Abstract: An adjustable crop thinning device configured for mounting on an attachment frame for pulling behind an agricultural vehicle such as a tractor in a field of row crops. The attachment frame is oriented generally transverse to the direction of motion of the tractor, and comprises a plurality of generally upright rotating hubs disposed upon its rearward portion. Each hub has a plurality of elongate sweeps extending radially therefrom, each sweep having an elongate axis and a substantially planar end blade, and being configured to contact the ground with the end blade, such that the hub will rotate as the frame is pulled across the ground. The end blades are selectively rotatable about their elongate axes, whereby the aspect of their sweep through a row of crops may be adjusted. The rotating hubs are also angularly adjustable, being connected to the frame by a pivot mechanism allowing vertical and/or horizontal rotation of the orientation of the plane of the hub relative to the direction of motion of the machine.

Abstract: A direct harvester includes a cutting portion, a lifting portion and a feeding portion. The cutting portion typically includes a cutter rod for severing plant roots and a kicker rod for encouraging the plant to the soil surface. The lifting portion typically includes a rotating pickup head for lifting the plants off the soil and separating the plant from the soil, and a pair of rotating tubes to move the plants and encourage further separation of soil from the plants. The feeding portion includes an auger which receives the plants from the rotating tubes and channels the plants into the opening of a combine feeder housing. Preferably, the floor below the auger is screened to allow soil which is knocked free by the auger to fall back to the ground. Additionally the lifting portion and the feeding portion are preferably pivotably attached to one another to enable the harvester to adapt to differing contours in the soil.

Abstract: A crop inverter is disclosed for digging and inverting crops, such as peanuts, which have pods disposed below the soil. The inverter typically includes a pair of rotating bars for severing the roots extending downwardly from the pods, and for lifting the pods to the surface of the soil. A pick-up mechanism raises the plants above the ground, and a slinging mechanism removes soil from the pods while conveying the pods to an inverter. The inverter causes the plant to come to rest with the peanut pods on top, without causing unnecessary loss of pods. The inverter typically includes a plurality of augers which extends rearwardly relative to the direction of travel, so that the peanut plants move along the auger until they are ready to be inverted. A mounding plate or other mechanism may also be provided to form a new mound below the row of inverted peanut plants.