Harvesters – Raking and loading – Lifting reels
Patent
1986-05-27
1988-12-13
Hirsch, Paul J.
Harvesters
Raking and loading
Lifting reels
56DIG1, A01D 8200, A01D 6502, A01D 8900
Patent
active
047901284
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to apparatus for, and methods of, harvesting crop. The invention is concerned with detaching from the stems or other plant parts of standing crop, seeds, seed-bearing parts, leaves, twigs, flowers, or other predetermined required portion of the crop, collecting the required portion, and leaving the remaining stripped parts of the crop standing in the field. The invention has particular but not exclusive application in the harvesting of grain crops, such as wheat, oats, barley, and rice. The invention also has application in the stripping of leaves, young shoots, and sometimes blossom from crops. Examples include lucerne (alfalfa) leaves for protein production, and the leaves and flowers of herbs and other crops used for the extraction of essential oils and other constituents.
It is an object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus for and methods of stripping required parts from a standing crop, usually the most valuable parts of the crop, namely the seed, leaves, and/or flowers. It is an object of the invention to overcome many of the disadvantages of known harvesting methods and devices, and to simplify, hasten and make less expensive the harvesting process. It is a further object to make less weather dependent the disposal or harvesting of the remaining crop which is left standing in the field.
According to the present invention in a broad aspect, there is provided apparatus for harvesting crop comprising a mobile frame for movement over the ground; moveable support means mounted for driven movement relative to the frame; a plurality of outwardly protecting crop engaging elements mounted on the moveable support means; guide means co-operating with the crop engaging elements to form a crop flow passage; and drive means for driving the moveable support means to carry the elements upwardly and rearwardly at a front region of the apparatus so as to detach from standing crop predetermined required parts of the crop and to move the detached crop parts along the crop flow passage.
The invention encompasses apparatus for detaching from the stems or other plant parts of standing crop, seeds, seed-bearing parts, leaves, twigs, flowers and/or other predetermined required parts of the crop, by rubbing and/or breaking and/or tearing the parts from the stems.
By the term standing crop is meant crop in the field before any harvesting operation has been carried out on it, for example before any cutting operation, and the term standing crop includes crop which may be laid, leaning, or twisted, as well as upright crop.
A first main aspect of the invention is concerned with crop stripping elements which may be provided.
In accordance with one preferred feature at least some of the crop engaging elements comprise crop stripping elements each of which has at least one inclined edge for detaching required crop parts from standing crop, and a transverse surface for impelling the detached crop parts along the crop flow passage.
Preferably the said inclined edge is inclined to a normal to the moveable support means at an angle greater than 71/2.degree., more preferably at an angle greater than 10.degree. and most preferably at an angle in the range 121/2.degree. to 221/2.degree.. Conveniently the angle is about 15.degree..
In accordance with another preferred feature at least some of the coop engaging elements comprise crop stripping elements each of which has a narrow tip for entering into and dividing crop, and has side edges for detaching the required crop parts, the said side edges diverging from each other in a direction away from the distal tip of the element.
Preferably the said side edges diverge from each other over at least a quarter of the crop engaging length of the element, more preferably over at least a third of the crop engaging length of the element, and most preferably over a major proportion of the crop engaging length of the element.
Preferably the said side edges diverge from each other away from the distal tip of the element at a total included angle greater tha
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Hirsch Paul J.
National Research Development Corporation
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