Abstract: An orientation system for vegetables includes a plurality of rotating rollers that both pull the vegetable into an inverted position, with leafy top down, and advance the vegetable along the length of the rollers to deliver the vegetables to a cutting system. The orientation system may be included in a vegetable harvester and topper or may be used separate from the harvester vehicle. The orientation system preferably has a plurality of orientation roller pairs, made up of first and second counter-rotating orientation rollers. These rollers may include strips of elastomeric fingers or other protrusions that engage the leafy top and pull it downward. Preferably, one of the rollers may also have a vegetable advancing spiral that moves the vegetables in “auger-style” by pushing the vegetables along in front of the rotating spiral.

Abstract: An orientation system for vegetables includes a plurality of rotating rollers that both pull the vegetable into an inverted position, with leafy top down, and advance the vegetable along the length of the rollers to deliver the vegetables to a cutting system. The orientation system may be included in a vegetable harvester and topper or may be used separate from the harvester vehicle. The orientation system preferably has a plurality of orientation roller pairs, made up of first and second counter-rotating orientation rollers. These rollers may include strips of elastomeric fingers or other protrusions that engage the leafy top and pull it downward. Preferably, one of the rollers may also have a vegetable advancing spiral that moves the vegetables in “auger-style” by pushing the vegetables along in front of the rotating spiral.

Abstract: The invention is a field onion topping machine with a front-end gathering and lifting assembly 16 which delivers onions to a transport assembly 25 and a substantially horizontal cutting table 26 provided by a moving chain conveyor 15. A fan 17, spaced apart from beneath the cutting table 26 but being connected to beneath the cutting table 26 by suitable ductwork 18, blows a stream of air up through conveyor chain 15 in the area of the cutting table 26, lifting and extending the tops, but not the bulbs of the onions on the chain, into cutter member 27 where the tops are removed and blown out discharge chute 19 by the same stream of air. Onions with their tops removed exit at the back of the machine via discharge assembly 20.