Patent ID: 8956208
Filing Date: 2015-02-17
Classification: A01D,B07B

Abstract:
1. A system for removing plant material from harvested crops, the system comprising: a pinch roller conveyor including a plurality of rotatable pinch rollers whose longitudinal axes are substantially aligned with a length of the pinch roller conveyor, the plurality of rotatable pinch rollers being arranged in a row that extends across a width of the pinch roller conveyor, each pinch roller of the plurality of rotatable pinch rollers being in contact with an adjacent pinch roller in the row, the plurality of rotatable pinch rollers being grouped in pairs of pinch rollers across the row, each pair of pinch rollers forming a nip in which plant material can be caught and pulled down through the pinch roller conveyor as the pairs of pinch rollers rotate, where a first end of each pinch roller of the plurality of rotatable pinch rollers is supported by a transverse channel that allows unconstrained lateral displacement of the first end of each pinch roller in a transverse direction across the width of the pinch roller conveyor while constraining vertical displacement of the first end of each pinch roller in a direction perpendicular to the length and width of the pinch roller conveyor, the lateral displacement of the plurality of rotatable pinch rollers limited by end brackets positioned adjacent to the first ends of outermost pinch rollers located at opposite ends of the row of rotatable pinch rollers, and where the first ends of adjacent pinch rollers laterally separate from each other to facilitate passage of the plant material.