Harvesting device

In abstract a preferred embodiment of this invention is a tobacco harvester having staggered cropper seats with only one seat on each side being outboard of the confines of the device. An inclined central conveyor, in combination with a lateral conveyor for each of the outboard cropper seats, conveys and lifts the tobacco from its priming location for deposit in a bulk curing box carried on a separate detachable trailer. An extension tongue for the trailer and/or an extension conveyor can be provided to allow two or more bulk boxes to be filled on the same trailer prior to replacement of the same.

FIELD OF INVENTION 
This invention relates to agricultural devices and more particularly to 
tobacco type harvesters. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
When tobacco was first commercially raised, labor was relatively 
inexpensive and the harvesting or priming of the leaves was accomplished 
by hand, placing the same usually in a sled type conveyor for transport 
back to the curing barn. 
As labor became harder to get and more expensive, various types of riding 
harvesters with various types of conveyor means from the primer or cropper 
station to a central location were developed. These devices have been 
directly mounted on tractors, have been towed behind tractors, and have 
been self-propelled. They have included stations for tying the tobacco on 
sticks, stations for placing the tobacco in bulk curing racks and more 
recently provided a means for placing the tobacco in bulk curing boxes. 
Also in recent years, automatic tobacco primers or harvesters have been 
developed but these are extremely expensive and can only be economically 
justified where large farming operations are involved. 
Each of the prior art tobacco harvesters have had their advantages and 
disadvantages. Some have problems with the conveyor mechanisms crushing 
the tobacco while others require extra personnel in the handling of the 
tobacco at a central deposit location. Still others have been mechanically 
so complex that the average farmer is unable to repair and maintain the 
same in proper operating condition. 
SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
After much research and study into the above-mentioned problems, the 
present invention has been developed to provide a relatively simple, 
improved tobacco harvester for the farmer who cannot economically justify 
an automatic primer and yet has need to cut labor cost to an absolute 
minimum. The present invention includes a centrally disposed, inclined 
longitudinal conveyor directly onto which two front inboard croppers 
deposit primed tobacco with a single set of outboard croppers having 
lateral conveyors for depositing their primed tobacco on said central 
conveyor. All lifting and handling of the tobacco is done through this 
system of conveyors and no lifting or other handling of the same is 
necessary until the loaded trailer is disconnected from the harvester and 
transported to the curing barn or enclosure. 
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide 
an improved tobacco type harvesting device with stations for a pair of 
inboard croppers and a pair of outboard croppers. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a riding type 
harvester with two lateral product conveyors and a single longitudinal 
product conveyor. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tobacco harvester 
wherein all lifting and handling of the primed crop is automatically 
accomplished through a simple system of inner related conveyors. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a riding type tobacco 
harvester pulled by a tractor wherein greater than 90 degree articulated 
turns can be accomplished. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tobacco type 
harvester wherein a plurality of bulk type curing boxes can be mounted on 
a towed trailer and directly filled from the harvester. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a simplified and yet 
highly efficient means for harvesting leaf type crops with a minimum 
number of laborers being required. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lateral conveyor 
means for tobacco type harvesters which will not crush the tobacco as it 
is being moved by such conveyors. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved idler 
system whereby an improved conveying means for leaf type crop harvesters 
is provided. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor height 
adjusting means for a harvester type device. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor extension 
means to allow additional crop receiving containers to be filled before 
having to replace the same. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved crop 
receiving trailer wherein the height of the tongue connection can be 
adjusted. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a crop receiving 
trailer with a longitudinal adjustable connector means to the harvester 
whereby a plurality of crop receiving containers can be filled. 
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent 
and obvious from a study of the following description and the accompanying 
drawings which are merely illustrative of such invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
With further reference to the drawings, the improved harvester of the 
present invention, indicated generally at 10, is towed by a vehicle such 
as the tractor indicated generally at 11 and has connected to the rear 
portion thereof a trailer indicated generally at 12. 
The tractor 11 includes a standard draw bar 13 which terminates in an 
opening 14 through which draw pin 15 is adapted to pass. A standard power 
take-off (pto) 16 is included on tractor 11. 
A harvester drive assembly, indicated generally at 17, includes a sleeve 18 
which is adapted to slide over draw bar 13. An upright member 19 is 
fixedly secured to sleeve 18 and includes a plurality of openings 20 which 
allow shaft support means 21 to be adjusted up or down depending on the 
height of the pto relative to the draw bar of the particular tractor being 
used. 
The shaft mounting means 21 rotatively mounts shaft 22 which has a 
universal joint 23 fixedly secured to one end and a pulley 24 fixedly 
secured to the other end. The universal joint 23 is, of course, adapted to 
be operatively connected to the pto 16 of the tractor 11. 
An idler pulley support arm 25 is pivotably mounted at one end to upright 
19 while rotatively carrying idler pulley 26 at its other end. An 
outwardly projecting tension arm 27 is fixedly secured to sleeve 18 with 
biasing spring 28 connected from the end of such arm to pivotable pulley 
support arm 25 thus providing proper drive tension for primary drive belt 
29. 
A hitch tongue 30 is adapted to secure, by means of pin 15, the harvester 
10 to tractor 11. A box beam 31 secured to tongue 30 forms the main frame 
of harvester 10. 
Secured by weldment or other suitable means to the lower portion of frame 
31 is cross member 32. To each end of cross member 32 is fixedly secured 
an intermediate upright support member 33. 
Immediately behind tongue 30 and fixedly secured to main frame 31 is 
forward upright support member 34. 
Fixedly secured to the rear portion of main frame 31 is a wheel support 
cross member 35 as seen particularly clear in FIG. 8. Wheels 38 are 
rotatively mounted on the ends of cross member 35 and the connection of 
such member to frame 31 is strengthened by means such as braces 36. 
Fixedly secured to cross member 35 on either side thereof are a plurality 
of upright rear support members 37. 
The forward, intermediate and rear upright support members 34, 33, and 37, 
respectively, all support the roof frame indicated generally at 30. 
Harvester roof or cover frames of this type are well known to those 
skilled in the art and further detailed description of the same is not 
deemed necessary. 
A plurality of generally U-shaped frame members 40 depend from roof frame 
39. Sliding T members 41 are mounted on each of the U-shaped members 40 
and have depending therefrom a somewhat U-shaped seat support frame 42. 
Seats 43 are provided on frame 42 in the usual manner and further detailed 
description of the same is not deemed necessary. 
Secured to each of the forward support members 34 is a forward inboard seat 
43. Outwardly and forwardly projecting from each of the seats 43 is a foot 
rest support 44 with a foot rest cross member 45 at the end thereof. Each 
foot rest support 44 is pivoted in the center thereof at 46 in such a 
manner that when tractor 11 turns sharply relative to harvester 10, either 
the foot rest can be folded back adjacent its respective seat 43 or when 
such foot rest comes into contact with the wheel 47 of the tractor, the 
same will automatically be flipped back thereof to the folded position. 
In the following description of the conveyor systems of the present 
invention, the pulleys illustrated on the drawings will be described 
relative to their operation. It is understood that each of these pulleys 
is appropriately mounted on the frame or other portions of the present 
invention which have hereinabove been described. For purposes of clarity, 
the details of the mounting of each of these pulleys will not be delved 
into since their mounting on the portions described is well within the 
ability of those skilled in the art. For these reasons the conveyor 
systems are shown schematically and will, of course, be described in 
detail relative to operation. 
A main harvester drive shaft 48 is provided which is rotatively mounted in 
the area of cover frame 39. A forward pulley 49 is fixedly secured to 
shaft 48 and has trained thereover drive belt 29 which is driven by pulley 
24. 
The opposite end of main harvester drive shaft 48 from pulley 49 has 
mounted thereon longitudinal conveyor drive pulley 50. A pair of idler 
pulleys 51 are provided adjacent conveyor drive pulley 50 and conveyor 
drive belt 52 is trained thereabout, over pulley 50 and around conveyor 
drive shaft pulley 53. This latter mentioned pulley is, of course, fixedly 
secured to conveyor drive shaft 54 over which belt like conveyor 55 is 
trained. The opposite end of conveyor 55 from drive shaft 54 is supported 
by idler shaft 56. Shafts 54 and 56 are both rotatively supported by 
elongated conveyor side members 57. The lower end of inclined or 
longitudinal conveyor 55 is mounted on main frame 31 by cross member 58 
which is pivotably secured to such frame. The rear or upper portion of 
conveyor side members 57 are adjustably supported on adjacent rear support 
members 37 by means such as brackets 59. 
Although not specifically shown, it is, of course, understood that conveyor 
55 can be carried either directly on shafts 54 and 56 or can be 
appropriately mounted on sprockets, pulleys or the like, all of which are 
considered conventional and well within the ability of those skilled in 
the art. 
Having now described in detail the operation of the inclined, longitudinal 
conveyor indicated generally at 60, the two lateral conveyors indicated 
generally at 61 and 62, which are also driven by main harvester drive 
shaft 48, will be described, FIGS. 1 and 4 being particularly referred to 
for this purpose. 
Chain drive sprockets 63 and 64 are fixedly secured to drive shaft 48 as 
can be seen in FIG. 1. Drive chains 65 and 66 are provided for driving 
engagement with sprockets 63 and 64, respectively. 
First, considering the left side lateral conveyors 61, drive chain 65 is 
trained over sprocket 63 and then around sprocket 67 (when the chain is 
considered as moving in the direction of its adjacent arrow in FIG. 4 and 
shaft 48 is rotating in the direction of the curved arrow adjacent 
thereto). Sprocket 67 is fixedly secured to one end of shaft 68. Chain 65 
is next trained about sprocket 69 which is fixedly mounted on one end of 
shaft 70. Said chain 65 is then trained about idler sprocket 71 and back 
over sprocket 63. 
As chain 65 is driven in the direction and manner hereinabove described, 
shafts 68 and 70 will be rotatively driven. Mounted on the end of shaft 70 
opposite sprocket 69 is conveyor drive pulley 72. This pulley is adapted 
to drive conveyor belt 73 upwardly and inwardly as indicated by the arrow 
adjacent thereto. Conveyor 73 is trained over idler pulleys 74, 75, and 76 
as indicated. 
Shaft 68, which is driven by the same chain drive as shaft 70, has fixedly 
secured to its end opposite sprocket 67 a drive pulley 77. Pulley 77 
drives leaf retainer belt 78 in the direction of the arrow adjacent 
thereto and around the first tension pulley 79 which is mounted on pivot 
arm 80 and is biased by spring 81 as shown particularly clear in FIGS. 5 
and 6. 
Retainer belt 78 is then trained about idler pulleys 82, 83 and 84 and back 
over drive pulley 77. 
It should be particularly pointed out that the upwardly and inwardly 
direction of travel of both conveyor 73 and retainer belt 78 is in the 
same direction in their adjacent travel areas and, of course, their speed 
of travel is synchronized since both are driven by the same drive chain 
65. 
Idler pulley 83 is rotatively mounted at one end of support arm 85 and such 
arm is pivoted at 86 and terminates in lever portion 87. A biasing spring 
88 is secured to the outer end of lever portion 87 and thus normally will 
maintain pulley 83 and its belt 78 juxtaposed to conveyor 73. When a 
product to be conveyed, such as primed tobacco 89, is fed between the 
conveyor and retainer belt 78, the same can move away from the conveyor an 
adequate amount to prevent crushing of the product and yet will maintain 
enough pressure to grip and thus convey the same. 
As the tobacco being conveyed between belt 78 and conveyor 73 moves over 
idler pulley 76, tension pulley 79 will allow pressure to be relieved as 
it moves against biasing spring 81 thus preventing crushing, bruising or 
other injury to the tobacco being moved toward the central or longitudinal 
conveyor 60. As the tobacco reaches the point immediately adjacent drive 
pulley 72, the same will be released from conveyor 73 and retainer 78 and 
will be deposited on longitudinal conveyor 60. Belt idler pulley 84 can be 
adjusted downwardly as indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6 to control the direction 
of the deposit as indicated by the arrows on such Figs. 
The parts and operation of the right lateral conveyor 62 are the same as 
that described for lateral conveyor 61 and the parts accordingly have been 
given corresponding numbers using the prime symbol. The only difference in 
the right and left conveyors is the training of drive chain 66 about drive 
sprocket 64. Since an inwardly direction from opposite sides must 
necessarily be driven in opposite directions, chain 66 is trained about 
drive sprocket 64 mounted on main shaft 48 and then reverses itself 
through the use of a pair of reversal sprockets 90 and 91 so that such 
chain's direction of travel is in the direction shown by the arrow 
adjacent thereto. Once the reverse motion in chain drive 66 has been 
accomplished, its operation and driving of conveyor 73' and retainer belt 
78' is the same with an upwardly and inwardly, normally juxtaposed, 
synchronized direction of travel for leaf deposit on longitudinal conveyor 
60. 
The main frame 31 of the present invention has been indicated as being a 
hollow box beam type member. Trailer draw bar 92 is adapted to telescope 
into frame 31 as shown clearly in FIG. 8. A retainer for releasably 
securing the draw bar 92 relative to frame 31 is shown in the form of a 
pin or set screw 93. This, of course, allows the trailer 12 to be towed at 
varying distances behind the harvester 10. The purpose of this telescoping 
draw bar will become more apparent from the following description of the 
operation of the present invention. 
A connector tongue 94 is provided on one side of trailer draw bar 92 and is 
adapted to be secured to the trailer tongue 96 by normal coupling means 
such as draw pin 97. 
Since the trailer draw bar 92 is releasably and removably mountable within 
frame 31, it can be reversed as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 8 thus 
allowing the height of the trailer tongue when connected to the trailer 
draw bar to be varied. This is important in allowing many different makes 
and types of trailers to be used in conjunction with the harvester 10. 
The trailer 12 is adapted to carry one or more (and preferably a plurality 
of) containers such as bulk type curing boxes 98. Boxes or containers of 
this type are well known to those skilled in the art and further 
description of the same is not deemed necessary. 
When the trailer 12 is pulled up as close as possible to the harvester 10 
with the trailer draw bar 92 fully telescoped, the rearmost bulk container 
or box 98 will be disposed below the end of longitudinal conveyor 60 and 
as the tobacco is conveyed upwardly and rearwardly along such conveyor, it 
will be deposited into such container. When this container is full, 
release 93 can be manipulated to allow draw bar 92 to slide out of frame 
31 a distance such that the front box 98 is below the end of conveyor 60. 
This box or container can then be filled and once the process is 
completed, the trailer can be disconnected for transport to the curing 
barn and another trailer connected in its place. 
Should an even greater amount of tobacco wish to be harvested prior to the 
trailer 95 becoming loaded and having to be replaced, a conveyor extension 
indicated generally at 99 can be provided. This extension is in the form 
of a pair of L-shaped arms 100 fixedly attached to conveyor support 101. 
The outer end of support 101 has a conveyor idler 102 rotatively mounted 
thereon. 
The extension conveyor 104 is driven by drive shaft 103 which in turn is 
rotated by belt 105 which is driven by pulley 106. This pulley fixedly 
secured to the end of conveyor drive shaft 54 opposite drive shaft pulley 
53. 
The end of arms 100 opposite conveyor supports 101 are pivoted at 107 to 
conveyor side member extensions 57'. As can be seen clearly in FIG. 3, the 
use of the conveyor extension 99 allows additional bulk containers 98 to 
be carried on trailer 95 during the harvesting process. The trailer draw 
bar 92 can be extended outwardly as hereinabove described until all boxes 
have been filled or the conveyor extension can simply be flipped up about 
pivot 107 to the position shown in dotted lines of FIG. 3 for loading of 
the more forward containers. 
FIG. 9 discloses details of the longitudinal conveyor 55. A plurality of 
finger or rod-like members 111 are loopingly interconnected to form a 
flexible tobacco supporting and conveying surface. A bearing block 112 is 
mounted on either side and to the lower portion of the front end of 
elongated side members 57 and are adapted to rotatively carry sprocket 
shaft 113. Sprocket 114 is fixedly or otherwise mounted on shaft 113, one 
of such sprockets being provided adjacent each of the conveyor side 
members 57. These sprockets are adapted to carry conveyor 55 in its open 
rod form. To prevent undesired sagging of the fingers 111 as the conveyor 
55 moves upwardly and rearwardly, an inwardly projecting flange 155 is 
provided on the lower portion of each of the side members 57. As can 
clearly be seen in FIG. 9, this last mentioned flange slidably mounts 
conveyor 55 and supports the same. 
In the priming of tobacco particularly the lug or lower leaves, dirt, grit 
and other foreign matter splashed by rain, or other causes, greatly reduce 
the value of these leaves in the marketplace. By conveying the leaves from 
the priming station to the bulk box 12 on an open conveyor, the dirt, grit 
and other foreign matter can be shaken either by the normal vibrations of 
the conveyor in operation or through the use of special vibrator means 
(not shown) to cleanse the tobacco for higher grading and thus a greater 
sales price at the market. 
To use the harvester 10 of the present invention, the same is connected to 
tractor 11 by pin 15. The trailer 12 is then connected behind harvester 10 
by pin 97 and an appropriate number of boxes or containers 98 are placed 
on such trailer. Once the field to be primed or harvested has been 
reached, rear seats 43 are adjusted by sliding T-member 41 on member 40 
until the desired lateral spacing is accomplished for the primer or 
cropper (not shown) to be disposed adjacent the row of tobacco to be 
primed. Tractor 11 then starts down the fifth or empty row and the forward 
or inboard primer riding on seat 43 will prime or harvest the tobacco on 
the first row of tobacco 108. As the leaves are removed from the stalk 
they are placed directly on conveyor 55. 
Since the pto 16 of the tractor is engaged and made rotationally 
operational as soon as the harvesting process begins, through the movement 
of belt 25, shaft 48 and belt 52, said conveyor 55 will be driven upwardly 
and rearwardly carrying the tobacco placed thereon with it. 
The second or outboard set of primers (not shown) riding on seats 43' will 
remove leaves from the second or outer row 109 and place such removed 
leaves between conveyor 73 and retainer 78 of the respective lateral 
conveyors 61 and 62. These conveyors are driven by shaft 48 and through 
the effect of drive chains 65 and 66, such conveyors and their associated 
retainers move in unison upwardly and then inwardly to a point over 
conveyor belt 55 of longitudinal conveyor 60. The tobacco thus is 
deposited on the upwardly and rearwardly moving conveyor and then is 
deposited, along with the tobacco deposited by the primers riding on seats 
43, into one of the bulk curing boxes or containers 98. 
Once the container under the rearmost portion of conveyor 60 is filled, the 
releasable trailer draw bar holding means 93 is released to increase the 
distance between trailer 12 and harvester 10 so that the next container 98 
to be filled can be disposed beneath such conveyor. This letting out of 
the telescoping trailer draw bar 92 is continued as each box is filled 
until all of the boxes on trailer 12 are full. The trailer is then 
disconnected from the harvester and can be carried to the curing barn and 
another trailer with empty boxes placed in towing position behind such 
harvester. 
If, of course, an extra long trailer 12 is used so that replacement of the 
same is not required as frequently, the conveyor extension 99 can be used 
and placed in the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3 thus allowing 
the tobacco, when it is deposited off the rear portion of conveyor 60, to 
continue to move rearwardly on conveyor 104 and to be deposited at the 
rearmost end thereof adjacent idler 102. Through coordination of the 
telescoping tongue 92 and extension conveyor 99, all of the multiplicity 
of boxes 98 on trailer 12 can be filled. 
A canvas or other type of cover 110 can be tied or otherwise secured to the 
roof frame structure 39 in the normal manner of such covers or awnings. 
From the above, it can be seen that the present invention has the advantage 
of providing a relatively simple and yet highly efficient tobacco 
harvester which requires only one pair of outboard seats to prime four 
rows of tobacco. This requires less strength in the harvester's super 
structure, prevents the device from being overly tipsy, and allows the 
inboard primers to place their tobacco directly onto a single conveyor 
which moves such tobacco directly into a curing container carried on a 
separate vehicle. This arrangement additionally has the advantage of 
requiring only two lateral conveyors although four primers are being used 
to crop the tobacco. An even further advantage of the present invention is 
that the mechanical drive and conveyor means are simple to maintain and 
can easily be repaired on the rare occasions that the same may be 
required. Finally any number of different types of trailers can be used in 
conjunction with the harvester of the present invention thus adding 
greater versatility to the same. 
The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specific ways 
than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and 
essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are, 
therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not 
restrictive and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency 
range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.