Abstract:
Systems and methods for separating harvested crop product from twigs, dirt, dust, and other debris. A disk to be used in a harvester includes a first segment and a second segment and is configured to cooperate with adjacent disks axially mounted on a common rotational shaft, and radially cooperate with disks mounted on a parallel rotational shaft. The disks are used in a roller assembly or a harvester, and gaps between cooperating disks remain effectively constant during operation.
Abstract:
This invention is a separator-conveyor that uses a scissors action to cut stems, roots, vines and other debris from a crop being harvested and processed. This is accomplished by providing a plurality of multi-sided rollers having sharp edges disposed alternately at an angle to adjacent rollers causing a scissors type cutting action that starts at one end of such rollers and continues to the other end. A plurality of the scissors action separator-conveyors can be used in conjunction with drying systems on a crop harvester-processor. This harvester-processor allows root crops such as peanuts to be harvested, cleaned, dried and graded in one continuous operation.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a potato harvesting apparatus for removing practically all the dirt from harvested potatoes without bruising or damaging them. The apparatus has disk coulters that cut potato vines between rows, three each of primary, secondary and rubber-coated cylindrical cages arranged in order for harvesting material flow of the potatoes with the cages rotating at the same material-flow speed, a share that digs up the potatoes for pick up and transfer by the first primary cage, a cylinder raker to pick up and move excess vines, dirt and potatoes onto the second primary cage, shaker-tine assemblies that remove dirt and separate vines from the potatoes, a grinder suction fan that sucks up and deposits chopped up vines in the harvesting track where same are covered by dirt sifting down and through the cages that remove most of the dirt and break up the dirt clods.
Abstract:
A harvesting device for separating round root crops, such as potatoes, from soil and other unwanted material. The crop and the soil in which it is growing is uplifted into the harvesting device by the forward movement of the device. The uplifted material is delivered into two conveyors, one positioned above the other and one running at a different speed from the other. The upper conveyor has a series of transverse members, such as fingers and flaps, which break up the uplifted material into discrete portions and these transverse members form with the lower conveyor a series of pockets so that each discrete portion of uplifted material lies in a pocket. The conveyors are inclined and this combined with the differential speed causes the material to be tumbled and the round root crops to roll free of unwanted material.
Abstract:
A plant processing system may include a plant stripping apparatus with a frame and a plurality of stripping fingers including at least two groups of the stripping fingers being movable relative to each other. Each group of fingers may extend from a respective working surface, and the working surfaces may be oriented in substantial opposition to each other with a gap being formed between the first and second working surfaces to provide a pathway for movement of plant materials between an input and an output of the stripping apparatus.