Subsurface root crop harvesting blade assembly
AssigneeIdaho Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorLynn F. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved blade assembly for moving beneath the surface of the ground to engage and lift a subsurface root crop upwardly and rearwardly when moved along a forward path by a harvesting implement. The assembly includes an elongated blade that is held transverse to the forward direction of harvester travel. The blade is mounted to a framework for oscillational movement about a first horizontal axis and a second axis perpendicular to the horizontal axis. A power source operates the blade to oscillate about these axes in continuous cycles. Each cycle of blade movement includes a forward and downward stroke and an upward and rearward stroke. This movement occurs rearward of and below the horizontal pivot axis for the blade.
Claims7
An improved subsurface harvesting blade assembly for engaging, loosening and directing a subsurface root crop up and rearwardly from below the ground surface while being moved in a forward path along the ground, comprising:
- a framework adapted to be mounted to a root crop harvesting implement;
- a pair of upright pivot arms spaced transversely in relation to said path and mounted to the framework and depending therefrom for pivotal movement about a first horizontal axis;
- earth engaging blade means pivotably mounted to lower ends of the pivot arms and extending transverse to said path between said pivot arms and connected to said framework between said pivot arms for pivotal movement about a second axis substantially perpendicular to said first horizontal axis;
- a pair of connecting arms spaced apart transversely in relation to said path and pivotably mounted to the framework and to said blade means for pivotal movement thereon and wherein the pivot axes of the connecting arms are parallel to said first axis and spaced longitudinally along said path from said first axis;
- resilient bushing means for mounting the pivot arms and earth engaging blade means to the framework;
- drive means interconnecting the pivot arms and framework for imparting an oscillational movement to said blade means about both the first and second axes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.