US3197042A - Picker station for a tobacco harvester - Google Patents

Description

July 27, 1965 J. J. HARRINGTON PICKER STATION FOR A TOBACCO HARVESTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 29, 1962 July 27, 1965 J. J. HARRINGTON Filed Nov. 29, 1962 PICKER STATION FOR A TOBACCO HARYESTER July 27, 1965 J. J. HARRINGTON 3,197,042

PIGKER STATION FOR A TOBACCO HARVESTER Filed Nov. 29, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 2 1955 J. J. HARRINGTON PICKER STATION FOR A TOBACCO HARVESTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 29, 1962 FIG. 8

FIG-9 FIGJZ FIG .IO

ited States Pate This invention generally relates to a tobacco harvester for transporting one or more tobacco primers or gatherers through a tobacco field and more specifically relates to the construction of the primer or picker stations and associated equipment which can be used on tobacco harvesters to facilitate the economical gathering of tobacco leaves and the packing of these leaves in a rack for subsequent bulk curing.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel combination of mechanical components which will facilitate the gathering and packing of tobacco leaves in a suitable container, for subsequent bulk curing, by a method that enables the worker to lay the tobacco leaves directly into a curing rack immediately after breaking the leaves from the stalk. A further object is to provide such a combination which will result in less effort on the part of workers. A further object is to provide such a combination which will reduce the number of workers required to harvest a given quantity of tobacco. These and other objects and advantages will be apparent after reading the following description in conjunction with the drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a semi-diagrammatic type sketch illustrating the location of primer or picker stations with respect to rows of tobacco plants;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a picker or primer station in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a partial plan View of a picker or primer station in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 3A is a diagrammatic side view representing a picker seat above a track;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating successive rack placement upon tracks at a picker station in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 4A is an end view along 4-4 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 43 is an end view similar to FIGURE 4A with the addition of an upper extension thereon;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a rack useful in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 6 is a fragemntary perspective view of a foot rest useful in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a seat useful in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 8 is a side view of a rack with fixed ends; r

FIGURE 9 is a side View of a rack with fixed ends and a sliding wall means; and

FIGURES 10-13 are perspective views of different sliding wall means useful in connection with a tobacco rack.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, five rows A, B, C, D and E are shown in a typical tobacco field. Rows A, B, D and E are planted with tobacco and row C is unplanted so as to permit the passage of vehicles or equipment that are necessary for the harvesting of tobacco (but such vehicles or equipment may also be useful for the planting and/or cultivating of the tobacco). To the left of row A there are usually two consecutive-rows of tobacco plants (not shown) and then a vacant row corresponding to row C in FIGURE 1. Likewise, there are usually two rows of tobacco (not shown) immediately to the right of row E and then a vacant row corresponding to row C. This is more or less a standard pattern for the planting of tobacco in fields in the southern United States, adjacent rows being between about 32 and 48 inches apart. If and when other row arrangebe apparent how the present invention can be modified in order to accommodate such new arrangements.

Because of the increasing cost and scarcity of farm labor there is a pressing need to utilize mechanical devices to assist in the tobacco harvesting operation wherever possible. Since the individual tobacco leaves cannot normally be picked by machines, advances toward mechanization have been largely limited to mechanical arrangements which permit the pickers to sit down and to be transported along the rows of tobacco during the picking operation. Such mechanical arrangements are sometimes referred to as worker carriages and for the sake of brevity and convenience that term will be used from time to time in the description which follows.

Prior art worker carriages are generally characterized by at least four spaced apart picker stations and general locations of such picker stations are indicated somewhat diagrammatically by circles 20, 21, 22 and 23 in FIGURE 1. Each of these picker stations is supported by appropriate support means, such support means being indicated in a general diagrammatic fashion by single lines 26, 27, 28 and 29. These individual support means are in turn usually supported by some sort of interconnecting framework indicated generally by numeral 25.

Elements 29-29 have only been indicated in a generalized diagrammatic fashion in FIGURE 1 because the specific construction of each of these elements and their structural relationship to each other may take a number of forms as is well documented in the prior art. Patents 2,797,822 and 2,933,206 are only two examples of' prior art tobacco harvesters which provide worker carriages of the type generally indicated in FIGURE 1. As is well known to the prior art the worker carriage may contain wheels so that it can be towed behind a tractor, or the framework of the worker carriage may be mounted or directly attached to the body of the tractor, or the worker carriage may have its own independent motive power. Such known general features of layout and spatial relationship are primarily of background interest insofar as this invention is concerned and it should be noted that the novelty of this invention pertains to the particular construction of the picker stations where the pickers perform their duties.

Further in this regard, it should be pointed out that each of the pickers at the four stations (26-23) shown in FIGURE 1 works on a separate specific row of tobacco. In particular, the picker on station 23 harvests row E, the picker at station 22 harvests row D, the picker at station 21 harvests row B and the picker at station 20 havests row A. Although the tractor or motivating means for the harvesting unit occupies much of the space between rows B and D, the pickers at stations 21 and 22 are always much less crowded for working space than the pickers at stations 29 and 23. In addition, the pickers at station 20 or 23 will have a much more diflicult time in disposing of their collected tobacco because of the fact that such loads of collected tobacco must be passed up and over the plants in rows B and D to some sort of receptacle or container. In contrast, the pickers at stations 21 and 22 can merely pass their handfulls of collected tobacco to the front or inwardly without the necessity for lifting.

As noted previously, this invention generally pertains to the construction of the picking stations on the worker carriage portion of a tobacco harvester and more particularly it pertains to the construction of picking stations 26 and 23 shown in FIGURE 1. A perspective view of one such picking station in accordance with this invention is shown in FIGURE 2. Supporting frame members 25a, 25b, 2% and 2% are shown which are specific embodiments of elements 25 and 29 which were illustrated ments become generally used by tobacco farmers, it will diagrammatically in FIGURE 1. A curved rear pipe section 40 has an upper horizontal portion which is welded or otherwise fastened to member 29a and in a similar fashion the upper horizontal portion of a similarly shaped front pipe section 42 is shown as being welded or otherwise fastened to member 2%. The lower horizontal portion of rear pipe section 46 fits within a larger annular pipe member 43 and the lower horizontal side of pipe section 42 fits within a similar larger annular pipe mern ber 44 (see FIGURE 4). The upper, outer periphery of pipe members 43 and 44 are welded or otherwise fixedly attached to the bottom surface of rails 45 and 46. The portions of pipe sections 40 and 42 which extend within annular pipe members 43 and 44 are free to rotate therein so that the over-all result of this construction is that tracks .5 and 46 and pipe members 43 and 44- are free to swing back and forth in the directions indicated by arrows F and G to a limited degree provided that frame members 29a and 2% are pivotally connected to member b by means of pivot pins 47 and 43 or the like. Referring now to FIGURE 2 it will be seen that the tracks 45 and 4-6 are preferably adapted to carry only one tobacco rack (although they could be designed to carry two racks as in FIGURE 4). In its broadest concept, a suitable tobacco rack R useful for this purpose cornprises:

(a) Two spaced apart end sections 62 and 63 shown as being disposed in substantially vertical, parallel relationship (although end section 62 preferably starts in a horizontal position under the users seat);

(b) Each of said end sections 62 and 63 preferably having a generally rectangular configuration comprising two upper corners and two lower corners;

(c) Two elongated connecting members 50 andSl extending between the opposed lower corners of said two end sections 6.2 and 63;

(d) A plurality of leaf-piercing fingers 79 arranged in substantially the same plane and each piercing finger being long enough to penetrate all of the tobacco leaves T disposed on said elongated connecting members 56 and 51. Alternatively, temporary means could be employed to secure the leaves in the rack until the filled rack reaches another location;

(e) The upper ends of said plurality of leaf-piercing V fingers 79 preferably all being joined to a common elongated member 65;

(f) Means for detachably engaging the ends of said elongated rod 65 with portions of said end sections 62 and 63.

More specifically, the two elongated connecting members 549 and 51 are preferably parallel to each other and form a supporting surface for a plurality of tobacco leaves T. (No invention would be involved in using a single,

fiat, planar surface.) The ends of members 53 and 51 are connected to the lower corners of end sections 62 and 63. Although the end sections 62 and 63 may be fixedly connected in a vertical position to the elongated connecting members Si and 51 (as by welding), it is preferred in accordance with this invention that atleast one (and preferably both) of the end sections 62 and 63 be connected in a pivotable manner so that they can be moved from a horizontal position to a vertical position (and vice versa). A bolt and nut assembly 11d which can be tightened to hold the previously described parts in either a horizontal or vertical position is shown in several of the drawings, although no invention would be involved in using other equivalent fastening mechanisms.

End sections 62 and 63 are shown as being essentially rectangular in configuration and substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the members Ell and 51. These end sections 62 and 63 are also shown as having perpendicularly extending side flange portions 54-, 55, 5-5 a and 57 extending from the lower corner to the upper corner. As shown, these flanges extend outwardly away from the area between the end sections 62 and 63. (These 4, flanges are not necessary, but desirable from the standpoint of low cost and strength.)

Along the upper edge of end sections 62 and 63 notches 58 are preferably provided. These notches are not necessary but are desirable since they facilitate the seating of ends of the rod 65 and its associated end locking members 66 and 6'7. End locking members as and 67 are preferably biased outwardly to a limited extent (see FF- URE 6) so that when'they are pushed completely downwardly through the slots 60 and 61 the raised locking ridge till. on the lower outer ends of members 66 and 67 will prevent the elongated rod 65 from accidentally disengaging and rising upwardly and out from the rack.

To initially use the rack, the tobacco leaves are preferably placed and aligned so that all of the butt ends will extend toward the same side of the rack. It is preferred that the butt ends of the tobacco leaves be allowed to protrude beyond the left edge ofmember 51 by approximately 4 inches. To facilitate alignment of all of the butt ends a backboard member 36 is preferably provided so that the picker can merely shove the butt ends up against this backboard. The backboard is preferably attached to the underside of rail 46 by welding to an intermediate lateral extension member 87 as is perhaps most clearly shown in FIGURE 4A. Member 37 and backboard 86 are of course attached to the rail 46 in such a manner that no obstruction will be presented to the free sliding movement of the rack R on tracks 45 and 46 (see again FiGURE 4A).

The tobacco leaves will normally be at least a foot longer than the tobacco rack is wide. In order to minimize the danger that the picked leaves will fall off the rack it has been found necessary to provide a lateral support means 85. As sh wn in FIGURE 2 this lateral support means is inclined upwardly and outwardly to a slight degree and it is attached (eg. by welding) to the underside of rail 45 (the right side fender 86A corresponding to and paralleling 86 has been cut away to more clearly show support means 85).

Since adjacent rows of tobacco are frequently close enough together so that the leaves of the mature plants touch each other, it would be undesirable to have the front end of the picker station catch or tear the tobacco lateral side attached (as by welding) to the front end portion of fender means 36A. Numerous other equivalent structures (such as expanded metal, screen, erforated metal, framed metal, etc.) will be obvious to those sizilled in this art. With this construction the picker station can easily be moved between two rows of tobacco without tearing or damaging the leaves on adjacent tobacco plants and prevents the plants from .disarranging picked leaves in the rack.

One of the important novel aspects of this disclosure is that the tracks 4-5 and 46 are arranged to pass beneath the seat of the tobacco picker. Referring to FIGURES 2 and 7 it will be seen that two cross members 90 and 91 are welded to the undersides of rails 45' and 46. On the right end of these cross members 93 and 91 in an upstanding metal block 92 is provided and on the left ends two upstanding metal sections 93 and 94 are provided. Members 93 and 94 support the ends of a rotatable shaft mechanism 95 about which the seat 96 is adapted to rotate. FIGURE 7 shows the seat 9t? in its raised position while FIGURE 2 shows the seat in its lowered position. When it is in its lowered position metal block 92 supports the right edge of seat 96 and even when the seat is down there is still enough clearance above tracks 45 and 46 so that a rack (such as R) may slide freely therebeneath.

PIGURE 4 is intended to illustrate the way in which a rack can be moved from under the workers seat to a position well forward of the seat. Rack R is actually shown considerably forward of the position it would normally occupy, but this has been done merely so that the illustration of rack R will be clearer. As shown, the components of rack R are exactly the same as the components of rack R and numerals of corresponding components on the two racks have their last two digits exactly alike. A seat member 96 has been shown in dotted lines and it is seen to be directly over the back end of the rack R It will be observed that the rear end section 162 of rack R has been pivoted downwardly into an essentially horizontal position so that it can slide forwardly and under the seat. Once the rear end section 162 has passed under the seat then the worker can raise end section 162 to a vertical position so that it will be essentially parallel with the front end section 163 of rack R Of course if tracks and 46 were long enough, two or more racks could slide thereon at the same time-but ordinarily only one rack at a time on the tracks is desirable.

The above-described construction permits a picker to load a rack which is initially placed partially underneath and partially in front of him and as the loading operation progresses and the rack is filled the worker can slide the filled portion of the rack forwardly to thereby make available an unloaded portion of the rack. This type of opera tion is necessary where the tobacco is to be packed in racks between the rows and the worker must straddle the rack due to space limitations. The length of a rack would be limited to the length of a pickers arms unless the picker can straddle the rack and position the excess length below and behind the seat. Once the tobacco rack is completely filled and there is no further room to place tobacco, then a new tobacco rack is positioned beneath the picker and the filled one removed.

FIGURE 4 further makes it clear that a tobacco rack can be used with a front end section 163 that is permanently fastened in a vertical position or it can be used with a front end section 163 that can be pivoted downwardly to a substantially horizontal position. If the end section 153 is initially fastened in a vertical position (e.g. with a nut and bolt) then a picker would initially place it entirely in front of his seat and then slide it backwardly so that the collapsed (i.e. horizontal) rear portion containing rear end section 162 would slide underneath his seat. On the other hand, if front end section 163 is initially arranged in a horizontal position with a nut and bolt, then a picker could initially place the entire rack under or to the rear of his seat and thereafter slide the rack forwardly under the seat as it is needed. If the worker choses to do so the seat may be pivoted or hinged upward (and sideways) to permit installing the rack directly above.

It is believed that the above explanation will be more clearly understood after referring to FIGURE 3A which is a diagrammatic side view of a seat 9 for the picker and the trackway 1t) beneath the seat 9. The left end of the track 1% represents that portion which is behind the picker (but it need not be very far behind the picker) and the right end of the track indicates that portion of the track which is in front of the picker. t the start of the picking operation it would be desirable for the picker to place a rack (such as rack R of FIGURE 4) partially in front of him and partially beneath him. The starting position of the ends of the rack are as follows: the forward end is vertical and the rear end is collapsed into the horizontal position to facilitate passage beneath the narrow space under the seat. To illustrate just where this rack would then be disposed the track 19 has been arbitrarily divided into zones 1-3. When rack R was initially placed in position the front third of the rack would 5 be at position 4 while the rear two-thirds of the rack R would be extending over zones 2 and 3. As the picker filled the front one third of the rack he would then slide the entire rack forwardly until it covered zones 3, 4 and 5. The worker would then proceed to fill up that portion of the rack which was immediately above zone 4 in the rack (i.e. the middle third of the rack) and when this had been completed he would again slide the rack forwardly so that it would extend over zones 4, 5 and 6. The worker would then raise the collapsed rear end of the rack to a vertical position as soon as the collapsed end had appeared from under the seat, he would then fill up the area of the rack which was immediately above zone 4, which would be the back third of the rack. When the rack had been completely filled the picker would stop the forward motion of the harvester, all the racks on the harvester being filled simultaneously, and attach a lifting clamp to the rack and another worker on the tobacco harvester would carry out the remaining harvesting procedures. After the filled rack has been lifted vertically and has been disposed of in an upper work area it will be apparent that another rack of the same sort may be positioned in the starting location as previously described (i.e. over zones 2, 3 and 4). When a rack (such as R shown in FIGURE 4) is used which is constructed so that both ends can pivot from a horizontal to a vertical position the picker may have several choices in initially positioning the rack. First of all, if both end members of the rack are in a horizontal position the entire rack can be started at zones 1 and 2 and slid underneath the seat 9 and once the front one third of the rack passes under the seat 9 the front end section of the rack (e.g. 163 in FIGURE 4) can be raised and the picker can begin to pick and stack tobacco leaves immediately behind this upraised front rack end. Alternatively, if the worker desires to start with a rack such as is shown as R in FIGURE 4 he could initially place it entirely in front of him and then slide the rear end (having the rear rack end in a horizontal position) underneath his seat until the entire rack occupied zones 2, 3 and 4 (or 3, 4 and 5). He could then proceed to fill the front third (or two thirds) of the rack.

FIGURE 4A is an end view along 4-4 of FIGURE 3. In this view the relationship between the elongatedmembers 5G and 51 and track members 45 and 46 is more clearly shown. It will be seen that the underside of elongated members 50 and 51 can freely slide over the top extension of track members 45 and 46. It will be appreciated that numerous variations of this simple sliding track arrangement could be utilized. For example, it would involve no invention to use ball bearings on one or the other of the above-described members and likewise it would involve no invention to use nested V- shaped components. The important thing is that the picker be able to slide the rack R along a guided path without expending too much effort. It is also desirable that some means be provided for laterally restricting the rack so that it will not accidentally fall off the track.

In order to produce a rack of tobacco which is the most desirable in a bulk drying chamber it is preferred that the leaves in the rack be compressed closely together. In order to allow for this compression, the leaves are preferably stacked to a level somewhat above the upper level of the ends of the rack member. When stacking the leaves this high it is frequently desirable to provide extensions above the ends of the rack to serve as endwise confining means for the tobacco leaves. Such a construction is illustrated in FIGURE 4B wherein an extension member EM is fitted into and above rack R. As shown, the end extension member EM generally has about the same cross sectional configuration as the abutting upper edge of the end of the rack R which would mean for instance that the flanges 54A and 55A can be vertically aligned with flanges 54 and 55 of rack R and the end member 62A can be the same width and thickness as .feet between the rack ends.

sue /p42 end member 62 of rack R. A downward tongue 2% on member EM isadapted to pass through the slotted opening 66 in rack member R so as to thereby hold the member EM vertically in the position shown. Once the rack has been filled with tobacco to a level corresponding with the top edge of member EM and the rack is considered to be ready to have the tobacco clamped therein, the member EM can be easily removed by simply pulling upwardly. When member EM is removed the tobacco therebetween will still remain in position for the subsequent clamping operations. Member EM can be of any desired height and width.

In FIGURES 1-6 the rack R has been primarily described as one having end members which can be secured in either a horizontal or a vertical position and moved from a horizontal to a vertical position if desired. It is not necessary to use such a construction in accordance with the present invention and FIGURES 8 and 9 are side views of a rack wherein end members RE; and RE are welded (or otherwise permanently fastened) to the elongated bottom RB of the rack. In other words, the rack shown in FIGURE S has a rigid, fixed construction which cannot be altered and in particular cannot be altered so as to permit it to pass under the seat of the worker in the manner previously described with regard to racks having one or two collapsible ends. A rack of the type shown in FIGURE 8 could be 5 or 6 When using a rack of this length the picker would place it directly in front of him with the end of the rack projecting between the pickers knees. The pickers approximate position is indicated by the bracket 220 of FIGURE 8. If the icker is sitting at 220, it will obviously be impossible for him to easily reach the forward portions of the tobacco rack. To illustrate this point more clearly, the tobacco rack in FIGURE 8 has been arbitrarily subdivided intothree zones, 201, 202 and 263. Ifthe entire rack is six feet long then each of the zones would be approximately two feet in length. If the worker is sitting at 220 he can easily place and stack tobacco leaves in zone 291 but it will be somewhat diflicult for him to reach out and stack tobacco leaves in area 202 and practically impossible for him to reach out and stack leaves in area 263.

FIGURE 9 shows how this problem can be overcome. The worker, sitting at position 220, can easily place and stack the tobacco leaves in the zone 201 and on the right (or front) side of a movable backstop S (when the backtop S is abutting RE When the leaves in this zone 201 have reached the desired height, the worker can then simply push the leaves and sliding wall (or backstop) means S forwardly (to the right in FIGURE 9 to the position indicated by S and the stack or stacks of tobacco leaves in zone 201 will thus be moved forwardly (to the right) to zone 202. The picker then moves backstop S back to its original position and can then again pick and stack leaves in zone 201. When zone 201 again becomes filled with leaves to the desired height then the picker can again push sliding means .8 forwardlly (to S and the end result will be that as the slidingrneans S moves to position S the stack of tobacco leaves previously in zone 292 will be pushed forwardly to zone 203 and the stack of tobacco leaves in zone 201 will move to zone 292. The picker can then remove the sliding means S (preferably by simply lifting it out of the rack) and proceed to fill up zone 291 for the third (and last) time. When this third filling operation has been completed then suitable operations can be carried out to clamp the leaves in the, rack. It will be appreciated that by utilizing a rack with fixed ends and an intermediate sliding means the picker is still able to handily fill a rather long rack with the minimum of effort and reaching.

. There are obviously. numerous ways in which the sliding means S indicated in FIGURE 9 may be constructed. A few of the possible variations are shown in FIGURES 10-13. FiGURE 10 shows such a sliding means having a main wall portion W which is adapted to be disposed substantially parallel to the ends (R13 and RE of the rack, and laterally extending vertical support means 222 and 224 which are adapted to ride upon the tops of the two elongated members (RB) connecting the rack ends (RE and RE;). FIGURE 11 shows a somewhat similar sliding means comprising a main wall portion 225 and vertical support means 226 and 227. FIGURE 12 shows an end View of still another possible type of sliding means which comprises a main wall portion 23b having two spaced apart and downwardly extending projections 231 and 232 which are designed to ride in corresponding grooves in the elongated portions of the tobacco rack (shown in dotted outline).

FIGURE 13 shows still another sliding means S comprising a main wall portion 2595 joined to side flange members 266 and 267 and these flanges are in turn provided with laterally extending vertical support means 2'83 and 210. Lower sections 239 and 211 restrict the lateral movement of the sliding means to the area between elongated rack members StlA and 51A (shown in dotted outline). Many other specific variations of sliding means will occur to those skilled in the art. The height of the sliding means can correspond to the height of the ends of the rack members (e.g. RB and RE or it can correspond to the height of the ends of the rack members when they are provided with upper extensions (such as that shown as EM in FIGURE 4B).

FIGURES 6 shows how a picker foot rest can be secured beneath the rails. A shaft is welded or otherwise attached to the bottom sides of rails 45 and 46. Shaft Hi9 has open ends into which are mounted foot bar supports 101 and 102 which support foot bar 103. Supports 101 and 102 are rotatably mounted so that bar M3 can swing back and forth in the directions indicated by arrows A and B.

In conclusion, while I have illustrated and described several embodiments ofmy invention, it is to be understood that since the various details of construction may obviously be varied considerably without really departing from the basic principles and teachings of this invention, I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the rightis specificaally reserved to encompass all changes and modifications coming within the scope of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tobacco harvester useful for harvesting tobacco fields which are composed of spaced sets of four rows of tobacco plants, each row being spaced between about 32 and 48 inches from the nearest adjacent tobacco row, the driveway between said sets of four rows being wide enough to accommodate the lower part of the tobacco harvester, said harvester comprising:

(a) a main framework which is narrow enough to pass down through the driveway between said sets of rows,

(b) an upper framework located above said main framework and extending outwardly to the right and left of said main frame at a level which is above the tops of most tobacco plants that may be encountered,

(c) a working area framework being disposed downwardly from each of the outer extremities of said upper framework, said working area frameworks being generally located between the first and second rows on each side of said driveway,

(d) each of said working area frameworks comprising:

(1) a seat for a worker,

(2) a horizontal longitudinal rack supporting guideway extending forwardly of said seat in a direction generally corresponding with the direction and movement of the tobacco harvester,

(3) a fender'means being disposed around the front and a substantial distance along the sides of each guideway,

(4) a rack positioned on each of said longitudinal rack supporting guideways and extending in a horizontal direction generally corresponding with the direction and movement of the tobacco harvester,

() each said rack comprising an elongated bottom surface upon which primed tobacco leaves can be stacked with the stems oriented in one direction, and with the axis of the leaves aligned approximately at right angles to the length of the elongated bottom surface, restraining means for controlling the movement of the stacked tobacco leaves from substantial movement in an endwise direction corresponding with the direction and movement corresponding harvester, and means for holding the tobacco leaves placed upon said bottom surface in a compact and unitary bundle.

2. A harvester according to claim 1 wherein said each longitudinal rack supporting guideway extends from a point approximately under said seat and then forwardly of said seat in a horizontal direction generally corresponding with the direction and movement of the tobacco harvester.

3. A harvester according to claim 2 wherein said longitudinal rack supporting guideway comprises two spaced apart parallel rails.

4. A harvester according to claim 1 wherein said rack has two end sections which are designed to stand in a vertical position during at least a part of the time that they are resting on the longitudinal rack supporting guide- Way and in addition said end sections are adapted to cooperate with said elongated bottom surface in such a manner as to form a unitary tobacco bulk rack when the rack has been loaded with leaves.

5. A harvester according to claim 4 wherein at least one of said end sections is pivotable from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position.

6. A harvester according to claim 4 wherein both of said end sections are pivotable from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position.

7. A picker station for a tobacco harvester which comprises in combination:

(a) a seat for the picker,

(b) a trackway for supporting at least one tobacco rack thereon extending under and forwardly of said seat,

(0) a supporting framework for both said seat and said trackway,

(d) a tobacco butt backstop offset to the side of the trackway and parallel thereto,

(e) a leaf supporting table on the opposite side of the trackway to support the tails of tobacco leaves,

(f) a fender means in front of and parallel to said trackway.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.

MORRIS TEMIN, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 7. A PICKER STATION FOR A TOBACCO HARVESTER WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION: (A) A SEAT FOR THE PICKER, (B) A TRACKWAY FOR SUPPORTING AT LEAST ONE TOBACCO RACK THEREON EXTENDING UNDER AND FORWARDLY OF SAID SEAT, (C) A SUPPORTING FRAMEWORK FOR BOTH SAID SEAT AND SAID TRACKWAY, (D) A TOBACCO BUTT BACKSTOP OFFSET TO THE SIDE OF THE TRACKWAY AND PARALLEL THERETO, (E) A LEAF SUPPORTING TABLE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF

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