US1390261A - Combined beet-harvester - Google Patents

Description

L. ADAMS. COMBINED BEET HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1920.

1 ,'390,261 Patented Sept. 13, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l- Witmeoo L. ADAMS. COMBINED BEET HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED JUNK-I24, 1920.

Patented Sept. 13, 1921.

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4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- L. ADAMS.

COMBINED BEET HAHVESTER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1920.

Patented Sept. 13, 1921.

1 .m Am W a W H m 4 I w %R Nww m, \m. M \h V S M A A A 0 0 A0 A06 6 A0 N i 0 w\ M 9 0v 3 m 1 w front portion 0 through I UNITED LAWRENCE ADAMS, or LAYTON, UTAH.

COMBINE BEET-nAnvns'rER.

Specification of Letters Patent: Patnte d Sept. 13, 1921.

Application filed June 24, 1920. Serial No. 391,309.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE ADAMs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Layton, in the county of Davis and State of Utah, have invented a new and useful Combined Beet-Harvester, of which the follow ing is a specification. j v

i This invention relates to a machine for harvesting and topping beets, one of its objects being to provide a machine of this character which can be drawn or otherwise propelled along a row of beets and will suecessively dig the beets, convey them upwardly, remove the tops, and then deliver the tops and the beets separately from the machine.

A further object is to provide novel means for engaging the beets and conveying them to the toppingmechanism.

Another objectis. to provide novel means for gripping the beets during the topping operation and subsequently delivering said beets from the machine.

Another object isto provide a laterally extending beet conveyer for discharging beets from the 'machine, said conveyer having mechanism whereby it can be adjusted longitudinally relative to the machine without interfering with the operation of the conveyer.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts andin the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invent on.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown. In said drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation.- Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 5 is a section through topping disks and showing adj acent. parts;

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates an elongated frame the rear portionwofwhich is supported by wheels 2 engaging Bearings 41 are provided at the sides of the this frame and extendlng them are spindles 6 mounted for one a of the the ends of an axle longitudinal sliding movement and also mounted for rotation in and movement with. a cross head 7 extending under the front" portion of the frame 1. A bell crank lever 8 is fulcrumed on the frame and one end thereof is connected bya link 9 to the cross head 7 while the other end of the lever has an operating rod 10 extendingrearwardly to a point adjacent a seat 11 adapted to be occupied by the driver, arranged at the rear end of the machine. A rack 12 is arranged adjacent lever 8 and is adapted to be engaged by a dog indicated generally at 18 and which is operated by a Wire or the like, 14:, extending through a small hand lever 15.

Each of the spindles 6 has a forkedlower end 16 in which is journaled a wheel 17 and a crank arm 17 is extended inwardly from the upper end of each spindle. These vcrank arms have rods 18 connected to them and extending rearwardly to a foot lever 19 located in front of theseat' 11 and adapted to be operated by the occupant of the seat. Thus it will be seen that by manipulating this foot lever the machine can be steered and by means of the rod 10 thefront end of the machine can'be raised or lowered.

Guide brackets 20 are provided at the sides of the frame 1 and back of the brackets at andin each of them is slidably. mounted a stem 21 having a head 22. The two heads are connected by a cross shaft 23 and a sprlng 24; is mounted on each stem 21 and serves to hold the head 22 pressedydownwardly. Hangers25 are fixed to the sides that, within thescope of what 1S clalmed,

of the frame 1 and have links 26 pivoted to them, and to the heads 22, thus to reinforce the stems. The bearings 20 are pivotally connected to the sides of the frame 1 by bolts 27 so as to be-free to swing slightly during theup and down movement of the stems 21.

Extending from the sides of the frame 1 are standards 28 andsecured to the lower end of each standard is a digging plow 29, the two plows being so shaped and positioned relative to each other as to work under the beets in the soiland elevate them.

A roller 80 is mounted on the shaft 23 and supports the front portion of an upwardly and rearwardly inclined endless conveyer 31 the upper portion of which is mounted on a roller 32 carried by a transverse shaft 33. Longitudinal series ofjoutwardly extending spikes are secured to the belt or conveyor 31,

this seat being frame 1 are preferably dropped below the level of the upper portion of the conveyer 31 and provide bearings for opposed vertical rollers 35 each of which has a bevel gear 36 secured'to the lower end thereof and rotating therewith. Gears 37 mesh with the gears 36 and are secured to short laterally extending shafts 38 journaled in brackets 39 and sprockets 40 on the shafts 38 receive motion through chains 41 cured to the shaft 33.

Mounted 011 the rollers 35 are endless gripping belts 43 which extend into engage:

ment with suitably arranged guide rollers 44 and also into engagement with. pressing rollers 45 arranged in pairs. Each of these rollers 45 is carried by a pivoted arm 46 yieldingly pressed inwardly by a spring 47. These rollers 45 engage the inner portions of the two endless gripping belts andv the arms 46 are so proportioned and located. as to hold the belts so as to form a throat or contracted passage as indicated in Fig. 4. Back of this throat is arranged a delivering spout 48 which extends downwardly from a point above the throat, the bottom of this spout constituting means for deflecting downwardly beets gripped between the belts as hereinafter pointed out. Arranged transversely under the rear end of the throat formed by the belts 43 and below the upper end of the spout 48 is a transverse conveyer 49 which is slidably mounted in the frame 1 or, more particularly, in a depending extension 50 upon the rear portion of said frame, as shown in Fig. 2. A rack 51 is formed longitudinally on the bot tom of the frame 52 0f the conveyer 49 and is constantly in mesh with a gear 53 journaled in a bearing 54 fixed to the frame 1. A sprocket 55 rotates with this gear and is adapted to be actuated by a chain 56 extending upwardly. to a sprocket 57 secured to a small crank shaft'58. This shaft is journaled in a standard 59 adjacent the seat 11 and, by rotating the crank 60 on the shaft 58 the gear 53 can be rotated so as to shift the conveyer 49 longitudinally with its delivery end any desired distance from the side of the frame 1. The endless belt forming the conveying portion of the conveyer 49 is mounted on rollers 61 one of which is providedwith a gear 62 constantly meshing with another gear 63 on a shaft 64 extending longitudinally of the frame 52. This shaft 64 is feathered in a sprocket-65 adapted to receive motion through a chain 66 from another sprocket 67 loosely mounted on the rear axle 3. By means of a clutch 68 under the control of he driver the sprocket from sprockets 42 se-' 84 is mounted in the frame 67 can be locked to or released from the axle 3 so as to control the transmission of power from said axle to the shaft 64 and, consequently, control the actuation of the conveyer 49.

Supported in the frame 1 and above the belts 43 are vertical shafts 69 each of which is provided, at its lower end, with a topping disk 70, the inner portions of the two disks lapping asshown. 7 Gears 71 are secured to the upper ends of the shafts 69 and mesh witlrgears 72 secured to transverseshafts 7 sprocket 74 secured to adapted to receive motion through a chain 5 from a sprocket 76 secured to the shaft 33.

Each of the vertical shafts 69 has a collar 77 'slidable on it and carrying the disk 70. The collars are mounted for rotation in the ends of a bowed stop strip 78 and secured to the end portions of this stop strip are arms 79 extending downwardly from the ends of a cross bar 80. This, cross bar is engaged by a lifting arm 81 extending forwardly from a hand lever 82 adapted to be operated by the driver and. having any suitable means, such as a rack 83 forengagement by a pawl or dog (not shown)' of the usual construction. A

deflecting strip 7 1 adjacent the uppermost portion of the elevator 31 and constitutes means for stripping beets from the spikes or prongs 34 as they are brought into position at thefront end of the throat between the belts 43. This cross strip 84 has recesses through which the spikes 34 will pass. V

The machine herein described can be drawn forward by a team of horses or can be propelled by a tractor orby its own power. The spikes 34 will dig into the soil and enter the beets in the paths thereof and which beets have been loosened by the plows 29. This action will cause the conveyer or elevator 31 to operate by reason of its rolling contact with the ground and such operation will not only result in the elevation of the spiked beets with their tops upper most but will also result in the transmission of motion from the conveyer or elevator 31 to the shaft 33 and the various parts driven the throat between belts 43 and will be released, dropping to the side delivery conveyer 49. By means of the lever 82 the disks can be raised or moving them from the belt.

the conveying belt,

lowered so as to properly adjust them to the tops to be severed.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine of the class described including a portable structure, an upwardly and rearwardly extending conveying belt, outwardly projecting beet engaging spikes upon the belt for entering the soil and actuating the belt, and means operated by said belt for gripping the elevated beets and re- 2 The combination with a movably supported structure, of an upwardly extending conveying belt, beet engaging spikes extendin therefrom for entering the soil and actuatmg the belt during the movement of the machine, opposed belts for receiving elevated beets therebetween, means for transmitting motion to said opposed belts from the conveying belt.

3. The combination with a movably supported structure, oi an upwardly extending conveying belt, beet engaging spikes extend-' ing therefrom for entering the soil and actuating the belt during the movement of the machine, opposed belts for receiving elevated beets therebetween, means for transmitting motion to said. opposed belts from the conveying belt, said opposed belts forming a throat therebetween, and means for yieldingly pressing the opposed belts against beets within the throat away from the conveying belt.

4. The combination with ported structure, of an upwardly extending conveying belt, beet engaging spikes extending therefrom for entering the soil and actuating the belt during the movement of the machine, opposed belts for receiving elevated beets therebetween, means for transmitting motion to said opposed belts from topping means supported above said opposed belts, and means for transmitting motion to said topping means from the conveying belt.

5. The combination with a movably supported structure, of an upwardly extending conveying belt, beet engaging spikes extending therefrom for entering the S011 and actuating the belt during the movement of the machine, opposed belts for receiving elevated beets therebetween, means for transmitting motion to said opposed belts from the conveying belt, topping means supported above said opposed belts, and means for transmitting motion to said topping means from the conveying belt, and means for raising and lowering the topping means relative to the belts during the actuation of said topping means.

to convey said beets a movably sup- 6. The combination with a movable structure and beet engaging and elevating means operated by contact with the ground, of opposed gripping belts for engaging elevated beets and conducting them away from said elevating means, topping means above the gripping belts, and mechanism operated by the beet elevating means for driving the gripping belts and the topping means. a

7 The combination with a movable structure and beet engaging and elevating means carried thereby and actuated by contact with the ground, of opposed gripping belts forming a throattherebetween for recei ing the elevated beets and conveying them from the elevating means, a conveyer extending under the gripping belts, said throat having a widened portion der for releasing the gripped beets to deliver them to said conveyer.

8. The combination with a movable structure and endless beet engaging and conveying means carried thereby and operated by contact with the ground, of opposed beet gripping belts forming a throat therebetween, topping mechanism above the belts, a delivering conveyer below the belts, said throat being widened above the delivering conveyer to release beets therethrough, an outlet spout extending under the topping means, and means for stopping the severed tops and delivering them to the spout.

9. The combination with a movable struc ture, of beet engaging and elevating means operated by contact with the ground, 0pposed gripping belts forming a throat there between for the reception of elevated beets, said belts forming a throat therebetween having a widened portion, a delivering con veyer under the widened portion of the throat, means operated by the movement of said structure for actuating the delivering conveyer, and means under the control of the operator for shifting the delivering conveyer bodily during the actuation thereof.

10. The combination with a portable structure and digging means carried thereby, of an upwardly extending endless conveyer, and beet engaging spikes projecting from the conveyer and movable successively by contact with the ground to engage and elevate beets loosened by the digging means.

Intestimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aliixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LAWRENCE ADAMS. Witnesses:

VERD- Coon, J. B. CoonnY.

above the conveyer thereun-

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