Tomato harvester mountable double rod cutter
AssigneeWoodland Tractor and Equipment Co., Inc.
InventorsJeffrey A. Huckins, Willard Long
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus adaptable to be mounted on the tomato harvesters of various manufacturers for the purpose of removing tomato plants from the ground with their tomatoes attached for delivery onto a tomato harvester, which mechanically separates the tomato fruit from the balance of the plant. This apparatus also reduces the amount of agglomerated earth or clods that sticks to the root system upon removal from the ground. The apparatus utilizes a pair of spaced cutter bars which rotate counterclockwise. Upon impact of the forward lower bar with the plant, the plant is pulled from the ground. As the plant travels rearwardly, the upper bar knocks dirt loose from the roots.
Claims9
An apparatus adapted to be mounted on tomato harvesters of various manufacturers for the purpose of removing tomato plants from the ground with their tomatoes attached for delivery onto a tomato harvester, which apparatus comprises:
- a. a gear box assembly and
- b. an idler box assembly, in a spaced relationship,
- c. each of which box assemblies includes means for retaining a pair of spaced lock collars in paired aligned opposed positions;
- d. lock collars disposed in each of said means for retaining lock collars;
- e. a pair of spaced cutter bars disposed in each pair of aligned opposed lock collars;
- f. said gear box assembly further including means in operative engagement with said gear box assembly to drive said gear box and turn said cutter bars and
- a mounting kit to mount said apparatus to a tomato harvester.
An apparatus adaptable to be mounted on tomato harvesters of various manufacturers for the purpose of removing tomato plants from the ground with their tomatoes attached for delivery onto a tomato harvester, which apparatus comprises:
- a. a gear box assembly and
- b. an idler box assembly, in a spaced relationship,
- c. each of which box assemblies includes means for retaining a pair of spaced lock collars in paired aligned opposed positions;
- d. lock collars disposed in each of said means for retaining lock collars;
- e. a pair of spaced cutter bars disposed in each pair of aligned opposed lock collars;
- f. said gear box assembly further including a hydraulic motor in operative engagement with said gear box assembly to drive said gear box and turn said cutter bars and
- g. means for mounting the gear assembly and the idler assembly to a tomato harvester.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.