Crop lifting apparatus

Abstract: A crop lifting apparatus to be mounted on a harvesting machine comprises inner and outer tubular members (22, 18) of rectangular cross-section to prevent relative rotation. The inner member 22 is slidably mounted within the outer member 18 and is biassed to an outermost position. A crop lifting shoe 24 is pivotally mounted at the outer end of the support member 22 so that, in normal use, the shoe 24 can penetrate the crops to be lifted with a pointed end 28 facilitating penetration. An abutment within the outer support member 18 limits movement of the support member 22 out of the latter and prevents separation of the support members.

Description: This invention relates to apparatus for lifting crops off the ground for harvesting, and is particularly concerned with apparatus adapted to be mounted on a harvesting machine. Because of the way in which they grow close to the ground, some crops are more difficult to harvest than others, and also weather conditions can cause harvesting problems. Specification No. EP-A-0 126 683 discloses crop lifting apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved crop lifting apparatus relative to those presently forming the state of the art. Apparatus for lifting crops off the ground for harvesting, the apparatus comprising means for mounting same on a harvesting machine, lifting means located at one end of a first support member and arranged to be movable over the ground, a second support member fixed in position relative to the mounting means, and resilient means biassing said one end of the first support member away from the second support member, whereby the lifting means can be deflected upon engagement thereof with uneven ground or a ground obstruction, the first support member being slidably located within the second support member with the lifting means externally of the latter, characterised in that the respective profiles of the first and second support members are such as to constrain same against relative rotation, and means are located within the second support member for preventing separation of the first support member therefrom. Preferably the lifting means is movably mounted on said one end of the first support member, for example by way of a pivotal arrangement. Preferably also the second support member is of tubular form with rectangular cross-section, while the first support member is also of tubular form having a smaller rectangular cross-section than the second support member to enable slidable location therein. The second support member is preferably secured to the mounting means so that when the latter is positioned on a harvesting machine, the second support member, and thereby the first support member, has an inclined orientation relative to the ground. The biassing means may comprise a compression spring located within the second support member and extending between one end of the latter and the other end of the first support member. The separation preventing means may comprise a rod extending along part of the length of the second support means and providing an abutment, the first support means providing a closure plate at said other end thereof through which the rod is located, whereby engagement between the closure plate and the abutment prevents separation. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the single figure of the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of a crop lifting apparatus according to the invention. Referring to the drawing a crop lifting apparatus comprises a bar 10 having, towards one end, a conventional mounting arrangement for connecting the apparatus to a harvesting machine, the arrangement including a clamping bracket 12 and locking bolts 14. The arrangement provides for the bar 10 being located in use in a substantially horizontal orientation above the ground. At the other end, the bar 10 has an upturned part 16 forming an angle of greater than 90° with the remaining part of the bar 10. In an appropriate cut out of the part 16 there is welded thereto, one end of an elongate tubular outer support member 18, whereby the member 18 in use will extend generally above the bar 10 but at an angle relative thereto. A brace 20 extends between the bar 10 and the support member 18. An elongate inner support member 22 is provided to slidably locate within the support member 18 through the open end thereof connected to the part 16 of the bar 10. Within the support member 18 a biassing arrangement, for example in the form of a compression spring, extends between the end of the inner support member 22 and the other end of the outer support member 18, being retained at said other end internally of the member 18 by any suitable means. Also within the outer support member 18 there is provided a rod (not shown) extending from adjacent to the other end thereof partway along the length of the support member 18. The rod is releasably retained in the member 18 by a removable cross pin, and has an abutment on its inner end. Across the inner end of the support member 22 extends a closure plate having a central through aperture through which the rod, but not the abutment, can locate. To construct the assembly, the rod is located through the outer end of the support member 22 and through the apertured cover plate, before being retained at the other end of the member 18 with the abutment internally of the member 22. Thereby the inner end of the latter cannot move past the interior stop and the inner support member 22 is thus prevented from separating from the outer support member 18. The outer end face of the inner support member 22 is angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the latter. Crop lifting means in the form of a shoe 24 is pivotally mounted adjacent the outer end of the support member 22 on a pivot axis 26 and has a front pointed end 28, a planar central body part 30 and an upturned rear end part 32. In the normal use position as shown in the drawing, the body part 30 lies against the angled end face of the support member 22 so as to be substantially horizontal for movement across the ground. The pointed end 28 facilitates penetration of the shoe beneath the crops to be lifted. With the inner and outer support members 22, 18 being of rectangular, for example square, cross section, relative rotation is prevented without the use of any additional component and this facilitates manufacture. Further, the interior stop arrangement can be of very simple construction and again has significant advantages over other designs of stop arrangements already known. The pivotally mounted shoe also enhances the ability of the apparatus to follow ground variations, in addition to the movement of the inner support member into the outer support member against the biassing spring. Even more advantageously, the mounting of the shoe enables the removal thereof and easy replacement when the shoe becomes worn. It should be appreciated that the shoe is subject to wear by virtue of its contact with the ground. Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention.

Claims: Apparatus for lifting crops off the ground for harvesting, the apparatus comprising means (12,14) for mounting same on a harvesting machine, lifting means (24) located at one end of a first support member (22) and arranged to be movable over the ground, a second support member (18) fixed in position relative to the mounting means (12,14), and resilient means biassing said one end of the first support member (22) away from the second support member (18), whereby the lifting means (24) can be deflected upon engagement thereof with uneven ground or a ground obstruction, the first support member (22) being slidably located within the second support member (18) with the lifting means (24) externally of the latter, characterised in that the respective profiles of the first and second support members (22, 18) are such as to constrain same against relative rotation, and means are located within the second support member (18) for preventing separation of the first support member (22) therefrom. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised in that the lifting means (24) is movably mounted on said one end of the first support member (22). Apparatus according to Claim 2, characterised in that the lifting means (24) is movably mounted by way of a pivotal arrangement. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the second support member (18) is of tubular form with rectangular cross-section, while the first support member (22) is also of tubular form having a smaller rectangular cross-section than the second support member (18) to enable slidable location therein. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the second support member (18) is secured to the mounting means (12, 14) so that when the latter is positioned on a harvesting machine, the second support member (18), and thereby the first support member (22), has an inclined orientation relative to the ground. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the biassing means comprises a compression spring located within the second support member (18) and extending between one end of the latter and the other end of the first support member (22). Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the separation preventing means comprises a rod extending along part of the length of the second support means (18) and providing an abutment, the first support means (22) providing a closure plate at said other end thereof through which the rod is located, whereby engagement between the closure plate and the abutment prevents separation. Apparatus according to Claim 7, characterised in that the rod is releasably retained in the second support means (18). Apparatus according to Claim 8, characterised in that the rod is retained by a cross pin removably mounted on the second support means.

Inventors: ORTON-JOHNSON NEALE, ORTON-JOHNSON, NEALE
Applicants: ELLIS J C LTD, J.C. ELLIS LIMITED
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A01D65
IPC codes: A01D65