PLANT CONVEYOR AND METHOD FOR HARVESTING PLANTS

• US 20150096771A1
• Filed: 10/04/2013
• Published: 04/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company (Weyerhauser)
• Original Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company (Weyerhauser)
• Inventors: Stokes, Jimmy Lee, Francis, Bruce, Wells, William
• Granted Patent: US 9,532,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 171/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 25/005 Auxiliary devices for the lifters
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 25/048 with endless chains
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 33/00 Accessories for digging harvesters

Abstract

A conveyor includes a frame, at least two arms at least one of which is movably mounted to the frame, at least two rails wherein each rail is coupled to an end of one of said at least two arms, at least two belts wherein each belt is rotatably mounted on one of said at least two rails such that the belts are capable of engaging plants therebetween and moving the plants along a conveyor axis, and one or more bias members which are configured to bias said at least one movable arm toward the other one of said at least two arms. The conveyor further comprises an expanding mechanism which is configured to exert an outward force on said at least one movable arm upon engagement so that said at least one movable arm move away from another arm.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a frame;

at least two arms, at least one of said at least two arms movably mounted to the frame;

at least two rails, each rail coupled to an end of one of said at least two arms;

at least two belts, each belt rotatably mounted on one of said at least two rails such that the belts are capable of engaging plants therebetween and moving the plants along a conveyor axis; and

one or more bias members configured to bias at least one of said at least two arms toward an other one of said at least two arms.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said one or more bias members are coupled to said at least two arms.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein two pairs of belts are grouped together by fixing two interior belt rails to a same member of the frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the bias members are disposed in a position to provide clearance for the plants.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an expanding mechanism configured to exert an outward force on said at least one movable arm upon engagement so that said at least one movable arm move away from another arm.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the expanding mechanism comprises:

at least one rotatable cam; and

at least one rod being engaged by said at least one rotatable cam, said at least one rod applying a first outward force on said at least one movable arm.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said expanding mechanism further comprises at least one compressible member that provides a second outward force on the at least one movable arm.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each compressible member comprises a spring.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more bias members comprises a spring.

10. A apparatus kit, comprising:

a frame;

at least two arms, at least one of said at least two arms movably mountable to the frame;

at least two rails, each rail coupleable to an end of one of said at least two arms;

at least two belts, each belt rotatably mountable on one of said at least two rails such that the belts are capable of engaging plants therebetween and moving the plants along a conveyor axis; and

one or more bias members capable of biasing at least one of said at least two arms toward an other one of said at least two arms.

11. The kit of claim 10 wherein said one or more bias members are coupleable to said at least two arms.

12. The kit of claim 11 wherein two pairs of belts are capable of being grouped together by fixing two interior belt rails to a same member of the frame.

13. The kit of claim 12 wherein the bias members are disposed in a position to provide clearance for the plants.

14. The kit of claim 10, further comprising an expanding mechanism capable of exerting an outward force on said at least one movable arm upon engagement so that said at least one movable arm move away from another arm.

15. The kit of claim 14 wherein the expanding mechanism comprises:

at least one rotatable cam; and

at least one rod capable of being engaged by said at least one rotatable cam, said at least one rod capable of applying a first outward force on said at least one movable arm.

16. The kit of claim 15 wherein said expanding mechanism further comprises at least one compressible member that provides a second outward force on the at least one movable arm.

17. The kit of claim 10 wherein at least one of the one or more bias members comprises a spring.

18. The kit of claim 16 wherein each compressible member comprises a spring.

19. A method for harvesting plants, comprising:

moving a body of soil containing one or more plants onto a plant transport apparatus;

engaging the one or more plants by paired belts to transfer the one or more plants between the paired belts; and

automaticailly adjusting a gap between the paired belts based in part on a diameter of the one or more plants by one or more bias members biasing at least one of the paired belts toward an other of the paired belts.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of manipulating an expanding mechanism to expand the paired belts open, the expanding mechanism exerting an outward force to move one of the paired belts away from the other of the paired belts.