Vegetable harvester

Abstract

The present invention provides a vegetable harvester with a structure comprising a pulling conveyor that conveys the stems and leaves while clamping them, and a leaf discharge device that discharges the stems and leaves cut off from the main body of the vegetable by a stem and leaf cutting device, which enables the smooth and uninterrupted conveying and discharge of the stems and leaves. The vegetable harvester is used to harvest garlic (2) from soil. The vegetable harvester comprises: a pulling conveyor (24) that pulls the garlic (2) from the soil and conveys the stems and leaves (2b) of the pulled garlic (2) while clamping it; a stem and leaf cutting device (26) that cuts the stems and leaves (2b) of the garlic (2) conveyed by the pulling conveyor (24); and a leaf discharge device (28) that conveys and discharges the stems and leaves (2b) cut off from the garlic (2) conveyed by the pulling conveyor (24) by the stem and leaf cutting device (26). The pulling conveyor (24) and the leaf discharge device (28) are configured such that a portion of the conveying range overlaps with each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a vegetable harvester for harvesting bulbous vegetables such as garlic, onions, and lily roots, as well as root vegetables such as carrots. Background Technology

[0002] Conventional vegetable harvesters for harvesting bulbous vegetables (bulb crops) such as garlic and root vegetables such as carrots have known structures that: while clamping the stems and leaves extending from the soil to the ground, they pull and convey the vegetables grown in the field, cutting off unwanted parts such as stems, leaves, and roots during the conveying process to harvest the main body of the vegetable. Such vegetable harvesters include: a pulling and conveying device that conveys the vegetables pulled from the ground while keeping the stems and leaves clamped; a cutting device that cuts off the stems, leaves, and roots of the vegetables from the main body of the vegetable; and a leaf discharge device (leaf discharge conveying device) that discharges the stems and leaves cut by the cutting device (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Both the drawing and conveying device and the leaf discharge device have a pair of annular rotating clamps, configured to clamp the conveying stem and leaf portion using the pair of annular rotating clamps. The annular rotating clamps have the following structure: annular rotating components such as belts and chains are wound around drive wheels and driven wheels such as pulleys and sprockets. In Patent Document 1, as annular rotating clamps constituting each device of the drawing and conveying device and the leaf discharge device, a belt clamp with a structure in which a belt, which is an annular rotating component, is wound around a drive pulley, which is a drive wheel, and a driven pulley, which is a driven wheel, is disclosed.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-146796 Summary of the Invention

[0007] Regarding the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, the drive pulley with clamping body constituting the leaf removal device and the drive pulley with clamping body constituting the drawing conveyor are coaxially supported. That is, the structure is formed such that the conveying input shaft (conveyor drive shaft) that drives the drawing conveyor also serves as the drive shaft of the leaf removal device.

[0008] With this structure, at the junction of the stem and leaf parts from the drawing conveyor to the leaf discharge device, a gap space easily forms due to the interconnection of the gaps between the left and right belts in the two devices. This gap space at the junction of the drawing conveyor and the leaf discharge device can cause stagnation in the conveying of the stem and leaf parts. In particular, when the stem and leaf parts have a high moisture content, are wet, or are thin, they are prone to sliding within the gap space at the junction of the stem and leaf parts between the devices, causing stagnation in the conveying of the stem and leaf parts.

[0009] The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a vegetable harvester with a structure that includes a pulling conveying device for conveying the stem and leaves while holding them in place, and a leaf discharge device for discharging the stem and leaves cut off from the main body of the vegetable by a stem and leaf cutting device, which can smoothly convey and discharge the stem and leaves without stopping.

[0010] The vegetable harvester of the present invention is a vegetable harvester for harvesting vegetables from soil, wherein the vegetable harvester comprises: a pulling and conveying device that pulls vegetables from the soil and clamps and conveys the stems and leaves of the pulled vegetables while doing so; a stem and leaf cutting device that cuts the stems and leaves of the vegetables conveyed by the pulling and conveying device; and a leaf discharge device that conveys and discharges the stems and leaves cut from the vegetables conveyed by the pulling and conveying device using the stem and leaf cutting device, wherein the pulling and conveying device and the leaf discharge device are configured such that a portion of the conveying range overlaps with each other.

[0011] In other embodiments of the present invention, the vegetable harvester is based on the vegetable harvester in which the pulling and conveying device is driven by receiving power from the conveying drive shaft, and the leaf-removing device is configured to clamp the conveying stem and leaf portion by means of a pair of annular rotating members that rotate by receiving power from the conveying drive shaft, and the leaf-removing device has a portion that extends forward of the conveying drive shaft in the conveying direction of the stem and leaf portion.

[0012] In other embodiments of the present invention, the vegetable harvester is based on the vegetable harvester in which the leaf removal device is arranged axially on the conveying drive shaft below the pulling conveyor. The vegetable harvester also includes an upper leaf removal device, which is arranged axially on the conveying drive shaft above the pulling conveyor and extends further rearward than the pulling conveyor in the conveying direction of the stem and leaf portion. This upper leaf removal device conveys and discharges the stem and leaf portion cut from the vegetables conveyed by the pulling conveyor using the stem and leaf cutting device.

[0013] In other embodiments of the present invention, the vegetable harvester is based on the vegetable harvester in which the leaf removal device is arranged axially on the conveying drive shaft below the pulling conveyor. The vegetable harvester also includes an upper leaf removal device, which is arranged axially on the conveying drive shaft above the pulling conveyor and extends further rearward than the pulling conveyor in the conveying direction of the stem and leaf portion. This upper leaf removal device conveys and discharges the stem and leaf portion cut from the vegetables conveyed by the pulling conveyor using the stem and leaf cutting device.

[0014] In other embodiments of the present invention, the vegetable harvester is based on the vegetable harvester in which the pulling and conveying device is driven by receiving power from the conveying drive shaft, and the leaf removal device is configured to clamp and convey the stem and leaf portion by means of a pair of annular rotating members that receive power from a secondary shaft and rotate. The secondary shaft is located behind the conveying drive shaft and receives power from the conveying drive shaft and rotates. The leaf removal device has a portion that extends forward of the conveying drive shaft in the conveying direction of the stem and leaf portion.

[0015] In other embodiments of the present invention, the vegetable harvester is based on the vegetable harvester, but includes a position alignment device. This position alignment device is configured to be located further forward of the machine body than the conveying drive shaft, to receive power from the annular rotating component for driving, and to align the height of the main body of the vegetables conveyed by the pulling conveyor. The stem and leaf cutting device cuts the stem and leaf portion held by the pair of annular rotating components.

[0016] In other embodiments of the present invention, the vegetable harvester is based on the vegetable harvester in which the annular rotating components of the pulling conveyor and the leaf-extruding device are arranged such that, when viewed from above, a portion of them overlap each other.

[0017] Invention Effects

[0018] According to the present invention, the structure of the pull conveying device that conveys the stem and leaves while holding them in place, and the leaf discharge device that discharges the stem and leaves cut off from the main body of the vegetable by a cutting device, enables the stem and leaves to be conveyed and discharged smoothly without stagnation. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the vegetable harvester from the right front according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a left rear perspective view of the vegetable harvester according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3This is a top view of the vegetable harvester according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a left view of the vegetable harvester according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a right view of the vegetable harvester according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a left sectional view of the vegetable harvester according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating the power transmission structure of a vegetable harvester according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A magnified view of a portion of the image.

[0027] Figure 9 This is a left view showing the conveying and cutting unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 10 This is a left front perspective view showing the rear part of the conveying and cutting unit assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 11 This is a top view showing the rear of the conveying and cutting unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 12 This is a left view showing the rear of the conveying and cutting unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 13 This is a diagram showing the power transmission structure of a comparative example of the conveying and cutting unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 14 This is a diagram illustrating the power transmission structure of the conveying and cutting unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 15 This is a left view showing the conveying and cutting unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 16 This is a left front perspective view showing the rear part of the conveying and cutting unit assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 17 This is a left view showing the rear of the conveying and cutting unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 18 This is a top view schematic diagram showing the structure of the leaf-exhausting device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 19 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the conveying and cutting unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 20 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the function of the conveying and cutting unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0040] 1…Vegetable harvester; 2…Garlic (vegetable); 2a…Bulb (main body of vegetable); 2b…Stem and leaf; 24…Pulling conveyor; 25…Shoulder alignment device (position alignment device); 26…Stem and leaf cutting device; 28…Leaf removal device; 28A…Front extension setting; 65…Conveyor drive shaft; 90…Leaf removal chain conveyor; 91…Leaf removal chain (ring rotating component); 155…Secondary shaft; 191…Leaf removal chain (ring rotating component); 200…Upper leaf removal device; 200A…Rear extension setting; 210…Upper leaf removal chain conveyor; 211…Leaf removal chain (ring rotating component). Detailed Implementation

[0041] In the embodiments of the present invention described below, a garlic harvester, which harvests garlic as a bulbous vegetable, will be used as an example of the vegetable harvester according to the present invention. However, the vegetable harvester according to the present invention can be widely used as a vegetable harvester for harvesting other bulbous vegetables such as onions, root vegetables such as carrots, etc.

[0042] [First Implementation]

[0043] The first embodiment of the present invention will be described. For example... Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the vegetable harvester 1 involved in this embodiment is a garlic harvester: used for harvesting garlic 2 from the soil (see reference). Figure 6 The garlic 2 planted in the field is harvested by pulling it out of the soil. The garlic 2 is planted in continuous ridges along a straight line in the field. Furthermore, in the following description, the left side ( ) is positioned facing forward of the vegetable harvester 1. Figure 3 (lower side) and right side ( Figure 3 The upper side of the middle) is set as the left and right sides of the vegetable harvester 1.

[0044] The vegetable harvester 1 clamps and pulls the stems and leaves 2b extending from the bulb 2a in the soil onto the ground while the garlic 2 is planted in the soil. Maintaining the clamped stems and leaves 2b, the garlic 2 is transported upwards and backwards. During this transport, the stems and leaves 2b, along with the roots 2c (which are root hairs extending from the base of the bulb 2a), are cut off from the bulb 2a, thus harvesting the remaining bulb 2a. The cut stems and leaves 2b are discharged from the vegetable harvester 1 at a predetermined location.

[0045] The vegetable harvester 1 is a self-propelled harvester that continuously pulls, conveys, and harvests multiple rows of garlic 2 while traveling along the planting route of the garlic 2. The vegetable harvester 1 of this embodiment has a structure for simultaneously pulling, conveying, and harvesting six rows of garlic 2. The vegetable harvester 1 designates the bulb portion 2a of the garlic 2 as the harvested part, which corresponds to the main body of the vegetable.

[0046] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the vegetable harvester 1 includes: a traveling body 3, which has tracked traveling devices 4 as a pair of left and right traveling devices; a driving unit 5, which is used by the driver (operator) of the vegetable harvester 1 to perform various operations such as driving and harvesting; and a harvesting unit 6, which harvests garlic 2. The driving unit 5 and the harvesting unit 6 are provided on the traveling body 3.

[0047] In addition, the vegetable harvester 1 includes: a transverse conveyor 7 as a first conveyor and a longitudinal conveyor 17 as a second conveyor, which transport garlic 2 harvested by the harvesting section 6; a receiving section 8 for receiving the garlic 2 transported by the longitudinal conveyor 17 into a designated receiving container; and a leaf discharge conveyor 9 for discharging the stems and leaves 2b cut off from the bulb 2a into the field. Furthermore, Figure 6 yes Figure 3 Side sectional view at position AA.

[0048] The traveling body 3 has a frame 15 formed by multiple frame components in a three-dimensional manner, and tracked traveling devices 4 are arranged on the left and right sides of the frame 15. The frame 15 includes a chassis, which is the frame part constituting the frame 15, and is formed horizontally by frame components such as tubular components and plate components arranged in the front-back or left-right directions. A driving unit 5, a harvesting unit 6, a transverse conveyor 7, a longitudinal conveyor 17, a receiving unit 8, and a leaf discharge conveyor 9 are arranged relative to the frame 15.

[0049] The tracked traveling device 4 forms a tracked section within the traveling body 3 for moving the machine body. The tracked traveling device 4 includes: a drive wheel 4a located below the rear of the body frame 15; a driven wheel 4b located at the front end of the tracked traveling device 4; multiple rolling wheels 4c; and a track 4d wound around the aforementioned wheels. The left and right tracked traveling devices 4 are driven by power transmitted from the engine 10 of the vegetable harvester 1.

[0050] Engine 10 is mounted on the left side of the middle part of the traveling body 3 in the longitudinal direction (see reference). Figure 3 A gearbox 11 is provided between the rear ends of the left and right tracked traveling devices 4 (see reference). Figure 6 The transmission 11 is positioned above the chassis and is linked to the engine 10 to appropriately change the power from the engine 10 and transmit it to the left and right tracked travel devices 4.

[0051] The driving unit 5 is the part used for driving / operating the vegetable harvester 1, and is located on the right side of the middle part of the traveling body 3 in the longitudinal direction. The driving unit 5 is mounted on the extended frame part 19, which extends to the right side from the chassis of the body frame 15. The extended frame part 19 is a rectangular frame composed of multiple frame members extending in the longitudinal and lateral directions.

[0052] The driver's unit 5 includes: a driver's seat 12 for the operator of the vegetable harvester 1; and a front operating unit 13 and a side operating unit 16, which are respectively located in front of and to the left of the driver's seat 12 and operated by the operator seated in the driver's seat 12. The front operating unit 13 and the side operating unit 16 are equipped with various operating components such as levers and switches for controlling the movement of the traveling body 3 and the operation of the harvesting unit 6. The driver's seat 12 is mounted on a driver's seat support 18 mounted on the machine frame 15. A horizontal floor section 14 is provided below and in front of the driver's seat 12.

[0053] The harvesting section 6 includes a tiller 21, a lifting device 22, a digging device 23, a pulling and conveying device 24, a shoulder alignment device 25, a stem and leaf cutting device 26, a root cutting device 27, and a leaf removal device 28. The above devices are configured to be supported on the prescribed working frame 30 of the vegetable harvester 1 and driven by power transmitted from the engine 10.

[0054] The harvesting section 6 has multiple conveying and cutting units 40 (see reference) configured as unit structures including a pulling and conveying device 24, a shoulder alignment device 25, a stem and leaf cutting device 26, a root cutting device 27, and a leaf removal device 28. Figure 9The harvesting section 6 has six conveying and cutting units 40 arranged laterally in accordance with the structure for six rows. The six conveying and cutting units 40 are positioned in the front-to-back direction.

[0055] The conveying and cutting unit 40 is an example of a harvester conveying section for conveying garlic 2. As multiple harvester conveying sections arranged side-by-side with respect to the traveling body 3 in the left-right direction, the vegetable harvester 1 has six conveying and cutting units 40. The six conveying and cutting units 40 are configured to utilize the shaft support 20 (see reference 20) located below the leaf discharge device 28. Figure 6 , Figure 9 The front side rotates relative to the traveling body 3 by taking the lifting axis O1, which is the lifting axis with the left and right directions as the center.

[0056] The six conveying and cutting units 40 are configured to move up and down around the lifting rotation axis O1 via the working unit frame 30. That is, the six conveying and cutting units 40 are supported by the working unit frame 30, which is connected by two lifting cylinders 29 located on the left and right sides (see reference). Figure 6 The extension and retraction movement of the cylinders causes them to rotate relative to the body frame 15. Two lifting cylinders 29 are arranged between the front of the left and right track travel devices 4 and are mounted between a predetermined frame portion constituting the body frame 15 and a predetermined frame portion constituting the work unit frame 30.

[0057] The transverse conveyor 7 is an example of a conveying device for transporting the bulb portion 2a harvested by the harvesting section 6. The transverse conveyor 7 is configured to transport in the left-right direction of the machine body, receiving the garlic 2 transported by the pulling conveyor 24 and conveying it towards the right side of the machine body. The transverse conveyor 7 also receives the bulb portion 2a cut by the stem and leaf cutting device 26 from the stem and leaf portion 2b and conveys the bulb portion 2a to the right.

[0058] The transverse conveyor 7 is located below the rear of the conveying and cutting unit 40 group. The transverse conveyor 7 extends in the left-right direction over the entire or approximately entire area of ​​the six conveying and cutting units 40. The transverse conveyor 7 has a conveying surface that, when viewed from the side, is inclined, with a lower rear and a higher front (see reference). Figure 6 ).

[0059] The transverse conveyor 7 is a belt conveyor and includes: a drive roller 57 located at the right end of the conveying section; a driven roller 58 located at the left beginning of the conveying section; and a belt 59 wound around the rollers (see reference). Figure 7 The drive roller 57 and the driven roller 58 are configured such that the direction of the rotation axis is along the front-to-back direction when viewed from above, and the conveying surface of the transverse conveyor 7 is inclined with the back lower than the front.

[0060] The transverse conveyor 7 is driven by motor 50 as a power source (see reference). Figure 7 That is, the output shaft of motor 50 is connected to the rotation shaft of drive roller 57, and the driving force of motor 50 drives drive roller 57 to rotate, thereby driving transverse conveyor 7. Motor 50 is located on the rear side of drive roller 57 (see reference). Figure 5 ).

[0061] The longitudinal conveyor 17 is an example of a second conveying device that receives and conveys the bulb portion 2a conveyed by the transverse conveyor 7. The longitudinal conveyor 17 is set to convey in the direction of the rear side of the machine body when viewed from above. The longitudinal conveyor 17 receives the bulb portion 2a conveyed by the transverse conveyor 7 and conveys it in a rearward and upward (rearward and obliquely upward) direction.

[0062] The longitudinal conveyor 17 is located on the right side of the conveying and cutting unit 40 group in the left-right direction of the machine body. The longitudinal conveyor 17 is arranged in a forward-backward direction such that the beginning of the conveying is located below the end of the conveying of the transverse conveyor 7 and the end of the conveying is located at the rear end of the traveling machine body 3, thus extending in an inclined manner with the rear higher than the front.

[0063] The longitudinal conveyor 17 forms a horizontal conveying path at the beginning of the conveying process, located below the end of the transverse conveyor 7, and forms a conveying path that extends obliquely upwards from the rear side of the horizontal conveying path portion. That is, the longitudinal conveyor 17 has: a horizontal conveying section that constitutes a horizontal conveying surface; and an inclined conveying section that constitutes a large portion of the longitudinal conveyor 17 and forms an inclined conveying surface that is higher at the rear and lower at the front. When viewed from the side, the conveying section forms a zigzag conveying surface shape (see reference). Figure 5 The conveying direction of the inclined conveying section of the longitudinal conveyor 17 is inclined at an angle of approximately 45° relative to the horizontal direction.

[0064] The longitudinal conveyor 17 is a rod-type conveyor having a plurality of rods 41 extending in the left-right direction. The plurality of rods 41 include protruding rods having a plurality of protrusions 42 at predetermined intervals. The protrusions 42, when viewed from the side, are elongated, approximately triangular, and protrude approximately perpendicularly to the conveying surface of the longitudinal conveyor 17. The two ends of the rods 41 are fixed to annular chains 44 disposed within chain boxes 43 located on the left and right sides of the longitudinal conveyor 17. The rods 41 are positioned between the left and right chains 44.

[0065] The longitudinal conveyor 17 includes: a conveyor input shaft 45 disposed at the rear upper end of the conveyor and axially oriented in the left-right direction; and a conveyor driven shaft 46 disposed at the front lower end of the conveyor and axially oriented in the left-right direction (see reference). Figure 5 , Figure 7The conveyor input shaft 45 receives rotational power from the engine 10 and is driven to rotate. An input pulley 47 for receiving the rotational power from the engine 10 is fixedly installed at the left end of the conveyor input shaft 45. The rotational power of the conveyor input shaft 45 is transmitted to the conveyor driven shaft 46 via left and right chains 44 that support multiple rods 41. Sprockets 48 and 49 (see reference) are fixedly installed on each shaft of the conveyor input shaft 45 and the conveyor driven shaft 46 to receive the left and right chains 44. Figure 7 ).

[0066] Regarding the longitudinal conveyor 17 with this structure, the rod 41 moves with the rotation of the left and right chains 44, thereby conveying the bulb portion 2a backward and upward while locking it with the multiple protrusions 42 of the protruding rod.

[0067] A receiving section 8 is provided at the rear of the longitudinal conveyor 17. The receiving section 8 is structured such that the bulb portion 2a falls from the conveying end of the longitudinal conveyor 17, and is used to receive the bulb portion 2a conveyed by the longitudinal conveyor 17 into a harvesting bag 32, such as a harvesting net, which serves as a storage container. The receiving section 8 has a shooter 33 that serves as a guide for receiving the bulb portion 2a flowing downward from the end of the longitudinal conveyor 17 and guiding it into the harvesting bag 32.

[0068] The dispenser 33 is formed on the rear side of the conveying end of the longitudinal conveyor 17, providing a passage for the bulb portion 2a to pass through, and is composed of multiple plate-like portions arranged in a surrounding shape. The dispenser 33 has an inlet having an opening width in the left-right direction that includes the entire conveying width of the longitudinal conveyor 17; and an outlet that allows the bulb portion 2a inserted from the inlet to fall off. The dispenser 33 opens downwards towards the outlet.

[0069] The harvest bags 32 are placed with their upper sides open, facing the outlet of the dispenser 33, using a bag holding device 34 located below the dispenser 33. The bag holding device 34 is configured to hold multiple (e.g., five) harvest bags 32. Furthermore, in Figures 1 to 6 The diagram shows the state in which one harvest bag 32 is held, with regard to the bag holding device 34.

[0070] Regarding the receiving section 8 of this structure, the bulb portion 2a, which is conveyed rearward and upward by the longitudinal conveyor 17 and falls rearward from the conveying end of the longitudinal conveyor 17, is fed into the dispenser 33 through the inlet and then stored in the harvesting bag 32. Alternatively, a container can be placed instead of the harvesting bag 32 as a storage container to store the bulb portion 2a that falls from the dispenser 33.

[0071] An auxiliary seat 64 is provided on the left side of the housing section 8 for an assistant operator to sit in during harvesting operations, together with the operator who sits in the driver's seat 12 and operates the machine. The auxiliary seat 64 is located behind the engine 10 and is positioned to face the right side of the housing section 8 while being supported by a predetermined frame portion that constitutes the machine frame 15.

[0072] A horizontal foot pedal 68 is provided on the lower right side of the auxiliary seat 64. The foot pedal 68 extends rearward from the chassis of the machine frame 15. The auxiliary operator sitting in the auxiliary seat 64 can perform tasks such as switching the bag holding device 34 to receive the harvesting bag 32 inserted by the dispenser 33.

[0073] The leaf-extruding conveyor 9 is an example of a leaf-extruding conveyor that transports the stems and leaves 2b cut off from the garlic 2 by the stem and leaf cutting device 26 and discharges them into the field. The leaf-extruding conveyor 9 is located behind the harvesting section 6 and diagonally above and behind the transverse conveyor 7. The leaf-extruding conveyor 9 is located below and behind the rear end of the conveying and cutting unit 40 group.

[0074] The leaf conveyor 9 is configured with the conveying direction being the left-right direction of the machine body. It receives the stem and leaf portions 2b that have been cut off from the bulb portion 2a by the stem and leaf cutting device 26 of each conveying and cutting unit 40 and discharged by the leaf discharge device 28, and conveys them to the right side, and discharges the stem and leaf portions 2b to the right side of the machine body. In addition, regarding the vegetable harvester 1, the right side of the machine body is the harvested and dug side in the garlic 2 harvesting operation.

[0075] The leaf discharge conveyor 9 extends horizontally in a manner that covers the entire area of ​​the six conveying and cutting units 40. The leaf discharge conveyor 9 has a conveying surface that, when viewed from the side, is inclined at the front and upward at the back, following the slope of the conveying and cutting units 40 (see reference). Figure 6 ).

[0076] The leaf conveyor 9 is a belt conveyor, comprising: a drive roller 36 disposed at the right end of the conveying section; a driven roller 37 disposed at the left beginning of the conveying section; and a belt 38 wound around the rollers (see reference). Figure 7 The drive roller 36 and the driven roller 37 are configured such that the direction of the rotation axis is along the front-to-back direction when viewed from above, and forms an inclined direction with the front lower and the back higher along the conveying surface of the leaf conveyor 9. The drive roller 36 is driven to rotate by the conveyor drive shaft 39 located on its front side.

[0077] The end portion of the leaf discharge conveyor 9 is located above the front portion of the inclined conveying section of the longitudinal conveyor 17. A leaf discharge dispenser 67 is provided on the end portion side of the leaf discharge conveyor 9 in a continuous manner relative to the conveying surface of the leaf discharge conveyor 9. The leaf discharge dispenser 67 has: a guide surface that slopes downwards from left to right; and sidewall portions provided on both the front and rear sides of the guide surface (both sides in the longitudinal direction of the machine body), such that the end portion is located further to the right than the longitudinal conveyor 17 in the left-right direction.

[0078] The leaf dispenser 67 receives the stem and leaf portion 2b conveyed by the leaf dispenser 9 above the lower part of the longitudinal conveyor 17, and guides the stem and leaf portion 2b to a position further to the right of the longitudinal conveyor 17 and causes it to fall. Most of the stem and leaf portion 2b guided by the leaf dispenser 67 falls into the field from inside the frame of the protruding frame portion 19.

[0079] The following describes the various devices that make up the harvesting section 6.

[0080] The dividing body 21 is configured to protrude forward from near the front end of the conveying and cutting unit 40. The dividing body 21 is a so-called dividing device that divides the stems and leaves 2b of garlic 2 into rows while passing between them. Seven dividing bodies 21 are arranged to be inserted into each of the six consecutive rows in the left-right direction (see reference). Figure 3 That is, seven division bodies 21 are provided relative to the six conveying and cutting units 40 in a manner that they are located on the left and right sides of each conveying and cutting unit 40 in the left-right direction of the machine body. Each division body 21 is configured to be supported by a division body support 52, which is provided at the end of the pulling conveying device 24 of the conveying and cutting unit 40.

[0081] A gauge ring 69 is provided inside the tiller 21. The tiller 21 has a pointed end shape for obtaining tillering action, and is configured as a cover with a space that opens to the lower side, in which the gauge ring 69 is housed (see reference). Figure 6 The gauge ring 69 is located inside the dividing body 21 and is supported by a left-right rotation axis, allowing it to rotate freely.

[0082] As described above, the conveying and cutting unit 40 assembly, which is rotatable about the lifting and lowering axis O1, is supported by a gauge ring 69 on the field surface G1, which is the ground of the field. The gauge ring 69 is a grounding ring that determines the ground height (height of the conveying inlet) of the front end of the conveying and cutting unit 40 assembly. That is, the gauge ring 69 is a grounding ring for adjusting the vertical position as follows: it is configured to be height-adjustable relative to the conveying and cutting unit 40, and is used to set the clamping position (clamping height) of the pulling conveyor 24 for the stem and leaf portion 2b to an appropriate height. The gauge ring 69 is supported by the tiller support 52 on the pulling conveyor 24 in a manner that allows for vertical adjustment of the tiller 21.

[0083] The gauge ring 69 moves along the field surface G1, thereby maintaining the ground height of the conveying and cutting unit 40 group as it rotates up and down around the lifting rotation axis O1. That is, the conveying and cutting unit 40 group is configured to be floatingly supported on the field surface G1.

[0084] The lifting device 22 is a stem and leaf lifting device located at the front of the traveling body 3, which lifts the stems and leaves 2b of the garlic 2. The lifting device 22 is located at the rear of each tiller 21. Therefore, with respect to the harvesting section 6, the seven lifting devices 22 are arranged in a transverse manner. The lifting device 22 is a device that lifts (raks together) the stems and leaves 2b of the garlic 2 from the front of the machine body and transfers them to the pulling conveyor 24, thereby assisting the pulling conveyor 24 in pulling the garlic 2.

[0085] The lifting device 22 has a long, narrow frame 81 and a raised belt 83. The frame 81 has a slender, thick plate-like shape, with the plate surface facing forward and backward, and tilted in a backward-sloping, forward-sloping direction when viewed from the side. The raised belt 83 is wound around the two ends of the frame 81 along its length onto pulleys 84a and 84b (see reference 84a and 84b) whose rotation axis is set in a direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the frame 81. Figure 7 The protruding band 83 causes a plurality of protrusions, arranged at predetermined intervals in the extending direction, to protrude outward from the periphery of the frame 81.

[0086] At the lower end of five of the seven lifting devices 22 (excluding the lifting devices 22 at the left and right ends), there is a star-shaped wheel 86, which serves as an auxiliary rotating component to assist the lifting device 22 in raking the stem and leaf portion 2b. The star-shaped wheel 86 is a rotating body with multiple protrusions protruding radially. It is located on the rear side of the lower end of the frame 81 and is configured to rotate and drive the rotation axis parallel to the pulley 84a, etc.

[0087] The digging device 23 is located below the pull-out conveyor 24 of the conveying and cutting unit 40. The digging device 23 is a so-called deep loosening shovel, and is designed to easily pull the garlic 2 using the pull-out conveyor 24, by entering the underside of the garlic 2 to break up the soil. The digging device 23 has a soil-breaking blade 55, which is a plate-shaped digging blade extending in the left-right direction. The soil-breaking blade 55 is arranged in a left-right direction as an integral part of the six conveying and cutting units 40.

[0088] Regarding the excavating device 23, the soil-breaking blade 55 is configured to receive the excavating drive shaft 56 arranged in the left-right direction at a position below the middle of the front-rear direction of the conveying and cutting unit 40 (see reference). Figure 6 The digging drive shaft 56 receives power from the engine 10 and rotates. As the vegetable harvester 1 advances, the digging device 23 inserts the soil-breaking blade 55, which swings in the back-and-forth direction, into the soil and positions it below the bulb 2a of the garlic 2, softening the soil and digging six rows.

[0089] Regarding the harvesting section 6, the six conveying and cutting units 40 share a common structure. Utilizing... Figures 1 to 12 The various devices constituting the conveying and cutting unit 40 will be described.

[0090] The pulling and conveying device 24 is as follows: it pulls garlic 2 from the soil at the front of the device, while clamping the stem and leaf portion 2b of the pulled garlic 2 and conveying it backward and upward (slantedly upward). The pulling and conveying device 24 is located behind the lifting device 22, clamping the stem and leaf portion 2b that is lifted by the lifting device 22, and pulling the garlic 2 while conveying the stem and leaf portion 2b backward and upward, maintaining the upright posture while conveying the garlic 2 backward and upward. Multiple (6) pulling and conveying devices 24 are arranged side by side on the traveling body 3 in the left-right direction of the machine body.

[0091] The drawing conveyor 24 is inclined upwards and backwards from the lower end of the lifting device 22. The inclination angle of the drawing conveyor 24 relative to the horizontal direction is, for example, about 35°. The drawing conveyor 24 is arranged in an extending manner such that the straight conveying direction is along the front-back direction when viewed from above.

[0092] The drawing conveyor 24 has a structure in which a pair of conveyor chains 61, which are rotating in annular shapes, are respectively wound around a drive sprocket 62 located on the rear side of the conveyor serving as the downstream side, and a driven sprocket 63 located on the front side of the conveyor serving as the upstream side. That is, the drawing conveyor 24 is a chain conveyor with a pair of chain clamping bodies 60 on the left and right sides, which allow the conveyor chain 61 to be wound around the drive sprocket 62 and the driven sprocket 63, and is configured to clamp the conveyor stem and leaf portion 2b between the left and right chain clamping bodies 60.

[0093] The pulling and conveying device 24 uses the opposing surfaces of a pair of conveyor chains 61 to clamp the stem and leaf portion 2b at its front end and pulls the garlic 2 from the soil by the rotation of the conveyor chains 61. The pair of conveyor chains 61 are driven by the rotation of the drive sprocket 62 so that the opposing sides rotate in the direction of movement along the conveying direction. The drive sprocket 62 and the driven sprocket 63 are set in the direction orthogonal to the tilt direction of the pulling and conveying device 24 when viewed from the side as the axis of rotation. Multiple guide sprockets 87 and other rotating bodies are provided on the conveyor chains 61.

[0094] The garlic 2 pulled out by the pulling and conveying device 24 is held in a state where the stem and leaf portion 2b is clamped by a pair of conveying chains 61 and conveyed to the rear and upward in a generally vertical suspended position. The pulling and conveying device 24 is extended such that the beginning end (front end) of the conveying is located in front of the tracked traveling device 4 in the front-rear direction, and the end end (rear end) of the conveying is located in the middle of the front-rear direction on the traveling body 3.

[0095] like Figure 7 As shown, the drive sprockets 62 of each chain clamp 60 are fixedly mounted on the upper end of the conveyor drive shaft 65, which rotates upon receiving power from the engine 10, and are integrally driven to rotate with the conveyor drive shaft 65. The conveyor drive shaft 65 extends obliquely downwards and rearwards from the rear end of the chain clamp 60 and is housed within a cylindrical conveyor drive shaft housing 66 (see reference 1) along the axial direction of the conveyor drive shaft 65. Figure 9 The drive sprocket 62 rotates, causing the driven sprocket 63 to rotate as the conveyor chain 61 rotates. Thus, the drawing conveyor 24 is configured to receive power from the conveyor drive shaft 65 and be driven.

[0096] The shoulder alignment device 25 is provided on the lower side of the rear part of the pulling conveyor 24. The shoulder alignment device 25 is an example of a position alignment device for aligning the height position of the bulb part 2a of the garlic 2 being conveyed by the pulling conveyor 24.

[0097] The shoulder alignment device 25 defines the upper part of the bulb portion 2a of the garlic 2 as a shoulder, and aligns the height of the shoulder of the garlic 2 with the rear portion of the pulling conveyor 24, located below the pulling conveyor 24. The shoulder alignment device 25, when viewed from the side, is arranged along an inclined plane that is gentler than the slope of the pulling conveyor 24, with the rear higher than the front. The inclination angle of the shoulder alignment device 25 relative to the horizontal direction is, for example, approximately 20°.

[0098] As a pair of left and right annular rotating members that position the stems and leaves 2b of garlic 2, which are conveyed by the pulling conveyor 24, between each other and rotate in an orientation that moves the opposite sides toward the conveying direction of garlic 2, the shoulder alignment device 25 has left and right shoulder alignment chains 71. The shoulder alignment device 25 has the following structure: the left and right pair of shoulder alignment chains 71 are respectively wound around a drive sprocket 72, which is a drive wheel located at the rear of the middle part of the conveying direction, and driven wheels, namely a front driven sprocket 73 and a rear driven sprocket 74, which are respectively located at the front side of the upstream side of the conveying and the rear side of the downstream side of the conveying. That is, the shoulder alignment device 25 has a pair of left and right chain conveyor bodies 70 in which the shoulder alignment chains 71 are wound around the drive sprocket 72 and the front and rear driven sprockets 73, 74, and is configured such that the stems and leaves 2b are located between the left and right chain conveyor bodies 70. The drive sprocket 72 is located on the inner circumferential side of the wound shape of the shoulder alignment chain 71, and is configured to engage from the inner circumferential side with respect to the shoulder alignment chain 71 and the left and right outer portions, that is, the portions opposite to the side of action of the stem and leaf portion 2b in the left and right directions.

[0099] A pair of shoulder alignment chains 71 form a movement path for the stem and leaf portion 2b using their opposing portions. Driven by the rotation of a drive sprocket 72, the opposing sides rotate in the direction in which the stem and leaf portion 2b is moved. When viewing the machine from the side, the drive sprocket 72 and the driven sprockets 73 and 74 are positioned in a direction orthogonal to the tilting direction of the shoulder alignment device 25, which is the axis of rotation. The spacing between the opposing surfaces of the pair of shoulder alignment chains 71 is set to be smaller than the width of the shoulder portion of the bulb portion 2a of a typical garlic clove.

[0100] The shoulder alignment device 25 positions the front end of each chain conveyor 70 directly below the front-to-back center of each chain clamp 60 of the pulling conveyor 24. When viewed from the side, the shoulder alignment device 25, due to the difference in its angle of inclination with the pulling conveyor 24, forms an approximate "V" shape together with the rear of the pulling conveyor 24, and the vertical distance between the shoulder alignment device 25 and the pulling conveyor 24 gradually increases from the front to the rear.

[0101] The shoulder alignment device 25 positions the stem and leaf portion 2b of the garlic 2, conveyed by the pull conveyor 24, between a pair of shoulder alignment chains 71. The pair of shoulder alignment chains 71 press down on the shoulders of the bulb portion 2a of the garlic 2, aligning the height of the bulb portion 2a with a predetermined height. Specifically, the shoulder alignment device 25 positions the bulb portion 2a below a pair of shoulder alignment chains 71 arranged at a gentle slope relative to the conveyor chain 61 of the pull conveyor 24. As the pull conveyor 24 conveys the garlic 2, the pair of shoulder alignment chains 71 abut against the two shoulders of the bulb portion 2a and move upwards, stopping the conveying movement of the garlic 2. This alignment, performed in conjunction with the pull conveyor 24, aligns the height of the garlic 2 (see reference). Figure 9 Arrow B1 in the diagram shows the movement of bulb part 2a.

[0102] The processing of garlic 2 is achieved by a pair of conveyor chains 61 and a pair of shoulder alignment chains 71 of the shoulder alignment device 25, namely, the locking action of the shoulder alignment device 25 on garlic 2. The garlic 2, which is aligned in height, is guided to the stem and leaf cutting device 26 at the rear.

[0103] The stem and leaf cutting device 26 is located above the rear end of the shoulder alignment device 25 and below the rear end of the pulling conveyor 24. The stem and leaf cutting device 26 is used to cut the stem and leaf portion 2b of the garlic 2 being conveyed by the pulling conveyor 24, and to cut the stem and leaf portion 2b from the bulb portion 2a so that the bulb portion 2a falls off. The stem and leaf cutting device 26 cuts the stem and leaf portion 2b of the garlic 2, which is aligned (shoulder height aligned) by the shoulder alignment device 25, such that the stem and leaf portion 2b remains at a substantially constant length on the side of the bulb portion 2a.

[0104] The stem and leaf cutting device 26 has a pair of circular rotating blades 88. The pair of rotating blades 88 are coaxially mounted relative to the rear driven sprockets 74 of the left and right chain conveyors 70 of the shoulder alignment device 25. The rotating blades 88 are supported by a support shaft fixed to the rear driven sprocket 74, and extend upwards from the rear driven sprocket 74, and are positioned parallel to the rear driven sprocket 74 above it. The rotating blades 88 rotate integrally with the rear driven sprocket 74. The pair of rotating blades 88 are arranged close together in the vertical direction with their outer edges overlapping each other, and are approximately symmetrically arranged in the horizontal direction around the movement path of the garlic 2 between the left and right chain conveyors 70.

[0105] The garlic 2, moving obliquely upwards and backwards as a conveyor in the pulling and conveying device 24, is guided to a position between the left and right rotating blades 88 while being stopped by the shoulder alignment device 25 and positioned in the vertical direction. The stem and leaf portion 2b, located between the pair of chain conveyors 70 of the shoulder alignment device 25, reaches the overlapping portion of the left and right rotating blades 88 and is cut off by the rotating blades 88. The bulb portion 2a, cut off from the stem and leaf portion 2b by the pair of rotating blades 88, falls off (see reference). Figure 9 (Arrow B2) The transverse conveyor 7 receives and transports the material toward the right side of the machine body. In addition, the leaf discharge device 28 discharges the stem and leaf parts 2b cut off from the bulb part 2a to the rear side.

[0106] The root cutting device 27 is located below each of the chain conveyors 70 that constitute the shoulder alignment device 25. The root cutting device 27 cuts the root 2c of the garlic 2, which is aligned by the shoulder alignment device 25. The root cutting device 27 has a pair of circular rotating blades 99 on the left and right sides.

[0107] A pair of rotating blades 99 are arranged close together in the vertical direction with their outer edges overlapping each other, and are arranged approximately symmetrically in the horizontal direction around the movement path of the garlic 2 between the left and right chain conveyors 70. Each rotating blade 99 is fixedly mounted on the support shaft of the drive sprocket 72 and aligns with the lower part of the shoulder-aligned drive shaft 85 extending downward from the drive sprocket 72. That is, the rotating blades 99 are mounted coaxially with respect to the drive sprocket 72 and rotate integrally with the drive sprocket 72 and the shoulder-aligned drive shaft 85. The rotating blades 99 are configured with a surface perpendicular to the axis relative to the shoulder-aligned drive shaft 85.

[0108] Regarding the above structure, the rotational power of the shoulder alignment drive shaft 85, which drives the shoulder alignment chain 71, causes the left and right rotating blades 99 of the root cutting device 27 to rotate. The garlic 2, which is being conveyed backward and upward as part of the pulling and conveying device 24, is guided to a position between the left and right rotating blades 99 while being stopped by the shoulder alignment device 25 and positioned vertically. Furthermore, the root 2c of the garlic 2 reaches the overlapping portion of the left and right rotating blades 99 and is cut off by the rotating blades 99. The root 2c, cut off from the bulb portion 2a by the pair of rotating blades 99, falls onto the field.

[0109] The leaf removal device 28 is a device for conveying and discharging the stem and leaf portions 2b cut from the garlic 2 by the stem and leaf cutting device 26 and conveyed by the pulling conveyor 24. The leaf removal device 28 conveys the stem and leaf portions 2b cut from the bulb portion 2a in the stem and leaf cutting device 26 rearward and discharges them onto the leaf removal conveyor 9. The leaf removal device 28 is configured to form an inclination approximately the same as that of the pulling conveyor 24 in a side view behind the pulling conveyor 24, thereby extending the pulling conveyor 24 rearward.

[0110] The leaf-discharging device 28 constitutes a chain conveying mechanism for conveying the stem and leaf portion 2b using a pair of left and right leaf-discharging chain conveyors 90. The leaf-discharging device 28 directs the conveying direction of the stem and leaf portion 2b along the conveying direction of the left and right chain clamps 60 of the drawing conveyor 24.

[0111] The leaf-discharge chain conveyor 90 includes: a drive sprocket 92 disposed at the rear end of the conveying process; a driven sprocket 93 disposed at the beginning end of the conveying process; and a leaf-discharge chain 91, which is an annular rotating component wound around the aforementioned sprockets (see reference). Figure 8 The leaf-discharging device 28 is configured such that the left and right leaf-discharging chains 91 rotate in an orientation that causes the opposing sides to move backward, and the leaf-discharging portion 2b is clamped between the left and right leaf-discharging chains 91.

[0112] According to the leaf-removing device 28 with this structure, the stem and leaf portion 2b, which is held by the pulling and conveying device 24, is transferred (replaced) to the leaf-removing device 28 and conveyed backward and upward while being held between a pair of leaf-removing chains 91. At the end of the leaf-removing device 28, the stem and leaf portion 2b conveyed by the leaf-removing device 28 is released. The stem and leaf portion 2b released by the leaf-removing device 28 falls onto the leaf-removing conveyor 9, which conveys it to the right and guides it to be discharged into the field by the leaf-removing dispenser 67.

[0113] [Power transmission structure of vegetable harvester]

[0114] use Figure 7 and Figure 8 The power transmission structure of the vegetable harvester 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Furthermore, Figure 8 yes Figure 7 The diagram shows a partial enlarged view, specifically illustrating the power transmission structure of the conveying and cutting unit 40. Furthermore, in the description of the power transmission structure, a "belt drive mechanism" is a drive mechanism comprising a pulley mounted on a rotating shaft and a belt wound around the pulley, while a "chain drive mechanism" is a drive mechanism comprising a sprocket mounted on a rotating shaft and a chain wound around the sprocket.

[0115] The power of engine 10 is divided into two types: power transmitted to the driving drive system that drives the tracked traveling device 4, and power transmitted to the speed-synchronized work drive system that drives the specified work unit by transmitting driving force synchronized with the vehicle speed; and power transmitted to the speed-dissynchronized work drive system that drives the specified work unit by transmitting driving force that is not synchronized with the vehicle speed (independent of vehicle speed). According to the speed-dissynchronized work drive system, a constant rotational driving force is transmitted based on the rated output of engine 10.

[0116] (Driving system)

[0117] Describe the driving system. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the rotational driving force of the output shaft 10a of the engine 10 is input to the transmission input shaft 102, which is axially positioned in the left-right direction, using the first belt drive mechanism 101. The first belt drive mechanism 101 is equipped with a travel clutch 103 that is operated by a travel clutch lever provided in the driver's compartment 5.

[0118] The rotational power of the transmission input shaft 102 is transmitted to the input shaft of the transmission 11 via the HST140. Here, "HST" refers to a hydraulic continuously variable transmission (CVT) that uses a hydraulic motor to convert the hydraulic pressure generated by driving a hydraulic pump back into rotational force. The HST140 has a variable displacement hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor that are interconnected via oil passages and form a common hydraulic circuit.

[0119] The rotational power input from the output shaft 141 of HST140 to the transmission 11 is transmitted to the left and right axles 11a of the transmission 11 via the transmission mechanism of the transmission 11. Drive wheels 4a of the tracked travel device 4 are mounted at the ends of the axles 11a.

[0120] The transmission 11 has an output shaft 104 protruding to the right. The output shaft 104 is linked to the output shaft 141 of the HST140 within the transmission housing of the transmission 11, and serves as a gearshift shaft for shifting gears using the HST140. The HST140 has an operating shaft, and the gearshift lever (main gearshift lever) located in the driver's section 5 is linked to this operating shaft via a shifting mechanism or the like. The rotation of the output shaft 141 is driven by the hydraulic pump and hydraulic motor of the HST140 through the operation of the gearshift lever.

[0121] The machine's travel speed (vehicle speed) is continuously variable due to the change in the rotational speed of the output shaft 141 of the HST140, and the rotational drive speed of the vehicle speed synchronization operation drive system changes synchronously with the vehicle speed. The output shaft 141 of the HST140 rotates in both directions by operating the gear lever or the like.

[0122] (Speed-synchronized operation drive system)

[0123] The vehicle speed synchronization operation drive system will be described. The rotational power of the output shaft 104 of the HST140 is input to the first transmission auxiliary shaft 107 in the axial direction via the second belt drive mechanism 106, which directs the rotational power to the left or right. Furthermore, a one-way clutch is used to transmit rotational power in only one direction to the pulley supported on the output shaft 104 in the second belt drive mechanism 106, which transmits the rotational power of the output shaft 104.

[0124] The rotational power of the first conveyor shaft 107 is transmitted to the second conveyor shaft 109 via a third belt drive mechanism 108 located on the left side of the machine body. The third belt drive mechanism 108 is equipped with a first working clutch 110 operated by a working clutch lever located on the driver's unit 5.

[0125] The rotational power of the second conveyor shaft 109 is input to the pre-processing input shaft 120, which is axially configured in the left-right direction, via a first chain drive mechanism 119 including a sprocket 118 fixedly mounted on the left end of the second conveyor shaft 109. Near the left end of the pre-processing input shaft 120, an input sprocket 121 of the first chain drive mechanism 119 is fixedly mounted, which, along with the sprocket 118, receives the winding of the chain.

[0126] The rotational power of the pre-processing input shaft 120 is transmitted to the conveying drive shafts 65 of the left and right chain clamps 60 of each of the six conveying and cutting units 40. The rotational power of the pre-processing input shaft 120 is transmitted to each conveying drive shaft 65 via an input-side bevel gear 122 fixedly mounted on the pre-processing input shaft 120 and an output-side bevel gear 123 fixedly mounted on the lower end of each conveying drive shaft 65. The pre-processing input shaft 120 is configured to rotatably support the harvesting unit 6 on the traveling body 3 via a shaft support 20.

[0127] Furthermore, the rotational power of the pretreatment input shaft 120 is transmitted to the conveyor drive shaft 39 via a bevel gear 126 fixedly disposed at the right end of the pretreatment input shaft 120 and a bevel gear 127 fixedly disposed at the front end of the conveyor drive shaft 39. As a result, the drive roller 36 is driven to rotate, thereby driving the leaf conveyor 9.

[0128] Regarding each conveying and cutting unit 40, the chain clamping body 60 of the pulling conveying device 24, the chain conveyor body 70 of the shoulder alignment device 25, the rotating blade 88 of the stem and leaf cutting device 26, the rotating blade 99 of the root cutting device 27, and the leaf discharge chain conveyor body 90 of the leaf discharge device 28 are driven by the rotational power of the left and right conveying drive shafts 65.

[0129] Furthermore, the rotational power of the pre-processing input shaft 120 is input to the lifting input shaft 113, which is axially configured in the left-right direction, via a second chain drive mechanism 112 including a sprocket 111 fixedly mounted on the left end of the pre-processing input shaft 120. An input sprocket 125, which receives chain winding along with the sprocket 111, is fixedly mounted on the left end of the lifting input shaft 113.

[0130] The rotational power of the lifting input shaft 113 is transmitted to the lifting drive shafts 136 of the seven lifting devices 22. The rotational power of the lifting input shaft 113 is transmitted to each lifting drive shaft 136 via an input-side bevel gear 137 fixedly mounted on the lifting input shaft 113 and an output-side bevel gear 138 fixedly mounted on each lifting drive shaft 136. A drive-side pulley 84a is fixedly mounted on the lifting drive shaft 136, receiving the winding of the raised belt 83 along with the driven-side pulley 84b. The drive-side pulley 84a is located near the upper end of the lifting device 22, and the driven-side pulley 84b is located near the lower end of the lifting device 22. The rotation of the lifting drive shaft 136 causes the raised belt 83 to rotate, thereby driving the lifting device 22.

[0131] As mentioned above, regarding the vegetable harvester 1, the working unit that uses the vehicle speed synchronous operation drive system to receive the power from the engine 10 and perform vehicle speed synchronous drive includes the leaf conveyor 9, the pulling and conveying device 24 that constitutes the conveying and cutting unit 40, and the lifting device 22.

[0132] (Asynchronous operation drive system)

[0133] The asynchronous operation drive system for vehicle speed is described below. The rotational driving force of the output shaft 10a of the engine 10 is input to the first secondary shaft 139, which is set in the axial direction in the left and right directions, through the fourth belt transmission mechanism 128.

[0134] The fourth belt drive mechanism 128 is provided with a second working clutch 129 operated by a working clutch lever provided in the driver's unit 5. The second working clutch 129 and the first working clutch 110 are configured to be linked to each other, and the engagement (connection) / disengagement (cutoff) of the clutches is switched by the operation of the working clutch lever.

[0135] The rotational power of the first auxiliary shaft 139 is input to the conveyor input shaft 45 of the longitudinal conveyor 17 via a fifth belt drive mechanism 147, which includes a sprocket 146 fixedly mounted at the right end of the first auxiliary shaft 139. The fifth belt drive mechanism 147 has a conveyor auxiliary shaft 148 that supports a pulley on the left side that receives the belt winding together with the sprocket 146, and a pulley on the right side that receives the belt winding together with the input pulley 47. The rotational driving force of the conveyor input shaft 45 is transmitted to the conveyor driven shaft 46 via a chain drive mechanism including left and right chains 44, thereby driving the longitudinal conveyor 17.

[0136] On the other hand, the rotational power of the first auxiliary shaft 139 is transmitted to the double pulley 151 via a sixth belt drive mechanism 150, which includes a pulley 149 fixedly disposed at the left end of the first auxiliary shaft 139. The double pulley 151 is rotatably supported at the left end of a rotating support frame portion 152 coaxially disposed with respect to the second transmission auxiliary shaft 109.

[0137] The rotating support frame 152 is a straight frame section extending in the left-right direction. It is composed of a tubular component with a circular cross-sectional shape and is located at the rear end of the working section frame 30. The rotating support frame 152 is located behind the transverse conveyor 7 (see reference). Figure 6 The working frame 30 has the rotating support frame 152 fixedly positioned on the traveling body 3 as a shaft support, and is configured to support the front side in a way that allows it to rotate around a rotation axis that coincides with the central axis of the rotating support frame 152. This is achieved through two lifting cylinders 29 (see reference). Figure 6 The work unit frame 30 rotates due to the extension and retraction of the work unit.

[0138] The rotating support frame 152 supports the second conveying sub-shaft 109 at its left end. The second conveying sub-shaft 109 extends from the rotating support frame 152 toward the left and is supported in a rotatable manner by means of a bearing.

[0139] The double pulley 151 is an integral rotating body comprising a first pulley that receives the belt along with the pulley 149, and a second pulley that receives the belt in the seventh belt drive mechanism 153. The seventh belt drive mechanism 153 is a mechanism that transmits the rotational power of the first auxiliary shaft 139 to the digging drive shaft 56 via the double pulley 151, and includes: a second pulley of the double pulley 151; a pulley 154 fixedly disposed at the left end of the digging drive shaft 56; and a belt wound around the pulley. The rotational power of the digging drive shaft 56 drives the digging device 23.

[0140] As described above, regarding the vegetable harvester 1, the working parts that are driven at asynchronous speeds (constant speed) by receiving power from the engine 10 through a speed-asynchronous operation drive system are the longitudinal conveyor 17 and the digging device 23. Furthermore, regarding the drive of the transverse conveyor 7 driven by the motor 50, it is preferable to drive it at asynchronous speeds (constant speed) in the same way as the longitudinal conveyor 17, through the motion control of the motor 50. However, the conveying speed of the transverse conveyor 7 can be controlled independently through the motion control of the motor 50. Therefore, the conveying speed of the transverse conveyor 7 can, for example, be controlled to change in sync with the vehicle speed.

[0141] Regarding the vegetable harvester 1 with the above structure, the pull-conveying device 24 and leaf-removing device 28 constituting each conveying and cutting unit 40 are configured such that a portion of the conveying range overlaps with each other.

[0142] like Figure 9 As shown, the vane discharge device 28 is arranged parallel to the drawing conveyor 24 on its lower (rear) side relative to the drawing conveyor 24, which is inclined with the rear higher than the front. The vane discharge device 28 is configured such that its front portion in the inclined extension direction overlaps with the rear portion (rear end) of the drawing conveyor 24 from below. Therefore, the vane discharge device 28 causes its rear portion in the extension direction to extend rearward and upward from the rear end of the drawing conveyor 24.

[0143] The left and right chain clamping bodies 60 constituting the drawing conveyor 24 and the left and right leaf-exhausting chain conveyors 90 constituting the leaf-exhausting device 28 are configured such that the centers of the left and right chain conveyors of each device are aligned with each other, and the two devices are configured to be approximately symmetrical. Furthermore, the width dimensions (dimensions in the left-right direction) of the chain clamping bodies 60 and the leaf-exhausting chain conveyors 90 are approximately the same. Regarding this structure, the left and right leaf-exhausting chain conveyors 90 are configured such that the front half of each corresponding chain clamping body 60 overlaps with the rear part (rear end) of the chain clamping body 60 from below.

[0144] The conveying range of each device in the drawing conveyor 24 and the leaf discharge device 28 is the extension direction of each device in the inclined direction that is higher at the back and lower at the front when viewed from the side, that is, the range in the conveying direction of each device, and the range between the rotation axes of the drive sprocket and the driven sprocket of the chain conveyor body constituting each device.

[0145] Therefore, as Figure 9As shown, the conveying range C1 of the drawing conveyor 24 is the range between the rotation axis (rotation center line) D1 of the driven sprocket 63 located at the front end of the device and the rotation axis (rotation center line) D2 of the drive sprocket 62 located at the rear end of the device in the conveying direction. Similarly, the conveying range C2 of the leaf discharge device 28 is the range between the rotation axis (rotation center line) E1 of the driven sprocket 93 located at the front end of the device and the rotation axis (rotation center line) E2 of the drive sprocket 92 located at the rear end of the device in the conveying direction. Furthermore, the conveying directions of the drawing conveyor 24 and the leaf discharge device 28 are the same.

[0146] Furthermore, the drawing conveyor 24 and the leaf discharge device 28 are configured such that a portion of their respective conveying ranges C1 and C2 overlap. That is, there is an overlap range C3 between the conveying range C1 of the drawing conveyor 24 and the conveying range C2 of the leaf discharge device 28. The overlap range C3 is the range in the conveying direction with the position of the rotation shaft E1 of the driven sprocket 93 located at the front end of the leaf discharge device 28 as the front end position and the position of the rotation shaft D2 of the drive sprocket 62 located at the rear end of the drawing conveyor 24 as the rear end position.

[0147] The power transmission structure for the vane discharge device 28 and the shoulder alignment device 25 will be described. The drive sprockets 92 of the left and right vane discharge chain conveyors 90 constituting the vane discharge device 28 are respectively fixedly mounted on the secondary shaft 155. The secondary shaft 155 is arranged parallel to the conveyor drive shaft 65 at the rear and above the conveyor drive shaft 65.

[0148] The upper end of the secondary shaft 155 is rotatably supported by a bearing 157 on a predetermined frame member 156 constituting the frame portion of the vane chain conveyor 90. The frame member 156 is fixedly mounted to the rear end of the main frame 166 constituting the frame portion of the vane chain conveyor 90 by bolts or the like, and protrudes rearward from the main frame 166. The main frame 166 is a straight frame member extending along the extending direction of the vane chain conveyor 90 on the upper side of the vane chain 91.

[0149] The lower end of the secondary shaft 155 is rotatably supported by a bearing 159 on a frame member 158a that forms a frame portion 158 extending rearward from the conveyor drive shaft housing 66 in the conveying direction. The secondary shaft 155 receives the rotational power of the conveyor drive shaft 65 through the vane drive chain mechanism 160 provided in each vane chain conveyor body 90 and is driven to rotate together with the drive sprocket 92.

[0150] A vane discharge drive chain mechanism 160 is disposed on the lower side of the vane discharge chain conveyor bodies 90 on the left and right sides of the vane discharge device 28. The vane discharge drive chain mechanism 160 includes: a drive sprocket 161 fixedly disposed on the conveyor drive shaft 65; a driven sprocket 162 fixedly disposed on the secondary shaft 155; and a vane discharge drive chain 163 wound around the aforementioned sprockets. The drive sprocket 161 is disposed in the middle of the conveyor drive shaft 65. The driven sprocket 162 is disposed on the secondary shaft 155 below the drive sprocket 92. According to the above structure, each vane discharge chain conveyor body 90 receives power from the conveyor drive shaft 65 via the vane discharge drive chain mechanism 160 and is driven together with the drawing conveyor 24.

[0151] The shoulder alignment device 25 is driven by the rotational power transmitted from the left and right leaf conveyor chains 90. The driven sprockets 93 of each leaf conveyor chain 90 are fixedly mounted on the leaf driven shaft 165. The leaf driven shaft 165 is rotatably supported near the front end of the main frame 166 of the leaf conveyor chain 90 by means of bearings 167.

[0152] The vane driven shaft 165 extends downward from the portion supporting the driven sprocket 93 and is connected to the shoulder-aligned drive shaft 85 via a universal joint 168. The drive sprocket 72 is fixedly mounted in the middle of the shoulder-aligned drive shaft 85. The shoulder-aligned drive shaft 85 is positioned such that its axis is parallel to the rotational axis of the front and rear driven sprockets 73 and 74.

[0153] Thus, the shoulder alignment device 25 is configured to receive the rotational power of the conveyor drive shaft 65 via the leaf-extension drive chain mechanism 160, the leaf-extension chain conveyor 90, the leaf-extension driven shaft 165, and the shoulder alignment drive shaft 85, and is driven together with the pulling conveyor 24. Regarding this structure, the leaf-extension chain 91 of the leaf-extension chain conveyor 90 functions as a shoulder alignment drive chain that transmits the rotational power received from the conveyor drive shaft 65 to the shoulder alignment device 25 via the leaf-extension drive chain mechanism 160 and drives the shoulder alignment device 25. That is, the left and right leaf-extension chains 91 that clamp and convey the stem and leaf portions 2b transferred from the pulling conveyor 24 in the leaf-extension device 28 also serve as shoulder alignment drive chains that drive the left and right chain conveyors 70 of the shoulder alignment device 25.

[0154] Regarding the above structure, the shoulder alignment device 25 is positioned further forward of the machine body than the conveyor drive shaft 65. That is, the shoulder alignment device 25 is configured such that the entire or substantially entire left and right chain conveyors 70 are located further forward than the conveyor drive shaft 65. Furthermore, the shoulder alignment device 25 is driven by receiving power from the left and right blade chains 91 constituting the blade discharge device 28, and aligns the height of the bulb portion 2a of the garlic 2 conveyed by the pull conveyor 24.

[0155] Regarding the positional relationship between the drawing conveyor 24 and the leaf removal device 28, the leaf removal driven shaft 165, which supports the driven sprocket 93 of the leaf removal device 28, is located further forward in the conveying direction (front side of the machine body) than the conveying drive shaft 65, which supports the drive sprocket 62 of the drawing conveyor 24. Furthermore, the secondary shaft 155, which supports the drive sprocket 92 of the leaf removal device 28, is located further backward in the conveying direction (rear side of the machine body) than the conveying drive shaft 65. This allows for a structure where a portion of the conveying range of the drawing conveyor 24 and the leaf removal device 28 overlaps with each other. In this embodiment, the conveying drive shaft 65 is located approximately at the center of the leaf removal chain conveyor 90 in the conveying direction. Approximately half of the front side of the left and right leaf removal chain conveyors 90 overlaps with the rear of the left and right chain clamps 60, and approximately half of the rear side of the left and right leaf removal chain conveyors 90 extends further backward than the rear end of the left and right chain clamps 60.

[0156] Thus, the drawing conveyor 24 and the left and right blade chains 91 are arranged such that a portion overlaps with each other when viewed from above. The front portion of the left and right blade chains 91 in the conveying direction is located below the drawing conveyor 24. Therefore, the front portion of the left and right blade chains 91 is formed to be covered from above by the rear portion of the left and right chain clamps 60 of the drawing conveyor 24 and is hidden when viewed from above (when observing the machine body from above). In this embodiment, the left and right blade chains 91 are arranged such that most of the front portion (more than half) is located below the drawing conveyor 24 and becomes a covered portion covered by the drawing conveyor 24.

[0157] As described above, the leaf removal device 28 is configured such that a pair of leaf removal chains 91, which receive power from a secondary shaft 155 and rotate, clamp and hold the conveying stem and leaf portion 2b. The secondary shaft 155 rotates by receiving power from the conveying drive shaft 65 via a leaf removal drive chain mechanism 160 located behind the conveying drive shaft 65. Furthermore, the leaf removal device 28 has a forward extension portion 28A that extends further forward than the conveying drive shaft 65 in the direction along the conveying direction of the stem and leaf portion 2b (hereinafter also referred to as the "conveying direction").

[0158] The front extension portion 28A is the portion of the left and right leaf-extrusion chain conveyor 90 of the leaf-extrusion device 28 that is located further forward than the conveyor drive shaft 65 in the conveying direction, and includes the overlapping range C3 formed with respect to the drawing conveyor 24 as described above (see reference). Figure 9 The portion including the part of the vane device 28. In this embodiment, approximately half of the front side of the vane device 28 is the front extension portion 28A.

[0159] Furthermore, the stem and leaf cutting device 26 is located below the front extension 28A of the leaf-discharging device 28, and cuts the stem and leaf portion 2b held by a pair of leaf-discharging chains 91 in the leaf-discharging device 28. In the conveying section C3, which overlaps with the pulling conveyor 24 and the leaf-discharging device 28, the stem and leaf portion 2b is conveyed while being held by both the left and right conveyor chains 61 and the left and right leaf-discharging chains 91. Moreover, the left and right rotating blades 88 of the stem and leaf cutting device 26 act on the garlic 2 conveyed in the conveying section C3 of this overlap to cut the stem and leaf portion 2b. As a result, the bulb portion 2a falls from a position near the rear end of the shoulder alignment device 25 (see reference). Figure 9 (Arrow B2).

[0160] Furthermore, in the transport section further back than the overlapping range C3, the stem and leaf portion 2b cut from the bulb portion 2a is transported while being held only by the left and right leaf-discharging chains 91 and released from the rear end of the leaf-discharging device 28. Regarding the stem and leaf portion 2b transported at the rear of the leaf-discharging device 28, the left and right leaf-discharging drive chain mechanisms 160 are configured such that the stem and leaf portion 2b is not held by the left and right leaf-discharging drive chains 163. That is, regarding the left and right leaf-discharging drive chain mechanisms 160, by adjusting the diameter of each sprocket of the drive sprocket 161 and driven sprocket 162 that receive the leaf-discharging drive chain 163, the spacing between the two sprockets, etc., a spacing between the left and right leaf-discharging drive chains 163 is ensured to prevent the stem and leaf portion 2b from being held.

[0161] According to the vegetable harvester 1 of this embodiment with the above structure, the structure of the pull conveying device 24 which conveys the stem and leaf portion 2b while holding the stem and leaf portion 2b, and the leaf discharge device 28 which discharges the stem and leaf portion 2b cut off from the bulb portion 2a by the stem and leaf cutting device 26, allows the stem and leaf portion 2b to be conveyed and discharged smoothly without stagnation.

[0162] Regarding each conveying and cutting unit 40, the pulling conveyor 24 and the leaf discharge device 28 are configured such that a portion of their conveying ranges overlap. With this configuration, at the junction where the stem and leaf portion 2b intersects with the leaf discharge device 28 from the pulling conveyor 24, stagnation of the stem and leaf portion 2b due to poor conveying can be suppressed, allowing for smooth conveying and discharge of the stem and leaf portion 2b. The method for achieving this effect will be explained using a comparative example of the conveying and cutting unit 40 according to this embodiment.

[0163] Figure 13 The power transmission structure of the cutting and conveying unit 40A in the comparative example is shown. Furthermore, in the description of the comparative example structure, for convenience, the same reference numerals or names are used for structures corresponding to the conveying and cutting unit 40 according to this embodiment.

[0164] like Figure 13As shown, in the comparative example of the cutting conveyor unit 40A, the drive sprocket 92A located at the front end of the leaf-exhausting chain conveyor 90 constituting the leaf-exhausting device 28 is fixedly mounted on the conveyor drive shaft 65 and coaxially supported with the drive sprocket 62 of the chain clamping body 60 constituting the drawing conveyor 24. The driven sprocket 93A of the leaf-exhausting chain conveyor 90 is located at the rear end of the leaf-exhausting chain conveyor 90.

[0165] Furthermore, in the comparative example of the cutting and conveying unit 40A, regarding the transmission of power to the shoulder alignment drive shaft 85 of the chain conveyor 70 constituting the shoulder alignment device 25, the rotational power of the conveying drive shaft 65 is transmitted to the shoulder alignment drive shaft 85 via a shoulder alignment drive chain mechanism 175 disposed on the upper side of the chain holder 60 and a rotating shaft 179. The shoulder alignment drive chain mechanism 175 includes: a drive sprocket 176 fixedly disposed on the conveying drive shaft 65; a driven sprocket 177 fixedly disposed on the rotating shaft 179; and a chain 178 wound around the aforementioned sprocket. The rotating shaft 179 extends downward through the chain holder 60 and is connected to the shoulder alignment drive shaft 85 via a universal joint.

[0166] According to the structure of this comparative example, drive sprocket 62, drive sprocket 92A, and drive sprocket 176 are supported on a common conveyor drive shaft 65. Therefore, in order to ensure the assemblability of the chain in order to cope with the tilting of the shaft supporting the sprockets, the hub, and the swaying of components, a gap needs to be ensured between the left and right chains. That is, it is difficult to achieve a zero-gap layout between the left and right chains for the conveyor chain 61 and the vane chain 91.

[0167] Therefore, at the junction where the stem and leaf portion 2b connects from the drawing conveyor 24 to the leaf discharge device 28, a gap space easily forms due to the interconnection of gaps between the left and right chains in the two devices. This gap space formed by the gaps between the left and right chains at the junction of the drawing conveyor 24 and the leaf discharge device 28 can cause the conveying of the stem and leaf portion 2b to stagnate. In particular, when the stem and leaf portion 2b has a high moisture content, is wet, or is thin, it is prone to sliding in the gap space at the junction between the devices, causing the conveying of the stem and leaf portion 2b to stagnate.

[0168] Therefore, the conveying and cutting unit 40, the drawing and conveying device 24, and the leaf discharge device 28 involved in this embodiment are configured such that their respective conveying ranges overlap by a range C3 (see reference). Figure 9 According to this structure, the gap space mentioned above can be suppressed as much as possible at the junction of the stem and leaf portion 2b from the drawing and conveying device 24 to the leaf discharge device 28. Therefore, the stem and leaf portion 2b can be smoothly conveyed and discharged without stagnation.

[0169] Furthermore, the leaf removal device 28 is configured such that a pair of leaf removal chains 91, which rotate by receiving power from the secondary shaft 155, clamp and transport the stem and leaf portion 2b. The secondary shaft 155 is located behind the transport drive shaft 65 that drives the pulling and conveying device 24 and rotates by receiving power from the transport drive shaft 65. The leaf removal device 28 has a forward extension portion 28A that extends further forward than the transport drive shaft 65.

[0170] According to this structure, while sharing the conveyor drive shaft 65 for obtaining rotational power, a secondary shaft 155 located behind the conveyor drive shaft 65 is introduced. This allows for a simple structure in which the conveying range of the leaf discharge device 28 overlaps with the conveying range of the drawing conveyor 24. Furthermore, the stem and leaf portion 2b transitions from a state where it is clamped by both devices within the overlapping range C3 of the two devices to a state where it is clamped only by the leaf discharge device 28. Therefore, at the junction where the stem and leaf portion 2b connects from the drawing conveyor 24 to the leaf discharge device 28, and before and after this junction, the stem and leaf portion 2b is always kept in a clamped state (maintained clamping state). From this perspective, it is also possible to suppress stagnation of the stem and leaf portion 2b at the junction between the two devices.

[0171] In addition, the conveying and cutting unit 40 has a shoulder alignment device 25 which is located further forward of the machine body than the conveying drive shaft 65 and is driven by receiving power from the blade chain 91, and is configured to cut the stem and leaf portion 2b held by a pair of blade chains 91 using the stem and leaf cutting device 26.

[0172] With this structure, the stem and leaf portion 2b is cut while being held by the left and right leaf-discharging chains 91 of the leaf-discharging device 28. Therefore, the holding state of the leaf-discharging device 28 on the stem and leaf portion 2b can be maintained before and after the stem and leaf portion 2b is cut by the stem and leaf cutting device 26. As a result, the stagnation of the conveying of the stem and leaf portion 2b after it is cut by the stem and leaf cutting device 26 can be suppressed, and the stem and leaf portion 2b can be smoothly conveyed and discharged without stagnation.

[0173] In addition, the drawing conveyor 24 and the leaf chain 91 are configured such that, when viewed from above, a portion of them overlap.

[0174] According to this structure, before the stem and leaf portion 2b is formed into a state where it is held by only the left and right leaf-discharging chains 91 of the leaf-discharging device 28, it is possible to obtain a state in which the stem and leaf portion 2b is held by both the left and right conveying chains 61 of the pulling conveying device 24 and the left and right leaf-discharging chains 91 of the leaf-discharging device 28. As a result, stagnation of the stem and leaf portion 2b at the junction between the two devices can be suppressed.

[0175] [Second Implementation]

[0176] use Figures 14 to 20The second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Furthermore, in the embodiments described below, structures common to or corresponding to the first embodiment will use the same names or reference numerals, and repeated descriptions will be omitted where appropriate.

[0177] The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment lies in the structure of the conveying and cutting unit 40, and particularly in the structure of the leaf discharge device 28. Specifically, the difference between the conveying and cutting unit 40 in this embodiment and the first embodiment lies in the power transmission structure for the leaf discharge device 28, and the inclusion of an upper leaf discharge device 200, etc.

[0178] like Figures 14 to 17 As shown, the conveying and cutting unit 40 of this embodiment is a structure for discharging the stem and leaf portion 2b into the field, and it also includes an upper leaf discharge device 200 on top of the leaf discharge device 28. That is, the upper leaf discharge device 200, like the leaf discharge device 28, conveys and discharges the stem and leaf portion 2b cut from the garlic 2 by the stem and leaf cutting device 26 from the pulling conveyor 24.

[0179] The upper blade removal device 200 is located in the axial direction of the conveyor drive shaft 65 (refer to...). Figure 15 The leaf discharge device 28 is positioned on the upper side of the drawing conveyor 24 along the straight line H1. That is, the leaf discharge device 28 is positioned on the lower side of the drawing conveyor 24 along the axial direction of the conveyor drive shaft 65, making the leaf discharge device 28 the lower-level leaf discharge device, and the upper-level leaf discharge device 200 is positioned on the upper side of the drawing conveyor 24. In other words, the drawing conveyor 24 is positioned between the leaf discharge device 28 and the upper-level leaf discharge device 200 along the axial direction of the conveyor drive shaft 65.

[0180] The upper leaf removal device 200 extends further rearward than the drawing conveyor 24 in the conveying direction of the stem and leaf portion 2b. The upper leaf removal device 200 is configured to be parallel to the leaf removal device 28, with the conveying direction of the stem and leaf portion 2b being the same as that of the leaf removal device 28, and to convey the stem and leaf portion 2b together with the leaf removal device 28 in at least a portion of the conveying range of the stem and leaf portion 2b.

[0181] The upper leaf discharge device 200 constitutes a chain conveying mechanism for conveying the stem and leaf portion 2b using a pair of left and right upper leaf discharge chain conveyors 210. The upper leaf discharge device 200 causes the conveying direction of the stem and leaf portion 2b to be along the conveying direction of the left and right chain clamps 60 of the drawing conveyor 24.

[0182] The upper-level leaf-discharge chain conveyor 210 includes: a drive sprocket 212 disposed at the beginning (front) end of the conveying process; a driven sprocket 213 disposed at the end (rear) end of the conveying process; and an annular rotating component, namely the leaf-discharge chain 211, wound around the aforementioned sprockets (see reference). Figure 14The upper leaf-discharging device 200 is configured such that the left and right leaf-discharging chains 211 rotate in an orientation that causes the opposing sides to move backward, and the leaf-discharging portion 2b is clamped between the left and right leaf-discharging chains 211.

[0183] The upper leaf discharge chain conveyor 210 has a width dimension (left-right dimension) that is approximately the same as that of the leaf discharge chain conveyor 90 of the leaf discharge device 28. The upper leaf discharge device 200 is configured such that the left and right upper leaf discharge chain conveyors 210 overlap with the left and right leaf discharge chain conveyors 90 respectively when viewed from above.

[0184] Based on the structure including the leaf-removing device 28 and the upper leaf-removing device 200, the stem and leaf portion 2b, which is held by the pulling and conveying device 24, is transferred (replaced) to the leaf-removing device 28 and the upper leaf-removing device 200, and conveyed backward and upward while being held at two points: between the lower pair of leaf-removing chains 91 and between the upper pair of leaf-removing chains 211. At the end of the leaf-removing device 28 and the upper leaf-removing device 200, the stem and leaf portion 2b conveyed by the leaf-removing device 28 and the upper leaf-removing device 200 is released. The stem and leaf portion 2b released by the leaf-removing device 28 and the upper leaf-removing device 200 falls onto the leaf-removing conveyor 9, is conveyed to the right by the leaf-removing conveyor 9, and is discharged into the field by the leaf-removing dispenser 67.

[0185] Regarding the conveying and cutting unit 40 involved in this embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, the pulling conveying device 24 and the leaf discharge device 28 are arranged such that a portion of the conveying range overlaps with each other. That is, as... Figure 15 As shown, the drawing conveyor 24 and the vane removal device 28 are configured such that a portion of their respective conveying ranges overlap each other, with an overlap range C3 (see reference) between the conveying range of the drawing conveyor 24 and the conveying range of the vane removal device 28. Figure 9 ).

[0186] The power transmission structure for the vane removal device 28 and the upper vane removal device 200 will be described.

[0187] In this embodiment, the left and right leaf-exhausting chain conveyors 90 constituting the leaf-exhausting device 28 are configured to directly receive the rotational power of the conveying drive shaft 65. The leaf-exhausting chain conveyor 90 includes: a first driven sprocket 192 disposed at the rear end of the conveying process; a second driven sprocket 193 disposed at the beginning end of the conveying process; a leaf-exhausting drive sprocket 194 disposed at the middle portion in the extending direction; and an annular rotating component, namely the leaf-exhausting chain 191, wound around the aforementioned sprockets (see reference). Figure 14 , Figure 18 ).

[0188] The left and right leaf-type chain conveyor bodies 90 are as follows Figure 18As shown, when viewed axially from the conveyor drive shaft 65, the structure is configured to be bilaterally symmetrical or approximately bilaterally symmetrical. In this embodiment, regarding the vane chain conveyor 90, the first driven sprocket 192 is fixedly mounted on the first secondary shaft 235. The first secondary shaft 235 is a shaft whose axial direction is parallel to the axial direction of the conveyor drive shaft 65, and is configured to be rotatably supported on predetermined components such as the frame constituting the vane chain conveyor 90. Furthermore, regarding the vane chain conveyor 90, the second driven sprocket 193 is a sprocket supported on the vane driven shaft 165. That is, the second driven sprocket 193 is fixedly mounted on the vane driven shaft 165.

[0189] The vane drive sprocket 194 is fixedly mounted on the conveyor drive shaft 65. The vane drive sprocket 194 is a rotating body that acts on the vane chain 191 from the inner circumference side and rotates with the rotation of the vane chain 191. The vane chain 191 is positioned in the axial direction and is configured such that it cannot rotate relative to the vane chain 191 by means of a key structure or the like.

[0190] like Figure 18 As shown, the vane drive sprocket 194 is located in the extending direction relative to the vane chain 191 arranged in a back-to-back manner when viewed from above, in each vane chain conveyor 90. Figure 18 The leaf chain 191 is located approximately at the center of the vertical direction. As a track portion in a coiled form relative to the first driven sprocket 192 and the second driven sprocket 193, the leaf chain 191 has a straight inner portion 191a and an outer portion 191b. The inner portion 191a is located on the left and right inner sides relative to the two sprockets and forms the movement path of the stem and leaf portion 2b. The outer portion 191b is located on the left and right outer sides relative to the two sprockets.

[0191] Furthermore, the vane drive sprocket 194 is located on the inner circumferential side (non-operating side) of the wound shape of the vane chain 191, and is configured to engage with the outer side 191b of the vane chain 191 from the inner circumferential side. In addition, the vane drive sprocket 194 is configured not to engage with the inner side 191a of the vane chain 191.

[0192] According to the above structure, the rotational power of the conveyor drive shaft 65 is transmitted to the vane chain 191 via the vane drive sprocket 194, thereby causing the vane chain conveyor body 90 to rotate.

[0193] Regarding each leaf-extrusion chain conveyor 90, multiple guide sprockets, including guide sprockets 195 and 196, are provided as guide components for the leaf-extrusion chain 91. These guide sprockets 195 and 196 are located on the front and rear sides of the leaf-extrusion drive sprocket 194 and engage with the leaf-extrusion chain 91 from the outer periphery (see reference). Figure 18 ).

[0194] Guide sprockets 195 and 196 are each supported by a support shaft provided on a support member such as a frame constituting the vane chain conveyor 90, enabling them to rotate. Guide sprockets 195 and 196 are configured such that their engagement positions with the vane chain 191 are located to the left and right inwards relative to the engagement position of the vane drive sprocket 194 with the vane chain 191. Therefore, the track portion between the engagement portions of the guide sprockets 195 and 196 in the vane chain 191 is formed into an approximately "V" shape with the engagement portion of the vane drive sprocket 194 as its apex.

[0195] With guide sprockets 195 and 196 positioned before and after the vane drive sprocket 194, the engagement angle of the vane chain 191 relative to the vane drive sprocket 194, i.e., the engagement range of the vane chain 191 in the circumferential direction of the vane drive sprocket 194, can be ensured. This suppresses slippage and tooth skipping of the vane drive sprocket 194, ensuring stable transmission of the rotational power of the conveyor drive shaft 65 to the vane chain 91.

[0196] The drive sprocket 212 of the upper vane chain conveyor 210, which constitutes the upper vane discharge device 200, is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the conveyor drive shaft 65. The driven sprocket 213 of the upper vane chain conveyor 210 is rotatably supported on a second auxiliary shaft 215 by means of bearings or the like. The second auxiliary shaft 215 is an axis whose axial direction is parallel to that of the conveyor drive shaft 65, and is fixed to a predetermined component such as the frame constituting the upper vane chain conveyor 210. With this structure, each upper vane chain conveyor 210 is driven together with the drawing conveyor 24 by the rotational power of the conveyor drive shaft 65.

[0197] Regarding the positional relationship between the drawing conveyor 24 and the leaf removal device 28, the leaf removal driven shaft 165, which supports the second driven sprocket 193 of the leaf removal device 28, is located further forward in the conveying direction than the conveying drive shaft 65, which supports the drive sprocket 62 of the drawing conveyor 24. Furthermore, the first auxiliary shaft 235, which supports the first driven sprocket 192 of the leaf removal device 28, is located further rearward in the conveying direction than the conveying drive shaft 65. Thus, a structure is achieved where a portion of the conveying range of the drawing conveyor 24 and the leaf removal device 28 overlaps with each other. In this embodiment, the conveying drive shaft 65 is located approximately at the center of the leaf removal chain conveyor 90 in the conveying direction. Approximately half of the front side of the left and right leaf removal chain conveyors 90 overlaps with the rear of the left and right chain clamps 60, and approximately half of the rear side of the left and right leaf removal chain conveyors 90 extends further rearward than the rear ends of the left and right chain clamps 60.

[0198] Thus, the drawing conveyor 24 and the left and right blade chains 91 are arranged such that a portion overlaps with each other when viewed from above. The front portion of the left and right blade chains 91 in the conveying direction is located below the drawing conveyor 24. Therefore, the front portion of the left and right blade chains 91 is formed such that the rear portion of the left and right chain clamps 60 of the drawing conveyor 24 is covered from above and hidden when viewed from above (when observing the machine body from above). In this embodiment, the left and right blade chains 91 are arranged such that approximately half (less than half) of the front portion is located below the drawing conveyor 24 and becomes a covered portion covered by the drawing conveyor 24.

[0199] As described above, the leaf removal device 28 is configured such that a pair of leaf removal chains 91, which rotate by receiving power from the conveying drive shaft 65, clamp the conveying stem and leaf portion 2b. Furthermore, similar to the first embodiment, the leaf removal device 28 has a portion extending forward in the conveying direction of the stem and leaf portion 2b than the conveying drive shaft 65, namely, a forward extension portion 28A (see reference). Figure 17 ).

[0200] Furthermore, the upper leaf removal device 200 is configured such that a pair of leaf removal chains 211, which rotate by receiving power from the conveying drive shaft 65, clamp and transport the stem and leaf portion 2b. Moreover, the upper leaf removal device 200 is configured such that a drive sprocket 212 located at the front end of the upper leaf removal chain conveyor 210 is supported on the conveying drive shaft 65, which supports the drive sprocket 62 located at the rear end of the drawing conveyor 24, and extends obliquely upward and backward from the drive sprocket 212 along the conveying direction.

[0201] In this way, the upper leaf discharge device 200 causes the left and right upper leaf discharge chain conveyors 210, except for the front end, to extend rearward along the conveying direction from the rear end of the left and right chain clamps 60 of the pulling conveyor 24, thus extending further rearward than the pulling conveyor 24.

[0202] Additionally, the upper vane discharge device 200 has a portion that extends further rearward in the conveying direction than the vane discharge device 28, namely, the rearward extension portion 200A (see reference). Figure 17 The rear extension section 200A is the part of the upper leaf discharge chain conveyor 210 on the left and right sides of the upper leaf discharge device 200 that is located further rearward than the rear end of the leaf discharge device 28 in the conveying direction.

[0203] Here, the rear end of the vane discharge device 28 in the conveying direction is the rear end position P1 of the left and right vane discharge chain conveyor bodies 90 of the vane discharge device 28 (refer to...). Figure 17The rear end position P1 is the rear end position of the cover frame 197 that covers the leaf chain 191 in each leaf chain conveyor 90. The cover frame 197 is a long strip-shaped cover member that extends along the extension direction of the leaf chain conveyor 90 and covers the leaf chain 191 from above and the side. The portion of the upper leaf discharge device 200 that is further rearward in the conveying direction than the rear end position P1 is called the rear extension part 200A. In this embodiment, approximately 1 / 6 of the rear portion of the upper leaf discharge device 200 is called the rear extension part 200A.

[0204] Regarding the structure described above, which includes a leaf discharge device 28 and an upper leaf discharge device 200 for discharging the stem and leaf portion 2b, the overlap range C3 between the drawing conveyor 24 and the leaf discharge device 28 (refer to...) Figure 15 The stem and leaf portion 2b is transported in the transport section of the left and right conveyor chains 61 and the left and right leaf discharge chains 91.

[0205] Furthermore, in the transport section further back than the overlapping range C3, the stem and leaf portion 2b cut off from the bulb portion 2a is transported while being held by the left and right leaf-discharging chains 91 and the left and right leaf-discharging chains 211, and is released from the rear end of the leaf-discharging device 28.

[0206] According to the vegetable harvester 1 of this embodiment with the above structure, similar to the first embodiment, the structure with the pulling and conveying device 24 and the leaf discharge device 28 can smoothly and continuously convey and discharge the stem and leaf portion 2b.

[0207] In addition, the leaf discharge device 28 is configured to hold the conveying stem and leaf portion 2b by a pair of leaf discharge chains 191 that rotate by receiving power from the conveying drive shaft 65, and has a forward extension portion 28A that extends forward further than the conveying drive shaft 65.

[0208] According to this structure, without the leaf-extrusion drive chain mechanism 160 involved in the first embodiment, a structure in which the conveying range of the leaf-extrusion device 28 overlaps with the conveying range of the drawing conveyor 24 can be achieved with a simple structure while sharing the conveying drive shaft 65 for obtaining rotational power. Furthermore, the stem-leaf portion 2b transitions from a state where it is clamped by both devices within the overlapping range C3 of the two devices' conveying ranges to a state where it is clamped by the leaf-extrusion device 28 and the upper leaf-extrusion device 200. Therefore, at the junction where the stem-leaf portion 2b connects from the drawing conveyor 24 to the leaf-extrusion device 28 and the upper leaf-extrusion device 200, and before and after this junction, the stem-leaf portion 2b is always kept in a clamped state (maintained clamping state). From this perspective, it is also possible to suppress the stagnation of the stem-leaf portion 2b at the junction between the two devices.

[0209] Furthermore, the vane discharge device 28 is configured such that in each vane discharge chain conveyor 90, a vane discharge drive sprocket 194, which is fixedly mounted on the conveyor drive shaft 65 and acts on the vane discharge chain 191 from the inner circumference, directly receives the rotational power of the conveyor drive shaft 65, thereby driving it. This allows for a simple and compact structure for transmitting the power of the conveyor drive shaft 65 to the vane discharge chain conveyor 90.

[0210] Thus, the conveying and cutting unit 40 according to this embodiment has the following structure: the conveying chain 61 of the drawing conveying device 24, the leaf-discharging chain 191 of the leaf-discharging device 28, the shoulder-aligning chain 71 of the shoulder-aligning device 25, and the leaf-discharging chain 211 of the upper leaf-discharging device 200 are driven by a common conveying drive shaft 65, and the leaf-discharging chain 91 is also used as a shoulder-aligning drive chain for driving the shoulder-aligning chain 71 of the shoulder-aligning device 25. According to this structure, the clamping and conveying of the upper and lower layers of the stem and leaf portion 2 by the leaf-discharging device 28 and the upper leaf-discharging device 200 can be realized without increasing the number of chains, thereby improving the leaf-discharging performance.

[0211] Furthermore, as a structure for discharging the stem and leaf portion 2b, an upper leaf discharge device 200 is provided, which is arranged axially above the leaf discharge device 28 along the conveying drive shaft 65. According to this structure, for the stem and leaf portion 2b conveyed rearward by the leaf discharge device 28, it is possible to prevent the portion that is higher than the clamping portion of the leaf discharge device 28 from bending forward and falling onto the upper side of the portion that is further rearward than the pulling conveyor 24 in the conveying and cutting unit 40, thereby preventing the stem and leaf portion 2b from stopping, and the stem and leaf portion 2b can be smoothly conveyed and discharged.

[0212] like Figure 20 As shown, the upper part 2y, which is located above the clamping part of the left and right leaf-dispensing chains 91, in the stem and leaf portion 2b conveyed by the left and right leaf-dispensing chains 91 at the rear side of the drawing and conveying device 24, sometimes tilts forward due to its own weight. That is, with the conveying direction of the conveying and cutting unit 40 being a rear-high and front-low orientation, the stem and leaf portion 2b conveyed by the leaf-dispensing device 28 is sometimes conveyed in a state where it is formed by the lower part 2x, which is located below the clamping part of the left and right leaf-dispensing chains 91, and the upper part 2y, which is located above the clamping part and bends forward, thus forming a generally acute-angled bent shape when viewed from the side.

[0213] Thus, in the conveying state based on the leaf-discharging device 28, the stem and leaf portion 2b is sometimes formed such that only a portion on the leaf base side receives the clamping and conveying action of the leaf-discharging device 28, and the portion on the leaf tip side, i.e., the upper part 2y, tilts forward and rests on the leaf-discharging device 28. In this case, such as Figure 20As shown, in structures such as the conveying and cutting unit 40 of the first embodiment that do not have an upper leaf discharge device 200, sometimes only the leaf base side (lower part 2x) of the stem and leaf part 2b is conveyed by the leaf discharge device 28, resulting in stagnation of the stem and leaf part 2b.

[0214] Specifically, such as Figure 20 As shown, the stem and leaf portion 2b is sometimes formed in the following state: at the conveying end of the leaf discharge device 28, it is released from the clamped state of the left and right leaf discharge chains 91, and the lower part 2x moves to the rear side of the left and right leaf discharge chains 91 by the conveying action of the leaf discharge device 28 (refer to arrow J1), while the upper part 2y remains on the upper side of the leaf discharge chain conveyor body 90. In this case, the stem and leaf portion 2b released from the conveying action of the leaf discharge device 28 does not fall off but gets stuck at the rear end of the leaf discharge chain conveyor body 90 or gets tangled in the leaf discharge chain 91. As a result, the continuously conveyed stem and leaf portion 2b sometimes gets blocked or accumulates on the leaf discharge device 28 at the rear, making it impossible for the stem and leaf portion 2b to be discharged smoothly.

[0215] Therefore, regarding the conveying and cutting unit 40 according to this embodiment, an upper leaf discharge device 200 is provided above the leaf discharge device 28. According to this structure, as... Figure 19 As shown, at the rear of the drawing and conveying device 24 (the rear of the conveying drive shaft 65), the stem and leaf portion 2b can be conveyed by using the upper leaf discharge device 200 and the lower leaf discharge device 28 to clamp it at least at both the upper and lower parts. That is, in addition to the clamping action of the leaf discharge device 28 on the stem and leaf portion 2b, the upper leaf discharge device 200 can also clamp the upper part 2y that is tilting forward.

[0216] Therefore, it is possible to prevent the upper part 2y from remaining after the stem and leaf portion 2b is released from the clamped state of the left and right leaf discharge chain 91, and to prevent the stem and leaf portion 2b from getting stuck at the rear end of the leaf discharge chain conveyor 90 or from being entangled in the leaf discharge chain 91. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the stem and leaf portion 2b from becoming blocked at the rear of the leaf discharge device 28, and to smoothly transport and discharge the stem and leaf portion 2b.

[0217] Thus, based on the structure of the conveying and cutting unit 40 according to this embodiment, even when the upper part 2y of the stem and leaf portion 2b is tilted forward during conveying based on the leaf discharge device 28, the upper leaf discharge device 200 can directly provide a clamping and conveying effect on the upper part 2y. Therefore, the stem and leaf portion 2b will not stagnate due to the upper part 2y of the stem and leaf portion 2b falling on the upper side of the upper leaf discharge device 200, and the stem and leaf portion 2b can be discharged smoothly. In addition, even if the clamping effect of the upper leaf discharge device 200 on the stem and leaf portion 2b cannot be fully obtained due to, for example, the stem and leaf portion 2b being too short, the lower leaf discharge device 28 can reliably clamp the stem and leaf portion 2b. Therefore, the stem and leaf portion 2b can be prevented from falling during the conveying process for leaf discharge, and the stem and leaf portion 2b can be discharged smoothly.

[0218] Furthermore, the upper vane discharge device 200 has a rearward extension portion 200A that extends further rearward in the conveying direction than the vane discharge device 28. With this structure, a space 240 (see reference) can be secured below the rearward extension portion 200A of the upper vane discharge device 200. Figure 19 (The portion surrounded by the dashed ellipse K1). As a result, it is possible to prevent the stem and leaf portion 2b falling from the conveying end of the upper leaf discharge device 200 from getting caught or rolled into the leaf discharge chain conveyor 90, so that the stem and leaf portion 2b can fall and be discharged smoothly and the stagnation of the stem and leaf portion 2b can be suppressed.

[0219] The vegetable harvester described above using the embodiments is not limited to the above embodiments, and various methods can be adopted within the scope of the spirit of the present invention.

[0220] In the above embodiments, the drawing conveyor 24, the shoulder alignment device 25, the leaf discharge device 28, and the upper leaf discharge device 200 all have a structure that has a chain clamping body that winds the chain, which is a ring-shaped rotating member, around the left and right sides of the sprocket. Alternatively, the chain clamping body can be replaced by a belt clamping body that winds the belt, which is a ring-shaped rotating member, around the pulley.

Claims

1. A vegetable harvester for harvesting vegetables from soil, characterized in that, The vegetable harvester is equipped with: A pulling and conveying device that pulls vegetables from the soil while simultaneously clamping and conveying the stems and leaves of the pulled vegetables; A stem and leaf cutting device that cuts the stems and leaves of vegetables conveyed by the pulling conveyor; and A leaf-removing device that conveys and removes the cut stems and leaves of vegetables transported by the pulling conveyor using the stem and leaf cutting device. The drawing conveyor and the leaf removal device are configured such that a portion of the conveying range overlaps with each other.

2. The vegetable harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drawing and conveying device is driven by power transmitted from the conveying drive shaft. The leaf-discharging device is configured to clamp and transport the stem and leaves by means of a pair of annular rotating parts that receive power from the transport drive shaft and rotate. The leaf-discharging device has a portion that extends forward in the conveying direction of the stem and leaves compared to the conveying drive shaft.

3. The vegetable harvester according to claim 2, characterized in that, The leaf discharge device is arranged axially on the lower side of the drawing conveyor, along the conveying drive shaft. The vegetable harvester is equipped with an upper leaf discharge device, which is arranged axially on the upper side of the pulling conveyor on the conveying drive shaft and extends further rearward than the pulling conveyor in the conveying direction of the stem and leaf part. The upper leaf discharge device conveys and discharges the stem and leaf parts cut from the vegetables conveyed by the pulling conveyor by the stem and leaf cutting device.

4. The vegetable harvester according to claim 3, characterized in that, The upper leaf-discharging device is configured to clamp the conveying stem and leaf portion by means of a pair of annular rotating parts that rotate by means of a power transmission received from the conveying drive shaft, and has a portion that extends further rearward in the conveying direction than the leaf-discharging device.

5. The vegetable harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drawing and conveying device is driven by power transmitted from the conveying drive shaft. The leaf-discharging device is configured to clamp and transport the stem and leaves by means of a pair of annular rotating components that receive power from a secondary shaft and rotate accordingly. The secondary shaft is located behind the transport drive shaft and receives power from the transport drive shaft to rotate. The leaf-discharging device has a portion that extends forward in the conveying direction of the stem and leaves compared to the conveying drive shaft.

6. The vegetable harvester according to claim 5, characterized in that, The vegetable harvester is equipped with a position alignment device, which is configured to be located further forward of the machine body than the conveying drive shaft, receive power from the annular rotating component for driving, and align the height of the main body of the vegetables conveyed by the pulling conveyor. The stem and leaf cutting device cuts off the stem and leaf portion held by the pair of annular rotating parts.

7. The vegetable harvester according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that, The annular rotating components of the drawing and conveying device and the leaf-extrusion device are configured such that, when viewed from above, a portion of them overlap.

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