Machine for vining peas and the like
AssigneePixall Limited Partnership
InventorGraham Davenport
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides apparatuses for threshing plant material having seeds contained in pods. Preferably, an apparatus of the invention includes at least two threshing members between which plant material to be threshed is passed. The threshing members are generally constructed and arranged to exert a compressive force on the plant material as it passes therebetween. It is believed that the compressive force exerted on the plant material causes air trapped inside the pods to expand and force the pods open, releasing the seeds contained therein. Apparatuses of the invention include, for example, a pre-threshing apparatus, a vining machine and a harvesting machine. Preferably, an apparatus of the invention provides an efficient method for increasing the yield of undamaged seeds.
Claims22
A threshing apparatus comprising:
- a first and second threshing member between which a legume plant material including pods passes, said first and second threshing members arranged to exert a compressive force on the legume plant material passing therebetween sufficient to open the pods;
- said first threshing member having a first end and a second end and mounted by a mounting arrangement which permits said first threshing member to move towards and away from said second threshing member in order to maintain a substantially constant compressive force on the plant material compressed between said threshing members;
- said mounting arrangement including at least one hydraulic cylinder and a pressure control system to maintain a substantially constant hydraulic pressure therein, such that said first threshing member automatically moves towards and away from said second threshing member according to the quantity of plant material therebetween.
A mobile harvesting machine comprising:
- a vehicle mounting a threshing apparatus wherein said threshing apparatus comprises:
- (a) a first and second threshing member between which a legume plant material including pods passes, said first and second threshing members arranged to exert a compressive force on the legume plant material passing therebetween sufficient to open the pods;
- (b) said first threshing member having a first end and a second end and mounted by a mounting arrangement which permits said first threshing member to move towards and away from said second threshing member in order to maintain a substantially constant compressive force on the plant material compressed between said threshing members;
- (c) said mounting arrangement including at least one hydraulic cylinder and a pressure control system to maintain a substantially constant hydraulic pressure therein, such that said first threshing member automatically moves towards and away from said second threshing member according to the quantity of plant material therebetween;
- and
- means for gathering the legume plant material and feeding the legume plant material to said threshing apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.