Abstract: During the first pass across a field of row-planted sugar or red beets, the apparatus digs the beets from a specific number of rows (six being illustrated but the apparatus herein disclosed can be structured for four or five rows as well), elevates the beets at one side of the apparatus to a given height and discharges the elevated beets into a tank from which they are periodically re-elevated and discharged into a truck at the side of the apparatus opposite the side at which they are elevated and re-elevated, the truck trailing the apparatus over rows form which beets have been removed when not receiving re-elevated beets. On the next pass in a reverse direction across the field, the truck runs in the swath where the beets have been removed during the first pass, and the beets during the second pass are continually discharged into the the truck without resort to storage and without re-elevating the beets as done on the first pass.

Abstract: During the first pass across a field of row-planted sugar or red beets, the apparatus digs the beets from a specific number of rows (six being illustrated but the apparatus herein disclosed can be structured for four or five rows as well), elevates the beets at one side of the apparatus to a given height and discharges the elevated beets into a tank from which they are periodically re-elevated and discharged into a truck at the side of the apparatus opposite the side at which they are elevated and re-elevated, the truck trailing the apparatus over rows from which beets have been removed when not receiving re-elevated beets. On the next pass in a reverse direction across the field, the truck runs in the swath where the beets have been removed during the first pass, and the beets during the second pass are continually discharged into the truck without resort to storage and without re-elevating the beets as done on the first pass.

Abstract: A defoliator for detopping sugar beets and the like includes at least one laterally extending rotor on which a plurality of flails are mounted. The flails are of polyurethane and have a hub at one end provided with a bore so that they can be pivotally attached to a rod supported on the rotor. Each group of flails includes tapered flails at the ends of the group and rectangularly configured flails therebetween with still an additional tapered flail between the two non-tapered flails. Each flail has a rigid cutting member at the free end thereof, each cutting member being channel-shaped so as to provide parallel flanges projecting in one direction with respect to an integral web having a hole therein so that the member can be bolted to the free end of the flail with which it is to be associated. Each cutting member has an additional flange extending in an opposite direction from the parallel flanges, the additional flange residing in a proximal relation with one side of the flail.

Abstract: The disclosed flexible flail is molded from polyurethane. The flail has a relatively thin shank with a hub at one end so that the flail can be attached to the rotor of conventional defoliating apparatus and has a thicker portion at the end thereof opposite the hub. A plurality of metal studs have disk-like heads embedded in the thicker portion of the shank and the studs project from the side of the shank opposite the thicker portion in a direction so as to strike the leaves and remove same from sugar beets and the like while such beets are still in the ground.