The present disclosure generally relates to harvesters, and more particularly to a dual billet transportation system for a sugarcane harvester.
In order to transport crops from a harvester to a wagon, an elevator is commonly used that pulls a slat along a fixed floor to move the crop.
In one embodiment, a sugarcane harvester is disclosed. The sugarcane harvester comprises a basecutter configured to cut sugarcane. A feeding device is in communication with the basecutter to receive and feed the cut sugarcane into the sugarcane harvester. A chopping device is in communication with the feeding device. The chopping device is configured to chop the cut sugarcane received from the feeding device into billets. A primary extractor is in communication with the chopping device and configured to extract debris from the billets. An onboard storage is in communication with the primary extractor and configured to receive billets. A billet transportation system is in communication with the onboard storage and configured to receive billets and propel the billets to a target location. The billet transportation system comprises a first belt configured to receive billets from the onboard storage and transport billets away from a first portion of the sugarcane harvester. A second belt is configured to receive billets from the onboard storage and transport billets away from a second portion of the sugarcane harvester. At least one metering device is configured to control the flow of billets from the onboard storage to the first and second belts.
In another embodiment, a billet transportation system for a sugarcane harvester having an onboard storage for receiving billets is disclosed. The billet transportation system comprises a first belt configured to receive billets from the onboard storage and transport billets away from a first portion of the sugarcane harvester to a target location. A second belt is configured to receive billets from the onboard storage and transport billets away from a second portion of the sugarcane harvester to the target location. At least one metering device is configured to control the flow of billets from the onboard storage to the first and second belts.
In yet another embodiment, a sugarcane harvester is disclosed. The sugarcane harvester comprises a basecutter configured to cut sugarcane. A feeding device is in communication with the basecutter to receive and feed the cut sugarcane into the sugarcane harvester. A chopping device is in communication with the feeding device. The chopping device is configured to chop the cut sugarcane received from the feeding device into billets. A primary extractor is in communication with the chopping device and configured to extract debris from the billets. An onboard storage is in communication with the primary extractor and configured to receive billets. A backboard is coupled to the onboard storage and configured to limit billets from falling off the sugarcane harvester. A billet transportation system is in communication with the onboard storage and configured to receive billets and propel the billets to a target location. The billet transportation system comprises a first belt configured to receive billets from the onboard storage and transport billets away from a first portion of the sugarcane harvester. A second belt is configured to receive billets from the onboard storage and transport billets away from a second portion of the sugarcane harvester. At least one metering device is configured to control the flow of billets from the onboard storage to the first and second belts.
Other features and aspects will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any embodiments are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Further embodiments of the invention may include any combination of features from one or more dependent claims, and such features may be incorporated, collectively or separately, into any independent claim.
The operator station 30 gives a seated or standing operator a vantage point for viewing the operation of front-mounted equipment including a topper mechanism 35 mounted to the frame 15 between right- and left-hand crop divider assemblies 40. Located just behind and inwardly of the front wheels 25 of the harvester 10, so as to be at opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline of the harvester, are right- and left-hand basecutters 45, only one of which is shown, having cutting blades located so as to overlap at the middle of the harvester 10.
Thus, during operation, the crop divider assemblies 40 straddle a row of cane stalks which pass beneath the frame 15 and are severed from the ground by the basecutters 45. The basecutters 45 deliver the cut stalks to the rear to a feeding device 50 that transports the cane stalks to a chopping device 55 located between and at a height above the rear drive wheels 20. The chopping device 55 cuts the cane stalks into lengths called billets which are fed into a primary extractor 60 that operates to clean unwanted material such as leaves and other crop debris from the billets. The billets then pass into an onboard storage 65 that accumulates the billets.
In some embodiments, the onboard storage 65 may be an onboard storage belt 70. The onboard storage belt 70 is configured to transport billets in a first direction 75 or in a second direction 80, opposite of the first direction 75.
A backboard 85 may be coupled to the onboard storage 65. The backboard 85 is configured to limit billets from falling off of the harvester 10.
Referring to
A second belt 115 operating at a second speed is configured to receive billets from the onboard storage 65 and transport the billets away from a second portion 120 of the harvester 10. The second portion 120 may be the right side 125 of the harvester 10. The first belt 100 and the second belt 115 may be moved relative to a vertical axis 130 to propel the billets to the target location 95.
A metering device 135 is positioned to control the flow of billets from the onboard storage 65 to the first belt 100 and the second belt 115. The metering device 135 may include a first paddle wheel 140 configured to control the flow of billets to the first belt 100 and a second paddle wheel 145 configured to control the flow of billets to the second belt 115.
Referring to
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Various features are set forth in the following claims.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20170112063 A1 | Apr 2017 | US |