AU2020213710B2

AU2020213710B2 - Ground clearing vehicle

Info

Publication number: AU2020213710B2
Application number: AU2020213710A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Gary Cross; Simon Cross
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-02-01
Filing date: 2020-02-03
Publication date: 2025-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 2040-02-03
Also published as: GB201901446D0; CR20210454A; WO2020157337A1; AU2020213710A1

Abstract

A ground clearing vehicle (1) has a mobile chassis (2) mounted on tracks (3). Plant handling apparatus (4) is mounted on the chassis (2) and is operable for gripping and pulling a plant from the ground, and in particular a pineapple plant, removing stones and soil from the roots of the plant and chopping up the plant material. A driver's cab (5) is mounted on the chassis (2) above the plant handling apparatus (4) from which the operation of the vehicle (1) is controlled. The plant handling apparatus (4) includes a plant grabbing apparatus (7) which is operable to grip and pull a plant from the ground. The plant is then delivered to a stone separator (8) before being delivered by an infeed conveyor (9) to a chopper (10) for chopping up the plant material which is then discharged clear of the vehicle (1 ) by means of a chopper discharge chute (11). The plant grabbing apparatus (7) comprises a stacked pair of spaced-apart contra-rotating pick-up conveyors comprising a lower pick-up conveyor (14) and an upper pick-up conveyor (15) for gripping a plant therebetween.

Description

WO wo 2020/157337 PCT/EP2020/052636 - 1 - - 1

"Ground Clearing Vehicle"

Introduction

5 This invention relates to a ground clearing vehicle, in particular for clearing plants

from the ground after cropping, and most particularly where the crop is a pineapple

crop. crop.

In pineapple plantations, after one or two crops have been harvested it is necessary

to dispose of the plants and replace them with new pineapple plants. The old plants

can be disposed of by burning. However, this is time-consuming, presents a fire

hazard and pollutes the atmosphere. Ploughing the old plants into the soil has

been tried, but the old plants are very slow to break down and this is not a

satisfactory solution to the problem. Bulldozing the old plants into heaps at the side

of the field has also been tried, but the rotting heaps become smelly and fly

infested. It is also known to hand pull the old pineapple plants from the ground,

finely chop up the old plants and return the finely chopped plant material to the

ground. However, this is labour intensive and relatively costly.

The present invention is directed towards overcoming this problem.

JP 2008271840 discloses an onion harvester having a digging blade at a front end

to cut onions from a field which are then scooped up onto an infeed conveyor

having a rake blade to deliver the onions to a second conveyor. Foliage is

separated from the onions which are then collected in a storage box at a rear end of

the vehicle.

EP 2218318 discloses an uprooting device having a knife at a front end for cutting

loose a strip of ground with plants which is scooped up between a pair of contra-

rotating conveyors rotating conveyors forfor delivery delivery to a to a discharge discharge conveyor. conveyor.

US 4,234,045 discloses a harvesting machine which has a pair of contra-rotating

blades at a front end to cut each plant away from its roots. Cut plants are conveyed

away from the blades for removal of fruit from the plants.

WO wo 2020/157337 PCT/EP2020/052636

2

GB 842,423 discloses a beet harvesting machine having a pair of shares at a front

end which dig the beets out of the ground and convey the beet upwardly between

conveyors.

SU1709946 discloses a plant stalk puller which cuts plant roots away from the stem

with a ploughshare and then grips and removes the upstanding stem of the plant by

means of conveyors.

JP2009207379 discloses a hand-held plant weeder for uprooting grasses having an

associated pair of facing belt conveyors which rotate in mutually opposite directions

to drag in and extract grass from the ground.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention, there is provided a ground clearing vehicle for removal of

plant material, plant material,including a mobile including chassis a mobile with a with chassis planta grabbing apparatus apparatus plant grabbing mounted on mounted on

the chassis, the plant grabbing apparatus being operable to grip and pull a plant from

the ground.

In one embodiment of the invention, the plant grabbing apparatus comprises a pair of

spaced-apart contra-rotating pick-up pick-up,conveyors conveyorsfor forgripping grippingthe theplant planttherebetween therebetween

and pulling the whole plant upwardly out of the ground.

In another embodiment, the pick-up conveyors are vertically spaced-apart and an

uppermost pick-up conveyor has a lead-in portion which extends forwardly of an inlet

end of a lowermost pick-up conveyor.

In another embodiment of the invention the lead-in portion extends forwardly and

upwardly from the inlet end of the lowermost pick-up conveyor.

In another embodiment of the invention cutters are mounted at a front end of the pick-

up conveyors at each side of an inlet to the pick-up conveyors.

In another embodiment of the invention each cutter comprises one or more rotatable

cutter blades.

WO wo 2020/157337 PCT/EP2020/052636 -3 3

In another embodiment of the invention each cutter comprises a sickle bar cutter.

In another embodiment of the invention each pick-up conveyor has a pair of spaced-

apart drive chains with a plurality of spaced-apart plant-engaging rails extending

therebetween.

In another embodiment of the invention the rails project outwardly of the drive chains.

In another embodiment, the pick-up conveyors extend upwardly on the chassis from

an inlet end of the pick-up conveyors.

In a further embodiment, plant gripping teeth are provided on at least one of the pick-

up conveyors.

In another embodiment, the pick-up conveyors are mounted on a frame which is

movably mounted on the chassis for movement between a raised stored position and

a lowered operating position on the chassis.

In another embodiment, the frame is pivotally mounted on the chassis for movement

between the stored position and the operating position.

In a further embodiment, a ram is mounted between the chassis and the frame, the

ram being operable for movement of the frame on the chassis.

In another embodiment, a ground-engaging skid is provided at a free end of the frame.

In another embodiment, the skid is pivotally mounted on the frame, a skid ram

mounted between the frame and the skid for pivoting the skid relative to the frame.

In a further embodiment, an outlet end of the pick-up conveyor discharges to a stone

separator.

In another embodiment, the stone separator comprises an inclined separator conveyor

mounted below the pick-up conveyor outlet end discharge.

WO wo 2020/157337 PCT/EP2020/052636 - 44 -

In another embodiment, a plant chopper is mounted on the chassis for chopping up

the plant the plantmaterial, material,an an in-feed conveyor in-feed being being conveyor mountedmounted on the chassis on the for delivering chassis a for delivering a

plant from the stone separator to the chopper.

In another embodiment, the in-feed conveyor comprises a pair of spaced-apart contra-

rotating chopper in-feed conveyors.

In a further embodiment, the chopper has a discharge chute for discharging chopped

plant material clear of the vehicle.

In another embodiment each conveyor comprises an endless belt of spaced-apart

parallel rails extending perpendicular to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt.

In another embodiment, the chassis is mounted on tracks.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some

embodiments thereof, given by way of example example,only, only,with withreference referenceto tothe the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a ground clearing vehicle according to the

invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the vehicle;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the vehicle taken along the line III-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view showing plant handling apparatus of the

vehicle;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the plant handling apparatus of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevational view taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5;

WO wo 2020/157337 PCT/EP2020/052636 - 5 5 -

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of plant grabbing apparatus of the vehicle;

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the plant grabbing apparatus;

5 Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line IX-IX of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail perspective view of a stone separator and chopper

infeed conveyor apparatus of the vehicle;

Fig. 11 is a front elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line XII-XII of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a detail elevational view similar to Fig. 9 showing a pick-up conveyor

portion of another ground clearing vehicle according to a second embodiment of

the invention;

Fig. 14 is a detail perspective view similar to Fig. 7 showing a pick-up conveyor

portion of another ground clearly vehicle according to a third embodiment of the

invention; and

Fig. 15 is a detail perspective view similar to Fig. 14 showing an alternative pick-

up conveyor arrangement according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Fig. 1 to Fig. 12 thereof, there is shown a

ground clearing vehicle according to the invention, indicated generally by the

reference 30 reference numeral numeral 1. The 1. The vehicle vehicle 1 has 1 has a mobile a mobile chassis chassis 2, which 2, which in this in this casecase is is

mounted on tracks 3. Plant handling apparatus, indicated generally by the reference

numeral 4,isismounted numeral 4, mounted on the on the chassis chassis and and is is operable operable for gripping for gripping anda pulling and pulling plant a plant

from the ground, and in particularly a pineapple plant, removing stones and soil from

the roots of the plant and chopping up the plant material. A driver's cab 5 is mounted

on the chassis 2 above the plant handling apparatus 4 from which the operation of the

WO wo 2020/157337 PCT/EP2020/052636 PCT/EP2020/052636 - 6 6

vehicle 1 is controlled.

The plant handling apparatus 4 includes a plant grabbing apparatus 7 which is

operable to grip and rip or pull a plant from the ground. The plant is then delivered to

5 a stone separator 8 before being delivered by an infeed conveyor 9 to a chopper 10

for chopping up the plant material which is then discharged clear of the vehicle 1 by

means of a chopper discharge chute 11.

Referring in particular to Figs. 7 to 9, the plant grabbing apparatus 7 is shown in more

detail. The plant grabbing apparatus 7 comprises a stacked pair of spaced-apart

contra-rotating pick-up conveyors, namely a lower pick-up conveyor 14 and an upper

pick-up conveyor 15 for gripping a plant therebetween. The pick-up conveyors 14, 15

are mounted on a frame 16 which is pivotally mounted on the chassis 2 by pivot pins

17 and can be raised and lowered on the chassis 2 by means of rams 18 (Fig. 1)

extending between the frame 16 and the chassis 2.

The pick-up conveyors 14, 15 are inclined upwardly from an inlet end 20 of the pick-up

conveyors 14, 15 forming an inclined plant delivery path 21 between overlapping

portions of the pick-up conveyors 14, 15. Thus, the plant is gripped between the

overlapping portions of the pick-up conveyors 14, 15 and pulled upwardly by movement of the pick-up conveyors 14, 15 along the inclined plant flow path 21 to pull

the plant from the ground and deliver it upwardly along the plant flow path 21 to a

discharge end 24 of the lower pick-up conveyor 14.

Plant gripping teeth 25 are spaced-apart along the upper conveyor 15 to aid in

gripping and feeding the plant to the inlet end 20 of the pick-up conveyors 14, 15.

Rams 28 extending between the pick-up conveyors 14, 15 are operable to pivot the

upper pick-up conveyor 15 on the lower pick-up conveyor 14 to adjust the spacing

therebetween.

Each pick-up conveyor 14, 15 comprises an endless belt of spaced-apart parallel rails

27 extending perpendicular to the direction of travel of the pick-up conveyor 14, 15.

This aids in securely gripping the plant and allows loose soil and stones to fall through

the lower pick-up conveyor 14 onto the ground.

WO wo 2020/157337 PCT/EP2020/052636 PCT/EP2020/052636 77 -

Referring in particular to Fig. 9, the lower pick-up conveyor 14 has an essentially flat

configuration, a bottom portion of the lower pick-up conveyor 14 cooperating with the

upper pick-up conveyor 15 to grab and rip a plant upwardly out of the ground and an

upper portion of the pick-up conveyor 14 feeding the detached plant to the separator

5 8. The upper pick-up conveyor 15 has a quadrilateral configuration with a lower plant-

grabbing portion 29 which overlaps with the lower pick-up conveyor 14 for gripping a

plant therebetween, return sections 32, 34 and a lead-in portion 36 at a front end of

the pick-up conveyor 15. It will be noted that the lead-in portion 36 extends forwardly

and upwardly from the inlet end 20 of the lower pick-up conveyor 14. Thus, in use it

will feed the foliage of the pineapple plant downwardly and inwardly towards the inlet

end 20 feeding the foliage between the pick-up conveyor 14, 15 for gripping and

pulling the plant from the ground.

Ground-engaging Ground-engaging skids skids 30 30 are are pivotally pivotally mounted mounted at at aa free free front front end end of of the the frame frame 16 16

and may be pivoted on the frame 16 by means of skid rams 31. Guide flaps 33 at

either side of the pick-up conveyors 14, 15 in front of the inlet end 20, guide the plant

into the pick-up conveyors 14, 15.

Hydraulic drive motors 35 are operable to drive the pick-up conveyors 14, 15 in

opposite directions to grip and feed a plant along the plant delivery path 21.

Referring in particular to Fig. 6 and Figs. 10 to 12, plant material discharged from the

discharge end 24 of the lower pick-up conveyor 14 drops downwardly through an

opening onto the stone separator 8 which is formed by an inclined separator conveyor

40 having a plurality of spaced-apart parallel transverse rails 41. As a plant drops

from the discharge end 24 of the pick-up conveyor 14 onto the separator conveyor 40,

this will help to shake loose any stones or soil material still attached to the roots of the

plant. These stones and soil can either run off the separator conveyor 40 or fall

through the openings between the rails 41 of the separator conveyor 40 for discharge

onto the ground.

The stone separator 8 discharges plant material to the chopper infeed conveyor 9.

This chopper infeed conveyor 9 comprises a pair of spaced-apart contra-rotating

chopper infeed conveyors, namely a lower infeed conveyor 45 and an upper infeed

conveyor 46. The lower infeed conveyor 45 is integrally formed with the separator

WO wo 2020/157337 PCT/EP2020/052636 PCT/EP2020/052636 - 8 -

conveyor 40, but in some cases may be separate. The chopper infeed conveyor 9

delivers plant material between the conveyors 45, 46 to an inlet of the chopper 10. In

the chopper 10, the plant material is chopped up and then discharged through the

discharge chute 11, either onto the ground or into a container travelling alongside the

5 vehicle 1.

The infeed conveyors 45, 46 each comprise an endless belt of spaced-apart parallel

rails 47 extending perpendicular to the direction of travel of the belt of the infeed

conveyor 45, 46. As before this aids grip and allows loose soil and stones to fall away

from the roots of the plant.

The various conveyors and rams are all hydraulically driven/operated and controlled

from the cab 5 of the vehicle.

In use, the vehicle 1 is driven along a row of pineapple plants. The plant grabbing

apparatus 7 is lowered on the chassis 2 by the rams 18 until the skids 30 slide over

the surface of the ground. As the vehicle 1 advances, a plant is engaged and gripped

by the pick-up conveyors 14, 15 and fed through the inlet end 20 along the plant

delivery path 21 to grip and pull the plant from the ground. Each plant falls off the

discharge end 24 of the pick-up conveyor 14 onto the stone separator 8 to shake

loose any stones or soil material which is discharged by the separator 8 back onto the

ground, while the plant material is gripped and fed by the chopper infeed conveyor 9

to the chopper 10. Chopped plant material is then delivered through the discharge

chute 11 onto the ground alongside the vehicle 1 or into a container, if desired.

Referring now to Fig. 13, there is shown another arrangement of plant grabbing

apparatus 7 forming portion of another ground clearing vehicle according to a second

embodiment of the invention. Parts similar to those described previously are assigned

the same reference numerals. In this case each pick-up conveyor 14, 15 has a pair of

spaced-apart drive chains 50 with a plurality of spaced-apart plant-engaging rails 51

extending therebetween. The arrangement will be appreciated from Fig. 14 also. It

will be noted that the rails 51 project outwardly of the drive chains 50. The plant-

engaging rails 51 of the pick-up conveyors 14, 15 alternate or "mesh" as they pass up

through the plant flow path 21 between the overlapping portions of the pick-up

conveyors 14, 15. The chains 50 and associated rails 51 are robust enough to grip

WO wo 2020/157337 PCT/EP2020/052636 - 9 - 9

and rip the plant from the ground.

Referring now to Fig. 14, there is shown another arrangement of plant grabbing

apparatus 7. Parts similar to those described previously are assigned the same

reference numerals. In this case cutters 60 are mounted at a front end of the pick-up

conveyors 14, 15 at each side of the inlet 20. Each cutter 60 comprises a plurality of

circular rotatable cutter blades 61 mounted on an upright support panel 62 having a

ground-engaging skid 63 at a bottom of the support panel 62. A pair of parallel

support arms 65 support each panel 62 on the frame 16. Opposite ends of each

support arm 65 are pivotally connected to the frame 16, or the panel 62.

Referring now to Fig. 15, there is shown another plant grabbing apparatus 7 according

to a fourth embodiment of the invention. Parts similar to those described previously

are assigned the same reference numerals. In this case cutters 70 are mounted at a

front end of the pick-up conveyors 14, 15 at each side of the inlet 20. In this case

each cutter 70 comprises an upright sickle bar cutter 71. Each sickle bar cutter 71 has

a skid 72 at its lower end and is pivotally mounted on the frame 16 by the support

arms 65. Each support arm 65 is pivotally connected to the frame at the inner end 73

and pivotally connected to the sickle bar cutter 71 at the outer end 74. The sickle bar

cutter 71 is hydraulically driven.

The provision of the cutters 60, 70 at the front end of the plant grabbing apparatus 7

prevents unwanted plants at either side of the grabbing apparatus 7 from being

partially pulled into the inlet 20 and fouling the plant grabbing apparatus 7.

While the vehicle is shown as a tracked vehicle it could instead be mounted on wheels

or a combination of tracks and wheels.

In the specification the terms "comprise, comprises, comprised and comprising" or any

variation thereof and the terms "include, includes, included and including" or any

variation thereof are considered to be totally interchangeable and they should all be

afforded the widest possible interpretation and vice versa.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be

varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A ground clearing vehicle (1) for removal of plant material, including a mobile 5 chassis (2) with a plant grabbing apparatus (7) mounted on the chassis (2), the 2020213710

plant grabbing apparatus (7) being operable to grip and pull a plant from the ground, the plant grabbing apparatus (7) comprising a pair of spaced-apart contra-rotating pick-up conveyors (14, 15) for gripping the plant therebetween and pulling the whole plant upwardly out of the ground, wherein the pick-up conveyors 10 are vertically spaced-apart and comprise a lower pick-up conveyor and an upper pick-up conveyor, the upper pick-up conveyor having a lower plant-grabbing portion which overlaps with the lower pick-up conveyor for grabbing a plant therebetween, and the upper pick-up conveyor having a lead-in portion at a front end of the upper pick-up conveyor which extends forwardly and upwardly from an 15 inlet end of the lower pick-up conveyor.

2. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein cutters are mounted at a front end of the pick-up conveyors at each side of an inlet to the pick-up conveyors.

20 3. The vehicle as claimed in claim 2 wherein each cutter comprises one or more rotatable cutter blades.

4. The vehicle as claimed in claim 2 wherein each cutter comprises a sickle bar cutter. 25

5. The vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein each pick-up conveyor has a pair of spaced-apart drive chains with a plurality of spaced-apart plant-engaging rails extending therebetween.

30

6. The vehicle as claimed in claim 5 wherein the rails project outwardly of the drive chains.

7. The vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the pick-up conveyors extend upwardly on the chassis from an inlet end of the pick-up conveyors.

8. The vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein plant gripping teeth are provided on at least one of the pick-up conveyors.

5

9. The vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the pick-up conveyors are 2020213710

mounted on a frame which is movably mounted on the chassis for movement between a raised stored position and a lowered operating position on the chassis.

10. The vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the frame is pivotally mounted on the 10 chassis for movement between the stored position and the operating position.

11. The vehicle as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein a ram is mounted between the chassis and the frame, the ram being operable for movement of the frame on the chassis. 15

12. The vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein a ground-engaging skid is provided at a free end of the frame.

13. The vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the skid is pivotally mounted on the 20 frame, a skid ram mounted between the frame and the skid for pivoting the skid relative to the frame.

14. The vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein an outlet end of the pick- up conveyor discharges to a stone separator. 25

15. The vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein the stone separator comprises an inclined separator conveyor mounted below the pick-up conveyor outlet end discharge.

30

16. The vehicle as claimed in claim 14 or claim 15, wherein a plant chopper is mounted on the chassis for chopping up the plant material, an in-feed conveyor being mounted on the chassis for delivering a plant from the stone separator to the chopper.

35

17. The vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the in-feed conveyor comprises a pair of spaced-apart contra-rotating chopper in-feed conveyors.

18. The vehicle as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the chopper has a discharge chute for discharging chopped plant material clear of the vehicle. 5 2020213710

19. The vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each conveyor comprises an endless belt of spaced-apart parallel rails extending perpendicular to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt.

10 20. The vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the chassis is mounted on tracks.

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