US 4,828,039 AGranted

Harvesting apparatus

AssigneeBasic American Foods

InventorDale Gordon

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Abstract

A vegetable digger is provided for furrowing vegetables from the earth and for removing the vegetables from the earth and thereafter depositing them above the ground. The digger includes a frame having a front, opposed first and second sides, a rear and a plurality of wheels. One furrowing disk is provided which will loosen the dirt in the furrowed sections of the ground when the digger moves in a predetermined forward direction. At least one earth moving disk is provided for moving the loosened dirt away from the vegetables, and at least one unearthing disk for raising the vegetable bulbs towards the top of the ground. At least one transfer disk is provided for conducting the bulbs from the dirt and into the conveyor. A method is also provided for using the apparatus to remove bulbs which are buried in the ground and then deposit them back onto the ground so that they can be picked up by a trailing harvesting machine which will separate them into market-grade and process-grade vegetable bulbs. The apparatus is particularly useful in conjunction with the harvesting of garlic bulbs.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A vegetable digger for removing vegetables from the ground, said vegetable digger comprising:

(a) a framework with a generally horizontal longitudinal axis and having a front, opposed first and second sides, a rear, and a plurality of wheels;
(b) at least one generally vertical furrowing disk, concave-convex each at least one furrowing disk comprising means for loosening the dirt in furrow sections of said ground as said digger moves in a predetermined direction forwardly;
(c) at least one generally vertical earth moving disk being angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the framework and laterally spaced from the furrowing disk for concave-convex moving dirt loosened by said at least one furrowing disk away from vegetables within said ground;
(d) at least one generally vertical unearthing disk having a concave working face for concave-convex uplifting vegetable bulbs from ground after said at least one earth moving disk has moved said vegetables away from said dirt;
and
(e) at least one substantially horizontal transfer disk for conducting said bulbs from said dirt and onto said framework, each of said disks being attached to said framework.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.