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: An apparatus adaptable to be mounted on the tomato harvesters of various manufacturers for the purpose of removing tomato plants from the ground with their tomatoes attached for delivery onto a tomato harvester, which mechanically separates the tomato fruit from the balance of the plant. This apparatus also reduces the amount of agglomerated earth or clods that sticks to the root system upon removal from the ground. The apparatus utilizes a pair of spaced cutter bars which rotate counterclockwise. Upon impact of the forward lower bar with the plant, the plant is pulled from the ground. As the plant travels rearwardly, the upper bar knocks dirt loose from the roots.

Abstract: A separator is provided for use with a ditching machine to segregate rocks and coarse aggregates from the material excavated by the ditching machine s that the excavated material may be used as padding to protect the pipeline or other item positioned within the excavated trench. The separator comprises a plurality of rows of blades mounted on a rotatable drum. The spacing between adjacent blades within a row allows passage of the fine excavated material between the blades but prevents passage of the rocks and coarse aggregates. The rotating blades then deposit the rocks and coarse aggregates in a row beyond the row of fine material deposited along the trench.

Abstract: A vehicle for beach cleaning has a vehicle frame with at least one wheel axis disposed on it. Garbage is picked up from the beach by a vertically adjustable garbage pickup and delivered to a conveyor adjoining the garbage pickup and conveying the garbage taken to a collecting receptacle disposed at the rear end of the vehicle frame. A supply rotor is allocated to the pickup area of the garbage pickup.In order to improve the supply, the pickup and the transport of refuse and the separation of refuse and sand and the disposal of the pollutants, a swivel frame supporting the garbage pickup and the supply rotor is lowerably mounted on the vehicle frame for vertical adjustment, the supply rotor being mounted on the swivel frame pivotably across a swivel range comprising different operating conditions by means of links and being in particular counter-clockwise rotatable about an axis of rotation mounted on the links.

Abstract: A double, transverse, parallel tool bar is attached to the three-point hitch of a tractor. A depending shank is welded to each tool bar extension for mounting the rod weeder. Each shank has a forwardly and downwardly extending hard faced chisel tooth and a rearwardly extending skid which controls depth of penetration of the rod weeder. A chain and sprocket drive assembly is connected to the center shank and driven through the PTO of the tractor. The other shanks each have contained therein a bearing having a spare aperture through which a square rod weeder bar is disposed. The outermost shanks each have a strap which is bolted over the ends of the rod weeder bars to hold them in place and provide for easy replacement thereof. A plurality of cleaner bars are disposed 1/16th of an inch behind the high cam position of the rod weeder and fixedly connected between the shanks for both cleaning the rod and providing lateral support for the shanks. An additional bar is mounted in an offset position behind each shank.

Abstract: An elongated bar soil working apparatus constructed so that a plurality of bars are supported in a parallel relationship for rotation in one or more horizontal planes and positioned closely adjacent each other whereby the corners of one bar will cooperate with the corners of an adjacent bar to effect a severing action on vines or other foliage moving therebetween whereby the bars are self-cleaning. Power drives are operatively associated with the bars for syncronous rotation of the bars whereby the corners of the bars will be simultaneously advanced through a common plane in closely positioned relationship to effect the severing action on the vines and other foliage located therebetween and prevent vine and foliage build up on the bars. The present apparatus includes a frame which will allow the apparatus to be removably supported by conventional tractor operable tool bar whereby the bars can be advanced through the soil to perform plant uprooting or other soil working operations.