Patent ID: 8056313

Claim:
In a mobile apparatus for gathering agricultural products disposed on a ground surface, the apparatus comprises: a collection means for collecting the agricultural products and foreign matter from the ground, the foreign matter comprising a mixture of larger and smaller particles; a primary chain having a receiving end and a delivery end, wherein the receiving end receives the agricultural products and foreign matter from the collection means, and the delivery end comprises the opposing end of the primary chain to which a substantial amount of the agricultural products and foreign matter are carried by the primary chain; an elevator chain which receives the agricultural products and foreign matter from the delivery end of the primary chain and transports substantially all of the received agricultural products to a discharge chute; a fan having a suction side and a discharge side, the fan generating an air stream, wherein the air stream is pulled through the elevator chain and through the agricultural products and the foreign matter carried on the elevator chain, wherein at least a portion of the foreign matter is transported by the air stream from the elevator chain toward the suction side of the fan; an air stream discharge duct through which the air stream is directed, the air stream discharge duct comprising a dust particle suppression means disposed on the discharge side of the fan, wherein the dust particle suppression means comprises a liquid introduction means which injects liquid droplets into the air stream, the dust particle suppression means further comprising a plurality of collection members radially extending from a rotatable attachment sleeve, the collection members accumulating moistened dust particles from the air stream, forming aggregated solids; a solids discharge chute through which the aggregated solids are discharged from the apparatus; and an air stream discharge duct through which the air stream exits the apparatus.