Stalk selective harvesting machine
OwnerSpencer Kim Hawsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A machine for harvesting crops which grow as stalks or spears such as asparagus. The machine includes a frame having wheels to carry the frame along the ground, a stalk sensing mechanism for sensing stalks of a predetermined height in a certain pathway, and a cutting mechanism which is rotated into a cutting position beside each stalk sensed by the sensing mechanism. When it reaches the cutting position, a portion of the cutting mechanism is moved transversely of the pathway to cut the stalk below ground level. Substantially simultaneously with the cutting of a stalk, a grasping mechanism seizes the stalk and, coincident with the rotation of the cutting mechanism, carries the stalk to a holding bin.
Claims33
A machine for harvesting crops which grow in stalks or the like comprising
- a frame adapted to be moved along the ground,
- means mounted on said frame for detecting stalks of a selected height and in a selected pathway,
- a first cutting assembly mounted on the frame to selectively rotate downwardly toward the ground to a cutting position beside a selected stalk and then upwardly away from the cutting position, said cutting assembly including
- cutting means movable to sever the selected stalk, and
- means for grasping the severed stalk and elevating it as the cutting assembly rotates upwardly, and
- means mounted on the frame and responsive to said detecting means for actuating said cutting assembly to rotate.
A machine for harvesting crops which grow in stalks or the like comprising
- a frame adapted to be moved along the ground, and
- a cutting assembly mounted on the frame to selectively rotate from a first rest position above the ground downwardly toward the ground to a cutting position beside a selected stalk and then upwardly in a generally vertical, cycloidal path to a second rest position above the ground, said cutting assembly comprising
- cutting means movable to sever the selected stalk when the cutting assembly is in the cutting position, and
- means for grasping the severed stalk and elevating it as the cutting assembly rotates upwardly, said grasping means including a pair of holding plates movable to positions on either side of a selected stalk when the cutting assembly is in the cutting position, and means for causing the holding plates to move toward each other to grasp the stalk as the cutting means severs the stalk.
A machine for harvesting asparagus stalks and the like comprising
- a frame having wheels thereon for supporting the frame and enabling the frame to be moved along the ground,
- means mounted on said frame for detecting stalks of a selectable height and in a selectable pathway,
- a cutting assembly comprising a hub mounted on the frame to rotate about a generally horizontal axis, a plurality of elongated cutting elements attached to and extending outwardly of the hub, said hub being positioned so that as it is rotated, the cutting elements move in a generally vertically disposed circular path to the ground at one side of said pathway, and means for causing each of said cutting elements to move laterally of the circular path toward said pathway at a predetermined position in the circular path, and
- means responsive to said detecting means for actuating said cutting assembly to cause it to rotate.
A machine for harvesting asparagus stalks and the like comprising
- a frame having wheels thereon for supporting the frame and enabling the frame to be moved along the ground,
- a cutting assembly including
- a hub mounted on the frame to rotate about a generally horizontal axis,
- at least one elongated cutting arm pivotally mounted on and extending outwardly of the hub to rotate therewith in a generally vertical, cycloidal path from a first rest position downwardly toward the ground to a cutting position and then upwardly to a second rest position, and
- means for causing said cutting arm to move rapidly to cut a selected stalk when the cutting arm reaches a cutting position,
- drive means for causing said hub to rotate rapidly as the cutting arm is moved a portion of the distance from the first rest position toward the cutting position and then move slowly as the cutting arm is moved to the cutting position, and
- means mounted on said hub to rotate therewith for grasping and elevating the stalks as the stalks are cut by said cutting arm, said grasping means including a pair of plates movable to grasp the stalks from either side thereof as the stalks are cut.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.