METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING OF SOIL CRUMBS FROM ROOTS Russian patent published in 2005 - IPC

FIELD: agriculture.

SUBSTANCE: method involves feeding root fruit and crumb mixture onto inclined surface of conveyor upper run; rolling root fruits and crumbs until root fruits and crumbs stop in stable position; discharging root fruits and crumbs from said surface in different directions, with root fruits and crumbs being rolled relative to belt upper run at constant velocity. Longitudinal axis of root fruits is oriented transverse to inclination of conveyor run on the path close to perimeter of crumbs. Root fruits are discharged along path extending above crumb discharge path. Apparatus has inclined belt conveyor and separating member made in the form of additional conveyor. Inclined belt conveyor is embraced with plated conveyor. Conveyor planks are attached transverse to conveyor pulling members. Planks adjoin to conveyor upper run and move in direction common with that of upper run, with velocity of planks being lower than the velocity of belt by value equal to rolling velocity of crumbs and root fruits, when the latter roll over inclined surface. Plank pitch is close to perimeter of the largest crumbs. Upper pulling wheels of plated conveyor and roll of inclined conveyor are axially aligned with respect to one another. Radius of wheels and height of planks are selected so as to ensure centripetal acceleration of plank exceeding Earth's attraction acceleration.

EFFECT: increased efficiency and reduced labor intensity.

3 cl, 6 dwg