US1200955A

US1200955A - Beet-harvester.

Info

Publication number: US1200955A
Application number: US2476815A
Authority: US
Inventors: Neal Lawson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1915-04-29
Filing date: 1915-04-29
Publication date: 1916-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 1933-10-10

Description

N. LAWSON.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29. 1915.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

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N. LAWSON.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29. 1915.

Patented Oct. 10,1916.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ylfl/awgam m: NORRIS PETERS cm, WA$HINGYON. c.

N. LAWSON.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.29.1915.

Patented Oct. 10,1916.

7-SHEETSSHEET 3.

N. LAWSON.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.29. 1915.

1SHEETS-SHEET 4 Gum/"M35.

THE NORRIS PETERS 1:11., wAsHmamN. b c.

N. LAWSON.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATION man APR. 29. m5.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

N. 'LAWSON.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATIbN man APR.29. 191s.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6- 11 Lawson m: NORRIS rsrsns co wnsulalcrou, n. c.

N. LAWSON. BEET HA RVESTER.

APPLICATION man APR. 29. 1915 Pat/anted Oct. 10, 1916.

1 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

TH; noluusmngl c1 1, wnsnmcr TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NEAL LAWSON, OF SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA.

BEET-HARVESTER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NEAL LAWSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Santa Barbara, in the county of Santa Barbara and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beet- Harvesters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to agricultural machines, and more particularly to a sugar beet topper and harvester, and it is one aim of the invention to provide in a single machine mechanism for topping the beets, and disposing of the severed tops.

Another aim of the invention is to so construct the machine that the several mechanisms mentioned above may be relatively adjusted in accordance with soil conditions and in accordance with the distance between rows so that the tops of the beets may be severed as cl ose to the tuber as is desired and the machine may be successfully employed regardless of the distance between rows.

A further object of the invention is to so construct and mount the several mechanisms comprising the machine that they may all be rendered inoperative and be elevated out of working position when it is desired to move the machine from place to place as, for example, from one field to another.

Another aim of the invention is to provide a machine of the class described so constructed that a number of rows may be harvested simultaneously, and to provide means whereby the severed tops from all of the rows may be deposited upon a single conveyer which is arranged to dispose of all of the severed tops by depositing them in rear of the machme as it travels along the rows.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the forward portion thereof; Fig. 4 is a detail top plan view illustrating in particular the means provided for disposing of the severed tops; Fig. 5 is'a vertical front to rear sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig.6 is a similar view on the line 66 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a detail vertical longitudinal sectional view, illustrating the conveyer provided for the purpose of disposing of the severed tops; Fig. 8 is a detail view, partly in section and partly in elevation,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Application filed April 29, 1915.

Serial No. 24,768.

illustrating one of the clutches employed in connection with the ground wheels of the machine; and Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of the forward portion of the machine, illustrating the manner in which the said forward portion. of the machine is supported for travel.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

In. the machine of the present invention, there are embodied several mechanisms for performing the various operations essential to the proper harvesting of the beets, and these mechanisms are mounted in a suitably constructed frame work, the arrangement of which may be substantially as here shown or of some other construction, if found desirable. The frame structureincludes side frame members, each preferably including upper and lower bars 1 suitably braced, as at 2. At their rear ends, these frame members each support a pair of uprights 3, which uprights in turn support at their upper ends upper frame bars 4. The frame members 1 also support spaced uprights 5 which, as in the case of the uprights 3, also serve to support the upper frame bars 4; Diagonal brace bars 6 are secured at their lower ends to the frame members 1 and at their upper ends to the upper frame bars 4 and extending downwardly from the rear ends of the frame bars 4 are bars 7. These bars are connected at their lower ends by a transverse frame bar 8. The forward ends of the bars 4 are connected by a transverse frame bar 10, and secured at their upper ends to the bars 10 are beams 11 which, at their lower ends, are secured to the forward ends of the frame members 1. The structure just described constitutes, generally speaking, the frame work in which the several mechanisms are mounted.

axle and its supporting wheels. The for ward end of the machine is supported for travel by smaller ground Wheels, indicated at16, these ground wheels being mounted at the ends of an axle '17 which is connected by a swivel joint 18 with the lower end of a draft beam 19. The draft beam 19 is secured at itsupper end, as at 20, to the frame bars 10. The draft beam 19 is braced with relation to the forward portion of the frame of the machine by means of brace beams 21 secured at their forward ends to the said draft beam and at their rear ends to the beams 11. In order that the machine may be guided in its travel along the rows, a steering shaft 20* is mounted at the front of the machine and provided at its upper end with a hand wheel 20 by means of which it may be rotated, the wheel being located in front of a seat 20 mounted upon the top of the frame. The lowerend of the steering shaft 20 carries a winding drum 21, and steering cables or chains 21 are connected to the drum 21 and to the front axle 17.

The mechanism for topping the beets in eludes guides and reciprocating cutter bars, the guides being arranged in advance of the cutter bars and being constructed to guide the beet tops to the said bars in order that they maybe severed, and these guide members are supported for vertical and transverse adjustment at'the forward end of the frame of the machine in a manner which will he now explained. Extending transversely of the forwardend of themachine and in spaced parallel relation and support.

ed by the lower ends of the beams 11 are cross bars 23 upon whichthe guide membersabovereferredto are -mounted.;- Certain of the guides'areof single formation and others line, a'sclear'ly shown in Figs. "land 2 of the drawings. The upper portions of :the stocks- 25 of the said guide fingers are disposed against the-rear sides of the-bars 23, and a clamp plate 26is dispose'd againstthe' for ward sides of these-bars opposite eachof the s'aid'st ocks. Each clampplate26 is provided' at its upper and "lower ends :with spaced rearw ardlyprojecting lugs-27 which engage r'espective'ly over the upper edge' of:

the 'upper'bar 23 and the lower edge 1 of the lo'werbar23, and these lugs are so spaced asto extend beside the edges of the respec tive stocks 25 so asto prevent tilting of the stock in a lateral directiomand permit of:

direct vertical adj ustment -thereof i so as 1 to more, the stocks may be adjusted vertically for the purpose above stated. Each of the double guides includes a substantially V- shaped body 30 having mounted upon its forwardly converging sides guide fingers 31 which have their upper edges extending along a downwardly and forwardly curved line. The fingers 31 extend at a slight angle diverging forwardly from the respective sides of the body 30 and the fingers are, as in the case of the fingers 24, inclined downwardly and forwardly as are also the arms comprising the body 30. The body 30 is supported at the lower end of stock 32 which has secured upon its rear side a plate 33 which is spaced from the body and formed with a slot 34. A bolt 35 is fitted through the slot 34 and has its head confined between the plate 33 and the rear face ofthe stock 32, and this bolt fits also between the bars 23 and is provided with a clamp nut 36 and a washer plate 37 bearing against the rear faces of the said bars 23.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and-30f the drawings, it will be observed that the guides of single construction are locateduone adja cent eachend'of the supporting bars 23- and that 1 a: pair of: these guides is .located subs.

stantially midway between-theends of the said "supporting; bars. I The first mentionedends of the guides. of: singleaconstruction have their fingers 24 curved laterally. outs wardly, whereas "the guides: of: singleconstruction which are located midway between the endsv ofthe supportingbars. 23 have their fingers 24 curved laterally toward each. other or, in other words, "inwardly: toward the median line of'the machine. 2 The guides,

of double construction: are .located one; be-

tween each of the zfirst mentioned guides iof single construction and; theadjacentone of;

the secondanentioned guidesof singleacon-i struction. Atcthis po-int,'. it. may be stated thatin relativelypositioning the two sets of guides, they are. so adjusted longitudinally upon the bars 23 that adjacent ones ofthe guides .24iand 31 will pass atopposite sides of a row. of plants as themachine is drawn alongthe-.rows. Thus, 'in the 1. structure showninthe drawings and which 1521331 ticularly adapted to simultaneously harvest four rows, the guides comprising the I two sets will be so. adjusted upon the supports ingbeams 23 asto act.v upon the. tops of beet plants. growing in rows at the points indicated at a, Z), 0, and d in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and it will be understood that these points may be spaced apart various distances depending upon the distance between rows.

'As before stated, cutter bars are mounted rearwardly of the guides and in the present instance two of these cutter bars are provided, one located at each side of the front to rear median line of the machine. The cutter bars are indicated each by the numeral 38 and each is mounted for reciprocatory movement in the lower ends of brackets 39 which are mounted upon the rear sides of the supporting bars 23. The forward edges of the cutter bars are provided with sharp edged teeth 40, and the rear edges of the said bars work against rollers 41 which are mounted in the said lower ends of the brackets 39. Mounted for rotation in a bracket 42 at each side of the frame of the machine and near the bottom thereof is a shaft 43, and each of these shafts is provided at its forward end with a crank 44 connected by means of a pitman 45 with the outer or adjacent ends of the respective cutter bars 38. In order that the shafts 43 may be rotated to impart reciprocatory motion to the two cutter bars, a sprocket gear 46 is mounted upon each shaft and over each of these sprockets is trained a chain 47. The chain 47 passes also over sprocket gears 48 fixed upon shafts 49 mounted in suitable bearings 50 upon the beams 11. Also fixed upon each of the shafts 49 is a sprocket gear 51 over which and a gear 52 upon a shaft 53 is trained a sprocket chain 54. There are two of the shafts 53, and these shafts are mounted at the opposite sides of the frontto rear median line of the machine, and each carries a beveled gear 55 meshing with a similar gear 56 upon a shaft 57. The shaft 57 is mounted in a suitable bearing frame 58 at the front'of the machine, and fixed upon the shaft 57 is a sprocket gear 59 over which is passed a sprocket chain 60. The chain 60 also passes over a sprocket gear 61 which is fixed upon a shaft 62 mounted for rotation transversely within the frame. Fixed upon each end of the shaft 62 is a sprocket gear 63 and trained over the sprocket gears 63 are chains 64 which pass also about sprocket gears 65 loosely mounted upon the axle 13 but adapted to be clutched with the axle in a manner to be presently explained. It will now be understood that, when the axle is rotating and the gears 65 are clutched for rotation with the axle l3, rotary motion will be imparted to the shaft 62 and from this shaft to the shafts 57 and 53. Motion is transmitted from the shaft 53 by the gearing heretofore described to the shafts 43, and in this manner the cutter bars are reciprocated. It will further be understood that, as the machine advances, the beet tops will be lifted by the inclined upper edges of the

guide fingers

24 and 31 and the tops will be bunched by these fingers and supported in position to be severed by the reciprocatory cutter bars. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings that one of the cranks 44 is of greater length than the other so that the adjacent inner ends of the cutter bars will not be likely to strike against each other when both bars are shifted inwardly.

After the tops have been severed in the manner above explained, they are carried rearwardly in the machine and deposited upon a conveyer apron which is located at the front to rear median line of the machine and which serves as a means for depositing the severed tops in rear of the machine as it travels along the rows. The means provided for accomplishing this result will now be fully described.

The severed tops are first permitted to drop upon a platform which is arranged to extend rearwardly from the line of the cutter bars, and the tops are then engaged by rotary heaters so constructed and arranged as'to advance them over the platform and deposit them on an endless conveyer which in turn carries them to another rotary beater through the instrumentality of which they are thrown onto the endless conveyer which, as above-mentioned, extends at the front to rear median line of the machine and which finally deposits the tops upon the ground in rear of the machine. The conveyer first-mentioned above is lo cated between two sets of the rotary heaters and, as the machine is particularly designed in the present instance to cover four rows,

there are two sets of such heaters, located at each side of the front'to rear middle of the machine, and as the heaters of each set differ slightly in their arrangement, each will be specifically described.

The mechanism above referred to is most clearly shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings, and in these figures the numeral 66 indicates a platform which is preferably of sheet metal and which is mounted within the frame in a plane immediately above the plane of the upper stretch of the conveyer first-mentioned above and which conveyer is, as stated, located between the platforms of the two sets on each side of the machine. The forward end of the platform 66 is positioned immediately above the cutter bar 38 which is located at the corresponding side of the machine and the platform is provided at that side which is presented toward the adjacent side of the frame of the machine with a vertical wall 67 which near the rear end of the platform is curved laterally inwardly, as at 68, and then extended transversely of the machine, as at numeral 74, and by reference to F ig. 4 of the drawings, it will be observed that the portion of the wall of the platformextends across one rear corner of the upper stretch of the conveyer, and that the inner lateral edge of the platform 66 overlaps the adjacent edge of the upper stretch of the conveyer. The manner in which the conveyer is mounted for travel will be presently fully described, and for a purpose which will also be presently pointed out, the wall of the platform is extended beyond its portion 7 O in a straight line transversely of the machine, asindicated at 7 2. In addition to the wall 67, the platform 66 is provided at its inner lateral edge with a vertically disposed-wall 73 which is parallel to the corresponding portion of the wall 67. The platform '66, as well as the other platforms above referred to, is supported for vertical adjustment in a manner which will be presently fully pointed out.

The conveyer upon which the severed tops are to be discharged from the platform 66' includes an endless apron 74 which is trained abouta roller 75 journaled in suitable hearings in rear of theeb'ody, 30 of the guard .ofrdouble construction. previously described, ands-the apron is ualsoxtrained about a roller 76. ournaled in. suitable bearings 77; supported "atthe lower end of astandard; 78 dependingvfromaavertically ad ustable supporting beam 79 whichiis mounted ,in a

manner to -.be presentlypointedout.1 L As before stated, the innerlateral edge.v portion of,

stretch O-fxthQ conveyerand is secured to, a; c 7 board 80, located between theciconveyer stretches for; the purpose of; preventing h sage ging of theupper. stretch ;of the conveyen,

Aastandard 811 depends, from an-Harm 82. which :is. supported: :by and. extends ;for-. wardly from the; supporting i beam 9,. and this standard; isqsecuredrto the portion 69 of.

tion 83s ofithe. bo.ar,dz.80. ,..i

*The numeral 8 4, indicates another plat? form disposed ati'the other sideof thev con; veyer 74,. and this platforms841is;.provided;

the platform wall-and to a aprojecting. porn with an upstanding wall 85 at its side which is :nextiadj acent the conveyer v and. at .its

opposite side isspro'vided with a; Wall 86 tends at its rear end transversely, as at 87, in the direction of'th'e conveyer. At the first-mentioned side of the platform 84, the platform overlaps the adjacent edge of the upper stretch -of the conveyer, as indicated at 88, and at the point of location of the wall 85 the platform is secured to the board in the same manner as is the platform 66. The platform 84 is provided with a rearward extension 89 which is secured at one side, as at 90, to the adjacent side of the board 80, and the portion 72 of the wall 67 previously described extends transversely of the rear end of the extension 89, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Opposite the wall portion 72, the extension 89 of the platform 84 is provided with a wall 91 which,

adjacent the overlapping portion 88 of the platform 84, is curved forwardly, as at 92.

It will now be understood that the beet tops, which are guided to the cutter bars between the guide members heretofore described, fall upon the platforms 66 and 84 when severed by the said cutter bars, and it will be further understood that the walls at the sides of the platforms provide passageways for the tops, which passageways open on the upper stretch of the conveyer 74. Thus the severed tops from two adjacent rows are deposited upon the conveyer 7 4 and carriedby this conveyer to the platform 89.

The arrangement of the heaters which serve to advance the severed tops from the several platforms will A nOW be. described, Disposed, against the forward sides of the spaced supporting bars in advance of each platform 66 and 84 is acombinedclamp and gu1de.member cemprisinga body port1on93 whiclnat 1ts .upper end, 1S p1fOVld6l with a portion 94 extending rear \vardly above the upper edge ofthe upperone of the said; supporting bar-s23, and this portion 94 i s provided with spaced lugs 95 between which is-received the upperportion of a supporti ing. plate 9 6 which, ,plate is disposed against the rear sidesofthe said bars 23. The lower portion vofthe. plate is relatively wide, as indicated at 96, and the plate is f ormed with a vertically extending slot 97. Theibody portion 93,, of the clamping and guide member lsharojvided )Vltll adownwardl extend,-

ing portion ,98 having arearwardly projecting .finger 99 which extends beneath the lower, edge of the lower, bar 23 and into the slot, 97 ,A, bolt 106 is fitted through the bodyportion 93 of the clamping and guide. member and throughthe slot 97, and aunt 101 upon thebolt bears against thesaid plate 96. and serves as a means vwhereby the plate maybe clampedinany desiredvposi tion of'vertioaladjustment, it being understood that ,in adjusting the plate the plate is. guided and held intrue vertical position by the lug 95, and by, theengagement of the finger. 9,9, in the. slot. 7..- ,.Se.ci .red,at th i.

forward ends to the plate 96 at each side of the relatively wide lower portion thereof are bracket arms 102 which at their rear ends are secured to the side members 103 of an inverted U-shaped frame, the frame being in this manner supported for vertical ad-' journaled in suitable bearings atthe lower 7 ends of the said portions 103 of each frame is a shaft 106 upon which is fixed a wheel 107 provided upon its periphery with trans verse beater blades 108which are ofa length to extend nearly the entire distance be: tween the walls 67 and 73 or the walls and 86, as the case may be.

It will now be apparent that, by adjusting the plates 96, the beatersjust described may be positioned so that their blades will, in the rotary movement of the beaters, pass more or less closely to the platforms 66 or 84, as the case may be. Fixed upon each shaft 106 is a sprocket gear 109 about which is trained a sprocket chain 110 passing also about a sprocket gear 111 upon a shaft 112 which is mounted in suitable bearings upon the arms 82', of which arms there are a number, as

will be observed by reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. In order that the shaft 112 may be rotated so as to impart rotary movement to the several beaters, a sprocket gear 113 is fixed upon the shaft112 and has trained about it a sprocket chain 114 passing also about a gear 115 fixed upon a shaft 57, this shaft being driven in a manner heretofore pointed out. At this point, it will be understood that, as thebeaters above described rotate, the severed beet tops which fall upon the forward portion of the platforms 66 and 84 will be. thrown by the blades 108 rearwardly along the platform. In order that the severedtops may be thrown from the said platforms .onto the conveyer apron 74, a secondbeater is ar-,

ranged at the rear end of each platform.

The numeral 116 indicates a shaft which is mounted for rotation in suitable bearings at the lower ends of arms 117 which'depend from the supporting arms 82 which extend above the platforms 66, and fixed upon each the shafts 106 and 116 are arranged at right angles to each other, and that the beater which is supported by the shaft 116 is so located and so driven asto throw the severed tops from the platform 66 onto the conveyer apron 74. The arms 82 which extend above the platforms-.84 support depending arms 123, in bearings at the lower ends of which "is journaled a shaft 124, this shaft carrying. a wheel 125 provided with beater blades 126. At its rear end, each shaft 124 is provided with a pinion 127, which is in mesh ,with a gear 128 fixed upon a shaft 129, also mounted in bearings, at the lower ends of certain of the arms 123. A sprocket gear 130 is fixed upon the shaft 129 and is driven by a chain 131 trained about it andabout a sprocket gear 132 fixed upon the shaft 53,

It will now be apparent that severed tops dropping onto the platforms 84 will be thrown rearwardly by thebeater blades 108' and will subsequently be thrown by the blades 126 from the said platform onto the conveyer apron 74. A sprocket gear 133 is fixed upon the shaft which supports the roller 76 of each conveyer apron 74, and about each of these gears ,there is trained a sprocket chain 134 fastened also about a sprocket gear 135 fixed upon a shaft 136.

The'sha'ft 136 extends transversely within the frame of the machine and is provided at each end with a gear 137 meshing with a corresponding gear 138, these latter gears being fixed upon the axle of the machine. In this manner, the conveyers' 74 are driven. and their upper stretches are caused to travel rearwardly. It will, therefore, be apparent that the severed tops which are deposited upon the upper stretches of the conveyer will be carried rearwardly and upon striking the wall 70, which wall is curved in the manner heretofore described, will be deflected lat erally inwardly and discharged from the inner lateral edge of the conveyer apron and onto the respective platform 89.

Fixed upon each shaft 129 is a wheel 139 carrying beater blades 140. As these beaters rotate, the severed tops will be thrown from th -platform 89 and onto the conveyer which is provided for carrying them to. the rear end of the machine where they are deposited upon the ground. This'conveyer includes an endless apron 141which is passed about a forward roller 142 pro-: vided with trunnions journaled in suitable bearingsat the lower ends of bracket arms may be preventedfrom falling from the edges of the upper stretch of the apron, the board 144 is provided at each side with a longitudinally extending wall 145 which projects a. suitable distance above the plane of the upper stretchof the conveyer apron. At its rear end,.the board 144' is supported 7 bythe lower ends'of the arms 146 of a yoke 147 ,and byrreference to Fig. 7 of the drawings, Qitwill be observed that these. bars 146 support the. otherf'roller about. which the apron is trained, this roller being indicatedatl148. Secured at'its lower end to the connecting portion .of the yoke .147

is a supporting standard section 149. c

From the foregoing, it will be understood that thestandards which support the several-guides may be independently adjusted so asto position the guides a; greater or less distance above the groundsurface, and that the plates 96 may be adjusted so as to positionthe beaters107 a greater or less distance abov'e the platforms above which they rotate, andin order that the platforms and the conveyers 74 maybe similarly ad- 'justed, both to suit soil conditionsand to 7 permit of, themachine being drawn over 'upper ends threaded, as at 157,and fitted roads or from one field to. another, means are provided connected with certain of the arms 82 and other means'connected with the supporting beams 7 9" for raising or lowering these parts.

As willbe observed by reference to Figs. 1,4 and 7 of the drawings, the ends of the supporting beam 179 fit between the uprights 5 at each side of the said frame.

ingly adjust the said beam; To certain of the supporting arms 82 are connected the lower ends of rods 156 which have'their through the top forward cross beam 10 of the. frame. A hand wheel 158 is threaded upon the upper end of each rod 156 and bears ,upon' the said beam 10, and it will 1 be apparent that, by rotating these hand wheels in-one direction or the other, the, supporting arms will be raised or lowered for the purpose stated-above, jthis adjustment corresponding, of'course,'to the ad"- justnient of the rods 154. i It will be understood'ithatinasmuch as the forward end of the conveyer 141 is supported from certain of the arms 82, it willb'eraised or lowered by the adjustmentof the hand Wheels, as above of each wheel 15 is provided with a web 220 having openings 221 formed thereinr A disk 222 is fixed with relation'to'the outer end of each hub and provided WltlIIlOtCllGS which are located'opposite the openings 221. A lever-.224 ismounted ina suitable bracket at each side of the frame of the ma .chine, and each of these levers atits lower end is connectedto a clutchhead 225 carrying pins 226 which work through the notches and openings 221 and areadapted to be projected into sockets 227 in the respective gears 65. The clutch heads 225 are slidably mounted upon the axle 13 and by moving the upper ends of the levers 224 inwardly their lower ends will be moved outwardly carrying with them the said clutch heads,

and such movement will result in the pins 2 6being withdrawn from engagement in the sockets 227.

In order that the wheels 15 and gears 65 may be conveniently removed, the lower portion of each lever 224 is formed in sections connected by means of a hinged joint 228, the lower section being adapted to be swung outwardly, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 11, when it is desired to move the parts mentioned from theaxle. The hinged sections of the levers are held in alinement by means of a bolt 229 which is slidably mounted in loops 230 located in vertical alinement upon the two sections of each lever.

In orderthat the levers 224 may be simul taneously operated to release the gears 65, cables or other. flexible connections 231 are connected to the upper ends of the levers and are passed about pulleys 232 upon the top of theframe of the machine, and these connections 231 are led rearwardly from the pulleys 232 and are connected to a hand lever 233 which may be swung rearwardly for the purpose stated. As a'means for returning the levers to position to project the pins 226 into the sockets 227 in the gear 65, the upper end of each lever works between spaced guide members 234 upon the frame bars 4 and a spring 235 is arranged between each set of guide members and bears outwardly against the upper end of the respective lever.

Inorder that the machine may be propelled, and in order that the mechanisms V of the apron roll 11 :2.

may be driven, the machine is preferably provided with an engine 237 mounted upon the top of the frame near the center thereof.

The shaft 238 of this engine being geared by means of a sprocket chain and gears 239 with a shaft 2&0 mounted for rotation upon the frame rearwardly of the said engine, a

sprocket gear 241 is fixed upon the shaft 24-0 and a sprocket chain 2&2 is trained about this gear 2&1 and about a sprocket gear (not shown) fixed upon the axle 13.

The numeral 1&0 indicates a sprocket gear which is fixed upon a shaft lll mounted upon themiddle ones of the members 82 and passed about this sprocket gear is a sprocket chain H2- which chain passes also about a sprocket gear 1&6 fixed at the end In order that power may be applied to the shaft Mla sprocket and means operating above eachof the plate gear 1H is fixed upon the said shaft and a sprocket chain 143 is trained over this gear and over a gear H5 fixed upon the shaft 136.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, as new is 1 In a beet harvester, means for simultaneously severing the tops of a plurality of rows of the plants, a platform arranged to receive the severed tops from each row, a conveyer arranged between the platforms,

forms for moving the severed tops therefrom and onto the conveyer.

V 2. In a beet harvester, a plurality of topping devices for simultaneously severing the tops of a plurality of rows of plants, a platform arranged to receive the tops severed by adjacent ones of the topping devices, a conveyer arranged between each pair of platforms, a conveyer arranged between the first-mentioned conveyers, and means for moving the severed tops from the first-mentioned conveyers onto the second-mentioned conveyers.

3. In a beet harvester, a frame, means for simultaneously severing the tops from a plurality of rows, spaced sets of guides mounted in the frame and arranged to present the tops to the severing means, a platform ar ranged rearwardly of each set of guides to receive the severed tops, and conveyer mechanism arranged to collect the severed tops from the several platforms and to deposit the tops rearwardly of the harvester.

4. In a beet harvester, a frame, means for simultaneously severing the tops from a plu- 5. In a beet harvester, a frame, means for simultaneously severing the tops from a plurality of rows of the plants, platforms arranged rearwardly of the severing means and adapted to receive the severed tops, means operating above the. platforms for advancing the tops thereover, conveyers arranged between the platforms to receive the severed tops therefrom, and means for vertically adjusting the platforms, the advanc ing'means and'the conveyer's.

6. In a beet harvester, a frame, means for simultaneously severing the topsfrom a plurality of rows of the plants, aplatform arranged to receive the tops severed from the plants of each row, a beater arranged to operate above eachof the platforms and in its operation to advance the severed tops over the platforms, a conveyer arranged to receive the severed tops from the platforms, and means whereby each beater may be adtive platform.

7. In a beet harvester, a frame, a conveyer arranged within the frame at the-front to rear median line thereof, means mounted within the frame for simultaneously severing the tops from the plants of 'a plurality of rows, spaced platforms arranged at each side of'the said conveyer and each arranged to receir e the tops severed from the plants of one of the rows, a conveyer arranged between each pair of the platforms and arranged to receive the severed tops from the said platforms, means for advancing the tops over the platforms and onto the conveyer, a platform arranged between each of the second-mentioned conveyers and the first-mentioned conveyer and arranged to discharge the severed tops upon the firstmentioned conveyer, and means operating above the last-mentioned platforms for advancing the tops therefrom and onto the first-mentioned conveyer.

, 8-. In a beet harvester, a frame, beet top guiding members arranged at the forward end of the frame, a beet cutting bar mounted for reciprocation 'rearwardly of the said guiding means and arranged to sever the guided tops, means for reciprocating the said bar, a conveyer arranged rearwardly of each of the guiding means for conveying the severed tops in the direction of the rear end of the frame, a conveyer arranged between the first mentioned conveyers, and a beater mounted above each of the first mentioned conveyers and arranged to throw the tops therefrom on to the last mentioned conveyer.

9. In a beet harvester, a frame, beet top guiding members'arranged at the forward end of the frame, a beet cutting bar mounted for reciprocation rearwardly' of the said guiding means and arranged to sever the guided tops, means for reciprocating the the severed tops in the direction of the rear tween the first mentioned conveyers, :1

topstherefrom on to the last mentioned con- 'veyer, andmeans: operable {to raise and" t said bar, a conveyer arranged rearwardly lower the said guiding means, the said cut- 10 of each ofthe guiding 'means for conveying ter bar, and the said oonveyers.

In testimony whereof affix my signature endof the. frame, a conveyer arranged bein presence of two Witnesses. 7

beater mounted above each of the first men- NEAL LAYVSON V tioned conveyers and arranged :to throw the Witnesses:

J. A. IRVIN,

ALPHONZO L. WVILLIAMs;

1 Copies of this patent ma y tie obtained for five cents each, by Addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

- Washington, D. G.