Abstract:
The invention relates to a foliage-processing device which can be moved across agricultural land in a direction of travel for foliage of tuberous plants growing in rows on agricultural land, wherein the foliage-processing device is provided with: a foliage puller which is provided with at least two mutually oppositely rotating rollers between which foliage can be clamped and pulled off; a foliage-processing mechanism by means of which the foliage pulled off by means of the foliage puller can be removed next to a row or between the rows of tuberous plants growing on the agricultural land.
Abstract:
A device for cutting the tops of crops in a crop bed includes a separator having an inlet, an outlet and an interior space defined between the two. A fan is in fluid communication with the separator and creates an air stream that flows into the separator inlet, through the interior space of the separator, and out the separator outlet. The air stream has an upstream end at or near the separator inlet, where air is pulled into the separator, and a downstream end at or near the fan and continuing beyond. A cutter is positioned upstream of the separator inlet. When the device is in operative position over a crop bed, the air stream lifts the tops of the crops into position to be cut by the cutter. The air stream carries the cut tops away from the crop bed.
Abstract:
A telescoping coulter system for an agricultural machine, operable on ground and having a frame and a moveable structure, includes a coulter arm, having a proximal end with a pivot point, and a distal end bearing a rotatable coulter disk. An extension mechanism connects the frame to the coulter arm, and is configured to translate the coulter arm between a raised transport position not in mechanical conflict with the moveable structure, and a lowered operational position in which the coulter disk can contact the ground and is proximate to the moveable structure.
Abstract:
An apparatus for removing plant material from a vine. The apparatus generally comprises a support frame, a pair of counter-rotating wheels, and a vine stripping component. In an embodiment, the vine stripping component includes interchangeable stripping dies. In an additional embodiment, the apparatus is incorporated in a mobile harvesting unit. The invention further includes a method for removing plant material from vines.
Abstract:
A flail element including a base at the proximal end of the flail element which is connected to a pair of elongated fingers. The base has a bore formed therein which is sized to receive a mounting rod. The bore and the fingers are split to enable a flail to be mounted on the rod by spreading open the fingers and the bore and snapping the flail segment over the rod. Another method of attachment can be achieved by utilizing the shaped base and an appropriate receiving system. The elongated fingers and base form a substantially unitary flail element structure. A plurality of flail elements are mounted to the mounting rod to form a flail. In a defoliating machine a plurality of flails are mounted to a rotating drum.
Abstract:
A vegetable topper for cutting the leafy tops off of tubers, such as onions, as they lie in the field. This improved topping system is designed to be mounted on a wheeled moveable frame towed by a tractor, which uses a vacuum to lift the tops and snip them off. The power for the vacuum fan and topping operation is supplied by a primary motor mounted on a wheeled frame, or derived from a power take-off of the tractor. The shearing means comprises a linearly reciprocating sickle blade whose angle relative to the oncoming tops may be adjusted for an optimally perpendicular shearing type of cut, providing maximum efficiency. The sheared tops are substantially mulched into fine particles within a fan in the vacuum system and dispersed to the side of the topper. A conveyor system consolidates already topped onions with a first conveyor picking up a portion of the topped onions and a second conveyor delivering said portion over the remainder of the topped onions, resulting in a reduced gathering area. Remotely steerable rear wheels provide enhanced turning capability. Lifting the front of the topper relative to the ground further maximizes maneuverability, and adjusts the cutting of the tops.
Abstract:
A machine for harvesting the overground foliage of a row crop growing in a field. The machine has a plurality of stripping wheels each for harvesting and disintegrating the foliage in one row of the crop. Each stripping wheel is arranged in a casing having an obliquely upwardly directed outlet, and produces an air stream for transporting the disintegrated foliage up through the outlet of the casing. In order to attain great cutting efficiency per time unit and keep the harvested material as clean as possible, the machine has a collecting channel connected at one end to an ejector pipe. The collecting channel extends above the stripping wheel casings which are arranged in a row one beside the other and whose outlets extend obliquely upwards in the same direction towards the ejector pipe and open at intervals one after the other into a lower portion of the collecting channel. Besides, the lower portion of the collecting channel is at that side of each outlet of the wheel casing that faces the ejector pipe, provided with nozzles for injecting additional air into the collecting channel substantially in the direction of the ejector pipe end of the collecting channel.