WO2014127005A1 - Row insensitive plant harvesting system - Google Patents

Abstract

A row insensitive plant harvesting system for tall stalky plants and canes, to be carried on a mobile frame, includes at least one rotary base cutter carrying knives on a lower end to cut plants from the ground across a swath defined by forwardly disposed plant dividing or separating apparatus. The base cutters and associated aspects of the system then transition the cut plants to a laid down orientation and propel them in a continuous manner while largely maintaining integrity of the stalks or canes for moisture retention, to a conveyor for further processing or handling, typically a billet cutter. The at least one base cutter is pivotally supported to allow adjusting a height of cut while maintaining a desired relationship to the conveyor, to reduce loss of, or damage to, the cut plants.

Description

Description

ROW INSENSITIVE PLANT HARVESTING SYSTEM [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/764,330, filed February 13, 2013.

Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates generally to a system for harvesting tall stalky or cane plants, such as sugarcane, in a row insensitive, high capacity manner, and more particularly, which provides the ability to harvest multiple rows of plants at various spacings between the rows, and also plants not in rows, and transfer or convey a continuous flow the long cut stalks or cane in a manner largely preserving the structural integrity thereof, to apparatus or a location for further processing, typically a billet cutter of or accompanying the harvester. As an additional feature, the system is configured and operable to allow adjusting the height of base cutters for severing the plants from the ground, optionally independent of the height of an accompanying plant dividing or separating apparatus and/or the height of the harvester itself, while

maintaining a relationship with a conveyor that receives the cut plants.

Background Art

[0003] The disclosure of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/764,330, filed February 13, 2013, is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

[0004] Harvesting tall, stalky or cane plants, including, but not limited to, sugarcane has long been known. Commonly, sugarcane harvesters have been used for harvesting some other varieties of plants also, and have some advantages, e.g., an onboard billet cutting capability to cut the plants into segments or billets within a particular length range to preserve moisture, mainly sugar, as well as disadvantages. One important disadvantage is that many known commercially available sugarcane harvesters are configured as row sensitive harvesters, that is, the apparatus or header for cutting and inducting the canes into the harvester requires alignment with a limited number of the rows of canes spaced a certain distance apart during movement over the field. This is required to enable processing of the cut canes in a sequential, end to end order wherein the plants are individually stood up, topped (removal of top foliage) and base cut (base of canes severed from ground at or near ground level), by the harvester as necessary for harvesting desired portions of the plants (ground level high sugar bearing regions) and uniformity of cut plant length. The apparatus for topping, standing up, and base cutting one row of canes is essentially

duplicated for additional rows, with row dividers for separating the plants, the duplicate apparatus being set a predetermined distance apart corresponding to the distance between the rows of canes to be harvested in a particular swath or pass by the harvester. However, it has been observed that attempting to harvest sugarcane rows spaced one distance apart, e.g., 1.8 meters, using a row sensitive harvester set for a different distance, e.g., 1.5 meters, results in unsatisfactory operation, due to bending of the plant canes or stalks and

resulting damage, excessive cane loss, damage to the stool, e.g., moisture loss from the canes, and undesired soil compaction, necessitating that either the set difference between the apparatus be changed or a different harvester be used, both of which alternatives are disadvantageous productivity- and cost-wise.

[0005] Also, while sugarcane cultivation is well known and the row spacings between sugarcane plants are presently uniform at either 1.4 meter or 1.8 meter, and in some limited instances narrower spacings, row spacing for other tall stalky or cane plants desired to be harvested for biomass, energy production, and other uses, e.g., sugar sorghum and the like, have not been standardized yet. Therefore, depending on row spacing, known commercially available sugarcane harvesters may not be well suited for harvesting other plants, and may be an overly complex, expensive, and underproductive machine for the harvesting requirements of other plants, particularly if it is desired to simultaneously harvest multiple rows of plants or plants not in rows.

[0006] Reference in the above regard, Caillouet U.S. Patent No. 6,062,009, issued May 16, 2000, which

discloses a representative row sensitive apparatus and method for harvesting cane and cutting the cane into billets having a multiple row harvesting capability, but not in a row-insensitive manner. The Caillouet

apparatus is configured for topping, base cutting, inducting, cleaning, and billeting two rows of cane simultaneously. The Caillouet apparatus utilizes side by side chain gatherers for receiving and holding canes of each of the two rows in a generally vertical semi- erect orientation for topping and base cutting by a rotary base cutter located below the rear end of the gatherers, and a turn around device for moving the canes laterally and throwing the topped ends down away from the harvester, for induction into the harvester cut base end first, in sequential order for subsequent stripping and billeting. Stripping or cleaning apparatus is located in a middle area of the harvester and strips leaves from the canes as they transition from the base cutter to an inclined lifting conveyor that conveys the canes in end to end sequential order upwardly and rearwardly to a billet cutter. The billet cutter severs the canes sequentially as they are conveyed by and propelled from the end of the lifting conveyor to a further cleaning device, receiving container, or other location. As can be observed, the Caillouet apparatus must be carefully aligned with and follow the plant rows, and thus is not well adapted to cut canes or stalks in a row insensitive or bulk manner.

[0007] Another complexity with known sugarcane harvesters is the manner of achieving a desired height of cut. In this regard, as noted above, it is desired to cut sugarcane very close to the ground to obtain the sugar rich lower regions of the cane, which is

acceptable for that plant as it is typically cut just once per season. However, for other plants, e.g., plants used for biomass, it is often desired to harvest more than once per season, and it is thus desirable to leave some of the stalk or cane protruding above ground to facilitate immediate regrowth. One common manner of height control employs cutter disks that are

articulatedly connected to the machine chassis or frame by means of arms in a complex pantographic arrangement. As another complex alternative, the entire harvester chassis or frame can be moved vertically to achieve desired cutter height. Reference in this regard,

Cleodolphi U.S. Patent No. 7,401,455, issued July 22, 2008, directed to an automatic system and method for controlling the base cutter height of a sugarcane harvester by adjusting chassis height on a continuous basis. It can also be observed that the Cleodolphi harvester, like the Caillouet machine, is set up to handle plants in a sequential manner as is normal for sugarcane .

[0008] Forage harvesters that having rotary cutters across a wide header are also well known, but are configured to aggressively convey the cut plants directly into a chipper without regard to rows or integrity of stalks or canes for moisture preservation, and to achieve this throughput will exert forces against the cut plants that can fracture and "hairpin" them about rotary feed elements of the cutters. It has been observed that the bulk and volume of preceding cut plants can cushion the forces exerted so that damage is mitigated, but this bulk and volume is not present when cutting less dense stands of plants, such as sugarcane planted in 1-2 meter spaced apart rows.

[0009] Therefore what is sought is a row insensitive plant cutting and gathering capability, suitable for harvesting tall, stalky plants such as sugar sorghum, cane, and the like, operable to maintain integrity of cut stalks or canes for further processing such as billet cutting, and which overcomes one or more of the disadvantages and limitations set forth above.

Summary Of The Invention

[0010] What is provided is a row insensitive plant harvesting system, suitable for harvesting tall, stalky plants such as sugar sorghum, cane, and the like in multiple rows or non-rows, operable to maintain

integrity of the cut plants, and which overcomes one or more of the disadvantages and limitations set forth above .

[0011] According to a preferred aspect of the

invention, the harvesting system is carried on and incorporated in a frame supported on wheels or tracks for movement over the ground, which can be self- propelled or pulled, and of a fixed or adjustable height. As a non-limiting example, a conventionally constructed self-propelled sugarcane harvester chassis, power plant and drivetrain, commercially available from several sugarcane harvester manufacturers can be used, such as commercially available from CNH Global N.V.

under the Case IH brand. The frame has a forward end supporting forwardly extending plant dividing or

separating apparatus defining and bounding a forward end of a forwardly open, rearwardly extending plant

receiving channel, for which well known crop dividers of a commercially available sugarcane harvester can be employed. The system has at least one rotary base cutter carried by the frame in the plant receiving channel for rotation about a generally upstanding rotational axis. The at least one rotary base cutter is preferably of generally conventional construction, and carries knives on a lower end thereof. The base cutter is configured for the purposes of the present invention such that when rotated about the rotational axis of the base cutter to cut plants from the ground as the frame moves forwardly thereover, the base cutter will gather and transition the cut plants to a laid down orientation without significantly damaging them, while propelling them rapidly to a conveyor carried on or associated with the frame. To facilitate this, the conveyor comprises a rearwardly extending array of rotary crop conveying elements onto which the cut plants will be propelled by the at least one base cutter, configured to aggressively induct and convey the cut plants from the plant

receiving channel, again without causing significant damage to stalk or cane integrity. As a further

feature, the at least one rotary base cutter is

supported in the plant receiving channel by support apparatus configured to vertically move the at least one base cutter in a simple pivoting manner, to vary a height of forwardly located ones of the knives thereof relative to the frame and the conveyor, while

maintaining rearwardly located ones of the knives in a predetermined closely spaced relationship to a

forwardmost element of the conveyor to reduce

occurrences of cut plants being jammed, lodged, or lost therebetween, or damaged.

[0012] According to another preferred aspect of the invention, the harvesting system utilizes two of the rotary base cutters disposed in side by side relation, and the forwardmost one of the rotary crop conveying elements comprises two of the portions that taper or curve, bounding two of the clearance spaces located adjacent to axial ends of the forwardmost one of the conveying elements, respectively, and through which the rotating knives of the base cutters will pass to keep them generally clear of the cut plants to reduce

occurrences of jamming or lodging of the cut plants therein and consequent disruptions the flow of the cut plants into the conveyor.

[0013] According to another preferred aspect of the invention, the at least one rotary base cutter comprises a plurality of radially outwardly extending elements disposed above the knives thereof and rotatable for gathering, laying down, and sidewardly compacting the cut plants in cooperation with the operation of the knives, and propelling the laid down cut plants in a continuous flow rearwardly to the conveyor, in a non- damaging manner. To facilitate this, the rotary base cutters disposed in side by side relation are configured to counter rotate about the rotational axes thereof, respectively, such that the radially extending elements and the knives will pass in the rearward direction through a center region of the plant receiving channel. In still another related preferred aspect, each of the base cutters comprises a rotary disk on its lower end disposed about and extending radially outwardly from its rotational axis and carrying the knives, and the disks bound and define a lower periphery of the center region of the plant receiving channel, and further cooperate with the radially extending elements and knives to propel the cut plants rearwardly to the conveyor, by supporting and carrying the bottoms of the cut plants rearwardly. The base cutters will also preferably have upstanding center housings about the axes thereof, bounding and defining side peripheries of the center region, respectively, for further sidewardly containing the cut plants in the center of the plant receiving channel.

[ 0014 ] According to still another preferred aspect of the invention, the harvester comprises apparatus

configured to raise and lower the plant dividing or separating apparatus relative to the frame, and the support apparatus is configured and operable to

vertically move the at least one base cutter

independently or separately of movements of the plant dividing and separating apparatus, so that the cutters are vertically adjustable without moving or affecting operation of the plant dividing apparatus, and vice versa. As a non-limiting preferred embodiment, the support apparatus comprises a pivoting structure, having an inverted L-shape and carries a drive configured and operable to rotatably drive the at least one base cutter, for instance using a fluid motor or motors powered by a pressurized fluid system of the harvester, and an appropriate drivetrain. The radially extending elements can also be powered by the drive, using a separate drivetrain as desired or required to achieve the rotational speeds sought. In this regard, it has been found that rotating the radially extending elements at a substantially slower speed than the knives may be advantageously employed for achieving a desired

orientation of the cut plants for flow to the conveyor without significantly damaging the plants.

[0015] According to another preferred aspect of the invention, portions of the conveyor can comprise any of well known constructions available from sugarcane harvester manufacturers, such as an inclined lifting conveyor commercially available from CNH Global N.V. under the Case IH brand, wherein the rotary crop

conveying elements comprise an array of lower transfer rollers and a companion array of upper transfer rollers spaced above the lower transfer rollers, together defining an upwardly and rearwardly extending feed passage therebetween. To adapt the conveyor for

receiving the desired larger mass of cut plants compared to the normal sequential flow of individual canes, aggressive upper and lower feed rollers are disposed above and below an inlet opening of the conveyor. The harvester can additionally optionally include a billet cutter adjacent to an upper rear end of the feed

passage, configured to chop the cut plants conveyed by the conveyor into billets, and desired additional conveyors or the like for receiving and handling the billets .

[0016] Operationally, as opposed to a conventional cane harvester that will sequentially cut and feed cut canes longitudinally to the conveyor in generally end to end, low volume, sequential order, the present harvester will cut crops anywhere across a wide swath defined by the plant dividing or separating apparatus, coinciding with the effective cutting width of the at least one base cutter. This arrangement enables cutting crops of multiple rows, or random plantings. During and subsequent to the cutting, the cut plants will be laid down in an overlapping, non-sequential continuous flow in a center region of the plant receiving channel, and the flow will be propelled and/or carried rearwardly by the cooperative actions of the rotating radially extending elements, disks, and knives, facilitated by continued infeeding of new plants. The aggressive rotary elements on the forward end of the conveyor will then induct the cut crops from the channel, and the rearward conveyor transfer rollers will convey the cut plants along the conveyor, e.g., to the billet cutter. Throughout the cutting and conveying, it is desired to largely maintain the integrity of the cut stalks or canes so as to preserve the moisture content thereof, until cut into the billets.

Brief Description Of The Drawings

[0017] FIG. 1 is simplified side view of a row insensitive harvesting system of the invention

incorporated into a mobile harvester, shown harvesting plants with arrows illustrating flow of the cut plants through the system;

[0018] FIG. 2 is a simplified side view of plant dividing apparatus of the system of FIG. 1, shown in solid lines in a plant cutting position, and in dotted lines a raised position;

[0019] FIG. 3 is a simplified front view of the Harvester, showing aspects of the system in association with the dividing apparatus;

[0020] FIG. 4 is a simplified fragmentary top view showing aspects of the system;

[0021] FIG. 5 is a simplified fragmentary side view showing a rotary base cutter and associated support apparatus of the system, in a first representative cutting position; [0022] FIG. 6 is another simplified fragmentary side view of the rotary base cutter and support apparatus, in a second representative cutting position;

[0023] FIG. 7 is a simplified schematic top view of the rotary base cutter and support apparatus of the system, also showing and accompanying base cutter and aspects of an associated conveyor;

[0024] FIG. 8 is a simplified schematic

representation of aspects and operation of the base cutters and support apparatus of FIG. 7, and showing alternative radially extending elements on the base cutters ;

[0025] FIG. 9 is a simplified fragmentary schematic side view of the base cutters and associated conveyor of FIGS. 7 and 8, showing arrows representing cutting plants and transitioning the cut plants to the conveyor;

[0026] FIG. 10 is a simplified schematic top view of the base cutters and conveyor of FIGS. 7-9, showing the transitioning of the cut plants with arrows;

[0027] FIG. 11 is another simplified fragmentary schematic side view of the base cutters and conveyor of FIGS. 7-10, illustrating cutting standing plants;

[0028] FIG. 12 is another simplified fragmentary schematic side view of the base cutters and conveyor, showing initial transitioning of a representative cut plant to the conveyor;

[0029] FIG. 13 is another simplified fragmentary schematic side view of the base cutters and conveyor, showing further transitioning of the cut plant;

[0030] FIG. 14 is another simplified fragmentary schematic side view of the base cutters and conveyor showing transitioning of the cut plant;

[0031] FIG. 15 is another simplified fragmentary schematic side view of the base cutters and conveyor, showing transitioning of the cut plant and initial inducting and conveying by the conveyor; and

[0032] FIG. 16 is still another simplified

fragmentary schematic side view of the base cutters and conveyor, showing transitioning of the plant and initial conveying by the conveyor.

Detailed Description Of The Invention

[0033] Referring now to the drawings, in FIG. 1 a harvester 18 incorporating a row-insensitive harvesting system 20 of the invention, suitable for harvesting tall, stalky plants such as sugarcane, sugar sorghum and the like, in high volume, while maintaining integrity of the cut plants for moisture preservation purposes until further processed, e.g. billet cut, is shown.

Generally, harvester 18 shown is of the self-propelled type and includes a frame 22 supported on wheels or tracks 24 for movement over the ground, including a forward end 26 supporting forwardly extending plant dividing apparatus 28 defining and bounding a forward end of a forwardly open, rearwardly extending plant receiving channel 30, and a pair of side by side rotary base cutters 32 carried on frame 22 in plant receiving channel 30 for rotation about generally upstanding rotational axes 34 of base cutters 32, respectively.

Each base cutter 32 carries knives 36 on a lower end 38 thereof configured when rotated about rotational axis 34 to cut plants 40 from a ground surface 42, as harvester 18 moves forwardly thereover and propels the cut plants 40 rearwardly to a conveyor 44 carried on frame 22.

Conveyor 44 includes a rearwardly extending array of rotary crop conveying elements 46 onto which cut plants 40 will be propelled by base cutters 32, and is

configured to convey the cut plants rearwardly from the plant receiving channel 30. [0034] Frame 22 is preferably of generally

conventional construction, namely, a commercially available sugarcane harvester frame, carrying a suitable power plant and drivetrain, an operator, cabin, and powered pressurized fluid system, such as, but not limited to, those used on self-propelled sugarcane harvesters sold by CNH Global N.V. under the Case IH brand .

[0035] Referring also to FIGS. 2 through 4, plant dividing apparatus 28 of harvester 20 is illustrated, and is also preferably of generally conventional

construction, such as available from the above

manufacturer, including upstanding rotary dividers operable for directing standing plants into plant receiving channel 30 as harvester 18 moves forwardly, as denoted by arrow F. In Fig. 3, it is seen that plant receiving channel 30 has a width W that is substantially larger than those of a conventional cane harvester, such as the Caillouet machine referred to above, and is advantageous as it allows receiving standing plants across width W as opposed to requiring the channel be carefully aligned with a single plant row or two rows. As a representative example, width W can have a value of 1.8 to 3 meters, so as to have a capability of receiving two conventional sugarcane rows simultaneously, although it should be understood that other values for width W can be utilized as desired or required for a particular application. Base cutters 32 are shown in channel 30, as are knives 36, and it can be visualized that numerous plants received in channel 30 can be simultaneously cut at any location across width W by rotary action of knives 36, as denoted by arrows R, whether the plants are in multiple rows or a random stand. In FIGS. 3 and 4, it can also be observed that width W is greater than a width Wl of a center region 62 of channel 30 located generally between upstanding rotational axes 34 and related center housings 68 of base cutters 32, and also a width W2 of conveyor 44. As a result, a quantity of cut plants of width W, such as can result from

harvesting a dense stand such as illustrated in FIG. 1, will have to be reduced to width Wl to pass between base cutters 32, and to enter conveyor 44 will have to be reduced to width W2. Additionally, the quantity of cut plants, when positioned for entry into conveyor 44, will have to have a height no greater than that of the opening of conveyor 44. In this regard, as shown in Fig. 1, typical plants contemplated to be harvested by harvester 18, e.g., sugarcane, sugar sorghum, etc., will be relatively tall, e.g., several meters, and to

accommodate these dimensions while maintaining stalk integrity, system 20 is configured and operable to lay the plants down and transition them in a continuous high volume flow to conveyor 44 in a more horizontal

orientation .

[0036] Referring also variously to FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and

8, rotary base cutters 32 are preferably supported in plant receiving channel 30 by support apparatus 48.

Support apparatus 48 is configured to vertically

pivotally move the base cutters 32, as denoted by arrows VM, about a horizontal pivotal axis 50, to vary a height of forwardly located ones of knives 36 relative to frame 22 and ground surface 42, for achieving a desired height of cut, e.g., a few centimeters or less, while

maintaining rearwardly located ones of knives 36 in a predetermined closely spaced relationship to a

forwardmost one of rotary crop conveying elements 46 which bounds and defines the lower periphery of the entrance to conveyor 44. The forwardmost one of rotary crop conveying elements 46 is supported and configured to rotate about a sidewardly extending rotational axis 52 therethrough at a fixed location on frame 22 only a small distance above ground surface 42, and includes portions 54 that taper or curve radially inwardly and rearwardly adjacent to axial ends 56 of element 46, defining and bounding clearance spaces 58 forwardly thereof .

[0037] Clearance spaces 58 facilitate the

predetermined closely spaced relationship with base cutters 32, and when the base cutters are rotating the rearwardly located ones of knives 36 will rotate through the clearance spaces to maintain them clear of the cut crops and debris that could lodge or jam and interfere with the smooth entry of the flow of cut plants to the conveyor and loss of plants through the space to the ground below.

[0038] Knives 36 are mounted on the radial outer peripheries of large flat disks 64 carried on the bottoms of the base cutters. Disks 64 have a combined width greater than width W (FIG. 3) of plant receiving channel 30, and base cutters 32 are spaced apart so that knives 36 overlap in center region 62 providing

effective cutting across width W. Also as a result, disks 64, knives 36 and the forwardmost lower crop conveying element 46 of conveyor 44 form an effective enclosure 66 of the bottom of plant receiving channel 30 in the region of overlap of the knives 36. Base cutters 32 additionally include radially outwardly extending elements 60 above disks 64 which also counter rotate so as to jointly pass through center region 62 of channel 30 in the rearward direction (arrows R in FIG. 7), and will exert forces on the plants during the rotation, including as they are cut and subsequently, in the rearward direction, to manipulate the just cut lower ends of the cut plants upwardly in a manner to

transition them from an upstanding orientation to laid down, and facilitate their induction into conveyor 44 as discussed and illustrated herein, without causing significant damage thereto, e.g., via hairpinning or the like wherein the radial elements would contact the cut plants with velocity and resultant force sufficient to bend or fold them. Although a small triangular center opening can be observed rearwardly of the overlapping knives, the knives 36 and disks 64 will rotate on a plane P that will be horizontal or inclined forwardly and downwardly so as to act to propel the cut plants over the opening, as will the uplifting force exerted against the cut plants by radially extending elements 60, to largely prevent loss through that opening. The forwardmost lower one of the rotary elements 46 of conveyor 44 also rotates in an upward manner as shown by the associated arrow in FIGS. 5 and 6, to prevent loss through the opening.

[0039] Radial outwardly extending elements 60 can comprise a variety of constructions, which can include, but are not limited to, tapered slats above disks 64 at angularly spaced locations about axial center housings 68 of the base cutter 32 (illustrated in FIGS. 1, 5, and 6); radially outwardly extending bats at angularly spaced locations about housings 68; and/or upstanding serrated slats (combination shown in FIGS. 8-9 and 11- 16) . The forced movement of the cut plants by elements 60, in combination with the forces exerted by knives 36, and the forward speed of harvester 18, operate to propel the laid down cut plants toward and into the conveyor.

[0040] Depending on factors such as the speed of movement, plant density, and swath width, the sectional extent (sideward and vertical) of the initial flow of cut plants can be relatively large compared to the widths Wl and W2 (FIG. 4) such that some compaction of the cut plant flow may be required, and elements 60 facilitate this also.

[0041] As can be seen, support apparatus 48 carrying base cutters 32 includes an inverted L-shape structure that extends upwardly from pivotal axis 50, which is the attachment point to frame 22, and forwardly over a rear portion of plant receiving channel 30. As best shown in FIGS. 5-8, support apparatus 48 includes drives 70 for powering rotation of knives 36 and disks 64, and a drive 72 for jointly powering rotation of radially extending elements 60. Drives 70 directly connect to disks 64 via shafts 74 and extend downwardly through center housings 68, respectively. Drives 72 connect to elements 60 via a gear train 76 disposed in a cross member of support apparatus 48. Drives 70 and 72 can comprise suitable motors, such as electric or fluid motors connected to and powered by a pressurized fluid system of harvester 18 in the well known manner, via power or fluid lines 78, as best shown in FIG. 8.

[0042] Support apparatus 48 is preferably pivotable about pivotal axis 50 by a suitable actuator, which can be, for instance, a fluid cylinder 80 (FIGS. 1, 5, and 6) connected to a suitable location on frame 22 and the fluid system of harvester 18 in the conventional manner, cylinder 80 being extendable to tilt apparatus 48 and base cutters 32 downwardly and forwardly, and

retractable to raised them. Similarly, as best shown in FIG. 2, a fluid cylinder 82 is connected between an element of frame 22 and plant dividing apparatus 28, for pivoting dividing apparatus 28 about a pivotal axis 84 for varying the height of a forward portion of apparatus 28. Fluid cylinder 82 will also be connected to the pressurized fluid system of harvester 18. Both fluid cylinder 80 and fluid cylinder 82 can be automatically controlled or operator controlled, e.g., via suitable controls within an operator cabin 86 of harvester 18, as desired or required for a particular application.

Advantageously, they can be controlled independently or separately, for desired purposes. In this regard, as a representative example, it may be desired to operate plant dividing apparatus 28 at a lower height relative to the ground, and base cutters 32 at a higher

elevation, or vice versa, for achieving desired

performance. It should also be noted that harvester 18 may include additional means for raising and lowering the entire frame, in any of the well known manners.

[ 0043 ] FIGS. 9 through 16 show a sequence of

operation of system 20 during forward movement of harvester 18 for harvesting a stand of plants 40

according to the invention. As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, plants 40 are cut by knives 36 of base cutters 32 which are rotating as denoted by the arrows R as the plants pass through plant receiving channel 30. This can include randomly standing plants, but in the case of sugarcane, will typically comprise two rows of canes. The cut plants are gathered, sidewardly contained or compacted, and propelled rearwardly through center region 62 of channel 30, as denoted by large arrows PF1, by the cooperative action of rotating knives 36,

radially outwardly extending elements 60, and disks 64. As best shown in FIG. 12, as this occurs, the cut plants are laid down, by a relatively rapid rearward propelling of the lower portion of the cut plants, represented by a single cut plant 40, as a result of rearwardly directed forces exerted thereagainst by contact with and support by disks 64, in combination with contact by the

rearwardly moving radially extending elements 60, as denoted by arrow RF . In this regard, for cutting sugarcane, the rotary disks 64 and knives 36 will preferably be rotated at speeds much faster than the speed of the radially extending elements 60, by several multiples, to ensure the proper transitioning without damaging the cut crops. As a non-limiting

representative example, knife speeds of about 1000 meters per minute have been found to be suitable, with radially extending element tip speeds of about 160 meters per minute (9.6 kilometers per hour) . Typical ground speeds of the harvester 18 will be in a range of from about 5 to 10 kilometers per hour, and thus the tip speeds of the radially extending elements will in about the upper portion of the ground speed range, which has been found to be suitable for transitioning the cut plants in the desired manner without significant damage.

[0044] As the lower (now also rearward) ends of the cut plants 40 are propelled rearward, they will reach and contact forwardmost rotary crop conveying elements 46 of conveyor 44, which are rotating in directions as denoted by associate arrows, so as to be inducted into and flow through the conveyor, as denoted by large arrows PF2 in FIGS 9 and 10. Conveyor 44 is preferably adapted for receiving and aggressively inducting a large volume of cut plants 40 comprising overlaying multiple plants, by the provision of forwardmost rotary crop conveying element 46 including a lower crop conveying element 86 having radially outwardly extending cleats or bats that define the previously discussed clearance spaces 58 (see also FIG. 10); an upper crop conveying element 88; and a lower second crop conveying element 90. The sequence of FIGS. 13-16 illustrate the handling of a lower, rearward end of a single cut plant 40 as it is inducted into the conveyor, keeping in mind that multiple cut plants 40 can be simultaneously inducted in the same or a similar manner. Crop conveying elements 88 and 90, as well as more rearwardly located elements 46, will include appropriate cleats or bats for

effecting desired conveyance of the cut crops.

[0045] Referring also to FIG. 1, once inducted into conveyor 44 the flow of cut crops will be conveyed rearwardly and upwardly, as denoted by arrows PF3 and

PF4, here to a billet cutter 92 for cutting into billets of a desired length range. Billet cutter 92 will discharge a stream of billets 94 to an accompanying transfer conveyor 96 for collection. Harvester 18 can additionally include optional rotary cleaning apparatus 98 for cleaning or removing loose foliage from the cut plants, if desired.

[0046] In light of all the foregoing, it should thus be apparent to those skilled in the art that there has been shown and described a row insensitive harvesting system embodying the present invention. However, it should also be apparent that, within the principles and scope of the invention, many changes are possible and contemplated, including in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention.

Thus, while the foregoing description and discussion addresses certain preferred embodiments or elements of the invention, it should further be understood that concepts of the invention, as based upon the foregoing description and discussion, may be readily incorporated into or employed in other embodiments and constructions without departing from the scope of the invention.

Accordingly, the following claims are intended to protect the invention broadly as well as in the specific form shown, and all changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention, which is limited only by the claims which follow.

Claims

Claims What is claimed is:

1. A row insensitive plant harvesting system, comprising:

a frame supported on wheels or tracks for movement over the ground, including a forward end supporting forwardly extending plant dividing or

separating apparatus defining and bounding a forward end of a forwardly open, rearwardly extending plant

receiving channel, at least one rotary base cutter carried by the frame in the plant receiving channel for rotation about a generally upstanding rotational axis of and extending through the base cutter, respectively, the at least one rotary base cutter carrying knives on a lower end thereof configured when rotated about the rotational axis thereof, to cut plants from the ground as the frame moves forwardly thereover, and to propel the cut plants rearwardly to a conveyor, the conveyor comprising a rearwardly extending array of rotary crop conveying elements onto which the cut plants will be propelled by the at least one base cutter and configured to convey the cut plants from the plant receiving channel;

characterized by the at least one rotary base cutter being supported in the plant receiving channel by support apparatus configured to vertically pivotally move the at least one base cutter to vary a height of forwardly located ones of the knives of the at least one base cutter relative to the frame while maintaining rearwardly located ones of the knives in a predetermined closely spaced relationship to a forwardmost one of the rotary crop conveying elements.

2. The harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the forwardmost one of the rotary crop conveying

elements is supported and configured to rotate about a sidewardly extending rotational axis therethrough and includes at least one portion that tapers or curves radially inwardly and rearwardly defining and bounding a clearance space forwardly thereof, and wherein the rearwardly located ones of the knives when rotated will pass through the clearance spaces to maintain the clearance spaces generally free of the cut plants.

3. The harvesting system of claim 2,

comprising two of the rotary base cutters disposed in side by side relation, and the forwardmost one of the rotary crop conveying elements comprises two of the portions that taper or curve, bounding two of the clearance spaces located adjacent to axial ends of the forwardmost one of the conveying elements, respectively.

4. The harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one rotary base cutter comprises a

plurality of radially outwardly extending elements disposed above the knives thereof and rotatable to cooperate with the knives to lay down and propel the cut plants in a continuous flow rearwardly to the conveyor.

5. The harvesting system of claim 4,

comprising two of the rotary base cutters disposed in side by side relation, configured to counter rotate about the rotational axes thereof, respectively, such that the knives thereof will pass rearwardly through a center region of the plant receiving channel, to cut the plants and propel the cut plants rearwardly through the center region.

6. The harvesting system of claim 5, wherein each of the base cutters comprises a rotary disk on a lower end thereof disposed about and extending radially outwardly from the rotational axis thereof and carrying the knives thereof, wherein the disks and the knives bound and define a lower periphery of the center region of the plant receiving channel through which the

radially outwardly extending elements, the knives and the disks will cooperate to lay down and propel the cut plants in a continuous flow rearwardly to the conveyor while maintaining integrity of the cut plants.

7. The harvesting system of claim 5, wherein the base cutters include upstanding center housings about the axes thereof, bounding and defining side peripheries of the center region, respectively, and which will operate in cooperation with the radially outwardly extending elements to sidewardly contain and compact the cut plants.

8. The harvesting system of claim 1, comprising apparatus configured to raise and lower the plant dividing or separating apparatus relative to the frame, and the support apparatus is configured and operable to vertically move the at least one base cutter independently of movements of the plant dividing and separating apparatus.

9. The harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the support apparatus has an inverted L-shape and carries a drive configured and operable to rotate the at least one base cutter.

10. The harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the rotary crop conveying elements comprise an array of lower transfer rollers, and the system further comprises an array of upper transfer rollers spaced above the lower transfer rollers defining an upwardly and rearwardly extending feed passage therebetween into which the at least one base cutter will propel the cut plants.

11. The harvesting system of claim 10, further comprising a billet cutter adjacent to an upper rear end of the feed passage, configured to chop the cut plants conveyed by the conveyor into billets.

12. A row insensitive plant harvesting system, comprising:

a frame supported on wheels or tracks for movement over the ground, including a forward end supporting forwardly extending plant dividers defining and bounding a forward end of a forwardly open,

rearwardly extending plant receiving channel;

a pair of rotary base cutters carried by the frame in side by side relation in the plant receiving channel, each of the base cutters carrying knives on a lower end thereof configured to rotate about a generally upstanding rotational axis to cut plants from the ground as the frame moves forwardly thereover and propel the cut plants rearwardly to a conveyor, the conveyor having a forwardmost rotary crop conveying element disposed immediately rearwardly of the base cutters defining a lower rear periphery of the plant receiving channel, and the base cutters being supported for vertical movement relative to the frame and the forwardmost rotary crop conveying element through a range of plant cutting positions wherein forwardly located ones of the knives are lower than rearwardly located ones of the knives and a rotational plane through the knives of each of the cutters extends at least proximate to or through the forwardmost rotary crop conveying element.

13. The harvesting system of claim 12, further comprising apparatus configured to operate to raise and lower the plant dividers relative to the frame, and the base cutters are pivotally supported for the vertical movement through the range of plant cutting positions independently of a position of the plant dividers .

14. The harvesting system of claim 12, wherein the forwardmost one of the rotary crop conveying elements is supported to rotate about a sidewardly extending rotational axis therethrough and includes portions that taper or curve radially inwardly and rearwardly defining and bounding clearance spaces forwardly thereof, and wherein the base cutters are supported such that rearwardly located ones of the knives will pass through the clearance spaces during the rotation of the base cutters, respectively, throughout the range of plant cutting positions to maintain the clearance spaces generally clear of the cut plants.

15. The harvesting system of claim 12, wherein each of the base cutters comprises a plurality of radially outwardly extending elements disposed above the knives thereof, configured to sidewardly compact the cut plants and cooperate with the knives to propel the cut plants rearwardly to the conveyor.

16. The harvesting system of claim 12, wherein the rotary base cutters are configured to counter rotate about the rotational axes thereof, respectively, such that the knives thereof will pass rearwardly through a center region of the plant

receiving channel to provide a continuous plant cutting capability between the rotational axes and limit passage of the cut plants from channel to below the cutters.

17. The harvesting system of claim 16, wherein the base cutters include upstanding center housings about the axes thereof, bounding and defining side peripheries of the center region, respectively.

18. The harvesting system of claim 12, comprising support apparatus supporting the base

cutters, configured to vertically pivot the base cutters through the range of plant cutting positions.

19. The harvesting system of claim 18, wherein the support apparatus has an inverted L-shape and carries a drive configured to rotate the base cutters.

20. The harvesting system of claim 12, further comprising a billet cutter adjacent to a rear end of the conveyor, configured to chop the cut plants into billets as the plants pass from the conveyor.

21. A row insensitive plant harvesting system, comprising:

a frame supported on wheels or tracks for movement over the ground, supporting plant dividers extending forwardly of the frame defining and bounding a forwardly and downwardly open plant receiving channel generally below the frame;

a pair of rotary base cutters carried by the frame in side by side relation in a rear portion of the plant receiving channel, each of the base cutters carrying knives on a rotary disk on a lower end thereof rotatable about a generally upstanding rotational axis for cutting plants from the ground as the frame moves forwardly thereover and propelling the cut plants into an enclosed conveyor carried by a rear portion of the frame, the conveyor having a forwardmost element

defining a lower periphery of an inlet opening of the conveyor disposed directly rearwardly of rearmost ones of the knives such that the disks and the forwardmost element form an enclosure of a lower portion of the plant receiving channel rearward of the rotational axes sufficient for preventing passage of the cut plants from the passage to below the conveyor, and support apparatus supporting the base cutters for vertical movement through a range of forwardly and downwardly tilted plant cutting positions while maintaining the enclosure.