Source: {"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"}

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to harvesters utilized for removing onions and other types or crops which must be uprooted from the soil prior to harvesting.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Several rod weeder mechanisms have been suggested in the past. U.S. Pat. No. 2,355,229, issued Aug. 8, 1944, to Miller, shows the basic concept of the use of a rod weeder for harvesting crops which form below the soil surface. U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,085, issued Sept. 27, 1960, to Roberts, shows a bean vine cutter which uses the rod weeder concept. The Roberts device includes a cleaner bar disposed immediately behind the rotating rod for clearing away cut weeds. The cleaner bar of Roberts is disposed at an angle to the horizontal and Roberts does not discuss the criticality of spacing between the cleaner bar and the rotating rod. U.S. Pat. No. 3,283,830, issued Nov. 8, 1966, to Hamby, shows a rod weeder which uses a plurality of vertically disposed shanks with each shank being slidably attached to a tool bar assembly composed of two parallel, transverse square bars. The rotating rod of Hamby is attached to a plurality of shanks through the use of flangettes which are bolted to the shanks thereby requiring a great deal of effort in replacing the bearings. U.S. Pat. No. 3,340,934, issued Sept. 12, 1967, to Wycoff, shows an agricultural implement which includes a soil agitator mechanism used for loosening soil. The soil agitator operates from a rotating offset pin through an oscillating bell crank which alternatingly raises and lowers a plurality of tines. The alternating operation of the tines of Wycoff would hinder its use in harvesting crops as the pressure created by the one tine alone would tend to damage crops when attempting to loosen them from the soil.