Root crop harvester with adjustable pinch point
First Claim
1. A root crop harvester apparatus, comprising:
- a transverse frame, supported to move above ground in a harvesting direction and oriented generally perpendicular to the harvesting direction; and
a plurality of pairs of generally upright, spaced apart puller wheels, connected to the transverse frame in a trailing orientation, having a substantially common rotational axis, configured to contact the ground, each pair having a pinch point therebetween;
the transverse frame being pivotal about an axis that is substantially aligned with the substantially common rotational axis, whereby rotation of the transverse frame collectively rotates all of the pairs of puller wheels about the common rotational axis and thereby adjusts a vertical and longitudinal location of all of the pinch points with respect to the harvesting direction.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A root crop harvester apparatus includes a transverse frame, supported to move above ground in a harvesting direction and oriented generally perpendicular to the harvesting direction. A plurality of pairs of generally upright, spaced apart puller wheels are connected to the transverse frame in a trailing orientation, having a substantially common rotational axis, and configured to contact the ground, each pair having a pinch point therebetween. The transverse frame is pivotal about an axis that is substantially aligned with the substantially common rotational axis, whereby rotation of the transverse frame collectively rotates all of the pairs of puller wheels about the common rotational axis and thereby adjusts a location of all of the pinch points with respect to the harvesting direction.
17 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A root crop harvester apparatus, comprising:
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a transverse frame, supported to move above ground in a harvesting direction and oriented generally perpendicular to the harvesting direction; and a plurality of pairs of generally upright, spaced apart puller wheels, connected to the transverse frame in a trailing orientation, having a substantially common rotational axis, configured to contact the ground, each pair having a pinch point therebetween; the transverse frame being pivotal about an axis that is substantially aligned with the substantially common rotational axis, whereby rotation of the transverse frame collectively rotates all of the pairs of puller wheels about the common rotational axis and thereby adjusts a vertical and longitudinal location of all of the pinch points with respect to the harvesting direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A sugar beet harvester apparatus, comprising:
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a wheeled frame, configured to move on ground in a harvesting direction; a transverse frame, attached to the wheeled frame and oriented generally perpendicular to the harvesting direction; and a plurality of pairs of generally upright, spaced apart, symmetrically non-parallel puller wheels, connected to the transverse frame in a trailing orientation, having a substantially common rotational axis, configured to contact the ground, each pair having a pinch point therebetween; the transverse frame being pivotally attached to the wheeled frame with a pivot axis that is substantially aligned with the substantially common rotational axis, whereby rotation of the transverse frame collectively rotates all of the pairs of puller wheels about the common rotational axis and thereby adjusts a vertical and longitudinal location of all of the pinch points with respect to the harvesting direction. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A sugar beet harvester apparatus, comprising:
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a wheeled frame, configured to be pulled on ground by a pulling vehicle in a harvesting direction; a transverse frame, pivotally attached to the wheeled frame and oriented generally perpendicular to the harvesting direction; a plurality of longitudinal support members, extending rearwardly in a trailing orientation from the transverse frame; a plurality of pairs of generally upright, spaced apart, symmetrically non-parallel puller wheels having a substantially common rotational axis, configured to contact the ground, each pair being attached to a distal end of one of the longitudinal support members and having a pinch point therebetween; and a paddle wheel assembly, attached to the transverse frame, including a plurality of paddle wheels that are rotatable about a paddle wheel axis that is parallel to the substantially common rotational axis of the puller wheels, each paddle wheel being disposed to rotate between an upper region of a unique pair of adjacent puller wheels and configured to rearwardly dislodge sugar beets from between the adjacent puller wheels; the transverse frame being pivotally attached to the wheeled frame with a pivot axis that is substantially aligned with the substantially common rotational axis, whereby rotation of the transverse frame collectively rotates the paddle wheel assembly and all of the pairs of puller wheels about the common rotational axis, thereby adjusting a vertical and longitudinal location of all of the pinch points with respect to the harvesting direction. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification