WO1997047177A1

WO1997047177A1 - A sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with grain harvesters

Info

Publication number: WO1997047177A1
Application number: PCT/BR1997/000034
Authority: WO
Inventors: Morelis Edison Coca; Janio Pereira Padilha
Original assignee: PRATA 1000 INDUSTRIA E COMERCIO Ltda
Current assignee: PRATA 1000 INDUSTRIA E COMERCIO Ltda
Priority date: 1996-06-13
Filing date: 1997-06-13
Publication date: 1997-12-18
Anticipated expiration: 1998-12-13
Also published as: BR9601829A; AU3843397A

Abstract

The present invention refers to a sweeping type platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use in connection with a grain harvester. The platform comprises a chassis (2) mounted on wheels (3); sweeping means (6) on said chassis for collecting the seeds from the ground; baffle means (7) for making it easier to remove said seeds from the ground; means (8) for capturing the seeds swept from the ground by said sweeping means (6) and baffle means (7); and means (9) for directing the collected seeds towards a transportation means (10) for transporting the seeds swept from the ground to a selection compartment within the harvesters.

Description

Specification "A SWEEPING PLATFORM FOR COLLECTING SEEDS FROM THE GROUND FOR USE WITH GRAIN HARVESTERS" Background of the Invention Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention refers to agricultural equipment in general and, more specifically, to a sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use in connection with a grain harvester, specifically designed for collecting from the ground, in the last steps of harvesting, the seeds used in the formation of pastures. Description of the Prior Art

Harvesters are devices used in agriculture for separating fruit and grains from their supporting branches or the like, and for collecting and packing these grains after they have been duly cleaned and separated.

As it is widely know by those skilled in this technical field, several types and models of harvesters are commercialy available, having different features that may change according to the purpose for which they are designed, tahat is, according to the type of fruit or grain to be harvested.

Specifically with reference to the collection of seeds designed for the formation of pastures, such as "coloniao", "brachiarias", "Tanzania", leguminosae and others, whose production in suitable quantities is of vital importance to the development of a cattle breeding industry in any country, mainly in countries with a cattle breeding history encompassing different types of bovines, such as Brazil, there is a need for providing suitable means for collecting the seeds both from the raceme and the ground.

Indeed, due to the long harvesting time required for the harvest of a large cultivated area, as is usual in this type of crop, typically planters have no other option but to collect a large quantity of the seeds from the raceme before they become fully mature and consequently fall down to the ground, thus mixing with earth, dust and impurities.

However, according to the sorting standards usually used by seed planters and merchants in general, the seeds are devided into seed collected from the raceme ana seeds collected from the ground and between these two groups of seeds - collected from the raceme and from the ground - the greatest demand always falls on the seeds collected from the ground, for they show a germination index of approximately 85^s versus an index of approximately 40* of the seeds collected from the raceme, this significative difference being due to the high degree of matureness of the seeds collected from the ground when compared to that of the seeds collected from the raceme.

From the above, it is apparent that the fully mature seeds that fall to the ground cannot be wasted, for they: (l) represent a significantive amount of the total seeds being collected; and (n) show the best quality.

However, the manual harvest of the seeds collected from the ground is too costly, due to the manpower cost required in clearing the land for cultivation, ploughing the soil, removing tree stubs, hackling, sweeping and screening the soil, not to mention the risk of losing seeds due to birds, ants, rats, ram and the like.

Indeed, for carrying out all these operations, a man in one day covers at most 250 square meters, thus being necessary approximately 80 to 100 men/day to cover one alqueire (24,200 square meters) for producing 4 metric tons of seeds.

A first solution provided aiming at the mecnanization of the previously manual process for collecting the seeds that fell to the ground was the provision of a harvesting machine equipped with cyclone means mounted on a structure from which a number of suction hoses protrude.

Said hoses are manually conveyed by operators while the harvester is displaced, in such a way that the seeds are drawn to the interior of the machine by means of hoses and then fall onto a vibrating sieve that separates them from any impurities.

A serious drawback in the suction type harvester described above is that it cannot be provided with means for continuously eliminating dust and residues drawn together with the seeds, for the presence of operators around the machine makes it impossible to provide means for the continuous elimination of dust and residues drawn together with the seeds, since this would generate a highly deleterious environment for the operators. Thus, the bin designed for this purpose within the machine becomes completely filled after suction has been applied to the ground for a few meters, what requires an interruption in the equipment operation until these impurities are removed therefrom.

Another drawback of the suction type harvester described above is that it requires a previous preparation of the ground before it is moved, wherein weeds and stubs shall be removed from the ground and it shall be hackled for removing the hay and also swept for releasing the seeds therefrom, what requires the use of an extensive manpower.

A third drawback of the suction type harvester described above is that usually the seed is stuck to the ground, what requires an additional operation for sweeping the ground before the machine is moved.

Still another drawback of the suction type harvester described above is that the excess of impurities drawn together with the seeds causes periodic clogging in the machine that can only be solved through the interruption of its operation. Brazilian Utility Model Patent Application No. MU

7000585-0, filed on 03/28/1990 by one of the inventors of the present invention, discloses a harvester for collecting seeds from the ground that solves the above mentioned problems of the suction type harvester of the prior art. In accordance with said utility model patent application, there is provided a sweeping type harvesting machine for collecting seeds from the ground that continuously removes dust and residues drawn together with the seeds without generating a deleterious environment for the operators, thus eliminating the need for a frequent interruption in the operation of the equipment for removing said impurities.

Still, the harvester disclosed in this utility model patent application does not require a previous preparation of the ground before its passage, thus eliminating the need for an extensive manpower.

Another advantage of the harvester according to the above mentioned utility model patent application is that it is provided with means for sweeping the ground where the seed is usually retained, thus eliminating the need for an additional sweeping operation of the ground before the machine is moved.

According to this utility model patent application, there is provided a sweeping type harvester for collecting seeds from the ground wherein a rotating brush mounted on a front end of tne machine sweeps the surface of the grounα in sucn a way that the seeds and impurities are directed to a front baffle means where a strong air current formed by the brush rotating at high speed (450 rpm) causes a venturi effect that draws the seeds and impurities to a selection compartment provided with vibrating sieves where the seeds are separated from the impurities.

While the sweeping type harvester for collecting seeds from the ground according to Brazilian Utility Model Patent Application No. MU 7000585-0 provides substantial advantaαes when compared to the previously known suction type harvester for collecting seeds from the ground, it still has some drawbacks that mitigate its wide use.

Indeed, the experiments carried out by using this sweeping type seed harvester according to Brazilian Utility Model Patent Application No. MU 7000585-0 have shown the existence of some problems with respect to the collection of seeds from the ground.

For example, it was noticed that the simple sweeping of the ground for directing the seeds and impurities onto the front baffle means, from where they are drawn by the venturi effect caused by the rotation of the sweepmα brush, is not enough for assuring the collecting of all the seeds that fell to the ground, and then there is a need for improving this collecting of seeds in order to improve the productivity and efficacy of the harvester. The patent invention application filed on May 06,

1996 by the inventors of the present invention discloses a sweeping type harvester for collecting seeds from the ground that solves the above mentioned problems of the harvesters of the prior art. According to the principles disclosed in that patent application, there is provided a sweeping type harvester for collecting seeds from the ground that comcnses s brush rotationally mounted on an axle provided at the front enα of the machine, said axle being positioned in relation to the around in sucr a way that it folds the brush against the qround when it is rotated; a curved front baffle means provided with a lower end positioned at a distance from said axle that is lower than the brusn diameter so that it folds the brush against the ground when it is rotated, and an upper enα positioned at a distance from said upper axle that is higher than the brush diameter so that the σrush does not contact the ground any longer as of a certain point along the length of said Daffle means; a fixed deflecting plate positioned adjacent to the periphery of said brush in such a way that the seeds and impurities swept by the brush are directed to the interior of the harvester; and a selection compartment for separating the seeds collected from the ground from the impurities.

This sweeping type narvester assures a practically complete removal of all seeds that fell to the ground, thus not requiring a previous preparation of the ground before its passage and continuously eliminating dust and residues that are drawn together with the seeds, yet without generating a deleterious environment for the operators and without the need for frequently interrupting the operation of the harvester for removing the impurities collected together with the seeds.

However, that harvester for collecting seeds from the ground is far from being a definitive solution, for there are situations where it is more convenient for the planter to try to incorporate an already existmα machine that is not m use instead of buying a new machine.

For example, a grain harvester not m use may be easily incorporated for collecting seeds from the ground, for it is already provided with a mecnanism for separating the seeds from the dust and impurities, and this is a cheaper solution for the planter than buying a new seed harvester.

It was with this problem in mind that the inventors of the present invention have developed the present sweeping type platform for collecting seeds from the ground to be incorporated to a grain narvester.

A sweeping type platform for collecting seeαs from the qround to be incorporated to a grain harvester according to the present invention is comprised cf: a chassis mounted on wheels; sweeping means on saiα chassis for capturing the seeds from the ground; baffle means for making it easier to remove said seeαs from the ground; means for capturing the seeds swept from the ground by said sweeping means and baffle means; means for directing the collected seeds towards a transportation means; and transportation means for transporting the seeds swept from the ground to a selection compartment within the harvester.

Other characteristics an advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Brief Description of the Drawings

The present invention will be described m greater detail hereinafter with specific reference to its presently preferred embodiment as shown in the attached drawings, which are not m any way restrictive, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a sweeping type seed collecting platform to be adapted to a grain harvester according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a back elevation view of a sweeping type seed collecting platform to be incorporated to a grain harvester according to the present invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic representation, in a reduced scale, of a grain harvester that incorporates the sweeping type seeα collecting platform according to the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

A specific presently preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown for exemplification purposes in the accompanying drawings and shall be detailed described below. However, it should be understood that while the present invention is susceptible to several modifications and changes in its form and dimensions, the present specification is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms and/or dimensions described herein, but instead to cover all modifications and alternate embodiments that may be within the spirit and scope of the invention as shown in the accompanying claims.

With reference now more particularly to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a platform for col_ectmg seeds from the ground 1 according to the present invention to be incorporated to a grain harvester, comprised of a support structure mounted on a pair of front wheels 3.

Said support structure for the platform comprises means (not shown) for coupling to a transmission of the harvester for actuating by means of pulleys, chains, belts, gears, the many components of the platform, and wheels 3 mounted on axies are provided with means (not sown) well known by those skilled in the art for regulating the height of said platform in relation to the ground.

The seed collecting platform according to the invention is basically comprised of a sweeping compartment 4, covered by a front fairing 5 in the interior of which there are sweeping means 6 for collecting the seeds and impurities from the ground, baffle means 7 for making it easier to remover the seeds from the ground, means 8 for capturing the seeds swept from the ground by said sweeping means 6 and baffle means 7, means 9 for directing the collected seeds towards a transportation device and means 10 for transporting the seeds swept from the ground to a selection compartment within the harvester.

Said sweeping means comprise a brush 6 which is rotationally mounted on an axle 11 horizontally provided at the front end of the platform, said axle being positioned at a height from the ground in such a way that it folds the brush against the ground when it is rotated, said brush 6 being comprised of a core member 12 having a plurality of brush members 13 mounted thereon. In a preferred embodiment of the platform for collecting seeds from the ground according to the present invention, said axle 11 is mounted on means 14 for regulating the height of said axle in relation to the ground in order to compensate for wear of the brush members and keep the brush folded against the ground when it is rotated.

Said baffle means for making it easier to remove said seeds and impurities from the ground comprise a curved front baffle means 7 having a lower end 7A positioned at a distance from axle 11 that is lower than the brush diameter, and an upper end 7B positioned at a distance from said axle that is higher than the brush diameter.

The purpose of this constructive configuration of baffle means 7 is to fold the ends of brush members 13 against the baffle means when the brush is rotated, m such a way that it makes it easier to remove the seeds and impurities from the ground.

Preferably, said curved front baffle means 7 is curved substantially spiral-shaped, and this shape of baffle means 7 in relation to axle 11 causes the ends of sweeping means

13 of said brush 6 not to contact same any longer as of a certain point along the length of said baffle means 7.

A cover means 15 made of rubber or another suitable similar material is mounted along the lower edge of said baffle means 7 in such a way that it continuously contacts the ground and makes it easier to direct the seeds and impurities to the interior of the collecting platform, said baffle means 7 being provided with means 16 for regulating its position in relation to said sweeping means 6 m order to compensate for the wear of brush members 13 and keep same folded against the baffle means when it is rotated.

Said means for collecting the swept seeds and impurities comprise a grain deflecting plate 8 positioned adjacent to the periphery of brush members 13 of said brush 6, which plate extends backwards and downwards, thus forming a bin

17 for said seeds.

Preferably, the bottom portion of said bin 17 is provided with a plurality of holes having diameters lower than the average diameter of the seeds, in order to make it easier to remove the swept dust and impurities.

Additionally, said gram deflecting plate comprise a means 18 for regulating the position of said deflecting plate 8 in relation to said sweeping means 6, in order to compensate for the wear of brush members 13. Said means for directing the collected seeds comprise an endless screw 9 for conveying the seeds and impurities swept by the brush towards a transportation device 10. Preferably, said endless screw 9 comprises opposite endless screw portions 9A, 9B for directing the seeαs to a central portion of said platform, from where a transportation device such as a conveyor belt 10 transports the seeαs to a selection compartment 19 within the harvester.

Selection compartment 19 for separating the seeds collected from the ground from impurities within the harvester is of a conventional type and comprises a selection chamber provided with vibrating sieves.

The principle of operation of the sweeping type platform for collecting seeds fr^*om the ground accordmα to the present invention is quite simple and will be detailed αescribed below.

Horizontal axle 11 is actuated by a transmission of the narvester by means of pulleys, chains, belts and gears, as illustrated in Figure 1, for rotating brush 6 at a speed of approximately 100 rpm. The purpose of this low rotation speed is to avoid the damages caused in the past to brush members 13 due to the high speed previously used in sweeping type harvesters.

In view of the position of axle 11 in relation to the around, the ends of brush members 13 are folded against grounα S, in such a way that the seeds plus ground impurities are drawn against rubber cover 15 and against lower end 7A of soiral- shaped baffle means 7.

In view of the positioning of said baffle means 7 in relation to brush 6, where lower end 7A is closer and upper end 7B is more distant from horizontal axle 11, the seeds and impurities are compressed by the ends of brush members 13 against rubber 15 and baffle means 7 as far as the point where said ends are not folded any longer.

With that, due to the spring effect caused by the initial folding of the ends of brush members 13, the seeαs and impurities are cast into the interior of the collecting platform, where deflecting plate 8 directs same towards bin 17.

As can be better seen from Figure 2, from bin 17, opposite endless screw portions 9A, 9B of said conveying screw 9 direct the seeds and impurities to a central portion of said collecting platform, where a transportation device such as a conveyor belt 10 transports the seeds to a selection compartment 19 within the harvester, where vibrating sieves 20 separate the seeds from impurities, as is well known by those skilled in the art.

The sweeping type platform for collecting seeds from the around according to the present invention to be incorporated to a αrair harvester assures a practically complete removal of all seeds that fell down to the ground in view of their matureness, thus not requiring the previous preparation of the ground before its passage and continuously eliminating the dust and residues drawn together with the seeds, without generating a deleterious environment for the operators and without the need for frequently interrupting the operation of the harvester for collecting the impurities captured with the seeds.

The presently preferred embodiment of the present invention being described and illustrated, it should be understood that many modifications and/or changes will be immediately apparent to those skilled in the art and that such modifications and/or changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

Claims"A SWEEPING PLATFORM FOR COLLECTING SEEDS FROM THEGROUND FOR USE WITH GRAIN HARVESTERS"

1. A sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with grain harvesters, comprising: a chassis mounted on wheels; sweeping means on said chassis for collecting the seeds from the ground; front baffle means for helping removing said seeds from the ground; means for capturing the seeds swept from the ground by said sweeping means and said front baffle means; and means for directing the collected seeds towards a transportation means for transporting the seeds swept from the ground to a selection compartment within the harvester.

2. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with gram harvesters according to claim 1, wherein the sweeping means for collecting the seeds from the ground comprise a brush rotationally mounted on an axle positioned at the front end of the platform, the position of said axle in relation to the ground being such that the brush is folded against the ground when it is rotated.

3. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with gram harvesters according to claim 2, wherein said brush comprises a core member having a plurality of brush members mounted thereon.

4. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with gram harvesters according to claim 3, wherein said axle is horizontally mounted at the front end of said platform.

5. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with grain harvesters according to claim 4, wherein said axle is positioned at a height from the ground which is lower than the length of the brush members, in such a way that the brush is folded against the ground when it is rotateα.

6. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with gram harvesters according to claim 2, also comprising means for regulating the height of saio axle from the around m order to compensate for the wear of tne brush members and keep the brush folded against the ground when it is rotating.

7. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with grain harvesters according to claim 1, wherein the baffle means for making it easier to remove said seeds from the ground comprise a curved front baffle means having a lower end positioned at a distance from said lower axle which is lower than the brush diameter, so that the Drush is folded against same when it is rotating, and having an upper end positioned at a distance from said upper axle which is higher than the brush diameter.

8. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with grain harvesters according to claim 7, wherein said curved front baffle means is substantially spiral- shaped.

9. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with grain harvesters according to claim 8, wherein said curved front baffle means comprises a sealing member mounted along its lower edge.

10. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with grain harvesters according to claim 9, wherein said sealing member is made of rubber or any other suitable material.

11. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with grain harvesters according to claim 7, also comprising means for regulating the position of said front baffle means in relation to said sweeping means.

12. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with grain harvesters according to claim 1, wherein the means for collecting the swept seeds comprise a deflecting plate positioned adjacent to the periphery of said brush.

13. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with grain harvesters according to claim 12, wherein said deflecting plate extends backwards and downwards, thus making out a bin for said seeds.

14. The sweeping platform for collecting seeαs from the ground for use with gram harvesters according to claim 12 or 13, also comprising means for regulating the position of said deflecting plate in relation to said sweeping means.

15. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with grain harvesters according to claim 1, wherein the means for directing the collected seeds comprise an endless screw for conveying the seeds toward a transportation means .

16. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with grain harvesters according to claim 15, wherein said screw comprises opposite screw portions for directing the seeds to a core portion of said platform.

17. The sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with gram harvesters according to claim 1, wherein the transportation means for transporting the seeds to a selection compartment within the harvester comprise a conveyor belt.

18. A gram harvester, comprising the sweeping platform for collecting seeds from the ground for use with grain harvesters as described in any of the preceding claims.

19. The gram harvester according to claim 18, comprising a selection compartment for separating the seeds collected from the ground from the impurities.

20. The gram harvester according to claim 19, wherein said selection compartment is comprised of a selection chamber provided with vibrating sieves.