China-hemp picking machine for picking China-hemp

Abstract

A hemp machine (1) for processing hemp is described. The hemp machine comprises a self-propelled vehicle comprising a vehicle chassis (1) and a hemp picking unit (3) mounted on the vehicle chassis for picking fibrous plants. The hemp picking unit (3) comprises a first picking element (25) designed to pick the lower part of the fibrous plant and a second picking element (26) designed to pick the upper part of the fibrous plant. The second picking element has a cutting unit (55) for cutting the fibrous plant at a location between the upper and lower portions of the fibrous plant.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a processing machine for processing fiber plants. Background Art

[0002] Over time, many different machines have been developed for the harvesting and subsequent processing of fiber plants (such as, but not limited to, hemp, flax, sisal, jute, kenaf plants). On the one hand, there are picking machines that can pick fiber plants in the field, and the picked fiber plants can be laid flat on the ground in rows (strips) using the picking machine. On the other hand, so-called turning machines have been developed, and once the fiber plants are laid flat on the ground at an earlier stage, the fiber plants can be picked up, turned over, and can be put back on the ground in a turning posture using this turning machine. Many variations of these two types of processing machines are known again. However, all these variations are only configured to rotate relatively short fiber plants, such as flax. Considering the huge differences in properties between different fiber plants, including characteristics such as length and including the composition of the plant, in principle, each processing step and each fiber plant uses a separate processing machine. For example, the length of the hemp plant is typically between 1.4m and 3.2m, and the flax plant is quite short, such as typically between 0.7m and 1.3m.

[0003] It has also been found that it is difficult to pick or pluck relatively long fiber plants, such as long hemp plants relative to flax plants, when using conveyor belts that are sometimes used in corresponding flax turning machines and flax picking machines. When, for example, the picking machine or turning machine is guided between a running conveyor belt and a rotating press roller or pulley to clamp the fiber plant, it is sometimes impossible to feed the fiber plant into the picking machine or turning machine in a uniform and controlled manner. When the stems of the fiber plants are, for example, very dry, there may sometimes be almost no clamping force between the conveyor belt and the press roller or pulley, causing the fiber plants to remain in the field. Similar phenomena may occur on the side of a field where there is sometimes a relatively small amount of fiber plants when the field is sown too sparsely and / or only a small amount of seeds are left in the field due to certain weather conditions. In both cases, the fiber plants tend to automatically become larger, i.e. longer and with thicker stems. When picking fiber plants, in particular when the fiber plants have to be pulled out of the ground together with the roots and therefore relatively large forces have to be exerted on the stems of the fiber plants during picking (in particular when the fiber plants become (too) large and therefore have roots (too) deeply), in existing picking machines picking can lead to an uneven supply of fiber plants (e.g. the fiber plants break or are at least damaged when picking, for example when too much force is exerted on the plants within too short a time span) and / or to part of the fiber plants being left in the field because the stems of the fiber plants break and the base part remains in the ground. Summary of the invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a fiber plant processing machine in which fiber plants can be picked and / or collected in an efficient manner.

[0005] A further object of the invention is to provide a fiber plant processing machine in which, preferably also in the case where there are relatively few fiber plants in certain places, for example due to sowing failures, weather conditions (e.g. storms) or an incorrect sowing process, such as sowing at an incorrect density (wherein the density is expressed, for example, in kg / ha), a uniform supply of picked and / or collected fiber plants can be ensured.

[0006] At least one of these and / or other objects can be achieved in a processing machine for processing fiber plants, the processing machine comprising:

[0007] - a self-propelled or towed vehicle comprising a vehicle chassis on which a plurality of wheels are arranged;

[0008] - a processing unit configured to pluck the fiber plants from the ground or pick up the fiber plants, the processing unit comprising:

[0009] - a support frame which is mounted or mountable on the vehicle chassis;

[0010] - a transport device mounted on the support frame and configured to receive the fiber plants and transport the fiber plants to a vehicle, wherein the transport device comprises:

[0011] - a plurality of main guide rollers mounted on a support frame;

[0012] - an endless main conveyor belt, which is guided along main guide rollers;

[0013] - a drive for driving the main conveyor belt;

[0014] - a plurality of auxiliary guide rollers mounted on the support frame;

[0015] an endless auxiliary conveyor belt, which is guided along auxiliary guide rollers, wherein the auxiliary conveyor belt is configured to be driven by displacement of the driven main conveyor belt;

[0016] wherein the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt define a receiving area and a mutual contact area, the receiving area is used to receive and then clamp the fiber plants between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt for picking, and in the mutual contact area, the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt contact each other;

[0017] Therein, the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt are positioned at the location of the receiving area to define a mutual distance that gradually decreases in the receiving direction and turns into a mutual contact area.

[0018] The pivotable frame is arranged on the front side of the vehicle, viewed in the transport direction, and the receiving area is also positioned on the front side of the pivotable frame. Thus, when the vehicle advances (in the transport direction), the fiber plant is first received in the receiving area in the receiving direction (opposite to the transport direction). Here, receiving the fiber plant comprises causing the conveyor belts to bring the fiber plants together as they advance, thereby clamping the fiber plants until the fiber plants are located in a contact area, in which the fiber plants are firmly clamped between the conveyor belts. Here, the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt are in direct contact with each other or indirectly via the fiber plant located therebetween.

[0019] By forming such a receiving area (where it is important that the receiving area has sufficient dimensions in the longitudinal direction, i.e. in the direction of the forward movement of the device), the fiber plants are gathered together when the vehicle advances and are thus clamped more smoothly between the conveyor belts over a longer time interval. This reduces the risk of damaging the fiber plants during picking or picking up (also referred to as "picking up" in this article), reduces the risk of the fiber plants "slipping" along the conveyor belt, especially when the stems of the fiber plants are very dry, and reduces the risk of the fiber plants occasionally agglomerating together when being clamped, resulting in uneven supply of fiber plants to the vehicle for further processing. When the fiber plants are gathered together and thus gradually clamped, the time interval for clamping is longer (e.g. one tenth of a second or more to one second, rather than the fiber plants that are immediately engaged and clamped between two pulleys) further makes it possible to perform processing steps, such as harvesting the fiber plants. In the latter case, the fiber plants are therefore not pulled out of the ground together with the roots, but the roots remain in the field.

[0020] In a determined embodiment, the device comprises a plurality of guide elements which, viewed in the direction of travel, are mounted on the front outer ends of the frame and are configured to guide and push aside the fiber plants for picking into one or more channels, wherein the receiving area is a receiving area arranged between the guide elements and between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt. The receiving area is therefore located entirely on the front side of the device and is the area in which the device first receives the fiber plants. In a determined embodiment, the guide elements can in each case form pointed projections (e.g. steel wires) so that a channel for the fiber plants can be formed between every two adjacent pointed projections in the direction of the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt.

[0021] In certain embodiments, the auxiliary conveyor belt is configured to be driven by displacement of the driven main conveyor belt. In these embodiments, the auxiliary conveyor belt does not need to be driven separately, which makes the construction of the machine simpler and lighter. The main conveyor belt can be configured in particular to drive the auxiliary conveyor belt in the contact area. By keeping the two belts against each other in this way, the auxiliary conveyor belt can run with the main conveyor belt in a simple and synchronized manner.

[0022] In certain embodiments, the processing machine further comprises:

[0023] - a first endless main conveyor belt, which is guided along main guide rollers;

[0024] - a second endless main conveyor belt, which is guided along main guide rollers;

[0025] - a first endless auxiliary conveyor belt, which is guided along auxiliary guide rollers and at least a first main guide roller;

[0026] - a second endless auxiliary conveyor belt, which is guided along auxiliary guide rollers and at least a second main guide roller;

[0027] wherein the first main conveyor belt and the first auxiliary conveyor belt define a first receiving area, and the first receiving area is used to receive and clamp the first fiber plant between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt;

[0028] wherein the second main conveyor belt and the second auxiliary conveyor belt define a second receiving area, and the second receiving area is used to receive and clamp the second fiber plant between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt;

[0029] wherein the first main conveyor belt and the first auxiliary conveyor belt are positioned in the first receiving area to define a mutual distance that gradually decreases in the receiving direction and turns into a first mutual contact area, and wherein the second main conveyor belt and the second auxiliary conveyor belt are positioned in the second receiving area to define a mutual distance that gradually decreases in the receiving direction and turns into a second mutual contact area;

[0030] The processing machine further comprises:

[0031] a combining region for combining the first fiber plant and the second fiber plant supplied via the first contacting region and the second contacting region; and

[0032] - a further contact area arranged between the first and second main conveyor belt for further transport of the combined first and second fiber plant between the first and second main conveyor belt.

[0033] In a specific embodiment, the receiving area between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt is longer in the receiving direction than the maximum diameter of each of the main guide roller and the auxiliary guide roller. This results in a minimum length that ensures a longer clamping time than if the fiber plant were clamped directly between a first roller with a conveyor belt and an adjacent second roller resting against the conveyor belt, as is the case in known processing machines.

[0034] As mentioned above, it is important that the receiving area has sufficient dimensions in the longitudinal direction (i.e. in the direction of travel or forward movement of the device) so that the fiber plants are pushed together and clamped sufficiently smoothly by the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt at the usual travel speed. In a certain embodiment, the receiving area between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt is longer than 20 cm, preferably longer than 50 cm, and more preferably longer than 80 cm in the receiving direction for this purpose. At the usual travel speed of the vehicle (typically between 5 km / hour and 18 km / hour), this results in a duration of one tenth of a second or more to one second or more for bringing the fiber plants together and thus clamping the fiber plants.

[0035] In certain embodiments, the receiving area tapers (in the receiving direction) so that a smooth gripping is promoted. This taper can be achieved, for example, by extending the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt obliquely relative to each other in the receiving direction in the receiving area. The width of the receiving area is smaller at its beginning than at the end (where the receiving area turns into the contact area).

[0036] In particular, in the receiving area the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt may extend in the receiving direction with a mutual angle (α) between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt being between 5 and 45 degrees.

[0037] The angle can be substantially constant over the entire receiving area. However, in other embodiments, the receiving area includes a first receiving area portion and an adjacent second receiving area portion, wherein the mutual angle (α) in the first receiving area portion is greater than the mutual angle (α) in the second receiving area portion, for example, at least 10 degrees, preferably at least 20 degrees. This can be achieved, for example, by arranging one or more additional conveyor belt guide rollers on the support frame. In a determined embodiment, the processing machine includes one or more additional main guide rollers and / or auxiliary guide rollers positioned at offset positions along the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt, respectively. Here, the main guide roller and / or the auxiliary guide roller can determine the starting point and end point of each receiving area, especially each receiving area portion. "Offset position" is understood to mean that no rollers are positioned adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. For example, if the fiber plant advances between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt, and the guide roller (whether the main guide roller or the auxiliary guide roller) is located at a determined position on one side (i.e., in a top view, the right hand side or the left hand side), then the guide roller is not arranged at this position on the other opposite side of the (main / auxiliary) conveyor belt.

[0038] The use of additional guide rollers further enables the fiber plant to be engaged in an even more gradual manner (and therefore gradually more firmly / with increasing clamping force). For example, the fiber plant is clamped slightly more gradually and slightly less aggressively at the end of the receiving area because a narrowing has occurred due to the presence of the additional guide rollers.

[0039] In certain embodiments, a tensioning element is also provided, on which one or more of the main guide rollers and the auxiliary guide rollers are arranged. Here, the tensioning element is arranged to be mounted on the pivotable support frame at an adjustable position, preferably at a continuously adjustable position. Thus, the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt can be tensioned together in a simple manner.

[0040] In certain embodiments, the auxiliary guide rollers and / or the main guide rollers are made of steel and / or are provided with at least a steel running surface. This is made possible by the fact that the fiber plants are now always clamped and transported between two conveyor belts, i.e. between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt. As a result, it is no longer necessary to produce the running surface from a softer material, such as rubber, in order to protect the fiber plants (which is usually necessary, in particular in known flax pickers, in order to generate sufficient picking forces). These (running surfaces of) rollers made of steel are strong and particularly wear-resistant.

[0041] In certain embodiments, the height of the main conveyor belt is greater than the height of the auxiliary conveyor belt, for example at least twice the height of the auxiliary conveyor belt. The height of the main conveyor belt is typically about 100mm, 130mm or (preferably) 140mm, and the maximum height of the auxiliary conveyor belt is 70mm, 65mm or 50mm respectively.

[0042] In a determined embodiment, the mutual lateral distance between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt in a direction transverse to the receiving direction (more specifically, the distance in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction) at the free outer ends of the receiving area reaches at least 20 cm, so that in each case a sufficiently wide fiber plant belt can enter the receiving area.

[0043] In certain embodiments, the processing machine includes a cutting unit mounted on a pivotable support frame, and the cutting unit is configured to cut the fiber plant when the fiber plant is located in a receiving area between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt. The cutting unit is positioned on the pivotable support frame to cut (i.e., harvest) the fiber plant just above the root of the fiber plant. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Other advantages, features and details of the present invention will be clarified with reference to the following description of some embodiments of the present invention. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0045] Figure 1 is a partially cut-away side view of an embodiment of a vehicle according to the present invention;

[0046] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic top view of a vehicle having a processing unit disposed on its front side;

[0047] Figure 3 is based on Figure 1 and Figure 2 A partially cutaway perspective side view of an embodiment of a vehicle;

[0048] Figure 4 is a side view of a hemp machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the processing unit is mounted on a vehicle and is suitable for processing long-fiber plants;

[0049] Figure 5A is a perspective side view of a portion of a machining unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 5B As Figure 5A A side view of a cutting unit of a portion of a machining unit;

[0051] Figure 6 yes Figure 5A and Figure 5B A top view of the lower picking element of the processing unit; and

[0052] Figure 7 yes Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 6 An enlarged top view of a lower picking element and / or an upper picking element of a processing unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] Flax is a fiber crop that is grown for the production of linen, among other things. Flax plants are usually between 80 cm and 120 cm long and are harvested using a traction-type or self-propelled flax picker. To this end, the flax picker has a picking unit on the front side that is specifically implemented to pull the flax plants out of the ground. The harvested flax plants are then processed by the flax picker, the harvested flax plants are shifted to the back side of the flax picker and the flax plants are placed on the ground during travel. The flax plants are laid flat on the ground in long rows, also known as "strips", wherein the stems of the harvested flax plants extend generally transversely to the longitudinal direction of the strips. Laying the flax flat back on the ground to form the strips is also known as "depositing" or "picking up". When the flax plants are placed in rows or strips, intermediate spaces are left between adjacent rows. These spaces are provided to prevent the strips from getting tangled with each other.

[0054] The harvested flax plants are then laid out in strips on the ground and retting is carried out under the combined influence of moisture and heat in the air (e.g. dew, rain, sunlight) and humidity from the ground. Retting flax by leaving the flax plants on the ground (i.e. in a field or retting field) for a period of time is known in the field of processing flax as field retting or dew retting. In order to obtain a uniform retting and to prevent the flax from rotting, the flax laid out in rows on the ground must be turned over regularly. Turning the flax over from the ground is also called "turning". Turning the flax over is carried out using a traction-type or self-propelled flax turning machine.

[0055] Hemp is also a fiber crop that is grown for making textile fabrics or ropes, etc. Hemp plants are much longer than flax plants. The length of a hemp plant is typically between 140 cm and 240 cm (although in cases where the hemp plant is less successfully sown and has more room to grow, the length can be much longer, such as 3.2 m or more). Hemp is usually cut at the base of the hemp plant and then further processed.

[0056] Therefore, this would already require at least four different machines to achieve optimal processing of hemp and flax. This results in high purchase costs, operating costs and maintenance costs. In an embodiment of the present invention, a processing machine is provided, which is in principle suitable for harvesting / picking and / or turning relatively long fiber plants (such as jute, sisal, hemp or kenaf) and relatively short fiber plants (such as flax).

[0057] Figure 1 A self-propelled vehicle 2 of a processing machine 1 according to a certain embodiment of the invention is shown. The self-propelled vehicle 2 comprises a vehicle chassis 6 on which four wheels, namely two front wheels 7 and two rear wheels 8, are arranged in a known manner. Figure 1 In the figure, a part of the left front side of the vehicle is cut away (i.e. the left front wheel and the relevant part of the wheel suspension) in order to better see the structure of the front side of the vehicle. The vehicle is self-propelled, which means that it is equipped with its own drive motor, whereby a plurality of wheels, for example the two rear wheels, or all wheels can be driven. The vehicle is steered from a cab 23 at the front side of the vehicle. The chassis 6 comprises two parallel conveyors 11, 12 formed by a loading floor or platform 14 (provided with steel guides etc.) and two endless conveyor belts arranged above them. Here, it should be noted that in the operating state, in each case the conveyor belts form an endless belt. The conveyor belts can, for example, consist of long belts, the outer ends of which are attached to each other (and optionally locked with small locks). After or before use, the outer ends of such a conveyor belt can of course be disassembled, for example so that the conveyor belt can be easily removed from the vehicle or arranged on the vehicle. Here, at least one of the endless conveyor belts can be adjusted in the transverse direction, so that the intermediate distance between the two conveyor belts can be adjusted, which is in order to achieve a suitable intermediate distance for shorter or longer strips.

[0058] Reference Figure 2 In the top view, the two conveyors 11 and 12 are arranged along the two longitudinal edges of the vehicle 2, so that each of these conveyors can be used to move in the axial rearward direction (P A,a ) transport a certain amount of fiber plants. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the conveyors 11, 12 includes an endless conveyor belt 82 running on a front roller 80 and a rear roller 81. At least one of the rollers 80, 81 is driven by a drive (not shown). In a certain embodiment, the drive includes a hydraulic motor arranged in the rear (three) pulleys or rollers 81. Each of the individual partial rollers of the multiple (three) pulleys is driven individually but synchronously with each other, preferably in a determined proportion as required. The so-called carriers 83 are arranged on the outside of the conveyor belt 82. The shape, size and position of these carriers may be different from those shown in the accompanying drawings. The carriers 83 can make the fiber plants lying flat on the platform 14 at least on the guide rails 84 of the platform ( Figure 1 ) along the axial rearward direction (P A,a ) is shifted to the rear side of the chassis 6. Therefore, the fiber plant is enclosed between the conveyor belt 82 and the guide rail 84.

[0059] On the rear side of the vehicle 2, a conveying unit 13 is provided for each conveyor 11, 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the conveying unit 13 comprises an endless belt conveyor 87. The endless belt of each endless belt conveyor 87 runs around the roller 86 and around the roller 81 (the belt conveyor 87 therefore shares the roller 81 with the conveyor 11 or the conveyor 12). The conveying unit 13 is driven by the first roller 81. The conveying unit 13 extends to a certain extent obliquely backwards and is configured to move the fiber plants from each conveyor 11, 12 downwards in a quantitative and controlled manner so that the fiber plants can be placed on the ground on the rear side of the vehicle. Figure 2 As shown, when the vehicle moves in the axial forward direction (P A,v ) moves, the fiber plants (v) picked or picked up at the front side of the vehicle will be shifted to the rear side of the vehicle 2, and each fiber plant will be placed on the ground (o) in separate rows 15a, 15b by the conveying unit 13. In certain applications, the rows 15a, 15b of fiber plants consist of the same part of the fiber plants, such as relatively short flax plants in this case. However, in other embodiments, one row consists of the lower part of the harvested fiber plants, and the other row consists of the upper part of the harvested fiber plants. For example, this is the case when harvesting hemp plants. In both cases, the fiber plants are laid flat on the ground, as parallel to each other as possible, and then the retting can begin.

[0060] The vehicle 2 is provided with a processing unit 3 at its front side in order to be able to pick the fiber plants or to be able to pick up again the fiber plants that have been lying on the ground at an earlier stage (see Figure 4 ). In the case of picking fiber plants, the picking unit is arranged at the front side, while in the case of picking up fiber plants that have been previously picked and placed on the ground, the processing unit 3 will be a picking / pick-up unit. Depending on the length of the crop to be picked, different picking units will also be installed on the vehicle.

[0061] Specific reference Figure 1 and Figure 3 , the chassis includes a plurality of supporting chassis parts 39a and 39b on the front side of the chassis 6 of the vehicle 2. The supporting chassis part 39b extends in a straight line with the rest of the chassis 6 of the vehicle 2, while the supporting part 39a mounted on the supporting part 30b and the rest of the chassis 6 are arranged obliquely. The chassis 6 is also provided with a plurality of hinges 48, on which two parallel longitudinal lifting arms 47a and 47b are arranged. The two longitudinal lifting arms 47a and 47b are connected to the transverse lifting arm 47c at their outer ends. The supporting chassis part 39a, the supporting chassis part 39b, the longitudinal lifting arms 47a, the longitudinal lifting arms 47b and the transverse lifting arms 47c together form a strong and stable supporting structure for mounting a plurality of actuators, whereby the processing unit 3 connected to the chassis 6 of the vehicle 2 can be pivoted upward and downward. The supporting structure forms the above-mentioned lifting unit together with these actuators.

[0062] The pivoting of the machining unit 3 is caused by a plurality of actuators, for example electric motors or, preferably, lifting cylinders 36 of the lifting unit. Figure 1 and Figure 3 3, the actuator is formed by two lifting cylinders 36. In the embodiment shown, two lifting cylinders are provided which are located laterally adjacent to each other. However, in other embodiments, only a single lifting cylinder is used, or three or more lifting cylinders are applied. The lifting cylinder is pivotally mounted on a supporting chassis part 39a, a supporting chassis part 39b by a hinge 38 and on a transverse lifting arm 47c by a mounting support 38b. The construction of the lifting unit and its operation will be described further below.

[0063] Reference Figure 3 The chassis 6 is provided with a first mounting device 34 on both sides of the supporting chassis part 39a and the supporting chassis part 39b, for mounting the processing unit 3 thereon in a pivotable and releasable manner. The first mounting device 34 can be implemented in a variety of ways. In certain embodiments, the mounting device includes a plurality of flanges, in which each pivot 43 can be rotatably mounted. In other embodiments, a pivotable U-shaped member is used.

[0064] Each of the different machining units 3 comprises one or more frame sections of a support frame 102, wherein the frame sections can be mounted on the first mounting device 34 in a pivotable and releasable manner. Figure 4 In the embodiment shown, the processing unit 3 comprises a first lower fiber plant processing element 25 and a second upper fiber plant processing element 26 placed above it. The lower fiber plant processing element comprises a frame portion 30, which can be pivotally and easily releasably mounted on a first mounting device 34 of the vehicle using a second mounting device 32. The upper fiber plant processing element 26 comprises a frame portion 33, which is also in a pivotable (but not necessarily easily releasable) form, although in the embodiment shown, the frame portion 33 of the upper fiber plant processing element 26 is mounted on the frame portion 30 of the lower fiber plant processing element 25, rather than directly on the chassis 6 of the vehicle. However, in other embodiments (not shown), the upper fiber plant processing element is mounted just on the chassis 6 of the vehicle 2, and the lower fiber plant processing element is mounted on the upper fiber plant processing element. In some other embodiments (not shown), both fiber plant processing elements are pivotally and releasably mounted on the vehicle 2.

[0065] For mounting on the chassis 6 of the vehicle 2, more specifically on its first mounting device 34, for example a flange 34 positioned on or close to the side of the vehicle 2 and having a pivot 43 mounted therein, the processing unit 3 (in the embodiment shown, the lower fiber plant processing element 25) is provided with a second mounting device 32. The second mounting device 32 is embodied to be easily mounted on the first mounting device 34. The first mounting device 34 and the second mounting device 32 together form a mounting hinge between the processing unit 3 and the vehicle 2, so that the processing unit 3 can be pivoted about the horizontally lying pivot 43 in the upward and downward direction (pivoting direction R1, FIG. 9 ).

[0066] In order to pivot the machining unit 3 relative to the vehicle 2, the above-mentioned lifting unit is used. As described above, the lifting cylinder 36 is on a flange 38a rotatably arranged at one outer end of the chassis 6. On its opposite side, the lifting cylinder 36 is coupled to a transverse lifting arm 47c via a mounting support 38b. The transverse lifting arm 47c of the lifting unit has a substantially U-shaped cross section, which is Figure 1 and Figure 3 The U-shape forms a receiving space for a part of the frame part 30 of the lower fiber plant processing element 25. In other words, the processing unit 3 can be connected to the lifting unit in a simple manner by placing the frame part 30 of the lower fiber plant processing element 25 from above into the transverse lifting arms 47c of the lifting unit or, conversely, by simply pressing the transverse lifting arms 47c against the frame part 30 from below. Finally, the whole is connected by a locking mechanism 70 ( Figure 3 ) locking, the locking mechanism 70 for example being in the form of a remotely controllable extension cylinder, which ensures that the machining unit 3 remains locked to the lifting unit in the extended state. The lifting unit is then ready to lift the machining unit 3.

[0067] As shown by the arrow (P1) in the figure, the length of the lifting cylinder 36 is controllable. Obviously, when the length of the lifting cylinder 36 is increased, the frame part 30 will pivot upwards, and if the length of the lifting cylinder 36 is reduced, the frame part 30 will pivot downwards. In this way, the height of the free end of the processing unit can be changed, for example, in order to adjust the position of the processing unit to grip the plants and pull them up from the ground during the travel of the vehicle.

[0068] The mounting device of each different processing unit 3 is essentially identical. This means that the different processing units can not only be easily mounted on or removed from the vehicle, but also can do so in a uniform manner. It should be noted here that when replacing a processing unit 3, only the mounting device of the processing unit 3 (i.e. the second mounting device when the processing unit is a picking unit for long-fiber plants, the third mounting device when the processing unit is a picking unit for short-fiber plants, and the fourth mounting device when the processing unit is a flipping unit for long or short-fiber plants) actually needs to be released from the first mounting device of the vehicle, after which the processing unit 3, in particular its frame part 30, can be removed from the upper side of the cylinder 36. Now, by simply placing another processing unit 3 on the lifting unit of the vehicle 2 and mounting the relevant mounting device on the first mounting device of the vehicle, the user can easily adapt the processing machine 1 to the specific required processing, such as picking short-fiber plants, picking long-fiber plants or picking up and flipping fiber plants.

[0069] As mentioned above, Figures 4 to 6 An embodiment of a processing machine 1 according to the invention is shown, wherein the processing machine is provided with an improved access for receiving and gripping hemp plants and transporting the hemp plants to a vehicle.

[0070] Reference Figure 4, the processing unit 3 includes a lower fiber plant processing element 25 and an upper fiber plant processing element 26 arranged above it. The lower picking element 25 is mounted on the first mounting device of the vehicle in the above-described manner, which enables the first fiber plant processing element 25 to pivot in the upward and downward directions by controlling the lifting cylinder 36. The upper fiber plant processing element 26 is pivotally arranged on the lower fiber plant processing element 25 via a pivot 43, so that the upper fiber plant processing element 26 can pivot (pivot direction) relative to the first fiber plant processing element 25 (and relative to the vehicle 2 and the ground). The pivoting movement of the upper fiber plant processing element 26 relative to the lower fiber plant processing element 25 is driven by a plurality of additional lifting cylinders 42 arranged on the frame portion 30, the frame portion 33, wherein increasing the length of the lifting cylinder 42 causes the upper fiber plant processing element 26 to rotate upward relative to the lower fiber plant processing element 25, while reducing the length causes the upper fiber plant processing element 26 to rotate downward relative to the lower fiber plant processing element 25.

[0071] Figure 4 Schematically shows a relatively long fiber plant (h), such as hemp, kenaf or similar fiber plants, having a total length l tot (Typically between 1.4 and 4.0 m, average 2.4 m). The lower part (h1) of each fiber plant (h) has a length l o (e.g. 110 cm to 120 cm), and the upper portion (h2) has a length l b (e.g. 120 cm to 130 cm). In the embodiment shown, the length l o and l b The lengths of the fibrous plant (h) are approximately the same, but in practice these lengths can of course be different. It is important that the fibrous plant (h) is cut into at least two parts (h1, h2) and then further processed by the processing machine 1. For this purpose, the lower fibrous plant processing element 25 is made suitable for picking and processing the lower fibrous plant part (h1), while the upper fibrous plant processing element 26 is used for picking the upper fibrous plant part (h2).

[0072] The upper fiber plant processing element 26 comprises a transport device 46 for gripping fiber plants and transporting them to the vehicle 2, while the lower fiber plant processing element 25 comprises a (preferably completely or almost identical) transport device 45, whereby fiber plants can also be gripped and transported to the vehicle 2. A,v) when traveling, the upper fiber plant processing elements 26 will reach the fiber plants first. After a short time interval, the lower fiber plant processing elements 25 will also reach these same fiber plants. In other words, the engagement position at which the upper fiber plant processing elements 26 engage a certain fiber plant at a certain point in time is offset relative to the engagement position at which the lower fiber plant processing elements 25 engage a (different) fiber plant at the same point in time. This results in the upper fiber plant processing elements 26 first engaging the upper part (h2) of the fiber plants and cutting them from the lower part (h1) using one or more cutting units 55 arranged on the front side of the upper fiber plant processing elements 26, and after this, and therefore only when the upper part h2 has been cut and has been transported away, the lower fiber plant processing elements 25 will engage on the lower part (h1) of the same fiber plant.

[0073] The lower fiber plant processing element 25 is configured to engage with the lower part (h1) of the fiber plant. Due to the forward movement of the vehicle 2 and / or due to the displacement by the transport device 45 which will be further described below, the fiber plant is clamped. During the clamping process, the lower hemp parts are received and temporarily moved towards each other so that they are increasingly pressed against each other. When the lower hemp parts are received and pressed together, and / or after they have been completely pressed together and thus clamped, the lower hemp parts are cut away from the underground roots, for example by a cutting unit 100 arranged on the front side of the lower fiber plant processing element 25.

[0074] like Figure 4 As shown, the clamped upper part (h2) of the fiber plant (h) that has been cut by the cutting unit 55 is picked up by the upper fiber plant processing element 26. The upper part (h2) of the fiber plant includes a top, a flower or seed part (h5) and a remaining upper part (h3). As will be explained below, in a certain embodiment, a cutting unit will be used to remove the top (h5) of the upper part (h2) of the fiber plant (h). Here, the top (h5) is discharged through a discharge device, which includes a discharge pipe 28 having an inlet opening close to the cutting unit, a centrifugal fan 20 connected to the discharge pipe, and an outlet opening leading to a container 16 arranged on the rear side of the vehicle 2 through a frame 17. As Figure 4 As shown, this container 16 is releasably mounted on the frame part of the frame 6 by means of a quick coupler 18 and is basically only used when it is intended to remove the top (h5) from the fiber plant. In other words, when the top is not cut off, the container 16 can be optionally omitted.

[0075] The lower part (h1) of the fiber plant (h) is similarly composed of the root part h6 where the root of the fiber plant is located and the remaining lower part h4. The lower remaining part h4 of each fiber plant lower part h1 is separated from the root part h6 by the above-mentioned cutting unit 100, so that the transport device 45 can further transport these lower remaining parts h4.

[0076] An example of such a cutting unit 100 (wherein it is noted that the cutting unit 55 can be constructed in exactly the same manner) is shown in FIG. Figure 5A and in more detail in Figure 5B . In certain embodiments, the cutting units 55, 100 extend substantially over the entire width of mutually adjacent channels of the processing unit 3 and include a plurality of blades 178 that reciprocate in the transverse direction. In other embodiments, there are two or more cutting units positioned adjacent to each other. The reciprocating movement of the blades 178 of the cutting units 55, 100 is driven by a drive motor 179 disposed on the side of the support frame. The cutting units 55, 100 are positioned (i.e., at Figure 5A The position of the vehicle 2 is such that the fiber plants can be cut at a determined (adjustable) height when the vehicle 2 is traveling on the ground.

[0077] Figure 5A A perspective side view of an embodiment of a processing unit 3 with a lower fiber plant processing element 25 and an upper fiber plant processing element 26 is shown, and Figure 6 A top view of the lower fiber plant processing element 25 is shown. Both figures show a transport device 45, 46, with which the fiber plant is gripped and transported to the vehicle 2.

[0078] The following will describe the construction and method of bringing the fiber plants together and pressing them against each other so that the fiber plants are gradually clamped when the vehicle moves forward on the ground. Since the construction and method are basically the same for the transport devices 45 and 46 of the upper fiber plant processing element 25 and the lower fiber plant processing element 26, only the construction and operation of one of the transport devices, especially the construction and operation of the lower transport device 45, will be described here.

[0079] The processing unit 3 comprises a support frame 102, which comprises a frame part 30 at the lower side of the processing unit 3 and a frame part 33 at the upper side of the processing unit 3. A transport device 45 for receiving the fiber plant and transporting the fiber plant to the vehicle 2 is arranged on the frame part 30 of the support frame 102. The transport device 45 comprises a plurality of endless belt conveyors 104 to 109 ( Figure 6) for receiving, gripping and transporting fiber plants in the same number of streams. In certain embodiments, the endless belt conveyor is also configured to rotate / tilt the fiber plants from a generally upright position in which the fiber plants are picked to a generally flat position during their transport, before providing them to the conveyors 11, 12 of the vehicle 2 itself. The number of endless belt conveyors can vary. Figure 6 In the illustrated embodiment, six conveyors are shown for holding and transporting fiber plants in six streams, but in other embodiments this number may be greater or less as desired.

[0080] The fiber plant flow is supplied between the guide elements 40 arranged on the front side of the lower fiber plant processing element 25 and the upper fiber plant processing element 26. The purpose is to enable the fiber plants (h) to be pushed aside and guided to multiple channels (e.g. channels 164 to 169 of the lower picking element 25) when the vehicle and the processing unit 3 mounted thereon are advanced, and then Figure 5A and Figure 6 There are six channels per hemp harvesting unit (although this may be a greater or lesser number in other embodiments). Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, there are six channels in the upper fiber plant processing element 26 and six channels in the lower fiber plant processing element 25, all of which are configured to receive and hold fiber plants. A total of twelve channels (i.e., six channels per fiber plant processing element) are also formed between the above-mentioned belt conveyors 104 to 109.

[0081] More specifically, the guide elements 40 can be formed, for example, by steel wires forming pointed protrusions, wherein the passage for the fiber plants is provided between two adjacent guide elements 40. When the vehicle 2 and the processing unit 3 mounted thereon advance on the ground, the guide elements push the fiber plants (h) aside and guide them to the corresponding corresponding receiving areas 150 ( Figure 6 In the receiving area 150 (shown as hatched lines), the fiber plant is received and clamped.

[0082] The belt conveyor 104 (and this also applies in principle to the other belt conveyors 105 to 109, wherein the description of the remaining belt conveyors is omitted for the sake of clarity) comprises a plurality of main guide rollers (e.g. Figure 6 The endless main conveyor belt 124 is guided along (especially) these main guide rollers 110 to 117. The endless main conveyor belt 124 is driven by a drive, for example, with a single drive motor 119 (per main conveyor belt) ( Figure 4), for example in the form of a drive motor in the form of a hydraulic or electric actuator, whereby the main guide roller 113 and the main conveyor belt 124 guided along it can be rotated. In other embodiments, a single drive motor drives a pair (i.e., two) of main conveyor belts (in a synchronous manner). The belt conveyor 104 also includes a plurality of auxiliary guide rollers 131 mounted on the frame portion 30 of the support frame 102 (wherein the guide roller 110 is both an auxiliary guide roller and a main guide roller in the illustrated embodiment, and where in other embodiments not shown, other main guide rollers and auxiliary guide rollers correspond to each other, or no main guide roller corresponds to an auxiliary guide roller). The endless auxiliary conveyor belt 125 is guided along these auxiliary guide rollers 130 to the auxiliary guide roller 133 (and preferably also along the main guide roller 110 to at least one of the main guide rollers 117, as in the illustrated embodiment). The auxiliary conveyor belt 125 is not directly driven in principle (in other words, the auxiliary conveyor belt does not have its own drive for driving), and can basically be a passive conveyor belt that rotates together with the main conveyor belt 124.

[0083] In use, when the fiber plant (fiber plant h, in Figure 6 The fiber plant (in the figure, indicated by black dots in an upright position and by dashed lines, indicated by the fiber plant rotated to a flat position) has entered a receiving area 150 between the passage 164 to the passage 169 between the main conveyor belt 124 and the auxiliary conveyor belt 125 of the transport device 45, and the fiber plant is pulled into the conveyor belt due to the forward movement of the vehicle. In the figure, the translation direction of the conveyor belt and the rotation direction of the rollers are shown by corresponding arrows.

[0084] Along the first section, the fiber plant (h) that has entered a channel, such as channel 164, is enclosed between the first main conveyor belt 124 and the co-rotating auxiliary conveyor belt 125. The fiber plant that has entered an adjacent channel, such as channel 165, is likewise enclosed between the first main conveyor belt 124' and the co-rotating auxiliary conveyor belt 125'. Further downstream, the two streams of fiber plants from two adjacent channels 164, channel 165 converge and the two streams are transported as one stream on the two main conveyor belts 124, 124 close to each other. 1 The merging process of the two streams also occurs at the remaining channel pairs, such as channel 166, channel 167 and channel 168, channel 169, after which the streams from all channels (i.e., all channels of each picking element 25, picking element 26) are merged into a single stream and are carried out on the main conveyor belt 124 and the main conveyor belt 124. 3 The fiber plants of the single combined stream of the fiber plant are then rotated from an upright position (indicated by dots) to a flat position (indicated by dashed lines, see Figure 6The rotated fiber plants of the lower picking element 25 are then supplied to the above-mentioned conveyor 11 of the vehicle 2 ( Figure 2 ), are then transported to the rear of the vehicle and placed on the ground in a first row (strip) 15b. The rotated fiber plants of the upper picking element 26 are similarly supplied to the conveyor 12 and placed on the ground in a second row (strip) 15a.

[0085] The inlet side of the transport device 45 will be described in more detail below.

[0086] As described above, the main conveyor belt 124 and the auxiliary conveyor belt 125 define: a receiving area 150 for receiving, pressing together and finally clamping the fiber plant between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt; and a mutual contact area 151 in which the main conveyor belt 124 and the auxiliary conveyor belt 125 are in direct contact with each other because they are locally close to each other. The main conveyor belt 124 has a contact with the adjacent main conveyor belt 24' (see Figure 6 ) another contact area, so that the fiber plant can also be held and further displaced forward. At the location of the receiving area 150, the main conveyor belt 124 and the auxiliary conveyor belt 125 are further positioned relative to each other so that in the receiving direction (P O )(i.e., when the vehicle 2 is moving forward on the ground) Figure 6 ) gradually decreases and turns into a mutual contact area 151. This means that as the vehicle 2 and the processing unit 3 mounted thereon advance, the fiber plants entering the receiving area 150 gradually move toward each other and are already carried to a certain extent by the conveyor belts. Once the fiber plants reach the mutual contact area 151, they are completely clamped between the associated main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt.

[0087] Due to the arrangement of the conveyor belts so that a receiving area 150 and a contact area 151 are formed, and by forming the receiving area between two conveyor belts 9 (and therefore not between the conveyor belts and pulleys / rollers), the fiber plant is clamped and transported to the vehicle more gradually than in other arrangements where the fiber plant is clamped between two rollers or pulleys (which may or may not have one or more conveyor belts in between). O ) and the angle (α) at ​​which the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belts extend obliquely relative to each other and / or obliquely relative to the direction of travel, combined with the travel speed and transport speed of the conveyor belts, influence the way in which the fiber plant is clamped and transported to the vehicle (progressiveness).

[0088] The length (l) of the receiving area 150 can be selected, for example, to be longer than the maximum diameter of each of the main guide rollers and the auxiliary guide rollers, in practical applications at least 20 cm (l ≥ 20 cm) or at least 50 cm (l ≥ 50 cm). When the length is at least 20 cm (and preferably longer than 50 cm, or more preferably longer than 80 cm, for example between 1200 cm and 1400 cm), it will be found that at typical drive speeds (between 5 m / s and 18 m / s) and typical conveyor speeds of the main and auxiliary belts (between 8 m / s and 25 m / s), preferably an angle (α) between 5 degrees and 45 degrees leads to good and reliable processing of the fiber plant by the processing unit 3.

[0089] In certain embodiments, for example, Figure 6 and Figure 7 In the embodiment of the invention, the receiving area 150 comprises a first receiving area portion 155 (shown with a first hatching) and a second receiving area portion 156 (shown with a second different hatching). Here, the mutual angle (α1) in the first receiving area portion is greater than the mutual angle (α2) in the second receiving area portion 155. Thus, the fiber plants will be gathered together and clamped by narrowing in a manner that exceeds a linear progression.

[0090] exist Figure 5A and Figure 6In the illustrated embodiment, in addition to the main guide roller 116 and the auxiliary guide roller 132 defining the beginning of the receiving area 150, a plurality of additional main guide rollers 117 and / or auxiliary guide rollers 131 are positioned adjacent to the receiving area 150 and at offset positions along the main conveyor belt 124 and the auxiliary conveyor belt 125, respectively. These additional rollers 117, 131 provide the required tension in the main conveyor belt 124 and the auxiliary conveyor belt 125, respectively, thereby providing a suitable pressure of the belts (i.e., a force with which the main conveyor belt 124 and the auxiliary conveyor belt 125 are pressed against each other in a transverse direction perpendicular to the direction of the associated belts in the contact area, and / or a force with which the main conveyor belt 124 and the auxiliary conveyor belt 125 tend to move towards each other in a transverse direction (the main conveyor belt 124 and the auxiliary conveyor belt 125 are not in contact with each other in the receiving area)), so as to thereby press against the fiber plant located between the belts 124, 125. Arranging the rollers in an offset position enables the fiber plants to be processed well even when picking relatively thick (i.e., having thick stems) fiber plants or relatively thick bundles of fiber plants pressed together, without the rollers (at least a part) of the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt having to be flexibly mounted on the frame. This is because, when the rollers are close to each other (as in the prior art), when relatively thick (bundled) fiber plants have to temporarily pass, at least one roller must be able to deform, while in the embodiments as described herein, on the contrary, the conveyor belt (i.e., the main conveyor belt or the auxiliary conveyor belt) provides the option of deformation. For example, special technical measures, such as balancing elements (also called balancing wheels), can be omitted.

[0091] In other embodiments (not shown), at least the additional main guide roller 116 and auxiliary guide roller 132 are omitted. In a further embodiment, the machining unit 3 comprises a tensioning element 170, on which one or more of the main guide roller and the auxiliary guide roller are arranged, wherein the tensioning element is configured to be arranged on a pivotable support frame at an adjustable position. Figure 6 In the embodiment shown, the tensioning element 170 is freely slidable in the slot 171 in the frame portion 30 and can be fixed at a desired longitudinal position. More generally, the tension inside the main conveyor belt 124 and the auxiliary conveyor belt 125 can be increased and decreased as desired by displacing the tensioning element 170 and then arranging the tensioning element 170 at a suitable position on the pivotable support frame. This is possible in embodiments with and without the additional main guide rollers 116 and auxiliary guide rollers 132.

[0092] Since in the embodiment according to the present description there is no direct contact between the running surfaces of the main and auxiliary conveyor belts on the one hand and the fiber plant on the other hand, the main and auxiliary guide rollers (the running surfaces) do not need to be made of a relatively soft material in order to protect the fiber plant. This makes it possible to make the main and auxiliary guide rollers (the running surfaces) of steel, making them less susceptible to wear than rollers consisting of relatively soft materials (plastic, rubber, etc.).

[0093] In the embodiment shown, the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt are given substantially the same height, typically between 10 cm and 20 cm. However, in other embodiments, the height of the main conveyor belt is higher than the height of the auxiliary conveyor belt, for example at least twice as high. This has the advantage that replacement can be achieved more easily and therefore more quickly. This further determines the advantages in production. The main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt are preferably made of flexible material, for example made of rubber or rubber-containing material and / or PU material, which on the one hand has flexibility and / or pliability to be guided along different guide rollers, and on the other hand is sufficiently non-bending to hold the fiber plant firmly therebetween and prevent it. The fiber plant can fall out of the conveyor during transportation.

[0094] Once the fiber plant has reached the contact area and is held between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt, the fiber plant can be cut at a desired location, for example just above the roots of the fiber plant (where the roots are at least mostly or completely held underground), for example by a cutting unit 100 mounted on a pivotable support frame. The cutting unit 100 is configured to cut the fiber plant when the fiber plant is located in the receiving area between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt, when the fiber plant is located in the contact area between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt, or when the fiber plant is located in the receiving area and when the fiber plant is located in the contact area.

[0095] It is important not to clamp the fiber plants too firmly in the position where they are cut, preferably in the contact area 150. This is because it has been found that when the fiber plants are cut, the position of the fiber plants must still have a certain margin due to the inclination of the processing unit (i.e. the picking unit) relative to the ground and / or due to the position of the harvesting unit (e.g. the harvesting bar). The fiber plants must preferably still be able to slide between the conveyor belts to a certain extent.

[0096] In certain embodiments of the invention, the height position at which the fiber plant is cut can also be adjusted (before or during the processing of the fiber plant (and traveling with the vehicle)). In certain embodiments, a device such as a plurality of skis and / or wheels (not shown in the figure) is provided, which are arranged on the support frame 102 and along the ground, whereby the position of the support frame and thus its height automatically follows the changes in the height of the ground during travel. One or more actuators can also be provided, whereby the height position of the pivotable support frame 102 and / or its parts (such as the cutting unit 55 and / or the cutting unit 100) can be changed. These actuators can then be controlled, for example, by a controller connected to a height sensor, which is able to determine the height of the ground and / or the height of the fiber plant just before cutting. These height change options can be used to always cut the fiber plant at a fixed height, regardless of the height changes of the ground, but these options can also be used to adjust this fixed height. Sometimes, the fiber plant must be cut, for example, just above the root, and in other cases it is cut at a distance above the root.

[0097] In the embodiment of the processing machine shown, due to the gradual feeding, fiber plants with thicker stems (and fiber plants with stem diameters that vary greatly relative to each other) can be harvested. This also has the practical effect that the processing machine can be used more often and for longer during the season, also if (a portion of) the fiber plants have become relatively (too) large and / or mature.

[0098] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The rights sought are defined by the appended claims, within the scope of which several modifications are conceivable.

Claims

1. A processing machine for processing fiber plants, comprising: - a self-propelled or towed vehicle comprising a vehicle chassis on which a plurality of wheels are arranged; - a processing unit configured to pluck fiber plants or pick up fiber plants from the ground, the processing unit comprising: - a support frame mounted or mountable on the vehicle chassis; - a transport device mounted on the support frame and configured to receive the fiber plants and transport the fiber plants to the vehicle, wherein the transport device comprises: - a plurality of main guide rollers mounted on said support frame; - an endless main conveyor belt, which is guided along said main guide rollers; - a drive for driving the main conveyor belt; - a plurality of auxiliary guide rollers mounted on said support frame; an endless auxiliary conveyor belt, which is guided along the auxiliary guide rollers and preferably also along at least one of the main guide rollers, wherein the auxiliary conveyor belt is configured to be driven by displacement of the driven main conveyor belt; wherein the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt define a receiving area and a mutual contact area, wherein the receiving area is used to receive and then clamp the fiber plants between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt for picking, and wherein the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt are in contact with each other in the mutual contact area; Therein, the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt are positioned at the location of the receiving area to define a mutual distance that gradually decreases in the receiving direction and turns into the mutual contact area.

2. The processing machine according to claim 1 further comprises a guide element (40) which, viewed in the direction of travel, is mounted on the front outer end of the frame and is configured to guide and push the fiber plants for picking into one or more channels (164-169), wherein The receiving area is a receiving area (150, 155) arranged between the guide elements and between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt, wherein each of the guide elements forms, for example, a pointed protrusion and a channel for the fiber plant is formed between each two adjacent pointed protrusions.

3. The processing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The main conveyor belt is configured to drive the auxiliary conveyor belt in the contact area.

4. A processing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: - a first endless main conveyor belt, which is guided along main guide rollers; - a second endless main conveyor belt, which is guided along main guide rollers; - a first endless auxiliary conveyor belt, which is guided along auxiliary guide rollers and at least a first main guide roller; - a second endless auxiliary conveyor belt, which is guided along auxiliary guide rollers and at least a second main guide roller; wherein the first main conveyor belt and the first auxiliary conveyor belt define a first receiving area, and the first receiving area is used to receive and clamp the first fiber plant between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt; wherein the second main conveyor belt and the second auxiliary conveyor belt define a second receiving area, and the second receiving area is used to receive and clamp the second fiber plant between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt; wherein the first main conveyor belt and the first auxiliary conveyor belt are positioned in the first receiving area to define a mutual distance that gradually decreases in the receiving direction and turns into a first mutual contact area, and wherein the second main conveyor belt and the second auxiliary conveyor belt are positioned in the second receiving area to define a mutual distance that gradually decreases in the receiving direction and turns into a second mutual contact area; Wherein, the processing machine also includes: a combining area for combining the first fiber plant and the second fiber plant supplied via the first contacting area and the second contacting area; and - a further contact area between the first main conveyor belt and the second main conveyor belt for further transport of the combined first and second fiber plant between the first main conveyor belt and the second main conveyor belt.

5. The processing machine according to claim 4 is configured to rotate the fiber plant in the further contact area, in particular to rotate the fiber plant by a quarter of a turn, more particularly to rotate the fiber plant from an upright position to a lying position.

6. A processing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The receiving area between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt is longer in the receiving direction than a maximum diameter of each of the main guide roller and the auxiliary guide roller.

7. A processing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The receiving area between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt is longer than 20 cm, preferably longer than 50 cm, even more preferably longer than 80 cm in the receiving direction.

8. A processing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The receiving area gradually narrows in the receiving direction.

9. A processing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: In the receiving region, the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt extend obliquely relative to one another in the receiving direction.

10. A processing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: In the receiving region, the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt extend in the receiving direction with a mutual angle (α) between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt of between 5 degrees and 45 degrees.

11. The processing machine according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: The receiving area has a first receiving area portion and a second receiving area portion, wherein the mutual angle (α) in the first receiving area portion is greater than the mutual angle (α) in the second receiving area portion.

12. A processing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising one or more additional main guide rollers and / or auxiliary guide rollers, which are positioned at offset positions along the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt, respectively.

13. A processing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a tensioning element on which one or more of the main guide rollers and the auxiliary guide rollers are arranged, wherein The tensioning element is configured to be arranged on the pivotable support frame at an adjustable position.

14. A processing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The auxiliary guide roller and / or the main guide roller are made of steel and / or have at least a steel running surface.

15. A processing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The height of the main conveyor belt is greater than the height of the auxiliary conveyor belt, for example, at least twice the height of the auxiliary conveyor belt.

16. A processing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: At the free outer end of the receiving area, the mutual distance between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt in a direction transverse to the receiving direction amounts to at least 20 cm.

17. A processing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a cutting unit, which is mounted on the pivotable support frame and is configured to cut off the fiber plant when the fiber plant is located in the receiving area between the main conveyor belt and the auxiliary conveyor belt.

18. A processing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The vehicle is a self-propelled vehicle and has a drive motor for driving at least two wheels, and / or wherein the support frame is a support frame that is pivotally mounted or mountable on a chassis of the vehicle.

19. A processing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The support frame is pivotable in a lateral direction and / or an upward direction.

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