Abstract: A plant harvesting machine is organized as a wheeled tricycle having a plant elevator, plant inverter assembly, and plant sticking assembly and designed to move along a row of tobacco plants and successively harvest the plants. The plant elevator includes a powered circular saw blade at its base that severs the stem of each successive plant as the plant is gripped between opposed spike chains of the plant elevator. The severed plant is carried by the plant elevator and transferred to a plant inverter assembly that inverts the plant. The plant inverter assembly includes a spike-plate and cooperating pressure plate assembly that inverted the plant. The pressure plate assembly includes a spring-loaded pressure plate that accommodates plant stems of different diameters and shapes as the plant is inverted. Another set of spike chains engage the inverted plant and impale the plant onto a spear-shoe that is carried on a wooden stick.

Abstract: A tobacco harvester discharge system is provided for uniformally distributing tobacco leaves into a tobacco bin. A set of rolls positioned over the discharge intercepts a substantial portion of the discharged tobacco leaves and directs them radially outward over the width of the bin. A fan located below the discharge blows air under the discharged tobacco leaves to extend the trajectory of the leaves over the length of the bin by a distance roughly proportional to the flow rate of air from the fan from time to time. The flow rate is controlled in a predetermined pattern to obtain uniform distribution of the discharged leaves over the bin.

Abstract: A tobacco curing bin for use in a tobacco curing kiln is provided, the said bin comprising a box-like structure with opposing ends, a top, a front, a back, a floor, and having tynes adapted to pierce and support the tobacco leaves therein; each said end being adapted to be impervious to the flow of curing air; the said front being adapted with holes to receive said tynes and having at least one gate to permit loading and unloading of the bin; the said back being adapted to provide a support for the tobacco leaves in the bin when the bin is being loaded or unloaded and further adapted to receive said tynes; the said tynes being adapted to pass through the holes in the front, to pierce the tobacco leaves and to engage with the said back to support the tobacco leaves within the bin; the said floor being adapted to be pervious to the flow of curing air and being characterized in that said floor is adapted to slope upwardly from the ends to a middle portion in said floor to permit an improved flow of curing air th