Abstract: A mobile plastic mulch processing apparatus recovers plastic mulch by first cutting away any vegetation growing above the plastic mulch with a mower head which depends from the frame of the apparatus. The plastic mulch is caught up by a plastic mulch lifting apparatus which pulls the plastic mulch upward from the field and disposes the plastic mulch with a plastic mulch receiving bin. The apparatus may have additional systems which clean the top surface of the plastic mulch before lifting and for shredding the plastic mulch for disposal.

Abstract: Agricultural devices and methods of operating the same are provided. In one aspect, an agricultural device includes a frame including a hitch and a roller assembly coupled to the frame. The roller assembly includes an outer roller and an inner roller. The outer roller includes a pair of end plates and a plurality of spaced-apart engagement members extending between and coupled to the end plates. Each of the engagement members include an inner edge extending into the outer roller and the outer roller is rotatably coupled to the frame. The inner roller is positioned in the outer roller and includes a pair of end plates and an exterior surface extending between the end plates. The inner roller is rotatably coupled to the outer roller and the inner edges of the engagement members are adapted to be positioned proximate the exterior surface of the inner roller.

Abstract: A weeding device is configured in such a manner that a first comb body in which a plurality of comb blades are arranged side-by-side on a coupling rod in a comb shape, and a second comb body having the same configuration as that of the first comb body are stacked so as to form one comb blade unit, that both ends of a plurality of the comb blade units are fastened on the same circle of the rotating center of a pair of rotating plates so as to form a comb blade unit rotating body, that the coupling rod of the first comb body and/or the second comb body is pressed toward the longitudinal direction to project a projection piece to the outside of the rotating plates, that the projection piece is depressed by guide plates located on the outside of the rotating plates along with the rotation of the comb blade unit rotating body, and the comb blades are brought into contact with one another or come close to one another to sandwich the blades of grass that are growing therebetween, and that the sandwiched blades are p

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.

Abstract: An agricultural implement for automatically taking up plastic sheeting and drip tape onto cylindrical drums. In the preferred embodiment, the device is designed to be mounted onto the back of a tractor or the like by means of a three point hitch. The device includes a frame having a first take-up means for receiving the plastic sheeting, a drive means connected to a first cylindrical drum and powered by the tractor, and a by-pass valve located between the drive means and the tractor for controlling the speed of the first take-up means. The first take-up means includes a spiral roller for preventing the plastic sheeting from bunching up. The present invention also includes a second take-up means for receiving the drip tape onto a second cylindrical drum. The second take-up means is preferably powered off of the first drive means. A control means is located between the second take-up means and the drive means for controlling the speed at which the drip tape roll is rotated.

Abstract: A helical coil assembly, consisting of spaced coil turns mounted on a shaft at right angles to the coil, is rotated by any suitable power source. Any plant growth stalks in the path of this rotating coil enter and are caught in the channel between the spaced coil turns, spun centripetally, clumped together, grasped and pulled by the coil so that the plant growth, whether crops or undesirable weeds, undergrowth, etc. is removed by its roots. The helical coil assembly may also include a cutting blade rotating parallelly and adjacent to the helical coil, for severing the clumped plant stalks held under tension by the coil, thus moving or trimming the plant growth. Multiple coil assemblies, arranged in various groupings, are combined for a wide range of mowing, trimming, harvesting or removing purposes.

Abstract: A bottle and can picking apparatus includes a portable carrier frame, a rotatable member mounted on the carrier frame, a plurality of flexible loops attached to the rotatable member and extending radially therefrom for picking up the bottles, cans and other litter, a drive motor for driving the rotation of the rotatable member, and a waste receptacle for receiving and holding the litter picked up by the loops. As the carrier frame is moved over the ground and the rotatable member is rotated, the flexible loops come in sweeping contact with the ground, dislodging the litter and lifting it upwardly and rearwardly into the waste receptacle.

Abstract: A digger for root crops, such as peanuts, includes two or more digger units depended from a frame drafted by a tractor. Each digger unit includes a screw conveyor, a guide pair helically wrapped 180.degree. around the screw conveyor, and a hydraulic motor to rotate the screw conveyor. Stem and leaf portions of the plants extending above the bed surface are engaged within and moved rearward by flights of the rotating screw conveyor. The stems slide within the helical guide slot, which lifts the peanuts from the soil, moves them outboard of the conveyor, and inverts the plants above the conveyor. The conveyors are angled to the direction of draft so that the inverted plants are discharged from the slots in a windrow on the center furrow between the dug beds. A roller between the conveyors forms a mound or hill in the center furrow to elevate the windrow above standing water.