NL2023335B1

NL2023335B1 - Apparatus and method for harvesting tubers or bulbs

Info

Publication number: NL2023335B1
Application number: NL2023335A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Pronk Marcel
Original assignee: M Pronk Innovation Service B V
Priority date: 2019-06-18
Filing date: 2019-06-18
Publication date: 2021-01-27

Abstract

Method and device for harvesting bulbs or tubers. The bulbs or tubers are first lifted from the field. Subsequently 5 the tubers or bulbs are laid on a rollable carrier (10), such as a foil or net, e.g., during a resting period. In a next step the rollable carrier and the tubers or bulbs are collected, e.g., by means of a mobile net collector.

Description

28466-Zo/AV Apparatus and method for harvesting tubers or bulbs The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for harvesting tubers or bulbs, e.g., flower bulbs.

Flower bulbs are typically planted using a tube net or between a lower and an upper net. The bulbs are harvested by removing foliage, collecting the tube net with the bulbs and removing the bulbs from the net.

Some types of bulbs or tubers cannot be harvested using such nets without damaging the tubers or bulbs. In particular tubers like Zantedeschia or calla lillies are not suitable for such harvesting techniques, since their relatively stiff and rigid roots tend to grow through the nets. Therefore, these tubers are usually harvested by hand, which is laborious and expensive. In another known system, the Zantedeschia tubers are harvested using a harvesting machine in a slow mode, enabling gentle and low impact lifting of the tubers. After a resting period of about one hour the tubers are collected by hand, which is laborious and cumbersome work. During this resting hour the tubers or bulb excrete a protective waxy layer protecting the tuber during further processing.

It is an object of the invention to enable efficient harvesting of tubers or bulbs with a reduced risk of damaging the tubers or bulbs.

The object of the invention is achieved with a method of harvesting tubers or bulbs, wherein the tubers or bulbs are first lifted from the soil. In a next step the lifted bulbs are laid on a rollable carrier that can be wound on a roll, such as a foil or net during a resting period. After the resting period the net and the bulbs are collected.

In this manner, the tubers or bulbs can be collected accurately and carefully in a short time. It has been found that the protective waxy layer of the tubers or bulbs sufficiently protects them against possible further damage during collection of the net.

The rollable carrier can for example be collected using a reel on a mobile net collector vehicle. Such a net collector vehicle can for example comprise a net supply conveyer for supplying the net to the reel for winding the collected net. The reel is at the rear end of the net supply conveyer, for instance below the rear end in order to enable discharge of the bulbs.

Optionally, the net collector vehicle may be provided with an inclined front conveyer with a front end at short distance above ground level and a rear end connecting to the net supply conveyer. Such an inclined front conveyer supports the lifted net and lifts it gradually to the next conveyer.

The net collector vehicle can further comprise a bulb conveyer in line with the net supply conveyer, such as a triangular conveyer, and a gap between the rear end of the net supply conveyer and the bulb conveyer. The reel for winding the collected net is below the rear end of the net supply conveyer and configured to collect the net via the gap. The gap is sufficiently narrow to prevent the bulbs from falling through it. This way, the bulbs are efficiently separated from the net.

The net supply conveyer and the bulb discharge conveyer are part of a conveyer alley, e.g., with a downstream terminal end above a crate holder for holding a crate or similar container for collecting the harvested bulbs. Such a holder can for example be tiltable by means of a drive, such as a hydraulic cylinder, for tilting the holder between a loading position and an unloading position.

The rollable carrier or net is laid on the field during harvesting and the tubers or bulbs are collected on the net. The tubers or bulbs are not planted and grown in a tube net or between a lower and an upper net, although this can also be done with the present invention if so desired.

The optimum duration of the resting period is dependent on the species to be harvested and the weather conditions. At dry weather conditions good results are obtained for most species if the resting period is at least half an hour, preferably at least one hour. For Zantedeschia tubers, a resting period of about one hour or more results in a very effective protective wax layer.

The tubers or bulbs can for example be harvested with a harvester having a front end provided with lifting means for extracting bulbs or tubers from a field. The rear end of the harvester comprises a net dispenser, arranged for laying a net or similar rollable carrier on the field. The harvester further comprises a conveyer passage for transporting lifted bulbs or tubers from the lifting means to a position past the net dispenser. The harvester is typically a wheeled vehicle, for instance a motorized vehicle or a tractor trailed wagon. Alternatively, the harvester can be without wheels and comprise a frame to be supported by a tractor.

While the harvester slowly moves forward, the lifting means lift tubers or bulbs from the field at the front side, and simultaneously the net dispenser lays a net at the rear end of the harvester. The lifting means deposit the lifted tubers or bulbs on a front end of the conveyer passage. The tubers or bulbs are then transported to the rear end of the conveyer passage where they are deposited onto the net that was just laid by the net dispenser.

The net dispenser can be a reel driven to dispense a net at a rate corresponding to the driving speed of the harvester.

The lifting means can for example comprise a row of lifting scoops pointing forward and downward to lift a layer of soil including tubers or bulbs to be harvested. Other types of lifting means can also be used, if so desired.

Optionally, the harvester can comprise a horizontal auger in front of the lifting means, arranged to remove a top soll layer and foliage.

To prevent damage of the tubers or bulbs, the harvester can be driven to move forward slowly.

To prevent damage of the tubers or bulbs, the lifting means can be driven to achieve gently lifting of the tubers or bulbs from the field.

The conveyer passage can for example comprise a single conveyer or a series of connecting conveyers, e.g., serially connected and aligned conveyers. If a series of conveyers is used, the conveyers can be arranged with a limited angle of inclination. The conveyer at the rear side of the harvester can have a rear end overhanging the net dispenser. This ensures that the tubers or bulbs fall from the rear end of the conveyer onto the net just dispensed from the net dispenser, for example with a drop height of 20 cm or less.

The conveyers can for example be belt conveyers. To remove soil or dirt from the tubers or bulbs, one or more of the conveyers can be a sieve belt conveyer, optionally provided with a vibration mechanism to shake of the dirt from the tubers or bulbs. Other known types of conveyers removing soil from the tubers or bulbs by shaking and/or sieving can also be used.

The method and devices of the present invention are particularly useful for harvesting fragile species of tubers or bulbs, in particular Zantedeschia tubers (calla lillies) or specific species of potatoes (e.g., Opperdoezer Ronde), but they can also be used for harvesting similar crop, like flower bulbs, or bulbs or tubers for consumption, e.g., root crop.

The above-described aspects will hereafter be more explained with further details and benefits with reference to the drawings showing an embodiment by way of example.

Figure 1: shows in perspective view a harvester according to the present invention: Figure 2: shows the harvester of Figure 1 in cross section without a frame; 5 Figure 3: shows in perspective view a net collector vehicle for use in the harvesting method according to the present invention; Figure 4: shows the net collector vehicle of Figure 3 in cross section without a frame.

Figure 1 shows a motorized and wheeled harvester 1 with a front end 2 and a rear end 3. The harvester 1 comprises a frame (not shown) and wheels 4. The front end 2 of the harvester 1 is provided with lifting means 7 arranged to lift bulbs or tubers 5 from a field. In this embodiment, the lifting means comprise a row of equally sized and shaped parallel lifting scoops 7. The harvester 1 further comprises a horizontally arranged auger 8 in front of the lifting scoops 7. The row of lifting scoops 7 and the auger 8 are parallel and extend in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the harvester 1. The rear end 3 of the harvester 1 is provided with a net dispenser 9 comprising a reel with a rolled up net 10 and a pinch roller 6. A conveyer passage 11 extends between the front and rear ends of the harvester 1. The conveyer passage 11 comprises a line of serially connecting screen belt conveyers 12, 13, 14, (see Figure 2). The conveyer 12 at the front side has a front portion arranged to receive bulbs or tubers lifted by the lifting coops 7. The rear conveyer 14 at the rear side of the harvester 1 has a rear end overhanging the reel 9 and is arranged to deposit tubers or bulbs from the conveyer passage 14 onto the net 10 that has just been unwound from the reel 9. In an alternative embodiment, the net 10 can be dispensed via the top run of the last conveyer 14. In that case the net 10 moves with the bulbs or tubers from the last conveyer 14 to the ground and the risk of damage resulting from falling of the tubers or bulbs can be reduced.

The conveyers 12, 13, 14, of the conveyer passage 11 are controlled to run with the same speed, substantially corresponding to the driving speed of the harvester 1. Also the reel 9 is driven with a corresponding rotational speed, so the net 10 is neatly spread over the field.

At least one of the conveyers 12, 13, 14, is a vibrating screen belt.

The vibrating screen belt conveyer is driven to shake and vibrate in order to remove soil and dirt from the tubers or bulbs.

When the harvester 1 moves forward, the auger 8 removes a top soil layer and foliage.

The lifting scoops 7 lift the tubers or bulbs to be harvested.

The lifted tubers or bulbs are deposited onto the first conveyer 12. Meanwhile, the reel 9 rotates to unwind the net 10 and to deposit it on the field.

The first conveyer 12 transports the lifted tubers or bulbs to the next conveyer 13, which passes it on to the next conveyer 14 until the tubers or bulbs fall from the rear end of the rear conveyer 14 onto the net 10 laid down on the field.

To reduce drop height and risk of damaging, the rear conveyer 14 is tilted downwardly.

When the harvester 1 reaches the end of the field, it cuts of the net 10 by means of a cutting device (not shown). The harvester 1 is then turned to harvest a next row of planted tubers or bulbs, until the complete field has been processed.

Opticnally, the harvester may also comprises a slider or roll suspended from the frame 2, which slides or rolls over the field to level the field after being ploughed by the lifting means 6. The tubers or bulbs are left to rest on the net 10 during a resting period.

In this period, the tubers or bulbs form a protective waxy layer.

For Zantedeschia tubers it was found that a resting period of about one hour results in a protective layer effectively protecting the tubers against damage possibly caused when collecting the tubers.

After the resting period, the net 10 is recollected 5 together with the harvested bulbs or tubers.

Figures 3 and 4 show an exemplary embodiment of a wheeled and motorized vehicle 20 that can be used to recollect the net 10. The net collector 20 has a wheeled frame (not shown) with wheels 21 and a front end with an upwardly inclined front conveyer 22 having a lower front side and an upper rear side.

The front conveyer 22 has a front end at short distance above ground level and gradually lifts and support the collected net with the harvested bulbs.

The rear side of the front conveyer 22 connects to a horizontal second net collecting conveyer 23 which in turn connects to a triangular bulb conveyer 24, which in turn connects to a downwardly inclined terminal discharge conveyer 25. A guide of two converging side walls or planks can be used to prevent the bulbs or tubers from falling outside the collecting crate.

The use of a triangular conveyer 24 has the advantage that soil falling from the bulbs is easily discharged.

Below the second net collecting conveyer 23 is a reel 27 with a horizontal axis parallel to the terminal ends of the respective conveyers 22, 23, 24, 25. This reel 27 has a width corresponding to the width of the net 10 so it can wind the net 10 to form a roll.

At the rear side of the net collecting vehicle 20 is a tiltable crate holder 28. This crate holder 28 can be tilted by a hydraulic cylinder 29 (not shown) between a loading position, as shown in the Figures, and an unloading position.

In the unloading position a filled crate 30 can be removed and an new empty crate can be placed.

After placing an empty crate 30 the hydraulic cylinder moves the crate holder 28 into the loading position.

In this position, the rear end of the terminal discharge conveyer 25 extends into the crate 30.

Between the second net collecting conveyer 23 and the triangular conveyer 24 is a gap 31 through which the net 10 is guided towards the reel 27. The gap 31 is sufficiently narrow to prevent passage of tubers or bulbs.

To collect the net 10, the terminal end of the net 10 is guided via the first and second conveyer 22, 23 and the gap 31 and connected to the reel 27. When the net collector 10 moves forward the reel 27 winds the net 10. The rotational speed of the reel 27 corresponds to the driving speed of the net collector 20. While the net 10 moves via the gap 31, the tubers or bulbs proceed to the upper run of the triangular conveyer 24 and subsequently via the terminal discharge conveyer 25 into the crate 30 present in the crate holder 28 with a moderate free drop height, e.g., at most 20 cm.

Claims

Conclusions

A method of harvesting bulbs or tubers from a field, wherein the bulbs or tubers are first lifted from the field, then the tubers or bulbs are placed on a roll-up support (10), such as a foil or net; and in a next step the rollable support and the tubers or bulbs are collected.

A method according to claim 1, wherein the tubers or bulbs lie on the rollable carrier during a rest period, for example a rest period of at least 30 minutes, preferably at least one hour.

A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rollable carrier (10) is collected by hand or by means of a reel on a mobile net hauling device.

A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the bulbs or tubers are first planted without using nets.

Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bulbs or tubers are harvested using a harvester (1) having a front end (2) and a rear end (3), the front end comprising lifting means (7) for lifting tubers or bulbs, and the rear end is provided with a net discharge device (9).

A harvesting machine (1) for bulbs or tubers, comprising a front end (2) and a rear end (3), the front end of the harvesting machine being provided with lifting means (7) for taking bulbs or tubers from a field. , the rear end being provided with a net dispensing device (9), the harvester further comprising a conveyor passage (11) for conveying harvested bulbs or tubers from the lifting means to a position beyond the net dispensing device.

Harvesting machine according to claim 6, wherein the lifting means comprise a row of lifting vanes (7) pointing forwards and downwards.

Harvesting machine according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the conveyor passage (11) comprises at least one conveyor (12-16), for example a series of connecting conveyors.

Harvesting machine according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the conveyors (12-16) comprises a belt, adapted to remove soil from the bulbs or tubers, for example by sieving and / or shaking.

A net hauling apparatus (20) for use in the method of claim 3, comprising a net feed conveyor (23) and a reel (27) for winding up the collected net or a similar rollable carrier at the rear end of the net feed conveyor (23). ).

A net take-up device according to claim 10, comprising a sphere conveyor (24), such as a triangular conveyor, and a gap (31) between the rear end of the net feed conveyor and the sphere conveyor, wherein the reel (27) for winding up the collected net or similar rollable carrier, located under the rear end of the net feed conveyor (23) and configured to roll up the net through the gap (31).

A net hauling device according to claim 11, wherein the net supply conveyor (23) and the bulb discharge conveyor (24) form part of a conveyor track with a downstream end above a holder (28) for holding a tray or container (30). for collecting the harvested bulbs.

Net hauling device according to claim 12, wherein the container (28) is tiltable and the net hauling device (20) has a drive (29), such as a hydraulic cylinder, for tilting the container between a loading position and a discharge position.

Net hauling device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the conveyor track comprises further conveyors, such as an inclined front conveyor and / or a discharge conveyor {25) with a rear end spaced above the container (28).