Stem and leaf processing machine

Abstract

To provide a digging device that can cut root parts, dig vegetables, and discharge them.SOLUTION: A digging device 8 comprises: a digging part for cutting root parts of planted vegetables, and digging the vegetables; and a conveyor 82 located behind the digging part, and for conveying the dug vegetables rearward, and discharging them. The digging part comprises a rod-like rotating body 81 having a rod shape extending in a right-left direction, and capable of rotating around a rotation axis extending in the right-left direction. A cross section of the rod-like rotating body 81 perpendicular to the rotation axis is polygonal. The rod-like rotating body 81 rotates rearward from the front when viewed from above.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention , stem Regarding leaf processing machines. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a stem and leaf processing machine has been known that cuts the stems and leaves of planted onions and discharges them to the side (see Patent Document 1). After cutting the stems and leaves using this stem and leaf processing machine, the roots of the planted onions are then cut with a root cutting machine, the onion heads are dug up on the furrows with a digger, and the onion heads are picked up with a picker and stored in a container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-205079 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above process requires four work machines, which means a lot of work man-hours and is not very efficient. Therefore, there is a need to improve work efficiency by reducing the number of work machines and the number of work man-hours.

[0005] The present invention relates to a digging device that can dig up and discharge vegetables. Place To provide a stem and leaf processing machine equipped with of The purpose is to [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The foliage treatment machine of the present invention comprises: Running gear anda stem and leaf processing machine comprising a frame mounted on the traveling device; a lifting device mounted on the frame and lifting the stems and leaves of planted vegetables; a stem and leaf cutting device mounted on the frame behind the lifting device and cutting the stems and leaves; a stem and leaf discharge device mounted on the frame behind the stem and leaf cutting device and transporting the cut stems and leaves to the side and discharging them; and a digging device mounted on the frame behind the stem and leaf discharge device, wherein the digging device comprises a digging section that digs up the planted vegetables and a conveyor located behind the digging section that transports the dug-up vegetables rearward and discharges them, the digging section has a rod-like shape extending in the left-right direction and has a rod-shaped rotating body that can rotate around a rotation axis that also extends in the left-right direction, the rod-shaped rotating body is located in the soil and rotates while the stem and leaf processing machine is moving forward, and rotates from rear to front when viewed from above.

[0007] The above Stem and leaf processing machine In the present invention, a cross section of the rod-shaped rotor perpendicular to the rotation axis may be polygonal.

[0009] Also, the above Stem and leaf processing machine In the present invention, the digging section may be located below and in front of the rod-shaped rotating body and may have a blade extending in the left-right direction.

[0011] In the above-mentioned stem and leaf processing machine, a drive transmission mechanism is provided at one of the left and right ends of the frame and the digging device, and transmits a drive force to the conveyor and the rod-shaped rotating body, and the drive transmission mechanism may have a first transmission part that transmits a drive force to the rear end of one of the left and right ends of the conveyor, and a second transmission part that transmits a drive force from the terminal end of the first transmission part to one of the left and right ends of the rod-shaped rotating body.

[0012] The stem and leaf treating machine may further include a cover that covers the first transmission part and the second transmission part. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, the digging device can dig up and discharge vegetables, thereby reducing the number of working machines and the number of work steps, thereby improving work efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the stem and leaf treatment machine according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the stem and leaf treatment machine according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the stem and leaf treatment machine according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view of the stem and leaf treatment machine according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the stem and leaf treating machine according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the stem and leaf treatment machine according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged rear perspective view of the stem and leaf treatment machine according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a main configuration of an embodiment of the digging device. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the center of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the main components of another type of digging device. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the center of FIG. 10 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] In this embodiment, a stem and leaf processing machine that cuts the stems and leaves of planted vegetables while traveling will be described using a stem and leaf processing machine that cuts the stems and leaves of onions as an example. Examples of vegetables include bulb vegetables such as garlic and onions, and potatoes. In the following description, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions are defined based on the direction as seen by an operator when the stem and leaf processing machine 1 is in use, as shown in FIG. 1 .

[0016] <Overall configuration of the stem and leaf processing machine> Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a stem and leaf treatment machine of one embodiment, Fig. 2 is a left side view of the stem and leaf treatment machine of one embodiment, Fig. 3 is a right side view of the stem and leaf treatment machine of one embodiment, Fig. 4 is a front view of the stem and leaf treatment machine of one embodiment, Fig. 5 is a rear view of the stem and leaf treatment machine of one embodiment, Fig. 6 is a plan view of the stem and leaf treatment machine of one embodiment, and Fig. 7 is a partially enlarged rear perspective view of the stem and leaf treatment machine of one embodiment. In this embodiment, a stem and leaf treatment machine 1 that cuts the stems and leaves of onions planted in four rows at once will be described.

[0017] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the stem and leaf processing machine 1 is configured such that a machine frame 3, which is part of the frame, is supported on a traveling device 2, a working unit 4 is disposed on the front of the machine frame 3, a drive unit 5 is disposed on the rear of the machine frame 3, a control unit 6 is disposed above the drive unit 5, and a digging device 8 is disposed at the rear of the machine frame 3. The drive unit 5 comprises an engine 51, and power from the engine 51 can be transmitted to the traveling device 2, the working unit 4, and the digging device 8. The control unit 6 is arranged with a traveling / working clutch lever 61, steering levers 62L and 62R, a speed change lever 63, an accelerator lever 64, a working unit lifting / lowering lever 65, a conveyor drive lever 66, etc.

[0018] The traveling device 2 is a crawler-type traveling device, but can also be a wheel-type traveling device. The traveling device 2 is configured by vertical frames 21, which are part of the frame, hanging downward from the left and right machine body frames 3, track frames 22, which are part of the frame, fixed to the lower ends of the vertical frames 21, and multiple rollers 23 supported rotatably on the track frames 22. A drive shaft 24 is supported at the rear of the machine body frame 3, and drive wheels 25 are fixed to the left and right outer sides of the drive shaft 24. The drive shaft 24 is supported on the left and right center sides of the machine body by a transmission case, so that power from the engine 51 is changed in speed within the transmission case and can be transmitted to the drive wheels 25. Crawlers 26 are wound around the drive wheels 25 and the rollers 23 to form a crawler-type traveling device. A pair of crawler-type traveling devices are arranged on the left and right to straddle the ridge D.

[0019] Support columns 11 are erected from the rear of the left and right machine frames 3, and transmission shafts 12 are supported on the top of the support columns 11. The upper rear part of the transport frame 30, which is part of the frame, is rotatably supported on the transmission shafts 12. A hydraulic cylinder 13 is interposed between the transport frame 30 and the machine frame 3, and the hydraulic cylinder 13 is extended and retracted by operating the working unit lifting lever 65, allowing the working unit 4 to be raised and lowered and the cutting height of the stems and leaves 10b to be adjusted. A sprocket is fixed to the left end of the transmission shaft 12, and power is transmitted from the engine 51 to the working unit 4 via a chain transmission means, belt transmission means, etc.

[0020] A stem and leaf discharge device 31 and a stem and leaf cutting device 35 are arranged at the front of the conveying frame 30, and a lifting frame 16, which is part of the frame, is fixed to the front end of the conveying frame 30, and a horizontal lifting device 40 and a vertical lifting device 50, which serve as lifting devices, are attached to the lifting frame 16.

[0021] The stem and leaf discharge device 31 is composed of a horizontal feed auger with a screw continuous conveying system. The cut stems and leaves 10b are fed from the front and sent outward to both the left and right by the horizontal feed auger, and discharged toward the furrows. Note that the stem and leaf discharge device 31 is not limited to a horizontal feed auger, and can also be composed of belt conveyors arranged symmetrically on the left and right. It is even more preferable to use a slat conveyor to ensure reliable transport.

[0022] The stem and leaf cutting device 35 is composed of a clipper-type reciprocating blade. However, it can also be composed of a disc-type rotary blade, and is not limited to this. The stem and leaf cutting device 35 has a lower blade fixed to the conveyor frame 30, and a saw-like upper blade that reciprocates left and right. The upper blade is engaged with an eccentric shaft located in the left and right center, and a gearbox 18 is provided in the left and right center of the intermediate shaft 17. Power from the engine 51 is transmitted via a gear inside the gearbox 18 and a transmission shaft (not shown) extending downward and forward from the gearbox 18, and the rotation of the eccentric shaft causes the upper blade to slide back and forth.

[0023] The horizontal turning and lifting devices 40 are arranged in four sets, one of which is a left raising body 41 and the other is a right raising body 42, aligned in the left-right direction to match the number of rows of onions 10 planted on the ridges D. In addition, a vertical turning and lifting device 50 is arranged in front of the horizontal turning and lifting devices 40. In this way, by operating the horizontal turning and lifting devices 40 and the vertical turning and lifting devices 50, it is possible to lift up stems and leaves 10b that have fallen or bent on the ridges D.

[0024] As shown in Figure 3, a drive transmission mechanism 9 that transmits driving force to the right end of the digging device 8 is provided at the right end of the machine frame 3. The drive transmission mechanism 9 has a first transmission part 9A that transmits driving force to the rear end of the right end of the conveyor 82 in the digging device 8, and a second transmission part 9B that transmits driving force from the terminal end of the first transmission part 9A to the right end of the rod-shaped rotating body 81 in the digging device 8.

[0025] The first transmission unit 9A includes a pulley 91 fixed to the right end of the transmission shaft 12, a pulley 92 provided below the pulley 91, a belt 93 wound around the pulleys 91 and 92, and a tension pulley 94 that is moved by the conveyor drive lever 66 to adjust the tension of the belt 93. The first transmission unit 9A also includes a sprocket 95 fixed coaxially with the pulley 92, a sprocket 96 provided behind the sprocket 95, and a chain 97 wound around the sprockets 95 and 96.

[0026] The first transmission section 9A also includes a sprocket 98 fixed coaxially with sprocket 96, a sprocket 99 provided below and behind sprocket 98, a sprocket 100 provided between sprockets 98 and 99, and a chain 101 wound around sprockets 98, 99, and 100. Sprocket 99 is fixed to the right end of the rotation shaft 821 of the conveyor 82 of the digging device 8.

[0027] The second transmission section 9B includes sprocket 102 fixedly mounted coaxially with sprocket 99, sprocket 103 mounted in front of and below sprocket 102, sprockets 104 and 105 mounted between sprockets 102 and 103, and chain 106 wound around sprockets 102 to 105. Sprocket 103 is fixedly mounted to the right end of rotating shaft 812 (see Figure 8) of rod-shaped rotating body 81 of digging device 8. Sprockets 96, 98, 99, 100, 104, and 105 are mounted on the right side of digging device 8.

[0028] According to this drive transmission mechanism 9, power from the engine 51 is transmitted to the conveyor 82 of the digging device 8 via the first transmission unit 9A. Furthermore, power from the engine 51 is transmitted to the rod-shaped rotating body 81 of the digging device 8 via the first transmission unit 9A and the second transmission unit 9B. Then, by operating the conveyor drive lever 66, the tension pulley 94 is moved, thereby controlling the driving and stopping of the conveyor 82 and the rod-shaped rotating body 81. Furthermore, the drive transmission mechanism 9 is disposed at the right end of the stems and leaves processing machine 1 and is located outside the conveyance path of the digging device 8, so it does not interfere with the conveyance of the onions 10 in the digging device 8. The drive transmission mechanism 9 may also be disposed on the left side of the stems and leaves processing machine 1.

[0029] The stem and leaf treatment machine 1 is provided with a cover 110 that covers the first transmission unit 9A and the second transmission unit 9B. The cover 110 is composed of a first cover 111, a second cover 112, a third cover 113, and a fourth cover 114. The first cover 111 covers the pulleys 91 and 92, the belt 93, the tension pulley 94, and the sprocket 95. The second cover 112 covers the chain 97. The third cover 113 covers the sprockets 96, 98, 99, 100, 102, and 104, and the chain 101. The fourth cover 114 covers the sprockets 103 and 105, and the chain 106.

[0030] Such a cover 110 can improve safety by preventing the user from touching the drive transmission mechanism 9. Furthermore, the cover 110 can improve the design of the stem and leaf treating machine 1.

[0031] <Digging equipment> The digging device 8 is disposed behind the stem and leaf discharging device 31. The digging device 8 includes a pair of support plates 80, a rod-shaped rotating body 81 as an example of a digging section, a conveyor 82, a guide 83, a gauge wheel 84, an angle adjustment lever 85, and an assist spring 86. Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the main components of the digging device 8, and Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the center left and right of Figure 8.

[0032] (Support plate) The support plates 80 are a pair of plate-like members provided on the left and right sides with a gap therebetween equal to the length in the width direction of the ridges D. The support plates 80 support a rod-shaped rotating body 81, a conveyor 82, a guide 83, part of the drive transmission mechanism 9, and part of the cover 110.

[0033] (Rod-shaped rotating body) The rod-shaped rotating body 81 is a member that cuts the roots 10c of the planted onions 10 and digs up the onion heads 10a. In the case of vegetables that do not require root cutting, such as potatoes, the rod-shaped rotating body 81 is a member that digs up the planted vegetables. The rod-shaped rotating body 81 is rotatably supported near the front lower end of the support plate 80. The rod-shaped rotating body 81 has a rod shape that extends in the left-right direction, and is a member that can rotate around a rotation axis that extends in the left-right direction.

[0034] The rod-shaped rotating body 81 is composed of a square rod portion 811 that extends in the left-right direction and has a length in the width direction of the ridge D, and a rotating shaft portion 812 that extends in the left-right direction from both ends of the square rod portion 811. In this embodiment, the square rod portion 811 is a member whose cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis is square. Note that the cross section of the square rod portion 811 perpendicular to the rotation axis may be another polygonal shape. The rotating shaft portion 812 is rotatably supported by being inserted into a hole in the support plate 80.

[0035] A sprocket 103 is fixed to the right-side rotating shaft 812, and driving force from the engine 51 is input to the sprocket 103, which causes the rod-shaped rotating body 81 to rotate. The rod-shaped rotating body 81 rotates while positioned in the soil while the stem and leaf processing machine 1 is moving forward, thereby cutting the roots 10c of the onions 10 planted in four rows at once, digging up the bulbs 10a and leading them to the conveyor 82. In doing so, the rotation of the rod-shaped rotating body 81 can also break up clods of soil. Therefore, even if the rod-shaped rotating body 81 is positioned deep in the soil, soil clods are unlikely to rise, making the depth of the rod-shaped rotating body 81 adjustable over a wide range and easily adjustable.

[0036] As shown by arrow A in Figure 9, the rod-shaped rotating body 81 of this embodiment rotates from front to rear when viewed from above. This causes the rod-shaped rotating body 81 to lift the dug-up ball portion 10a upward. Therefore, the ball portion 10a is smoothly delivered to the conveyor 82 without stagnation in front of the conveyor 82. The rod-shaped rotating body 81 may also be configured to rotate from rear to front when viewed from above. In this case, the rotation direction of the rod-shaped rotating body 81 coincides with the forward direction of the stem and leaf processing machine 1, which has the advantage of reducing the rotational resistance of the rod-shaped rotating body 81 in the soil.

[0037] (Conveyor) Conveyor 82 is located behind rod-shaped rotating body 81 and is a member that transports bulb portions 10a of onions 10 handed over from rod-shaped rotating body 81 rearward and discharges them onto ridges D. Conveyor 82 includes a rotating shaft 821, rear sprockets 822 and 823, front sprockets 824 and 825, left and right chains 826 and 827, and a transport section 828.

[0038] A sprocket 99 is fixed to the right end of the rotating shaft 821, and receives driving force from the engine 51. Sprockets 822 and 823 are fixed to both left and right ends of the rotating shaft 821, and rotate when the rotating shaft 821 rotates. Sprockets 824 and 825 are driven sprockets. A chain 826 is wound around the sprockets 822 and 824, and a chain 827 is wound around the sprockets 823 and 825. The conveying section 828 has rod-shaped members connecting the left and right chains 826 and 827, and the distance between each rod-shaped member is shorter than the diameter of the spherical section 10a.

[0039] As a result, the driving force from engine 51 rotates chains 826, 827 and conveying unit 828, which then conveys bulb portion 10a of onion 10 received from rod-shaped rotating body 81 rearward and discharges it onto rear furrow D. At this time, the vibrations produced when conveyed by conveying unit 828 cause soil adhering to bulb portion 10a to fall off and break up clods of soil.

[0040] (guide) 7, the guides 83 are a pair of plate-like members provided on the left and right sides so as to narrow the conveying path of the conveying unit 828 toward the rear. The guides 83 may be made of an elastic material such as rubber. The balls 10a conveyed through the conveying unit 828 are guided by the guides 83 and discharged near the center of the ridge D.

[0041] (gauge wheel) The gauge wheels 84 are wheels that maintain the digging device 8 at an appropriate height by contacting the ground, and are arranged in pairs on the left and right sides of the conveyor 82 so as to straddle the ridges D. The gauge wheels 84 are configured to be able to rise and fall, and by adjusting the height of the gauge wheels 84, the depth to which the rod-shaped rotating body 81 penetrates into the soil can be adjusted.

[0042] (Angle adjustment lever) The angle adjustment lever 85 is a lever that adjusts the front-to-back angle of the digging device 8. By turning the angle adjustment lever 85 left or right, the front-to-back angle of the digging device 8 can be made gentler or steeper. The front-to-back angle of the digging device 8 is adjusted according to the hardness of the ridges D and the transport condition of the ball portion 10a. For example, the steeper the angle of the digging device 8, the longer the time that the ball portion 10a remains on the transport section 828, and the more thoroughly the soil adhering to the ball portion 10a is removed.

[0043] (Assist spring) The digging device 8 is configured to be able to rise and fall in the stem and leaf processing machine 1. Figure 3 shows the digging device 8 in a lowered state and in a working position. On the other hand, when the digging device 8 is raised to a stored position.

[0044] Assist spring 86 is a tension spring that urges digging device 8 in the direction of lifting. Assist spring 86 does not have enough tension to lift digging device 8 when it is in the working position, but is an auxiliary spring that reduces the burden on the user when manually lifting digging device 8 when it is in the working position. Note that instead of assist spring 86, a hydraulic mechanism or an electric mechanism can also be used.

[0045] The above-described digging device 8 can cut the roots 10c of the onions 10 and dig up and discharge the bulbs 10a of the onions 10. Therefore, by using the above-described stem and leaf processing machine 1, a root cutter and a digger are no longer necessary. As a result, the number of working machines and the number of work steps can be reduced during the onion 10 harvesting operation, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0046] (Other forms) Figure 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the main components of another embodiment of digging rig 200, and Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken from the left-right center of Figure 10. This digging rig 200 differs from the above-mentioned digging rig 8 in that it is equipped with a blade 201 as a member that constitutes the digging section. Other components of digging rig 200 are the same as those of digging rig 8, so the same reference numerals are used and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0047] The blade 201 is a member that cuts the root portion 10c of the onion 10. The blade 201 is positioned in front of and below the rod-shaped rotating body 81 and is composed of a plate-shaped blade 202 that extends in the left-right direction and has a length in the width direction of the ridge D, and a pair of mounting portions 203 that extend upward from both ends of the plate-shaped blade 202. The mounting portion 203 is a substantially rectangular plate-shaped member with two holes, and is fixed to the support plate 80 using bolts 204 via the holes. Therefore, the blade 201 is easily detachable and can be used as needed. In the digging device 200, the rod-shaped rotating body 81 is a member that digs up the planted onions 10.

[0048] The blade 201 is positioned in the soil while the stem and leaf processing machine 1 is moving forward, and cuts the roots 10c of the onions 10 planted in four rows at once with the plate-shaped blade 202. By providing the blade 201, the roots 10c can be cut with high precision. Using the blade 201 is particularly effective when the ridges are hard. Furthermore, since there is no need to cut the roots 10c with the rod-shaped rotating body 81, the depth to which the rod-shaped rotating body 81 penetrates into the soil can be adjusted shallowly using the gauge wheel 84. This makes it difficult for clods of soil to rise, making it easier for the rod-shaped rotating body 81 to dig up the bulbs 10a in the soil and guide them to the conveyor 82.

[0049] In the above embodiment, the rod-shaped rotating body 81 is a member having a polygonal cross section such as a square, but the shape of the rod-shaped rotating body 81 is not particularly limited. For example, the rod-shaped rotating body 81 can be a plate-shaped member, a blade member in which multiple plate-shaped members are arranged in a blade shape, a screw, etc. The shape can be appropriately designed taking into consideration, for example, whether the rod-shaped rotating body 81 is configured to cut the roots of planted vegetables to dig them up, or whether the rod-shaped rotating body 81 is configured to dig up vegetables. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1. Stem and leaf processing machine 2 Running gear 3. Aircraft frame (frame) 8,200 Digging equipment 9 Drive transmission mechanism 9A First Transmission Section 9B Second transmission section 10 Onion (vegetable) 10b Stem and leaf part 10c Root 16. Raising Frame (Frame) 21 Vertical Frame (Frame) 22 Truck frame (frame) 30 Transport frame (frame) 31 Stem and leaf discharge device 35 Stem and leaf cutting device 40 Horizontal lifting device (lifting device) 50 Vertical lifting device (lifting device) 81 Rod-shaped rotating body 82 Conveyor 110 Cover 201 Blade

Claims

1. A running device; a frame provided on the traveling device; a lifting device provided on the frame for lifting stems and leaves of the planted vegetables; a stem and leaf cutting device provided on the frame behind the lifting device and configured to cut the stem and leaf portion; a stem and leaf discharge device provided on the frame at the rear of the stem and leaf cutting device, for conveying and discharging the cut stem and leaf portions to the side; A digging device provided on the frame behind the stem and leaf discharge device, The digging device is A digging section that digs up planted vegetables, a conveyor located behind the digging section, which conveys the dug-up vegetables rearward and discharges them; The digging unit has a rod-shaped rotating body that has a rod shape extending in the left-right direction and is rotatable around a rotation axis that extends in the left-right direction, The rod-shaped rotating body is positioned in the soil and rotates while the stem and leaf treating machine is moving forward, and rotates from rear to front when viewed from above.

2. 2. The stem and leaf treating machine according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of the rod-shaped rotor perpendicular to the rotation axis is polygonal.

3. 3. The stem and leaf processing machine according to claim 1, wherein the digging unit is located in front of and below the rod-shaped rotating body and has a blade extending in the left-right direction.

4. a drive transmission mechanism provided at one of the left and right ends of the frame and the digging device, for transmitting a drive force to the conveyor and the rod-shaped rotating body; The drive transmission mechanism includes: a first transmission unit that transmits a driving force to a rear end of one of the left and right ends of the conveyor; A stem and leaf processing machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it has a second transmission part that transmits driving force from the end of the first transmission part to one of the left and right ends of the rod-shaped rotating body.

5. The stem and leaf treating machine according to claim 4, further comprising a cover for covering the first transmission unit and the second transmission unit.

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