Root crop harvester

Abstract

To provide a root crop harvester that can improve a working environment by restraining dust generated in association with work for harvesting crops, and restrain contamination of a machine body and harvests caused by the generation of the dust.SOLUTION: A harvesting device 3 is constituted so as to comprise: a raising part 31 for raising foliage parts of crops; and a pulling conveyance part 32 for clamping the foliage parts raised by the raising part 31, pulling them out of a field, and conveying them to a rear part of a machine body. A root crop harvester comprises an air blowing mechanism constituted so as to comprise a plurality of fan devices for blowing air. The air blowing mechanism is constituted so that air is blown downward and obliquely rearward at a position in a front part of the harvesting device 3 by a first fan device arranged in the raising part 31, and a second fan device arranged in the pulling conveyance part 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a root vegetable harvester that pulls out and harvests root vegetables such as radishes and carrots growing in a farm field. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of root vegetable harvester, for example, those described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 below have been known.

[0003] A conventional root vegetable harvester includes a harvesting device that pulls out root vegetable crops such as radishes and carrots from a field and cuts off their stems and leaves, a storage section that stores the harvested root vegetable crops, and a belt conveying mechanism that passes the cut-off root vegetable crops through a sorting work area where sorters perform sorting work, and then transports them to the storage section. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-14442 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-03086 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, with conventional root vegetable harvesters, dust generated during the harvesting process flows into the cockpit and the sorting operator's seat on the machine, worsening the working environment for the operators.In addition, the dust generated causes contamination of the machine and the harvested crops.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a root vegetable harvester that can solve these problems and reduce the dust generated during crop harvesting operations, thereby improving the working environment and reducing contamination of the machine body and harvested products caused by dust. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the first invention is: a machine body supported by a running device; a harvesting device for harvesting crops at one of the left and right ends of the machine body; The harvesting device is configured to include a raising unit that raises stems and leaves of the crop, and a pulling and conveying unit that clamps the stems and leaves raised by the raising unit, pulls them out of the field, and conveys them to the rear of the machine body, a belt conveying mechanism that conveys the crops supplied from the extraction conveying unit from one left or right end side of the machine body to the other left or right end side, A root vegetable harvester in which a driver's seat for an operator is provided on the side of the harvesting device, and a sorting seat for a sorter is provided behind the driver's seat, a blowing mechanism including a plurality of fan devices for blowing air; The present invention provides a root vegetable harvester characterized in that the air blowing mechanism is configured to blow air downward and diagonally backward at a position in front of the harvesting device by using a first fan device arranged in the raising section and a second fan device arranged in the pulling-out and conveying section.

[0008] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the air blowing mechanism blows air downward and diagonally backward at the front of the harvesting device, thereby effectively suppressing the generation of dust that accompanies harvesting of crops, thereby improving the working environment and suppressing contamination of the machine body and harvested products caused by dust.

[0009] The second invention is characterized in that, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, the blowing mechanism is further configured to blow air toward the rear of the machine body at a position on the machine body rearward of the first fan device and the second fan device by a third fan device provided on one of the left and right ends of the belt conveying mechanism.

[0010] According to the second invention, in addition to the effects of the first invention, the blower mechanism blows air toward the rear of the aircraft at a position on the aircraft rearward of the first fan device and the second fan device, thereby allowing the generated dust to flow toward the rear of the aircraft, and as a result, dust can be prevented from flowing into the cockpit or sorting work seat.

[0011] The third invention is characterized in that, in addition to the configuration of the second invention, the first fan device is configured to receive power from the raising section, the second fan device is configured to receive power from the pulling-out conveying section, and the third fan device is configured to receive power from the belt conveying mechanism, and each of them is driven accordingly.

[0012] According to the third aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect of the second aspect of the invention, it is possible to save energy and deal with dust efficiently.

[0013] A fourth invention is characterized in that, in addition to the configuration of any one of the first to third inventions, a sprinkler device that sprinkles water toward the raised portion is provided.

[0014] According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, the sprinkler device can further effectively suppress the generation of dust caused by uprooting the crops by sprinkling water toward the raising portion. In addition, the sprinkler device can further effectively suppress soiling of the crops and the machine body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, a root vegetable harvester can be provided that can effectively suppress the generation of dust associated with crop harvesting. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a right side view of a root vegetable harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the same. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the same. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the same. [Figure 5] Fig. 5(a) is a view of the blower seen from the front, and Fig. 5(b) is a view of the blower seen from the side. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the vicinity of the raised portion of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic front view of the vicinity of the drawing and conveying section in FIG. [Figure 8] 8 is a schematic left side view of the vicinity of the raising section and the pulling and conveying section in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the belt conveyance mechanism of FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a schematic rear view showing the configuration of the second belt conveying device and the like shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the second belt conveying device and the like shown in FIG. [Figure 12] 12 is a schematic left side view of the first belt conveying device and the second belt conveying device of FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of air by the blowing mechanism of FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a root vegetable harvester according to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the root vegetable harvester. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of the water blocking board and its surroundings in FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a schematic plan view of a root vegetable harvester according to another embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a schematic left side view of the same. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the forward direction of the root vegetable harvester 1 is referred to as "front," the opposite direction as "rear," and the right side when facing forward is referred to as "right" and the left side is referred to as "left." In this specification, crops refer to root vegetable vegetables having roots and stems and leaves, such as carrots and radishes, and the harvested crop is referred to as the "harvest." Harvesting carrots will be described as an example of a crop.

[0018] <1. Basic configuration of root vegetable harvester> Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 show a root vegetable harvester 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The root vegetable harvester 1 in this embodiment is configured as a ride-on harvester that has two operators, an operator who operates the machine and a sorter who sorts the harvested products, riding on it to harvest the crops 100. The root vegetable harvester 1 also has, as basic functions, a travel function for traveling in a field, a harvesting function for harvesting the crops from the field, a transport function for transporting the harvested products, and a storage function for storing the transported harvested products in one place, and in order to perform these functions, it has the following basic configuration.

[0019] The root vegetable harvester 1 includes a machine body 2 supported by a traveling device. The machine body 2 is a trunk portion formed from a metal frame material or plate material, and includes an engine E as a drive source for various devices (see FIG. 7). The traveling device is a device for propelling the machine body 2, and in this embodiment, is a pair of left and right crawlers 21L, 21R. However, the traveling device is not limited to this, and for example, it may be a four-wheel drive.

[0020] On the machine body 2, there are provided a control floor 22 for the operator and a sorting work floor 23 for the sorters, depending on the purpose of the work. The control floor 22 is provided at the front of the machine body 2, and is composed of a control seat 24 where the operator sits, control levers 25 for operating the vehicle and the equipment, an instrument panel, etc. On this control floor 22, the operator (operator) sitting in the control seat 24 performs operation such as checking the instrument panel and operating the control lever 25. The sorting work floor 23 is provided at the rear of the machine body 2 behind the control floor 22, and is provided with a sorting work seat 26 where the sorters sit. On this sorting work floor 23, the sorters perform work such as sorting out crops that are deemed defective due to damage, deformation, etc. from the crops being transported, and grabbing and removing them by hand.

[0021] A harvesting device 3 that harvests crops is disposed on the left side of the machine body 2. In this embodiment, a configuration in which the harvesting device 3 is disposed on the left side of the machine body 2 is described, but it can also be configured to be disposed on the right side of the machine body 2 (in which case, the devices on the machine body 2 are disposed left and right reversely). The harvesting device 3 includes a raising unit 31 that raises the stems and leaves of the crop 100, and a pulling and conveying unit 32 that clamps the stems and leaves raised by the raising unit 31, pulls them out of the field, and conveys them to the rear of the machine body 2. In addition, at the conveying end of the pulling and conveying unit 31, there is provided a stem and leaf cutting mechanism 33 that cuts the stems and leaves of the crop 100, and a discharge chute 34 that discharges the cut stems and leaves into the field. The harvesting device 3 is mounted so as to be able to rise and fall relative to the machine body 2.

[0022] The stem and leaf cutting mechanism 33 is equipped with a pair of left and right horizontal conveying belts 33L, 33R that clamp the stems and leaves of the crop being transported by a pair of left and right clamping conveying belts 32L, 32R and transport them approximately horizontally rearward, and a pair of left and right rotary cutting blades 33K that cut between the stems and leaves and the roots of the crop at a position approximately midway between the horizontal conveying belts 33L, 33R, and sends the stems and leaves of the crop cut off by these rotary cutting blades 33K to a discharge chute 34.

[0023] In addition, a belt conveying mechanism V is provided across the left and right of the machine body 2 to convey the crops from the harvesting device 3 located on the left side of the machine body 2 to the storage unit 4 located on the right side. This belt conveying mechanism V includes a first belt conveying device 5 that conveys while processing the remaining leaves of the crops that have fallen from the harvesting device 3 after the stems and leaves have been cut, and a second belt conveying device 6 that conveys the crops handed over from the first belt conveying device 5 to the storage unit 4 after passing them through the sorting work floor 23.

[0024] The storage section 4 is composed of a loading platform 41 on which a storage bag 42 for storing crops transported and sent out from the second belt conveying device 6 is placed, and a hanger arm 43 that suspends and holds the opening 42a of the storage bag 42 placed on the loading platform 41 during storage operations.

[0025] <2. About the air blower mechanism> Next, we will explain the air blowing mechanism of the root vegetable harvester 1. The air blowing mechanism is configured with multiple fan devices 90 that blow air. This air blowing mechanism W blows air during operation to suppress the generation of dust and also functions to blow any generated dust towards the rear of the machine body 2.

[0026] Fig. 5(a) is a view of the blower device as seen from the front (facing the direction of airflow), and Fig. 5(b) is a view of the blower device as seen from the side (orthogonal to the direction of airflow). As shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), the fan unit 90 includes a fan body 91, multiple fan blades (vane members) 92 spaced at regular intervals along the circumferential wall of the fan body 91, a shaft member 91a connected to the fan body 91, and a blade cover 93 protecting the multiple fan blades 92. When a rotational force is applied to the shaft member 91a, the fan unit 90 rotates along with the fan body 91, blowing air in the direction indicated by the arrow W in the figure. The blade cover 93 protects the rotating fan blades 92 from contact with the crop 100 or the outside. It is made of a substantially cylindrical resin cover that surrounds the multiple fan blades 92. The blade cover 93 also functions as a dust guide. In this embodiment, the root vegetable harvester 1 is provided with three fan units 90 (90A, 90B, 90C). The installation position and installation method of each of the fan devices 90 (90A, 90B, 90C) will be described below.

[0027] 3. Location and Method of Installing the First Fan Device 6 is a plan view of the vicinity of the raising section 31, FIG. 7 is a schematic front view of the vicinity of the pulling and conveying section 32, and FIG. 8 is a schematic left side view of the vicinity of the raising section 31 and the pulling and conveying section 32. As shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the location and method of installing the first fan device will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0028] The raising unit 31 includes a vertical raising device 31A that raises the stems and leaves of the crop 100, and a horizontal raising device 31B that scoops up the stems and leaves raised by the vertical raising device 31A. For the basic configuration of the vertical raising device 31A and the horizontal raising device 31B, see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-99216.

[0029] The vertical lifting device 31A includes a first cover body a1 and a first drive rotor (drive pulley) a2, which rotates when power is transmitted from the engine E, and a first driven rotor (driven pulley) a3, which is disposed below the first drive rotor. A first endless belt a4 is wound between the first drive rotor a2 and the first driven rotor a3. When the first drive rotor a2 rotates, the first endless belt a4 rotates vertically, causing the driven rotor a3 to rotate as well. This causes multiple first protrusions a5, which protrude outward from the first endless belt a4, to rotate vertically and lift the stems and leaves of the crops (see FIG. 8). The multiple first protrusions a5 are disposed so as to be exposed to the outside of the first cover body a1.

[0030] The horizontal lifting device 31B includes a second cover body b1, a second drive rotor (drive pulley) b2 that rotates when power is transmitted from the engine E, and a second driven rotor (driven pulley) b3 located below the second drive rotor b2. A second endless belt b4 is wound (wound) between the second drive rotor b2 and the second driven rotor b3. When the second drive rotor b2 rotates, the second endless belt b4 rotates horizontally, causing the second driven rotor (driven pulley) b3 to rotate as well. This causes multiple protrusions b5 protruding outward from the second endless belt b4 to rotate horizontally, thereby scooping up the stems and leaves lifted by the vertical lifting device 31B. The multiple second protrusions b5 are positioned so as to be exposed to the outside of the second cover body b1. The second cover body b1 is provided with a grass dividing rod b6 that makes it easier to raise the stems and leaves.

[0031] Here, the first fan unit 90A of the air blowing mechanism is disposed below the horizontal raising device 26, and has a shaft member 91a attached coaxially with the rotation axis of the second driven rotor (driven pulley) b3, so that it rotates together with the second driven rotor (driven pulley) b3. As a result, when the second driven rotor (driven pulley) b2 rotates, the fan body 91 rotates and blows air downward and diagonally backward. This allows the first fan unit 90A to be driven and blow air using the power of the raising part 31. In addition, the blade cover 93 of the fan unit 90 is fixed to the second cover body b1, which is provided with a through-hole (not shown) for inserting the shaft member 91a.

[0032] 4. Location and Method of Installing the Second Fan Device 7, the pull-out conveying section 32 has a pair of left and right terminal side wheels k1, k1 at the top and a pair of left and right starting side wheels k2, k2 at the bottom rotatably arranged inside the pull-out conveying section cover body 32K, and a pair of left and right sandwiched object conveying belts 32L, 32R, which are endless belts, wound around the pair of left and right starting side wheels k2, k2 and the pair of left and right terminal side wheels k1, k1, respectively. In addition, tensioning rollers k3 are provided at appropriate locations around the pair of left and right sandwiched object conveying belts 32L, 32R to tension the pair of left and right sandwiched object conveying belts 32L, 32R and prevent slack. As a result, when the power of the engine E is transmitted to the pair of left and right terminal wheels k1, k1 and they rotate inward toward each other, the pair of left and right clamping material conveying belts 32L, 32R also rotate inward toward each other, thereby taking over the stem and leaf portion of the crop 100 from the pulling section 31, pulling out the crop 100 from the field, and transporting it diagonally upward and behind the machine body 2.

[0033] The second fan units 90B are arranged in pairs below the pair of left and right starting wheels k2, k2, with shaft members 91a attached coaxially to the rotational axes of the pair of left and right starting wheels k2, k2, so that they rotate together with the rotational axes of the pair of left and right starting wheels k2, k2. As a result, when the pair of left and right starting wheels k2, k2 rotate, the left and right fan bodies 91 rotate, blowing air downward and diagonally backward. This allows the power of the extraction conveyor unit 32 to drive the pair of left and right second fan units 90B, 90B and blow air. The blade cover 93 of the fan unit 90B is fixed to an appropriate location on the harvester cover body 32K. The harvester cover body 32K is arranged to cover the pair of left and right sandwiched material conveyor belts 32L, 32R, respectively, and is a pair of left and right cover bodies with a roughly L-shaped cross section.

[0034] <5. Location and installation method of the third fan device> Next, the installation position and installation method of the third fan device 90C will be described with reference to Figs. 9 to 12. Since the third fan device 90C is installed in the belt conveying mechanism V, the belt conveying mechanism V will be described first. Fig. 9 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the belt conveying mechanism V in Fig. 3, Fig. 10 is a schematic rear view showing the configuration of the second belt conveying device 6 etc. in Fig. 3, Fig. 11 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the second belt conveying device 6 etc. in Fig. 3, and Fig. 12 is a schematic left side view of the first belt conveying device 5 and the second belt conveying device 6 in Fig. 3.

[0035] The first belt conveying device 5 is composed of a belt conveyor 51 that receives the roots of the crops that fall after being cut by the rotary cutting blade 33K and conveys them to the right of the machine body 2, and a cleaning roller 52 that removes and cleans any remaining leaves, soil, etc. from the root vegetable part of the crop 100 being conveyed by the belt conveyor 51 and sends it to the second belt conveying device 6 located diagonally forward or to the side.

[0036] The belt conveyor 51 is composed of support frames 53, 53 arranged at intervals in the front-to-back direction of the body 2 so as to extend long in the left-to-right direction of the body 2 at a position further rearward of the body 2 than the second belt transport device 6, a drive roller 54 and a driven roller 55 rotatably arranged between both longitudinal ends of the support frames 53, 53, and a first transport belt 56 that rotates while being wrapped around the drive roller 54 and driven roller 55.

[0037] The belt conveyor 51 is positioned so that the conveyance starting end of the first conveyor belt 56 is located almost directly below the rotary cutting blade 33K. Furthermore, the belt conveyor 51 is formed such that the upper part of the support frame 53, which is positioned at the rear of the machine body 2, protrudes above the conveying surface of the first conveyor belt 56, and is used as a side wall to prevent the crops 100 from spilling over or falling off the first conveyor belt 56.

[0038] In the belt conveyor 51, the first conveyor belt 56 is rotated to transport the crops 100 in the conveying direction by a drive roller 54 that rotates by transmission of rotational power from the engine E, for example. The conveying direction E1 at this time is the direction in which the conveying surface of the first conveyor belt 56 moves from the left side to the right side of the machine body 2. The first conveyor belt 56 is an endless belt made of a material such as rubber with a required width, thickness, and circumference.

[0039] The cleaning roller 52 is arranged to rotate on the upper surface of the conveyance end of the belt conveyor 51 with a gap large enough to prevent the root vegetable portion of the crop 100 from passing through, and at an angle intersecting the conveyance direction (to the right of the machine body 2) of the belt conveyor 51. The cleaning roller 52 is arranged with the entire roller tilted relative to the conveyance direction of the belt conveyor 51 so that its front end 52f is located on the right side of the machine body 2 and its rear end 52r is located on the left side of the machine body 2.

[0040] In this first belt conveying device 5, as shown in Figure 5, the crops 100 transported in the conveying direction by the first conveying belt 56 of the belt conveyor 51 are subjected to cleaning processes such as removing residual soil by contact with the cleaning processing roller 52 and removing residual leaves that are caught in the gap between the cleaning processing roller 52 and the first conveying belt 56, and are transported while being guided by the cleaning processing roller 52 to the right front of the machine body 2, and are finally moved to the second belt conveying device 6 and handed over.

[0041] Next, the second belt conveying device 6 is composed of a belt conveyor 61 that starts to convey the crops 100 (roots) handed over from the first belt conveying device 5 in the stem and leaf processing device 34 from the left side to the right side of the machine body 2, passes through the sorting work floor 23 where assistant workers perform sorting work, and then conveys them until they are sent to the storage device 4.

[0042] This belt conveyor 61 is configured to transport the crops 100 using the second transport belt 62, the entire conveyor of which is a single endless body. Furthermore, from the perspective of transferring the crops 100 from the first belt transport device 5, a portion of this belt conveyor 61 (the area at the transport starting end side of the second transport belt 62) is arranged in parallel with the belt conveyor 51 of the first belt transport device 5. The entire belt conveyor 61 is arranged in a position rearward of the control floor 22 of the machine body 2 and forward of the first belt transport device 5, extending long in the left-right direction of the machine body 2. Furthermore, this belt conveyor 61 is made up of a fixed conveyor portion 61A and a movable conveyor portion 61B.

[0043] The second conveyor belt 62 is composed of endless transmission chains 621, 621 that rotate in the conveying direction of the belt conveyor 61 (toward the right of the machine body 2), a plurality of conveyor bars 622, ..., and a plurality of receiving plates 623. The conveying direction at this time is the direction in which the conveying surface of the second conveyor belt 62 moves from the left side to the right side of the machine body 2.

[0044] The power transmission chains 621, 621 rotate by receiving rotational power from supporting rotors, which will be described later, and are arranged at both the left and right ends of the belt conveyor 61 in the conveying direction (at the front and back of the machine body 2 in this embodiment). The conveyor bars 622, ... are the parts that actually carry and convey the crops 100, and are arranged between the power transmission chains 621, 621 at equal intervals in the rotation direction. The receiving plates 623 are plate-shaped members that receive the crops 100 being conveyed, and are arranged protruding upward to a required height at positions that are equal intervals for each required number of the plurality of conveyor bars 622, .... The second conveyor belt 62 is configured to rotate by receiving rotational power from a motor 82 transmitted through a drive path (drive transmission device 83) separate from the power transmission chains 621, as will be described later.

[0045] The fixed conveyor section 61A is a part of the belt conveyor 61 that is fixedly positioned in the area from the position at the left end of the body 2 where the conveyance starts to the position midway through the conveyance (the connection point with the movable conveyor section 61B).

[0046] This fixed conveyor section 61A is equipped with a fixed support frame 63 that is arranged in an extended state so as to protrude to the right side of the body 2 from a state parallel to the belt conveyor 51 of the first belt transport device 5. The fixed support frame 63 is composed of a pair of side frames that are arranged facing each other at an approximately constant interval in the front-to-rear direction of the body 2, and a connecting frame including a bottom frame that connects the pair of side frames together.

[0047] The fixed conveyor unit 61A is provided with, on a fixed support frame 63, a plurality of support rotors 71A-71D, 72A-72C that rotatably support the portion of the second conveyor belt 62 (its transmission chains 621) that passes through the fixed conveyor unit 61A at the conveyance starting end side thereof, and a conveyance guide 73 that supports and guides the movement of the second conveyor belt 62 (its transmission chains 621) as it rotates between the support rotors 71, 72. The support rotors 71A-71D are sprockets or the like that rotatably support the transmission chains 621, 621 while meshing with them. The support rotors 72A-72C are pulleys or the like that rotatably support the transmission chains 621, 621.

[0048] Furthermore, the fixed conveyor section 61A is formed so that the upper part of the fixed support frame 63 protrudes above the conveying surface of the second conveying belt 62, and is used as a side wall to prevent the crops 100 from protruding or falling off the second conveying belt 62.

[0049] On the other hand, the movable conveyor section 61B is a part of the belt conveyor 61 that exists in the area from the position where the fixed conveyor section 61A ends its conveying motion to the position where it reaches the storage device 4, and is a part that is arranged in a state where it can swing around the end closer to the fixed conveyor section 61A as a fulcrum.

[0050] The movable conveyor section 61B is provided with a movable support frame 64 that is swingably connected to the conveyance end side portion of the fixed support frame 63 of the fixed conveyor section 61A via a pivot shaft 65 and is arranged in a state where it is inserted into part of the storage device 4. This movable support frame 64, similar to the fixed support frame 63, is also composed of a pair of side frames that are arranged facing each other at an approximately constant interval in the fore-and-aft direction of the machine body 2, and a connecting frame including a bottom frame that connects the pair of side frames together.

[0051] The movable conveyor unit 61B is also provided with, relative to the movable support frame 64, a plurality of support rotors 76A, 76B that rotatably support the portion of the second transport belt 62 that passes through the movable conveyor unit 61B at the transport end side, and a transport guide 77 that supports and guides the movement of the second transport belt 62 as it rotates between the support rotors 76A, 76B. The support rotors 76A, 76B are sprockets or the like that mesh with the transmission chains 621, 621 to rotatably support them. Furthermore, the upper part of the movable support frame 64 of the movable conveyor unit 61B is formed in a shape that protrudes above the transport surface of the second transport belt 62, and is used as a side wall to prevent the crops 100 from protruding or falling off the second transport belt 62.

[0052] The movable conveyor section 61B also includes a lifting cylinder 81 (one end) that expands and contracts to swing the movable support frame 64 up and down around the pivot shaft 65 as a fulcrum relative to the movable support frame 64, a motor 82 that generates rotational power, and a drive transmission device 83 that transmits the rotational power of the motor 82 to the second conveyor belt 62.

[0053] For example, the upper end of the lifting cylinder 81 is attached so that the upper end of the piston rod 81a, which extends and retracts when the lifting cylinder 81 is extended, is rotatably attached to the bottom surface (bottom frame) near the pivot shaft 65 of the movable support frame 64, while the lower end of the cylinder 81 is rotatably attached to a portion of the machine body 2 that is to the left of the upper end of the work floor (91), which will be described later. As a result, when the lifting cylinder 81 is in its most retracted state, it is positioned in a state in which it is tilted slightly toward the right side of the machine body 2 as a whole.

[0054] Furthermore, for example, an electric cylinder is used as the lifting cylinder 81. The lifting cylinder 81 is actuated by operating a pedal 89 installed on the work floor (91), for example. The pedal 89 is composed of a pedal for raising the conveyor and a pedal for lowering the conveyor. By operating the pedal 89 to actuate the lifting cylinder 81, the movable conveyor unit 61B swings around the pivot shaft 65 as a fulcrum.

[0055] As shown in Figure 10, the drive transmission device 83 is composed of an output gear 84 attached to the output shaft of the motor 82, a drive gear 85 attached to the shaft of the drive support rotor 76B that drives the second conveyor belt 62 (its transmission chain 621), a transmission chain 86 that is looped around the output gear 84 and the drive gear 85 and rotates, and an exterior cover 87 that covers and protects them.

[0056] The motor 82 is attached via a mounting bracket or the like to the bottom surface of the movable support frame 64, slightly before the conveyance terminal end. In this case, the motor 82 is disposed in a position below and before the conveyance terminal end of the second conveyor belt 62, when the second belt conveying device 6 is viewed as a whole. The motor 82 or the mounting bracket to which the motor 82 is fixed is attached so that its mounting position relative to the movable support frame 64 can be adjusted via an elongated hole that is long in the direction approaching and moving away from the drive gear 85.

[0057] Next, the location and method of installing the third fan device 90C will be described. The third fan unit 90C is disposed at the lower left end of the front fixed support frame 63 by a substantially box-shaped mounting member 94 that rotatably supports a shaft member 91a of the third fan unit 90C. A plurality of bearing rollers 95 that rotatably support the shaft member 91a are disposed within the mounting member 94 so as to abut against the shaft member 91a. The front surface of the mounting member 94 is provided with a number of ventilation holes (not shown) to ensure ventilation, and the rear surface is open.

[0058] Furthermore, the fixed conveyor section 61A is provided with a rotary transmission shaft 79, which is mounted on the rotation axis of the leftmost support rotor 71A that rotates while supporting the second transport belt 62. The rotary transmission shaft 79 rotates integrally with the support rotor 71A and extends rearward of the support frame 63 so as to pass through a through-hole (not shown) formed in the fixed support frame 63. Furthermore, an endless transmission belt 96 that transmits the rotation of the rotary transmission shaft 79 to the shaft member 91a is wound around both of them. This allows the power of the belt transport mechanism V to be used to drive the third fan device 90C, which generates wind W and sends it toward the rear of the machine body. In addition, since the rotation speed of the support rotor 71A is usually slower than the rotation speed of the second driven rotor (driven pulley) b3 and the starting end wheel k2, the rotation speed of the shaft member 91a of the third fan device 90C may be increased relative to the rotation speed of the support rotor 71A by means of providing a gear or pulley for speed change between the shaft member 91a of the third fan device 90C and the transmission belt 96.

[0059] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of air by the blowing mechanism of FIG. FIG. 13 illustrates the root vegetable harvester 1 as viewed from the left side, showing the airflow W2 caused by the driving of the multiple fan units 90 (90A, 90B, 90C) that constitute the airflow mechanism. As shown in FIG. 13, the first fan unit 90A and the second fan unit 90B are configured to blow air downward and diagonally rearward below the lifting unit 31 that pulls the crop 100 from the field. This reduces the generation of dust (dust kicking up) associated with the pulling of the crop 100. This improves the worker's working environment and reduces soiling of the machine body 2 and harvested crops due to dust generation. Furthermore, by blowing air toward the rear of the machine body 2 using the third fan unit 90C, dust generated on the left side of the machine body 2 can be forced to pass through the gap between the harvesting device 3 and the machine body 2 and flow toward the rear of the machine body 2. This further prevents dust from flowing toward the driver's seat 24 and the sorting seat 26. In addition, the first fan device 90A is driven by the power of the raising section 31, the second fan device 90B is driven by the power of the pulling and conveying section 32, and the third fan device 90C is driven by the power of the belt conveying mechanism V, which enables energy-saving and efficient dust control.

[0060] <6. Configuration of the sprinkler system> Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a root vegetable harvester 1 according to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the same root vegetable harvester 1. In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the above-mentioned configuration, the root vegetable harvester 1 is provided with a water sprinkler device 200 that sprinkles water toward the raising portion 31.

[0061] As shown in Figure 14, sprinkler device 200 includes water storage tank 201 that stores water for sprinkling, electric pump 202 that is connected to water storage tank 201 by water supply pipe 201a and discharges the water from water storage tank 201, and sprinkler head 203 that is connected to electric pump 202 by flexible water supply hose 202a and atomizes the water discharged from electric pump 202 and sprays it toward raising portion 31. Electric pump 202 is supplied with power by a battery (not shown). Reference numeral 204 denotes atomized water (mist) coming out of sprinkler head 203.

[0062] The sprinkler device 200 is provided in an appropriate location. For example, as shown in the illustrated example, the water storage tank 201 is located inside the machine body covers 2K, 2K that cover the left and right sides of the extraction and conveyance section 31, and is disposed on the upper frame 2u (see FIG. 2) of the machine body 2 that supports the weight of the harvesting device 3, and the electric water pump 202 is attached to the left side plate 2s of the machine body 2. The sprinkler head 203 is attached to the side plate of the vertical lifting device 31A. The root vegetable harvester 1 configured in this manner can further effectively suppress the generation of dust associated with the extraction of the crop 100 by spraying water from the sprinkler head 203 toward the lifting section 31 during operation. Additionally, the water spraying can suppress soiling of the crop 100 and the machine body 2.

[0063] The electric pump 202 is configured to operate in conjunction with the forward and backward movement of the control lever 25 (more specifically, the HST lever) when the clutch that drives the raising unit 31 is engaged. In addition, the electric pump 202 is configured to automatically turn off when the height of the raising unit 31 relative to the machine body 2 reaches a certain level or higher. On the other hand, the electric pump 202 is configured to automatically turn on when the height falls below the certain level. The electric pump 202 may also be configured to automatically turn off when the water in the water storage tank 201 falls below a certain level. Furthermore, the remaining amount of water in the water storage tank 201 may be displayed on the meter panel so that the amount of water in the water storage tank 201 can be checked.

[0064] 15, in a root vegetable harvester 1 according to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, a rectangular waterproof board 205 is fixed to an appropriate location on the machine body 2 and disposed upright in front of the sorting seat 26. This prevents water sprayed by the sprinkler device 200 from adhering to the sorter. The waterproof board 205 is made of, for example, a translucent acrylic plate so as not to obstruct the sorter's view.

[0065] FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of the water blocking board 205 and its surroundings in FIG. As shown in Figure 16, water sprayed by sprinkler device 200 adheres to waterproof board 205 and drips downward, and gutter member 206 is provided to receive (collect) the water droplets. Gutter member 206 is formed in a roughly U-shaped cross section with an open top, and is provided with a downward slope to the left, so that the received water flows leftward and is returned to water storage tank 201 from an opening at the lower end facing toward water storage tank 201. This allows water resources to be used efficiently.

[0066] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. It goes without saying that modifications may be made as appropriate within the scope of the technical concept. Other embodiments will be described below.

[0067] Fig. 17 is a schematic plan view of a root vegetable harvester according to another embodiment, and Fig. 18 is a schematic left side view of the same. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 17 and 18, the belt conveying mechanism V is arranged with its longitudinal direction aligned with the front-to-rear direction of the machine body 2, and is configured to convey the crops 100 received from the harvesting device 3 toward the rear of the machine body 2. In this case, it is preferable that the conveying surface of the belt conveying mechanism V be slightly inclined downward toward the right of the machine body 2. Furthermore, it is preferable that the roots of the crops whose stems and leaves have been cut are tilted toward the right of the machine body 2 by the root-plucking disk of the rotary cutting blade 33K. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1. Root vegetable harvester 2 aircraft 3 Harvesting equipment 4. Storage section 5. First belt conveyor 6 Second belt conveyor 21L crawler (left) 21R Crawler (right) 22 Control Floor 23 Sorting floor 24 cockpit 25 Control lever 26 Sorting floor 31 Pulling part 32 Pulling and conveying section 32L clamping conveyor belt (left) 32R clamping conveyor belt (right) 33L horizontal conveyor belt (left) 33R Horizontal conveyor belt (right) 33 Stem and leaf cutting mechanism 33K rotary cutting blade 34 Ejection Shooter 41 Mounting table 42 Storage bag 43 Hanger Arm 51 Conveyor Belt 61 Conveyor Belt 61A Fixed conveyor section 61B Movable conveyor section 62 Second conveyor belt 53 Support Frame 54 Drive roller 71A Support Rotor 79 Rotating transmission shaft 81 Lifting cylinder 82 Motor 83 Drive transmission device 90 Fan unit 90A First Fan Unit 90B Second fan device 90C Third Fan Unit 91 Fan body 91a Shaft member 92 Fan Blade 93 Blade Cover 94 Mounting material 95 Bearing Roller 96 Transmission belt 100 crops 200 Sprinkler System 201 Water Tank 202 Electric Pump 203 Sprinkler Head E-Engine V-belt conveyor mechanism

Claims

1. a machine body supported by a running device; a harvesting device for harvesting crops at one of the left and right ends of the machine body; The harvesting device is configured to include a raising unit that raises stems and leaves of the crop, and a pulling and conveying unit that clamps the stems and leaves raised by the raising unit, pulls them out of the field, and conveys them to the rear of the machine body, a belt conveying mechanism that conveys the crops supplied from the extraction conveying unit from one left or right end side of the machine body to the other left or right end side, A root vegetable harvester in which a driver's seat for an operator is provided on the side of the harvesting device, and a sorting seat for a sorter is provided behind the driver's seat, a blowing mechanism including a plurality of fan devices for blowing air; This root vegetable harvester is characterized in that the air blowing mechanism is configured to blow air downward and diagonally backward at a front position of the harvesting device by using a first fan device arranged in the raising section and a second fan device arranged in the pulling-out and conveying section.

2. The root vegetable harvester described in claim 1, characterized in that the air blowing mechanism is further configured to blow air toward the rear of the machine body at a position on the machine body rearward of the first fan device and the second fan device by a third fan device provided on one of the left and right ends of the belt conveying mechanism.

3. The root vegetable harvester of claim 2, characterized in that the first fan device is configured to receive power from the raising section, the second fan device is configured to receive power from the pulling and conveying section, and the third fan device is configured to receive power from the belt conveying mechanism, and each of these is driven by the first fan device, the second fan device is configured to receive power from the pulling and conveying section, and the third fan device is configured to receive power from the belt conveying mechanism.

4. The root vegetable harvester according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a sprinkler device that sprinkles water toward the raised portion.

Images