POTATO HARVESTER Russian patent published in 1996 - IPC

FIELD: agricultural engineering. SUBSTANCE: harvester has digging, separating and loading working members. Mounted on working member frame is haulm removing device in form of two blades 8 interconnected at acute angle by cross braces resting on hinge joint for cross rocking. Layer of soil cut above upper tuber is shifted into middle rows together with haulm, weed plants and stones. Digging device in form of two indercutters 12 with sides secured at a distance from each other, with rear undercutter 13 arranged higher than front undercutter, rip the soil and bring tubers to surface. Separating device is made in form of drums - conveyors 14 secured in tandem and furnished with flexible pins rotating in one direction in inclined chute 19 with bottom in form of fork-like screens 20 with longitudinal gradually increasing gaps and adjoining each other with clearance through which soil gets onto field. Flexible pins clean tubers in the same way as fingers of hands and throw them to washer 24 along inclined bottom of chute. Washer has bath with rotating drums - activators with flexible pins, valve 25 to automatically discharge sediment into field, system of return water supply and bucket excavator with buckets in form of rakes with flexible fingers which pick tubers out of washer bath, transport them under shower of water clarified in hydrocyclone and transfer to unloading conveyor 31. EFFECT: enlarged operating capabilities. 4 dwg, 5 dwg