EP2076111A1

EP2076111A1 - A method and a device for harvesting hemp grown for seeds

Info

Publication number: EP2076111A1
Application number: EP06747720A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ryszard Kaniewski; Tadeusz Potocki
Original assignee: Instytut Wlokien Naturalnych
Current assignee: INSTITUTE OF NATURAL FIBRES AND MEDICINAL PLANTS
Priority date: 2006-05-15
Filing date: 2006-05-15
Publication date: 2009-07-08
Also published as: WO2007133098A1

Abstract

The subject of the present invention is a method and a device for harvesting hemp grown for seeds, where seed containing hemp panicles are cut-off and stems are dew-retted or dried directly in the field. Stem sections without panicles are swathed in the field in the form of a ridge for retting or drying while stem sections with panicles are loaded on a trailer for drying and ginning to extract seeds.

Description

A method and a device for harvesting hemp grown for seeds

The subject of the invention is a method and a device for harvesting hemp grown for seeds, where seed-containing panicles are cut-off and stems are left in the field for dew retting or are dried in the field. Stem sections without panicles are swathed in the form of a ridge for dew-retting or drying while sections with panicles are loaded on the trailer for drying and ginning to recover seeds.

Hemp is an industrial plant with a considerable height of stems reaching 2.5-4 m which yields seeds, stem fiber and shives used by industry. Hemp fiber is traditionally used for production of coarse fabrics, ropes, twine and recently more and more often for long-fibrous pulp. Seeds are used for oil pressing, fodder, while panicles are used for extraction of essential oil used by pharmaceutical and food industry and in aromatherapy.

If hemp is grown for fiber which later is to be upgraded, it is grown for fiber exclusively at higher sowing densities and harvested early. Mowed stems are swathed in the field for dew-retting which allows for decomposition of pectin inside stems and separation of fiber from woody parts of stem.

To harvest seeds a two-purpose cultivation is used, in which plants are harvested at full maturity stage. In this technology, plants are mowed, bundled and bundles are arranged in cones and left in the filed to ensure drying before ginning. Plants are ginned, using specialized devices moving from cone to cone, and followed by packing seeds in sacks. Chaffs are blown to the field during ginning and ginned bundles are taken away for further processing.

Harvest is often carried out using regular mowers. A specialized mower is also used for hemp harvesting - Russian ZK-1, 9. This mower has a knife assembled on supporting frame. Over the knife a divider is located which is combined with sectional conveyors that transport the mowed stems to a bundle binder. In other version a swathing device dropping mowed stems directly in the field is assembled instead of the bundle binder.

In the patent application WO0139590 (published 2001-06-07) the method of hemp harvesting and the hemp harvesting machine are presented. The method of hemp harvesting consists in cutting up the stems into at least three sections, separating the stems from seed panicles and spreading the remaining stem sections in layers in the field directly after harvesting the plants. The hemp harvesting machine is equipped in sectional band clamping conveyors. Behind the conveyors the platform of needle transporters is located, the needle transporters being situated diagonally towards the direction of the sectional conveyor, and two zones are differentiated in this unit: zone (A) feeding the raw material to the circular saw assembly, and zone (B) discharging the material. In the discharge zone each saw cooperates with a pair of needle transporters, while transporter, located in the vicinity of the saw has a linear velocity higher than the velocity of the other transporter of the pair. Two distributing sliding shears are mounted on the side edge of the platform. Conveyor belt is situated perpendicularly to the rear edge of the platform and adjustably in the horizontal axis.

In the Polish patent application P-341585 (published 2002-01-28) the method of mechanical extraction of natural fibers was presented. The subject of the invention is a method of mechanical extraction of natural fibers, especially flax and hemp fiber, from broken, retted or non-retted stems of fibrous plants in a simultaneous process of braking. The process of simultaneous breaking is performed on fibrous plant stems arranged parallel one to each other. The stems are moving between feeding cylinders towards the outer surface of turning cylinder furnished in sticking out tearing elements. The result of the action is a mixture of tangled natural fibers and fragments of wooden part of stems which are cleaned and fiber is separated.

In the Polish patent application P-346539 (published 2001-02-11) a method and a device for upgrading of plant fibrous material for processing, especially that of flax and hemp, was presented. Plant fibrous material is fed into the shaft of cutting device known in tobacco industry, pressed by continuously working pressing unit equipped with circulating, convergent one towards another transporting elements and is broken in the same time, next it is cut by cutting device with circulating knives into desired length at the outlet of mouthpiece. The cut plant fibrous material is separated from wooden material and stems and subjected to further processing. The advantage of the invention is in rational and efficient separation of wooden component and stems from fibrous component in a fibrous bulk at a high intensity of material flow.

In the patent description HU0200214 (published 2003-08-28) equipment for harvesting stem plants especially hemp was presented. In the patent description CU22121 (published 1993-04-30) a universal cutting head for a henequen hemp harvesting machine was presented.

In the patent description CN2036343U (published 1989-04-26) a machine for harvesting hemp was presented.

In the patent description YU121585 (published 1988-08-31) a connective device for cutting and putting in transverse lines of industrial vegetables - especially hemp was presented.

In the patent description DE19627137 (published 1998-01-08) a method and appliance for harvesting fibrous plants such as hemp was presented. The swath of mown plants is decorticated by a machine so that the fibers lie in a continuous web and are pressed by means of a round baler. The position of the standing crop at the top of the plants is detected by means of optical, acoustic or ultrasonic devices. The optical sensors detect color, structure or a combination of both. Seeds are removed by accelerating the fruit-bearing parts of the stalks, and are sucked up.

In the patent description DE10042867 (published 2002-03-21) a hemp harvester was presented. The harvester has two vertical, contra-rotating mower columns which form a nip, between which plants are held and cut and from which they are ejected as swath, each column consisting of cutter unit and two conveyer units, all of which rotate in the same direction. An Independent claim is included for a process for harvesting hemp. In the patent description DE19647433 (published 1998-05-28) a mechanical harvester system for hemp or raffia plants was presented. The system includes a cutter- bar, which is attached to the front three-point linkage of a tractor. A second cutter-bar is attached to the tractor's oscillating crank. The two cutter-bars are coupled to a threshing, picking and conveyor machine. The stalks and the seeds are conveyed into separate containers on a towed vehicle and saved as appropriate. A bottom cutter-bar attached to the tractor's front hydraulic system deposits the harvested plants between the tractor tires as a middle swath. A stalk-cutter in front of the bottom cutter-bar avoids tangling. A stationary or slowly turning metal or textile casing protects the top part of the cutter- drums of the bottom cutter-bar from becoming tangled up with long stalks. In the patent application JP2004073137 (published 2004-03-11) a kenaf reaper and kenaf harvester was presented. It is solved how to dispense with the maintenance of a base cutter of a kenaf reaper during operation with the simplest means by preventing the winding in of kenaf to a rotary drum as far as possibly and automatically cutting the kenaf at the moment of the start of the winding to prevent the further winding in.

Despite described above studies on solutions - devices contributing to elimination or reduction of manual work at hemp harvest, there is a constant need for effective solution allowing for complete elimination of manual work when harvesting hemp seeds that would also limit considerable losses caused by birds.

There are no machines that, considering substantial length of hemp stems, would, in mechanized way, arranged bundles into cones or turn the stems up if loose stems are left on the ground. With the necessity of harvesting seeds in full seed maturity stage, connected with substantial losses caused by feeding birds, there is a constant need for an efficient solution enabling the complete elimination of manual work during harvest and reducing considerably the yield loss due to feeding birds.

The subject of the present invention is to provide means that could be used for developing a method and a device for harvesting hemp grown for seed, ensuring a substantial increase of seed yield harvested in full maturity stage and avoiding intensive impact of working elements of the devices causing the seed falloff resulting in yield loss. The subject of the present invention is also to eliminate manual work during hemp ginning in cones and to eliminate the source of losses resulting from birds feeding on seeds during period of drying bundles in cones. Addressing this objective and solving problems described in technique status connected with developing of the method and the device for harvesting hemp grown for seed that have been achieved by separate harvest of panicles and their direct drying and ginning. Elimination of manual work with elimination of intensive impact of working elements causing the seed falloff and the loss of substantial part of yields caused by birds have been achieved. These objectives have been achieved with this invention.

The subject of the present invention is the method of hemp harvesting in which the whole stems are mowed, including panicles with hemp, is characterized in that the upper knife 4 cuts off panicles containing seeds and next, the bottom knife 3 cuts off the remaining part of the stem, while seed containing panicles are carried by conveyors 7 and 8 directly onto the parallel moving trailer, where the position of the upper knife 4 can be dynamically adjusted in relation to the ground, depending on local conditions. Preferentially, the cut-off panicles are raked together by the raking device 6 onto the belt of perpendicular conveyor 7 which brings them to the inclined conveyor 8, next, the cut-off panicles fall down pulled by gravitation from the inclined conveyor 8_. into the trailer pulled by the tractor moving on the field parallel to the said hemp harvesting device.

Preferentially, the hemp stems that are not supposed to get into the mowing zone are pushed away by the guide JJh

Preferentially, the right after panicles are cut-off by the upper knife 4, the bottom knife 3 cuts-off the stems followed by laying them down on the field by the worm unit 9 through the throat 10 in the form of a ridge, where the ridge of stems is located between the front JΛ and rear 12 wheels. Preferentially, the method is characterized by the fact that it is applicable for harvesting fiber bearing plants, especially hemp, jute and kenaf.

Another subject of the invention is the hemp harvesting device, mowing whole hemp stems together with seed containing panicles, having a supporting structure of typical agricultural self-propelled chassis is characterized in that the unit of bottom knife 2 with a knife 3_ cutting off stems after the panicles are cut off by the upper knife 4 in a unit of upper knife unit 5 is assembled to the self-propelled supporting chassis L Preferentially, the hemp stems that are not supposed to get into the mowing zone are pushed away by the guide 15, while the cut-off panicles are raked together by the raking device onto the belt of perpendicular conveyor 7 which brings them to the inclined conveyor 8.

Preferentially, the conveyors 7 and 8 transport the seed containing panicles directly onto parallel moving trailer.

Preferentially, the upper knife 4 can be dynamically adjusted in relation to the ground, depending on local conditions. Preferentially, the position of the upper knife 4 can be dynamically adjusted in relation to the ground, depending on local conditions and can be executed by the device operator using hydraulic servo-motors 16, while position of the bottom knife 3 in relation to the ground can be adjusted by the machine operator using the mowing unit suspension mechanisms 14 and secured from falling dawn of cutting plane on the ground by a skid 13.

Preferentially, the device is characterized by the fact that it can be used for harvesting fiber bearing plants, especially hemp, jute and kenaf.

Attached figures allow for better understanding of the essence of the device.

Figure 1 shows the hemp harvesting device where:

I. self-propelled supporting structure 2. bottom knife unit

3. bottom knife

4. upper knife

5. upper knife unit

6. raking device 7. perpendicular conveyor

8. inclined conveyor

II. rear wheels

12. front wheels

13. skid 14. mowing unit suspension mechanisms

15. guide

Figure 2 shows a cross-section of the hemp harvesting device where:

3. bottom knife

4. upper knife

8. inclined conveyor

9. worm unit

10. throat 12. front wheels

15. guide

Examples of utilization of the above-define invention is presented below. Example 1. The method and the device for hemp harvesting

In solution shown in this example the hemp harvesting device has a supporting structure of typical agricultural self-propelled chassis of for instance cutting mower E 303 (Polish branch symbol Z 185/3) together with a cabin. The unit of bottom knife 2 with a knife 3 cutting off stems after the panicles are cut off by the upper knife 4 in a unit of upper knife unit 5_ is assembled to the self-propelled supporting chassis 1. The hemp stems that are not supposed to get into the mowing zone are pushed away by the guide 15. The cutoff panicles are raked together by the raking device onto the belt of perpendicular conveyor 7 which brings them to the inclined conveyor 8, next, the cut-off panicles fall down pulled by gravitation from the inclined conveyor into the trailer pulled by the tractor moving in the field parallel to the said hemp harvesting device. Sealing up the trailer by placing a plastic foil ensures the increase of seed yield harvested in the full maturity stage. In this stage of maturity seeds are prone to fall-off. When the trailer is filled up, the contents (hemp panicles) is subjected to natural drying or drying by any drier operating with cold or warm air. The temperature of drying air should not exceed 40 ⁰C to preserve sowing value of seeds. Right after panicles are cut-off by the upper knife 4, the bottom knife 3 cuts-off the stems followed by laying them down in the field by the worm unit 9 through the throat JO in the form of a ridge, where the ridge of stems is located between the rear ϋ and front 12 wheels. Position of the bottom knife 3 in relation to the ground can be adjusted by the machine operator using the mowing unit suspension mechanisms 14 and secured from falling dawn of cutting plane on the ground by a skid 13. Position of the upper knife 4 can be dynamically adjusted in relation to the ground, depending on local conditions and can be executed by the device operator using hydraulic servo-motors 16.

Drives of all machine mechanisms are obtained from a hydraulic system of the self- propelled supporting chassis or from self-propelled supporting chassis drive shaft (WOM).

The hemp harvesting device is equipped with the unit of upper knife 5 with perpendicular conveyor 7 and inclined conveyor 8_. that moves the cut-off panicle on the trailer, the unit of bottom knife 2 and a unit of stem thickening worm unit before swathing them on the field. The location of knifes one in relation to the other is such that the working plane of upper knife is dynamically adjusted in relation to the ground and is moved ahead towards the move of the mower in relation to the bottom knife. The location of the bottom knife is adjustable in relation to the surface of the field by the position of the whole hemp harvesting device.

In the solution according to this invention, the seed containing panicle sections of stems are separated from the remaining stem sections. Sections with panicles are taken outside the field to extract seeds or essential oils.

The solution according to this invention enables harvest hemp grown both exclusively for fiber or for fiber and seeds. Device enables separate harvest of top part of hemp stems. Shortening of stems by the sections containing panicles significantly simplifies swathing stems in the field and other operations necessary during stem retting or drying such as turning, shaking or ragging as it can be done with commonly used agricultural machines. The method and the device according to the invention ensures full mechanization of hemp harvest, completely eliminating manual work.

Claims

Patent claims

1. The method of hemp harvesting in which the whole stems are mowed, including panicles with hemp, is characterized in that the upper knife (4) cuts off panicles containing seeds and next, the bottom knife Q) cuts off the remaining part of the stem, while seed containing panicles are carried by conveyors (T) and (8) directly onto the parallel moving trailer, where the position of the upper knife (4) can be dynamically adjusted in relation to the ground, depending on local conditions.

2. The method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the cut-off panicles are raked together by the raking device (6) onto the belt of perpendicular conveyor (7) which brings them to the inclined conveyor (8), next, the cut-off panicles fall down pulled by gravitation from the inclined conveyor (8) into the trailer pulled by the tractor moving on the field parallel to the said hemp harvesting device.

3. The method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the hemp stems that are not supposed to get into the mowing zone are pushed away by the guide (15).

4. The method according to Claim 1, characterized in that right after panicles are cut-off by the upper knife (4), the bottom knife (3) cuts-off the stems followed by laying them down on the field by the worm unit (9) through the throat (10) in the form of a ridge, where the ridge of stems is located between the front (JJ,) and rear (12) wheels.

5. The method according to Claim 1, characterized in that it is applicable for harvesting fiber bearing plants, especially hemp, jute and kenaf.

6. The hemp harvesting device, mowing whole hemp stems together with seed containing panicles, having a supporting structure of typical agricultural self- propelled chassis is characterized in that the unit of bottom knife (2) with a knife Q) cutting off stems after the panicles are cut off by the upper knife (4) in a unit of upper knife unit (5) is assembled to the self-propelled supporting chassis (Y).

7. The device according to Claim 6, characterized in that the hemp stems that are not supposed to get into the mowing zone are pushed away by the guide (15), while the cut-off panicles are raked together by the raking device onto the belt of perpendicular conveyor (T) which brings them to the inclined conveyor (8).

8. The device according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the conveyors (T) and (8) transport the seed containing panicles directly onto parallel moving trailer.

9. The device according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the position of the upper knife (4) can be dynamically adjusted in relation to the ground, depending on local conditions.

10. The device according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the position of the upper knife (4) can be dynamically adjusted in relation to the ground, depending on local conditions and can be executed by the device operator using hydraulic servo-motors (16), while position of the bottom knife (3) in relation to the ground can be adjusted by the machine operator using the mowing unit suspension mechanisms (14) and secured from falling dawn of cutting plane on the ground by a skid (13).

11. The device according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that it can be used for harvesting fiber bearing plants, especially hemp, jute and kenaf.