Patent GB-1187091-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for Gradually Breaking Up a Heap of Cereal or Leaf Crop.
Inventor: WEICHEL ERNST
IPC: A01D87/00
Filed: 1967-05-05
Abstract: 1,187,091. Extracting crop from a heap or mass. E. WEICHEL. 5 May, 1967 [7 May, 1966], No. 20960/67. Addition to 1,150,142. Heading A4C. In a machine for breaking up a mass of cereal or leaf crop by paring a sliver from the edge of a heap being on a rotatory surface such as is described in Specification 1,150,142, means are provided for urging relative movement of the cutting means and the rotating heap or mass one towards the other, so that the outer periphery of the heap or mass and the cutting means are in continuous contact. In the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 6 said means comprises a two-part, hinged, crescent-shaped flap 61, 161 attached to a fixed central column 59 containing the driving mechanisms for the turntable 5 surrounding it. A belt drive from motor 86 drives horizontal circular saw 18 and, through an angle drive 84, vertical saw 16, situated just below it to pare off a sliver through outlet window 15 in the wall of the container 35. Flap 61 may be operated manually, but in the embodiment shown is pushed out mechanically by arm 63 secured to the shaft of ratchet wheel 65 which is stepped by pawl 123 being operated by the end of slot 122 in connecting rod 124, engaging pin 120 on lever 121 carrying the pawl. Connecting rod 124 is operated by crank 67 mounted on shaft 102 of the turntable driving mechanism. The degree of stepping of the ratchet varies from zero to a maximum controlled by the rest position of pin 120 in slot 122. This is itself dependent on the pressure exerted by the rotating crop material on flap 69 on the container wall, said flap being spring- biased inwardly and connected by levers 119, 70, 98 and adjustable chain 99 to a second arm of lever 121. The action of the pusher flap 61 may be supplemented or replaced by pressure rollers, star wheels, cutter plates, drag beams, presser plates or discs acting on the upper surface of the crop to move it downwards and outwards (see Fig. 7) The turntable may be coneshaped or have a spiral step rising towards the centre. In the embodiment of Fig. 10, a spiked conveyer chain 49, the position of which is controlled by feeler rollers and plates 81, 82 acting on the crop mass, is used to convey the crop outwards. Screw conveyers may be used instead. In the embodiment of Fig. 13, the turntable 5 has a conical centre portion 50, pushers 53, pivoted on fixed eccentric pins 54, which protrude through holes, so that as the turntable rotates they are moved in and out guided by the rollers 56. The turntable also carries fixed ribs 52 which are curved. In the embodiment of Fig. 19 a barb 74, pivoted at 126 is intermittently plunged into the rotating mass for a short time to produce a retarding effect causing the mass to move outwards. Conveyer elements 127 passing through openings in the container wall rotate in the opposite direction to the turntable to provide a similar retarding effect. The saw cutting means may be movable towards or from the centre of the container and/or in a vertical direction, under the control of sensing elements contacting the rotating mass. The circular saws may be replaced by rotary beating elements mounted on a vertical shaft extending over substantially the entire height of the container (Fig. 20, not shown).