This invention concerns a unit for harvesting and processing cabbage plants, for instance red cabbage and cabbage.

So far, nobody has pointed to machines which will, in a con- tinuous working procedure, harvest cabbage plants and at the same time remove stalks and loose leaves so that the cabbages may directly be sold for consumption without manual handling of the harvesting.

From the description for a Dutch publication No. 6.918.378,

we do actually know of a unit for harvesting cabbage plant this unit consisting of a lifter part, a transport part, a a topper part. However, this unit shows so many disadvanta that it cannot be used for the harvesting of cabbage plant intended for consumption. This is primarily due to the fac that the lifter part consists of quickly rotating dishes which will inevitably damage the cabbage plants, and secon ly that the topping device has not been designed to provid accurate and careful cutting of the rootstocks as the cabb plants, depending on how the conveyor belts grasp the plan will be cut rather at random, i.e. for instance at the mid of the rootstock or somewhat higherup the actual' cabbage Cabbage plants harvested by this unit may thus only be use for further industrial processing, i.e. for canned food or for deep frozen goods, and not for consumption.

The pupose of the invention is"that of showing a unit not showing any such disadvantages. This purpose is being met by using a unit consisting of two cone-shaped catching de- vices, fastened rotating in front on the unit and essentia ly horizontally and beside each other lying with the cone ends facing forward in the motion direction of the unit, a couple of equally long, endless conveyor belts arranged im mediately behind the catching devices for the conveyance o the cabbage plants inclined upwards and to the rear, the catching surfaces facing each other lying at a vertical level, and an actually known topping device arranged as an immediate extension of the conveying belts, which topping device consists of rods running mainly parallel with the motion course, these rods having been designed to move so that each individual point on the longitudinal part of a rod will describe an elliptic orbit forming an angle with the longitudinal direction. By using known topping devices in connection with the above conveyor belts, it turned out rather surprisingly that you may, without damaging the plants, separate the cabbage stalks from the heads whilst the same time removing the loose leaves. ✓"S V /,.

The unit may according to claim 2, be characteristic in that the cone-shaped catching devices have been provided with helical-line-shaped bulbs and designed to rotate each in its own direction, the surfaces facing each other moving upwards, and the helica-line-shaped bulbs screwing, during this movement, backwards in the movement direction of the unit. Thus, you may prevent the stalks from break¬ ing and the cabbages from being wasted if the machine should run a little wide of the cabbages either on account of wrong steering or unequal cabbage rows. The catch devices will in a fairly delicate manner bend the cabbages in towards the lifter central axis and at the same time arlign or raise cabbage plants slanting a little or having been overturned.

The unit may according to claim 3 be characteristic in that the helical-line-shaped bulbs of the cone-shaped catch devices will stretch mainly half a turn backwards over the rear edge of the cone-shaped catching devices, and in that the height of the bulbs, in the radial direc¬ tion, will increase towards the rear end of the cone- shaped catching devices. This design of the bulbs is particularly expedient.

According to claim 4 the unit may be characteristic in that the cone-shaped catching devices have been placed in such a manner immediately in front of the two wheels upon which the conveyor belts run that the helical-line- shaped bulbs protruding backwards will move round these wheels and thus in the area between the wheels where the conveyor belts approach each other. In this manner you will ensure that the cabbage plants will in a safe manner be transferred from the catching devices to the unit transport part, the bulbs pointing in the triangle-shaped hole between the catching devices and the front wheels of the conveyor belts.

•< ZAlF O PI

The unit may according to claim 5 be characteristic in that the two cone-shaped catching devices have been de¬ signed to be moved at a number of revolutions enabling the cabbage plants being drawn, by contact with the cat ing devices, a trifle to the rear in relation to the place of growth. Thus, you will achieve that the cabbag plants will, immediately by contact with the catch devi be drawn away from the preceding cabbage plant and thus allow for safety against accumulation of cabbage plants in the catch devices.

According to claim 6 the unit may be characteristic in that the distance and/or the angle between the two catc ing devices is adjustable. Thus, the unit may be design for various different vegetable species.

The unit may according to claim 7 be characteristic in that the two cone-shaped catching devices are run by a hydraulic engine each, it being adjustable for the part cular number of revolutions required, and preferably a hydraulic engine. This driving mechanism is the most expedient.

According to claim 8 the unit may be characteristic in that the topping device does, in an actually known way, consist of two sets of symmetrically placed and working rods. Thus, a slightly rocking movement of the individu cabbage plant through the device is attained, and this will contribute towards the device catching the loose leaves in an easier manner.

The unit may according to claim 9 be characteristic in that the longitudinal rods of the topping device at the rearmost part have been sharpened so as to appear as ho zontal knives. Thus, the rootstocks will in a simple wa be cut off close to the heads at the device- rear _. end.

The unit may according to claim 10 be characteristic in that the longitudinal rods of the topping device have been shielded at least upwards. Thus, you will prevent the actual cabbage heads from being damaged by the knives in the topping device.

The unit may according to claim 11 be characteristic in that the topping mechanism has been provided with a dis¬ charge device for the cabbage plants, placed above the rear end of the longitudinal rods. Thus, the cabbage heads are in a simple manner led away from the topping device before the heads reach the rearmost star heads of the topping device.

Finally, the unit may according to claim 12 be characteri¬ stic in that the discharge device is constituted by a roller upholstered with foam rubber which at the front end has been embedded pivotably around an axis at right angles to the level established by the topping device, and which is spring-loaded and protrudes in over the longitudinal rods of the topping device. This discharge device mode of design is particularly expedient since it does in a very delicate way lead the cabbage heads from the topping device.

The invention is further explained with reference to the drawing where

Fig. 1 shows the lifter part and a preferred topping device roughly outlined, viewed from the side,

Fig. 2 the same viewed from above,

Fig. 3 section viewed from above of a set of endless conveyor belts.

OMPI WIPO

Fig. 4 a section along the line IV-IV in Fig. 3 in a mode of design using two sets of endless conveyors,

Fig. 5 a section along the line V-V in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 a section along the line IV-IV in Fig. 3 with a cabbage plant retained between two sets of endless belts.

The design of the unit will appear from the simplified drawings in Figs. 1 and 2. The unit has been built up ov a frame equipped with wheels and traction devices for a tractor not shown in order that the unit may be moved in its longitudinal direction. A catching device consisting of two cone-shaped mechanisms 1 and 2 have been mounted in such a way that they are mainly directed horizontally with the cone ends facing forwards in the motion directi and so that these cone ends have been directed a little away from each other. On the cone-shaped mechanisms 1 an 2, helical-line-shaped bulbs 3 and 4 have been arranged. Mechanisms 1 and 2 have been embedded in such a way that they rotate around their axes. Mechanisms 1 and 2 have been connected to a driving source, for instance a tract power discharge (not shown) which may cause them to rota so that the sides of mechanisms 1 and 2 facing each othe will move upwards whilst at the same time the helical-li shaped bulbs 3 and 4 will screw to the rear in the motio direction of the unit. The height of the bulbs 3 and 4, viewed in the radial direction, will increase towards th rear end of the cone-shaped mechanisms 1 and 2 and will continue half a turn to the rear around these mechanisms

Behind the cone-shaped mechanisms 1 and 2, one or more s of endless conveyor belts stretch to the rear in longitu dinal direction of the lifter part. In Fig. 1, only one of conveyor belts has been shown, for reasons of .clarifi

tion, whereas in a preferred mode of design two sets of conveyor belts are being used, vide Figs. 3-6. Conveyor belts 5 and 6 have been designed to catch the rootstocks of the cabbage plants and have been mounted on wheels or rollers, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Two of these wheels have been connected to a driving source, for instance a tractor power discharge (not shown) so that conveyor belts 5 and 6 may be made to rotate. Other wheels, for instance 9 and 12, may be displaced vertically and thus function as chain tighteners. The conveyor belts are also supported by several minor steering rollers, vide Fig. 3. Along with the conveyor belts 5 and 6, two supporting rails 13 and 14 have been mounted.

On the rear part of the unit, there is a topping mechanism of the type known for instance from the discription for US patent No. 1 942 011. This mechanism consists of two sets of rods 15 and 16, embedded in star heads 17, 18, 19 and 20. These star heads 17, 18, 19 and 20 are em¬ bedded at the frame (not shown) in such a way that they may by using a driving source (not shown) be brought to rotate in pairs synchronously. Rods 15 and 16 have been designed so that they will, when star heads 17, 18, 19 and 20 are rotated, describe an elliptic orbit forming an angle with the longitudinal direction of the unit. The two rearmost star heads 19 and 20 have been placed so close to each other that the rearmost parts of rods 15 and 16 are in mesh with each other. The rod parts thus in mesh with each other may be designed as knives the edges of which face each other.

Above the topping device, shields 34 and 35 have been placed, shown by the dot-and-dash lines, lying quite closely down over knives 15 and 16, at least at the rear¬ most part.

A pivotable, spring-loaded, and revolving discharge device

_O

21 in the shape of a .roller covered with foam rubber ha been mounted at one side of the topping device so that discharge device 21 will stretch in over the. knives at suitable angle and at a suitable distance in front of t rearmost star heads 19 and 20.

In Fig. 3, a section of the conveyor system in the lift part viewed from above has been shown. Conveyor belts 5 and 6 are steered by steering rollers 22 and 23 placed diagonally opposite each other. Thus, the elasticity of the conveyor belts 5 and 6 is utilized so that a rootst ^r may pass the steering rollers 22 and 23. Figs. 4, 5 and show how two sets of conveyor belts 5, 6 and 24, 25, wi the appurtenant steering rollers 22, 23 and 26, 27 have been placed in relation to each other. By placing the conveyor belts beside each other in this manner, you wi get a large catch surface whilst retaining the flexibil of the conveyor system.

The unit mode of operation will appear from Figs. 1, 2 6 showing several cabbage plants at various spots in th unit so that the processing of the individual cabbage plants is clarified. The cabbage plant 28 is in the act catching device which will lead it forward to the conve belts 5 and 6. The cabbage plant 29 will be retained at the root 30 which has just been pulled off the earth by the simultaneous movement of the unit forwards and by t movement to the rear of the conveyor belts 5 and 6 in relation to the unit. Thus, the cabbage plants are press up from the earth in a mainly vertical movement. The .. plant 31 is in the transit area between conveyor belts 5 and 6 in the lifter part and the rods 15 and 16 in the topping device. On account of the elliptic motion of ro 15 and 16, the cabbage plants are pushed to the rear an at the same time downward until the actual cabbage heads push against the rods after which the rootstock is cut

off. The cabbage head 32 is shown in a situation where it has just been cut off the rootstock 33. By using the dis¬ charge device 21, the cabbage heads are led away from the rods after which they will drop into a transport box or on to a conveyor belt (not shown) which will transport them further to a transport box or the like. The root- stocks will drop to the earth or down into another trans¬ port box. Rods 15 and 16 of the topping device may advantageously be made of flat bars for instance 40 x 10 mm sharpened at the rear so as to create an edge whereas the front part of the flat bars will retain the rectangular shape.

The discharge device is, as mentioned above, pivotable around a vertical axis, and it has been spring-loaded against the position shown by a steering knuckle arm 39, a spring 40, and an impact 41, illustrated by a diagram on the drawing.