Loose peanut recovery apparatus

Claim 2

In a peanut combine having a windrow pickup, separating means and vine discharging means, the improvement comprising a peanut recovery apparatus for recovering loose peanuts from the ground after the vines have been picked up by the combine, said recovery apparatus including sweep means for engaging and lifting peanuts from the ground, a peanut recovery unit for receiving peanuts from said sweep means, said recovery unit including conveyor means having openings of a size to permit dirt to fall therethrough and to retain the peanuts on said conveyor means, said conveyor means having portions extending to an upper level, means for retaining the peanuts on said conveyor means as the conveyor means moves upwardly, and receiving means at the upper level into which peanuts are discharged from said conveyor means.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1, in which the conveyor is inverted at said upper level and thereby dumps the peanuts from the retaining means into the receiving means.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 1, in which the sweep means comprises tine means that are mounted to sweep just beneath the surface of the ground in order to recover peanuts that are lodged at a shallow depth.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 1, in which the sweep means is mounted on the combine rearwardly of the pickup and ahead of vines discharged from the combine.

Claim 6

A peanut recovery apparatus mounted for movement through a peanut field for recovering loose peanuts from the ground comprising a sweep assembly including substantially arcuate wall means having its lower portion located adjacent to the ground and curving upwardly therefrom, said assembly having sweep means extending substantially laterally of the direction of movement through the field, said sweep means including shaft means mounted in spaced relation to said wall means, tine means mounted on said shaft means, means for rotating said shaft means so that the tine means lifts peanuts from the ground and moves the same upwardly along said wall means, and a peanut recovery unit having portions located adjacent to said sweep means, said recovery unit including conveyor means haviNg peanut holding means mounted on said frame, said conveyor means mounted for movement substantially transverse to the intended direction of movement through the field and having an elevating portion to raise said recovered peanuts to a higher elevation for discharge.

Claim 7

A peanut recovery apparatus mounted for movement through a peanut field for recovering loose peanuts from the ground comprising a sweep assembly including substantially arcuate wall means having its lower portion located adjacent to the ground and curving upwardly therefrom, said assembly having sweep means extending substantially laterally of the direction of movement through the field, said sweep means including shaft means mounted in spaced relation to said wall means, tine means mounted on said shaft means, means for rotating said shaft means so that the tine means lifts peanuts from the ground and moves the same upwardly along said wall means, and a peanut recovery unit having portions located adjacent to said sweep means, said recovery unit including conveyor means haviNg peanut holding means mounted on said frame, said conveyor means mounted for movement substantially transverse to the intended direction of movement through the field and having an elevating portion to raise said recovered peanuts to a higher elevation for discharge.

Claim 8

The structure of claim 5 including means associated with said peanut recovery unit for causing peanuts discharged from said sweep assembly to be deposited on said conveyor means.

Claim 9

The structure of claim 5 in which conveyor means has openings of a size to permit dirt to fall therethrough but to retain the peanuts thereon.

Claim 10

The structure of claim 5 in which said peanut holding means includes a plurality of spaced receptacles mounted along said conveyor means.

Claim 11

The structure of claim 5 in which said tine means includes a plurality of removably mounted spring fingers.

Claim 12

The structure of claim 5 including ground-engaging means for supporting said sweep assembly and means for selectively raising said sweep assembly out of engagement with the ground.

Claim 13

The structure of claim 5 in which said conveyor means includes a pair of generally parallel chains, a plurality of closely spaced rods connecting said chains, said rods being spaced apart a distance sufficient to retain mature peanuts while permitting dirt and small objects to fall therethrough.

Claim 14

The structure of claim 5 in which said conveyor means includes an endless conveyor having upper and lower runs, said lower run located adjacent to said sweep assembly, and chute means associated with said upper run and located in a position to receive peanuts discharged from said peanut holding means.

Claim 15

The structure of claim 5 in which said conveyor means includes a pair of generally parallel endless chains having upper and lower runs, a sub-frame located between the lower runs of said chains, said sub-frame including a multiplicity of closely spaced rods disposed along the direction of movement of said chains, said peanut holding means including a plurality of spaced receptacles connecting said pair of chains, and means for causing peanuts on said sub-frame to be collected within said receptacles.

Claim 16

A peanut recovery apparatus for recovering loose peanuts from the ground comprising a sweep assembly including end plates connected by an arcuate partition, a shaft connecting said end plates, a plurality of spring fingers mounted on said shaft and being of a length to extend beyond the lower surface of said end plates and into engagement with the ground, means for rotating said shaft so that the spring fingers will lift loose peanuts from the ground and raise the same past said arcuate partition, a peanut recovery unit having portions located adjacent to said sweep assembly, said recovery unit including a frame, a flexible endless conveyor carried by said frame, a plurality of spaced generally parallel buckets mounted on said conveyor, said conveyor adapted to receive loose peanuts from said sweep assembly, means for transferring peanuts from said conveyor to said buckets, said endless conveyor adapted to raise said buckets to a higher elevation and discharge the peanuts therefrom, chute means connecting said frame to peanut receiving means, means for moving the peanuts discharged from said buckets into said chute means, and means for driving said endless conveyor, whereby loose peanuts will be picked up from the ground by said sweep assembly and transferred to said conveyor where the peanuts will be collected in buckets, raised to a higher elevation, and subsequently discharged into said peanut receiving means.

Claim 17

A peanut recovery apparatus for recovering loose peanuts from the ground comprising a sweep assembly including end plates connected by an arcuate partition, a shaft connecting said end plates, a plurality of spring fingers mounted on said shaft and being of a length to extend beyond the lower surface of said end plates and into engagement with the ground, means for rotating said shaft so that the spring fingers will lift loose peanuts from the ground and raise the same past said arcuate partition, a peanut recovery unit having portions located adjacent to said sweep assembly, said recovery unit including a frame, a flexible endless conveyor carried by said frame, a plurality of spaced generally parallel buckets mounted on said conveyor, said conveyor adapted to receive loose peanuts from said sweep assembly, means for transferring peanuts from said conveyor to said buckets, said endless conveyor adapted to raise said buckets to a higher elevation and discharge the peanuts therefrom, chute means connecting said frame to peanut receiving means, means for moving the peanuts discharged from said buckets into said chute means, and means for driving said endless conveyor, whereby loose peanuts will be picked up from the ground by said sweep assembly and transferred to said conveyor where the peanuts will be collected in buckets, raised to a higher elevation, and subsequently discharged into said peanut receiving means.