Harvester with cooperating brushes and combs

A harvester for removing seeds from a standing crop, the harvester comprising the following:

• a brush assembly having a plurality of flexible, radial bristles extending from a central axis of the brush assembly, the brush assembly being adapted and constructed for rotation in a first direction;
• a comb assembly having a plurality of axially extending combs mounted in a position spaced radially from and parallel to a central axis of the comb assembly, the comb assembly being adapted and constructed for rotation in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the brush assembly;
• a mounting assembly adapted and constructed to secure the brush assembly and the comb assembly such that the bristles of the brush assembly come into contact with the combs of the comb assembly when the brush assembly and the comb assembly are rotating;
• a rotation assembly adapted and constructed to impart a faster speed of rotation to the brush assembly than to the comb assembly;
• and
• a wind screen secured to the mounting assembly and at least partially surrounding the comb assembly;
• whereby cooperation of the brush assembly and comb assembly remove only mature seeds from the crop, leaving the standing crop undamaged.

A method of harvesting of grass seeds while minimizing damage to the standing grass from which the seed is harvested, the method comprising the following steps:

• providing a brush assembly having a plurality of flexible, radial bristles extending from a central axis of the brush assembly, the brush assembly being adapted and constructed for rotation in a first direction;
• providing a comb assembly having a plurality of axially extending combs mounted in apposition spaced radially from and parallel to a central axis of the comb assembly, the comb assembly being adapted and constructed for rotation in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the brush assembly;
• bringing the brush assembly and the comb assembly into contact with a grass crop to be harvested;
• and
• rotating the brush assembly and the comb assembly such that the bristles of the brush assembly come into contact with the combs of the comb assembly when the brush assembly and the comb assembly are rotating, whereby the seed-bearing heads of the standing grass are grasped between the rotating bristles of the brush assembly and the rotating combs of the comb assembly, thereby stripping only mature seeds from the standing grass.