Abstract: A system for cleaning a flow of harvested crop, including a conveyor to convey the flow downstream of the conveyor into a cleaning zone into which the flow is discharged, and a cleaning unit located above the cleaning zone and operable to generate an upward air flow through the cleaning zone for extracting residues contained in the discharged flow. The system further includes at least two conveying rolls that are disposed behind a downstream end of the conveyor in an upstream part of the cleaning zone to be fed with the flow of harvested crop discharged from the conveyor. The conveying rolls are arranged to convey the crop flow and to discharge it into a downstream part of the cleaning zone. Passages are formed between or through the rolls, and are arranged to allow an upward air flow therethrough for extracting residues from the crop present on the conveying rolls.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed that pick up and clean landscape rock using air under vacuum pressure. This apparatus provides a means for cleaning and reusing rock that has become aesthetically unattractive instead of removing the old landscape rock and replacing it with new rock. The invention also includes a device for separating debris from the vacuum airstream. This device may be used in combination with the device for picking up and cleaning landscape rock or may be used independently.

Abstract: A crop separating harvester includes a primary crop path having an apex, a forced air supply tangentially positioned to the crop path from a bottom side of the apex, and a crop retrieval member, wherein said crop retrieval member is separated from said apex a predetermined distance defining a gap configured to separate culls from a crop based on a difference in specific gravity between said crop and said culls with respect to said forced air.

Abstract: A produce harvesting apparatus, such as for harvesting tomatoes, which includes apparatus for harvesting produce, such as tomatoes, which includes an enclosed vehicle and a first conveyor belt extending forward of the vehicle for moving produce and associated vines into the enclosed vehicle. The apparatus further includes a ventilation system for drawing air from within the enclosed vehicle and expelling that air through an outlet that is disposed in alignment with the first conveyer belt to direct exhaust air from the enclosed vehicle toward the produce on the first conveyor belt whereby some dirt is dislodged from the produce and vines disposed on the first conveyor belt. The apparatus may have the outlet disposed to direct a stream of air from the enclosed vehicle in a direction that is aligned with the axis of the first conveyor belt.

Abstract: A machine for harvesting onions utilizes a blower which provides a stream of air through a duct, having an opening across which the onions pass and are topped. The blower has a bladed fan in a cylindrical housing open at both ends. The fan blades are supported by arms which, with the blades, define a support truss for each blade in the form of a triangular structure, having arms meeting at an apex connected approximately midway of the end of the cylindrical housing and a base provided by the blade to which the arms are connected. A rigid support is provided together with an enlarged and substantially unobstructed intake passageway for air along the axis of rotation of the fan which is pressurized and forced through the duct, using less horsepower and fuel than conventional fans of like size and air flow.

Abstract: A vegetable topper for cutting the leafy tops off of tubers, such as onions, after they have been uprooted from the field. The topper is mounted on a wheeled moveable frame towed by a tractor, which uses a vacuum to lift the tops and snip them off. The power for the vacuum fan and topping operation is derived from a power take-off of the tractor. The shearing means comprises a linearly reciprocating sickle blade whose height relative to the oncoming tops is optimally predetermined for a shearing type of cut for varying sizes of onions, providing maximum efficiency. The sheared tops are substantially mulched into fine particles within a fan in the vacuum system and dispersed to the side of the topper. A conveyor system lifts the untopped onions into proximity with the fan and sickle blades and consolidates already topped onions into a reduced area.

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.

Abstract: A vegetable topper for cutting the leafy tops off of tubers, such as onions, as they lie in the field. This improved topping system is designed to be mounted on a wheeled moveable frame towed by a tractor, which uses a vacuum to lift the tops and snip them off. The power for the vacuum fan and topping operation is supplied by a primary motor mounted on a wheeled frame, or derived from a power take-off of the tractor. The shearing means comprises a linearly reciprocating sickle blade whose angle relative to the oncoming tops may be adjusted for an optimally perpendicular shearing type of cut, providing maximum efficiency. The sheared tops are substantially mulched into fine particles within a fan in the vacuum system and dispersed to the side of the topper. A conveyor system consolidates already topped onions with a first conveyor picking up a portion of the topped onions and a second conveyor delivering said portion over the remainder of the topped onions, resulting in a reduced gathering area.

Abstract: A harvesting machine is especially adapted for automatic topping and loading of crops, such as onions. The crops are gathered from the field and elevated on a conveyor to a region adjacent to which a topping device (a sickle) is disposed. The conveyor has openings to permit the passage of air which is blown from a blower. The openings are sufficiently narrow to support the crop while allowing rocks, clumps and other debris to drop therethrough. The blower is offset from the topping region. A duct extends tangentially and upwardly from the blower to direct a laminar (non-turbulent) flow of air through the conveyor openings for extending the tops. The duct has a wall at the bottom thereof which faces the region. This wall has a passage, preferably with louvers which extend generally vertically. A negative pressure is developed adjacent to these louvers and a generally laminar flow of air passes upwardly through the louvers and enhances the laminar flow through the conveyor in the region where topping occurs.

Abstract: An automated ginseng root harvester having a feeder conveyor, an air flow for separating ginseng roots from various heavier and lighter objects, a pair of lateral separation conveyors, an inclined conveyor extending in the direction of the air flow and a plurality of further conveyors for inspection and collection of the ginseng roots. The implement of the present invention dramatically reduces the manual labor involved in ginseng root harvest and insures substantially complete collection of all roots in a single harvest operation.

Abstract: The specification discloses an apparatus for harvesting vegetables such as onions, including a topping plenum and a root cutting bed. Onions are removed from the ground by a self-adjusting digger conveyor which conveys them to an elevator conveyor. The elevator conveyor rises steeply over the large diameter, wide tires which convey the apparatus through the field. From thence the onions are conveyed beneath a vacuum plenum through a first air flow zone which is baffled so that the air flow is just sufficient to raise the tops of the onions off the conveyor and then through a second air flow zone where the onions are actually lifted off the conveyor and into registry with a registering and cutting means which cuts the tops off the onions. From thence they drop onto a root cutting bed which removes the roots of the onions and conveys them to a bulk loading conveyor. Dirt and offal drawn into the vacuum fan are conveyed out of the vacuum fan housing by a continuous conveyor system.

Abstract: A method for cleaning root crops in the field includes steps to harvest the roots and crushing the roots vegetable waste matter whereby the sap from the waste matter is used as part of cleaning agent. The cleaning process involves soaking the roots in the cleaning agent, spraying them with continuous pressure jets, dispensing the liquid cleaning agent and drying them by jets dispensing air.

Abstract: A fan housing comprising two side plates and a scroll, angle elongated scraper members secured transversely between the side plates, the scroll resting on the scraper members and being slideably mounted on the side plates, and a reciprocating actuator secured to the scroll such that upon operation of the actuator, the scroll is oscillated across the scraper members so dislodging deposit from the inside of the scroll.

Abstract: A fan housing through which mire is drawn includes a plurality of rods connected around and inside the periphery of the housing and a belting placed thereover, ends of the belting extending through a side opening in the housing and connected to a rocker arm or other oscillating means, thereby flexing the belting and scraping the belting against the rods to prevent mire build up and to remove existing mire without having to shut down fan operation.

Abstract: An improved blade assembly for moving beneath the surface of the ground to engage and lift a subsurface root crop upwardly and rearwardly when moved along a forward path by a harvesting implement. The assembly includes an elongated blade that is held transverse to the forward direction of harvester travel. The blade is mounted to a framework for oscillational movement about a first horizontal axis and a second axis perpendicular to the horizontal axis. A power source operates the blade to oscillate about these axes in continuous cycles. Each cycle of blade movement includes a forward and downward stroke and an upward and rearward stroke. This movement occurs rearward of and below the horizontal pivot axis for the blade.