Asparagus lifting apparatus with interfering members, asparagus collection and storage apparatus, and asparagus harvesters formed therewith

In an asparagus harvester for harvesting asparagus spears growing in the ground and projecting upwardly therefrom in a path, the asparagus harvester comprising a chassis configured to be advanced over the ground along said path and supporting a pick-up apparatus for engaging and lifting the asparagus spears, a severing apparatus for severing the asparagus spears proximate to the ground, and a conveyor for receiving from the pick-up apparatus and conveying away severed asparagus spears severed by the severing apparatus, improvements therein comprising:

• a bin mounted displaceably adjacent to the conveyor;
• a partition in the bin, the partition and the bin defining a confined volume open to receive the severed asparagus spears from the conveyor;
• a drive assembly configured to displace the bin relative to the partition to enlarge the confined volume each time the drive assembly actuates;
• and
• a sensor operatively coupled to the drive assembly, wherein the drive assembly actuates each time the sensor senses a presence of severed asparagus spears at a fill level of the confined volume.

In an asparagus harvester for harvesting asparagus spears growing in the ground and projecting upwardly therefrom in a path, the asparagus harvester comprising a chassis configured to be advanced over the ground along said path and supporting a pick-up apparatus for engaging and lifting the asparagus spears, a severing apparatus for severing the asparagus spears proximate to the ground, and a conveyor for receiving from the pick-up apparatus and conveying away severed asparagus spears severed by the severing apparatus, a method, comprising:

• mounting a bin displaceably adjacent to the conveyor;
• locating a partition in the bin, the partition and the bin defining a confined volume open to receive the severed asparagus spears from the conveyor;
• configuring a drive assembly to displace the bin relative to the partition between a first station and a second station when the drive assembly actuates, the confined volume having a first size when the bin is at the first station and a second size when the bin is at the second station, the second size greater than the first size;
• operatively coupling the drive assembly to a sensor configured to sense a presence of severed asparagus spears at a fill level of the confined volume, the drive assembly configured to actuate when the sensor senses the presence of severed asparagus spears at the fill level;
• the sensor sensing the presence of severed asparagus spears at the fill level;
• and in response
• the drive assembly actuating displacing the bin from the first station to the second station.