Patent GB-1403361-A (GB)
Title: Machine to separate pods or similar discrete fruit from its  associate vine or plant
IPC: A01D45/22
Filed: 1971-10-06
Abstract: 1403361 Separating crop from the mother plant T POUTSMA 27 Sept 1972 [6 Oct 1971] 46496/71 Heading A1F [Also in Division B2] A crop of pods e.g. peas, or similar discrete fruit is separated from the trash by distending the plant to expose the crop, supporting the distended plant on a grid having openings therein of size to permit the free passage of crop suspended from the plant, effecting relative movement between the grid and the cutting means to present the suspended pods or fruit to the cutting means, and then cutting the suspended crop. In a first embodiment (Fig 1) the standing crop is cut by a reciprocating cutter 22 and the resulting nat fed to a separating section 16 via an elevator 15 and carding drum 36 which both tend to open up the mat. The separating section has a stationary grid 50 with suitably sized diamond shaped apertures over which the mat is moved by a spiked overhead endless conveyor 52. Deflector strips 41 extend longitudinally between the spikes 53 and serve to press the mat onto the grid so that the crop hangs through its apertures. A plurality of traverse cutter bars 55 are drawn rearwardly over the top of the grid 50 by endless chains 56 and any crop hanging down are arrested in an apex of an opening until severed by the cutters from the mat. The severed crop plus other fragments fall onto a woven wire endless belt conveyor 60 having similar but smaller diamond shaped apertures through which the crop falls onto a collector plate 70. The upper and lower flights of the conveyor 60 may be vibrated by providing ribbed guide surfaces. The rear end of the conveyor 60 receives the mat plus remaining crop from the grid 50 and further separation is achieved as the mat passes through an air stream 59 and over a sickle type cutter 71. The so separated crop falls onto the plate 70 from which all the crop is collected into a bin (not shown) via a conveyor belt 17 after passing through a final air stream from a blower 84. The lower flight of the conveyor 60 is cleaned by an air stream from a blower 73 and brush 74. The rearward (with respect to the machines direction of travel) apex of each aperture in the grid 50 may have a V-shaped notch to improve holding of the crop hanging down from the mat. In a second construction (Fig 8) the crop is separated from the trash in a section having a grid formed by three, tiered, endless mesh conveyors 120, 121, 122. Rollers 127, 128, 129 push the mat onto the upper flight of each conveyor and cutting mechanisms e.g. a cylinder and cooperating blade or reciprocating cutters, 126, 133, 134 are disposed between upper and lower flights to cut the depending crop. The crop falls into a receptacle 135, passes through an air stream from a blower 137 and into a bin 138 via a pneumatic conveyor 136. A mower assembly 145 cuts the standing crop and the mat is fed via a spiked conveyor 146 onto an elevator 125 towards the upper end of which is a plurality of picker bars 150, supporting picker hooks 152. The bars 150 are connected to crankshafts so that the picker hooks 152 describe a circular path and engage the mat to distend it. In addition speed differences between the conveyor belts also cause the mat to be spread out and the crop exposed. In alternative embodiments, the upper flights of the grid conveyors are vibrated, and two or more cutting mechanisms may be provided below the top flight of each conveyor. In this case a spiked roller is situated above the conveyor and between two cutting mechanisms to turn the mat over and reposition it on the conveyor so that further pods project through the mesh. In a modification of this second construction (not shown), two endless grid conveyors are arranged in sequence and two cutting mechanisms and associated pressure rollers are provided to cooperate with the upper flight of each conveyor: with a vine turn over device therebetween.