Patent ID: 6708474
Filing Date: 2004-03-23
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
A tobacco harvester for segregating a group of upper leaves from a group of lower leaves of tobacco plants as the leaves are harvested comprising:a frame adapted to be moved forwardly in rolling contact with the ground with a longitudinal passageway for the passage of tobacco plants therethrough; an upper pair of conveyor belts carried by said frame one each on opposite lateral sides of the passageway; a lower pair of conveyor belts carried by said frame one each on opposite lateral sides of the passageway, said lower pair of conveyor belts extending forwardly of said upper pair of conveyor belts; a first collection bin carried by said frame in position to receive tobacco leaves conveyed by said upper pair of conveyor belts; a second collection bin carried by said frame in position to receive tobacco leaves conveyed by said lower pair of conveyor belts; a defoliator for removing leaves from tobacco plants passing through the passageway in said frame progressively upwardly as the plants pass through the passageway in said frame, said defoliator being carried by said frame relative to said lower pair of conveyors so that leaves removed from the lower portion of the tobacco plant fall onto said lower pair of conveyors; and a pair of generally horizontal guide members carried one each on opposite lateral sides of the passageway in said frame for positioning the stalks of the tobacco plants relative to the defoliator as the stalks pass through the passageway, the upper surface of said guide members guiding leaves removed from the portion of the tobacco plants above said guide members onto said upper pair of conveyors, whereby the leaves removed from the lower portion of the tobacco plants are segregated from the leaves removed from the upper portion of the tobacco plants as the tobacco plants pass through the passageway in said frame and are defoliated by said defoliator.