Plant harvester

In a mobile harvester for removing foliage and a crop from the ground, comprising:

• means defining an inclined endless pinch bar conveyor having upper and lower linear runs connected together by upper and lower arcuate portions;
• means defining a plurality of pairs of cooperating pinch bar units with each pair including two horizontally disposed transverse pinch bars supported by said conveyor with each pair of pinch bars adapted to be maintained in pinching engagement when in said linear runs and adapted to be spread apart to receive the foliage of a crop when moving downwardly and rearwardly around said lower arcuate portion and adapted to release the foliage and crop when moving upwardly and around said upper arcuate portion;
• and
• each pair of cooperating pinch bar units comprises a pair of mounting legs secured to a transversely extending pinch bar and to said endless pinch bar conveyor;
• and
• one foliage engaging means on each pinch bar unit overlapping a foliage engaging means on the next adjacent pinch bar unit when in said lower run.

In a mobile harvester for removing foliage and a crop from the ground, comprising:

• means defining an inclined endless pinch bar conveyor having upper and lower linear runs connected together by upper and lower arcuate portions;
• means defining a plurality of pairs of cooperating pinch bar units with each pair including two horizontally disposed transverse pinch bars supported by said conveyor with each pair of pinch bars adapted to be maintained in pinching engagement when in said linear runs and adapted to be spread apart to receive the foliage of a crop when moving downwardly and rearwardly around said lower arcuate portion and adapted to release the foliage and crop when moving upwardly and around said upper arcuate portion;
• and
• each pair of cooperating pinch bar units comprising a pair of mounting legs secured to a transversely extending pinch bar and to said endless pinch bar conveyor;
• when said pairs of pinch bar units are in said lower linear run, said mounting legs of each pair of pinch bar units crossing each other at angles of about 35.degree. relative to the plane of the linear run.

In a mobile harvester for removing foliage and a crop from the ground, comprising:

• means defining an inclined endless pinch bar conveyor having upper and lower linear runs connected together by upper and lower arcuate portions;
• means defining a plurality of pairs of cooperating pinch bar units with each pair including two horizontally disposed transverse pinch bars supported by said conveyor with each pair of pinch bars adapted to be maintained in pinching engagement when in said linear runs and adapted to be spread apart to receive the foliage of a crop when moving downwardly and rearwardly around said lower arcuate portion and adapted to release the foliage and crop when moving upwardly and around said upper arcuate portion;
• and
• each pair of cooperating pinch bar units comprises a pair of mounting legs secured to a transversely extending pinch bar to said endless conveyor, one of said pairs of mounting legs being larger than said other pair of mounting legs for causing said pinch bars to be in overlapping foliage gripping engagement with other pinch bars when in said lower linear run.

In a mobile harvester for removing foliage and a crop from the ground, comprising:

• means defining an inclined endless pinch bar conveyor having upper and lower linear runs connected together by upper and lower arcuate portions;
• means defining a plurality of pairs of cooperating pinch bar units with each pair including two horizontally disposed transverse pinch bars supported by said conveyor with each pair of pinch bars adapted to be maintained in pinching engagement when in said linear runs and adapted to be spread apart to receive the foliage of a crop when moving downwardly and rearwardly around said lower arcuate portion and adapted to release the foliage and crop when moving upwardly and around said upper arcuate portion;
• and
• each pair of cooperating pinch bar units comprising a pair of short legs secured to a first pinch bar and to said pinch bar conveyor, and a second pair of long legs secured to a second pinch bar and to the short legs and said endless pinch bar conveyor with the long legs and short legs being spaced apart at an angle of about 10 .degree. and with said long legs being at an angle of about 20.degree. relative to a linear run of said endless pinch bar conveyor.

In a mobile ground supported harvester adapted to be driven over a field of plants to be harvested, the combination of:

• means defining an upwardly and rearwardly inclined main power driven conveyor having upper and lower end portions disposed above the level of the ground and having an upper run driven upwardly;
• means defining a vertically adjustable sub-frame supported on the lower portion of said main conveyor;
• means defining and inclined power driven endless foliage gripping conveyor including a plurality of horizontally extending pinch bars with adjacent pinch bars being opened in response to moving around an arcuate lower portion of said foliage gripping conveyor for receiving the foliage of plants being harvested and being firmly gripped between adjacent pinch bars, said pinch bars having an upwardly inclined lower run with said arcuate lower end disposed above the ground forward of said main conveyor and an upper arcuate end overlapping a portion of said main conveyor, said foliage gripping conveyor adapted to grip and remove the foliage and plants being harvested from the ground and thereafter releasing the foliage and plants into said main conveyor;
• and
• height control power means connected between said main conveyor and said sub-frame for raising and lowering said sub-frame for maintaining said lower end of said foliage gripping conveyor at a desired level above the ground for gripping the foliage.

In a mobile ground supported harvester adapted to be driven over a field of plants to be harvested, the combination of:

• means defining an upwardly and rearwardly inclined main power driven conveyor having upper and lower end portions disposed above the level of the ground and having an upper run driven upwardly;
• means defining a vertically adjustable sub-frame supported on the lower portion of said main conveyor;
• means defining and inclined power driven endless foliage gripping conveyor including a plurality of horizontally extending pinch bars with adjacent pinch bars being opened in response to moving around an arcuate lower portion of said foliage gripping conveyor for receiving the foliage of plants being harvested and being firmly gripped between adjacent pinch bars, said pinch bars having an upwardly inclined lower run with said arcuate lower end disposed above the ground forward of said main conveyor and an upper arcuate end overlapping a portion of said main conveyor, said foliage gripping conveyor adapted to grip and remove the foliage and plants being harvested from the ground and thereafter releasing the foliage and plants into said main conveyor;
• and
• means defining a horizontal foliage cutter supported by said sub-frame and adapted to cut the foliage for releasing the foliage and plants from the ground.

In a mobile ground supported harvester adapted to be driven over a field of plants to be harvested, the combination of:

• means defining an upwardly and rearwardly inclined main power driven conveyor having upper and lower end portions disposed above the level of the ground and having an upper run driven upwardly;
• means defining a vertically adjustable sub-frame supported on the lower portion of said main conveyor;
• means defining and inclined power driven endless foliage gripping conveyor including a plurality of horizontally extending pinch bars with adjacent pinch bars being opened in response to moving around an arcuate lower portion of said foliage gripping conveyor for receiving the foliage of plants being harvested and being firmly gripped between adjacent pinch bars, said pinch bars having an upwardly inclined lower run with said arcuate lower end disposed above the ground forward of said main conveyor and an upper arcuate end overlapping a portion of said main conveyor, said foliage gripping conveyor adapted to grip and remove the foliage and plants being harvested from the ground and thereafter releasing the foliage and plants into said main conveyor;
• pivot means for pivotally connecting a lower portion of said main conveyor and to an upper portion of said main conveyor;
• and
• second power means for moving said lower portion of the main conveyor and components attached thereto between a lowered harvesting position and a raised transport position.

A method for removing crops and their foliage from a field using a ground supported mobile harvester including a main inclined conveyor with an upwardly driven run, an inclined endless pinch bar conveyor formed by a plurality of pinch bars connected together having an arcuate front portion disposed closely adjacent the ground, and an arcuate rear portion disposed above the main conveyor with upper and lower runs connecting said arcuate portions, the method comprising the steps of;

• driving the harvester through the field;
• severing the foliage from the ground;
• opening the pinch bars on the pinch bar conveyor in response to moving the pinch bars around said lower arcuate portion for engaging and collecting the foliage;
• gripping the foliage by closing the pinch bars in response to movement along the lower run of the pinch bar conveyor for moving the foliage and attached crop over the main conveyor;
• releasing the foliage and crop onto the main inclined conveyor;
• and
• sensing variations in the level of the ground forwardly of the pinch bar conveyor for maintaining the desired height of the pinch bar conveyor and the height at which the foliage is severed from the ground.

A method for removing crops and their foliage from a field using a ground supported mobile harvester including a main inclined conveyor with an upwardly driven run, an inclined endless pinch bar conveyor formed by a plurality of pinch bars connected together having an arcuate front portion disposed closely adjacent the ground, and an arcuate rear portion disposed above the main conveyor with upper and lower runs connecting said arcuate portions, the method comprising the steps of;

• driving the harvester through the field;
• severing the foliage from the ground;
• opening the pinch bars on the pinch bar conveyor in response to moving the pinch bars around said lower arcuate portion for engaging and collecting the foliage;
• gripping the foliage by closing the pinch bars in response to movement along the lower run of the pinch bar conveyor for moving the foliage and attached crop over the main conveyor;
• releasing the foliage and crop onto the main inclined conveyor;
• wherein the foliage is severed horizontally and vertically for providing a swath of foliage and the attached crop that is substantially equal in width to the width of the harvester.

A method for removing plants and their foliage from a field using a ground supported mobile harvester including a main inclined conveyor with an upwardly driven run;

• a foliage gripping conveyor having a plurality of pinch bars;
• a lower arcuate portion closely adjacent to the ground;
• an upper arcuate portion disposed above the main conveyor;
• and a lower linear foliage gripping run;
• comprising the steps of:
• driving the harvester through the fields;
• severing the foliage from the ground;
• opening the foliage gripping pinch bars in response to moving the pinch bars around the lower arcuate portion and thereafter closing the pinch bars int gripping engagement with the foliage in response to advancing the pinch bars along the lower linear run for gently gripping the foliage;
• advancing the gripped foliage and attached plants along said linear run, over a portion of the main conveyor and around the upper arcuate portion for separating said pinch bars and releasing the foliage and plants onto the main conveyor;
• and
• sensing variations of the ground level forwardly of the foliage gripping conveyor for maintaining the desired levels of the foliage gripping conveyor and the position at which the foliage is severed relative to the varying ground level.

A self propelled mobile harvester for removing crops and their foliage from the ground comprising:

• means defining a main conveyor with an upwardly inclined upper run and a forward end;
• means defining an inclined pinch bar conveyor having an arcuate front portion disposed closely adjacent to the ground and an arcuate rear portion disposed above said main conveyor;
• means for severing the foliage and attached crop from the ground;
• means defining a plurality of horizontally disposed pinch bars on said pinch bar conveyor with adjacent pinch bars being opened in response to moving around the arcuate front portion for engaging and clamping the foliage against an adjacent pinch bar in closed position and remaining closed in gripping engagement with the foliage when in a lower run of the conveyor for lifting the foliage and attached crop and thereafter being opened to release the foliage and crop onto said conveyor in response to moving said arcuate rear portion;
• means defining a pair of transversely spaced power driven vertical rotary disc cutters rotatable in a vertical plane for vertically severing vines for providing a wide swath of vines being harvested substantially equal in width to that of said inclined pinch bar conveyor;
• each rotary disc cutter including an upwardly and rearwardly inclined leg having a shearing edge;
• a driven rotatable disc cutter having a shearing edge disposed closely adjacent said leg and defining a vine shearing point for shearing the vines;
• and
• a horizontal vine cutter attached to said legs for cooperating with a pair of said rotary disc cutters for cutting a swath of vines from the ground.

A self propelled mobile harvester for removing crops and their foliage from the ground comprising:

• means defining a main conveyor with an upwardly inclined upper run and a forward end;
• means defining an inclined pinch bar conveyor having an arcuate front portion disposed closely adjacent the ground and an arcuate rear portion disposed above said main conveyor;
• means for severing the foliage and attached crop from the ground;
• means defining a plurality of horizontally disposed pinch bars on said pinch bar conveyor with adjacent pinch bars being opened in response to moving around the arcuate front portion for engaging and clamping the foliage against an adjacent pinch bar in closed position and remaining closed in gripping engagement with the foliage when in a lower run of the conveyor for lifting the foliage and attached crop and thereafter being opened to release the foliage and crop around said arcuate rear portion;
• means defining a pair of transversely spaced power driven vertical rotary disc cutters rotatable in a vertical plane for vertically severing vines for providing a wide swath of vines being harvested substantially equal in width to that of said inclined pinch bar conveyor;
• and
• means defining a plurality of substantially horizontal power driven cutters for cooperating with said rotary disc cutters for cutting a swath of vines from the ground.