Sugarcane harvesting methods and apparatus

Apparatus for harvesting sugarcane stalks comprising:

• frame means having ground support means for transversing rows of growing sugarcane stalks;
• cutter means on said frame means for cutting stalks at their base;
• first stalk feeding means comprising a pair of vertical rotary feed rolls forming a vertical nip therebetween for receiving cut stalks,
• each feed roll including a resilient outer periphery and a plurality of outwardly projecting spikes for piercing the stalks,
• deflecting means disposed forwardly of said feed rolls for bending upper portions of the stalks forwardly while they are being cut to cause lower ends of the stalks to spring upwardly into said nip upon the stalks being cut;
• first stalk defoliating means disposed behind said feed means, said first stalk defoliating means comprising a first rotary defoliating rotor and a first rotary pressure roll disposed opposite said first defoliating roll and forming a nip therewith generally aligned with the nip of said feed rolls,
• said first defoliating rotor and said first pressure roll being rotatable about parallel axes inclined relative to vertical, with upper ends of said first defoliating rotor and first pressure roll disposed forward relative to lower ends thereof,
• said first defoliating roll comprising a hub and a plurality of flails projecting outwardly therefrom,
• said first pressure roll including a resilient outer periphery;
• second stalk defoliating meand disposed behind said first defoliating means, said second defoliating means comprising a second rotary defoliating rotor and a second rotary pressure roll disposed opposite said second defoliating rotor and forming a nip therewith generally aligned with the nip of said first defoliating means,
• said second defoliating rotor being disposed on the same side of the stalk travel path as said first pressure roll, and said second pressure roll being disposed on the same side of the stalk travel path as said first defoliating rotor,
• said second defoliating rotor and second pressure roll being rotatable about parallel axes inclined relative to vertical by an amount greater than the inclination of said first defoliating rotor and first pressure roll, with upper ends of said second defoliating rotor and second pressure roll disposed forwardly of lower ends thereof,
• said second defoliating rotor comprising a hub and a plurality of flails projecting outwardly therefrom,
• said second pressure roll including a resilient outer periphery;
• second stalk feeding means disposed behind said second defoliating means and comprising a pair of second rotary feed rolls forming a nip therebetween generally aligned with said nip of said second defoliating means;
• said second feed rolls including resilient outer peripheries and being rotatable about axes inclined relative to vertical by an amount greater than the inclination of said second defoliating means, with upper ends of said second feed rolls disposed forwardly of lower ends thereof;
• stalk chopping means disposed behind said second feed means for cutting stalks cross-wise onto shorter billets;
• and
• drive means for rotating all of said rotary rotors and rolls in the direction of stalk travel therepast so that cut stalks are fed rearwardly while being progressively raised within said nips toward a horizontal orientation,
• said drive means rotating said first and second feed rolls and first and second pressure rolls slower than said first and second defoliating rotors such that said flails rub foliage from the stalks.