Patent US3872655A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3872655A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pneumatic tobacco harvester
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1972-12-14
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Granted: 1975-03-25
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Expires: 1992-12-14
Abstract
Abstract In abstract, a preferred embodiment of the present invention entails a pneumatic tobacco harvester comprising a mobile frame structure adapted to move through the field, a defoliating unit extending from the frame structure and normally encompassing the stalks of the row being harvested for defoliating leaves from successive stalks passing there through, a pneumatic conveyor system operatively associated with said defoliating unit for receiving the defoliated leaves from the defoliating unit and conveying the leaves therefrom, a leaf separator-conveyor assembly partially disposed within said pneumatic conveyor system for intercepting the tobacco leaves moving within the pneumatic conveyor system and for conveying the intercepted leaves therefrom, and a conveyor means for receiving the separated leaves from the leaf separator assembly and conveying leaves therefrom to a bulk storage facility.
Inventors
- 👤 Sr William E Davis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 15:15
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D45/00; A01D45/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
270 words
A pneumatic tobacco harvester of the type adapted to defoliate leaves from successive stalks of a row and operative to convey said defoliated leaves into a bulk storage facility, said pneumatic tobacco harvester comprising: a mobile frame structure; a tobacco leaf defoliating unit associated with said harvester and normally disposed adjacent the row being harvested for defoliating leaves from the individual stalks of the row, said tobacco leaf defoliating unit including means for engaging and breaking selected leaves from respective stalks passing through said defoliating unit; a pneumatic tobacco leaf conveyor system means operatively associated with said defoliating unit for receiving the defoliated tobacco leaves and conveying the received leaves therefrom; separating means associated with said pneumatic conveyor system for separating the tobacco leaves therefrom, said separating means including a leaf conveyor assembly partially disposed within said pneumatic conveyOr system and including openings therein whereby air moving within said pneumatic conveyor system may pass therethrough while tobacco leaves moving within said pneumatic conveyor system between said defoliating unit and said leaf conveyor assembly are retained by said leaf conveyor assembly, said leaf conveyor assembly comprising a rotatively mounted cylinder having an outer screen like wall structure, said cylinder disposed relative to said pneumatic conveyor system such that a portion thereof extends substantially through a cross section of said pneumatic conveyor system, whereby tobacco leaves moving within said penumatic conveyor system are retained about the outer screen like wall structure passing through the pneumatic conveyor system; means for conveying the leaves from said separating means; and a receiving facility generally disposed adjacent said conveying means for receiving the tobacco leaves therefrom.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
270 words
A pneumatic tobacco harvester of the type adapted to defoliate leaves from successive stalks of a row and operative to convey said defoliated leaves into a bulk storage facility, said pneumatic tobacco harvester comprising: a mobile frame structure; a tobacco leaf defoliating unit associated with said harvester and normally disposed adjacent the row being harvested for defoliating leaves from the individual stalks of the row, said tobacco leaf defoliating unit including means for engaging and breaking selected leaves from respective stalks passing through said defoliating unit; a pneumatic tobacco leaf conveyor system means operatively associated with said defoliating unit for receiving the defoliated tobacco leaves and conveying the received leaves therefrom; separating means associated with said pneumatic conveyor system for separating the tobacco leaves therefrom, said separating means including a leaf conveyor assembly partially disposed within said pneumatic conveyOr system and including openings therein whereby air moving within said pneumatic conveyor system may pass therethrough while tobacco leaves moving within said pneumatic conveyor system between said defoliating unit and said leaf conveyor assembly are retained by said leaf conveyor assembly, said leaf conveyor assembly comprising a rotatively mounted cylinder having an outer screen like wall structure, said cylinder disposed relative to said pneumatic conveyor system such that a portion thereof extends substantially through a cross section of said pneumatic conveyor system, whereby tobacco leaves moving within said penumatic conveyor system are retained about the outer screen like wall structure passing through the pneumatic conveyor system; means for conveying the leaves from said separating means; and a receiving facility generally disposed adjacent said conveying means for receiving the tobacco leaves therefrom.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The pneumatic tobacco harvester of claim 1 including means associated with said pneumatic conveyor system for directing the exhaust air thereof back to said defoliating unit for orienting the leaves of the individual stalks prior to defoliation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
The pneumatic tobacco harvester of claim 1 wherein said tobacco leaf pneumatic conveyor system means includes a fan unit having inlet and outlet openings, whereby air is pulled through said pneumatic conveyor system, through said inlet opening into said fan unit, and exits from said outlet opening of said fan unit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The pneumatic tobacco harvester of claim 3 including means for directing the exhaust air exiting from the outlet opening of said fan unit back to said defoliating unit for using the exhaust air to orient the leaves of each tobacco stalk prior to defoliation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The pneumatic tobacco harvester of claim 1 wherein said conveying means for conveying tobacco leaves from said separating means to said receiving facility includes a movable conveyor assembly movable relative to said receiving facility for uniformly loading the same.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The pneumatic tobacco harvester of claim 1 including means associated with said pneumatic conveyor system for separating the upper leaves of the tobacco stalks from the leaves passing through the defoliating unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
85 words
The pneumatic tobacco harvester of claim 1 wherein said conveying means for conveying the tobacco leaves from said separating means to said bulk storage facility comprises a conveyor belt disposed generally adjacent the portion of said cylindrical wall structure lying exteriorly of said pneumatic conveyor system whereby tobacco leaves being retained against the outer screen like wall structure of the cylinder may be released therefrom upon moving outside of said pneumatic conveyor system such that the released leaves may be conveyed by said conveyor belt.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
The pneumatic tobacco harvester of claim 7 wherein said conveying means for conveying the tobacco leaves between said separating means and said bulk storage facility comprises a second belt conveyor oriented generally perpendicular to said first conveyor belt and disposed adjacent thereto for receiving leaves therefrom whereby the received tobacco leaves are transferred directly into said bulk storage facility.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
85 words
The tobacco harvester of claim 1 including a cooperative pneumatic and mechanical defoliating unit for defoliating leaves from a tobacco stalk comprising: a row inlet area for receiving successive tobacco stalks; means for providing a pneumatic system of air about said defoliating unit for orienting the tobacco leaves passing therethrough; and a mechanical defoliating system for defoliating the leaves oriented by said pneumatic air system, said mechanical defoliating system including means for engaging and breaking selected leaves from respective stalks passing through said defoliating unit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The cooperative pneumatic and mechanical defoliating unit of claim 9 including a pair of semi-enclosed housings, each disposed about a respective side of the row inlet area and includinG openings to accommodate the flow of air associated with said pneumatic air system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
The cooperative pneumatic and mechanical defoliating unit of claim 10 wherein said mechanical defoliating system is spaced rearwardly of the effective area of said pneumatic air system such that the mechanical defoliating system is only operative subsequent to the orientation of the leaves by the pneumatic air system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The cooperative pneumatic and mechanical defoliating unit of claim 9 wherein said pneumatic air system includes means for separating the leaves disposed about a particular area of each stalk from the leaves to be defoliated by the defoliating unit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
62 words
The cooperative pneumatic and mechanical defoliating unit of claim 12 wherein said means for separating the leaves of the stalk includes a divider panel disposed on each side of the row inlet area and including an air duct area therein adapted to direct air there through up against the underside of the leaves of the tobacco stalks disposed above the defoliating level.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
The cooperative pneumatic and mechanical defoliating unit of claim 13 wherein said divider panel is of a general U-shape with an open side thereof being disposed adjacent the stalks passing through said row inlet area, and wherein the lower outer edge of each U-shaped divider panel is provided with a generally upturned lip for directing air passing there through generally upwardly against the overpassing tobacco leaves.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
186 words
A material handling apparatus comprising: a mobile frame structure; a header unit extending from said mobile frame structure and adapted to receive materials; a pneumatic conveyor system operatively associated with said header unit for pneumatically conveying the received material therefrom; a driven material separator conveyor assembly partially disposed within said pneumatic conveyor system for intercepting the material passing therethrough and separating said material from said pneumatic conveyor system and transferring the intercepted separated material therefrom, said material separator conveyor assembly including a rotatively mounted cylinder having an outer wall structure with openings therein, said cylinder being disposed such that a portion thereof is continuously disposed interiorly of said pneumatic conveyor system, whereby during operation as said cylinder is rotatively driven air passes through the openings within the wall structure thereof while the material being carried thereby is intercepted by said wall structure and conveyed from the pneumatic conveyor system by the rotating cylinder; means for conveying the separated material from said material separator conveyor assembly; and a receiving means generally disposed adjacent said conveying means for receiving the material conveyed from said material separator conveyor assembly.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
186 words
A material handling apparatus comprising: a mobile frame structure; a header unit extending from said mobile frame structure and adapted to receive materials; a pneumatic conveyor system operatively associated with said header unit for pneumatically conveying the received material therefrom; a driven material separator conveyor assembly partially disposed within said pneumatic conveyor system for intercepting the material passing therethrough and separating said material from said pneumatic conveyor system and transferring the intercepted separated material therefrom, said material separator conveyor assembly including a rotatively mounted cylinder having an outer wall structure with openings therein, said cylinder being disposed such that a portion thereof is continuously disposed interiorly of said pneumatic conveyor system, whereby during operation as said cylinder is rotatively driven air passes through the openings within the wall structure thereof while the material being carried thereby is intercepted by said wall structure and conveyed from the pneumatic conveyor system by the rotating cylinder; means for conveying the separated material from said material separator conveyor assembly; and a receiving means generally disposed adjacent said conveying means for receiving the material conveyed from said material separator conveyor assembly.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
140 words
The material handling apparatus of claim 12 wherein said pneumatic conveyor system comprises: a fan unit disposed adjacent said cylinder and including air inlet and outlet openings therein; and intermediate air duct system extending between the air inlet of said fan unit and the inner cylindrical wall structure of said cylinder; a separator air duct chamber housing a substantial portion of the outer wall structure of said cylinder and communicatively connected with the intermediate air duct system disposed adjacent the inner cylindrical wall structure of the cylinder, wherey air may conveniently be directed from said cylinder chamber through the openings in said cylinder wall and on into said intermediate air duct system; and a connecting air duct system interconnected between said cylinder chamber and said header unit for conveying the material received by said header unit to said cylinder chamber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
56 words
The material handling apparatus of claim 16 wherein said conveying means for conveying material from said material separator-conveyor assembly to said bulk storage facility includes a first conveyor disposed adjacent an outer circumfential portion of said cylinder wall struCture of said pneumatic conveyor system for receiving the material separated and conveyed from said pneumatic conveyor system.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-24 | 1978-09-23 | 1979-03-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-24 | 1982-09-23 | 1983-03-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-24 | 1986-09-23 | 1987-03-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |