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US 5,176,573 AGranted
Corn harvesting
AssigneeByron Enterprises, Inc.
InventorPaul W. Dow
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeByron Enterprises, Inc.
InventorPaul W. Dow
Estimating the term…
A corn harvesting system integrates automatic separation and removal of ears of corn from a plurality of rows of corn plants (the stalks thereof), the husking of the ears, the cutting or the kernels and the deposit thereof into a container from which the kernels can be removed for canning or other processing. A tracked vehicle has a structure on which mechanisms for corn ear from stalk separation (picking), husking, kernel cutting and conveying ears between the picking, husking, cutting and a cut kernel container are arranged on two levels or stories and is of height, length and width so as to be capable of being self-propelled through the fields and carried on a flat bed truck or trailer between fields on roads without special permits or routing to make bridge and tunnel clearances. The system has mechanisms for the ejection of stalks, husks and cobs directly on the field. The kernel cutting and husking mechanisms are so arranged that "green" ears or ears blocked by jams in any cutting mechanism can be recycled via the husking machine and associated conveyors so as to avoid stopping harvesting operations. The ear separation husking and cutting mechanisms are arranged and allocated in groups each to a different row of stalks so that the load (the rate of corn ears presented for cutting to the kernel cutting machines) is distributed in accordance with the density of planting (which is generally uniform), the rate at which the corn is harvested and the rate at which kernels are delivered to the container being controllable by controlling the speed of travel of the harvester through the field. This system enables kernels of sweet corn to be harvested without stressing the environment, because cobs, husks, stalks, etc. remain on the field and do not become waste requiring disposal by sewage treatment, burning or landfilling.
The method of harvesting kernels of corn on ears growing on stalks planted in parallel rows in a field, and returning husks, cobs and stalks to the field, said method comprising the steps of singularly for the ears growing in each of a plurality of rows and simultaneously for all of said plurality of rows removing said ears from said stalks, removing husks from said ears and removing kernels on each of said ears to leave cobs substantially empty of kernels so that the ears are distributed for kernel removal at a rate corresponding to the yield of corn from each of said rows individually, collecting said kernels from all said rows after removal thereof from said ears, and returning said husks, cobs and stalks to the field during said removing steps.
A sweet corn harvesting machine which comprises an undercarriage, means mounted on said undercarriage supporting it for movement along rows of corn stalks in a field, a superstructure on said undercarriage providing a lower and an upper story, an assembly containing a corn ear removing head and means for conveying ears of corn removed by said head pivotally mounted on said superstructure and projecting forwardly therefrom, a husking bed mounted on said lower story for receiving said ears from said conveying means of said assembly, means for cutting kernels from husked ears of corn mounted on said upper story, means for elevating husked ears from said husking bed to said second story and to said kernel cutting means, means for collecting said kernels cut by said cutting means, and means for directing husks and cobs from which kernels are cut back on to the field.
Apparatus for harvesting kernels of corn on ears growing on stalks planted in parallel rows in a field, and returning husks, cobs and stalks to the field, said apparatus comprising means singularly for the ears growing in each of a plurality of rows and simultaneously for all of said plurality of rows for removing said ears from said stalks, removing husks from said ears and removing kernels on each of said ears to leave cobs substantially empty of kernels so that the ears are distributed for kernel removal at a rate corresponding to the yield of corn from each of said rows individually, means for collecting said kernels from all said rows after removal thereof from said ears, and means for returning said husks, cobs and stalks to the field during said removing steps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.