Leaf distribution means

In a harvester having a conveyor belt discharge means adapted to discharge leaves from a discharge point into a container, the improvement comprising a set of rolls having circumferential surfaces, said rolls being positioned slightly above the discharge point to intercept a substantial portion of the discharged leaves on said circumferential surfaces, said set of rolls being adapted to rotate so that the tangential motion of said circumferential surfaces where the leaves are intercepted is generally towards the container and said rolls being angled with respect to one another to direct the discharged leaves radially outward from the discharge point over a sector bounded by the width of the container;

• in combination with a fan means adapted to blow air under the discharged leaves to extend the trajectory of the leaves over the length of the container by a distance roughly proportional to the flowrate of air from time to time and a control means adapted to control the flowrate of air from time to time in a predetermined pattern to obtain uniform distribution of the discharged leaves over the length and width of the container.

In a harvester having a conveyor discharge means in which two belts are adapted to move upwards and forwards parallel to one another and face to face with leaves pressed between them to a point of discharge where the belts turn away from one another and reverse direction thereby directing the leaves upwards and forwards towards a container below, the improvement comprising a set of rolls placed slightly above and rearward of the discharge point at a position to permit a substantial portion of the discharged leaves to intercept the lower forward circumferential surfaces of said rolls, said rolls being adapted to rotate so that the tangential motion of their circumferential surfaces where the leaves intercept the rolls is generally upwards and forwards towards the container, said rolls being angled apart in the forward direction to direct the leaves radially forward from the discharge point over a sector bounded by the width of the container, in combination with a fan means adapted to blow air under the discharged leaves to extend the trajectory of the leaves over the length of the container by a distance roughly proportional to the flowrate of air from time to time and a control means adapted to control the flowrate of air from time to time in a predetermined pattern to obtain uniform distribution of the discharged leaves over the length and width of the container.

In a tobacco harvester having a discharge means adapted to discharge tobacco leaves into a container the improvement comprising a set of rolls located at a discharge point where the tobacco leaves emerge from the discharge means, said rolls being positioned to intercept a substantial portion of the discharged tobacco leaves at an area of interception on lower forward circumferential surfaces of said rolls, and said rolls being rotated in a direction which causes the tangential motion of the circumferential surfaces of said rolls at the area of interception to be generally towards the container, said rolls being angled with respect to one another to direct the discharged tobacco leaves radially outward from the discharge means over a sector bounded by the width of the container, in combination with a fan means in communication with duct means being adapted to blow air under the discharged tobacco leaves to extend the trajectory of the leaves over the length of the container by a distance roughly proportional to the flowrate of air from the fan means from time to time and a control means adapted to control the flowrate of air from time to time in a predetermined pattern to obtain uniform distribution of the discharged leaves over the length and width of the container.