Root-crop lifting machine - has rotary cage transporter parallel to knife between it and sieve belt

摘要

The lifting machine is particularly for root crops such as leeks, endives etc., having a horizontal knife fixed to two or more vertical knife-type beams moved through the ground at adjustable depth. A row of bars forming a lifting rack and hinging for a limited amount slope upwards from the rear of the knife, breaking up the earth and separating it from the crop. A sieve belt extending for the full width of the knife has a sloping top run lifting the crop still further and cleaning it before delivery to a collection and discharge unit. The chassis has a hitch and lifting mechanism for coupling to a tractor, together with drive to the belt, rack, knife etc.. It has a rotary transporter, typically a bar cage (17) parallel to the knife (7) and running in the same direction as the sieve belt (25) but at 0.8 times the peripheral speed. It protrudes between the knife and the bottom end of the belt and slightly above the line joining the rack (14) and the lower most point of the belt top run (251).