METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING SUGAR CANE

• US 3,841,072 A
• Filed: 08/29/1972
• Issued: 10/15/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John Colin Hudson
• Original Assignee: John Colin Hudson
• Inventors: Hudson, John Colin
• Primary Examiner(s): Guida, Antonio F.
• Application Number:
  US05/284,596
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 56/51,53,55,56,62,63
• US Class Current: 56/51
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 45/10 of sugar cane for digging sugar cane A01D31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 47/00 Headers for topping of plants, e.g. stalks with ears

Abstract

Apparatus for removing the leafy tops of sugar cane stalks comprises a device for mounting on a propelling vehicle, which device comprises a device rotatable about a horizontal axis extending transversely to the direction of travel of the vehicle at a distance above ground level and below the level of the tops of the sugar cane stalks. The device comprises a plurality of beater elements spaced around the axis of rotation of the device and extending along the axial length of the device. Each beater element comprises a plurality of axially spaced flexible fingers projecting from the beater element. The device is mounted on the vehicle in such a manner as to be capable of free up and down movement relative to the vehicle.

Claims

1. Apparatus for removing the leafy tops of sugar cane stalks, the apparatus comprising in combination:

a rotatable beating device;

mounting means for mounting said beating device on a propelling vehicle and providing an axis of rotation for said beating device, said axis extending transversely to the direction of travel of said vehicle and being at a distance above ground level;

counterbalancing means allowing the device to freely move up and down relative to the vehicle in response to differences in cane stalk height encountered during the topping process;

said beating device including a plurality of beating elements, said beating elements being spaced around said axis of rotation and extending along said axis;

means to effect power driven rotation of said beating device;

an elongate abutment bar extending parallel to said axis of rotation of said beating device; and

means securing said bar at a distance behind said beating device to establish a clearance between said abutment bar and said rotatable beating elements.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each said beating element comprises an elongate finger of resiliently flexible material, and wherein there are provided means mounting said resiliently flexible fingers at intervals along the length of respective axially extending bars on said device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pusher bar extending parallel to said axis of rotation of said device and spaced in front of the device in its direction of travel through the sugar cane.