Self-propelled sweet corn harvester

Claim 1

A self-propelled corn harvester including a frame, drive wheels supporting one end of the frame, at least one steerable wheel supporting the other end of the frame, an operator''s platform mounted on the frame, an elevator assembly with its rear end pivotally attached to the frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, a multiple row corn head with a snapping unit for each row of corn attached to the forward end of the elevator assembly, each snapping unit of said multiple row corn head including a pair of snapping rolls and gathering chains, means to pivot said elevator assembly about said horizontal axis to raise and lower said multiple row corn head relative to the ground, conveyor means for receiving material from the elevator assembly and for conveying the material up and to the rear, cleaning means for separating trash from the ears of corn which fall from the delivery end of said conveyor means, said cleaning means including fan means and at least one substantially horizontally extending beater, spaced horizontally to the rear of the delivery end of the conveyor means, drive means to drive said beater to eject corn stalks from the machine and to assist in ejecting light trash separated from the ears of corn by air from the fan means, a tank for temporary storage of the ears of corn which fall from the conveyor means into the tank, and means to unload the storage tank.