WO2006025818A1

WO2006025818A1 - Harvesting device

Info

Publication number: WO2006025818A1
Application number: PCT/US2004/027680
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eulito U. Bautista
Original assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
Priority date: 2004-08-26
Filing date: 2004-08-26
Publication date: 2006-03-09
Also published as: CN1777358A

Abstract

A small harvesting device for harvesting a plant and a simplified method of harvesting a plant using a harvesting device. The harvesting device includes a cutting apparatus for cutting a plant, the plant including a stalk portion and a grain portion. The harvesting device also includes a crop auger, a thresher that separates the stalk portion from the gain portion, a cleaning mechanism for cleaning impurities from the separated grain, and a bagging mechanism. The harvesting device is powered by an internal combustion engine that outputs less than forty horsepower.

Description

HARVESTING DEVICE

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a harvesting device for harvesting a plant. More specifically, the invention relates to a device used for grain harvesting that is capable of performing a combination of cutting, conveying, threshing, cleaning and bagging mounted on a simple agricultural vehicle.

Background of the Invention

Generally, grain harvesters, sometimes also known as combines, have been developed for use in commercial farming in climates with relatively dry, stable soil conditions. These grain harvesters have maximized size, power, and output to increase the overall speed and efficiency of grain harvesting in these types of climates. Many of these harvesters employ high-powered (e.g., outputting greater than one hundred horsepower), liquid-cooled engines.

Because of their sheer size and weight, these types of harvesters are not suitable to use in wet agricultural environments, such as rice fields. In addition, these grain harvesters have complex and expensive mechanisms that are complex and expensive to manufacture and maintain. Traditional methods of grain harvesting in the wet environments include manual harvesting using a sickle, or automatic harvesting using a reaper harvester (which only cuts the grain such that the grain still must be collected and threshed manually). Thus, it is desirable to provide an automated harvesting device for use in these environments that is suitable for use in the wet fields, and is inexpensive. Summary of the Invention

The invention provides a harvesting device for harvesting a plant, such as rice. The harvesting device includes a cutting apparatus for cutting the plant, the plant including a stalk portion and a grain portion. The harvesting device further includes a crop auger for collecting the cut plant from the cutting apparatus, and a thresher that separates the stalk portion from the grain portion. A cleaning mechanism cleans impurities from the separated grain. The harvesting device also includes a bagging mechanism and an internal combustion engine that powers the harvesting device. To reduce the weight, the engine outputs less than about forty horsepower. In one embodiment, the cleaning mechanism comprises a perforated, oscillating pan and a fan. In another embodiment, the harvesting device also includes a rotating skeletal reel having a plurality of curved wires that function to sweep the plants toward the cutting mechanism.

The present invention also includes a method of harvesting a plant using a harvesting device. The method includes cutting the plant using a cutting apparatus, moving the plant towards a threshing device, and threshing the plant to separate a grain portion of the plant from a stalk portion. The method also includes cleaning impurities from the grain portion, transporting the grain portion to a bagging mechanism, and bagging the grain. The harvesting device is powered using an air-cooled internal combustion engine. Further constructions and advantages of the present invention, together with the organization and manner of operation thereof, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements have like numerals throughout the drawings. Brief Description of the Drawings

The present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show some embodiments of the present invention. However, it should be noted that the invention as disclosed in the accompanying drawings is illustrated by way of example only. The various elements and combinations of elements described below and illustrated in the drawings can be arranged and organized differently to result in embodiments which are still within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a harvesting device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective, cut-away view of a portion of the harvesting device of FIG. 1, illustrating the grain conveyor.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a skeletal reel assembly of the harvesting device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side, cut-away view of a portion of the harvesting device of FIG. 1, illustrating the thresher and bagging conveyor. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the thresher of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a portion of the harvesting device of FIG. 1, illustrating the seating area.

FIG. 7 is a side, cut-away view of the harvesting device of FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is a top, cut-away view of the harvesting device of FIG. 1.

Detailed Description

FIG. 1 illustrates a harvesting device 10 according to the present invention. The harvesting device 10 can be used to harvest a variety of plants, including but not limited to rice, wheat, grasses, or any other type of plant where farming of the plant requires harvesting and threshing of the whole plant to separate a grain portion of the plant from a stalk portion. The harvesting device 10 is supported on a frame 12, and includes a cutting apparatus 14 that has a plurality of reciprocating cutting blades 18 mounted parallel to each other in regular spacing. The cutting blades 18 are mounted in front of a wide platform 22 that extends into a wall 26 at the rear and at both sides.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the wall 26 encloses a rotating crop auger 30 that is secured parallel to and behind the blades 18. The crop auger 30 collects the cut plants from the cutting apparatus 14 and moves the plants to an inclined crop conveyor 34. The crop auger 30 has opposite flights 38 that start from each end and congregate at the middle in front of an opening (not shown) in the platform 22. The opening leads to the inclined crop conveyor 34.

As further illustrated in FIG. 2, united with the opening in the platform 22 is the crop conveyor 34. The crop conveyor 34 includes an inclined rectangular housing 42 inside of which operates a pair of chain conveyors 46. The conveyors 46 are connected with each other by a plurality of regularly-spaced angle bars 50. The conveyors 46 carry the cut plants from the auger 30 into another opening 54 at the top.

At the top of the cutting blades 18 and mounted on a hanging frame 58 at both sides of the platform is a rotatable skeletal reel assembly 62, driven by a belt 64, with three parallel bars 66, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. Each bar 66 carries a plurality of curved wires 70 that are spaced regularly and extend downward to the cutting blades 18 upon rotation. The reel assembly 62 is rotated by a cam-follower mechanism 74 so that the curved wires 70 always simulate a downward sweeping action towards the blades 18 and into the crop auger 30, assisting the cut plants into the crop auger 30.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the opening 54 communicates with the feed section of a thresher 84. The thresher 84 includes an axial flow threshing rotor 86 that strikes the plants and separates the grain portion of the plants from the stalk portion. The thresher 84 also includes a threshing concave 90 located along the bottom half of the threshing rotor 86. The threshing concave 90 separates the grains from the stalks and other vegetative materials after the plants are stricken by the threshing rotor 86. The threshing rotor 86 communicates with a series of louvers 100 fixed at the top half of a cylinder cover 102 to guide the stalks axially to another opening at the other end of the threshing cylinder 102 for discharge out of the harvesting device 10.

Underneath the concave 90 is an oscillating screen assembly 110 comprised of a perforated pan 114. The screen assembly 110 oscillates due to the rotation of the eccentric cam 116, acting as a sieve to separate impurities, such as dirt or stalks, from the grain. A fan 118 is secured beneath the pan 114 and is directed toward the grains to further assist in separating the light impurities from the grain, such as chaff and empty hulls. The fan 118 is housed within a fan housing 120. A dust cover protects the operator of the device 10 from the dust and chaff produced by the thresher 84.

Coupled beneath the fan 118 is a grain auger 122 that moves the grain toward a grain conveyor 126. The grain conveyor 126 is composed of one chain with angle lugs 130 to lift the grains up into the top where an opening 134 leads to a grain bagging mechanism 138. The grain bagging mechanism 138 includes a bagging head 140 to which a bag for receiving the grain is attached, and a bagging platform 141.

With reference to FIG. 6, the harvesting device 10 is powered by an internal combustion engine 142. In the illustrated embodiment, the engine 142 is an air-cooled, vertical shaft engine that outputs approximately sixteen horsepower. However, it is understood that in other embodiments, other types of engines, such as liquid-cooled engines can be used. It is also understood that while a sixteen horsepower engine is shown and described, various sized engines, such as an engine outputting forty horsepower or less, can be used and still fall within the scope of the invention.

The harvesting device 10 also includes a plurality of wheels that allow the harvesting device 10 to travel over a variety of different terrains. In the illustrated embodiment, the wheels include two metal starwheels 146 and a rear rubber tire 150. The starwheels 146 are made of steel, but in other embodiments can be made of other materials, such as aluminum, plastics, and other metals. Using the starwheels 146 helps increase the traction of the harvesting device 10 when traveling through very wet areas, such as rice paddies. It is understood that while three wheels are shown in the illustrated embodiment, any number of wheels can be used to allow the harvesting device 10 to move. Four or fewer wheels is generally preferred to reduce the overall weight of the harvesting device 10 to a minimum, and to reduce friction with the ground.

The harvesting device also includes a seating area 154. The seating area 154 includes a first seat 158 on which the driver of the harvesting device 10 sits to steer the movement of the harvesting device 10. The seating area further includes a second seat 162 located adjacent the bagging mechanism 138 to allow a bagging attendant to ride on the harvesting device 10 to tend to the bagging of the grains.

The harvesting device 10 described in detail above is designed to maximize the output of grain (i.e., maximize the cutting, threshing, and bagging functions) while minimizing the weight and size of the harvesting device 10, because the device will often be used on very wet or unstable soil, such as in rice paddies. To accomplish this, the materials for the various parts are carefully chosen to minimize the weight. For example, many of the components described above are made of aluminum or steel to reduce the overall weight. The size of the harvesting device 10 is also controlled by reducing the number of overall parts on the harvesting device 10. For example, four or fewer wheels are generally used to help minimize the weight and size, hi addition, the number of moving parts on the harvesting device 10 has been reduced, simplifying the harvester. This reduction of moving parts accomplishes two functions: fewer parts means overall reduced weight and size, and fewer moving parts require less horsepower to operate, allowing the harvesting device 10 to be powered by a smaller-output engine than conventional harvesters.

The harvesting device 10 described above can be used to perform a method of harvesting a plant, such as rice. The operator starts the engine 142, powering up the device 10. As the device 10 moves into a rice paddy, the skeletal reel assembly 62 rotates, the curved wires 70 combing through the rice plants and sweeping the plants toward the cutting apparatus 14. The cutting blades 18 of the cutting apparatus 14 cut the plants near the ground and the forward motion of the device, along with the sweeping action of the wires 70, move the plants to the rotating crop auger 30. The crop auger 30 collects the cut plants and moves the plants to the crop conveyor 34.

The angle bars 50 of the crop conveyor 34 carry the cut plants upward towards the thresher 84. Once in the thresher 84, the rotating threshing rotor 86 strikes the plants, separating the rice grains from the stalks. The falling plants strike the threshing concave 90, which helps to separate the grains from the stalks. The louvers 100 fixed to the cylinder cover 102 guide the stalks axially for discharge from the thresher 84. The grains fall from the concave 90 into the oscillating screen assembly 110. The oscillation of the pan 114 separates the dirt and other impurities from the grains. The fan 118 also blows the dirt and impurities off of the grains in the pan 114. From the pan 114, the grains fall and are collected by the grain auger 122, which moves the grains toward the grain conveyor 126. The grain conveyor 126 carries the grains to the bagging head 140 of the bagging mechanism 138, where the grains are deposited in a bag. In this way, the grains can be cut, threshed, cleaned, and bagged in a single operation using a single device.

Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

ClaimsI claim:

1. A small harvesting device for harvesting a plant, the harvesting device comprising: a cutting apparatus for cutting the plant, the plant including a stalk portion and a grain portion; a crop auger for collecting the cut plant from the cutting apparatus; a thresher that separates the stalk portion from the grain portion; a cleaning mechanism for cleaning impurities from the separated grain; a bagging mechanism; and an internal combustion engine that powers the harvesting device, the internal combustion engine outputting less than forty horsepower.

2. The harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the cutting apparatus includes a plurality of reciprocating cutting blades.

3. The harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the crop auger rotates to gather the cut plants, and wherein the crop auger is located behind the cutting apparatus.

4. The harvesting device of claim 1 , further comprising a chain conveyor that feeds the cut plants to the thresher.

5. The harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the thresher comprises an axial flow threshing rotor and a threshing concave.

6. The harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the cleaning mechanism comprises a perforated, oscillating pan to remove impurities from the grain.

7. The harvesting device of claim 6, wherein the cleaning mechanism also comprises a fan beneath the pan.

8. The harvesting device of claim 1, further comprising a grain auger that directs the grain from the pan to the bagging mechanism.

9. The harvesting device of claim 1, further comprising a rotating skeletal reel.

10. The harvesting device of claim 9, wherein the reel includes a plurality of curved wires.

11. The harvesting device of claim 10, wherein the reel is rotated by a cam follower mechanism so that the curved wires simulate a downward sweeping motion toward the cutting mechanism.

12. The harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engine is air-cooled, and wherein the engine outputs approximately sixteen horsepower.

13. The harvesting device of claim 1, further comprising wheels that allow the harvesting device to travel over the ground, and wherein the harvesting device includes fewer than four wheels.

14. The harvesting device of claim 13, further comprising three wheels.

15. The harvesting device of claim 13, wherein the wheels are metal starwheels.

16. The harvesting device of claim 1 , further comprising a seating area.

17. The harvesting device of claim 16, wherein the seating area comprises a first seat for a driver and a second seat for a bagging attendant.

18. A method of harvesting a plant using a simplified harvesting device, the method comprising: cutting the plant using a cutting apparatus; moving the plant towards a threshing device; threshing the plant to separate a grain portion of the plant from a stalk portion; cleaning impurities from the grain portion; transporting the grain portion to a bagging mechanism; bagging the grain; and powering the harvesting device using an air-cooled internal combustion engine.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein cutting the plant includes moving a plurality of cutting blades to cut the plant.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein moving the plant towards a threshing device includes rotating an auger.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein moving the plant further comprises rotating a skeletal reel to simulate a sweeping motion towards the auger.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein cleaning impurities from the grain portion includes oscillating a perforated pan to sieve the grain from impurities.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising directing a fan towards the grain to further clean impurities from the grain.