Abstract: A harvester for ground surface crops is an array of bars connected to cross-members, each bar having an obtuse-angulation toward the front end of the bar. The arrays describe surfaces which may be curved or substantially planar on either side of the obtuse angle. The bars are spaced closely enough to be smaller than the size of the parts of the plants of the ground surface crop to be harvested, and spaced far enough apart to permit weeds and other debris to drop between the bars to the ground. The harvester apparatus is used by moving it forward, front end first, along the ground sufficiently into the soil surface to slip underneath the crop-parts to be gathered. As the front parts of the bars slips underneath the crop-part to be gathered, the crop-part is lifted from the soil by the forward motion of the harvester and ramped upward and rearward along the incline of the bars, and is thereby detached from the soil surface.

Abstract: A crop harvesting combine having a body with a feeder house at its front end. The feeder house carries a detachable header which may be wider than the body and can thus be detached when moving the combine. The feeder house is vertically moveable in an arcuate path from a header ground contacting position to an elevated position. A first thrashing cylinder is in the header and a second thrashing cylinder is at the front of the combine body. The arcuate path of the feeder house has its center approximately at the rotational axis of the second thrashing cylinder so the distance between the axes of the first and second cylinders remains approximately constant as the feeder house is moved vertically. Downstream of the thrashing cylinder are a plurality of separation cylinders, at least some of which have concaves thereunder for reorienting elongate trash before being discharged.

Abstract: A harvester for root vegetables has a body, a pair of crawlers for supporting and moving the body, and an engine for driving the crawlers. A picker/conveyer device is longitudinally provided on the body and downwardly inclined for picking up root vegetables, and a stalk cutter device is provided under the picker/conveyer device at a rear portion thereof for cutting off a stalk from a root.

Abstract: A multi-crop harvester/windrower farm implement may be pushed before a tractor or harvester, to harvest and/or windrow a crop. The implement includes a frame having a plurality of horizontal arms at ground level, which support and position a crop dissociating structure to uproot or sever the stalks of the crop. The implement may include a crop reel to move the uprooted or severed crop to a draper belt, which deposits the crop in a windrow outward of the tractor wheels. In one embodiment, the crop dissociating structure includes interchangeable rod weeder and sickle attachments, allowing a user to choose between uprooting the crop, or severing the stalks of the crop. A plurality of adjustment structure may be included to adjust the altitude of the crop dissociating structure with respect to the crop, facilitating use of the implement on multiple crops. The rod weeder, crop reel, sickle, and draper belt may be driven to rotate by hydraulic motors attached to the PTO system of the tractor or harvester.

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 machine for harvesting sugar-beets growing in rows in the soil is provided with a unit for loosening and lifting the sugar-beets, a cleaning unit for cleaning the sugar-beets from soil and stones, and an elevator for transferring the sugar-beets from the cleaning unit to an unloading conveyor positioned at a higher level than said cleaning unit and serving to unload the sugar-beets. The cleaning unit has a number of cleaning rolls having a core on which cleaning pins made of rubber or like material and projecting on either side are mounted, said cleaning pins having a flexural strength such that they do not damage the sides of the root-crops. Furthermore, the cleaning pins are so mounted on the associated cleaning roll that they are equally flexible in all directions. The cleaning unit also has an endless holding-down mat travelling around guide pulleys, the lower part of said holding-down mat exerting a load on the sugar-beets against the cleaning pins.

Abstract: A harvesting device for separating round root crops, such as potatoes, from soil and other unwanted material. The crop and the soil in which it is growing is uplifted into the harvesting device by the forward movement of the device. The uplifted material is delivered into two conveyors, one positioned above the other and one running at a different speed from the other. The upper conveyor has a series of transverse members, such as fingers and flaps, which break up the uplifted material into discrete portions and these transverse members form with the lower conveyor a series of pockets so that each discrete portion of uplifted material lies in a pocket. The conveyors are inclined and this combined with the differential speed causes the material to be tumbled and the round root crops to roll free of unwanted material.

Abstract: An improved direct-loading crop harvester is disclosed as having a single rotating disc which supports the front end of a pickup conveyor which is pivotally attached to the main frame of the harvester. The disc is provided with a plurality of broad teeth along its periphery and is caused to rotate in a manner which severs the crops at a point near ground level as the harvester proceeds in a forward direction. In this manner, the single cutting disc provides the sole means of support for the front end of the pickup conveyor, and the cross-sectional shape of the cutting disc determines the height above the ground at which the vines are severed. This invention is particularly useful in harvesting crops from planting ridges which are covered with plastic.

Abstract: An improved trash separation mechanism at the rear cross-conveyor assembly of a tomato harvester. A frame of the harvester supports a centrally located fruit collecting conveyor for delivering fruit rearwardly to the rear cross-conveyor assembly. A blower directs a strong rearward airstream from adjacently below the rear end of the collecting conveyor across the rear cross-conveyor assembly. A rearwardly rotating roller is mounted adjacently behind the cross-conveyor assembly and moves vegetative and mineral trash away from the cross-conveyor. A slide plate behind the roller may deflect the trash to the ground. A series of resilient fingers depending downwardly from above the roller move in circular vertical patterns to agitate the trash as it collects at the roller to prevent accumulation of the trash upon the roller and to enhance rearward movement thereof upon the roller and deposit of the trash on the ground.