Cutting system

• US 6,286,605 B1
• Filed: 10/08/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marvin Landeis
• Original Assignee: Marvin Landeis
• Inventors: Landeis, Marvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US09/415,904
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 171/50, 171/42, 171/30, 171/DIG.1, 562/35, 562/56, 565/04, 56/1, 56/2, 56/171, 562/55, 562/95, 563/271, 563/281, 561/214, 56D/IG.17, 56D/IG.20, 460/904
• US Class Current: 171/50
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 3/00 Cutting implements specially adapted for horticultural purposes; Delimbing standing trees forestry delimbers A01G23/095

Abstract

A vine cutter for cutting entangled vines of potato plants in front of a potato harvester so that the vines do not become entangled and accumulated upon a front portion of the potato harvester. The inventive device includes a frame having a pair of upper members and a pair of opposing lower members, a first disc and a second disc journaled to the frame, a third disc journaled to the frame below the first disc and second disc, a ground engaging rim attached coaxially to the third disc, and a motor mechanically connected to the first, second and third discs. The first disc, the second disc and the third disc are vertically orientated, and a portion of the discs overlap and are juxtaposed to one another. A portion of the third disc is between the first disc and the second disc for severing the vines. The discs preferably include a plurality of notches projecting into their respective outer perimeters. The discs may have different sizes with respect to one another. The ground engaging ring attached to the third disc determines the depth of penetration by the third disc into the ground. The discs preferably rotate opposite of one another with a lower portion of the third disc rotating with the movement of the frame with respect to the ground surface. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the first disc and the second disc are attached to the frame below the third disc thereby engaging the ground surface.

Claims

1. A vine cutter for cutting vines of a crop, comprising:

a frame having an upper portion and a lower portion;

a first disc and a second disc journaled to said upper portion of said frame, wherein said first disc is positioned a finite distance from said second disc;

a third disc journaled to said lower portion of said frame below said first disc and said second disc, wherein a portion of said third disc is positioned between said first disc and said second disc for severing said vines, wherein said third disc is frictionally in engagement between said first disc and said second disc; and

a means for rotating said first disc, said second disc and said third disc, wherein said third disc rotates opposite of said first disc and said second disc.

2. The vine cutter of claim 1, including a ground engaging ring secured coaxially to said third disc, wherein a radius of said ground engaging ring is shorter than a radius of said third disc for determining said predetermined depth at which said third disc penetrates said ground.

3. The vine cutter of claim 1, wherein said first disc and said second disc include a plurality of notches projecting into an outer perimeter thereof.

4. The vine cutter of claim 1, wherein said third disc includes a plurality of notches projecting into a perimeter thereof.

5. The vine cutter of claim 4, wherein said first disc and said second disc include a plurality of notches projecting into an outer perimeter thereof.

6. The vine cutter of claim 1, wherein a rotational ratio between said third disc and said first disc is between 1.2 and 2.5.

7. The vine cutter of claim 6, wherein said first disc rotates at the same rotational speed of said second disc.

8. The vine cutter of claim 1, wherein said means for rotating comprises a hydraulic motor.

9. The vine cutter of claim 1, wherein said first disc and said second disc have a similar outer perimeter.

10. A vine cutter for cutting vines of a crop, comprising:

a frame having an upper portion and a lower portion;

a first disc and a second disc journaled to said lower portion of said frame, wherein said first disc is positioned a finite distance from said second disc;

a third disc journaled to said upper portion of said frame above said first disc and said second disc, wherein a portion of said third disc is positioned between said first disc and said second disc for severing said vines; and

means for rotating said first disc, said second disc and said third disc, wherein said third disc rotates opposite of said first disc and said second disc.

11. The vine cutter of claim 10, including a ground engaging ring secured coaxially to said first disc, wherein a radius of said ground engaging ring is shorter than a radius of said first disc for determining said predetermined depth at which said first disc penetrates said ground.

12. The vine cutter of claim 10, wherein said first disc and said second disc include a plurality of notches projecting into an outer perimeter thereof.

13. The vine cutter of claim 10, wherein said third disc includes a plurality of notches projecting into a perimeter thereof.

14. The vine cutter of claim 13, wherein said first disc and said second disc include a plurality of notches projecting into an outer perimeter thereof.

15. The vine cutter of claim 10, wherein a rotational ratio between said third disc and said first disc is between 1.2 and 2.5.

16. The vine cutter of claim 15, wherein said first disc rotates at the same rotational speed of said second disc.

17. The vine cutter of claim 10, wherein said means for rotating comprises a hydraulic motor.

18. The vine cutter of claim 10, wherein said first disc and said second disc have a similar outer perimeter.

19. The vine cutter of claim 10, wherein said third disc is frictionally in engagement between said first disc and said second disc.

20. A vine cutter for cutting vines of a crop, comprising:

a frame having an upper portion and a lower portion;

a first disc and a second disc journaled to said upper portion of said frame, wherein said first disc is positioned a finite distance from said second disc;

a third disc journaled to said lower portion of said frame below said first disc and said second disc, wherein a portion of said third disc is positioned between said first disc and said second disc for severing said vines;

a means for rotating said first disc, said second disc and said third disc, wherein said third disc rotates opposite of said first disc and said second disc; and

wherein a rotational ratio between said third disc and said first disc is between 1.2 and 2.5.