DEVICE FOR HARVESTING CABBAGE

Abstract: A device for harvesting cabbage and cabbage-like crops from a field, comprising means of transport, which are capable of transporting the cabbages from a starting point to an end point in the device, wherein said means of transport comprise first and second, substantially parallel translators, which are capable of supporting the cabbages on two supporting surfaces, and cutting means, which are capable of separating the cabbages from their stumps, wherein said cutting means are positioned so that the cabbages can be separated from their stumps whilst the cabbages are supported by said translators, with the cabbage stumps being positioned substantially with their roots in the field.

Description: DEVICE FOR HARVESTING CABBAGE The invention relates to a device for harvesting cabbage and cabbage-like crops from a field. Devices for harvesting cabbage, wherein the cabbage is mechanically harvested, are not used very much any more. Cabbages intended for being sold to clients as whole cabbages are often harvested by hand. The fact is that existing devices have this drawbac that they damage the cabbages to a greater or lesser extent upon harvesting, as a result of which the cabbages are no longer suitable for being sold to the consumer as whole cabbages, or they can only be sold at a lower price than the manually harvested cabbage. Another drawback is the fact that damaged cabbages are easily affected by moulding and the like during storage. In practice, only cabbage that is intended for further processing (so- called "industrial cabbage") is mechanically harvested, therefore . The object of the invention is to provide a more efficient device for harvesting cabbage, by means of which it is possible to harvest the cabbages while causing less damage to the crop, so that it is possible to offer attractive-looking whole cabbages to the consumer . In order to accomplish that objective, the device according to the invention comprises means of transport, which are capable of transporting the cabbages from a starting point to an end point in the device, wherein said means of transport comprise first and second, substantially parallel translators, which are capable of supporting the cabbages on two supporting surfaces, and cutting means, which are capable of separating the cabbages from their stumps, wherein said cutting means are positioned so that the cabbages can be separated from their stumps whilst the cabbages are supported by said translators, and so that the cabbage stumps can thereby be positioned mainly with their roots in the field while being separated from the cabbages. The term translator is understood to mean a means of transport which is capable of transporting an object substantially linearly. In a simple yet efficient embodiment, the translator may comprise an endless conveyor belt or rope, which is tensioned and driven by means of two pulleys or cylinders. Another, albeit possibly more expensive solution is, for example, to use roller conveyors or any other well-known manner of effecting translating movement. Preferably, said means of transport furthermore comprise a third translator, which is disposed substantially above and substantially parallel to the first two translators, wherein said third translator is fitted with supporting means extending away from said third translator, which supporting means are capable of supporting the cabbages, which have been separated from their stumps, on the rear side, seen in the direction of transport. Preferably, said supporting means are made of a flexible material, and said supporting means are spaced a uniform distance apart on said third translator, which distance is larger than or equal to the diameter of the cabbages to be harvested. Preferably, said cutting means are disposed near the starting point, for example at a distance of less than 1 m therefrom. It is advantageous to cut the cabbages off as shortly after the first contact with the device as possible, so that the cabbages can be discharged to a collecting container shortly afterwards. The cutting means preferably extend in transverse direction under the supporting portion of the translators, for example between the upper supporting portion of the conveyor belts or ropes and the lower, return portion thereof. Said cutting means preferably comprise a cutting blade which is capable of reciprocating movement, or a band saw comprising an endless, flexible saw blade, which is circulated. The reciprocating movement of the cutting blade can be brought about by an eccentric motor. In order to be able to harvest the cabbage in an optimum manner, the average vertical distance from the field to the means of transport and/or the cutting means is preferably adjustable. Also the spacing between the translators and/or between the cutting means is preferably adjustable for that purpose. Such adjustability is very advantageous if the device comprises sensors which are capable of measuring the average dimensions and/or the height of the cabbages and/or of the cabbage stumps, wherein said spacing can be adjusted automatically in dependence on the measured dimensions . The device preferably comprises a fourth translator, which is capable of transporting the cabbages, which have been separated from their stumps, mainly from the end point of the first and the second translator to a collecting container. The device preferably comprises driving means, for example a tractor, which are capable of driving the device across the field, wherein the movement of at least one of said translators is preferably coupled to the movement of the driving means. Moreover, the movements of the translators are coupled. As a result of this, the horizontal speed of movement of the supporting portion of the first and the second translator with respect to the field can be arranged to be at least substantially zero during movement of the device across the field, as a result of which less damage is caused to the cabbages during harvesting. In another embodiment, the speed of movement of the translators is adjustable, so that it is possible to set a speed that corresponds to the aforesaid "zero" speed, or a higher speed, thus increasing the speed at which the cabbages are discharged. The invention furthermore relates to a method for harvesting cabbage from a field, wherein cutting means separate the cabbages from their stumps, whilst first and second, substantially parallel translators support the cabbages on two supporting surfaces, with the cabbage stumps being positioned mainly with their roots in the field. The invention will now be explained in more detail by means of an embodiment thereof, which is shown in the figures . Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device for harvesting cabbage; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a detail of the device of Figure 1. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, a device for harvesting cabbage or cabbage-like crops comprises a tractor 1, on which a conveying and cutting device is mounted. Said conveying and cutting device can be vertically adjusted as a whole by means of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders 2, or by screwed spindles, which may be electrically driven. The conveying and cutting device comprises a frame 3, in which various moving parts are mounted for separating the cabbages 4 from their stumps 5, and subsequently transporting cabbages 4 to a collecting container (not shown) , which may be a waggon driving along with the tractor 1, or a container mounted on tractor 1. Narrow endless conveyor belts or ropes 6, 7 are tensioned on pulleys 8, 9, 10, 11 on frame 3. Ropes 6, 7 slope upwards in substantially parallel relationship from the front side to the rear side. Ropes 6, 7 are driven by pulleys 10, 11, in such a manner that the upper, supporting portion is moved from the front to the rear. The spacing between the pulleys 6, 7 is adjustable in dependence on the dimension of the cabbages to be harvested. Said spacing is adjusted so that cabbages can be supported on said ropes without falling through. In order to prevent ropes 6, 7 being forced apart by a cabbage 4 being supported thereon, guide rails 17, 18 are mounted along the supporting portion of ropes 6, 7. During harvesting, tractor 1 is driven across the field, whereby the front side of the conveying and cutting device is steered along rows of cabbages 4, in such a manner that a cabbage stump 5 moves between pulleys 8, 9 and ropes 6, 7 support the cabbage on two sides. Said steering can be done visually by the tractor driver, but the device may also be fitted with a sensor, which ensures that the device is correctly moved along the rows of cabbages . On the front side, the upper surfaces of the ropes 6, 7 extend slightly towards each other, due to the position of pulleys 8, 9, in order to guide the cabbages smoothly between the ropes, whilst said surfaces extend upwards on the rear side. Near the front side, under the supporting portion of the ropes 6, 7, a serrated cutting blade 12 is mounted in transverse direction in the frame by means of a pivoted parallelogram construction with a view to separating cabbages 4 from their stumps 5. The lower side of said parallelogram construction is made up of cutting blade 12, the upper side is made up of an extension spring 14, which keeps the cutting blade 12 tensioned. Parallelogram construction 13, which is pivot-mounted in two pivot points 15, is moved by an eccentric motor 16, which causes the cutting blade 12 to move reciprocatingly, thereby separating the cabbages 4 from their stumps 5. Stumps 5 remain behind in the field thereby. Preferably, the spacing between cutting blade 12 and ropes 6, 7 is adjustable, so that it will cut off the cabbages in an optimum manner. It is also possible to use other cutting means, such as a band saw, rather than cutting blade 12. Four pulleys are thereby mounted in the corners of the aforesaid parallelogram, for example, which is not pivot -mounted in that case, over which pulleys an endless band saw is circulated. To that end, one of said four pulleys is driven. Said pulleys need to have a sufficiently large diameter (40 cm, for example) to prevent the band saw breaking. The movement of ropes 6, 7 is mechanically coupled to the movement of tractor 1, in such a manner that while the device is moving, the relative horizontal speed of the supporting portion of the ropes 6, 7 with respect to the field across which the tractor 1 is being driven is practically 0 m/ε, that is, at least less than 10% of the speed of movement of the tractor 1. According to another possibility, however, the speed of the ropes 6, 7 can be adjusted by the user, so that the latter can set the speed as he thinks fit . Mounted above ropes 6, 7, parallel thereto, is a conveyor belt 19, which is fitted with flexible rubber fingers 20 arranged in rows thereon. The spacing between said rows of fingers 20 amounts to at least the diameter of the cabbages 4 to be harvested. The lower side of conveyor belt 19 moves at approximately the same speed as the upper side of ropes 6, 7. Fingers 20 support cabbages 4 on the rear side from the moment it is separated from its stump 5, and prevent cabbages 4 moving back towards the lower starting end of ropes 6, 7 under the influence of the force of cutting blade 12 and/or the force of gravity. Fingers 20 are sufficiently flexible to ensure that they will not damage the cabbages 4. The conveying and cutting device furthermore comprises a next conveyor belt 21, which transports the cabbages 4, once they have been transported to the rear side of the tractor by ropes 6, 7 and conveyor belt 19, further obliquely upwards to a collecting container, which is not shown in the figure. Nor does the figure show an optional device for removing the outer (unsightly and/or dirty) leaves from the cabbages before they are deposited into the collecting container, so that the cabbages are directly fit for sale.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A device for harvesting cabbage and cabbage- like crops from a field, comprising means of transport, which are capable of transporting the cabbages from a starting point to an end point in the device, wherein said means of transport comprise first and second, substantially parallel translators, which are capable of supporting the cabbages on two supporting surfaces, and cutting means, which are capable of separating the cabbages from their stumps, wherein said cutting means are positioned so that the cabbages can be separated from their stumps whilst the cabbages are supported by said translators, with the cabbage stumps being positioned substantially with their roots in the field. 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said means of transport furthermore comprise a third translator, which is disposed substantially above and substantially parallel to the first two translators, wherein said third translator is fitted with supporting means extending away from said third translator, which supporting means are capable of supporting the cabbages, which have been separated from their stumps, on the rear side, seen in the direction of transport . 3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said supporting means are made of a flexible material. 4. A device according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein said supporting means are spaced a uniform distance apart on said third translator, which distance is larger than or equal to the diameter of the cabbage to be harvested. 5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said translators comprise endless conveyor belts or ropes. 6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said cutting means are disposed near the starting point. 7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said cutting means extend in transverse direction under the supporting portion of said translators. 8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said cutting means comprise a cutting blade that is capable of reciprocating movement . 9. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said cutting means comprise a band saw. 10. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the average vertical distance from the field to the means of transport and/or the cutting means is preferably adjustable. 11. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacing between the translators and/or between the cutting means is adjustable. 12. A device according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the device comprises sensors which are capable of measuring the average dimensions and/or the height of the cabbages and/or of the cabbage stumps, and wherein said spacing can be adjusted automatically in dependence on the measured dimensions. 13. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said device comprises a fourth translator, which is capable of transporting the cabbages, which have been separated from their stumps, mainly from the end point of the first and the second translator to a collecting container. 14. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the movements of at least two of said translators are coupled. 15. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said device comprises driving means, which are capable of driving the device across the field. 16. A device according to claim 15, wherein the movement of at least one of said translators is coupled to the movement of said driving means. 17. A device according to claim 16, wherein the horizontal speed of movement of the supporting portion of the first and the second translator with respect to the field is at least substantially zero during movement of the device across the field. 18. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the speed of movement of the translators is adjustable. 19. A method for harvesting cabbage from a field, wherein cutting means separate the cabbages from their stumps, whilst first and second, substantially parallel translators support the cabbages on two supporting surfaces, with the cabbage stumps being positioned mainly with their roots in the field.

Inventors: GEERTZEMA ADOLF JAN TONNIS, GEERTZEMA, ADOLF, JAN, TONNIS
Applicants: GEERTZEMA ADOLF JAN TONNIS, GEERTZEMA, ADOLF, JAN, TONNIS
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A01D45
IPC codes: A01D45