JP7524999B2 - Root vegetable harvester - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a root vegetable harvester that pulls and harvests crops from a field.

Conventional root vegetable harvesters are equipped with a storage bag for storing harvested crops, a hanging hanger for suspending the storage bag, and a platform for supporting the storage bag. (Patent Document 1)

JP 2011-30470 A

However, in the root vegetable harvester described in Patent Document 1, the loading platform is rotated vertically to unload the storage bags, so the operator must support the heavy storage bags while working. Another problem is that it is difficult for one person to operate the machine.

In addition, because the storage bags can only be unloaded near the machine, there is a problem that they come into contact with the machine during and after loading and unloading, damaging the harvested crops. There is also a problem that the unloaded storage bags may come into contact with the machine traveling along the harvesting work route in the next process.

The invention described in claim 1 is
A root vegetable harvester including an extracting and conveying device (24) for extracting and harvesting crops, a conveying device (87) for conveying the harvested crops, a storage support member (950) for supporting a storage container (97) on the conveying device (87), and a storage placement table (112) for placing the storage container (97),
The conveying device (87) is configured to move the receiving support member (950) up and down by moving the conveying end side up and down,
The storage support member (950) is switched between a first position (X) in which the storage container (97) is placed on the storage mounting base (112) in the mounting position and serves as a working position for storing the harvested crop, and a second position (Y) in which the storage container (97) is suspended and supported at a position away from the conveying device (87) on the left and right outside of the storage mounting base (112) in the mounting position, and
When the end side of the conveying device (87) is lowered while the storage container (97) is in the second attitude (Y), the storage container (97) can be lowered into the field in a state in which the storage container (97) is suspended and supported by the storage support member (950) on the left and right outer sides of the storage and mounting table (112) in the mounting attitude.

The invention described in claim 2 is
The root vegetable harvester of claim 1, characterized in that the storage and loading platform (112) is attached so as to be freely rotatable in the left-right direction of the body of the machine with the left-right rotating shaft (110a) as a rotation fulcrum, and when the storage and loading platform is rotated upward and the terminal end of the conveying device (87) is lowered with the storage support member (950) in the first position (X), the storage container (97) can be lowered to a position adjacent to the body of the machine.

The invention described in claim 3 is a root vegetable harvester described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the storage support member (950) is provided so as to be freely rotatable up and down, and the storage support member (950) can be rotated into a position in which it overlaps with the conveying device (87) in the vertical direction of the machine body.

According to the invention described in claim 1, the storage container (97) can be moved away from the conveying device (87), so that the storage container (97) can be moved away from the machine body, preventing the storage container (97) from coming into contact with the machine body and damaging the harvested crops.

According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, the storage container (97) can be easily unloaded by switching between a state in which the storage container (97) is supported and adjacent to the sorting transport conveyor (87) and a state in which the storage container is supported and separated.

According to the invention described in claim 3, in addition to the effects of the invention described in claim 1 or 2, the storage support member (950) is provided so as to be freely rotatable up and down, and the storage support member (950) can be rotated to a position where it overlaps with the conveying device (87) in the vertical direction of the machine body, so that the storage support member (950) can be contained within the width of the machine body.

Side view of root crop harvester Top view of root crop harvester Rear view of main parts of sorting and conveying unit Rear view of main parts of sorting and conveying unit Power transmission mechanism diagram of the residual leaf processing section and sorting and conveying section Rear view of sorting and conveying section and placement and discharge section Plan view of sorting and conveying section Rear view of the main parts of the sorting and transporting conveyor Plan view of the main part of the shoulder alignment device for the stem and leaf cutting section Rear view of sorting and conveying section and placement and discharge section Side view of stem and leaf cutting Plan view of stem and leaf cutting Plan view of the main part of the shoulder alignment device for the stem and leaf cutting section (a) is a plan view of a conveying body of the shoulder alignment device, (b) is a side view of the conveying body of the shoulder alignment device, and (c) is a front view of the conveying body of the shoulder alignment device. Side cross-sectional view of shoulder alignment device Front view of the sorting and transporting conveyor in the transport direction Side view of the main part of the sorting and transporting conveyor in the transport direction Plan view of the loading and unloading section Side view of the placement and ejection section Close-up of the main part of the sorting conveyor showing the stone separation plate Side view of the main part of the sorting conveyor showing the stone separation plate A side view of a root vegetable harvester provided with a holding and conveying device according to another embodiment. FIG. 1 is a rear view of a main part of a root vegetable harvester provided with a holding and conveying device according to another embodiment. FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of a main part of a clutch mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a rear view showing the mechanism of the storage support member of another embodiment and the working position where the harvested product is stored in the storage container. FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the mechanism of the storage support member of another embodiment and the working position where the harvested product is stored in the storage container. FIG. 3 is a rear view showing the mechanism of the storage support member of another embodiment and the working position where the harvested product is stored in the storage container. FIG. 1 is a rear view showing the mechanism of the storage support member of another embodiment and the unloading position where the storage container is unloaded. FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the mechanism of the storage support member of another embodiment and the unloading position where the storage container is unloaded. FIG. 3 is a rear view showing the mechanism of the storage support member of another embodiment and the unloading position where the storage container is unloaded. FIG. 13 is a rear view showing a storage posture in which the storage support member of the second embodiment is stored inside the aircraft body.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Figures 1 to 21, the carrot harvester, which is a type of root vegetable harvester shown as one embodiment, is composed of a traveling section A that drives the machine, a control section B on which the operator rides, a harvesting section C that pulls out carrots from the field on one side of the machine body and transports them to the upper rear of the machine body, a stem and leaf cutting section D that takes over the carrots from the harvesting section C and transports them to the rear of the machine body while cutting the stems and leaves, a remaining leaf processing section E that receives carrots that fall from the stem and leaf cutting section D and processes the stems and leaves remaining on the carrots, a sorting and transporting section F that takes over the carrots from the remaining leaf processing section E and transports them from one side of the machine body to the other side, where an assistant worker sorts the carrots being transported, a storage section G that places storage members for the carrots discharged from the sorting and transporting section F, and a loading and discharging section H that places the bottom of the storage member and discharges it into the field.

In this case, in the plan view, the left side of the aircraft's direction of travel is referred to as one left/right side of the aircraft, and the right side of the aircraft's direction of travel is referred to as the other left/right side of the aircraft. Details of each part are described below.

First, we will explain the configuration of running section A.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, left and right crawlers 6L, 6R are formed by wrapping left and right belts 5, 5 around left and right driving sprockets 2, 2 on the front side of the machine body, left and right driven wheels 3, 3 on the rear side of the machine body, and multiple rollers 4, 4... attached between the left and right driving sprockets 2, 2 and the left and right driven wheels 3, 3 below the machine body frame 1. The left and right driving sprockets 2, 2 of the left and right crawlers 6L, 6R are then attached to left and right drive shafts 9, 9 extending to both the left and right sides from a transmission case 8 to which the power of the engine 7 is transmitted, and the left and right crawlers 6L, 6R are attached to the machine body frame 1 with a certain left-right spacing.

Next, we will explain the configuration of the control unit B.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a control frame 10 is attached to the upper right side of the machine frame 1, a pilot's seat 11 is attached to the control frame 10, and a control panel 12 is attached to the front of the machine. A speed change lever 13 that switches the machine's forward/reverse movement and travel speed is attached to the control panel 12, and a lift control lever 14 that turns the machine left and right and controls the working height of the harvesting section C is also attached.

The control section B is formed by attaching a radiator cover 10a, which protects the radiator (not shown) that cools the engine 7 and takes in cooling air, to the other side (right side) of the control section frame 10.

The above configuration allows for the provision of control members such as the gear shift control lever 13 and the lift control lever 14 that can perform multiple operations with a single operation, making it easier to control the aircraft and reducing the workload of the pilot.

Next, the configuration of the harvesting section C will be explained.

1 and 2, left and right driven pulleys 16, 16 are rotatably attached to the front of the left and right pulling frames 15, 15, and left and right driving pulleys 17, 17 are attached to the rear of the machine, and left and right clamping conveyor belts 18, 18 for pulling out carrots and transporting them to the rear of the machine are wound between the left and right driven pulleys 16, 16 and the left and right driving pulleys 17, 17, and the left and right clamping conveyor belts 18, 18 are biased by multiple tension rollers 19, so that the inside sides of the left and right clamping conveyor belts 18, 18 are pressed against each other to form a carrot pulling and transport path R. A rotating frame 20 is attached above the machine frame 1, which can rotate up and down around left and right horizontal shafts 21 as rotation fulcrums, and a transmission case 22 for transmitting driving force to the left and right driving pulleys 17, 17 is attached to the rear end of the rotating frame 20 so as to be rotatable up and down around rotation fulcrum X. In addition, the machine frame 1 and the rotating frame 20 are connected by a lifting cylinder 23, and the lifting cylinder 23 is attached so that it can be operated by the control unit B to form a drawing and conveying device 24.

The transmission case 22 supplies driving force not only to the extraction and conveying device 24 but also to the alignment devices 54L and 54R, the leaf discharge conveying device 65, and the remaining leaf conveying device 70, which will be described later.

In addition, a vertical lifting device 25 that lifts the stems and leaves of carrots is provided in front of the pulling and conveying device 24, a horizontal lifting device 26 that scoops up the stems and leaves lifted by the vertical lifting device 25, a grass-splitting rod 27 provided in front of the horizontal lifting device 26, a rotatable gauge wheel 31 at the lower end of an extendable rod 30 that extends and retracts up and down when a handle 29 is turned to prevent the pulling and conveying device 24 from descending too far, and left and right vibrating soilers 34, 34 that are attached to a vibrating frame 33 that vibrates due to the rotation of a shaft 32 that rotates due to the driving force of the engine 7 and that loosen the soil on the left and right of the carrots by vibration.

The left and right mud removers 34a, 34a that come into contact with and remove mud adhering to the carrots being transported by the pulling-out and transporting device 24 are provided in the vibrating soilers 34, 34 at a portion that does not enter the soil, and a tail cutting device 35 that cuts off the root hairs of the carrots being transported by the pulling-out and transporting device 24 is provided below the pulling-out and transporting path R, forming the harvesting section C.

With the above configuration, by providing a horizontal pulling device 26 with a grass-dividing rod 27 on the front side of the machine body and a vertical pulling device 25, harvesting work can be done while raking up the stems and leaves of carrots that have fallen in the field. Since the visibility of the carrots to be harvested is improved, it is easier to align the pulling position, and the amount of crop left behind is reduced, improving work efficiency.

In addition, the carrots are prevented from being damaged by contact with the left and right vibrating soyers 34, 34, etc., improving the commercial value of the carrots.

By providing left and right mud removers 34a, 34a on the parts of the vibrating soilers 34, 34 that do not enter the soil, mud adhering to the carrots during transport can be removed, shortening the time required to clean the machine and improving maintainability. In addition, workers and sorters can visually check the shape of the carrots and whether there are any abnormalities such as scratches, improving the accuracy of carrot sorting.

Furthermore, by providing a gauge wheel 31 at the lower end of the telescopic rod 30, which extends and retracts up and down when the handle 29 is turned, the pulling and conveying device 24 will not descend any further when the gauge wheel 31 touches the ground on the field surface, preventing the lower end of the pulling and conveying device 24 from coming into contact with the field surface and being damaged due to operator error or unexpected unevenness in the ground.

The machine frame 9 and the rotating frame 20, which can rotate up and down around the left and right horizontal shafts 21 as the pivot points, are connected by a lifting cylinder 23, and the lifting cylinder 23 is extended and retracted by operating the lifting lever 14 on the steering unit B. This allows the vertical height of the entire harvesting unit C to be adjusted by operating the lifting lever 14, so that the position of the starting end of the harvesting unit C for pulling out can be adjusted up and down, and the position of the starting end of the pulling out can be adjusted to match the appropriate pulling height of the carrots growing in the field. This prevents carrots from being left behind, improving work efficiency.

In addition, if the harvesting section C is raised when turning, the lower end of the harvesting section C is less likely to come into contact with the field, making the turning operation smoother and improving work efficiency.

Next, we will explain the stem and leaf cutting section D.

As shown in Figures 1 and 11 to 15, left and right transmission shafts 36, 36 that transmit driving force are attached to the transmission case 22, left and right transmission cases 37, 37 are attached to the upper parts of the left and right transmission shafts 36, 36, and left and right first gear units 38, 38 consisting of multiple gears meshed together are attached toward the front of the aircraft inside the left and right transmission cases 37, 37. In addition, left and right second gear units 39, 39 are attached toward the rear of the aircraft to the left and right transmission shafts 36, 36 inside the transmission case 22, and left and right first output shafts 40, 40 are axially attached to the rear ends of the left and right second gear units 39, 39 toward the top of the aircraft.

Then, left and right second output shafts 41, 41 are axially attached to the front ends of the left and right first gear units 38, 38 facing downward on the aircraft, and left and right alignment drive sprockets 42, 42 are axially attached to the left and right second output shafts 41, 41. Furthermore, left and right alignment frames 43, 43 that are L-shaped in side view are attached to the front lower parts of the left and right transmission cases 37, 37, holes 44, 44 in the left and right direction of the aircraft are formed in the alignment frames 43, 43, and left and right rotation shafts 46, 46 to which left and right alignment driven sprockets 45, 45 are axially attached are attached to the holes 44, 44. In addition, left and right alignment tension sprockets 47, 47 are rotatably attached between the alignment driven sprockets 45, 45 and the alignment drive sprockets 42, 42 and at a position inside the aircraft body relative to the alignment drive sprockets 42, 42. Furthermore, left and right alignment chains 48, 48 are endlessly wound around the alignment tension sprockets 47, 47, the alignment drive sprockets 42, 42, and the alignment driven sprockets 45, 45.

The alignment drive sprockets 42, 42 may have a smaller diameter than the alignment driven sprockets 45, 45 and the alignment tension sprockets 47, 47.

Left and right receiving plates 49, 49 are attached to the transmission cases 37, 37 so that their positions can be adjusted in the front-rear direction, and left and right biasing springs 50, 50 are attached between the receiving plates 49, 49 and the alignment frames 43, 43 to bias the alignment driven sprockets 45, 45 and absorb slack that occurs in the alignment chains 48, 48. The biasing springs 50, 50 can change the biasing force applied to the alignment driven sprockets 47, 47 by moving the receiving plates 49, 49 back and forth, and can be changed according to the type of carrot, growth state, and average thickness of the stems and leaves, making it possible to accommodate a variety of working conditions.

In addition, holes 44, 44 are formed in the left and right alignment frames 43, 43 in the left and right direction of the machine body, and the rotation shafts 46, 46 of the alignment driven sprockets 45, 45 are inserted through the holes 44, 44. This allows the alignment driven sprockets 45, 45 to be moved left and right to adjust their position. When not in use or when no stems or leaves are passing, or when stems or leaves with a small diameter are passing, the alignment driven sprockets 47, 47 are pressed by the biasing springs 50, 50 to the front and toward the inside of the machine body, and when stems and leaves with a large diameter are passing, the alignment driven sprockets 47, 47 are pressed toward the outside of the machine body. This prevents the large stems and leaves from getting caught, and there is no need to remove the caught stems and leaves, improving work efficiency.

In addition, the left-right gap between the alignment devices 54L, 54R from the start of conveying to the end of conveying becomes approximately linear only when a load is applied as a large-diameter stem or leaf passes through. In other cases, the left-right gap between the alignment devices widens from the start of conveying to the end of conveying, preventing carrots passing through the left-right gap between the alignment devices 54L, 54R from wobbling left-right, and ensuring that the cutting position of the carrot stem or leaf is properly aligned.

Furthermore, large diameter stems and leaves cannot pass between the left and right alignment devices 54L, 54R, and the cutting position of the carrot stems and leaves is prevented from rising too high, leaving the stems and leaves at the roots. This eliminates the need to remove these stems and leaves in post-processing, improving work efficiency and preventing the carrots from being lifted too high and the roots from being cut by the stem and leaf cutting device 61 described below. This prevents the carrots from being damaged and increases their commercial value.

Then, a guide cover 51... that is U-shaped when viewed from the front and covers the contact surfaces between the upper and lower parts of the alignment chains 48, 48 and the stems and leaves is attached to the multiple links 48a... that make up the alignment chains 48, 48, forming an alignment guide body 52.

As shown in Figs. 14(a) to (c), the guide covers 51... form a convex R section 51a on one front and rear side in plan view, and a concave R section 51b on the other front and rear side. A protrusion 51c is formed on the other front and rear side of the contact surface with the stems and leaves, protruding upward toward the convex R section 51a on one front and rear side of the following guide cover 51. In the straight section, the convex R section 51a of the following guide cover 51 fits into the concave R section 51b of the front guide cover 51, and the front protrusion 51c covers this subsequent convex R section, covering the gap between the guide covers 51. This prevents the stems and leaves of carrots from getting caught in the gap between the guide covers 51, and there is no need to stop the machine to remove the caught stems and leaves, improving work efficiency.

In addition, the guide covers 51 have a convex R portion 51a and a concave R portion 51b, and are attached to the links 48a one by one, so that the guide covers 51 can follow the movement of the alignment chains 48, 48 without interfering with each other, which makes the movement of the alignment devices 54L, 54R smoother and improves work efficiency.

In addition, when the alignment chains 48, 48 move along an arcuate path, the protrusions 51c prevent large gaps from forming between the guide covers 51, preventing the carrot stems and leaves from becoming caught in these gaps. This eliminates the need to stop the machine to remove the caught stems and leaves, improving work efficiency.

In addition, the alignment guide body 52 may have a U-shaped cross section that covers the contact surfaces between the upper and lower surfaces of the alignment chain 48 and the stem and leaf portion, rather than being made up of multiple guide covers 51.

Then, left and right tension plates 53L, 53R that press the alignment chains 48, 48 from within the winding area toward the stem and leaf contact surface are attached between the alignment driven sprockets 45, 45 and the alignment tension sprockets 47, 47 within the winding area of the alignment chains 48, 48, and can be freely adjusted in position in the left and right direction of the machine body, thereby forming left and right alignment devices 54L, 54R at a lower position behind the pulling and conveying device 24 in the conveying direction.

The tension plates 53L, 53R are constructed by forming slots in the transmission cases 37, 37, attaching mounting shafts 53a, 53a with bolts or other detachable members for position adjustment, and welding plates 53b, 53b to the ends of the mounting shafts 53a, 53a.

The tension plates 53L, 53R may be positioned approximately parallel to the left and right alignment devices 54L, 54R. However, if the tension plate 52R is provided in front of the alignment device 53R on the outside of the machine, the tension plate 52L of the alignment device 53L on the inside of the machine should be provided further back on the machine than the tension plate 52R of the alignment device 53R. When large-diameter stems and leaves pass between the left and right alignment devices 54L, 54R, the alignment chain 48 and alignment guide body 52 move to the side where there is no tension plate 52L or tension plate 52R. This prevents the large-diameter stems and leaves of carrots from getting caught in the alignment devices 54L, 54R. This eliminates the need to stop the machine to remove the caught stems and leaves, improving work efficiency.

In addition, if the tension of the tension plates 53L, 53R is set to be weaker than the tension of the springs 50, 50, when a large diameter stem or leaf passes through and a load is applied, the alignment chains 48, 48 can bend and retract to the appropriate position, preventing them from becoming caught in 54L, 54R. This eliminates the need to stop the machine to remove the caught stem or leaf, improving work efficiency.

Then, a long hole is formed in the transmission case 37, 37 near the alignment drive sprockets 42, 42 and at a position outside the alignment guide bodies 52, 52, and left and right scrapers 55, 55 that remove cut pieces of stems and leaves, mud, etc. that have adhered to the surface of the alignment guide bodies 52, 52 are attached to the long hole along the trajectory of the alignment guide bodies 52, 52 when adjusting the position.

In addition, by positioning the scrapers 55, 55 in a rear-downward tilted position, it becomes easier to drop stem and leaf scraps and mud downward.

Then, left and right cutting blade rotation shafts 56, 56 are axially attached to the rear positions of the alignment devices 54L, 54R of the left and right first gear units 38, 38, and left and right bearings 57, 57 are rotatably attached to the cutting blade rotation shafts 56, 56. Left and right support plates 59, 59 are then attached to the left and right bearings 57, 57, and left and right stem and leaf cutting blades 60, 60 are attached to the support plates 59, 59, to form the stem and leaf cutting device 61.

In addition, left and right stem and leaf conveying drive pulleys 62, 62 are axially attached to the left and right first output shafts 40, 40, and left and right stem and leaf conveying driven pulleys 63, 63 are rotatably attached forward of the machine body from the left and right first gear units 38, 38 and above the position alignment devices 54L, 54R. Then, left and right leaf discharge conveying belts 64, 64 are endlessly wound around the left and right stem and leaf conveying drive pulleys 62, 62 and the left and right stem and leaf conveying driven pulleys 63, 63, so that a leaf discharge conveying device 65 that takes over the carrot stems and leaves from the pulling and conveying device 24 and discharges them to the rear of the machine body is configured on the upper outer periphery of the left and right transmission cases 37, 37 and below the conveying end side of the pulling and conveying device 24.

Furthermore, left and right leaf conveying drive pulleys 66, 66 are axially attached to the upper ends of the left and right first output shafts 40, 40, left and right leaf conveying driven pulleys 67, 67 are rotatably attached above the transmission cases 37, 37, and multiple left and right leaf conveying tension pulleys 68, 68... are attached between the left and right leaf conveying drive pulleys 66, 66 and the left and right leaf conveying driven pulleys 67, 67. Then, left and right leaf conveying belts 69, 69 are endlessly wound around the left and right leaf conveying drive pulleys 66, 66, the left and right leaf conveying driven pulleys 67, 67, and the left and right leaf conveying tension pulleys 68, 68... to form a left leaf conveying device 70 above the leaf discharge conveying device 65, which clamps the upper part of the stems and conveys them to the rear of the machine.

The stem and leaf cutting section D is formed by providing a leaf discharge chute 71 that discharges the stems and leaves cut by the stem and leaf cutting device 61 from the terminal end of the leaf discharge conveying device 65 and the remaining leaf conveying device 70 to the field.

With the above configuration, the left and right alignment drive sprockets 42, 42 are positioned away from the left and right gaps of the alignment devices 54L, 54R through which the stems and leaves pass, which prevents the stems and leaves from becoming entangled in the alignment drive sprockets 42, 42 or the second output shafts 41, 41 and causing the alignment devices 54L, 54R to stop. This means that harvesting work is not interrupted and work efficiency is improved.

In addition, by making the alignment drive sprockets 42, 42 smaller in diameter than the alignment driven sprockets 45, 45 and the alignment tension sprockets 47, 47, the alignment drive sprockets 42, 42 are further away from the left and right gaps of the alignment devices 54L, 54R, which further prevents the stems and leaves from becoming entangled in the alignment drive sprockets 42, 42 and the second output shafts 41, 41, further improving work efficiency.

By providing left and right biasing springs 50, 50 that bias the alignment driven sprockets 45, 45, it is possible to absorb the slack that occurs in the left and right alignment chains 48, 48 when the stems and leaves come into contact with the alignment devices 54L, 54R, and the alignment chains 48, 48 quickly return to their taut state, so that the alignment devices 54L, 54R can reliably receive the carrot stems and leaves even when stems and leaves of different diameters pass by in succession, and the cutting positions of the carrot stems and leaves are properly aligned and the stems and leaves are properly cut, eliminating the need to remove the stems and leaves in a later process and improving work efficiency.

In addition, the tension of the springs 50, 50 can be adjusted by moving the left and right receiving plates 49, 49 in the forward and backward directions, so that the tension can be appropriately changed to suit the growing conditions of the carrots, differences in the diameter of the stems and leaves depending on the variety, or the working conditions at the work site, such as the weather and soil quality. Therefore, by properly aligning the carrot stem and leaf cutting position and reliably cutting the stems and leaves, there is no need to remove the stems and leaves remaining on the carrots in a later process, improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, holes 44, 44 are formed in the left and right alignment frames 43, 43 in the left-right direction of the machine body, and rotating shafts 46, 46 to which alignment driven sprockets 45, 45 are attached are provided in these holes 44, 44 so that, when no load is applied, the alignment driven sprockets 45, 45 biased by the biasing springs 50, 50 move toward the conveying path of the stems and leaves. As a result, when small diameter stems and leaves pass through, the alignment devices 54L, 54R receive the stems and leaves and can properly align the cutting position of the carrot stems and leaves. This eliminates the need to remove the stems and leaves remaining on the carrots in a later process, improving work efficiency.

In addition, when a large diameter stem or leaf part passes through and a large load is placed on the left and right alignment devices 54L, 54R, the alignment driven sprockets 45, 45 move along the holes 44, 44 in a direction away from the path of movement of the stem or leaf part, widening the left and right gap in front of the alignment devices 54L, 54R and preventing the stem or leaf part from becoming caught in the gap between the alignment devices 54L, 54R. This eliminates the need to stop the machine to remove the caught stem or leaf part, improving work efficiency.

If it is known before harvesting that the stems and leaves of carrots will necessarily be large in diameter, the alignment driven sprockets 45, 45 can be moved away from the left and right alignment devices 54L, 54R to widen the left and right space upstream of the alignment devices 54L, 54R in the conveying direction, preventing the alignment devices 54L, 54R from catching the stems and leaves. This eliminates the need to remove the caught stems and leaves, improving work efficiency.

The alignment guide body 52 is formed by attaching a guide cover 51 to each of the multiple links 48a that make up the alignment chains 48, 48. This allows the guide covers 51 to be freely attached and detached at any location. Even if some of the guide covers 51 are damaged, proper alignment performance can be maintained by simply replacing them with new guide covers 51, and the stems and leaves can be cut properly, improving work efficiency.

In addition, there is no need to replace the entire alignment guide body 52, which helps reduce costs.

In addition, the guide cover 51 can be attached and detached manually without the need for tools, making replacement easy.

In addition, the guide cover 51 has a U-shape when viewed from the front, covering the contact surfaces between the upper and lower surfaces of the alignment chain 48 and the stems and leaves. This eliminates any gaps between the guide cover 51 and the alignment chain 48, preventing the stems and leaves from getting pinched between the guide cover 51 and the alignment chain 48, preventing the carrots from being aligned to the correct cutting position and leaving the stems and leaves uncut. This eliminates the need for work to remove the stems and leaves in a later process, improving work efficiency and preventing the roots of the carrots from being cut, improving the commercial value of the carrots.

In addition, by forming a convex R section 51a and a concave R section 51b on the guide cover 51 and attaching the convex R section 51a of the following guide cover 51 close to the concave R section 51b of the front guide cover 51 to the alignment chain 48, when the alignment chain 48 moves in an arc around the alignment driven sprocket 45 etc., the guide covers 51... can move following it. Therefore, the alignment devices 54L, 54R operate at a constant peripheral speed, and the cutting positions of the stems and leaves of the carrots can be properly aligned when they receive them. This eliminates the need to remove the stems and leaves remaining on the carrots in a later process, improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, by providing a protrusion 51c that protrudes upward from the convex R portion 51a, when the alignment chain 48 moves in an arcuate orbit around the alignment driven sprocket 45, etc., this protrusion 51c covers the space that is generated between the front and rear of the guide covers 51..., preventing the stems and leaves from being pinched in the space between the front and rear of the guide covers 51..., preventing the carrots from being aligned to the correct cutting position and leaving the stems and leaves uncut. This eliminates the need for work to remove the stems and leaves in a later process, improving work efficiency and preventing the roots of the carrots from being cut, improving the commercial value of the carrots.

By providing left and right tension plates 53L, 53R within the winding area of the alignment chains 48, 48, the alignment chains 48, 48 are pressed from within the winding area, so that when a large diameter stem or leaf passes through, the portion of the alignment chains 48, 48 that is not pressed by the tension plate 53L or tension plate 53R can retreat toward the alignment drive sprockets 42, 42. This prevents the stem or leaf from becoming caught between the left and right alignment devices 54L, 54R, and eliminates the need to stop the machine to remove the caught stem or leaf, improving work efficiency.

In addition, by providing left and right scrapers 55, 55 that scrape off debris such as dirt and debris from the stems and leaves that has adhered to the alignment guide bodies 52, 52 that move along the outer periphery of the alignment drive sprockets 42, 42, it is possible to remove debris that has adhered to the alignment guide bodies 52, 52 at a position away from the path of movement of the stems and leaves. This prevents debris from becoming entangled in the alignment devices 54L, 54R, and eliminates the need to stop the machine to remove entangled debris from the stems and leaves, improving work efficiency and preventing lumps of dirt from damaging the roots of the carrots, improving the commercial value of the carrots.

Furthermore, the attachment position of the scrapers 55, 55 can be changed along the long holes, so that the scrapers 55, 55 can be set in the optimal position according to the average diameter of the stems and leaves of the carrots in the field where harvesting work is performed, and the above-mentioned effects can be further improved by reliably aligning the guide bodies 52, 52 and removing impurities such as stem and leaf debris and mud.

The leaf discharge chute 71, which discharges the discharged leaves (cut stems and leaves) cut from carrots by the stem and leaf cutting device 61 into the field, is set in a downward inclined position so as to discharge the stems and leaves onto the already dug side (the side where carrots have been harvested). This prevents the discharged stems and leaves from falling onto the carrots on the undug side (the side where carrots have not been harvested) and becoming entangled in the left and right clamping conveyor belts 19, 19 or the left and right driven pulleys 17, 17, etc., which would stop the harvesting section C and interfere with the harvesting work. This improves work efficiency and prevents the discharged leaves that fall onto the carrots from interfering with the visibility of the carrots being harvested.

Next, we will explain the remaining leaf processing section E.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, front and rear remaining leaf processing frames 72, 72 are provided below the stem and leaf cutting device 61, and a first remaining leaf processing drive roller 73a is rotatably attached between the front and rear of one of the left and right sides of the remaining leaf processing frames 72, 72. In addition, a second remaining leaf processing drive roller 73b is rotatably attached between the front and rear of the other left and right side of the remaining leaf processing frames 72, 72 and at a position lower than the first remaining leaf processing roller 73a. Then, a remaining leaf processing belt 74 made of an elastic body such as rubber or urethane is endlessly wound around the first remaining leaf processing drive roller 73a and the second remaining leaf processing drive roller 73b. Furthermore, a remaining leaf processing roller 75 is attached to the top of the remaining leaf processing belt 74, which pinches and rotates to cut off the remaining leaves remaining at the base of the carrot, and a remaining leaf processing conveyor 76 is formed that processes the remaining carrot leaves taken over from the stem and leaf cutting section D while transporting them from the outside of the machine to the left and right inside, thereby forming the remaining leaf processing section E.

The remaining leaf processing conveyor 76 is inclined at an angle of about 2 to 5 degrees from one side of the machine body to the other side.

As a result, fallen carrots are moved by the drive and tilt of the remaining leaf processing belt 74, so the movement of the carrots does not stop on the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76, and there is no need to move stopped carrots manually, improving work efficiency. In addition, because the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76 is slightly tilted (about 2 to 5 degrees), even if the machine tilts to one side due to the condition of the field, the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76 remains approximately horizontal to the ground, so carrots do not stagnate on the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76 or move in the opposite direction to the conveying direction of the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76, and there is no need to manually return such carrots to the conveying path, improving work efficiency.

With the above configuration, the remaining leaf processing rollers 75 that make up the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76 cut off the remaining carrot leaves that were not cut by the stem and leaf cutting device 61, eliminating the need to manually cut off the remaining leaves after harvesting, improving work efficiency.

In addition, the remaining leaf processing belt 74 that makes up the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76 is made of an elastic material such as rubber or urethane. This reduces the impact of the carrots falling after the stems and leaves are cut off by the stem and leaf cutting device 61, preventing the carrots from being damaged by the impact of the fall and improving the quality of the carrots.

Next, we will explain the sorting and transport section F.

As shown in Figures 3 to 10, the transmission shaft 120 that transmits the driving force of the engine 7 passes through the lower sides of the front and rear left leaf processing frames 72, 72 and protrudes to the rear of the machine, and an output sprocket 121 is axially attached to the rear end of the transmission shaft 120. In addition, an idle sprocket 122 is rotatably attached to the left leaf processing frame 72 at the rear of the machine at a position above the output sprocket 121, and a recovery input shaft 123a that transmits driving force to the recovery conveyor 160 (described later) is rotatably attached to one of the left and right sides of the machine (the right side of the machine) above the idle sprocket 122, and an input sprocket 123 is axially attached to the recovery input shaft 123a.

The driven sprocket 124 is rotatably mounted on the other left or right side of the machine body (on the left side of the machine body) of the input sprocket 123 and the output sprocket 121, and a transmission chain 125 is endlessly wound around the output sprocket 121, the idle sprocket 122, the input sprocket 123, and the driven sprocket 124. The driven sprocket 124 is axially attached to the remaining leaf processing output shaft 124a that supplies a rotational driving force to the second remaining leaf processing drive roller 73b.

The idle sprocket 122 is provided to bend the transmission chain 125 between the output sprocket 121 and the input sprocket 123 from the vertical direction of the machine body to the horizontal direction of the machine body, and to tension the transmission chain 125 so that it does not slacken.

Furthermore, a second input sprocket 126 is disposed between the rear left leaf processing frame 72 and the driven sprocket 124, and is attached to the rotating shaft of the driven sprocket 124, and a counter sprocket 127 is rotatably disposed below the second input sprocket 126 on one side of the machine body to the left or right. A second driven sprocket 128 is rotatably mounted above the counter sprocket 127 on one side of the machine body to the left or right, and a second transmission chain 129 is endlessly wound around the second input sprocket 126, the counter sprocket 127, and the second driven sprocket 128. The counter sprocket 127 is attached to a sorting and conveying input shaft 127a that supplies driving force to the sorting and conveying conveyor 87 described later.

An input spur gear 130a is provided on the rotating shaft (not shown) of the second driven sprocket 128, and an output spur gear 130b is arranged to mesh with the upper side of the input spur gear 130a. The input spur gear 130a and the output spur gear 130b are arranged inside the transmission gear case 130. An output bevel gear 131a is axially attached to the front end of the rotating shaft (not shown) of the output spur gear 130b, and the output bevel gear 131a is configured to mesh with the input bevel gear 131b axially attached to the rear end of the rotating shaft (not shown) of the remaining leaf processing roller 75.

The above configuration allows the transmission path that supplies the driving force from the engine 7 to the collection conveyor 160, the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76, the remaining leaf processing rollers 75, and the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 to be configured compactly, thereby reducing the front-to-back and left-to-right widths of the machine, improving the maneuverability of the machine and reducing the area required for storage.

In addition, the number of parts, such as sprockets and transmission chains, can be reduced, leading to cost reductions.

As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the front and rear first transport frames 77, 77 are arranged at a predetermined distance in the front-to-rear direction ahead of the remaining leaf processing frame 72 on the front side of the machine body and below the alignment devices 54L, 54R, and the front and rear second transport frames 78, 78 are arranged at the inside end of the machine body (the other left and right end of the machine body) and outside of the first transport frames 77, 77 at a predetermined distance in the front-to-rear direction and with the transport end side freely rotatable up and down. The front and rear first transport frames 77, 77 are T-shaped when viewed from the front (rear), and the other left and right sides have upwardly sloping portions that slope upward from the left-to-right center toward the other left and right sides.

Then, the recovery driven roller 132b is rotatably mounted at one of the left and right ends of the first transport frame 77, 77 and below the conveying surface of the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76, i.e., the upper surface of the remaining leaf processing belt 74, and the recovery drive roller 132a, which is driven by the rotation of the recovery input shaft 123a, is disposed on the other left and right side of the recovery driven roller 132b and in a position where it can be axially attached to the recovery input shaft 123a, specifically at the left and right side of the remaining leaf processing roller 75. Furthermore, the recovery belt 133 is endlessly wound around the recovery driven roller 132b and the recovery drive roller 132a to form the recovery conveyor.

The recovery conveyor 160 is disposed below the conveying path of the pulling and conveying device 24 and the positioning devices 54L, 54R, and receives carrots whose stems and leaves are cut and fall upstream of the stem and leaf cutting device 61 in the conveying direction, conveys them from one left-right side of the machine body to the other, and hands them over to the sorting and conveying conveyor 87. For this reason, the recovery drive roller 133 may be disposed below the recovery driven roller 132, and the recovery conveyor 160 may be configured in a downward inclined position from one left-right side of the machine body to the other left-right side.

With the above configuration, even if the stems and leaves are cut and the carrots fall during transport, the carrots can be moved to the sorting transport conveyor 87 via the recovery conveyor 160 and returned to the original transport path, eliminating the need to pick up carrots that have fallen off the transport path and reducing the labor required by workers.

In addition, by positioning the recovery driven roller 132 below the conveying surface of the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76, even when a large amount of carrots are supplied at once and the carrots are pushed to the front of the machine without hitting the remaining leaf processing roller 75, the pushed carrots can move to the recovery conveyor 160 without stagnation, preventing the carrot harvesting work from stagnation and improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, when the recovery conveyor 160 is inclined downward from one left or right side of the machine body to the other left or right side, the carrots received by the recovery conveyor 160 can roll under their own weight and move toward the sorting and transporting conveyor 87. This means that the carrots remain on the recovery conveyor 160 and are prevented from coming into contact with carrots falling from above while being transported to the sorting and transporting conveyor 87. This prevents the carrots from being damaged and increases the commercial value of the carrots.

A pair of front and rear sorting drive sprockets 134, 134 attached to the sorting transport input shaft 127a are arranged on the other left and right side of the machine body and below the recovery drive roller 133, and sorting idle sprockets 135, 135 attached to the pivot shaft 79 that serves as the pivot point of the front and rear second transport frames 78, 78 are arranged firmly on the other left and right end of the upper inclined part of the front and rear first transport frames 77, 77. In addition, front and rear sorting counter sprockets 136, 136 are attached via rotating shafts 136a, 136a to the front and rear first transport frames 72, 72 directly below the sorting drive sprockets 134, 134 or at a position closer to the left and right side of the machine body than the sorting drive sprockets 134, 134. The rotating shafts 136a, 136a are not connected to each other, and a space is formed between the sorting counter sprockets 136, 136.

Furthermore, sorting driven sprockets 136b, 136b are rotatably attached to the other left and right ends of the front and rear second transport frames 78, 78, and sorting transmission chains 137, 137 are endlessly wound around the sorting driven sprockets 136b, 136b, the sorting drive sprockets 134, 134, the sorting idle sprockets 135, 135, and the sorting counter sprockets 136, 136.

When the sorting counter sprocket 136 is positioned directly below the sorting drive sprocket 134, the sorting transmission chain 137 extending from the sorting counter sprocket 136 to the sorting drive sprocket 134 is perpendicular to the ground. When the sorting counter sprocket 136 is positioned closer to the left or right side of the aircraft than the sorting drive sprocket 134, the sorting transmission chain 137 extending from the sorting counter sprocket 136 to the sorting drive sprocket 134 is inclined upward from one left or right side of the aircraft to the other left or right side.

Tension sprockets 138 are arranged to rotate freely on the front and rear first conveyor frames 77, 77. The tension sprockets 138 come into contact with the endlessly wound sorting transmission chains 137, 137 from above and below, and tension the sorting transmission chains 137, 137 when the front and rear second conveyor frames 78, 78 are rotated up and down to prevent slack or overload.

In addition, a plurality of conveyor bars 139 for carrying and conveying carrots are provided at equal intervals in the left-right direction between the front and rear sorting transmission chains 137, 137, and support bars 140 for each of the conveyor bars 139 are arranged at equal intervals to prevent the carrots from rolling off the upper inclined portion of the sorting conveyor 87. Furthermore, the sorting conveyor 87 is formed by providing chain covers 141, 141 that cover the top of the sorting transmission chains 137, 137 on the first conveyor frames 77, 77 and the second conveyor frames 78, 78.

As described above, by arranging the sorting drive sprockets 134, 134 on the left and right sides of the machine body and below the recovery drive roller 133, the conveying start end of the sorting conveyor 87 can be positioned below the conveying end of the recovery conveyor 160. This prevents the conveyed carrots from stagnating during handover, improving work efficiency, and prevents the following carrots from coming into contact with the stalled carrots, which could damage the carrots and reduce their commercial value.

In addition, because the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 is located below the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76, delays in the transfer of carrots from the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76 to the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 are prevented, which further improves work efficiency and prevents a decrease in the commercial value of the carrots.

The sorting counter sprocket 136, which bends the sorting transmission chain 137 toward the sorting drive sprocket 134, is positioned directly below the sorting drive sprocket 134. This means that the sorting transmission chain 137 moving from the sorting counter sprocket 136 to the sorting drive sprocket 134 is positioned approximately vertically relative to the machine frame 1. Even if a stone enters through the left-right gap L1 between the transport bars 139 and is transported by the sorting transmission chain 137 to the sorting drive sprocket 134 side, the vertical position of the sorting transmission chain 137 prevents the stone from moving upwards. This prevents a stone from getting caught between the sorting drive sprocket 134 and the sorting transmission chain 137, which would stop the operation of the sorting drive sprocket 134. This prevents the sorting transport conveyor 87 from stopping suddenly, improving sorting accuracy and work efficiency.

In addition, stones are prevented from getting caught between the sorting drive sprocket 134 and the sorting transmission chain 137, preventing damage to the sorting transport conveyor 87 and its components.

Alternatively, if the sorting counter sprocket 136 is positioned closer to one of the left and right sides of the machine than the sorting drive sprocket 134, the sorting transmission chain 137 moving from the sorting counter sprocket 136 to the sorting drive sprocket 134 will be in an upwardly inclined position from one of the left and right sides of the machine to the other left and right side of the machine. Even if stones within the winding area of the sorting transmission chain 137 move along this upwardly inclined portion, they will fall downward along the way, further preventing stones from becoming caught between the sorting drive sprocket 134 and the sorting transmission chain 137.

Furthermore, the front and rear sorting counter sprockets 136, 136 are each attached to a rotating shaft 136a, and the front and rear rotating shafts 136a, 136a are not connected, creating a space between the front and rear. This eliminates any material that can get caught in the front and rear space when stones move into it, allowing stones to easily escape and preventing damage to the sorting transport conveyor 87.

The idle sprockets 138 that contact the sorting transmission chain 137 are located below the upper inclined portion of the first transport frames 77, 77. This prevents the surface that does not transport carrots, i.e., the non-working side, from being taut, which would cause the sorting transmission chains 137, 137 to stop or slow down, and prevents overloading that could damage the sorting transmission chains 137, 137. Therefore, even if the transport end side of the sorting transport conveyor 87 is rotated up and down according to the amount of carrots contained in the storage container 97, the carrot transport speed does not change, improving work efficiency and carrot sorting accuracy.

In addition, by arranging the conveying bars 139... in the left-right direction with a left-right distance L1 between them, the mud brought in along with the carrots and the remaining leaves removed by the remaining leaf processing rollers 75 can fall downward through this left-right distance L1. This reduces the amount of mud and remaining leaves that enter the storage container 97, allowing the storage container 97 to be filled to capacity with carrots, and reduces the frequency with which the storage container 97 needs to be replaced, improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, by providing support bars 140 at intervals wider than the transport bars 139, even if a carrot rolls along the sorting transport conveyor 87, the support bars 140 stop the carrot from moving, preventing the same carrot from returning to the transport start point multiple times, improving work efficiency, and preventing the carrot from being damaged by contact with the following carrot as it rolls down, thereby maintaining the commercial value of the carrot.

The conveyor bar 139 can be made of a high-strength elastic material such as hard rubber, or a rod-shaped metal with a soft elastic material such as soft rubber wrapped around its outer periphery. This can prevent the carrots from being damaged by the impact of falling when they are handed over from the recovery conveyor 160 or the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76, thereby improving the commercial value of the carrots.

In addition, if the support rail 140 is configured to be attached to the sorting transmission chain 137 by attaching a rivet or bolt (not shown) from the opposite side of the conveying surface, i.e., from the bottom, the rivet or bolt will not protrude into the winding area of the sorting transmission chain 137, preventing interference with other components and thus preventing damage to the sorting transport conveyor 87.

The vertical distance L2 between the sorting counter sprocket 136 and the sorting drive sprocket 134 is wider than the horizontal distance L1 between the transport bars 139. The distance L3 from the outer periphery of the sorting drive sprocket 134 to the central transport input shaft 127a is also wider than the horizontal distance L1 between the transport bars 139.

With the above configuration, even if stones or the like get in through the left-right space L1 between the transport bars 139 and do not fall from the underside of the sorting transport conveyor 87 downwards to the bottom of the machine, but are instead moved toward the sorting drive sprocket 134 by the sorting transmission chain 137, the vertical space L2 between the sorting counter sprocket 136 and the sorting drive sprocket 134 is configured to be wider than the space L1 between the transport bars 139, so stones or the like can be prevented from getting caught between the sorting counter sprocket 136 and the sorting drive sprocket 134, preventing the sorting transport conveyor 87 from suddenly stopping, and preventing a decrease in work efficiency and damage to the sorting transport conveyor 87.

In particular, the sorting transmission chain 137 going from the sorting counter sprocket 136 to the sorting drive sprocket 134 is in a substantially vertical direction to the machine frame 1, or in an upward inclined position from one left or right side of the machine to the other left or right side. Therefore, even if stones or the like are transported by the sorting transmission chain 137, they are unlikely to move upward through the vertical gap L2, which further prevents stones or the like from becoming caught between the sorting counter sprocket 136 and the sorting drive sprocket 134.

Furthermore, even if stones or the like are transported upward to the sorting drive sprocket 134 by the sorting transmission chain 137, the distance L3 from the outer periphery of the sorting drive sprocket 134 to the transport input shaft 127a located approximately in the center is greater than the left-right distance L1, so it is possible to prevent stones or the like from getting caught between the sorting drive sprocket 134 and the transport input shaft 127a, causing the sorting drive sprocket 134 to stop rotating. This prevents the sorting transport conveyor 87 from suddenly stopping, preventing a decrease in work efficiency and damage to the sorting transport conveyor 87.

At this time, stones and the like that have entered the winding area of the sorting transmission chain 137 and cannot be removed remain on the left or right side of the machine body beyond the sorting drive sprocket 134 and the sorting counter sprocket 136, and cannot move forward or return. Therefore, after the harvesting work is completed, the worker can remove the first conveying frame 77 on the rear side of the machine body and remove all the stones and the like that have accumulated in the above-mentioned places, improving maintainability. Since it is time-consuming to remove the entire first conveying frame 77, if a cleaning window 142 that can be opened and closed is placed in the stone accumulation position on the left or right side of the machine body beyond the sorting drive sprocket 134 and the sorting counter sprocket 136 on the first conveying frame 77 on the rear side of the machine body, maintainability is further improved.

A support plate 86 is then attached between the left and right sides of the second transport frames 78, 78, and a lifting cylinder 88 that moves the transport end side of the sorting transport conveyor 87 up and down is attached telescopically between the support plate 86 and the machine frame 1 to form a sorting transport conveyor 87 that transports carrots from one left-right side of the machine to the other left-right side. Furthermore, a discharge chute 89 made of a soft material such as a rubber plate or PVC plate is attached to the lower part of the transport end of the sorting transport conveyor 87 with its end hanging down, to slide and move the carrots discharged from the transport end of the sorting transport conveyor 87.

The lift cylinder 88 may be electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic, or may be manually operated to extend or retract.

In addition, a boarding step 90 is arranged at the rear of the left and right sides of the machine frame 1 and behind the sorting and conveying conveyor 87, on which an assistant worker can board to sort the carrots being transported by the sorting and conveying conveyor 87 and operate the sorting and conveying conveyor 87, and an assistant work seat 91 is attached on the boarding step 90 and in a position adjacent to the relay sprockets 80, 80 of the sorting and conveying conveyor 88.

In addition, a lifting operation pedal 92 that moves the lifting cylinder 88 up and down to raise and lower the end of the sorting conveyor 87 is disposed below the conveying path of the sorting conveyor 87.

The sorting and transport section F is then configured by placing it on the boarding step 90 in a position where an auxiliary worker seated on the auxiliary work seat 91 can step on it and operate it.

According to the above configuration, the lifting operation pedal 92 for operating the lifting cylinder 88 is located at a position within reach of the feet of the assistant worker seated on the assistant work seat 91, allowing the assistant worker to move the transport end side of the sorting transport conveyor 87 up and down while remaining seated on the assistant work seat 91, improving work efficiency and reducing the labor of the worker.

In addition, by providing a lifting operation pedal 92, the assistant worker can operate the up and down movement of the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 using only his feet, allowing him to concentrate on sorting the carrots being transported with his hands, improving sorting accuracy and preventing his hands from getting pinched or cut by the components of the sorting and transporting conveyor 87, improving work safety.

As shown in Figures 16 and 17, a guard plate 144 is placed near the sorting drive sprockets 134 of the first transport frames 77, 77, extending from front to back and avoiding the sorting drive sprockets 134, 134, to prevent the mud and carrots, especially the slender sides, transported from the recovery conveyor 160 from contacting the sorting transport input shaft 127a. A scraper plate 145 made of a soft material such as rubber is provided below the guard plate 144, and one side end of the scraper plate 145 is placed between the vertical distance L2 between the sorting drive sprocket 134 and the sorting counter sprocket 136.

With the above configuration, the guard plate 144 prevents the slender ends of pebbles and carrots from coming into contact with the sorting drive sprockets 134, 134 and the sorting transport input shaft 127a, preventing the sorting drive sprockets 134, 134 from stopping rotation and the sorting transport conveyor 87 from suddenly stopping, improving work efficiency and preventing damage to the sorting transport conveyor 87.

In addition, a scraper plate 145 is provided on the guard plate 144, and one side end of the scraper plate 145 is positioned between the vertical distance L2 between the sorting drive sprocket 134 and the sorting counter sprocket 136. This allows the scraper plate 145 to drop stones and other objects that attempt to move above the sorting counter sprocket 136, thereby further preventing stones from getting caught between the sorting drive sprocket 134 and the sorting transmission chain 137, which would cause the sorting transport conveyor 87 to suddenly stop driving or become damaged.

As shown in Figure 20, stone separating plates 146, 146 are provided inside the front and rear first transport frames 77, 77 and within the winding area of the sorting transmission chains 137, 137. The stone separating plates 146, 146 are formed in a mountain shape (convex shape) with the apex at the point where they contact the sorting transmission chains 137, 137 from below on the side that transports the carrots, i.e., the working side, and the ends of the stone separating plates 146, 146 are inclined downward toward the inside of the sorting transmission chains 137, 137.

With the above configuration, the stone sorting plates 146, 146 support the operating side of the sorting transmission chains 137, 137 from below, so that the sorting transmission chains 137, 137 can move in contact with the peaks of the mountain shapes of the stone sorting plates 146, 146, reducing shaking during movement and stabilizing the transport posture.

In addition, by forming the stone separating plates 146, 146 in a mountain shape, even if stones or mud that have entered through the left-right gap L1 of the transport bars 139... attempt to move toward the sorting transmission chains 137, 137, the stones or mud can be moved inward from the sorting transmission chains 137, 137 along the inclined portion of the stone separating plates 146, 146, preventing stones from getting caught between the sorting transmission chains 137, 137 and the sorting drive sprockets 134, 134, preventing the sorting transport conveyor 87 from suddenly stopping or being damaged.

As shown in FIG. 21, if the stone separating plates 146, 146 are provided on the second conveying plates 78, 78 side, the moving posture of the sorting transmission chains 137, 137 from the conveying start end to the conveying end end of the sorting conveyor 87 is stabilized, and stones and mud are less likely to get into the winding area of the sorting transmission chains 137, 137.

Next, the configuration of the storage section G will be explained.

As shown in Figures 2 and 6 to 10, a rotating shaft 93 is attached to the downstream side (left and right sides) of the second transport frames 78, 78 in front and behind the sorting transport conveyor 87, penetrating the machine body in the front-rear direction, and friction resistors 94, 94 are axially attached to the front and rear ends of the rotating shaft 93 and to the outside of the second transport frames 78, 78, respectively.

The friction resistors 94, 94 may be any material that has strong friction resistance, such as a disc spring, a spring washer, or a rubber ring.

The base sides of the front and rear hanger arms 95, 95 are provided on the front and rear ends of the rotating shaft 93, outside the friction resistors 94, 94 in the front-rear direction, and the hanger arms 95, 95 are configured to be able to move upward or downward only when a moving force equal to or greater than the resistance force is applied upward or downward due to the friction resistance of the friction resistors 94, 94 sandwiched between the second transport frame 78, 78 and the hanger arms 95, 95.

As shown in Figures 6, 8 and 9, the hanger arms 95, 95 have bent portions 95a, 95a formed in the approximate center in the left-right direction, and are shaped so that they point upward from the bent portions 95a, 95a to the outer end of the machine body, i.e., bent in an inverted "U" shape when viewed from the front or back. Even if the hanger arms 95, 95 rotate downward when the sorting and transport conveyor 87 is raised, no gaps will be created between the front and rear second transport frames 78, 78 and the hanger arms 95, 95. Even if an assistant worker stretches his or her arm toward the transport end of the sorting and transport conveyor 87, the arm will not be pinched between the second transport frames 78, 78 and the hanger arms 95, 95, improving the safety of the worker.

In addition, by positioning the hanger frames 95, 95 near the transport end of the second transport frames 78, 78, the hanger frames 95, 95 are positioned lower than the second transport frames 78, 78 regardless of the inclination angle, which increases the sorting work space for assistant workers, improving sorting accuracy and work efficiency.

A hanger frame 96 is attached to the end of the hanger arms 95, 95, protruding in the front-rear direction beyond the front-rear ends of the body of the sorting and transporting conveyor 87. A pair of front and rear hanging hangers 98, 98 are attached to the front and rear ends of the hanger frame 96, and hang and support a storage bag (flexible container bag) 97 for storing carrots by hooking it at four points on the front, back, left and right. The pair of hanging hangers 98, 98 can be rotated left and right.

Furthermore, an inverted U-shaped (∩-shaped) outer hanging body 99a, 99a facing upward is welded to the outer end of the hanging hanger 98, 98, respectively, and a U-shaped inner hanging body 99b, 99b facing downward is welded to the inner end of the body, and hanging hooks 99f, 99f, 99f, 99f for hanging the storage bag 97 are attached to the outer hanging body 99a, 99a and the inner hanging body 99b, 99b so as to be movable up and down.

In addition, instead of welding the outer hanging bodies 99a, 99a and the inner hanging bodies 99b, 99b, the outer ends of the hanging hangers 98, 98 may be bent into an inverted U-shape (∩-shape) and the inner ends of the hanging hangers 98, 98 may be bent into a U-shape, allowing the hanging hooks 99f, 99f, 99f, 99f to be attached so as to be freely movable in the vertical direction.

The hanging hangers 98, 98 hang the storage bag 97 at four corners using front and rear outer hanging bodies 99a, 99a and front and rear inner hanging bodies 99b, 99b so that the upper opening of the hanging storage bag 97 is roughly rectangular in plan view.

As shown in FIG. 9, the hanging hangers 98, 98 are removed from the hanger frame 96, the outer hanging bodies 99a, 99a are hooked to the front and rear ends of the hanger frame 96, and the inner hanging bodies 99b, 99b are hooked to the support protrusions 119 provided at the outer end of the machine of the recovery table 118 described later. When the sorting conveyor 87 is rotated upward, the recovery table 118 is pulled up to the hanging hangers 98, 98 and automatically placed in a storage position, i.e., a position approximately perpendicular to the machine frame 1. This eliminates the need to manually lift the recovery table 118, reducing the labor required by the worker.

In addition, when the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 is rotated to its upper limit and stored, the hanging hangers 98, 98 are perpendicular to the machine frame 1, so no parts protrude outside the machine frame 1 when stored, preventing damage to protruding parts during storage and preventing the use of excess storage space.

When the recovery platform 118 is raised by the hanging hangers 98, 98, the position of the hanging hangers 98, 98 is rotated approximately 180 degrees from the position in which the storage bag 97 is hung in an open state.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6 to 8, a visor plate 126 that blocks direct sunlight is attached to the hanger frame 96 in a substantially horizontal position with the front and rear hanging hangers 98, 98. The visor plate 126 rotates together with the hanger frame 96, and is configured to be in a substantially horizontal position with the hanging hangers 98, 98 even when the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 is moved up and down.

With the above configuration, the visor plate 126 blocks direct sunlight from entering the storage bag 97, preventing carrots exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time from drying out and cracking, so the quality of the carrots is less likely to deteriorate and the commercial value of the carrots is improved.

Then, lower limit regulating protrusions 100, 100 are attached to the front and rear outer sides of the transport end of the second transport frames 78, 78 and toward the outside of the machine body from the mounting position of the rotating shaft 93, so as to receive the front and rear hanger arms 95, 95 and regulate downward rotation. Furthermore, an upper limit regulating protrusion 101 is attached to the outside of the second transport frame 78 on the front side of the machine body, at a position above the lower limit regulating protrusion 100 on the front side of the machine body and closer to the rotating shaft 93, so as to receive the hanger arm 95 on the front side of the machine body and regulate upward rotation.

In addition, a hole portion (not shown) with a female thread is formed on the rear side of the machine body or on both the front and rear sides of the rotating shaft 93, and an adjustment knob 102 with a male thread (not shown) that screws into the hole is inserted. The frictional resistance force can be changed by rotating the adjustment knob 102 to change the front-to-rear distance between the second sorting frames 78, 78 and the hanger arms 95, 95, which sandwich the frictional resistors 94, 94 between them.

If the adjustment knob 102 is provided at the rear end of the rotating shaft 93, it will be easier for the auxiliary worker in the auxiliary work seat 91 to operate, and if it is provided at the front end of the rotating shaft 93, it will be easier for the worker in the pilot seat 11 to operate, making it easier to adjust the frictional resistance of the friction resistors 94, 94.

Furthermore, a slide shaft 103 that can slide back and forth is provided on the lower side of the second conveying frame 78 on the rear side of the machine body, closer to the conveying end of the sorting conveyor 87 than the rotating shaft 93, and a spring 104 that applies a biasing force toward the front side of the machine body is axially attached to the slide shaft 103. An auxiliary hook 105 is provided at the front end of the spring 104 to suspend the middle part of the inside of the machine body of the storage bag 97 that fits under the bottom of the sorting conveyor 87 for preventing slack, and a slide knob 106 that allows an operator to slide the slide shaft 103 back and forth is attached to the rear end of the slide shaft 103 and outside the second frame 78.

The slide knob 106 is provided with a hook lever 106a that makes it easier for the operator to operate the slide knob 106 by hand, and a torque spring 106b is attached to the base of the hook lever 106a to bias the hook lever 106a toward the sorting and transport conveyor 87, i.e., toward the inside of the machine body.

The hook lever 106a contacts the inside of the storage bag 97 during harvesting to bias the inside of the storage bag 97, preventing slack from occurring inside the storage bag 97. This prevents carrots from getting into the slack and wasting the storage volume, eliminates the need to frequently replace the storage bag 97, and improves work efficiency. In addition, if a tube made of a soft material such as rubber is attached to the surface of the hook lever 106a, the carrots stored in the storage bag 97 can be prevented from coming into contact with the hook lever 106a and being damaged, improving the commercial value of the carrots.

In addition, the visor plate 126 rotates together with the hanger frame 96 to always be in a substantially horizontal position with the hanging hangers 98, 98, so that even if the sorting and transport conveyor 87 is moved up and down, direct sunlight is less likely to penetrate into the storage bags 97, preventing deterioration of the carrots and improving their commercial value, while also preventing the visor plate 126 from interfering with the movement of the hanging hangers 98, 98.

In addition, when not in use (when stored), the hook lever 106a is pressed against the bottom of the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 by the force of the torque spring 106b, preventing the hook lever 106a from protruding outside the machine body. This prevents the hook lever 106a from being damaged by contact when stored, and also prevents extra storage space from being taken up.

If the slide shaft 103 is installed from the rear end of the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 to the same position as the middle part of the front and rear of the aircraft or slightly forward of the aircraft when not in operation, it becomes easier to align the position of the auxiliary hook 105. The slide shaft 103 may also be installed from the front to the rear of the aircraft, in which case the operator in the cockpit 11 can operate the slide shaft 103.

As shown in FIG. 10, a hanging strap hook 107 for hooking the hanging strap 97i on the inside of the machine body of the storage bag 97 is attached below the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 and upstream of the rotating shaft 93 in the transport direction of the sorting and transporting conveyor 87, and a hanging strap pin 108 for hooking the hanging strap 97o on the outside of the machine body is arranged on the upper part of the hanger frame 96 facing upward to the machine body, thereby forming the storage bag hanging device 85.

The hanging straps 97i, 97o on the inside and outside of the machine are used to hang the storage bag 97 containing the carrots from a forklift or hoist.

Next, we will explain the operation of the storage unit G.

When the carrot harvesting operation starts, the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 is lowered to its lowest position in order to minimize the distance that the carrots fall from the end of the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 to the storage bag 97. In addition, the four corners of the storage bag 97 are hooked onto the hanging hooks 99f, 99f, 99f, 99f provided on the outer hanging bodies 99a, 99a and the inner hanging bodies 99b, 99b of the front and rear hanging hangers 98, 98, making the upper opening approximately square in plan view.

Then, the front and rear hanger arms 95, 95 are rotated upward until they contact the upper limit regulating projection 101, and the front and rear hanging hangers 98, 98 are in a position inclined upward from the inner end of the aircraft toward the outer end of the aircraft. As the hanging hangers 98, 98 are in a position inclined upward toward the outer side of the aircraft, the hanging storage bag 97 also assumes an upward inclination position inclined upward from the inner end of the aircraft toward the outer end of the aircraft.

At this time, the inside of the hanging storage bag 97, where the carrots are discharged from the transport end of the sorting transport conveyor 87, becomes loose and its vertical length becomes shorter, while the outside of the machine has almost no slack and its vertical length becomes longer.

The storage bag 97 is made of flexible material such as cloth or synthetic fibers.

The outer end of the discharge chute 89 is inserted into the inner end of the storage bag 97, and the inner end of the storage bag 97 is inserted below the conveying end side of the sorting conveyor 87, and the auxiliary hook 105 is hooked into a hanging hole (not shown) formed in approximately the center of the storage bag 97 in the front-to-rear direction. Then, the hanging strap 97i on the inner side of the storage bag B is hooked to the hanging strap hook 107, and the hanging strap 97o on the outer side of the storage bag is hooked to the hanging strap pin 108 on the hanger frame 96.

The hanger arms 95, 95 are held in the tilted position set by the operator by the frictional resistance of the frictional resistors 94, 94, but if they start to rotate downwards on their own if left unattended, the adjustment knob 102 is rotated to adjust the frictional resistance of the frictional resistors 94, 94 arranged between the second transport frames 78, 78 and the hanger arms 95, 95. When the adjustment knob 102 is rotated in the tightening direction, the contact area and contact pressure of the frictional resistors 94, 94 increase, strengthening the frictional resistance and preventing the hanger arms 95, 95 from moving on their own. When the adjustment knob 102 is rotated in the loosening direction, the contact area and contact pressure of the frictional resistors 94, 94 decrease, weakening the frictional resistance.

In addition, as the harvesting work progresses and the number of carrots contained in the storage bag 97 exceeds a certain amount, the assistant worker steps on the extension side of the lifting operation pedal 92, extending the lifting cylinder 88 and raising the transport end side of the sorting transport conveyor 87.

While the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 is rising, the force with which the hanger arms 95, 95 try to descend exceeds the frictional resistance of the friction resistors 96, 96, so the hanger arms 95, 95 descend. The hanger arms 95, 95 descend only while the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 is rising to ensure space for storing carrots in the storage bag 97.

When the hanger arms 95, 95 rotate downward, the hanging hangers 98, 98 rotate about the hanger frame 96 as a fulcrum, and the outer sides of the hanging hangers 98, 98 rotate downward while the inner sides rotate upward. The outer side of the storage bag 97 is located at the top during installation, so there is almost no change in position, but the inner side of the storage bag 97 is pulled upward by the movement of the hanging hangers 98, 98. This eliminates the slack that had occurred inside the storage bag 97 according to the amount of lift.

This operation causes almost no change in the drop between the end of the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 and the storage bag 97, and the end of the discharge chute 89 hangs down and fits inside the storage bag 97, so it does not protrude from the storage bag 97.

In addition, as the harvesting process progresses and the amount of carrots contained in the storage bag 97 exceeds a certain amount, the transport end of the sorting and transport conveyor 87 is raised, the hanger arms 95, 95 are rotated downward, and the inside of the storage bag 97 is pulled upward to ensure storage space for the carrots in the storage bag 97 and to break up the pile of carrots that is concentrated inside the body of the machine.

Then, the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 is rotated upward and the hanging hangers 98, 98 are placed in a substantially horizontal position, which removes the slack in the storage bag 97 inside the machine and makes the top-to-bottom heights of the inside and outside of the machine substantially the same. When this state is reached, the storage bag 97 contains approximately 200 kg of carrots, so the operator stops the machine's movement and lowers the storage bag 97 outside the machine.

At this time, the hanger arms 95, 95 are configured to come into contact with the lower limit restriction protrusions 100, 100.

However, in cases where all the carrots in the field are only a few meters away from being harvested, and replacing the storage bag 97 would be too much work, the lid that closes the top opening of the storage bag 97 can be hooked onto the outer hanging bodies 99a, 99a of the hanging hangers 98, 98, and the vertical height of the storage bag 97 from the outside of the machine body to near the center in the left-right direction can be increased, making it possible to store several meters (several kg) of carrots, eliminating the need to replace the storage bag 97 and improving work efficiency.

Even in this state, there is almost no change in the drop between the transport end of the sorting transport conveyor 87 and the storage bag 97.

When the storage bag 97 is full, the machine, the extraction conveyor 24, the sorting and transporting conveyor 87, etc. are stopped, the storage bag 97 is removed from the hanging hooks 99f, 99f, 99f, 99f, and the hook lever 106a is operated to pull it toward the rear of the machine via the slide knob 106, and the auxiliary hook 105 is removed from the storage bag 97. When the hook lever 106a is released, the auxiliary hook 105 automatically returns to the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 and to approximately the center in the front-to-rear direction of the storage bag 97 when it is attached, due to the biasing force of the spring 104.

In addition, by operating the operating handle 116 to lower the platform 112 forward or backward, the storage bag 97 containing the carrots slides down the platform 112 under its own weight, so that when the storage bag 97 is lowered to the front of the machine body, the machine body is moved backward, and when the storage bag 97 is lowered to the rear of the machine body, the machine body is moved forward, and the storage bag 97 containing approximately 200 kg of carrots is lowered from the storage section G and placed in the field.

When the harvesting operation is completed, the hanger arms 95, 95 are again brought into contact with the upper limit regulating protrusion 101, and the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 is rotated upward to the uppermost position.

The above configuration and operation causes almost no slack to form on the outside of the storage bag 97 from the start of work until it is replaced, preventing carrots from getting into the slack and reducing the capacity of the storage bag 97. This reduces the frequency with which the storage bag 97 needs to be replaced, improving work efficiency and reducing the labor required by the worker.

When the conventional method of attaching the storage bag was used, slack occurred on both the inside and outside of the machine, and carrots could get caught in this slack, making it impossible to remove the slack even when the storage bag was lifted, reducing the amount that could be stored in one go and increasing the frequency of changing the storage bag.

Although it was possible to eliminate slack in the storage bags by moving the sorting and transport conveyor up and down, and secure storage space, workers had to operate the sorting and transport conveyor every time the slack was removed, reducing work efficiency. In particular, the sorting accuracy of the assistant workers who performed the sorting operation was reduced.

The drop between the end of the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 and one of the left and right sides of the storage bag 97 is always approximately constant, so the carrots are prevented from being damaged by the impact of the fall, improving the commercial value of the carrots.

Furthermore, the rotation of the hanger arms 95, 95 is normally restricted by friction resistors 96, 96, and the hanger arms 95, 95 rotate downward only while the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 is raised. This allows the inside of the hanging hangers 98, 98 to move upward in tandem with the operation of the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 in accordance with changes in the amount of carrots contained in the storage bags 97, so that the amount of storage in the storage bags 97 can be automatically increased and any slack in the inside of the storage bags 97 is automatically eliminated, eliminating the need to move the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 up and down to remove slack, significantly improving work efficiency.

In addition, by providing an upper limit regulating protrusion 101 on the second transport frame 78 at the front of the machine body, which determines the limit of the upward tilt posture of the hanger arms 95, 95, the operator can easily determine the position to set the hanger arms 98, 98 and determine the position of the hanger arms 95, 95 so that the storage bag 97 is full.

In addition, because the upper limit regulating protrusion 101 is provided only on the second transport frame 78 at the front of the machine, the upper limit regulating protrusion 101 is not within the working range of the assistant worker sorting the carrots being transported on the sorting transport conveyor 87, preventing the assistant worker from bumping into it or getting it caught on his/her clothes while working, reducing the burden on the worker.

The lower limit regulating members 100, 100 are also provided on the second transport frame 78 at the rear of the machine, but they are located at the inner ends of the hanging hangers 98, 98 in the machine, and this is an area where sorting work is usually completed, so there is no problem as they do not interfere with the work of the assistant workers.

To prevent the operator from forgetting to contact the hanger arms 95, 95 with the upper tier regulating protrusions 101, a note can be written on the rear second transport frame 78 to prevent forgetting to set it.

And by providing the outer hanging bodies 99a, 99a facing upward at the outer ends of the hanging hangers 98, 98, and the inner hanging bodies 99b, 99b at the inner ends of the body, the hanging hooks 99f, 99f inside the body are positioned lower than the hanging hooks 99f, 99f outside the body. This increases the difference in vertical height between the outside and inside of the body of the storage bag 97 when it is installed, making it even more difficult for carrots to spill out of the storage bag 97 on the outside of the body.

In addition, by bending both the left and right ends of the hanging hanger 98 to form the outer hanging body 99a and the inner hanging body 99b, it can be constructed from a single rod material, which helps reduce costs.

Then, the hanging strap 97i provided inside the machine body of the storage bag 97 is hooked to the hanging strap hook 107 under the sorting and transporting conveyor 87, and the hanging strap 97o provided on the outside of the machine body is hooked to the hanging strap pin 108 on the hanger frame 96. The hanging straps 97i and 97o pull the storage bag 97, thereby reducing slack that occurs in the storage bag 97.

Furthermore, by hooking the auxiliary hook 105 into the hole at approximately the center of the storage bag 97 in the front-to-rear direction, the slack that occurs in the approximately center of the storage bag 97 in the front-to-rear direction inside the body of the machine can be reduced, so that the carrots are less likely to get caught in the slack inside the body of the machine, and sufficient storage space can be secured.

When the slide knob 106 is pulled toward the rear of the machine, the slide shaft 103 slides toward the rear of the machine and the auxiliary hook 105 disengages from the storage bag 97. This allows the auxiliary hook 105 to be disengaged without having to reach into the narrow space between the storage bag 97 full of carrots and the bottom of the conveying end of the sorting conveyor 87, improving work efficiency and reducing the labor required by the worker.

In addition, when the hanger arms 95, 95 are brought into contact with the upper limit regulating projection 101 and the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 is rotated to the uppermost position, the hanging hangers 98, 98 rotate so that the outer ends of the hanging hangers 98, 98 are positioned more inward than the ends of the machine frame 1, so that the hanging hangers 98, 98 protruding from the machine frame 1 will not hit a wall or the like, preventing damage to the machine.

In addition, by hanging the end of the discharge chute 89 down inside the storage bag 97, there is no space between the discharge chute 89 and the storage bag 97 into which carrots can fall, so carrots discharged from the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 can be prevented from falling, improving the commercial value of the carrots. If the width of the discharge chute 89 in the front-to-rear direction of the machine body is made approximately the same as the width of the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 in the front-to-rear direction of the machine body, the effect of preventing carrots from falling is further improved.

Next, the configuration of the loading and unloading section H will be explained.

As shown in Figures 2, 18 and 19, front and rear support plates 109, 109 are attached to the rear of the left and right sides of the machine frame 1 in the left and right direction of the machine body, and a mounting frame 110 is attached to the outer end of the machine body of the front and rear support plates 109, 109 so as to be rotatable in the left and right direction of the machine body with a left and right rotation shaft 110a as a rotation fulcrum. Then, a vertical rotation shaft 111a is provided at the rear lower part of the mounting frame 110, and a mounting table 112 for mounting and supporting the bottom of a storage bag 97 suspended from the front and rear hanging hangers 98, 98 is attached to the upper part of the vertical rotation shaft 111a so as to be rotatable up and down.

A rear support plate 113 is provided at the other left and right end of the rear side of the mounting frame 110, and the lower end of a rotating plate 114 is axially attached to the other left and right end of the vertical rotating shaft 111a so as to be freely rotatable in the fore-and-aft direction of the aircraft, and a freely extendable and retractable rod 115 is attached between the upper part of the rotating plate 114 and the upper part of the rear support plate 113.

Furthermore, an operating handle 116 for extending and retracting the extendable rod 115 is attached to the end of the extendable rod 115 on the rear side of the machine body, and drop prevention plates 117B, 117L, 117R for preventing the storage bag 97 from falling are attached to both the left and right sides and the rear of the placement stand 112, thereby forming a recovery stand 118. A support protrusion 119 is attached to the outer end of the machine body (the right end of the machine body) of the recovery stand 118, on which one side end of the hanging hangers 98, 98 is hooked when the recovery stand 118 is folded.

Of the fall prevention plates 117B, 117L, and 117R, the left fall prevention plate 117L, which is located on the left side of the machine body, i.e., inside the machine body, has a discharge opening 117s formed on the lower side for discharging water and debris, and when the collection platform 118 is rotated toward the machine body frame 1, the water and debris fall from the discharge opening 117s into the field.

A torque spring 110b is attached to the left-right rotating shaft 110a, which constantly urges the collection platform 118 upward and keeps it in an upwardly inclined position. When the weight of the carrots stored in the storage bag 97 increases, the platform automatically rotates downward until it assumes a substantially horizontal position relative to the machine frame 1.

The storage bag hanging device 85 and the collection platform 118 form the loading and unloading section H.

The telescopic rod 115 has a screw groove engraved on the surface of one rod and a screw groove engraved on the inner surface of the other hollow rod, and the screw grooves of the two rods are aligned and rotated with the operating handle 116 to extend and retract. However, this may be replaced with an electric cylinder or hydraulic cylinder, in which case the operating handle 116 may be replaced with a switch or lever.

Below, we will explain another embodiment of this carrot harvester.

As shown in Figures 22 and 23, left and right support frames 150, 150 that are long in the vertical direction are provided on the rotating frame 20 and below the conveying path of the extraction conveying device 24. The upper sides of the left and right support frames 150, 150 are shaped like a V-shape that is wider apart toward the bottom when viewed from the front (rear).

Then, the transmission case 22 is provided with the rear end sides of the left and right front transmission cases 151, 151 that transmit the driving force to the front side of the machine body, the front end sides of the front transmission cases 151, 151 are provided on the rear side of the left and right support frames 150, 150, and holding drive pulleys 152, 152 that rotate by receiving the driving force from the front transmission cases 151, 151 are arranged. In addition, left and right holding driven pulleys 153, 153 are rotatably attached to the front side of the left and right support frames 150, 150 and above the tail cutting device 35, and left and right holding tension pulleys 154, 154 are rotatably attached between the left and right holding driven pulleys 153, 153 and the holding drive pulleys 152, 152.

The left and right support frames 150, 150 are arranged in a V-shape when viewed from the front (rear), but the holding drive pulleys 152, 152, the holding driven pulleys 153, 153, and the holding tension pulleys 154, 154 are arranged with their respective rotation shafts (not shown) inserted vertically into the support frames 150, 150.

Furthermore, the holding conveyor belts 155, 155 that contact the carrots being transferred from the extracting and conveying device 24 to the alignment devices 54L and 54R are endlessly wound around the holding drive pulleys 152, 152, the holding driven pulleys 153, 153, and the holding tension pulleys 154, 154 to form the holding conveyor device 156.

The holding and conveying device 156 brings the left and right holding and conveying belts 155, 155 into contact with the carrots, preventing the carrots from shaking during conveyance due to machine vibrations and ensuring that the carrots are handed over to the alignment devices 54L and 54R.

When carrots are harvested in late autumn to early winter, the stems and leaves are often withered by the cold, i.e., frost-withered, and when they come into contact with the alignment devices 54L, 54R, the impact can cause the stems and leaves to break off, causing the carrots to fall. For this reason, in this embodiment, the recovery conveyor 160 is positioned below the alignment devices 54L, 54R to receive the fallen carrots and return them to the transport path.

In this embodiment, the holding and conveying device 156 continues to contact the carrots from both sides until they reach the end of the alignment devices 54L and 54R, so even if the stems and leaves are torn off, the carrots can be conveyed to the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76. This eliminates the need to remove any remaining leaves from the carrots on the sorting and conveying conveyor 87 or after work is completed, improving sorting accuracy and work efficiency.

Even if the stems and leaves are not torn off, the holding and transporting device 156 transports the carrots while maintaining their posture until they reach the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76. This makes it possible to stabilize the position at which the carrots, after their stems and leaves have been cut by the stem and leaf cutting device 61, fall onto the remaining leaf processing conveyor 76, making it easier to remove the remaining leaves.

In addition, by making the upper sides of the left and right support frames 150, 150 V-shaped, even if the carrots are bent or forked, they are prevented from getting stuck between the left and right holding and conveying belts 155, 155. This eliminates the need to interrupt harvesting work to remove the carrots, improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, by positioning the front end of the holding and conveying device 156 immediately behind and above the tail cutting device 35, the device is positioned in a position that makes it easy to catch the carrots that have passed through the tail cutting device 35 and are tilted slightly backwards. This prevents the carrots from bouncing off the holding and conveying device 156 and causing transport to stagnate, improving work efficiency.

As shown in FIG. 24, a clutch mechanism 147 may be provided on the sorting and conveying input shaft 127a, and the clutch mechanism 147 may be connected to the lifting and lowering operation pedal 92 by a connecting wire 148. When the lifting and lowering operation pedal 92 is depressed, the connecting wire 148 acts on the clutch mechanism 147, turning the clutch mechanism 147 off.

With the above configuration, when the amount of carrots stored in the storage container 97 increases and the transport end side of the sorting and transport conveyor 87 is raised to increase the capacity of the storage container 97, the drive of the sorting and transport conveyor 87 stops while the lifting operation pedal 92 is pressed, so the worker can operate the sorting and transport conveyor 87 without being distracted by the carrot sorting work, allowing for appropriate adjustments and improving sorting accuracy.

If a clutch operation pedal 149 different from the lift operation pedal 92 is provided and connected to the clutch mechanism 147, and the clutch operation pedal 149 is configured to be turned off when the worker steps on the clutch operation pedal 149, the drive of the sorting conveyor 87 can be stopped immediately if the conveying speed of the sorting conveyor 87 becomes unstable or an abnormal noise occurs. This prevents damage to the sorting conveyor 87, and if a cause of damage such as a stone gets in, it can be removed before serious damage occurs.

In addition, when the worker wants to take more time with sorting, he or she can step on the clutch operation pedal 149 to stop only the sorting transport conveyor 87 and perform the sorting work, which significantly improves sorting accuracy and improves work efficiency because there is no need to stop the harvesting work.

Figures 25 to 31 will be described. When loading and unloading the storage container 97, a typical root vegetable harvester is equipped with a mechanism for lowering the storage container 97 at a position adjacent to the machine body. The storage platform that supports the storage container 97 rotates vertically, allowing the storage container 97 to be unloaded. However, there is a problem in that the unloaded storage container 97 may come into contact with the machine body, damaging the harvested crop stored in the storage container 97 and reducing its commercial value.

To solve the above-mentioned problems, the storage container 97 can be easily unloaded by switching between a state in which the storage container 97 is supported by the storage support member 950 that supports the storage container 97 and a state in which the storage container 97 is supported but adjacent to the sorting transport conveyor 87, and a state in which the storage container 97 is supported but spaced apart.

The storage support member 950 is formed of multiple frames, and supports the storage container 97 via the multiple frames. In other words, a main frame MF that is rotatably supported by the sorting and transport conveyor 87 and a sub-frame SF that is rotatably supported by the main frame MF are provided, and by rotating these two frames, the storage container 97 can be moved by switching between a first position X (Figures 25 to 27) where the sorting and transport conveyor 87 and the storage container 97 are adjacent to each other and a second position Y (Figures 28 to 30) where the sorting and transport conveyor 87 and the storage container 97 are separated from each other.

The sorting and transporting conveyor 87 can also move the storage support member 950 up and down using a lifting cylinder 88 that moves the end of the transport path up and down. In other words, the storage container 97 can be unloaded into the field while being supported.

In addition, a fulcrum ST is provided to connect and support the main frame MF and the subframe SF, and a hanger part H is provided on the other side of the fulcrum ST of the subframe SF to hang the storage container 97.

In other words, the subframe SF has a fulcrum ST at one end and a hanger H at the other end.

The hanger section H may be configured to be adjacent to or separated from the sorting and transport conveyor 87 by rotating multiple frames or links, or by using a sliding mechanism, etc.

In other words, the storage container 97 may be configured to be suspended while being adjacent to or spaced apart from the sorting and transport conveyor 87.

The main frame MF and the subframe SF are connected and supported by a fulcrum ST, which provides a first position X in which the main frame MF and the subframe SF overlap in the vertical direction of the aircraft.

The two frames are in an overlapping position and the frame does not protrude outside the machine body. In this first position X, the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 and the storage container 97 are adjacent to each other. In other words, this is the working position for storing the harvested crop in the storage container 97. The sorting and transporting conveyor 87 can be raised and lowered by the lifting cylinder 88, allowing it to be adjusted to an appropriate height for storing the harvested crop in the storage container 97.

A second position Y is provided in which the main frame MF and the sub-frame SF do not overlap in the vertical direction of the machine body due to the fulcrum ST that connects and supports the main frame MF and the sub-frame SF. The two frames are positioned so that they are in a substantially straight line in the left-right direction of the machine body via the fulcrum ST. In other words, the frames protrude to the outside of the machine body, and in this second position X, the sorting and transport conveyor 87 and the storage container 97 are separated. This is the unloading position where the harvested products stored in the storage container 97 are unloaded from the machine body. By moving the sorting conveyor 87 up and down with the lifting cylinder 88, the storage container 97 can be lowered into the field while being suspended.

In order to store the two frames (main frame and subframe) and the hanger section H inside the machine body, a main frame pivot point MS is provided that connects and supports the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 and the main frame MF, and by rotating it, the storage support member 950 is moved above the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 to the storage position Z. In other words, even in the first position X, it protrudes beyond the width of the machine body, and the main frame pivot point MS allows all of the storage support member 950 to be stored within the width of the machine body.

The switching device DS that switches between the first position X and the second position Y will be described. The main frame MS is equipped with an electric cylinder that operates the subframe SF. The subframe SF rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the rear of the aircraft using the fulcrum ST when switching from the first position X to the second position Y, and rotates clockwise when viewed from the rear of the aircraft when switching from the second position Y to the first position X. Note that when switching to the storage position Z, the main frame rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the rear of the aircraft using the main frame rotation fulcrum MS. When located in the storage position Z, the fulcrum ST is located near the center of the aircraft in the left-right direction. The switching device DS is also located near the center of the aircraft in the left-right direction.

The sorting and transporting conveyor 87 moves up and down on the lifting cylinder 88, but rotates around the conveyor rotation fulcrum SS, which is located upstream of the sorting and transporting conveyor 87 in the transport direction.

In addition, the configuration described above includes a storage support member 950 that loads and unloads the storage containers 97 onto the sorting and transporting conveyor 87, but the configuration may include the storage support member 950 in any location on the machine body.

The sorting and transporting conveyor 87 is transported in the left-right direction of the machine body, but it can be transported in the front-back direction. The sorting and transporting conveyor 87 can also be configured to rotate on the upstream side in the transport direction so that the storage containers 97 can be unloaded in various directions.

24 Extraction conveying device 88 Sorting conveying conveyor (conveying device)
97 Storage container MF Main frame SF Subframe H Hanger portion ST Support point X First position Y Second position Z Storage position MS Main frame rotation support point 950 Storage support member

Claims (3)

A root vegetable harvester including an extracting and conveying device (24) for extracting and harvesting crops, a conveying device (87) for conveying the harvested crops, a storage support member (950) for supporting a storage container (97) on the conveying device (87), and a storage placement table (112) for placing the storage container (97),
The conveying device (87) is configured to move the receiving support member (950) up and down by moving the conveying end side up and down,
The storage support member (950) is switched between a first position (X) in which the storage container (97) is placed on the storage and placement stand (112) in the placement position to serve as a working position for storing the harvested crop, and a second position (Y) in which the storage container (97) is suspended and supported at a position away from the conveying device (87) on the left and right outer sides of the storage and placement stand (112) in the placement position, and
This root vegetable harvester is characterized in that when the storage container (97) is in the second position (Y), by lowering the end side of the conveying device (87), the storage container (97) can be lowered into the field in a state in which it is suspended and supported by the storage support members (950) on the left and right outer sides of the storage and loading platform (112) in the loading position. The root vegetable harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that the storage platform (112) is attached so as to be rotatable in the left-right direction of the machine body with the left-right rotation shaft (110a) as a rotation fulcrum, and when the storage platform is rotated upward and the end side of the conveying device (87) is lowered while the storage support member (950) is in the first position (X), the storage container (97) can be lowered to a position adjacent to the machine body. The root vegetable harvester according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the storage support member (950) is provided so as to be freely rotatable up and down, and the storage support member (950) can be rotated into a position in which it overlaps with the conveying device (87) in the vertical direction of the machine body.