), to be used during the operation (advance) of the machine. The triple directional valve (55), for actuating the hydraulic cylinders of the elevator (11) and the discharge device (45 and 50), is placed in the left front corner of the main frame, next to the mechanical jack (8), which is also used in this operation. The above ensures visibility and comfort for a good control of this periodic operation. The pairs of cylinders (45) and (50) are fed through the respective flow divider valves (56) type 50:50, to ensure synchronization in their movement independently of the distribution of the load in the hopper. The individual relief valves (57) allow to limit the pressure (indicated by the pressure gauge 58) and with it the maximum force developed in each pair of cylinders, in order to control the dynamic loads. The speed of displacement of the rod of the hydraulic cylinders can be controlled in general by the flow regulating valve (59) and in particular by individual levers of the respective directional valves (54 and 55).

To ensure the proper sequence of the movements of the components of the unloading system, the hydraulic cylinders (45) of the lift of the movable frame (of the scissors) and of the rotation (50) of the hopper are interconnected with the positioning cylinder (11) of the main elevator. The last, during the harvesting operation, is partially overlapped with the hopper (figure 3 and 7b), in order to achieve conditions that facilitate the complete filling of the same. To empty the hopper, lift the elevator first, that is to say separate it from the hopper so that there is no overlap (figure 7b). If due to carelessness of the operator, this movement is not effected before actuating the cylinders (45) of the scissors or (50) of the hopper, a collision and damage to the structure of the elevator could occur. A similar situation would occur when the lift (4) is unintentionally lowered, without previously lowering the hopper (5) to its lower position. To eliminate the possibility of any of these events, the circuits of the three mechanisms were interconnected so that when any of the levers of the triple directional valve (55), which controls this assembly, is operated, the cylinder that reacts first (due to to the difference in the respective loads) will always be the (11) of the elevator (4), putting it in the safe position, before it starts the lifting or turning movement of the hopper. For this to happen, without actuating the lever of the elevator cylinder, it is also necessary that the outlet of said cylinder be permanently connected to the tank (7), which is done by means of an additional conduit, with a throttle valve (60). ) included. The latter also allows, with an adequate adjustment of said valve, a smooth and safe return movement, under a minimum force required, practically under its own weight. Depending on the crop harvested and the speed of operation of the elevator, the overlap with the hopper could be avoided; which would simplify the hydraulic system to be able to do without the cylinder (11) and the arrangement for the synchrony of movements between it and cylinders 45 and 50.

The novel aspects that are considered characteristic of the present invention will be established with particularity in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 show the general views of the machine: top, right side, left side and rear, respectively. Figure 5 shows views of the system of starting and separation of the root. Figure 6 shows views of the conveyor with some details on a larger scale.

Figure 7a shows views of the elevator with some details on a larger scale and 7b schematically shows the positions of the elevator during the filling and emptying of the hopper, respectively.

Figure 8 a, b and c shows simplified views of the storage and discharge system of the harvested product in the working position, with the hopper lifted and the hopper lifted and turned, respectively. Figure 9 shows three views of the device of Figure 8 a.

Figure 10 shows the schematic of the hydraulic circuit of the drive system of the mechanisms of the machine.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS Having sufficiently described the invention, it is considered as a novelty and therefore is claimed as exclusive property, contained in the following clauses:

1. A harvester machine for vegetables with bulb root and aerial stem, which is composed of: a frame with wheels with tires and an adjustable shot of coupling with the tractor, a conventional system of starting the plant with bands facing in the vertical plane, an adjustable blade that loosens the soil below the extracted roots, a conventional foliage separation device consisting of two sets of bars positioned and driven through the inclined heads, a rear conveyor with multiple rotating elastic elements, whose function is eliminate the soil adhered to the roots by the action of scraping and agitation, a chain elevator with bars and slats, whose function is to fill the temporary storage hopper, a discharge device that lifts and flips the hopper to empty it to a conventional means of transport, a hydraulic system that drives the combine's mechanisms, which uses the tractor PTO as a power source.

2. A harvester machine for vegetables with bulb root and aerial stem, in accordance with clause 1, which is characterized by a main frame that integrates the functional systems of the machine in a single body, coupled to the agricultural tractor, ensuring its maneuverability in the field, adjustments required to cut the row consecutive row. His trail is adjustable to the distance between rows of different crops. It includes a mechanical jack to ensure the stability of the machine during the unloading operation and when separating it from the tractor.

3. A harvester machine for vegetables with bulb root and aerial stem, in accordance with clause 1, characterized by a soil loosening device that cuts and slightly lifts the soil immediately below the roots, in order to facilitate starting in difficult conditions. Its design allows both the adjustment of the depth of cut, according to the length of the root, and the horizontal position relative to the feed throat of the starter system, to optimize the sequence of these two operations. It comes articulated to the frame of the system of starting and separation on one side and on the other to the main frame of the machine, just in front of the rim, forming a mechanism of four articulated bars that allows to raise and lower the blade together with the frame of the system Starter, keeping its vertical distance adjusted with respect to the feed throat, without having to control the depth of cut each time you start the operation on the consecutive furrow.

4. A harvester machine for vegetables with bulb root and aerial stem, in accordance with clause 1, characterized by a rear conveyor that receives the roots separated by the foliage separation system, transports and unloads them at the lower end of the elevator, placed on the left side of the machine; it also preliminarily cleans the separated roots; it extends in the rear part of the machine, with a slight inclination, to achieve an initial elevation of the mass of the product and consists of a frame with multiple parallel axes, driven by a hydraulic motor with a chain transmission, with rotating elastic elements interlaced, with curved fingers, that shake and scrape eliminating waste.

5. A harvester machine for vegetables with bulb root and aerial stem, in accordance with clause 1, characterized by an elevator, consisting of a frame, a conveyor belt formed by parallel bars with rubber coating, screwed in their ends to the roller chains with attachments, guided in turn by the catarinas. The spaces between the bars drop the soil and other impurities, which are released from the roots at this stage of the process; Each convenient number of bars comes with a rod with rubber coated fin, to ensure the push of the material transported upwards. The lift is articulated on the back of the left side of the machine and its inclination is adjusted with a hydraulic cylinder, to facilitate the filling and emptying of the hopper. Depending on the crop harvested, the elevator could be fixed instead of articulated.

6. A harvester machine for vegetables with bulb root and aerial stem, in accordance with clause 1, characterized by a discharge device consisting of a fixed frame attached to the main frame of the machine, a scissor lift mechanism , coupled to the fixed frame by means of pivots and runners on both sides of the hopper and driven with a pair of hydraulic cylinders, one on each side; a mobile frame that surrounds the hopper, joins the scissor mechanism by means of an upper guide-skate and a pivot on each side of the hopper and performs an upward or downward movement of movement with outward or inward movement, respectively, to the open or close the scissors; a hopper that rests within the mobile frame, coupled by the lateral pivots, around which it rotates under the action of a pair of hydraulic cylinders, to effect the unloading and recoil, provided inside a series of elastic bands between the walls lateral, to minimize the possibility of mechanical damage to the product during the filling and emptying process.

7. A harvester machine for vegetables with bulb root and aerial stem, in accordance with clause 1, characterized by its own hydraulic system that has a pump with variable flow and pressure control, which is driven by the intake of force of the tractor through the amplifier of revolutions, hydraulic motors for operation of devices of continuous work, hydraulic cylinders of positional adjustment and lift, hydraulic valves that allow the control of speeds and forces developed by the hydraulic acoradores, including the control of sequence of the movements of the elevator assembly - discharge device, reservoir and oil cooler.