Tobacco harvester

Claim 2

A tobacco harvester comprising support means to enable the harvester to travel along a row of tobacco plants, means for orienting tobacco leaves lying in a picking swath, defoliating means for removing the oriented leaves, said defoliating means including: means for gripping opposing surfaces of the oriented leaves, the gripping means being arranged to apply tension to certain of the gripped leaves thus tending to draw them away from the stalks of the plant and further means for engaging and applying downward pressure to certain of the oriented leaves closely adjacent the stalk of each plant to remove the leaves and/or to assist said gripping means in removing tobacco leaves from the stalk.

Claim 3

The harvester according to claim 1 wherein the leaf gripping means include superposed endless belts adapted to engage the opposing surfaces of the leaf between the runs of same, said belts being arranged such, and means for driving said belts at a speed such as to provide said leaf tensioning forces.

Claim 4

The harvester according to claim 1 wherein the means for engaging and applying downward pressure include a rotatable wheel having a plurality of teeth thereon positioned such that the teeth may engage the stem portions of said tobacco leaves as the wheel rotates closely adjacent the stalk to apply said downward pressure thereto, at least those parts of the teeth which engage said stem portions being of a relatively soft resilient material, and means for rotating said wheel in timed relation to the movement of the harvester along the row of plants.

Claim 5

The harvester according to claim 3 wherein the leaf gripping means include superposed endless belts adapted to engage the opposing surfaces of the leaf between the runs of same, said belts being arranged such, and means for driving said belts at a speed such as to provide said leaf tensioning forces.

Claim 6

The harvester according to claim 3, the defoliating means further including cutting means for severing off from said stalk those leaves which remain attached to the stalk after being acted on by said gripping means and said further means.

Claim 7

The harvester according to claim 5 wherein the cutting means comprises a rotatable cutter wheel having sharp cutting edges arranged such that the stalk of each plant passes closely adjacent thereto as the harvester moves along said row, and means for rotating said cutter wheel.

Claim 8

The harvester according to claim 5 wherein the means for orienting the leaves comprise means for producing air currents extending in directions generally laterally outwardly of the opposing sides of the row of tobacco plants whereby said leaves orient themselves to positions extending generally laterally outwardly of the row.

Claim 9

A tobacco harvester comprising support means to enable the harvester to travel along a row of tobacco plants, means for orienting tobacco leaves lying in a picking swath, defoliating means for removing the oriented leaves, said defoliating means including: means for gripping the oriented leaves, the gripping means arranged to draw certain of the gripped leaves laterally of the tobacco row and away from the stalks of the plant and further means for engaging and applying downward pressure to certain of the oriented leaves closely adjacent the stalk of each plant to remove the leaves and/or assist said gripping means in removing tobacco leaves from the stalk and wherein the leaf gripping means include a pair of superposed endless belts having leaf gripping means thereon for engaging the opposing surfaces of the leaf therebetween, means for driving said endless belts, said endless belts being arranged such that their longitudinal axes diverge angularly away from the row of plants from the front to the rear of the harvester and said means for driving the endless belts being arranged to drive them at a speed related to the speed of harvester travel such as to provide said drawing of the gripped leaves laterally of the row of tobacco plants.

Claim 10

A tobacco harvester comprising support means to enable the harvester to travel along a row of tobacco plants, means for orienting tobacco leaves lying in a picking swath, defoliating means for removing the oriented leaves, said defoliating means including: means for gripping the oriented leaves, the gripping means arranged to draw certain of the gripped leaves laterally of the tobacco row and away from the stalks of the plant and further means for engaging and applying downward pressure to certain of the oriented leaves closely adjacent the stalk of each plant to remove the leaves and/or assist said gripping means in removing tobacco leaves from the stalk and wherein the leaf gripping means include a pair of superposed endless belts having leaf gripping means thereon for engaging the opposing surfaces of the leaf therebetween, means for driving said endless belts, said endless belts being arranged such that their longitudinal axes diverge angularly away from the row of plants from the front to the rear of the harvester and said means for driving the endless belts being arranged to drive them at a speed related to the speed of harvester travel such as to provide said drawing of the gripped leaves laterally of the row of tobacco plants.

Claim 11

The harvester according to claim 8 wherein one of said pair of belts has a plurality of cleats extending thereacross at spaced intervals, said cleats being of a soft resilient foam rubber or the like.

Claim 12

A tobacco harvester including: support means to enable the harvester to travel along a row of tobacco plants, defoliating means for removing tobacco leaves lying in a picking swath from the standing row of plants, means for orienting said tobacco leaves to assist in effecting defoliation a leaf container and means for conveying the picked tobacco leaves to the leaf container, said defoliating means including means for gripping the oriented leaves and applying tension forces to such leaves as the harvester moves along said row of plants such as to tend to cause separation of said leaves from the plant stalk and wherein the leaf gripping means include superposed endless belts in contact with one another and having leaf gripping means thereon for engaging the opposing surfaces of the leaf therebetween, means for driving said endless belts at a speed related to the speed of travel of the harvester along said row, said harvester having two pairs of said belts, the first pair spaced from the second pair to define a passageway therebetween for the passage therethrough of the plants of said row as said harvester moves therealong, said first pair of belts and said second pair of belts being arranged such that their longitudinal axes diverge away from the forward direction of machine travel and hence away from the row of plants.

Claim 13

A tobacco harvester including: support means to enable the harvester to travel along a row of tobacco plants, defoliating means for removing tobacco leaves lying in a picking swath from the standing row of plants, means for orienting said tobacco leaves to assist in effecting defoliation a leaf container and means for conveying the picked tobacco leaves to the leaf container, said defoliating means including means for gripping the oriented leaves and applying tension forces to such leaves as the harvester moves along said row of plants such as to tend to cause separation of said leaves from the plant stalk and wherein the leaf gripping means include superposed endless belts in contact with one another and having leaf gripping means thereon for engaging the opposing surfaces of the leaf therebetween, means for driving said endless belts at a speed related to the speed of travel of the harvester along said row, said harvester having two pairs of said belts, the first pair spaced from the second pair to define a passageway therebetween for the passage therethrough of the plants of said row as said harvester moves therealong, said first pair of belts and said second pair of belts being arranged such that their longitudinal axes diverge away from the forward direction of machine travel and hence away from the row of plants.

Claim 14

A tobacco harvester including: support means to enable the harvester to travel along a row of tobacco plants, defoliating means for Removing tobacco leaves lying in a picking swath from the standing row of plants, means for orienting said tobacco leaves to assist in effecting defoliation, a leaf container and means for conveying the picked tobacco leaves to the leaf container, said defoliating means including means for gripping the oriented leaves and applying tension forces to such leaves as the harvester moves along said row of plants such as to tend to cause separation of said leaves from the plant stalk and wherein the leaf gripping means include a pair of endless belts, a run of one belt being in face to face contacting relation with a run of the other belt, said belts having leaf gripping surfaces thereon for engaging the opposing surfaces of the leaf between the runs of said belts, means for driving said endless belts at a speed related to the speed of harveser travel, said endless belts being arranged such that their longitudinal axes are angularly disposed with respect to the direction of travel of the harvester as it moves along the row of plants to gradually increase the amount of tension applied to the engaged leaves as the harvester moves along the row of tobacco plants.

Claim 15

A tobacco harvester including: support means to enable the harvester to travel along a row of tobacco plants, defoliating means for Removing tobacco leaves lying in a picking swath from the standing row of plants, means for orienting said tobacco leaves to assist in effecting defoliation, a leaf container and means for conveying the picked tobacco leaves to the leaf container, said defoliating means including means for gripping the oriented leaves and applying tension forces to such leaves as the harvester moves along said row of plants such as to tend to cause separation of said leaves from the plant stalk and wherein the leaf gripping means include a pair of endless belts, a run of one belt being in face to face contacting relation with a run of the other belt, said belts having leaf gripping surfaces thereon for engaging the opposing surfaces of the leaf between the runs of said belts, means for driving said endless belts at a speed related to the speed of harveser travel, said endless belts being arranged such that their longitudinal axes are angularly disposed with respect to the direction of travel of the harvester as it moves along the row of plants to gradually increase the amount of tension applied to the engaged leaves as the harvester moves along the row of tobacco plants.

Claim 16

The harvester according to claim 11 further including means for engaging and applying downward pressure to certain of the oriented leaves closely adjacent the stalk of the plant to remove and/or assist in removing said leaves from the stalk and to assist in feeding the leaves between said endless belts, and means for cutting off from the stalk those leaves which remain attached to the stalk after being acted upon by the means for engaging and applying downward pressure and by the endless belts.

Claim 17

A tobacco harvester including: support means to enable the harvester to travel along a row of tobacco plants, defoliating means for removing tobacco leaves lying in a picking swath from the standing row of plants, means for orienting said tobacco leaves to assist in effecting defoliation, a leaf container and means for conveying the picked tobacco leaves to the leaf container, said defoliating means including means for gripping the oriented leaves and applying tension forces to such leaves as the harvester moves along said row of plants such as to tend to cause separation of said leaves from the plant stalk and wherein the leaf gripping means include a pair of endless belts respective runs of which are in contact and defining leaf gripping surfaces thereon for engaging the opposing surfaces of the leaf between said contacting runs, means for driving said endless belts, said belt runs being arranged such that they exert said tesnion forces on said leaves as the harvester moves along said row.

Claim 18

A tobacco harvester including: support means to enable the harvester to travel along a row of tobacco plants, defoliating means for removing tobacco leaves lying in a picking swath from the standing row of plants, means for orienting said tobacco leaves to assist in effecting defoliation, a leaf container and means for conveying the picked tobacco leaves to the leaf container, said defoliating means including means for gripping the oriented leaves and applying tension forces to such leaves as the harvester moves along said row of plants such as to tend to cause separation of said leaves from the plant stalk and wherein the leaf gripping means include a pair of endless belts respective runs of which are in contact and defining leaf gripping surfaces thereon for engaging the opposing surfaces of the leaf between said contacting runs, means for driving said endless belts, said belt runs being arranged such that they exert said tesnion forces on said leaves as the harvester moves along said row.

Claim 19

The harvester according to claim 13, wherein said belt driving means is adapted to drive said endless belts at a preselected speed related to the speed of harvester travel, said arrangement of said belts and said preselected speed being such as to provide said tension forces on the engaged leaves which tend to cause separation thereof from the plant stalk, and means for engaging and applying downward pressure to certain of the oriented leaves closely adjacent the stalk of the plant to remove and/or assist in removing said leaves from the stalk and to assist in feeding the leaves between said endless belts.

Claim 20

The harvester according to claim 13 wherein said harvester has two pairs of said belts, the first pair being spaced from the second pair to define a passageway therebetween for the passage therethrough of the plants of said row as said harvester moves therealong.

Claim 21

The harvester according to claim 13 wherein at least portions of said contacting belt runs are disposed such as to form an angle with respect to the longitudinal center line of the harvester whereby leaves gripped between said contacting belt runs are subjected to said tension forces as the harvester moves along the row of plants.

Claim 22

The harvester according to claim 16 wherein one of said contacting belts has a plurality of cleats extending thereacross at spaced intervals to assist in gripping said tobacco leaves.

Claim 23

The harvester according to claim 13 wherein the means for orienting the leaves comprise means for producing air currents extending in directions generally laterally outwardly of the opposing sides of the row of tobacco plants whereby said leaves orient themselves to positons extending generally laterally outwardly of the row.

Claim 24

In a tobacco harvester including support means to enable the harvester to move along a standing row of tobacco plants, and defoliating means for removing suitably oriented leaves lying in a picking swath from the stalks of the plants, the improvement wherein said defoliating means includes means defining opposed leaf gripping surfaces for clampingly gripping the tobacco leaves therebetween, and means for supporting and moving said opposed leaf gripping surfaces such that the latter have i. a substantial component of velocity relative to the harvester in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the harvester and to the direction of harvester travel and ii. a further component of velocity transverse to said first mentioned component during at least a portion of the time that the tobacco leaves are clampingly engaged between said leaf gripping surfaces whereby to exert forces on said tobacco leaves which tend to remove same from the plant stalks.

Claim 25

In a tobacco harvester including support means to enable the harvester to move along a standing row of tobacco plants, and defoliating means for removing suitably oriented leaves lying in a picking swath from the stalks of the plants, the improvement wherein said defoliating means includes means defining opposed leaf gripping surfaces for clampingly gripping the tobacco leaves therebetween, and means for supporting and moving said opposed leaf gripping surfaces such that the latter have i. a substantial component of velocity relative to the harvester in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the harvester and to the direction of harvester travel and ii. a further component of velocity transverse to said first mentioned component during at least a portion of the time that the tobacco leaves are clampingly engaged between said leaf gripping surfaces whereby to exert forces on said tobacco leaves which tend to remove same from the plant stalks.

Claim 26

The improvement according to claim 19 wherein said opposed leaf gripping surfaces are defined by endless flexible belts.

Claim 27

The improvement according to claim 19 wherein the defoliating means further includes means for applying downward pressure to certain ones of the leaves at points adjacent the plant stalk to assist in removing these leaves from the stalk.

Claim 28

The improvement according to claim 21 wherein the defoliating means further includes means to assist in removing certain of the leaves while they are clampingly engaged between the leaf gripping surfaces.

Claim 29

In a tobacco harvester including support means to enable the harvester to move along a standing row of tobacco plants and defoliating means for removing suitably oriented leaves lying in a picking swath, the improvement comprising an endless flexible defoliator belt defining a leaf gripping surface which defoliator belt is arranged to be carried by said support means along and adjacent to said standing row of plants, means for causing frictional engagement of said leaves with said surface means for supporting and moving said endless belt to apply forces to the leaves engaged with said surface, which forces assist in effecting removal of said leaves from said plants, said improvement further characterized in that the means for causing frictional engagement of the leaves with said surface comprise a further endless belt having a run thereof in contact with a run of the first mentioned belt and arranged such that the leaves are fed between and frictionally gripped between said contacting runs.

Claim 30

In a tobacco harvester including support means to enable the harvester to move along a standing row of tobacco plants and defoliating means for removing suitably oriented leaves lying in a picking swath, the improvement comprising an endless flexible defoliator belt defining a leaf gripping surface which defoliator belt is arranged to be carried by said support means along and adjacent to said standing row of plants, means for causing frictional engagement of said leaves with said surface means for supporting and moving said endless belt to apply forces to the leaves engaged with said surface, which forces assist in effecting removal of said leaves from said plants, said improvement further characterized in that the means for causing frictional engagement of the leaves with said surface comprise a further endless belt having a run thereof in contact with a run of the first mentioned belt and arranged such that the leaves are fed between and frictionally gripped between said contacting runs.

Claim 31

In a tobacco harvester including support means to enable the harvester to move along a standing row of tobacco plants and defoliating means for removing suitably oriented leaves lying in a picking swath, the improvement comprising an endless flexible defoliator belt defining a leaf gripping surface which defoliator belt is arranged to be carried by said support means along and adjacent to said standing row of plants, means for causing frictional engagement of said leaves with said surface, means for supporting and moving said endless belt to apply forces to the leaves engaged with said surface, which forces assist in effecting removal of said leaves from said plants, said improvement further characterized in that said means for supporting and moving the belt is arranged such that the belt has a component of velocity relative to the harvester which is directed generally longitudinally of the latter.

Claim 32

In a tobacco harvester including support means to enable the harvester to move along a standing row of tobacco plants and defoliating means for removing suitably oriented leaves lying in a picking swath, the improvement comprising an endless flexible defoliator belt defining a leaf gripping surface which defoliator belt is arranged to be carried by said support means along and adjacent to said standing row of plants, means for causing frictional engagement of said leaves with said surface, means for supporting and moving said endless belt to apply forces to the leaves engaged with said surface, which forces assist in effecting removal of said leaves from said plants, said improvement further characterized in that said means for supporting and moving the belt is arranged such that the belt has a component of velocity relative to the harvester which is directed generally longitudinally of the latter.

Claim 33

The improvement according to claim 24 including means for applying downward pressure to certain of said leaves adjacent to the plant stalks.