Potato harvester and method
AssigneeKverneland Underhaug AS
InventorErling Royneberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is disclosed a root crop harvesting machine, especially a potato harvesting machine which can dig-up two rows of crop and then discharging the crop laterally of the machine to any required extent via an elevator which is adjusted to a lateral discharge mode, as shown in FIG. 1, to permit the dug-up crop to be deposited in rows for drying purposes. Once drying has been completed, the same machine can then be used to pick-up the dried crop and then, following adjustment of the elevator to an elevational position as shown in FIG. 2, the dried crop can be discharged into a collecting vehicle. The harvesting machine of the invention therefore has two discharge functions, and can replace two existing pieces of equipment. The invention also enables novel methods of crop harvesting to be carried out.
Claims6
A harvesting machine for root crops growing in substantially parallel rows in the ground and which comprises:
- a wheel-supported frame which is movable over the ground in a direction parallel to said rows with the wheels running in spaces defined between the rows;
- a digging mechanism at the forward end of the machine and extending laterally by a sufficient extent to enable two adjacent rows of crop to be dug-up at the same time;
- means provided on the machine for separating the crop from any soil and small stones dug-up at the same time as the crop;
- means for directing the separated crop to a discharge station;
- a discharge elevator mounted on one side of the machine adjacent to the discharge station, said discharge elevator comprising a main portion mounted at one end on a pivotal mounting on the frame of the machine and a tail portion which is pivotally connected to the main portion;
- first drive means coupled with the main portion of the elevator and operative to pivot the main portion and the tail portion together about said pivotal mounting;
- second drive means coupled with the tail portion and operative independently of the first drive means in order to pivot the tail portion relative to the main portion;
- and
- in that the main portion and the tail portion can be adjusted between a first mode of operation in which the tail portion extends downwardly of the main portion so that a lower end of the tail portion is located close to the ground to discharge crop laterally of the machine and with the tail portion being adjustable by the second drive means in order to vary the lateral displacement of the lower end of the tail portion relative to the machine so as to deposit the crop in any required parallel row alongside the path of travel of the machine, and a second mode of operation in which the crop can be elevated so as to be able to fall under gravity into a collecting vehicle located alongside the machine.
A method of harvesting root crops growing in substantially parallel rows in the ground, with longitudinal spaces defined between adjacent rows over which can travel the wheels of a propelling vehicle and a trailed harvesting machine coupled therewith, the machine having an elevator mounted thereon for discharging the harvested crop, and the method being characterized by:
- digging-up two adjacent rows of crops at a time with the harvesting machine during each passage of the machine;
- separating-out the crop in the machine from any soil and stones dug-up with the crop, and directing the crop to a discharge station in the machine:
- laterally discharging the crop from the machine via the elevator, when the latter is adjusted to a lateral discharged mode, to deposit the crop in a row extending substantially parallel to the dug-up rows, and while the machine is digging-up the crop in said rows during each passage of the machine:
- allowing the crop deposited in the row to dry to any required extent;
- picking-up the deposited crop after required drying using the same harvesting machine;
- and,
- elevating the crop via the elevator when the latter is adjusted to an elevation mode, so that the crop can fall under gravity into a collecting vehicle located adjacent to the harvesting machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.