Abstract:
An intake and plucking arrangement comprises a rotatable intake device that grasps a standing plant and directs it to a plucking gap. The plucking gap is located above parallel first and second stalk rolls that pull the stalk of the plant downwardly so that the plucking gap can separate the useful parts of the plant from the stalk. The upstream end of the first stalk roll is provided with a lower screw conveyor. A conveyor element is drivingly connected to the screw conveyor. The conveying element comprises an upper screw conveyor that is located above the lower screw conveyor. Both screw conveyors are located upstream from and above the inlet end of the plucking slot. The conveying element working in conjunction with the rotatable intake device direct standing plants into the plucking slot.

Description:
This is a continuation of abandoned application Ser. No. 09/873,004, filed Jun. 1. 2001. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to an intake and plucking arrangement, having a rotating intake device and an additional conveying element driven by a first stalk roll for directing standing plants into a plucking slot. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   DE 197 34 747 A describes a corn harvesting implement for attachment to a self-propelled harvesting machine that mows plants standing on a field independent of rows and plucks the ears of corn from the plants. For grasping and mowing of the plants independent of rows, the implement is equipped with a mower head with a rotating drum provided on its outer circumference with recesses and a knife rotating below it, as is known practice from corn heads. The plants are conducted to conventional plucking assemblies attached downstream of the mower head. Clean-up disks or points of the plucking rolls penetrating into the operating area of the mower head are provided, in order to remove the plants that are to be processed from the mower head and to conduct them to the plucking assembly. The ears of corn that have been removed from the plants are transported away by two chain conveyors arranged above the plucking slot. The disadvantage here is seen in the fact that the transition of overripe and soft stalks into the plucking assembly may prove to be problematic. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention of making available an improved intake and plucking arrangement for a crop harvesting arrangement. 
   The present intake and plucking arrangement comprises a rotatable intake device that grasps parts of the standing plants and directs them into a plucking slot. The intake device is preferably provided with a relatively broad operating width; it thereby operates independent of rows. In addition to the intake device, a driven conveying element is arranged upstream and above the intake end of the plucking slot. The plants transported by the intake device to the intake end of the plucking slot come into contact with the conveying element, before they have reached the plucking slot. The conveying element conveys the plants, in conjunction with the intake device, into the plucking slot. Preferably the direction of conveying of the conveying element and the longitudinal direction of the plucking slot are parallel, so that the conveying element can introduce the plants into the plucking slot without any problems. 
   The conveying element facilitates the introduction of the plants into the plucking slot. This is especially important respecting plants having soft stalks as the conveying element provides additional support and conveying action to the plants. Due to the supporting effect of the conveying element, a buckling or squashing of the plants between the intake device and the edge of the plucking slot need not be feared. 
   The conveying element is preferably a screw conveyor that extends over a region (with respect to the direction of movement of the plants) upstream of the plucking slot and over at least a portion of the length of the plucking slot. It would be conceivable to let it extend over the entire length of the plucking slot in order to transport the plants along the length of the plucking slot, however, this is not absolutely necessary, since the transport of the plants over the length of the plucking slot can be performed by the intake device. For reasons of cost and weight, a relatively short screw conveyor is therefore preferred, that covers only the intake end of the plucking slot and a region (as seen in the direction of movement of the plant) ahead and behind it. In place of a screw conveyor, a chain conveyor with drivers of the type used on corn pickers, but shortened in comparison and offset opposite to the direction of movement of the plants (that is, upstream) could be applied to the grasping and introduction of the plants into the plucking slot. 
   An obvious solution is to arrange the conveying element on the side of the plucking slot that is opposite to the intake device. If the plants move outward relative to the intake device, they come into contact with the conveying element. Then the conveying element conducts them into the plucking slot. 
   To drive the conveying element, a gearbox can be used that makes a drive connection between a driven stalk roll of the plucking device and the conveying element. It is advantageous that the gearbox be arranged on the upstream side of the stalk roll and the conveying element. As a rule, this side is located in front in the forward direction of operation of the intake and plucking arrangement. 
   It would be conceivable to support the conveying element at both ends on a stationary element (directly or indirectly). As a rule, however, it is sufficient to support it at only one end and to support it in bearings. Here the concern is appropriately the end of the conveying element facing the gearbox. 
   In a preferred embodiment the conveying element is arranged above the intake device, in particular, directly above it. This leads to the result that the plants do not bend significantly between the conveying element and the intake device, which would make the introduction into the plucking slot more difficult. 
   In order to further improve the introduction of the plants into the plucking slot it is proposed that the plucking device be equipped with a stalk roll that is provided with a region arranged upstream in the direction of movement of the plants in which a screw conveyor is arranged, which also transports the plants that come into contact with it into the plucking slot. The conveying element is arranged above the screw conveyor. As a result, a plant is conducted into the plucking slot by the screw conveyor of the stalk roll, by the conveying element and by the intake device. Therefore the plant is supported at three points so that a buckling even of soft plants need not be feared. As a rule, the conveying speed of the conveying arrangement, of the screw conveyor and of the intake device coincide, so that the plant is conveyed in a vertical position and is not bent due to differing conveying speeds. 
   The screw conveyor in the upstream region of the plucking roll and the conveying element are preferably located directly above one another. At this location the plucking rolls begin to act upon the plants and to draw them in downward. 
   The intake device can also be utilized to transport the plants over the effective length of the plucking device, that is, that part of the length of the plucking device in which the plucking device processes the plant, that is, draws it in and separates the useful components from the remainder of the plant. 
   The intake device can rotate about an approximately vertical axis and be equipped with radially extending fingers that are used to grasp and transport parts of the plants, particularly stalks. 
   The fingers of the intake device are preferably provided with leading surfaces with rejecting conveying performance, that is, they have a trailing configuration. This conveying performance can be attained by a curvature of the fingers of the intake device that is trailing, opposite to the direction of rotation. Thereby this results in the stalks of the plants being forced outward by the intake device and prevents the stalk from being drawn inward aggressively and becoming clamped between the edge of the sheet metal stripper plate and the finger. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a top view of an intake and plucking arrangement of a crop harvesting arrangement. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the intake and plucking arrangement of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of the intake and plucking arrangement of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1  shows an intake and plucking arrangement  10  of a crop harvesting arrangement. Typically, a full crop harvesting arrangement is provided with a multitude of intake and plucking arrangements  10 . However, it is conceivable that a crop harvesting arrangement could be provided with only a single intake and plucking arrangement  10 . If several intake and plucking arrangements  10  are applied, they may be configured identically or symmetrically about the longitudinal center plane of the crop harvesting arrangement. 
   The intake and plucking arrangement  10  is provided with an upper intake device  12 , that is used for grasping and drawing in the plants that are to be harvested, a rotating chopper knife  14 , a first stalk roll  16 , a second stalk roll  18  and a sheet metal stripper plate  20  having a plucking slot  22  formed therein. Both stalk rolls  16  and  18  are located below the plucking slot  22 . 
   The upper intake device  12  is arranged so as to rotate about a vertical axis and is rotated by a drive, not shown. The upper intake device is driven in a clockwise direction when viewing FIG  1 . The intake device  12  is arranged above the sheet metal stripper plate  20  and has an axis of rotation that is inclined slightly to the front. Line B in  FIG. 1  corresponds to the surface of the ground. In its basic configuration the intake device  12  comprises a central disk  24  with radially extending fingers  26  distributed around its circumference. The fingers  26  are also curved in the plane of the disk  24  opposite to the direction of rotation, in a trailing configuration. Therefore the fingers  26  have a rejecting conveying performance. Alternatively or in addition to the curvature of the fingers  26 , a controlled, radial or azimuth-like movement of the fingers  26  relative to the disk  24  would be possible, as is known from harvesting reels or screw conveyors of mower heads, and can be attained by an eccentric drive, in order to attain a rejecting conveying performance. 
   As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the intake and plucking arrangement  10  is further provided with stalk dividers  28  and  30  that are arranged ahead of the intake devices  12  and  16  in the direction of forward movement V of the crop harvesting arrangement. Intake devices  12  of the intake and plucking arrangement  10  direct or bend the stalks of plants  32  into the intake  23  of the plucking slot  22  as the crop harvesting arrangement moves in the forward direction V across a field. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the leading edge of the sheet metal stripper plate  20  in the forward operating direction is curved in such a way that the stalks of the plants  32  are directed into the operating region of the intake device  12 . The operating region of the intake device  12  is so large that the intake and plucking arrangement  10  interacting with the curved leading edge of the sheet metal stripper plate  20 , and/or the stalk dividers  28  and  30 , allows the intake and plucking arrangement  10  to operate independently of rows. Hence the operating width of the intake and plucking arrangement corresponds to the sideways distance between the points of the stalk dividers  28  and  30 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , the stalk of a standing plant  32  comes into contact with a finger  26  of the intake device  12  (independent of its sideways position). The stalk of the standing plant  32  is directed by the finger  26  towards the plucking slot  22 . If necessary the finger  26  is assisted by the stalk dividers  28  and  30  and/or the leading edge of the sheet metal stripper plate  20 . The stalk is carried along by the leading surface of the finger  26  and is forced outwardly because of the trailing configuration of the finger  26 . In this way the stalk of the plant  32  is directed by the finger  26  into the plucking slot  22 . The plucking slot  22  extends approximately parallel to the forward operating direction V and is formed into the sheet metal stripper plate  20  between the first plucking roll  16  and the intake device  12 . 
   The first stalk roll  16  is arranged on the side of the plucking slot  22  away from the intake device  12  and is inclined slightly to the front and downward when viewed from the side. The first stalk roll  16  is oriented parallel to the forward direction of operation V when viewed from the top. In the vertical direction the first stalk roll  16  is arranged underneath the sheet metal stripper plate  20 . In the forward region of the first stalk roll  16 , located upstream relative to the direction of movement of the plants  32 , a screw conveyor  34  is located that draws in the stalk of the plant  32  into the plucking slot  22 , interacting with the intake device  12 . The inlet end  23  of the plucking slot  22  is located ahead of the axis of rotation of the intake device  12 . The plucking gap  22  initially narrows and then has takes on a constant gap over the length of the plucking slot  22 . The rearmost end region of the plucking slot  22  is curved in the direction towards the axis of rotation for the intake device  12 . 
   When the plant  32  enters the plucking slot  22 , the fingers  26  form an acute angle with the edge of the plucking gap  22  (that is shown at the bottom in  FIG. 1 ). By reason of this acute angle between the edge of the plucking gap  22  and the fingers  26 , the stalk of the plant  32  can be squashed, particularly if the stalks of the corn plants are strongly overripe and therefore soft. In this case, the plant  32  is not transported further and the intake and plucking arrangement  10  becomes jammed. 
   To solve this problem a conveying element  52  in the form of a screw conveyor is arranged above the inlet end  23  of the plucking slot  22  and above the intake device  12 . The longitudinal direction and the direction of conveying of the conveying element  52  extends parallel to the first stalk roll  16 . The conveying element  52  has approximately one-third the length of the first stalk roll  16  and is brought into rotation by a gearbox  54  which establishes a drive connection with the forward end face of the first stalk roll  16 . Hence the first stalk roll  16  transmits the driving torque from the shaft  46  to the conveying element  52 . The housing of the gearbox  54  is fastened to the sheet metal stripper plate  20 . The conveying element  52  is supported in bearings only on its forward end face, as seen in the forward operating direction V, on the gearbox  54 , but it is not supported or provided with bearings on its rear end face. 
   The stalk of a plant  32  grasped by the finger  26  of the intake device  12  is pressed against the conveying element  52 . The conveying speed of the conveying element  52  conforms to the conveying speed of the screw conveyor  34  and the intake device  12 , so that the plant  32  is conducted synchronously into the plucking slot  22  by the screw conveyors  34  and  52  and the intake device  12 . The conveying element  52  provides support and conveying above the finger  26  of the intake device  12 . Due to the interaction of the two screw conveyors and the finger  26  the plant  32  is held securely and conducted in a straight line into the plucking slot  22  and between the stalk rolls  16  and  18 . The plant is supported at three points so that a buckling or squashing is not to be feared. In addition, due to the action of the conveying element  52 , the intake performance of the intake and plucking arrangement  10  has become considerably more aggressive. 
   The screw conveyor  34 , the conveying element  52  and the intake device  12  direct the stalk of the standing plant  32  into the operating region of the second stalk roll  18 . The forward point of the second stalk roll  18  lies ahead of the axis of rotation of the intake device  12 . The second stalk roll  18  is parallel to the first stalk roll  16  and is arranged between the latter and the axis of rotation of the intake device  12 . The slot defined between the first stalk roll  16  and the second stalk roll  18  is located vertically underneath the plucking slot  22 . The rear region  36  of the first stalk roll  16 , whose length corresponds to the length of the second stalk roll  18 . Both stalk rolls  16  and  18  are equipped radially extending drivers  38 , which are best illustrated in  FIG. 3 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , the first stalk roll  16  rotates in clockwise direction and the second stalk roll  18  rotates in counterclockwise direction. The first stalk roll  16  and the rear region  36  of the second plucking roll  18  draw in the stalk of the plant  32  downward. At the same time the sheet metal stripper plate  20  on both sides of the plucking slot  22  is used to strip off useful components of the plant  32 . 
   The conveying element  52  ends precisely above the forward end of the second stalk roll  18  and the beginning of the rear region  36  of the first stalk roll  16 . As soon as the plant  32  is drawn downwardly by the stalk rolls  16  and  18 , the conveying action by the conveying element  52  and the screw conveyor  34  of the first stalk roll  16  ceases. 
   During the plucking process the fingers  26  of the intake device  12  provide assurance that the plant  32  is transported over the length of the plucking slot  22 . The rotational speeds of the stalk rolls  16  and  18  and the intake device  12  are preferably designed in such a way that the entire plant  32  has been drawn downwardly into the plucking slot  22  when the end of the plucking slot  22  is reached. 
   The useful components of the plant  32 , ears of corn, sunflower heads, etc., are separated from the plant  32  by the plucking device. The useful components are conveyed by the intake device  12  into a trough  40  arranged at the rear of the intake and plucking arrangement  10 . A cover  42  on both sides of the plucking slot  22  defines a channel leading to the trough  40 , through which the useful components of the plants  32  are conveyed. The cover  42  partially covers the intake device  12  and the conveying element  52  and due to its shielding effect enhances the performance and operating safety of the intake and plucking arrangement  10 . The trough  40  may be a one-piece unit with the sheet metal stripper plate  20 , or it may be a separate element. A transverse screw conveyor  44  is arranged above the trough  40  and transports the useful components to a harvesting machine (for example, a combine or forage harvester) or to a trailer. A shaft  46  extends beneath the trough  40  and provides a drive for the two stalk rolls  16  and  18 , the chopper knife  14 , the conveying element  52  and the intake device  12 . The shaft  46  is driven by the engine propelling the crop harvesting arrangement. A frame  48  carries the intake and plucking arrangement  10  of the crop harvesting arrangement, all of which are driven by the shaft  46 . 
   The remainder of the plants  32 , that are transported away downward by the stalk rolls  16  and  18 , reach the operating region of the rotating, four-armed chopper knife  14  and are cut by this into individual pieces. Hence chopped plant remains are deposited on the field. During the chopping, the stalk rolls  16  and  18  hold the plant  32 . The chopper knife  14  rotates about a vertical axis of rotation  50 . The vertical axis  50  is located between the axis of rotation of the intake device  12  and the screw conveyor  44 , as can be seen in  FIG. 2 . The chopper knife  14  is driven by the shaft  46  through an angular gearbox  56 . As seen in  FIG. 1 , the chopper knife  14  is positioned beneath the stalk rolls  16  and  18 . The direction of rotation of the chopper knife  14  is clockwise, so that the chopped crop is thrown to the side and the rear. 
   Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.