Vegetable topper and method for topping tuber vegetables

An apparatus for mechanically cutting the tops off of tuber vegetables while not damaging the tubers, comprising:

• a wheeled support frame;
• a high velocity, high speed suction fan connected to said frame for creating a suction sufficient to lift the tops of tubers into a position for cutting, the fan further providing means for chopping the cut tops into a plurality of small pieces, the fan including a non-stick surface on those portions of the fan where chopped pieces of the vegetable tops would otherwise stick in sufficient quantity to clog the fan;
• means for communicating the suction to an area covering a plurality of rows of tubers located beneath said frame with sufficient suction to lift the tops of the tubers into a position suitable for cutting;
• and
• scissors-type cutting means for simultaneously cutting the tops off of a plurality of tubers, said cutting means being adjustably mounted so the angle of the cutting means relative to the orientation of the tops may be adjusted.

An apparatus for cutting the tops of onions on the ground while providing a high yield of topped but undamaged onions, comprising:

• a wheeled support frame having wheels spaced to coincide with the spaces between beds of onions;
• a fan mounted on the support frame and having a plurality of blades which rotate in a housing to create a suction pressure and constructed such that during operation the fan rotates at a speed sufficient to chop the tops of the onions into small pieces and discharge the chopped tops out of an exit from the fan housing, the fan housing having a non-stick lining on a portion of the inside of the fan's housing to prevent the chopped onion tops from sticking to the housing and clogging the fan;
• a generally rectangular suction hood depending from the support frame to a location adjacent the ground below the support frame, the hood being in fluid communication with the fan so that sufficient suction is applied to any onions under the hood to lift up the tops of the onions away from the ground and into a orientation suitable for cutting, the hood having a flexible skirt around a substantial portion of its periphery which skirt extends toward and can substantially enclose the onions on the ground below the hood, the hood and fan being long enough to encompass at least two beds of onions;
• and
• a cutter bar located in the suction hood and extending along the length of the suction hood for a distance sufficient to provide a scissor-like cutting action to simultaneously cut the tops off a plurality of onions as the tops are lifted by the suction, the cutter bar being angled downward and adjustably mounted so that the angle may be adjusted.

A method for mechanically cutting the tops off of tuber vegetables while not damaging the tubers, comprising the steps of:

• using a high speed fan with a plurality of fan blades to create a suction sufficient to lift the tops of tubers into a position for cutting;
• using the blades of the suction fan to further chop the cut-off tops into a plurality of small pieces;
• placing a non-stick surface on those portions of the fan where chopped pieces of the vegetable tops would otherwise stick in sufficient quantity to clog the fan so that the chopped tops do not stick and clog the fan;
• communicating the suction to an area covering a plurality of rows of tubers with sufficient suction on even the tubers at the edge of said area to lift the tops of the tubers as needed for cutting;
• and
• simultaneously cutting a plurality of tops with a scissors-type cutting action.

A method for cutting the tops of tubers without damaging the tuber, comprising:

• using a fan located inside a housing to create a suction force;
• communicating sufficient suction to a plurality of tuber tops so as to cause the tops of the tubers to assume an upright orientation;
• simultaneously cutting the tops of the plurality of tubers with a scissor-type cutting device, without damaging the tubers;
• adjusting the angle of the cutting device relative to the ground to a downward angle that efficiently cuts the tuber tops off close to the tuber without damaging the tubers;
• chopping the cutoff tops of the tubers into a plurality of smaller pieces by using the same fan that creates the suction to chop the tops and ejecting those chopped tops away from the fan through a fan exhaust port;
• preventing the chopped tops from clogging the fan by placing a non-stick lining on portions of the inside of the fan housing adjacent the fan exhaust port to prevent the chopped tuber tops from sticking to the housing.