Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Load simultaneously engaged between and moved by a plurality...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-26
2001-10-16
Noland, Kenneth W. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Load simultaneously engaged between and moved by a plurality...
C198S841000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302264
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a conveyor system for plants with or without heads, flowers or herbs and spices, such as green cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, white cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and in general any type of brassica, leek, carrot, lettuce, asparagus, artichoke, onion, chive, capsicum, etc. One use is to integrate this conveyor system into a plant-harvesting agricultural machine, or to construct an independent machine that can be coupled to the agricultural machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
From American U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,987, equipment for harvesting lettuce is known which uses conveyors to transport the lettuce. The belt or some conveyors is fitted with foam blocks. Since the route taken by the lettuce is not rectilinear, a plurality of rectilinear conveyors is used to conduct the transport. This necessarily leads to discontinuity in lettuce support or conveyor speeds, in particular during changes of direction, and therefore carries the risk of falls of shocks causing damage to the lettuce. Also, the conveyor system taught by document U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,987 operates solely in one plane and the conveyance of the lettuce is made using the lettuce heads.
From American U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,049 a broccoli-harvesting machine is also known. This machine comprises a conveyor with two belts positioned opposite one another. Each belt is fitted with a plurality of fingers. When the belts are in movement, the fingers fit between each other to clasp and hold the broccoli stalk during its transport and processing. Although the support given to the broccoli is satisfactory, it is not possible to consider a pathway other than a rectilinear pathway for the transport and processing of the broccoli.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the present invention is consequently to remedy the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a conveyor system able to follow a three-dimensional route with no risk of plant falls.
This purpose is reached through the fact that the conveyor system comprises at least one track, each track comprising support means to hold each stalk, stem or root of plant conveyed, guide means of a determined shape made up of a succession of straight and curved lines which can take any direction in three-dimensional space, and means sliding within the support means, said sliding means being integral with the support means, and having a translation movement that is parallel to the guide means for conveying the plants over a determined route, the form of the guide means being substantially identical to the line followed by the route of plant conveyance.
According to another particular aspect, the support means comprise a plurality of plates mounted on sliding means via a fastening tongue such that each plate is substantially parallel to the stalks, stems, or roots of the conveyed plants and that a determined space subsists between each plate, each plate also comprising means to ensure the positioning of the stalks, stems or roots of the plants.
According to another particular aspect, the guide means are formed firstly by a first profile of determined material comprising a groove whose cross section is configured to house sliding means, and secondly either by a plate that is parallel and opposite the first profile, or by a second profile that is identical to the first but parallel and with the groove opposite the groove of the first.
According to another particular aspect, the sliding means are made up of a chain of which each ink forms a variable angle determined by the guide profile with the preceding link.
According to another particular aspect, the angle formed by one link of the chain and the preceding link is substantially equal to 90° in a straight line.
According to another particular aspect, the means for positioning the stalks, stems or roots of the plants comprise at least one block of semi-rigid material relative to the rigidity of the plant and mounted on the plate, the dimensions of each block being chosen such that the outer surface of the blocks opposite the plate is at all times in contact with the plant stalks, stems or roots during the movement of the sliding means.
According to another particular aspect, the material chosen to make each profile forming the guide means and/or sliding means is a material whose outer surface has a low friction coefficient and is preferably in “Teflon”.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3179138 (1965-04-01), Norris
patent: 3587216 (1971-06-01), Grether et al.
patent: 4236581 (1980-12-01), Beckett
patent: 457836 (1944-12-01), None
patent: 1599565 (1970-07-01), None
patent: 2553630 (1985-04-01), None
patent: 9202065 (1994-06-01), None
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
Noland Kenneth W.
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