Method for harvesting bast plants
AssigneeHBI Branded Apparel Enterprises, LLC
InventorsMichael D. Abbott, Robert A. Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for harvesting bast plants that have stalks, husks, and seeds. The method includes cutting the bast stalks from the bast plants and promptly receiving the bast stalks onto a first belt without retting the bast stalks. The method then orients at least a portion of the bast stalks on the first belt, the longitudinal axis of the at least a portion of the bast stalks being generally oriented in the direction the first belt is moving. The husks and seeds may be removed from the bast stalks. The bast stalk may be packaged.
Claims13
A method for harvesting bast plants, the bast plants having stalks, husks, and seeds, the method comprising:
- cutting the bast stalks from the bast plants with a cutting device of a harvester;
- after cutting, receiving the bast stalks onto a first belt of the harvester;
- orienting at least a portion of the bast stalks on the first belt of the harvester with a plurality of spaced tines extending toward the first belt to align a substantial majority of the bast stalks generally parallel to each other, the longitudinal axis of the at least a portion of the bast stalks being generally oriented in the direction the first belt is moving;
- removing the husks and seeds from the bast stalks;
- and
- packaging the bast stalks with the harvester.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.