ROOT CROP HARVESTING IMPLEMENT

• US 3,791,451 A
• Filed: 12/17/1971
• Issued: 02/12/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard David Zaun, Richard Wayne Hook
• Original Assignee: Richard David Zaun, Richard Wayne Hook
• Inventors: Zaun, Richard David, Hook, Richard Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Guida, Antonio F.
• Application Number:
  US05/209,124
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 171/18,25,28,58,113,118,133,23,138,144 214/17C
• US Class Current: 171/58
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 17/00 Digging machines with sieving and conveying mechanisms

Abstract

A root crop harvester includes a main frame, a plurality of digger wheels on the front of the main frame, conveyor means supported on the frame to receive roots from the digger wheels and deliver the same to a transversely extending auger conveyor which moves the roots to a vertical auger conveyor. An additional conveyor mounted on the upper end of the vertical auger conveyor in root-receiving relationship therewith moves the roots laterally outwardly to a deposit area. In one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of grab rolls are associated with the transverse auger conveyor to clean the roots as they are moved to the vertical auger conveyor.

Claims

1. A root crop harvester comprising:

a main frame;

root digging means secured across the forward end of the frame;

elevator means including a substantially upright auger conveyor mounted on the frame for moving roots from the lower end thereof upwardly to a deposit area; and

conveyor means suported on the main frame to receive roots from the digging means and moving the same upwardly and laterally from the root digging means to the lower end of the upright auger conveyor.

2. A root crop harvester as set forth in claim 1 wherein the elevator means further includes a lateral conveyor means mounted on the upper end of the auger conveyor in root-receiving relationship therewith.

3. A root crop harvesting implement including forward root digging means, first conveyor means rearwardly of the digging means for receiving roots from the digging means and conveying the same upwardly and rearwardly, second conveyor means for receiving roots from the first conveyor means and moving the same laterally, and elevator means at one end of the second conveyor means for receiving roots from the one end of the second conveyor means and elevating the same to an upper deposit area, characterized in that the elevator means includes a substantially upright auger conveyor having its lower end adjacent the one end of the second conveyor means And a third conveyor means carried at the upper end of the auger conveyor in root-receiving relationship thereto.

4. A root crop harvesting implement as set forth in claim 3 further characterized in that the second conveyor means includes elongated trough means extending transversely along the upper rear end of the first conveyor means and an auger journaled in the trough means for moving roots deposited in the trough means along the trough to the lower end of the upright auger conveyor.

5. A root crop harvesting implement as set forth in claim 4 further characterized in that the trough means is provided with a plurality of openings which provide a scrubbing action on the roots as they are moved along the trough to remove foreign material.

6. A root crop harvesting implement as set forth in claim 5 further characterized in that the upright auger conveyor includes an elongated cylindrical housing and an auger rotatably mounted in the housing, and the housing is provided with a plurality of openings which provide a scrubbing action as the roots are moved along the housing.

7. A root crop harvesting implement as set forth in claim 4 further characterized in that the trough means is at least partially formed by a plurality of elongated grab rolls extending generally parallel to and positioned closely adjacent to the axis of rotation of the auger of the second conveyor means.

8. A root crop harvesting implement including forward digger wheel assemblies, first conveyor means rearwardly of the digger wheel assemblies for receiving roots from the wheel assemblies and conveying the same upwardly and rearwardly, second conveyor means for receiving roots from the first conveyor means and moving the same laterally, and elevator means at one end of the second conveyor means for receiving roots therefrom and elevating the same to an upper deposit area, characterized in that the second conveyor means and the elevator means both include an auger conveyor and the auger conveyor of the elevator means is substantially upright.

9. A root crop harvesting implement as set forth in claim 8 further characterized in that the auger conveyor of the second conveyor means includes a plurality of elongated, parallel, and closely positioned grab rolls forming a trough and an auger rotatably mounted in the trough.

10. A root crop harvesting implement as set forth in claim 8 further characterized in that the auger conveyor of the second conveyor includes an elongated trough member extending along the rear end of the first conveyor means in root-receiving relationship thereto, and an auger rotatably mounted in the trough.

11. A root crop harvesting implement as set forth in claim 10 further characterized in that the trough member is provided with a plurality of openings for the discharge of foreign material.

12. A root crop harvesting implement including a plurality of side-by-side forward digger wheel assemblies, first conveyor means rearwardly of the digger wheel assemblies for receiving roots from the digger wheel assemblies and conveying the same upwardly and rearwardly, second conveyor means including an auger conveyor for receiving roots from the first conveyor means and moving the same laterally, elevator means at the one end of the second conveyor means including a substantially upright auger conveyor for receiving roots from the second conveyor means and moving the same upwardly, and third conveyor means mounted at the upper end of the elevator means for receiving roots therefrom and moving the same in the same lateral direction as the second conveyor means to an outer deposit area.