US1179767A - Beet-harvester. - Google Patents

Description

3.10. slEGFus. 4am HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED-JULY Z. |915- Ll'gf?. Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I o. sniGFus. BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED vJULY 7. 1915.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

n. :z E a 9 6 6 w ,a/,M M v MW 2 7. 67m m mw M47 l, f 7 M fx J d J m Il. o M ,0 Y y@ w A L@ 3M. J. 6

B.. O. SEGFUS.

BEET HARVESTER.

MPLICATIQN HLED JULY 7. 1915.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

B. o. snGFus.-

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7 |915.

SHEET 4.

um.. An .dw m4 n m D..

.tops from the same.v

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

vBEI'EIDIC'L 0. SZIEGFUS, OF SALT..LAKE CITY, UTAH.

BEET-HARVESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.'

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

Application led'July 7, 1915. Serial No. 38,460.

Vand it has particular reference to a machine which by a single operation will pull or lift the lbeets from the ground and detach the One object of the present invention is to produce a machine of simple and effective tonstruction embodying a ground engaging wheel supported for rotation andI having means for grasping the tops of the beets,

the beets being lifted from the ground as 'the wheel revolves, means being provided for severing the beets from the tops and for conveying the latter to a box or receptacle.

A further object ofthe invention is to Asimplify and vimprove the construction of, the rotary pulling element and related partsincluding the means for causing the said pulling element to release the tops at the proper point.

With these and other ends inview which will readily appear as the nature 'of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be-hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, underst d that no limitation is -necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modiicatio-ns within the scope of the claims may be-resorted to .when desired.

fIn thefdrawingsr-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine Yconstructed in accordancewith the inventionfthe inner wheel being removed. Fig. 2 is-a top plan view of the machine.4 Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. 4 isa horizontal sectional view taken through the rotary pulling wheel substantially on the line 4 4 in Fig. 1. Fig.'5 is.l a sectional detail view, enlarged, taken on the line' 5-"-5,in Fig. ,1. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view, enlarged, taken on the line 6--6 in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a rperspective detail View of a portion of the rim of the lpulling wheel. Fig. 8 is a perspective'detail viewl of one of the rim-sections of the pulling wheel.

chine comprlses forwardly convergent side Y members or. hounds 15 between the forward ends of whlch a tongue 16 is mounted, the

Arearward ends of said hounds being provided with bearings for the axle 17 which is supported bythe ground wheels 18.

The pulling wheel comprises in its construction a sleeve or hub member 19 which is loosely mounted on the axle 17, the bore of said sleeve or hub being of a diameter materially exceeding that of the axlefso that said hub and the parts connected therewith will not only be free to revolve, but also to move upward, downward, forward and rearward with respect to the axle, thereby permittingl said pulling wheel to adapt itself to irregularities in the surface of the ground. The diameter of the pulling wheel Vis less than that of the transporting wheels,

so that the pulling wheel will ride upon the f ridge in which the beets are growing, while the ground wheels will ride in the lciollows between the ridges. The sleeve or hub 19 is provided at the ends thereof with flanges 20, and intermediate said anges the hub is Vprovided with two circumferential series of radially extending arms 21 with which spokes 22 are pivotally connected by' pins or 'pivot members 23 so that the spokes will be capable ofv swinging toward and apart from each other. The hub is confined between disks 20 that-are secured on the axle, said disks serving to prevent endwise or longitudinal movement of the hub with respect to the axle while in no wise interferedges with ground engaging flanges 25. The

ends of the segment plates are loosely connected with the spokes by means of hinge joints 26 of suitable construction so that theindividual spokes will be rfree to rock on thelr respective pivots 23. Bolted or otherwise secured on'the opposed innerl faces of` the segment plates 24A are annular cushions 27 of resll'ient' material, such as rubber, or a composition containing rubber. While these cushions are described as being annular in the senseA that they extend entirely around the circumference of the pulling wheel, it is to be understood that each cushion may be made up of a plurality of sections wheny desired. The cushions 27 are v provided in their opposed. faces with cumferential grooves 28,'whereby they w be enabled to take a better hold on the top" of the beets, as will be hereinafter mort` fully set forth.

Thel lianges 2O at the ends of the hub are -provided with annular grooves 29 for the reception of frames F, each of said frames consisting of a ring 30 having a plurality of radially extending arms 31, 32, 33. `The arms 32 extend forwardly and are termi- 4 nally connectedwith a rod 34 which is slidably mounted in longitudinal slots 35 in the hounds or frame bars 15. The arms 33 extend rearwardly and with said arms is adljustably connected a yoke 36 by means of and shorter than the arms 32, 33. "The arms 31, 32, 33 serve to supportthe guide rings or track rings 39,' said rings or'track members being connected with the arms of the frames' F by means of bolts 40 about which 'springs 41 are coiled whereby the rings or track members are normally forced in the direction of the outer faces of the spokes 22, which latter are equipped with anti-friction members, such as rollers 42, that ride in the rings or track members. The two sets or series of spokeswill thus be forced resiliently in the direction of each other so as to exert a gripping action on the tops of the beets engaged thereby, as will be-hereaft-er more fully-described. t

For the purpose of gathering and bunching the tops of the beets together so as to enter between the annular cushions 27 between which the tops will be grasped and held securely, there is provided a pair-of guide members 43, said guide members being made of sheet metal or other material and provided with forwardly divergent opposed edges 44 between which the beet tops willenter. The members 43 may be supported .entirely or in part by the arcuate' guides 45,

which latter are supported by a rod or bar 46 having at its rearward end an eye 47 engaging the hub 19, the forward end of the bar 46 being connected with the rod 34 by means of an eye 48 engaging said rod. The bar 46 is provided with laterally extending arms 49 with which the guides 45 are convare being vcarried past said knife.

nected, said uides approximately concentric with the ub 19 and arranged contigu-l ous to the inner faces of the spokes 22, the rollers of which, 42, will engage said guides. At their yupper ends the guldes 45 are relatively close together, but they diverge downwardly to a point 50 which is the point at which the beet tops are received by the pulling wheel. At the point 50 thel guides 4 5 may terminate abruptly, or they may be provided with convergent .tail portions 51 tol prevent the gripping action of the pulling wheel from being exerted too suddenly. lt

is obvious that when the pulling wheel is in operation, and the spokes reach the upper portions of theguides 45, the said spokes will thereby be forced outwardly against the tension ofthe springs 41thereby spreading the parts of the cushions 27 carried by said spokes apart from each other to facilitate the entrance therebetween of the tops-of the beets. As s oon as said tops are positioned well between the cushions the spokes pass out of engagement with the guides 45, and the parts of the cushions carried thereby will be forced in the direction of each other,

thereby'gripping the beet tops, as will be readily understood.

The frame members A15 support a downwardly extending bracket 53 with which the front end of a plow beam 54 is pivotally and adjustably connected by means of a pin or bolt 55. The beam is provided with a standard 56carrying a small plow 57 which is suitably constructed vto loosen the soil and to exert a lifting action' on the beets encountered thereby, the purpose of said plow being not to form a furrow, but simply tol assist in lifting or pushing the beets from the ground. For the purpose of lifting the plow from the ground and supporting it in a raisedv position for transportation, means are provided including a hand lever 58 securedto a rock shaft 59 having a crank or arm 60 which is connected by a rod or link 61 i with one arm 62 of a, belll crank fulcrumed on the axle 17, the other arm 63 of said bell crank being connected by a rod or-link 64 with the plow beam 54 which may thus be raised or lowered. The hand lever 58 is provided with a stop member 65 engaging a rack segment 66 for the purpose of maintaining the parts securely in adjusted position.

The yoke 36 carries a knife or cutting member 67 that lies adjacent to the circumference of the pulling wheel for the purpose of severing the beetsfrom the tops'as they A seat 68 for the driver or operator is supported on the frame of the machine..

Supported between the guide members 45 is a slide' or chute 69 which is adapted to receive the VAbeet tops as they are being released from the pulling wheel by the spreading of the spokes caused by the guides 45. Over isc permanently or detachably Aconnected with the frame members 15 in any convenient manner. I

In the operation of this machine it will be seen that thepulling wheel will be rotated by contact with the ground of the' anges or shoes 25 lof theplates 24 whereby the spokes are linked together, the wheel adapting itself freely to irregularities in the ground, owing to its being loosely mounted on the axle in the manner described. The down-going spokes on the forward side of the machine will be gradually spread apart or diverged by the action Aof the guides 4,5, and the cushions or gripping members 27 will thus be widely spread apart at the point where the beet tops enter therebetween, the beet tops being hunched by the guide members 43. Shortly after the beet tops enter between the cushions or gripping members 27 the spokes will pass. Iout of engagement with the guides 45, and

said spokes will now be forced in the direction of each other cby the action of the springs 41, causing the tops of the beets to be gripped firmly between the cushions 27. At this point the action of the plow 57 will loosen the soil about the beet, and the plow will exert an upwardly pushing action on the beet root, causing the latter to be readily extracted and Acarried upward by the up-going rearward portion of the pulling wheel until the knife 67 is encountered, whereby thebeetis severed and caused to drop on the ground in a position from which it may be subsequentlyl gathered. The tops are carried upward and forwardby the wheel until the upper ends of the lguides 45 are encountered, when the cushions 27 will be forced apart, thereby releasing the tops which will now be discharged overth'e slide or chute 69 into the box 70.

As will be seen from the foregoing ldescription the operation of the pulling wheel is continuous, the beets being extracted and severed from the tops while the latter,l are carried to a. place of deposit. It is obvious that a suitable box or receptacle may be arranged for the reception of the beetswhen desired.' It is also to be understood that while in the accompanying drawings only 'a single pullin wheel has been shownfa, machine might e constructed embodying the principle of this invention and equipped.

with a plurality of pulling wheels to operate simultaneously on a plurality of rows of beets. .l

The improved machine isvery simple in construction and operation; it is light and l durable, `and may be constructed at a very moderate expense. The parts of the tdevice are to a large extent adjustable and interchangeable, and the parts may be easily replaced at small expense when broken or injured. The machine` may be operated with slight expenditureof power; the work ofthe machine is performed without injury to the beets or the tops, and the machine is readily adapted to operate on all sizes of beets and any kind of soil.

It is desired to state that the guide rings I or track rings 39, which are constructed of non-resilient material, are to be properly shaped tocause the moving parts of the pulling wheel'to'be properly guided thereby to exercise gripping and releasing, action with respect to the beet tops at the proper times.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame having a wheel carryin axle, of a ground engaging pulling wheel'liaving a'hub mounted on the axle, the diameter of the bore of said hub being materially larger than the diameter of the axle to permit the wheel to adjust itself to irregularities in the ground irrespective of the axle. l

2. In a machine of the class described, a ground engaging pulling wheel having iexible rims constituting gripping members, and means for forcing said rimsresiliently in the direction of each other, said rims being provided with annularly grooved gripping cushions on their opposed faces.

, 3. In a machine of the class described, a ground engaging pulling Wheel having flexible rims constituting gripping members and means for forcing said rims resiliently in the direction of each other, said rims comprising. each a 'plnralitys of segment plates having ground engaging flanges.

4. In a machine of theclass'described, a ground engaging pulling wheel comprising .la hub having two circumferentialseries of radial armsnspokes pivotally connected with ythe arms, rims comprising segment plates hingedly connected withl the spokes and constituting flexible rfms, and means for forcing said 'flexible rims resiliently in the direction of each other.,

having terminal annular grooved fianges and Vtwo circumferential series of radial arms intermediate the flanges, spokes pivotally connected with the arms, flexible rims consisting of segment plates hingedly connected with the spokes, guide frames mounted inthe annular grooves of the flanges, said guide frames having radial arms, a rod carried by the mainframe and connected. with some of said arms toprevent rotation .of the guide frames, guide rings carried by the arms of the guide frames, and springs whereby said guide rings are forced in the direction of the spokes to force said spokes and the rims carried thereby yieldingly in' the direction of each other.

6. In a machine of the class described, a wheel supported carrying frame having an axle and side members provided with longitudinal slots, in combination with a ground engaging pulling wheel having a hub mounted on the axle, the hub having a bore of materially larger'diameter than the axle to permit the pulling wheel to ada1.t itselfto irregularities in the surface of the ground ir respective of the wheel supported frame, said pulling wheel including two sets of pivoted spokes, flexible gripping rims carried by said spokes, means for forcing the gripping rims resiliently in the direction of each other including guide frames mounted on the hub and having radial arms, a rod supported in the longitudinal slots in the side members of the main frame and connected with some of the arms of the guide frames to prevent rotation of the latter, and

guide rings carried by the arms of the guide frames and forced resiliently against the two sets of spokes, said spokes being provided with rollers to engage said guide frames. 7. In a machine of the class described, a .wheel supported carrying frame having an axle and side members provided with longif tudinal slots, in combination with a ground engaging pulling wheel having a hub mounted on the axle, the hub having a bore of materially larger diameter than the axle to perv mit the pulling Wheel to adapt itself to irregularities vin the surface of the ground irrespective of the wheel supported frame, said pulling wheel including two sets of pivoted spokes, flexible gripping rims carried by said spokes, means for forcing the gripping rims resiliently in the direction of each other including guide frames mounted on the hub and having radial arms, a rod supportedin` the longitudinal slots in the a ground engaging pulling wheel looselyl mounted on the axle to adapt itself to irregularities in the ground, said pulling wheel ground.

having pivotedspokes and iiexible gripping rims and means for Vresiliently forcing said rims in the direction of each other, a rod movably supported b'y the main frame, a bar having terminal eyes engaging said rod and the hub of 'the pulling wheel, spreading members carried by said bar and engaging the spokes to force* the latter-andthe iexible rims apart from each other, and bunching members to gather the tops of beets and to guide them between the flexible rims while thus forced apart.

9. In a machine ofthe class described, a wheel supported main frame having an axle, a ground engaging pulling wheel loosely mounted on the axle to adapt itself to irregularities in the ground, said pulling wheel having pivoted spokes and flexible gripping rims and means for resiliently forcing said rims in the direction of each other, a rod movably supported by the main frame, a bar having terminal eyes engaging said rod and the hub of the pulling wheel, spreading members carried by said bar and engaging the spokes toforce the rlatter and the flexil ble rims apart from each other, yand bunching members to gather the tops of beets and to guide them between the flexible rims while thus forced apart, in combination with means for severing the beets frorrfthe tops, l

and a chute interposed betweeny the spreading members to convey the tops to a place of deposit.

10. In a machine of the class described, a

Wheel supported main frame having an axle, a ground' engaging pulling wheel loosely mounted on thev axle to adapt itself to irregularities in the ground, said pulling wheel having pivoted spokes and flexible gripping rims and means forresiliently forcing said rims in the direction of each other, a rod movably supported by the main frame, a -bar having terminal eyes engaging said `-ro'd and the hub of the pulling wheel, spreading members carried by said bar and engaging the spokes to force the latter and the flexible rims apart from eachf other, and bunching members togather the tops of beets and to guide them between the flexible rims while thus forced apart, in combination lwith means for severing the beets from the tops, a chute interposed between the spreading members to .convey the tops to a place of deposit, and a plowcarried by f the main frame to assist in loosening the soil and in pushing the beets from the In testimony whereof I affix in presence of two witnesses.

BENEDICI O. SIEGFUS. Witnesses:

WM. c. Rows,

LaWRENCE B. BARTON,

1,20 my signature

Images