BE1019730A3 - PACKAGING DEVICE FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, ESPECIALLY LEEKS. - Google Patents

Description

PACKAGING DEVICE FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS,

ESPECIALLY LEEKS

The present invention relates to a device for packaging agricultural products, in particular vegetables of the elongated and flexible type, such as leeks. It relates more particularly to a device, either installed integral with a towing vehicle and cooperating with a vegetable removal device, for its filling, or installed near a downstream apparatus for its automatic feeding, by emptying said device conditioning.

In this field, there is a need for improvement of existing devices, the machines to be more and more automated, while providing the best possible quality of work. For leeks in particular, the tractor driver must be able to harvest alone, and obtain leeks properly stored, without risk of damaging the leeks, nor risk of malfunction disrupting the progress of the harvest. In addition, by taking the leeks from storage for subsequent operations, it is also desirable that it goes well without manual intervention, while ensuring a maintenance in good condition leeks. Finally, it is desirable that during the storage of agricultural products, they are kept in good conditions, including temperature and aeration.

The document EP 1638386 teaches such a device, the leeks being poured into a container in successive layers. In the device described in this document, the storage is automatic, but the leeks fall from a certain height. This causes shocks that can damage the leeks, and does not guarantee that they are well arranged next to each other. But this is a condition for a storage to allow a good conservation of vegetables.

Document EP 1554918 discloses a solution with a height adjustable storage basket, for lowering said basket as and when filling, and thus limit the drop height at any time filling. The aforementioned drawbacks are mitigated, but are not eliminated so far.

Moreover, in none of these examples of the state of the art, it is possible to take the leeks completely automatically for a subsequent operation, such as washing. Indeed, the proposed containers only allow a mass spill, which requires a significant manual intervention to arrange the leeks next to each other on a power strip of a device.

Finally, agricultural products stored on top of one another can not be kept for long. On the one hand, it is not possible to refresh them quickly, the cold being long to penetrate the entanglement of the products, on the other hand, the air does not reach any more of the products, some being interior of a large mass of products. As a result, it is not possible to keep leek type vegetables under such conditions beyond two days.

The patent application BE2009 / 0042 prepared by the applicant describes a storage device in which the leeks are stored individually held in a vertical position in a rolled strip. This significantly improves their storage capacity, the freshness being able to penetrate from bottom to top between each leek. However, to take these leeks and arrange them on a power strip of a device in a horizontal position, it is necessary to lay them down, or lay them flat. However, on the occasion of such flattening, the leeks mingle and overlap each other, which still requires manual intervention to dispose properly.

The present invention aims to provide a solution to the problems mentioned above.

For this purpose, it is proposed a controlled flattening device of agricultural products, in particular vegetables of the elongated and flexible type such as leeks, intended to be installed in an installation handling agricultural products between a apparatus for transporting agricultural products in a substantially vertical position and an apparatus for transporting agricultural products in a substantially horizontal position. This device is remarkable in that it comprises two soft and deformable strips each having at the input of the device a substantially horizontal speed, and at the output of the device a substantially vertical speed, and a curved shape, preferably in an arc, preferably substantially quarter-crown between the two. This device makes it possible to accompany and maintain agricultural products throughout the flattening operation, and thus to ensure a good distribution of said products on the carpet downstream.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, each soft band is attached to a deformable mechanical chain, which is driven by a cake with a substantially horizontal axis at the outlet of the device, maintained by a return cake with a substantially vertical axis at the input of the device, and at least the strand attached to the active portion of the web guided on a fixed rail in the form of a quarter circle between the two aforementioned cake.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the attachment means of each soft band to the corresponding chain consists of a set of flat welded to the chain, and a hard deformable strip made adherent to the band tender, the plates being fixed to the aforementioned hard band by fastening means of the bolt or rivet type. Thus, the material of the hard strip supports the stress concentrations due to the point fastenings, and distributes the forces over the entire surface. The soft material, on the contrary, is not subjected to such stress concentrations, the latter being maintained on a significant part of its surface, while having the advantage of being more respectful of the state and the diversity of leeks coming to pass.

Nevertheless, the packaging of such agricultural products is problematic. The packaging of the products by a circular band, according to the document BE2009 / 0042 does not allow a satisfactory maintenance throughout the length of the products.

It is therefore proposed according to the present invention a device for packaging agricultural products, in particular vegetables of the elongated and flexible type such as leeks, intended for its filling to be installed on a towing vehicle, and to cooperate with a device tear. This device is remarkable in that it comprises a storage band and a first support comprising a hub, which is rotatable about a vertical axis, allowing a winding of said storage band and the storage of said products. agriculture between two successive layers of said strip, and in that said storage band has a width such that the aforementioned agricultural products are maintained by said band over substantially their entire length.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, said strip consists of a weave of polymer material, in particular polyethylene, advantageously of a mixture with this material, the chains and the wefts being each separated from the next by a space to form orifices providing permeability to said band. In addition, this band consists of a material having elasticity such that it is non-wrinkling and easily repairable, where appropriate by application of an insert, advantageous properties that do not have the known bands.

This arrangement allows an optimal protection of the leeks, even during periods of conditioning of several weeks in cold room.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, said device comprises a mobile drive wheel about a horizontal axis substantially secant with the axis of rotation of the first support, attached to said fixed frame and placed so that by its rotation causes the rotation of said support, in particular by friction.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said drive wheel is placed close to the winding during the course of vegetables, preferably in a position diametrically opposed to the point of arrival of the agricultural products with respect to the axis of rotation of the first support.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, said first support comprises a substantially disk-shaped base, above which the vegetables are stored.

According to another embodiment of the invention, said mobile frame comprises a substantially disk-shaped base, rotatable, intended to receive said first support, to support it and to drive it in rotation.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said drive wheel is placed above said base.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, said drive wheel is placed below said base. Thus, in the case where the mobile frame itself comprises a mobile base in rotation, said drive wheel drives the mobile base, which in turn causes the first storage medium. In the case where the mobile frame does not include such a mobile base, said drive wheel directly drives the first storage medium.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a transport device for taking the vegetables at the exit of the pulling device, and to transport them to the arrival at the first support.

According to another embodiment of the device according to the invention, a transfer conveyor is arranged, for its emptying, between the output of the conditioning device and a feed belt of a downstream device, arranged to receive the products of farming in supine position.

According to a preferred embodiment, a controlled flattening device according to the invention is inserted between the transfer conveyor and the belt.

According to another preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the latter comprises a conveyor for taking back torn products able to perform a back and forth movement, and a packaging container of said agricultural products comprising a bottom rectangular associated with partitioning side walls and arranged on the downstream side of said conveyor, so that the agricultural products fall into said container being distributed in rows on the rectangular bottom by the movement of back and forth of said conveyor . The side wall of said container located on the arrival side of the products has a structure adapted to allow its extension from a lower position of its upper edge below the level of the upper edge of the other walls to a high position of its upper edge . The support frame comprises means for removably hooking the upper edge of said extensible end wall. Said container is mounted on vertically movable support means associated with maneuvering means to ensure its downward movement as and when filling and simultaneously to ensure the lifting of said extensible wall.

The device is notable in that the top position of the border of said expandable wall is significantly above the levels of the upper edges of the adjacent walls.

This arrangement makes visible the upper layers of agricultural products, such as leeks. Thus, the operator of the machine can visually control firstly the filling rate of the container when it is almost full, and secondly the quality of packaging leeks in the container. Indeed, if the quality of packaging is bad in the bottom of the container, it is seen when the container is almost full. On the other hand, if the operator finds a good storage on the last rows of leeks, it is very likely that the storage has an acceptable quality on the entire load of the container.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the wall opposite the extensible wall has a height comparable to the extensible wall. This allows an optimal loading of the leeks in the container, up to the high level of these two opposite walls.

The invention also relates to a machine for harvesting vegetables, in particular leeks, comprising a pulling device and a packaging device according to the invention as described above.

The invention also relates to a method of controlled flattening of agricultural products, in particular elongated and flexible type of vegetables such as leeks, intended to be applied in a method of handling agricultural products between an operation of transport of agricultural products in a substantially vertical position and a transport operation of agricultural products in a substantially horizontal position. This method is remarkable in that it comprises a phase of maintaining said agricultural products in a vertical position and with a horizontal advance speed, and a phase of rotation of said agricultural products towards the horizontal position, said products of agriculture being maintained and accompanied until they reach their horizontal position, and finally a phase of release of agricultural products in a horizontal position.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the linear speed of these products at the level of their maintenance is greater than the speed of the transport operation in the vertical position during the phase of rotation of the products of agriculture, so that the products of agriculture are singularized with respect to each other. Any entanglement of said agricultural products is thus avoided, which significantly improves the smooth running of the process.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the following steps, for the sake of good preservation of the products during storage: • attachment of a first empty support, comprising a hub, mobile in rotation about a axle, on a mobile chassis attached to a towing vehicle • securing a second, rotatably movable support, comprising a storage band wrapped around a hub, on a fixed chassis attached to said towing vehicle • attaching an end from said strip to the hub of the first support • starting a pulling device • rotating the first support before the arrival of the first agricultural products at the exit of the pulling device • filling the first support by winding the band around its hub and storage of agricultural products between two successive layers of said band.

The method is remarkable in that the width of said storage band is substantially equal to the length of the agricultural products

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said mobile frame moves away from the exit of the transfer conveyor, as the band is wound around the hub of the first support, so that the layer in winding course is always near the exit of said conveyor. This arrangement is advantageous because it allows a smooth passage of the products of the pulling device to the packaging device.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the moving movement of the moving frame is actuated by a hydraulic cylinder and controlled by means of a sensor detecting the position of the layer being wound with respect to the output of the transfer conveyor. This makes it possible to control the movement of said mobile frame as finely as possible, and to find the ideal conditions for transferring the products. The invention also relates to the use of a packaging device according to the invention filled, to supply an apparatus, such as a washer, with agricultural products, in particular elongated and flexible vegetables such as leeks. . This use is remarkable in that the agricultural products are taken again at the outlet of the packaging device by a transfer conveyor, transported in a vertical position to a feed belt of said apparatus on which the said agricultural products are in position. horizontal, and in that between the transfer conveyor and the carpet is implemented a controlled flattening process of agricultural products.

This use of the device according to the invention makes full use of the storage by winding in comparison with container storage. Indeed, it makes only possible an orderly provision of agricultural products for a downstream process. Furthermore, the vertical axis arrangement provides a great flexibility of implementation, the coil can be located on any side of the input band of the downstream machine, provided that it is located in the same horizontal plane . On the other hand, if the coil is presented with a horizontal axis, it must necessarily be positioned in alignment with the input band of the downstream machine.

According to another embodiment of the method according to the invention, said method comprises a step of recovering the products torn off by a conveyor capable of performing a back and forth movement, and a step of storing in a container of said products of 'Agriculture. Said container has a rectangular bottom associated with partitioning sidewalls and is arranged on the downstream side of said conveyor, so that agricultural products fall into said container by being arranged in rows on the rectangular bottom thanks to the movement of the container. back and forth of said conveyor. The side wall of the container located on the arrival side of the products then rises from a lower position of its upper edge below the level of the upper edge of the other walls to a high position of its upper edge, the support frame hanging the upper edge of said extensible end wall, and said container moving downwardly as filling and simultaneously ensuring the lifting of said extensible wall.

The method is notable in that the top position of the edge of said expandable wall is significantly above the levels of the upper edges of the adjacent walls.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the wall opposite the extensible wall has a height comparable to said extensible wall.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, a controlled flattening step is provided between the step of transferring the torn products and the step of recovery of these products by the conveyor.

The invention will be better understood with reference to the detailed description below, based on the corresponding drawings. In these examples, the example of leeks was retained. Nevertheless, application with similar solutions, but adapted to other agricultural products, for example young onions, is also within the scope of the present invention. Similarly, detailed solutions will be shown, and other detailed solutions may be provided by those skilled in the art, without these solutions are outside the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 represents a top view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention in a filling situation, with a towing vehicle and a pulling device,

FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 represents an enlarged detail view of an essential element of the device of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 represents a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 in a situation of emptying to a downstream apparatus,

FIG. 5 represents an enlarged perspective view in enlarged detail of an essential element of the device of FIG. 1,

Figures 6 and 7 show a view in detail still enlarged from above and respectively side an essential element of the device,

FIG. 8 represents a top view of a second embodiment of a device according to the invention with a towing vehicle and a pulling device,

FIG. 9 represents a perspective view of an essential element of the device of FIG. 5,

Figure 10 shows a perspective view of the device of Figure 5 incorporating two variants.

Figures 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the invention. With reference to this drawing, the packaging device 2 comprises a chassis 4 movable relative to the tractor vehicle 1, in rotation about a vertical axis 10 located near said tractor vehicle. On this frame is disposed a first support 7 for winding a storage band 6 full. A second support 12 for the winding of the empty storage band 6, and a return roller 13 is fixedly arranged relative to the tractor vehicle 1.

The storage band 6 may have a band width of about 10 cm. In general, the transport or transfer bands have a bandwidth of this order. But to ensure optimum maintenance from harvest to the treatment of the leeks in a downstream apparatus, such as a washer, the storage band 6 is given a substantially greater bandwidth, advantageously of the order of the length of the vegetable to be conveyed, in this case leeks. Thus, the leeks 15 are maintained along their entire length, and do not suffer any damage during the rest of the harvest until the filling of the device, transport to the farm, storage in a cold room, destocking, implementation. place on a downstream installation. All these operations can sometimes extend over several weeks, up to 6 weeks, which was not possible with the conditioning devices of the state of the art.

In addition, to allow the leeks to breathe during all these operations, and to avoid smothering them in the storage band 6, said band consists of a cloth made of a polymer fabric, for example a mixture with polyethylene, combining the following properties: it is resistant while being wrinkle-free so as to eliminate any fold that may form during the process, and porous with spaces between the chains 31 and frames 32 of the weaving, so that said fabric is not waterproof. The weaving chains and wefts typically have a width of 2 mm, and a gap of about 1 mm is left between two chains or wefts (see Figure 3). In addition, the fabric is easily repairable in case a hole would be formed as a result of handling or permanent solicitations, for example by applying a patch or the like, which is not feasible with the existing strips. Such a band allows a much better conservation of leeks than the bands of the state of the art.

The filling is carried out by rotating the first support 7, which drives the storage band 6 by winding, as well as the leeks 15 which arrive at the output of the transfer device 14. They are held between the strip 6 and a hub 8 of the first support 7 for the first turn, then between the band 6 being wound up and the band 6 of the previous turn which has taken place around the hub 8. In this way, the leeks 15 are stored maintained between two parts of strips, spiraling on the first support 7.

The movement of the chassis 4 relative to the tractor vehicle 1 is obtained by a hydraulic cylinder 5 powered by an auxiliary device of the towing vehicle. It is controlled using a set of hydraulic distributors and a fixed sensor 16 relative to the towing vehicle 1, and detecting the presence of leeks 15 on the first support 7 near the output of the transfer device 14 The first support 7 is thus in an initial position such that its hub 8 is located near the exit of the transfer device 14. It is moved away from its initial position on an angle a in the direction of the arrow as it goes of its filling. In this way, the outer layer of leeks 15 on the support being filled is always located near the exit of the transfer device 14. The maximum reached by the angle a corresponds to a distance traveled from the hub 8 of the first support 7 substantially corresponding to a radius of said support, typically of the order of one meter.

A transfer device 14 provides the connection between the pulling device 3 and the storage by the strip 6 on the support 7.

The storage strip 6 takes over from the downstream part of the transfer device 14. On its inside, it takes over the first of the holding strips 18 of the transfer device 14. By the outer side of its previous layer on the support 7 it takes over from the second holding band 18 of the transfer device 14. In this way, the leeks 15 are held at all times, and the risk of a leek falling or a jam at the transfer are reduced to a minimum.

The second support 12, for the empty band 6, is arranged so that the band 6 does not interfere with the transfer device 14. It is arranged on a fixed frame with respect to the tractor vehicle 1.

The rotation of the first support 7 is obtained and controlled by a drive wheel 9, acting by friction on the floor of said support 7. This drive wheel is placed substantially at the symmetrical point of the output of the transfer device 14 relative to the axis of rotation 10 of the first support 7. It is therefore at all times near the turn of the storage strip 6 to wind. Its tangential speed thus prints a speed of rotation to the support 7, a speed that can be chosen so that the linear winding speed is equal to the advancing speed of the leeks 15 at the exit of the pulling device 3. In this way , the speed of the leeks is always the same between the output of the pulling device 3 and the entry into the conditioning device 2 regardless of the current winding diameter on the support 7. Here again will be understood the advantage of this solution to minimize the risk of device malfunction.

A pawl (not shown) is advantageously disposed at the periphery of the first support 7. This makes it possible to avoid an unwanted emptying of the conditioning device 2, for example during a stop in the open field, or during the return path of the fields.

The second support 12 is emptied as the first support 7 fills, by traction on the band 6 caused by the rotation of the first support 7. A not shown brake is disposed on the second support 12, to prevent that it does not start spinning too fast, in which case the tape will no longer be controlled.

When the towing vehicle arrives at the end of the line, it does not need to do a half turn. Indeed, it can rotate the pulling device 3 by 180 °, and simply shift to the next line, and the harvest can continue. The transfer device 14 thus continues to transfer the leeks 15 of the tearing device 3 to the conditioning device 2. This results in time saving maneuver while allowing a greater fluidity of the process.

Once back on the farm, you can have the support 7 full, or partially full in a cold room. Several supports 7 can thus be superimposed in the same chamber. Openings 20 disposed in the floor of the support 7 allow the air to circulate in the chamber, and thus cold to spread to all the leeks 15. In fact, the leeks 15 are in a vertical position, and have interstices between them allowing the air to pass from bottom to top, by the natural effect of convection if the heat is evacuated from above. And as indicated above, the band is intentionally not tight, which allows the air to reach the leeks 15 over their entire length. An acceptable conservation of leeks is thus obtained for 6 weeks, whereas with the solutions of the state of the art, the possible duration is only 2 days.

Subsequently, the first support 7 will be emptied by unwinding, after disengaging the pawl 11. It can then feed a downstream device, such as a washer, or any other useful device. The vertical position of the axis provides a great flexibility of implementation, the coil can be positioned on either side of the inlet strip of the washer -that "left that right", while with a horizontal axis, it is imperative to be in the perfect alignment of said input strip, either "left" or "right".

Figure 4 illustrates a feed arrangement of a downstream apparatus. A transfer device 21 is arranged against the conditioning device 2 in a manner similar to the transfer device 14 arranged for filling the conditioning device 2, the direction of travel being opposite, as indicated by the arrow F. A device such as a band 23 receives the leeks 15 in a horizontal position, and makes it possible to feed the apparatus downstream 24. A controlled flattening device 22 is arranged between the transfer device 21 and the band 23, and allows ensure regular feeding of the band 23.

Figure 5 shows a detailed view of the controlled flattening device. Two chains 25 are made integral with two deformable and soft strips 28. This is achieved by means of flat 26 welded to the chains by a weld 30, and fixed to hard intermediate strips 29, themselves glued to the soft strips 28 (see Figures 6 and 7). Each chain 25 is a flexible mechanical chain, guided by two cakes 27, one horizontal at the entrance of the device, the other vertical at the outlet, and two fixed rails 34, giving it a curved shape, advantageously in quarter The return strand of the chain can be guided in the same way as the forward strand, to give it said quarter-circle shape having a radius of between 30 and 40 cm, for example approximately 35 cm. However, it is also possible to provide a different guidance for the return strand, ensuring only the good engrainement on the cake. The strips 28 thus each have a quarter-crown shape between the inlet of the device and its outlet, at least by its active side, in contact with the leeks 15, and a winding around a flat pulley at each end of the device which pulley rotates about the same axis of rotation as each of the cakes.

A solution in which the strips 28 have a shape of the same type - quarter ring, followed by a winding around a flat pulley, or equivalent at each end, is of course part of the present invention, as well besides than other curved shapes, in particular ellipsoidal or oval in which case the major axis thereof would be arranged preferably in the extension of the feed so as to reduce the drop height of the leeks to the downstream apparatus 23, 24, all benefiting from a more gradual transition from the vertical position to the horizontal in the initial phase of the transfer 22. It is essential here that the tangent to the starting point of the flattening device is in the same plane as the transfer belts 21, while the orthogonal end axis of the soft belts 28 is substantially parallel to the transverse axis of the receiving band 23, leaving only a small distance from the order of a few cm between said ends and the reception band 23 thereby allowing a smooth laying leek thereon 23 in the elongate recess 15 advantageously provided for this purpose. For example, the belt may be driven directly by the flat pulleys and may be guided to give them the quarter-crown shape in another way, for example by rolling the field of the belt over rollers arranged in a quarter-circle.

The strips 28 are made of a soft and flexible material having a certain elasticity, which thanks to good elastic deformability, exerts a slight pressure on the leek passing, thus allowing a good holding thereof during its passage, even in inclined phase at an advanced stage in the flattening strip. Indeed, to ensure a perfect hold leeks 15 between the two strips 28, they must be arranged close to each other, enough to ensure the maintenance of the smallest leek. Larger leeks, however, must be able to pass through the device without being damaged, and therefore the surface of the band must move back slightly to allow them to pass. The softness of the material makes this possible, and allows all the leeks to pass without damage.

In an alternative arrangement of the flattening device 22 not shown, the strips 28 may extend in continuity with the strips of the transfer device, thereby saving an apparatus. In this arrangement, said strips 28 are attached to mechanical chains through plates along their entire length, and the upstream cake is located at the inlet of the transfer device.

In another arrangement, as shown in FIG. 5, the upstream cake of the strips 28 are preferably arranged under the end return rollers 17 of the transfer device 21, so as, on the one hand, not to leave a path on which the leeks 15 would no longer be guided between the devices 21 and 22, on the other hand that the smallest part of the leeks only is found within the quarter circle formed by the strips 28, and the largest part outside this quarter circle. Thus, in the case where the chains 25 are driven at the same speed as the strips of the transfer device 21, the parts not visible in Figure 5 of the leeks are slightly closer, while the visible parts are away from a strong the other. This makes it possible to avoid a clogging of the leeks 15 under the strips 28, and to singles the leeks well along their path in the flattening device controlled by separating them from one another, and thus to obtain a distribution of leeks 15 perfectly regular on the carpet 23, without intermingling between the leeks.

In order to further enhance this advantage, the speed control of the cake 27 is adjustable, and it is possible to make the speed of the chains 25 higher than the speed of the belts of the transfer device 21. It is thus possible to adjust the machine to such an extent. so that the leeks move away from each other over their entire length, and set the speed of the cake 27 to the value just sufficient to obtain a perfect distribution of leeks on the carpet 23.

Figure 8 shows a tractor vehicle 101 provided with a leek pulling device 103 and a temporary leek conditioning device 102 according to a second embodiment of the invention.

The packaging device 102 comprises a first conveyor 104 fixed and pouring the leeks 115 onto a second conveyor 105 of the torn products. The latter 105 is able to move back and forth. The device 102 also comprises a storage container 106 of said agricultural products comprising a rectangular bottom 107 associated with partitioning sidewalls 108, 109, 110. This container is arranged on the downstream side of said conveyor 105 so that the agricultural products fall into said container 106 by being distributed in rows on the rectangular bottom 107 by reciprocating said conveyor 105.

Figure 9 shows an enlarged view of the storage container 106. One of the side walls 110 of said container 106, located on the arrival side of the products, has a structure adapted to allow its extension from a low position of its border upper under the level of the upper border of the other walls to a high position of its upper border. This is for example rigid horizontal bars whose ends slide in two vertical guides, these bars being interconnected by several flexible son.

The support frame of the device comprises means for removably hooking the upper edge of said extensible end wall 110. Furthermore, the container 106 is mounted on vertically movable support means associated with maneuvering means to ensure its movement towards the bottom as it is filled and simultaneously to ensure the lifting of said extensible wall 110.

The high position of the edge of said expandable wall 110 is significantly above the levels of the upper edges of the adjacent walls 108, while the opposite wall 109 to the expandable wall 110 preferably has a height comparable to said expandable wall.

Figure 10 shows two variants of the device of Figure 5. First, the device is provided between the pulling device 103 and the flat strip 105 of a controlled flattening device 122. In this way the leeks 115 are perfectly arranged on the conveyor 105 one behind the other, and eliminates any risk of entanglement leeks 115. Then, the conveyor 104 is removed, the leeks horizontal position arrive directly on the conveyor 105, equipped with the setting means in movement back and forth. In this way we save a conveyor, as well as a fall from one conveyor to another, which further reduces the risk of entanglement or poor position of the leeks on the conveyor 105.

The two variants shown in Figure 10 can be implemented individually in isolation, it is not necessary to combine them.

Claims (27)

1. Controlled flattening device (22, 122) of agricultural products, in particular elongated and flexible type vegetables such as leeks, intended to be installed in an installation for handling agricultural products between a device transporting agricultural products (21, 103) in a substantially vertical position and a device for transporting agricultural products (23, 105) in a substantially horizontal position, characterized in that it comprises two soft bands (28) and deformable each having at the input of the device a substantially horizontal speed, and at the output of the device a substantially vertical speed, and a substantially quarter-crown shape between the two. 2. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each strip (28) is attached to a deformable mechanical chain (25), which is driven by a cake (27) substantially horizontal axis at the outlet of the device, maintained by a substantially vertical axis return cake (27) at the inlet of the device, and at least the strand attached to the active part of the strip (28) guided on a quarter-fixed fixed rail (34). circle between the two above-mentioned cake. 3. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the fastening means of each strip (28) to the corresponding chain (25) consists of a set of plates (26) welded to the chain, and of a hard deformable strip (29) made adherent to the soft band (28), the plates (26) being fixed to the aforementioned hard band by bolt or rivet type fixing means. 4. Device for packaging (2) agricultural products, in particular elongated and flexible type vegetables such as leeks, intended for its filling to be installed on a tractor vehicle (1), and to cooperate with a device for pulling (3), characterized in that it comprises a storage band (6) and a first support (7) comprising a hub (8), rotatable about a vertical axis (10), allowing a winding said storage strip (6) and storing said agricultural products between two successive layers of said strip (6), and in that said storage strip (6) has a width such that the products said crop (15) are maintained by said strip (6) over substantially their entire length. 5. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said strip consists of a weave of polymeric material, especially polyethylene, the chains and the frames being separated each of the following by a gap, imparting a permeability to said band. 6. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a drive wheel (9) movable about a horizontal axis substantially secant with the axis of rotation of the first support (7), which is arranged in rotation so that it causes the rotation of said first support, in particular by friction. 7. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said drive wheel (9) is placed close to the current winding of agricultural products, preferably in a position diametrically opposed to the point of arrival of the products. agriculture (15) relative to the axis of rotation (10) of the first support (7). 8. Device according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that said first support (7) comprises a substantially disk-shaped base, above which the agricultural products are stored. 9. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a substantially disk-shaped base, movable in rotation, for receiving said first support (7), to support it and to drive it in rotation. 10. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that said drive wheel (9) is placed above said base. 11. Device according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that said drive wheel (9) is placed below said base of the first support (7), respectively of said base of the device supporting said first support (7). 12. Device according to one of claims 4 to 10, characterized in that it comprises a transport device for taking the vegetables at the exit of the pulling device (3), and to transport them to the arrived at the first support (7). Packaging device (2) according to claim 4, characterized in that for its emptying, a transfer conveyor (21) is arranged between the outlet of the conditioning device and a carpet (23) for feeding a device downstream (24), arranged to receive agricultural products (15) in supine position. 14. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that between the transfer conveyor (21) and the belt (23) is inserted a controlled flattening device (22) according to one of claims 1 to 3. 15. Device for packaging (102) agricultural products, in particular elongated and flexible type vegetables such as leeks, intended for filling to be installed on a tractor vehicle (101) and to cooperate with a device grubbing (103), comprising a reciprocating conveyor (105) for reciprocating products adapted for reciprocation, and a storage container (106) for said agricultural products having a rectangular bottom (107) associated with lateral partitioning walls (108, 109, 110) and arranged on the downstream side of said conveyor (105) so that the agricultural products fall into said container (106) by being arranged in rows on the rectangular bottom (107) thanks to the movement back and forth of said conveyor (105), the side wall (110) of said container (106) located on the arrival side of the products having a structure adapted to allow its extension from a low position its upper edge below the level of the upper edge of the other walls to a high position of its upper edge, the support frame comprising means for removably hooking the upper edge of said extensible end wall (110), and said container (106) being mounted on movable support means vertically associated with maneuvering means to ensure its downward movement as and when filling and simultaneously to lift said extensible wall (110), characterized in that the top position of the edge of said expandable wall (110) is significantly above the levels of the upper edges of the adjacent walls (108). 16. Packaging device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the opposite wall (109) to the extensible wall (110) has a height comparable to said extensible wall. 17. Packaging device according to one of the two preceding claims, characterized in that between the pulling device (103) and the return conveyor (105) is arranged a controlled flattening device (122) according to the invention. one of claims 1 to 3. 18. Machine for harvesting vegetables, in particular leeks, comprising a pulling device (3, 103) and a packaging device (2, 102) according to one of claims 4 to 16. 19. Process for controlled flattening of agricultural products, in particular elongated and flexible type vegetables such as leeks, intended to be applied in a process for handling agricultural products between a product transport operation. agriculture (21, 103) in a substantially vertical position and a transport operation of agricultural products (23, 5) in substantially horizontal position, characterized in that it comprises a maintenance phase of said agricultural products (15) in a vertical position and with a horizontal forward speed, and a phase of rotation of said agricultural products to the horizontal position, said agricultural products being maintained and accompanied until they reach their horizontal position, finally a phase of release of agricultural products in a horizontal position. 20. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that during the rotation phase of the agricultural products the linear speed of these products at the level of their maintenance is greater than the speed of the transport operation in the vertical position, so that agricultural products are singled out from each other, and all entanglement is avoided. 21. A method of packaging agricultural products (15), in particular vegetables of the elongated and flexible type such as leeks, comprising the following steps: • attachment of a first support (7) empty, comprising a hub (8 ), movable in rotation about a vertical axis (10), on a mobile frame (4) attached to a towing vehicle (1) • fixing a second support (12), rotatable, comprising a strip of storage (6) wrapped around a hub (8), on a fixed frame attached to said towing vehicle (1) • attaching an end of said strip (6) to the hub (8) of the first support (7) • starting a pulling device (3) • rotating the first support (7) before the arrival of the first agricultural products (15) at the outlet of the pulling device (3) • filling the first support ( 7) winding the band (6) around its hub (8) and storing the agricultural products e (15) between two successive layers of said strip (6) characterized in that the width of said storage strip (6) is substantially equal to the length of the agricultural products (15). 22. A method of packaging according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the agricultural products (15) leaving the lifting device (3) are taken up by a transfer conveyor (14), which feeds the storage band ( 6). 23. Packaging method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that as and when the winding of the strip (6) around the hub (8) of the first support (7), said mobile frame (4) s' away from the exit of the pulling device (3), respectively transfer device (14) so that the layer being wound is in proximity to the output of the transfer device (14) from start to finish winding of the aforementioned band. 24. Packaging method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the spacing movement of the movable frame (4) is actuated by a hydraulic cylinder (5) and controlled by means of a sensor (16) detecting the position of the layer being wound with respect to the output of the transfer device (14). 25. Use of a packaging device according to one of claims 4 to 16 and filled, in particular according to one of claims 20 to 23, for supplying an apparatus (24), such as a washer, with products of the invention. agriculture, in particular of vegetables of the elongated and flexible type such as leeks, characterized in that the agricultural products are taken again at the outlet of the conditioning device (2) by a transfer conveyor (21), transported in position vertical to a carpet (23) for feeding said apparatus (24) on which carpet (23) said agricultural products are in a horizontal position, and in that between the transfer conveyor (21) and the carpet (23) is implemented a controlled flattening process of agricultural products according to one of claims 18 or 19. 26. A method of packaging (102) agricultural products, in particular elongated and flexible type vegetables such as leeks, torn off by a pulling device (103), comprising a step of transferring the torn products to a conveyor (105), and a step of recovery of the products torn off by said conveyor (105), which is able to perform a back and forth movement, and a storage step in a container (106) of said agricultural products, said container (106) having a rectangular bottom (107) associated with partitioning side walls (108, 109, 1 10) and arranged on the downstream side of said conveyor (105) so that the agricultural products fall into said container (106) being distributed in rows on the rectangular bottom (107) by the reciprocating movement of said conveyor (105), the side wall (110) of said container (106) located on the arrival side of the products coming from a positi lowering its upper edge below the level of the upper edge of the other walls to a high position of its upper edge, the support frame hanging the top edge of said expandable end wall (110), and said container (106); ) moving downwards as it is filled and at the same time lifting said extensible wall (110), characterized in that the upper position of the border of said extensible wall (110) is significantly above the levels of the upper edges of the adjacent walls (108). 27. A method of packaging according to the preceding claim, characterized in that between the step of transferring the torn products and the step of recovery of these products by the conveyor (105) is inserted a controlled flattening step according to one of claims 18 or 19.