WO2000019804A1

WO2000019804A1 - Harvested produce extraction system

Info

Publication number: WO2000019804A1
Application number: PCT/ZA1999/000089
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hendrik Johannes Steenekamp; Herman Leon Kritzinger
Original assignee: Van Zuydam, Anton
Priority date: 1998-10-06
Filing date: 1999-09-16
Publication date: 2000-04-13
Also published as: AU6299699A

Abstract

The invention provides an in-field harvested produce extraction system and method, for example, for a plantation (50), of which trees (52) have been felled and left where they have fallen. An in-field timber extraction conveyor system (54) including a plurality of displaceable conveyors or conveyor modules (10) configurable into a composite conveyor is located in-field the plantation (50). Each of the conveyors (10) is provided with drive means (18) for driving that module. The felled trees (52) are extracted from the plantation by placing them on the conveyor system and conveying them to the remote location (60) at the edge of the plantation (50), where they may be collected for further processing.

Description

HARVESTED PRODUCE EXTRACTION SYSTEM

Field of the invention

This invention relates to agriculture. In particular this invention relates to the extraction of harvested produce from the field or plantation where it is grown. The invention is particularly useful in silviculture, sugar cane growing, fruit orchards, vineyards, vegetable fields, and the like, where produce may be extracted from the filed or plantation where it is grown in an environmentally friendly way.

Background of the Invention

The inventors are aware that current silviculture practice is to grow trees, for harvesting, in rows forming a plantation. Once the trees reach harvesting age they are cut down and left to lie where they fall. In some circumstances the fallen trees are debranched and in other circumstances they are not. In either case, vehicles are dispatched to drive up and down the rows of fallen trees, between the brushwood lines, and to collect the fallen trees for collection from a collection point at the periphery of the plantation, usually for further processing at a timber mill. The collection of the fallen trees from the rows where they have fallen is often referred to as timber extraction from in-field a plantation. Accordingly, this term is used in this specification for the collection of any harvested produce from a field or a plantation to a collection point.

Furthermore, the term harvested is to be understood to mean that the produce has been picked from the tree, pulled out of the ground, chopped or cut down, and the like, but does not necessarily imply that it has been moved from the location where it grew (except for falling to the ground).

The process of collection of trees from in-field a plantation is similar to that used for collection of harvested fruit from orchards, sugar cane from sugar cane plantations, vegetables from vegetable fields and grapes and olives from vineyards.

The use of vehicles to extract timber from in-field a plantation has the disadvantage that the soil between the rows is compacted under the weight of the vehicles. The same problems of soil compaction are experienced in other agricultural activities.

Further disadvantages of presently used extraction methods include the inefficiencies inherent in the type of extraction method applied, for example, a collection vehicle may drive up and down the same row several times in order to collect all the fallen trees or other harvested produce of that row. In addition, the actual loading onto the vehicle is performed manually and is both labour and time intensive.

The inventors have thus recognised a need for an in-field harvested produce extraction method overcoming at least some of the above disadvantages of present extraction methods. Furthermore, the inventors have recognised a need for an in-field timber extraction method.

Summary of the Invention

Thus, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for in-field extraction of harvested produce from a plantation, the method including: assembling a plurality of conveyor modules in-field a plantation to form a composite conveyor for extracting said produce from in-field the plantation to a remote location; and extracting said produce from the plantation by means of the composite conveyor.

The method may include locating the plurality of conveyor modules in end to end relationship so as to form a continuous composite conveyor. However, the method may include locating the plurality of conveyor modules in spaced relationship to each other, such that the spaces between the conveyor modules are selected to be of a magnitude which will inhibit a selected produce size from falling through spaces between the conveyor modules. The method may include the locating of the conveyor modules to assemble a composite conveyor to circumvent in-field obstacles in the plantation, while permitting the in-field extraction of said produce from the plantation.

The method may include powering the conveyor modules individually. However, any number of modules may be connected to a single power source and/or driven from a single drive.

The produce may be any agricultural product, however, typically it would be an agricultural product selected from the group comprising timber, sugar cane, orchard fruit such as apples, oranges, peaches, and the like, vegetables, grapes, olives, peppers, squashes, cucumbers, potatoes, beets, onions, and watermelons.

The method finds particular application to produce grown in regularly spaced apart rows.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there's provided an in-field harvested produce extraction conveyor system, the system including: a plurality of displaceable conveyors or conveyor modules configurable into one or more composite conveyors iocatable in-field a plantation; and drive means for driving at least some of the conveyors or conveyor modules. The system may include positioning means for positioning the conveyors or conveyor modules in end to end relationship for configuring a continuous composite conveyor from an in-field extraction source to a remote location.

The conveyors or conveyor modules may be provided with feet which reduce the degree of soil compaction in the plantation.

Typically, the conveyors or conveyor modules are constructed to be light weight thereby to be both easily displaceable between various locations within the plantation and to reduce the degree of soil compaction in the plantation.

The conveyors or conveyor modules may be self-powered, for example, by a petrol or a diesel motor, however, they may be connected to a remote power source such as a hydraulic or electric power source.

The conveyors or conveyor modules may be displaceable under their own power, for example, by means of one or more driven wheels or endless tracks. Equally, the conveyors or modules may be manually displaceable or by other displacement means, such as a tractor.

The conveyors or conveyor modules may be of any suitable type useable to transport said produce from in-field the plantation, for example, a belt conveyor, a chain conveyor, a cable conveyor, or the like. The type of conveyor is selected in the light of conditions such as produce size, susceptibility of produce to handling damage, ground conditions, row width, and the like. The invention is however not limited to any particular conveyor type and all conveyor types are explicitly included in this invention.

In the case of a timber plantation, once a row of fallen timber has been extracted from in-field the plantation, the one or more composite conveyor of the system is translocated to another row, where in-field extraction once again proceeds. This translocation may be as a single unit.

Typically, however, the translocation will be by disassembling the one or more composite conveyor into its constituent conveyors or conveyor modules or sets of modules, and each such conveyor or module or set of modules is translocated to the new row where the system is reassembled and in-field extraction of timber from the plantation may once again proceed apace.

The translocation between rows is equally applicable to other types of produce and not only to timber extraction.

Description of the Drawings

The attached Figures show a specific embodiment of a type of conveyor which may be used as one of the modules of the conveyor system for use in timber extraction from in-field a timber plantation, and a system assembled from such conveyors, broadly in accordance with the invention. Figure 1 shows, in side view, a conveyor for use in a system in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 2 shows, in schematic representation, a plantation in which the system of the invention is used to extract in-field timber.

In Figure 1 , conveyor 10 has a belt 12 mounted on a frame 14. At one end of the frame 14 is located a sprocket 16 driven by a drive motor 18. The drive motor 18 is electrically powered and is mounted on a shaft 20 of the sprocket 16 a top a gearbox 22.

The belt 12 is 350 mm wide troughed so as to permit efficient transport of timber thereon. The belt 12 is driven by the motor 18 at approximately 45 m/min.

The conveyor 10 is mountable on a plurality of legs 24, 26, 28, 30 each having a ground engaging wheel 32, 34, 36, 38. Wheels 32, 34 are drive wheels driven from motor 18 by means of a belt drive 40, when required.

A convenient length for the conveyor 10 is 10 m. A conveyor of this length may be reasonably easily translocated from one location to another.

In Figure 2, a plantation 50, of which trees 52 have been felled and left where they have fallen, is shown. An in-field timber extraction conveyor system 54 including a plurality of displaceable conveyors or conveyor modules 10 configurable into a composite conveyor is located in-field the plantation 50. Each of the conveyors 10 is provided with drive means 18 for driving that module.

The felled trees 52 are extracted from the plantation by placing them on the conveyor system and conveying them to the remote location 60 at the edge of the plantation 50, where they may be collected for further processing.

The invention is not limited to precise constructional details as shown and many variants on the conveyor may be used without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for in-field extraction of harvested produce from a plantation, the method including: - assembling a plurality of conveyor modules in-field a plantation to form a composite conveyor for extracting said produce from in-field the plantation to a remote location; and extracting said produce from the plantation by means of the composite conveyor.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the remote location is at the perimeter of the plantation.

3. A method as claimed in claiml or claim 2, wherein the remote location is a central collection point for harvested produce.

4. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including locating the plurality of conveyor modules in end to end relationship so as to form a continuous composite conveyor.

5. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, including locating the

plurality of conveyor modules in spaced relationship to each other,

such that the spaces between the conveyor modules are selected to be

of a magnitude which will inhibit a selected produce size from falling

through spaces between the conveyor modules.

6. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including the locating of the conveyor modules to assemble a composite conveyor to circumvent in-field obstacles in the plantation, while permitting the in- field extraction of said produce from the plantation.

7. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including powering the conveyor modules individually.

8. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of modules are connected to a single power source and/or driven from a single drive.

9. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the produce is any agricultural product.

10. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the

produce is an agricultural product selected from the group comprising

timber, sugar cane, orchard fruit such as apples, oranges, peaches,

and the like, vegetables, grapes, olives, peppers, squashes, cucumbers, potatoes, beets, onions, and watermelons.

11. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the produce is grown in regularly spaced apart rows.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein once a row of harvested produce has been extracted from in-field the plantation, the one or more composite conveyor of the system is translocated to another row, where in-field extraction once again proceeds.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the translocation is as a single unit.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the translocation is by disassembling the one or more composite conveyor into its constituent conveyors or conveyor modules or sets of modules, and each such conveyor or module or set of modules is translocated to the new row where the system is reassembled and in-field extraction of harvested produce from the plantation may once again proceed apace.

15. An in-field harvested produce extraction conveyor system, for extracting said produce from in-field the plantation to a remote location,

the system including: a plurality of displaceable conveyors or conveyor modules configurable

into one or more composite conveyors locatable in-field a plantation;

and

drive means for driving at least some of the conveyors or conveyor modules.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15, including positioning means for positioning the conveyors or conveyor modules in end to end relationship for configuring a continuous composite conveyor from an in-field extraction source to a remote location.

17. A system as claimed in claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the conveyors or conveyor modules are provided with feet which reduce the degree of soil compaction in the plantation.

18. A system as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the conveyors or conveyor modules are constructed to be light weight thereby to be both easily displaceable between various locations within the plantation and to reduce the degree of soil compaction in the plantation.

19. A system as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the conveyors or conveyor modules are self-powered.

20. A system as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the

conveyors or conveyor modules are powered by a petrol or a diesel

motor.

21. A system as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the

conveyors or conveyor modules are connected to a remote power

source.

22. A system as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 21 , wherein the conveyors or conveyor modules are adapted to be displaceable under their own power.

23. A system as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 21 , wherein the conveyors or conveyor modules are adapted to be displaceable by means of one or more driven wheels or endless tracks.

24. A system as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 21 , wherein the conveyors or modules are adapted to be manually displaceable.

25. A system as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 24, wherein the conveyors or conveyor modules may be of any suitable type selected from the group comprising a belt conveyor, a chain conveyor, and a cable conveyor.

26. A system as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 25, wherein once a row

of harvested produce has been extracted from in-field the plantation, the one or more composite conveyor of the system is translocated to

another row, where in-field extraction once again proceeds.

27. A system as claimed in claim 26, wherein the translocation is as a single unit.

28. A system as claimed in claim 26, wherein the translocation is by disassembling the one or more composite conveyor into its constituent conveyors or conveyor modules or sets of modules, and each such conveyor or module or set of modules is translocated to the new row where the system is reassembled and in-field extraction of harvested produce from the plantation may once again proceed apace.

29. A method substantially as herein described and illustrated,

30. A system substantially as herein described and illustrated.

31. A new method or a new system substantially as herein described.