Device for harvesting stalky stem crops

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (2) for harvesting stalky stem crops, having a support frame (4) and a plurality of picking units (6) arranged next to one another, such as, for example, a corn header. Each of the picking units (6) has picking plates (12) which laterally delimit a picking gap (10). In order to keep the crop losses in the region of the picking gap (10) low, the invention proposes that the picking plates (12) have, along the picking gap (10), a coating (54) with a flexible material having a material hardness in the range of 60 – 80 Shore A.

Description

[0001] Device for harvesting stemmy straw

[0002] The present invention relates to a device for harvesting stemmy straw material according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0003] Examples of such devices include corn pickers. The crops to be harvested are generally grown and harvested standing in rows. During harvesting, the device is driven into the standing crop in the direction of travel so that the rows of crops converge approximately in the middle of the picking gap. The device then cuts the stalks close to the ground so that they can be separated from the kernels in the picking unit assigned to each row. To achieve this, the stalks are pulled downwards by at least one tearing roller. The width of the picking gap in the picking units is dimensioned so that the stalks fit through the gap, but the kernels are too wide to pass through it. As the stalks are pulled downwards, the kernels attached to them are also accelerated in the direction of the picking gap.They then impact the picking plates and other components of the picking unit at considerable speed. As the tearing roller pulls the stem further downwards, the fruit clusters are ripped from the stem and immediately conveyed away by the conveyors to clear the picking zone for the next crop. When a fruit cluster collides with the components of the picking unit, the kinetic energy causes parts of the fruit cluster, especially the kernels within, to be ejected. Depending on the direction of flight and the size of the ejected fragments, these can fall from the device onto the field, resulting in crop losses that should be avoided whenever possible.

[0004] From US patent 4,845,930 A1, it is known to place strips of a flexible material on the picking plates at the edge of the picking gap. These strips act as a kind of cushion to dampen the impact of the fruit bunches on the picking plates. The strips are interchangeably held in metal channels. However, a large portion of the damping effect that the strips could theoretically provide across their width is lost through these metal channels.

[0005] Document WO 2024 / 076714 A1 also describes strips that are attached to the picking trays at the edge of the picking gap. The document provides no information on the material of the strips. The strips are screwed onto the picking trays.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to reduce the risk of damage to

[0007] To reduce fruit clusters and grain losses in the picking units.

[0008] The task is for a generic device with the characteristic features

[0009] Features of claim 1 are solved. The picking plates have a coating of a flexible material with a hardness in the range of 60–80 Shore A along the picking gap. The coating need not extend over the entire length of the picking gap; the advantageous design is also effective if the coating is only present on a portion of the picking gap. By coating the picking plates with a soft, flexible material, this part of the picking unit is designed in such a way that the risk of damage to the fruit bunches upon impact with the picking plates is reduced. It is true that the tearing rollers must pull the plant stems downwards with such force that the fruit bunches are separated from the stems upon contact with the picking plates, and thus a corresponding tearing force is always acting on the fruit bunches.The question of whether the fruit heads are damaged depends on the force curve. A hard impact of a fruit head on the picking plate results in an immediate and very steep increase in force, with a significant risk of damage. Due to the soft, flexible material of the coating, the force curve is flatter than without such a coating, as the impact is initially dampened and the fruit head material penetrates the flexible coating. A significant increase in force only occurs when the coating reaches the limit of its flexibility. This flatter force curve during the initial impact significantly reduces the risk of damage to the fruit head and the kernels. A Shore durometer is frequently used as a testing instrument for measuring the material hardness of flexible materials such as polymers, elastomers, and natural rubber.The Shore durometer measures the depth of an indentation in a material produced by a given force applied to a standardized indenter. This depth depends on the material's hardness, its viscoelastic properties, the shape of the indenter, and the duration of the test. The ASTM D2240 standard defines twelve different durometer scales using varying spring forces and indenters. These different durometer scales are used for materials with varying properties. The two most common scales, which employ slightly different measurement systems, are designated as Type A and Type D in the ASTM D2240 standard. The Type A scale is intended for softer materials, and the Type D scale for harder materials.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, the coating is positively clamped and / or frictionally bonded to the picking plate with its underside. Such fastening is advantageous compared to screwing because the fruit clusters do not collide with screws or screw heads and cannot be damaged. A clamping mechanism can be provided on the underside of the coating so that no clamping elements come into contact with the harvested crop. For example, dovetail or keyhole geometries are suitable as positive-locking connecting elements, designed to fit each other so that the coating can be inserted into correspondingly complementary shaped recesses in the picking plate and is thereby positively held therein. According to one embodiment of the invention, conveying contours are incorporated into the surface of the coating.The conveying contours are irregularities in the coating surface, designed as protrusions, ribs, recesses, and / or corrugations. These contours are angled to the direction of the picking gap. They are designed to convey the crop away from the picking gap. This conveying element reduces the risk of crop falling through the picking gap and onto the field.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, the outwardly facing surfaces of the wear protection strips comprise a flexible material with a hardness in the range of 60–100 Shore A. This flexible material is comparatively soft, and in particular significantly softer than the plastic material typically used for the protective covers. The protective covers typically have a hardness of 70 Shore D, which is considerably harder than the proposed flexible material for the wear protection strips. At the specified hardness value, the material used is comparatively soft.

[0012] The surface portions of the three-dimensional shape that face away from the top of the picking plates are made of a flexible material with a hardness between 60 and 100 Shore A. The outward-facing surfaces of the wear protection strips are not the sides that rest on the cover caps, but rather those facing the space between adjacent cover caps. The flexible material can be, for example, a thermoset, thermoplastic, or elastomer. Polyurethane or TPU can be used as the material. Thermoplastic polyurethanes are a category of plastics produced by a polyaddition reaction between a diisocyanate and one or more diols. They can be used as soft engineering plastics or as a substitute for hard rubber.Materials using natural rubber as the sole or mixed material can also be used as flexible materials, equivalent to plastics.

[0013] As the fruit bunches fall towards the picking opening, they can strike the surface of the cover. When the fruit bunches hit the surfaces lined with soft wear-resistant strips, the soft, flexible material deforms, and the impact energy is at least partially converted into deformation energy. The kinetic energy of a fruit bunch striking a wear-resistant strip can be converted by the relatively soft, flexible material into deformation energy, which it slowly dissipates as it returns to its original shape after the fruit bunch falls. The flexible material has elastic properties and is therefore dimensionally elastic, so that it returns to its original shape after the pressure is removed.The peak forces acting on the fruit bunch, which occur when the fruit bunch impacts the carrier, can be reduced so significantly that the fruit bunches hardly burst open or pollen granules fall to the ground. The soft material of the wear protection strips reduces the risk of damage to the fruit bunches in the transition area between the cover hoods and the picking plates, where the carriers and the traction elements of the conveying device are also located.

[0014] Because the soft, flexible material yields to impacting fruit clusters through material deformation, wear on the surfaces of the flexible material remains within acceptable limits. Since the peak forces that occur when fruit clusters impact the drive wheels are reduced by the soft, flexible material, the material contact between the fruit clusters and the drive wheel surfaces is less abrasive to the flexible material.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention, the cover caps have recesses in their outer shape in the mounting area of ​​the wear protection strips. These recesses ensure that the wear protection strips, with their material thickness, are held flush with the adjacent surfaces of the cover caps in their installed position, at least at their upper edges. When the stems with the fruit clusters move along the wear protection strips, the upper edges of the wear protection strips would be subject to particular wear if they protruded beyond the adjacent surfaces of the cover caps. The recesses in the outer shape of the cover caps in the mounting area of ​​the wear protection strips allow them to be mounted so deeply within the body of the cover caps that their upper edges no longer protrude beyond the adjacent surfaces of the cover caps.The harvested crop can therefore slide smoothly from above over the gap between the surface of the respective cover and the surface of the wear protection strip mounted on the cover, without rubbing against a protrusion or catching on the wear protection strip. This not only benefits the uninterrupted flow of the crop, but also reduces wear on the wear protection strip.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the invention, the wear protection strips are held in a spatial orientation on the cover hoods in such a way that the outwardly facing surfaces of the wear protection strips form a sliding surface that is aligned towards the edge of the picking plate covered by the respective cover hood and converges towards the picking gap. With this spatial arrangement of the wear protection strips, the harvested crop entering the device is guided directly towards the picking gap. This corresponding guidance of the crop flow prevents disturbances and deflections in the crop flow.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the invention, the wear protection strips extend along the length of the picking gap. Depending on the length of the crop stems, the rotation speed of the picking roller, and the height at which the fruit clusters are formed on the stem, the fruit clusters can be separated from the stem at different points along the picking gap. To prevent damage to the fruit clusters along the entire length of the picking gap, it is advantageous for the wear protection strips to also extend along the length of the picking gap.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the invention, the lower edges of the wear protection strips cover the traction elements of the conveying devices. If the wear protection strips are designed to cover the traction elements of the conveying device, components of the harvested crop moving towards the picking gap can no longer collide with the traction elements and be damaged. The covering of the traction elements is shown in a top view of a picking gap. This covering is advantageous because sharp edges are unavoidable in traction elements such as chains or toothed belts due to their functional design, and the risk of damage to the fruit bunches from these sharp edges is further increased by the fact that the traction elements rotate at a comparatively high speed, and the impact of fruit bunches colliding with the traction elements is amplified by their own movement.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the invention, the recesses in the cover hoods and the shape of the wear protection strips are coordinated so that the same wear protection strips can be mounted on both sides of the picking gap on the cover hoods. This avoids unnecessarily increasing the number of parts in production and simplifies spare parts inventory for customers. According to another embodiment of the invention, the push surface of each driver is aligned in a plane that is at least approximately perpendicular to the conveying plane. The conveying plane itself does not have to be exactly horizontal to the ground; it can also be angled by a few degrees to the horizontal during use of the device, particularly rising in the conveying direction. The push surface of the drivers is then angled accordingly.Deviations of a few degrees in the orientation of the pusher surface from the vertical and from the picking plates are not critical for the device's function during harvesting. With this orientation, no fruit heads or grains can be damaged on the pusher surface itself if they strike the drive mechanism from above. Conversely, the conveyance of the fruit heads and grains separated from the stem works well with this orientation of the pusher surface, provided the pusher surface, along with the drive mechanism on which it is attached, is moved over the picking plates in the conveyance direction.

[0020] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the invention, the surface shape portions of the three-dimensional form that point in a direction away from the top of the picking plates are formed at an angle to the conveying plane. It is particularly advantageous if those surface shape portions that point in a direction away from the top of the picking plates are formed at an angle to the conveying plane that lie between the edge regions of the circumferential shape of a carrier and constitute the majority of the surface shape portions of the three-dimensional form that point in a direction away from the top of the picking plates. When this description refers to the top of the picking plates, it means the side of the picking plates that faces away from the soil and points upwards.When this description refers to "above" and "below," "above" means a direction or spatial position away from the ground, and "below" means a direction or spatial position close to the ground and towards it. The surface features that point in the direction of the picking slit refer to those surface features visible when viewed from the side of the picking slit.

[0021] The surface contours oriented in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the conveying device are those visible from the front when viewed from a carrier. The plane of the picking plates is defined by the surface on which the fruit heads, separated from the stems, slide as they are conveyed by the carriers. The surface contours of the spatial shape that point away from the top of the picking plates are those visible from above when viewed from a carrier. Therefore, it is not necessary for the surface contours to point precisely in the specified direction; it is sufficient if they point predominantly in that direction. Similarly, for the shear surface, it is sufficient if it points predominantly in the direction of rotation.Since the fruit bunches also approach the drive units from above during harvesting and preferentially collide with these surface features, there is an increased need to reduce the risk of damage to the fruit bunches by means of an advantageous and suitable design of the spatial shape of the drive units.

[0022] By shaping the surface elements of the picking plate that point in the direction away from the top of the picking plates at an angle to the plates, and thus not oriented parallel to the surface on the top of the picking plates, a force-repelling component is created when the fruit bunch impacts these surfaces. The more pronounced the inclination of these surface elements relative to the spatial orientation of the top of the picking plates, the more easily a fruit bunch pulled downwards will slide sideways off these surface elements, and the lower the risk of the fruit bunches bursting open and scattering seeds onto the field.

[0023] The surface features of the three-dimensional shape that point away from the top of the picking plates need not be flat, but can also have rounded shapes, such as humps, arcs, or convex surfaces. Rounded, convex surfaces can facilitate the sliding of fruit bunches off a drive mechanism and reduce the risk of crop residue adhering to the drive mechanism. The surface features can also be stepped, bent, and / or angled. These surface features, pointing away from the top of the picking plates, are made of a flexible material with a hardness between 60 and 100 Shore A. This flexible material can be, for example, a thermoset, thermoplastic, or elastomer. Polyurethane or TPU are particularly suitable materials.Thermoplastic polyurethanes are a category of plastics produced by a polyaddition reaction between diisocyanate and one or more diols. They can be used as flexible engineering plastics or as a substitute for hard rubber. Materials using natural rubber can also be used as equivalents to flexible plastic materials.

[0024] Despite the specified hardness value, the material used is comparatively soft. The kinetic energy of a fruit cluster impacting a drive unit can be converted by the relatively soft, flexible material into deformation energy, which it can then slowly dissipate as it returns to its original shape after the fruit cluster falls. This return to its original shape is possible because the flexible material possesses elastic properties. In this way, peak forces acting on the fruit cluster upon impact with the drive unit can be reduced so significantly that the fruit clusters hardly burst open or pollen particles fall to the ground. Because the soft, flexible material yields to impacting fruit clusters through material deformation, wear on the surfaces of the flexible material also remains within acceptable limits.Since the force peaks that occur when fruit clusters impact the drive wheels are reduced by the soft, flexible material, the material contacts between the fruit clusters and the surfaces of the drive wheels have a less abrasive effect on the flexible material.

[0025] As a result, the special design of the drive units ensures that they fulfill their conveying function well, while also significantly reducing the risk of damage to the fruit clusters in the area of ​​the drive units due to the special design of the spatial shape and the surface components made of a soft, flexible material.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the invention, the edge regions of the surface shape portions of the spatial form, which point in the direction away from the top of the picking plates and where the spatial form transitions into the surface shape portions pointing in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation and / or into the surface shape portions pointing in the direction of the picking gap, have rounded contours. The rounded contours in the edge region prevent sharp edges that could damage the fruit clusters or individual grains. The rounded contours also serve the purpose of allowing the fruit clusters to slide easily off the surfaces of the drive elements. According to one embodiment of the invention, the push surface is positioned to lag behind the direction of conveyance of the fruit clusters in the separation area of ​​the picking gap.Due to the trailing angle of the pusher surface on the drive wheels, the drive wheels do not impact the fruit bunches and kernels lying on the picking plates as harshly during their rotation after they have been separated from the stems. This is because the angled pusher surface allows the kernels to roll laterally along it. The angle at which the pusher surface moves along the picking gap due to this trailing angle results in a kind of stroking motion along the fruit bunches, which is thus accelerated more gently yet effectively. This ensures that the fruit bunches are accelerated gently.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the invention, the drive elements each have a plate made of a metallic material in the area of ​​the pushing surface. At least partially, the upper edge of this plate is overlapped by a molded part made of a flexible material, for example, a plastic with a hardness between 60 and 100 Shore A, which covers the back of the pushing surface. The metallic material makes the pushing surface largely wear-resistant and allows it to effectively convey the harvested crop in conjunction with the picking plates. The picking plates can still be aggressively cleared in the area of ​​the picking gap. Because the upper edge of the plate is overlapped by the molded part made of a soft material, the upper edge of the plate causes minimal damage to the fruit bunches, as the soft, flexible material cushions the impact of the fruit bunches against the plate.The molded part also covers the back of the pusher surface to prevent damage to fruit bunches that might otherwise come into contact with it. The molded part can be made from a single piece or from multiple pieces.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the invention, the surfaces of the drive elements are completely covered by a molded part made of a flexible material with a hardness in the range of 60–100 Shore A. In this embodiment, the fruit heads are conveyed by drive elements whose outward-facing surfaces are completely covered with the soft, flexible material. The soft, flexible material is still sufficiently hard to accelerate and carry the fruit heads lying on the picking plates. At the same time, the soft, flexible material prevents damage to fruit heads that strike the surface of the drive elements.To increase the rigidity of the drive lugs, which are completely covered with the soft, flexible material, and to enable their attachment to a traction element of the respective conveyor device, it is possible to arrange stiffening components inside the molded part. These components could include an insert made of a metallic material, designed as a plate or angle. The metallic insert can, for example, be encased in polyurethane foam within a mold to produce a one-piece drive lug. Alternatively, the molded part can also be made of multiple parts.

[0029] According to one embodiment of the invention, the molded part extends parallel to the conveying direction of the carriers in a leg that runs along the traction element of the respective conveying device. The carriers must be attached to a traction element that is an integral part of the respective conveying device. Chains or toothed belts, for example, are frequently used as traction elements. To allow for easy replacement of the carriers in case of repair, they are often screwed to the traction element or connected in some other way using suitable fasteners. The screw heads, bolts, mounting bases, or other fasteners required for this purpose create their own potential to damage the fruit bunches if they collide with these components.If the molded part has a leg extending along the traction element, this leg can completely cover the fasteners used to attach the respective drive element to the traction element. This further reduces the risk of damage to the fruit bunches. The shape of the leg can be designed to avoid sharp corners and edges.The surface shape components pointing away from the top of the picking plates in a repelling direction, as well as those pointing towards the picking gap, can be designed according to the optimization criteria described above, in particular by being shaped at an angle to the conveying plane, and by the surface shape components of the spatial shape pointing away from the top of the picking plates being made of a flexible material having a hardness in the range of 60 - 100 Shore A, and / or by having rounded contours on the edge areas of the surface shape components of the spatial shape pointing away from the top of the picking plates, where the spatial shape transitions into the surface shape components pointing in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation and / or into the surface shape components pointing towards the picking gap.

[0030] According to one embodiment of the invention, the transition from the portion of the molded part that covers the drive element at its upper edge and on its back side to the leg is curved. This curved shape prevents sharp edges and narrow gaps in this area where fruit material could be damaged or become caught and trapped. The curved design of the transition also leaves the space on the back of the drive element and on the side of the leg facing the picking gap clear, preventing fruit from impacting and damaging components of the picking unit. The drive elements are thus deeply undercut on their back side to minimize the surface area of ​​the drive elements against which fruit could impact.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the invention, the surface contour portions of the drive lugs facing the picking gap each have a shape in the region of the leg that continues the circumferential contour of a cover hood arranged above the conveying device downwards. This continuation can be seamless or with a slight offset. In particular, this continuation means that the surface contour portions of the drive lug facing the picking gap do not project beyond the circumferential contour of the cover hood. If the shape of the leg were to have a larger offset, especially a projection, from the circumferential contour of the cover hood arranged above in the direction of the picking gap, the fruit bunches could collide with such an offset and be damaged.

[0032] Further variations and embodiments of the invention can be found in the following description and drawings. The invention will be explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments. The figures show:

[0033] Fig. 1 : a schematic diagram of a device from a top view with a partial view of a picking unit,

[0034] Fig. 2: a front view of a picking unit,

[0035] Fig. 3: a sectional view through a picking unit,

[0036] Fig. 4: a view of a conveyor device with drivers,

[0037] Fig. 5: a close-up of circle B in Fig. 4,

[0038] Fig. 5a: an outline of the driver in the area of ​​its outer end,

[0039] Fig. 6: an exploded view of a driver, and Fig. 7: a view of a picking plate with a coating in the area of ​​the picking gap.

[0040] Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a device 2 for harvesting stem-like straw, comprising a support frame 4 and several picking units 6 arranged side by side, which are covered by hoods 8. Each picking unit 6 has a picking gap 10 running parallel to the working direction A of the device 2, which is bounded by picking plates 12 arranged on opposite sides of the picking gap 10. The upper surfaces of the picking plates 12, by their spatial arrangement, define a discharge plane 22 shown in Fig. 2, in which the fruit heads, separated from the stems, are conveyed away against the working direction A of the device 2 by conveying devices 14, which are arranged in a space above the discharge plane 22 on both sides of the picking gap 10.The conveying devices 14 have traction elements 16 that rotate continuously around deflection wheels 18 and to which drivers 20 are attached, which during one rotation sweep over at least the top surface of one of the picking plates 12. The conveying devices 14 are covered on their top surface with protective covers 8.

[0041] Fig. 2 shows a front view of a picking unit 6. The cover hoods 8 have wear protection strips 26 on their lateral edges facing the picking gap 10. The wear protection strips 26 extend over the length of the picking gap 10. The outwardly facing surfaces 28 of the wear protection strips 26 are made of a flexible material such as plastic with a material hardness in the range of 60–100 Shore A. At least one tearing roller 24 is arranged in a plane below the picking plates 12.

[0042] Fig. 3 shows a sectional view through a picking unit 6. The cover hoods 8 have recesses 80 in their outer shape in the mounting area of ​​the wear protection strips 26. These recesses hold the wear protection strips 26 flush with the adjacent surfaces of the cover hoods 8, at least at their upper edges, as indicated by the dashed line in Fig. 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the wear protection strips 26 are held in their installed position on the cover hoods 8 in a spatial orientation such that the outwardly facing surfaces 28 of the wear protection strips 26 form a sliding surface. This sliding surface is oriented towards the edge of the picking plate 12 covered by the respective cover hood 8, converging towards the picking gap 10, as indicated by the arrows 84.The lower edges 86 of the wear protection strips 26 overlap the traction elements 16 of the conveying devices 14 in the exemplary embodiment by the overlap dimension 88. The recesses 80 in the cover hoods 8 and the shape of the wear protection strips 26 are coordinated so that the same wear protection strips 26 can be mounted on both sides of a picking gap 10 on the cover hoods 8.

[0043] The surface shaped portions 52 of the drivers 20, pointing in the direction D1 of the picking gap 10 and indicated in Fig. 3 by a curved clamp, each have a shape in the area of ​​the leg 48 with which the course of a circumferential contour of a cover hood 8 arranged above the conveying device 14 is continued downwards. The continuation can be seamless or with a slight offset.

[0044] Figure 4 shows a traction element 16 with six attached carriers 20. During harvesting, the traction element 16 rotates in the direction of rotation R. Each carrier 20 has a shear surface 30, which is oriented at least predominantly in the direction of rotation R. Each carrier 20 has a spatial shape such that the first surface shape portions 52 are oriented in the direction D1 of the picking gap 10, the second surface shape portions 36 are oriented in a direction D2 repelling the upper surface of the picking plates 12, and the third surface shape portions are oriented in the direction D3 opposite to the direction of rotation R. When the surface shape portions are differentiated according to their orientation, it is not important whether the surface shape portions point exactly in the specified direction D1, D2, D3, but only that they point predominantly in the specified direction D1, D2, D3.

[0045] Fig. 5 shows an enlarged view of circle B in Fig. 4. The shear surface 30 of each driver 20 is aligned in a plane that is at least approximately perpendicular to the conveying plane 22. Fig. 5a shows an outline of the driver 20 in the region of its outer end. In this view, it is clearly visible that the surface features of the three-dimensional shape, which point in the direction D2 repelling the top of the picking plates 12, are formed at an angle 38 to the conveying plane 22. These surface features of the three-dimensional shape, which point in the direction D2 repelling the top of the picking plates 12, are made of a flexible material such as plastic, which has a hardness in the range of 60–100 Shore A.The edge areas 40 of the surface form components 36 of the spatial form which point in the direction D2 away from the top of the picking plates 12, at which the spatial form transitions into the surface form components D3 which point in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation R and / or into the surface form components which point in the direction D1 of the picking gap 10, have rounded contours.

[0046] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the shear surface 30 is positioned to lag behind the direction of removal of the fruit clusters in the separation area of ​​the picking gap 10 by an angle 38.

[0047] Figure 6 shows an exploded view of a possible assembly of a driver 20. The driver 20 shown there has a plate 42 made of a metallic material in the area of ​​the shear surface 30. The plate 42 can, at least partially, have overlaps at its upper edge 44 by a molded part 46 made of a flexible material, as shown in Figure 5. The molded part 46 can, for example, be made of a plastic with a hardness in the range of 60–100 Shore A, but also of other materials with comparable good formability. The molded part 46 covers the back of the shear surface 30. In contrast to the embodiment shown, the surfaces of the drivers 20 can be completely covered by a molded part 46 made of a flexible material with a hardness in the range of 60–100 Shore A. In such a

[0048] In some cases, the molded part 46 can be stiffened with metallic elements. Figures 4-6 show that the molded part 46 extends parallel to the conveying direction of the carriers 20 into a leg 48 that runs along the traction element 16 of the respective conveying device 14. The transition 50 from the part of the molded part 46 that covers the carrier 20 at its upper edge and on its rear side to the leg 48 is curved. Due to the rounded and edgeless structures, the fruit heads are exposed to a lower risk of damage upon contact with the carriers 20.

[0049] Figure 7 shows a view of a picking plate 12 with a coating 54 along the picking gap 10. The picking plates 12 have a coating 54 along the picking gap 10 made of a flexible material with a hardness in the range of 60–80 Shore A. The underside of the coating 54 is positively clamped and / or bonded to the picking plate 12. Conveying contours 56 are incorporated into the surface of the coating 54.

[0050] Reference symbol list

[0051] device

[0052] support frame

[0053] Picking unit

[0054] Cover

[0055] Picking gap

[0056] Picking plate

[0057] Conveyor

[0058] Traction

[0059] deflection wheel

[0060] drive

[0061] Discharge level

[0062] Ripping roller

[0063] Wear protection strip

[0064] Surface of the wear protection strip

[0065] Shear surface

[0066] Plate surface shape components pointing in the direction of D2

[0067] angle

[0068] Edge area

[0069] Top edge of plate

[0070] Molded part 48 legs

[0071] 50 transition

[0072] 52 surface shape components pointing in the direction of D1

[0073] 54 Coating

[0074] 56 contours that promote funding

[0075] 80° sink

[0076] 82 top edge

[0077] 84 Arrow

[0078] 86 lower edge

[0079] 88 Coverage dimension

[0080] A working direction

[0081] D1 the direction pointing in the direction of the picking gap

[0082] D2 a direction away from the top of the picking plates

[0083] D3 the direction opposite to the direction of rotation

[0084] R Direction of rotation

Claims

Patent claims 1. Device (2) for harvesting stem-like straw, comprising a support frame (4) and several picking units (6) arranged side by side, each picking unit (6) having a picking gap (10) extending parallel to the working direction (A) of the device (2), which is bounded by picking plates (12) arranged on opposite sides of the picking gap (10), the upper surfaces of the picking plates (12) defining, by their spatial position, a discharge plane (22) in which the fruit heads separated from the stems are conveyed opposite to the working direction (A) of the device (2) by conveying devices (14) arranged in a space above the discharge plane (22) on both sides of the picking gap (10), having traction elements (16) which rotate endlessly around deflection wheels (18) and to which drivers (20) are attached which, during one rotation, at least the upper surface of one of the picking plates (12) paint over,The conveying devices (14) are covered on their upper side with cover hoods (8), and at least one tearing roller (24) is arranged in a plane below the picking plates (12), characterized in that the picking plates (12) have a coating (54) with a flexible material with a material hardness in the range of 60 - 80 Shore A along the picking gap (10).

2. Device (2) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the coating (54) is positively clamped and / or force-fitted onto the picking plate (12) with its underside.

3. Device (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that conveying contours (56) are incorporated into the surface of the coating (54).

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveying devices (14) are covered on their upper side with cover hoods (8) which have wear protection strips (26) on their lateral edges facing the picking gap (10), and the outwardly facing surfaces (28) of the wear protection strips (26) have a flexible material with a material hardness in the range of 60 - 100 Shore A.

5. Device (2) according to claim 4, characterized in that the cover hoods (8) have recesses (80) in their outer shape in the mounting area of ​​the wear protection strips (26) by which the wear protection strips (26) are held in their installation position with their material thickness at least at their upper edges (82) in a plane to the adjacent surfaces of the cover hoods (8).

6. Device (2) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the wear protection strips (26) are held in a spatial orientation in their installation position on the cover hoods (8) in which the outwardly facing surfaces (28) of the wear protection strips (26) form a sliding surface which is aligned towards the edge of the picking plate (12) covered by the respective cover hood (8) and towards the picking gap (10).

7. Device (2) according to one of the preceding claims 4 - 6, characterized in that the wear protection strips (26) extend over the length of the picking gap (10).

8. Device (2) according to one of the preceding claims 4 - 7, characterized in that the lower edges (86) of the wear protection strips (26) cover the traction means (16) of the conveying devices (14).

9. Device (2) according to one of the preceding claims 4 - 8, characterized in that the recesses in the cover hoods (8) and the shape of the wear protection strips (26) are coordinated such that the same wear protection strips (26) can be mounted on both sides of a picking gap (10) on the cover hoods (8).

10. Device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shear surface (30) of a respective driver (20) is aligned in a plane standing at least approximately perpendicular to the conveying plane (22), which is formed at an angle (38) to the surface form portions (36) of the spatial shape pointing away from the top of the picking plates (12) in the direction (D2) and which consist of a flexible material having a hardness in the range between 60 and 100 Shore A in the surface form portions (36) of the spatial shape pointing away from the top of the picking plates (12).

11. Device (2) according to claim 10, characterized in that the edge regions (40) of the surface shape portions (36) of the spatial shape which point in the direction (D2) away from the top of the picking plates (12), at which the spatial shape transitions into the surface shape portions (D3) which point in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation (R) and / or into the surface shape portions which point in the direction (D1) of the picking gap (10), have rounded contours.

12. Device (2) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the pusher surface (30) is positioned lagging behind the direction of conveyance of the fruit clusters in the separation area of ​​the picking gap (10).

13. Device (2) according to one of the preceding claims 10 - 12, characterized in that the drivers (20) in the area of ​​the shear surface (30) have a plate (42) made of a metallic material, which is at least partially covered at its upper edge (44) by a molded part (46) made of a flexible material with a hardness in the range between 60 - 100 Shore A, wherein the molded part (46) covers the back of the shear surface (30).

14. Device (2) according to one of the preceding claims 10 - 12, characterized in that the surfaces of the drivers (20) are completely covered by a molded part (46) made of a flexible material having a hardness in the range between 60 - 100 Shore A.

15. Device (2) according to one of the preceding claims 10 - 14, characterized in that the molded part (46) extends parallel to the conveying direction of the carriers (20) into a leg (48) which extends along the traction element (16) of the respective conveying device (14).

16. Device (2) according to claims 10 - 15, characterized in that the transition (50) from the part of the molded part (46) which covers the driver (20) at the top edge and on the back, to the leg (48) is designed in an arc shape.

17. Device (2) according to one of the preceding claims 10 - 16, characterized in that the surface form elements (52) of the drivers (20) pointing in the direction of the picking gap (10) each have a form in the area of ​​the leg (48) with which the course of a circumferential contour of a cover hood (8) arranged above the conveying device (14) is continued downwards.

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