Abstract: A plastic mulch retriever comprises a body and at least one set of cutting or digging elements mounted to the body to loosen plastic mulch embedded in the ground. At least one conveyor is mounted to the body rearward of the at least one set of cutting or digging elements. The conveyor engages the loosened plastic mulch and removes at least some of the ground material attached to the extracted plastic mulch. At least one storage device can be mounted to the body rearward of the conveyor to store the retrieved plastic mulch. Embodiments of the plastic mulch retriever comprise multiple sets of cutting or digging elements and multiple respective conveyors.

Abstract: A plastic mulch retriever comprising a body and at least one cutting or digging element mounted to the body to loosen plastic mulch embedded in the ground. A conveyor is mounted to the body rearward of the at least one cutting or digging elements to engage the loosened plastic mulch and remove at least some of the ground material attached to the extracted plastic mulch. At least one storage device is mounted to the body rearward of the conveyor to store the retrieved plastic mulch.

Abstract: A box-shaped beach-cleaning trailer is configured to be loaded with, and collectively carry beach-cleaning equipment and a litter collection station. The beach-cleaning equipment are towed by a vehicle to collect litter on the sands. The litter collected by the beach-cleaning equipment is collected in the litter collection station. The trailer includes a pair of rail members disposed on upper edges of the respective opposite side wall portions such that the rail members face each other with an opening therebetween. A sieve unit is detachably mounted on the rail members, and is configured to move a back-and-forth direction along the rail members. The sieve unit is moved in a back-and-forth direction manually; or by using a driving mechanism including a drive wheel, a driven wheel, and a connecting rod arranged between the sieve unit and the driven wheel, for separating colleted litter of various sizes from sand.

Abstract: The pipe extractor includes a main frame supported by wheels mounted on the main frame. The wheels are vertically movable, relative to the main frame, by a hydraulic cylinder. An extractor frame is pivotally attached to the main frame for pivotal movement about an extractor axis. A shank has an upper end attached to the extractor frame. A shoe with a pipe through passage is connected to a lower end of the shank. A self leveling linkage pivots the extractor frame about the extractor axis in response vertical movement of the wheels. A hitch beam is pivotally attached to the main frame. Pipe contacts the pipe through passage in the shoe and steers the main frame. A lister is mounted on the hitch beam. A ramp assembly and rear plow are pivotally connected to the shoe.

Abstract: The machine for removing ferrous debris removes such debris from firing ranges where the removal of hard objects is desired to prevent ricochets during firing exercises, particularly on aircraft gunnery ranges. The machine includes a chassis towed behind a remotely controlled or automated vehicle, with a mechanism support frame pivotally mounted on the chassis. A series of magnetic operating arms is provided across the mechanism frame, with a chain drive conveyor cycling the operating arms as the machine is operated. The operating arms automatically release any gathered ferrous debris into a hopper as the arms reach the hopper during their cycle. A mechanism is provided to accommodate angular deflection of the operating arms relative to the hopper due to sloped terrain, and a further automated mechanism is provided to tilt and empty the hopper as required. No human operator is required in the immediate area of the machine.

Abstract: A harvester for root crops such as beets is provided which preferably provides continuous flow of root crops from a header, along a transfer assembly, through a processing run, and to an elevator assembly. The harvester can be configured to include or accommodate interchangeable header assemblies having different numbers of rows and/or row spacings. The transfer assembly can be of a floating type and helps to provide an even distribution of beets to the grabrollers. The processing run includes full-length cleaning grabrollers disposed parallel to the direction of travel. Modular elevator assemblies can be provided to further enhance harvester versatility. Such an approach includes interchangeable ferris wheel and scrubber chain elevator assemblies. An improved scrubber chain elevator assembly can be used which has a wraparound scrubber chain design. A pivoting tank conveyor for evenly filling a holding tank can be included.

Abstract: The invention comprises a beet harvesting device. The device has a first plurality of pairs of laterally positioned harvesting discs, and a second pair of laterally positioned harvesting discs, with the second pair being spaced longitudinally from the first plurality of pairs of discs and laterally between the paths of the first plurality of pairs of harvesting discs so that beets may be harvested in a path between the first plurality of pairs of discs, to thereby provide a novel apparatus for more readily harvesting beets in paths narrower than customarily harvested with a first plurality of pairs of laterally positioned harvesting discs.

Abstract: A tool, for mounting on a powering vehicle for transport, vertical motion and pivotal motion about a horizontal axis, provides a frame having connecting structure to interconnect with the powering vehicle. The frame carries extracting structure having plural laterally spaced extracting tines extending forwardly from the lower frame portion. At least one extracting tine has at least one depending vertical fin to increase tine strength and direct tine motion in a horizontal plane upon insertion through the earth; at least one extracting tine has at least one laterally extending horizontal fin to increase tine strength and direct tine motion in a vertical plane upon insertion through the earth; and at least one extracting tine has at least one soil retaining plate to aid support of material thereabove. The fins and plates tend to separate earth above and below the course of their insertion.

Abstract: A mini shrub spader for unearthing and transporting trees and shrubs. The mini shrub spader has a basketed U-blade which allows it to unearth, shape the root ball and transport a tree or shrub utilizing the same device. The mini shrub spader is preferably mounted to the rear of a small tractor.

Abstract: A tool, for mounting on a tractor or backhoe having a three or four point hitch to pivotally mount the tool on a laterally extending horizontal axis for vertical motion and for pivotal motion about the horizontal axis, provides a frame having connecting structure to releasably interconnect with the hitch and extracting structure to move in and beneath an arborescent root system to lift that system from the earth in which it is resident. The connecting structure provides spaced pivot pins to pivotally interconnect with the lifting arms of the hitch and one or two spacedly distant tilt arm brackets to interconnect with the tilting arm or arms of the hitch. The extracting structure provides a plurality of elongate extracting tines, at least some of which have elongate fins depending therefrom to direct motion in the earth, that are carried in laterally spaced relationship by an elongate, laterally extending lowermost beam of the frame to extend distally from the hitch.

Abstract: A root vegetable harvesting machine has a root vegetable topping and digging unit attached at the front. The root vegetable topping and digging unit is divided into at least two root vegetable topping and digging elements which can be carried by a main frame or individual frames in order to achieve greater working widths for root vegetable harvesting machines. The root vegetable topping and digging elements are mounted so as to be movable independently of one another. The root vegetable topping and digging unit design allows for harvesting more than six rows of root vegetable.

Abstract: A machine for removing strips laid out on the ground has a rotary reception unit for winding a strip at a distance from the ground to form a reel, and a driving unit for driving the reception unit for rotation. A drum is mounted so as to rotate. The strip passes over the drum before reaching the reception unit. Rotary brushes are arranged in such a way that the strip passes between the brushes and the drum so that the strip is brushed and the material from the ground accumulated on the strip is removed therefrom. The brushes are provided with a device for driving the brushes for rotation.

Abstract: A wagon pulled along a plant bed for retrieving buried drip tape includes a cultivator disc for loosening the soil to free the drip tape which is then drawn upward and onto the wagon through the use of a rotating drum that rotates at such a speed that its surface moves at the ground speed of the wagon. A wringer wheel that bears against the drum extracts water and air from the drip tape, which is then wound onto a reel under the control of an operator for subsequent storage and reuse. This mode of retrieval is considerably faster than manual retrieval thereby reducing labor cost, and the reuse of the drip tape saves disposal costs as well as material costs and results in conservation resources of the resources used in manufacturing the drip tape.

Abstract: An agricultural implement for automatically taking up plastic sheeting and drip tape onto cylindrical drums. In the preferred embodiment, the device is designed to be mounted onto the back of a tractor or the like by means of a three point hitch. The device includes a frame having a first take-up means for receiving the plastic sheeting, a drive means connected to a first cylindrical drum and powered by the tractor, and a by-pass valve located between the drive means and the tractor for controlling the speed of the first take-up means. The first take-up means includes a spiral roller for preventing the plastic sheeting from bunching up. The present invention also includes a second take-up means for receiving the drip tape onto a second cylindrical drum. The second take-up means is preferably powered off of the first drive means. A control means is located between the second take-up means and the drive means for controlling the speed at which the drip tape roll is rotated.

Abstract: An apparatus for retrieving golf balls comprises a structure which may be dragged behind or pushed by a tractor. The structure comprises a plurality of golf ball containers which are individually and flexibly connected to the dragging structure. Rearwardly converging guide means are also flexibly connected to the dragging structure for guiding golf balls into front openings in each of the ball containers. In front of each ball container opening is a lift gate comprising a plurality of fixed strands and a lowermost pivotable strand for dislodging partially buried golf balls. A paddle structure rotates in conjunction with the lift gate to assist golf balls upwardly into the container and the paddle structure is connected to ground engaging wheels which rotate as the apparatus is dragged in operation.

Abstract: An apparatus used in agriculture and more specifically to an apparatus for removing the plastic film cover from raised plant beds in which the edges thereof are tucked under soil placed in overlying relation to the downwardly inclined side edges of the plastic film thereby enabling separation of the plastic film from the plant bed after the plants have matured and the crop harvested from the plants so that the plastic film can be removed and appropriate cultivation and reshaping of the plant beds may be more effectively accomplished with the apparatus of the present invention materially reducing the time and labor required in removing the plastic film for disposal or recycling.

Abstract: An improvement is presented in an apparatus for processing soil for planting wherein a separator are provided for initially separating rocks and other large objects from soil prior to crushing thereof, the separator comprising a plurality of respectively upwardly and downwardly directed pins which cooperate in the removal of said rocks and other large objects from the soil. Also provided is a vertical rotatable power driven shaft centrally located in said apparatus wherein a plurality of radially extending arms are fixed thereto and are rotatable with the shaft. Some of said separating pins are fixed to the arms and some cooperating separating pins are fixed to a disc plate also mounted about said power driven shaft. A rotating plurality of discs crush said soil to reduce large particles and destroy weed seeds, insects, and larvae.