Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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The present invention relates to a method of harves-
ting tobacco, and to a system for bulk handling tobacco between
field harvesting and curing and drying operations.
Basically the bulk support or handling unit is de-
signed to directly receive a continuous volume of randomly
aligned leaves with the plane of the
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leaves being generally horizontally disposed in overlying relationship After
the handling ~mit has been filled to a selected level, the leaves therein are
suitably confined within said bulk handling unit, and the handling unit is
rotated approximately 90 degrees to where the plane of the leaves assume
generally vertical positions while remaining randomly aligned, and the depth
of the volume of leaves contained within ~he bulk handling or support unit,
as vertically oriented, being greater than the length o~ the individual leaves
comprising the volumeO The rotated bulk handling or support unit is suitably
adapted to be directly placed into operative relationship with a bulk curing
1~ and drying system for curing and drying the bulk volume of tobacco leaves
held within said bulk handling unit.
In addition the present invention relates to an improved curing and
drying system having a plurality of individual bulk tobacco support units~ each
unit, as vertically oriented within the curing and drying system, adap~ed to
contain and support a continuous volume of tobacco leaves with the plane of
the individual leaves being generally vertically disposed and in random alignment
and wherein the continuous volume is of a greater depth (depth meaning the vertical
height) than the length o the leaves making up the volumeO
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fo J. Hassler disclosed in UO SO Patent 3,110,326 a method and barn
structure for bulk curing and drying whole leaf flue-cured tobacco. Prior to
Hassler's bulk curing system, the "stick barn" represented the state of the art ~~
of curing and drying flue-cured tobacco. Generally, in the old "stick barn"
system the tobacco leaves were looped onto opposite sides of an elongated stick
in small bundles (usually 2 to 3 leaves per bundle) with the bundles being
disposed in spaced apart relationshipO Hassler discovered that tobacco leaves
could be racked and cured and dried in bulk form by peripherally con~ining an
assembled volume of aligned leaves about the stalk or butt end of the leaves
making up the bulk volume, as illustrated in Figso 3 and 7 of UO SO Patent
30 3,110,326. The rack illustrated is known as a conventional bulk tobacco rack
and is particularly characterized in that it is a single tier rack, i.en, the
volume of bulk leaves supported has a depth (or height) o~ one lea~ Length when
disposed within the curing and drying structure,
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l~pically in loading a rack of the ~ype disclosed in the Hassler
patent, harvested tobacco leaves are transported from the field in a trailer
or other suitable transport device and the leaves are transferred manlally
therefrom to a bin or form suppor~ing a base portion of the single tier rack.
The bin or form enables the tobacco leaves to be neatly aligned with the stalk
or butt ends of the leaves lying in substantially the same plane. Once a
selected volume of leaves have been manually aligned wi~hin the bin or form,
a series of tines are inserted through the bulk volume of tobacco leaves and
the frame carrying the tines is fastened to the base portion thereofO There-
after the rack is removed from the bin or form and placed within a curing anddrying structure where the walls thereof directly support parallel tier rails
which in turn support the rack at any one of several tier levels.
Basically commercial bulk curing systems of today remain fundamentally
unchanged over the basic Hassler design, and have over the past years been used
for the most part to cure and dry manually harvested tobacco. ~ut in the last
several years, automatic tobacco harvesters (of the type shown in U. S~ Patent
3,507,103) have begun to meet with substantial commercial success and many
farmers are now using such automatic harvesters which have the capacity to
harvest 4000 to 8000 lbs of tohacco per hour~ This range of capacity is
significantly greater than that typically found in manual harvesting operations
With the present system of bulk handling it is difficult, if at all possible in
certain situations, to transfer the tobacco automatically harvested into the
curing and drying system as fast as it is harvested. Where the harvested tobacco
cannot be transported and properly placed within curing and drying structures
at a rate comparable to the harvesting rate, one is likely to find that this
idles the harvester at times and may even seriously decrease ~he total harvesting
capacity of the harvester which may be critical in certain farm operations.
Moreover, the scarcity of farm labor has been a major factor in tobacco
farmers converting to bulk cur mg and drying systems and ~o the use of fully
automatic harvesters. IAhile such automatic tobacco harvesters and bulk curing
and drying systems have substantially reduced the total labor force required
to harvest a given quantity of tobacco, there still remains a significant labor
requirement in handling the harvested tobacco between the field harvesting and
curing and drying operations, particularIy in view of the fact that the leaves
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are manually handled and retransferredO Thus~ the mcmual handling oE the
leaves at some stage of leaf handling between fieLd harvesting and curing
and drying still requires a signi~icant amount o~ ~arm labor relative to
the availability of ~arm labor today~ In addition, the manual handling and
retransfer of leaves does result in leaf damage- and consequently adversely
affects, to at least some degree, the final quality of the tobacco.
SUMMAR~ OF THE INVENTIO~
~ he present invention basically relates to a method of harvesting
tobacco, ~nd appara~us for bulk handling tobacco between field harvesting
and curing and drying operations in which one single bulk handling or support
unit is utilized to receive tobacco leaf material at a harvesting site and
wherein the leaves received remain in the same bulk handling unit during
transport to the curing and drying site. Once transferred to the curing and
drying site, the same bulk handling or support unit is properly oriented and
placed in a drying structure for curing and drying the tobacco leaf material
confined therein. Thus, the method and apparatus of the present invention for
handling tobacco completely eliminates manual handling and retransfer of t~e
tobacco leaf material between harvesting and curing and drying operationsO
More specifically, in what is termed ~he horiæon~al position~ the bulk
handling unit is adapted during the harvesting operation to receive randomly
aligned to~acco leaf material with the plane of the tobacco leaf materials being
generally horizontally disposed in overlying relationship~ After ~he bulk handling-
~unit has been filled to a selected level, the handling unit is transported to a
drying structure. At some point in time prior to being placed into operative
relationship with the drying s~ructure, the tobacco leaf material within said
bulk handling unit is confined therein and the bulk handling unit is rotated
approximately 90 degrees to what is referred to as a vertical position. Because
the leaves are confined prior to rotation, the position of the individual Teaf
material remains generally unchanged relative to khe surrounding and adiacent leaf
material. ~herefore, it is appreciated that after rotation and when the bulk
handling unit assumes the vertical position, that the leaves therein still remain
randomly aligned9 while the plane of the leaves now generally extend in vertical
directions. Hence, once placed in~o operative relationship with the particular
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curing and drying structure, it is appreciated that because of ~he general
vertical orientation of the plane of the tobacco leaf material, that forced
air generated by a forced air heating system within a curing and drying structure
can readily move vertica]ly through the continuous bulk volume of tobacco leaf
material contained within the bulk handling unitO
Unlike the single tier conventional bulk rack, the bulk handling
or support unit of the present invention, as vertically positioned within a
curing and drying structure, is designed to support a vertically continuous
volume of bulk tobacco. The vertical depth of this continuous volume of bulk
tobacco is greater than the length of the respective tobacco leaf material
comprising the volume and accordingly is greater than the vertical depth of
a conventional single tier ra&kO Thus~ the tobacco leaves assume continuous
random hori~ontal levels within the bulk handling or support unit.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a
method of harvesting tobacco wherein tobacco leaves are defoliated, conveyed
and discharged into a bulk handling unit, after which the tobacco is confined
within the bulk handling unit and the handling unit is rotated approximately
90 degrees and transf~rred into operative relationship with a curing and
drying system, thus avoiding the necessity for complete retransfer of leaves
from a collecting receptacle to a bulk tobacco rackO
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bulk tobacco
handling system for efficiently handling tobacco be~ween field harvesting and
curing and drying operations. ^~
A further object of the present invention resides in the provision
of a method and system of handling bulk tobacco between field harvesting and
drying operations in which the manual handling and retrans~er of the individual
tobacco leaf material is eliminated~
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a bulk
tobacco handling unit -that is adapted to both function as a material handling
medium in the transfer of ~obacco from a field harvesting site ~o a particular
curing and drying site, and in addition to serve as a support for bulk tobacco
while being disposed in a dryin~ structure during the curing and drying process.
~ urther object of the present invention is to provide an improved bulk
support unit for use :in conjunction with a curing and drying structure wherein the
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improved bulk support uni~ is adapted to support a vertically continuous
volume of tobacco leaf material within the curing and drying structure in
which the planes of the leaves are generally vertically disposed while the
individual leaves may be randomly aligrled and disposed at various hori~ontal
levels within the bulk support unitO
Still a further object of the prese~t invention is to provide a container
like bulk tobacco handling unit for receivLng and confining a continuous volume
of randomly aligned and spaced tobacco leaves lying in generally parallel planes
across the cross sectional area of said bulk handling unitO Expressed in another
way theplane of the leaves comprising the volume generally lie in parallel planes,
but each individual leaf may be both randomly aligned and randomly spaced within
the container like bulk handling unit.
Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of an
improved bulk handling and support unit Eor a curing and drying structure wherein
said improved bulk handling and support unit is adapted, when vertically oriented
within the curing and drying structure, to support a continuous and integrated
volume of vertically spaced tobacco leaves, as opposed to the leaves being supported
in single spaced apart transverse tiers.
A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a
bulk tobacco curing and drying system having associated therewith a plurality of
container-like bulk tobacco handling and supporting unitsadapted to be received
within said structure in close front-to-back (or side-by-side) engaged relationship~
each bulk tobacco handling and supporting unit generally completely surrounding
the entire volume of bulk tobacco contained therein even though the bulk handling
and support unit may be of at least a partially open construction.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a curing and drying
system as recited in the immediate above Paragraph wherein there is provided means
cooperable between the individual bulk handling and support units to seal the
interface between two closely adjacent units~ thereby generally prohibiting the
movement of air between the interface of such units.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a bulk handling
and support unit having a plurality of elongated members operatively associated
therewith Eor generally uni~ormly penetrating and extending through random leaf
areas o~ a bulk volume of tobacco contained withln said unit wherein said elongated
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members tend to support portions of the bulk tobacco volume within said bulk
handling unit.
Still a further object o~ the present invention is to more fully integrate
tobacco field harvesting and curing and drying operations by providing a bulk
tobacco handling unit that is adapted to:
(l) directly receive field harvested tobacco from an automatic
harvester;
~ 2) confine the received tobacco leaves within said b~lk handling
unit while being transported to a curing and drying site; and
(3) support the bulk tobacco leaves during the curing and drying
process, whereby the bulk handling unit is used in field harvesting, transport
to a curing and drying site, and in the curing and drying process and generally
leaf retransfer between field harvesting and drying and curing operations is
not required.
A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of
a bulk tobacco curing and drying system having a plurality of bulk handling and
supporting units associated therewith and adapted to con~ain and support a
continuous volume of bulk tobacco therein, and wherein t~e structure of said
curing and drying system is adapted to support said bulk handling and support
units directly independently of the wall structure thereof.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a bulk tobacco
curing and drying system adapted to allow individual bulk tobacco support units
to be transferred therein by mobile means and fully independent of any support
from the wall structure of the curing and drying system.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent from a study of the following description and the accompanying drawings
which are merely illustrative of the present invention~
BRIEF DESCRIPTIO~ OF THE DRA~INGS
Fig. l is a side elevational view of a tobacco harvester supporting the
bulk tobacco handling unit of the present inventio~ and an associated trailer in
an elevated leaf receiving position.
Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of ~he same tobacco harvester
illustrating the bulk handling unit and trailer in a lowered position where the
trailer and bulk tobacco handling unit may be removed from the tobacco harvester~
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Fig. 3 is a side elevational view showing a forklift pressing the
tine assembly of the handling unit into an engaged position with tobacco contained
thereinO
Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the forklift engaging the bulk
handling unit about offset stub axles~
Fig. 5 is a continuational view of Fig. ~ which illustrates the 90
degree rotation of the bulk handling unit as it is raised from the trailer
by the forklift.
Figo 6 is a side elevational view illustrating the continuing use
of the forklift to directly transport the rotated bulk tobacco handling unit
into a curing and drying structure~
Figs~ 7-9 are sequence views illustrating as an alternate to the
forklift, a modified front end loader assembly for engaging lifting, and
rotating the bulk handling unit.
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the bulk handling or support unit
of the present invention with the separable tine assembly shown detached from
the base portion of the unit.
Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of a single room of a curing
and drying structure showing the bulk handling unit supported therein after
rotation.
Figs~ 12 and 13 are fragmentary sectional views of portions of two
adjacent bulk handling units; Fig. 12 illustrating the relative relationship
between the two units prior to being placed in close front-to-back relationship,
and Fig~ 13 showing the two units in close front-to-back relationship so as to
define a generally ssaled interface therebetweenO
Figs. 14 and 15 are fragmentary perspective views of a latching mechanism
o the bulk handling unit used to secure the separable tine assembly to the base
portion of the unit, Fig. 1~ illustrating the mechanism latched while Figo 15
shows the mechanism unlatched.
Fig. 16 i8 a fragmentary perspective view of a guide arm and guide arm
receiving sleeve associated with the bulk handling unit and used in aligning the
separable tine aæsembly with the base portion of the unit.
Figo 17 is a side elevational view of a bulk curing and drying structure
having a mobile bulk unit moving means associated therewithg the mobile. moving
mearls shown being a hydraulic jack having a vertically movable lifting p]atform
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associated therewith.
Fig. 18 is a perspective view of an alternate design for the bulk
handling unit of the present invention, ~he alternate design shown herein
being disposed in the filling position.
Fig~ 19 is another perspective view of the alternate bulk handling
unit of Fig. 18, the alternate design shown herein being rotated approximately
90 degrees from the filling position to a vertical posi~ion.
ME~IOD OF ~RVESTING TOBACCO
With further reference to the drawings, an automatic tobacco harvester
of the high clearance type is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and indicated generally by
the numeral 10. Details of the tobacco harvester 10 will not be dealt with
herein since the basic structure of automatic tobacco harvesters is well known
in the art and such is not directly material to the present invention. For a
complete and unified understanding and appreciation for a tobacco harvester
of the high clearance type, one is referred to the disclosure of U. S. Patent
3,507,103.
In the way of a brief description of the very basic structure of the
tobacco harvester 10 it is seen that the same includes a frame structure 16
supported by a pair of rear wheel 12 (only one of which is shown) and a steerable
front wheel 14. Mounted atop the frame structure 16 is an engine 18 that is
operative to drive and power the various working components found on the tobacco
harvester.
The high clearance tobacco harvester 10 is provided with a de~oliating
unit ~not shown but such as that shown in U. S. Patent 2~834,174 or ~. S. Patent
3~093,949X that is operative to straddle a row of tobacco and to defoliate leaves
from certain levels of the respective stalks of the row as the tobacco harvester
10 traverses the field. ~le defoliated leaves are conveyed outwardly ~rom each
side of the defoliating u~it by an associated conveyor mechanism (not shown)
where the leaves fall onto a longitudinal side conveyor 20, ~rom the longitudinal
side conveyor 20 the leaves are conveyed rearwardly to one of two inclined conveyors
2~ which receive the leaves and convey them upwardly and rearwardly therefrom
toward a shroud 24 position generally above the upper rear end o~ the inclined
conveyor 22,
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Movably mounted for vertical up and down r.lovement about the rear
of the tobacco harvester 10 generally under the rear terminal end of the
inclined conveyors 22 is a rear trailer Lift 26. Rear trailer lift 26 includes
a pair of fork fingers 2~ and a back structure 30, the back being operatively
associa~ed with a verti~al guide support unit disposed adjacent a rear portion
of the harvester 10 and adapted to move up and down in association therewith,
The rear trailer lift 26 is particularly adapted to engage the lower
portion of a trailer 32 and to raise and lower the trailer with respect to
the rear terminal end of the inclined conveyors 22. Viewing the trailer 32
in more detail, it is seen that the type of trailer disclosed herein includes
a flat bed 34 (which may include retaining sides or post) supported by a pair
of wheels 36 (only one of which is shown). Extending from the trailer 32 is
a tongue 38 having a platform 37 mounted thereon and a clevis 40 formed on
one end thereof and adapted to~ttach to the drawbar of a tractor 42.
To receive and support the tobacco between field harvesting and
curing and drying operations, there is provided a bulk handling or support
unit 44 (as illustrated in Figs. 1~ , From the 3ubsequent discussion to
appear herein, it will bëcome apparent that the method of handling the tobacco be
tween field harvesting and curing and drying operations re~uires that the bulk
handling or support unit be rotatad approximately 90 degrees at some point be~
tween thesethD operations. ,To properly perform this rotation phase of handling,it is necessary that the tobacco within the bulk handling or support unit 44
be confined such that during the rotation process the individual leaves compri.sing
the volume of tobacco within the unit 44 are generally held and maintained in the
same relative relationship to each other. There very well may be various suit
able ways to accomplish this, but the present disclosure contemplate~ the use ofa separable tine assembly 46 which includes a plurality of spaced apart tines
or elongated m~nbers ~6A. Once engaged and secured, the tine assembly 46 be-
comes a part of the bulk handling or support unit 44.
Shown in Figs~ 3-6 is a conventional forklift indicated generally at
50 and including a forklift carrier assem~ly 52 movably mounted in association
with a vertical support guide structure 54 and adapted to support a bulk tobaccohandling unit 4~ Details of the forklift will not be discussed herein because
the structure thereof is well known and not directly material to the present
invention~ However, it should be noted that if a forklift is to be used as a
part of the bulk handling system of the present invention7 it is preferable
that the forklift carrier assembly include t~o forwardly projecting fork fingers
having a remote control for laterally adjusting the position of these fingers
with respect to each other and with respect to the forklift itself.
Turning to Fig. 6, a bulk curing and drying system is shown the~ein
and includes a curing and drying barn structure indicated generally at 56.
Barn 56 will include at least one; and most likely two or three, curing and
drying rooms for receiving in succession a seri~ds of bulk handling or support
units 44/ The bulk handling or support units 44 are supported within the
barn 56 by a lower support structure that basically includes a pair of laterally
spaced, longitudinally extending lower support beams or members 58 that could
be constructed of concrete block, wood, metal or any other suitable material.
Disposed above each of the lower support members 58 is an angle iron guide 60
that extends generally along the top thereof the entire lengtll o~ the particular ~-
curing and drying room,
As in conventional bulk tobacco curing and drying s~ructures, the barn
56 disclosed herein includes a forced air heating sys~em 70. Such heating systems
are well known in the art and, therefore, a comprehensive discussion of such a
system and the temperature controls therefor will not be presented herein. ~or
a detailed discussion of bulk curing and drying structures and the controls
therefor, one is re~erred to the basic ~Iassler patent on bulk curing of tobacco~
U~ S. Patent 3,110,326.
The above discussion is directed to the ~ield harvesting and curlng i-
; and drying environments, and to certain material handling implements and
equipment used in handling and supporting the bulk tobacco be~ween field
harvesting and curing and drying operations, With this background, the method
of ha vesting the tobacco will be described.
First the bulk handling or support unit 44 (without the tine assembly
46) is placed on the bed 34 of the trailer 32 and the tobacco harvester 10
30~ is positioned with respect to the trailer such that the fork ~ingers 28 extend
directly thereunder~ Once properly positioned with respect to each other, the
trailer Iift 26 of the tobac¢o harvester 10 is actuated and the trailer 32
and bulk handling UDit 44 are raised to an elevated position (Fig. 1~ In
t~is position, it will be appreciated that the bulk handling or support unit
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44 is opened at the top and adapted to receive tobacco leaves rnoving over the
upper rear ~erminal edge of the inclined conveyors 22. It should be noted
tha~ the harvester 10 could directly engage and support the bulk handling unit
44 independetly of a trailer.
As the tobacco harvester 10 traverses the field, tobacco leaves are
defoliated from the respective stalks and conveyed via longitudinal conveyors
20 and the incline conveyors 22 upwardly towards the discharge area or shroud
240 As the tobacco leaves move over the upper rear terminal ends of the
conveyors 22, the leaves free fall therefrom into the bulk handling and support
unit 44. It will be appreciated that the leaves falling from the inclined
conveyors 22 will fall into' the bulk handling and support unit 44 in random
alignment and spaced in random relationship relative to each other. However,
it will be observed that the plane of the leaves, i~e., the flat sides of
the leaves, will fall into the bulk handling or support unit 44 such that
the plane of the leaves will generally be horizontally positioned in overlying
relationship, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2~ As the leaves are discharged
into the support unit 44, a worker stationed on the platform 37 ~Figo 1)
with the aid of an implement such as a pitch fork 39 uniformly distributes
the leaves within the support unit 44, This part of the method or process
may be actually combined with the discharge step such that the leaves are
mechanically discharged uniformly into the support unit~ -
After the bulk handling and support unit has been filled to a pre-
determined level, the trailer lift 26 is lowered to a position, as shown in
Figu 2, where the wheels 36 thereof engage the gro~md~ At this position, the
trailer 32 is coupled to a tractor 42 and the tractor is used to transport tha
bulk handling unit 44 from the field harvesting site to a curing and drying
site.
At some point pr~or to being ~inally po~itioned within the barn
structure 56, it is necessary to rotate the entire bulk handling or support
unit 44 approximately 90 ~egrees to where the planesof the individual leaves
contained therein are rotated from their general hori~ontal positions, as
in~icated in Figs. 1 and 2, to vertical positions (Fig. 10). By rotating the
unit 44 to a position where the planes of the leaves are generally vertically
disposed, the forc,ed system of air associated ~ith the curing and drying structure
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56 may readily pass ~hrough the volume of bulk tobacco contained herein.
Prior ~o rotation, however, it is necessary to confine the volume
of leaves within the bulk handling or support unit such that upon rotation
the leaves are maintained in the same relative relationship with respect to
each otherO To confine the leaves within the bulk handling and support unit
44, the separable tine assembly 46 is positioned above the bulk handling unit
44 and pressed downwardly through the volume of tobacco within the unit~ the
tines or elongated members 46A penetrating and extending generally through the
plane o~ the leaves (at random points) comprising the volume. It should be
pointed out that the tines or elongated members 46A are preferably generally
uniformly spaced with respect to the cross sectional area of the bulk handling
or support unit 44. Therefore, when locked into position and integrated with
the base port-ions of the bulk handling or support unit 44, one finds that the
tines or elongated members 46A directly support certain portions of the volume
of tobacco held therein.
In Fig. 3, the forklift carrier assembly 52 is shown engaging a top
portion of the tine assembly 46 and pressing the same downwardly through the
volume of tobacco in the bulk handling or support unit 44, This is an acceptable
method of pressing the tines or elongated members 46A into the bulk volume of
tobacco, but it should be pointed out that the tine assembly or portions making
up the tine assembly could just as well be manually pressed into engagement
with the tobacco. Although the present disclosure does suggest the use of
the tîne assembly 46, it is contemplated that confining of the leaves within
the bulk handling or support unit 44 could possibly be accomplished by enclosing
a part of the open top area of the unit 44.
After the bulk tobacco has been confined within the bulk handling
unit 44, the unit can then be rotated approximately 90 degrees to reorient
the plane of the leaves therein. In Figs. 4 and 5, the fork fingers of the
forklift 50 are lat:erally adjusted such that they align with a pair of stub
axle shaits 48 extending outwardly from opposite sides of said bulk handling
or support unit 44. The fork fingers are positioned under the stub axle
shafts 48 and the forkli~t carriage assembly 52 is actuated upwardly. Be-
cause the stub axle shafts are offset to one side~ the lifting of the bulk
handling unit 44 results in the sam~ rotating counterclockwise, as viewed
in Figs. 4 and 5~ approximately 90 degrees, Because of the particular
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placement oE the offset axle stub shafts 48, the bulk handling or support
unit 44 freely and without ext~rnal influence assumes a 90 degree rotated
position (also referred to as the vertical position) and the plane of the
leaves therein assume vertical orientation while the align~ent and spacing
of the leaves remain random.
Once -the bulk handling or support unit 44 has been rotated, the
forklift 50 transports the unit directly to the barn structure 56 (Fig. 6).
Although once in ~ose proximity of the barn 56 the unit may ibe finally
positioned within t~e structure in various suitable ways, the ~orkli~t 50
may be driven directly in the structure and the bulk support unit properly
positioned therein. Preferably, the forklift operator may rest the bulk
support unit 44 within the angle iron guides 60, and then by use of the forks
under the support unit push the unit rearwardly into the room until it assumes
the proper position adjacent the preceding placed unit.
Other means of positioning the bulk handling or support unit 44 within
the barn structure 56 would be: (1) a cable drive within the barn structure
to actually pull the bulk support units through the curing and drying room
and into proper position therein, or (2) a longitudinally elevated beam within
the structure having a chain hoist assembly movably mounted thereon.
In addition~ there is illustrated in Fig. 17 another method o trans~
porting t~e bulk handling units 44 within the barn structure itself. This sysitem
entails the use of a hydraulic jack 130 having a main frame 132 and front and
rear wheels 134 confined within a track structure (not shown) within the barn.
The hydraulic jack 130 includes a parallel four-bar linkage made up of a pair
of links 136 and 138 and a lift platform 140 operatively connected ibetween the
links. A hydraulic cylinder (not sXown~ is operatively connected to the four~
bar linkage for actuating tihe same~
In the use of such a jack structure, the bulk handling and support
unit 44 is placed thereon at the open end or front of the particular curing
3Q and drying room. lNext, the jack is actuated such that the parallel four-bar
linkage causes the platform to lift the bulk handling unit above the level of ~he
support members 58 within the barn 56. The ~ack is then rolled back (as il~
lustrated in dotted lines in ~ig. 17) to a proper position wlth respect to the
preceding placed bulk support unit, and the platform is ~we~ to where the bulk
unit being carried thereby is appropriately suppor~ed by the lower support
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members 58. The jack is t:hen returned to the front of th~ curing and drying
room for receiving the nex~ bulk handling unit 44.
~ s an alternate to the forklift 50, a tractor adapted modified front
end loader, indicated generally at 72, may be used to rotate each bulk handling
or support unit 44 and transport the same to or into the barn structure 56
(Figs. 7~9~. Viewing the modified front end lower 72 in greater detail, it
is seen that the same is adapted to be supported and operated by a conventional
tractor and includes a lift boom structure 74 typically mounted about a trans~
verse axis to the tractor and extending therefrom. The lift boom structure
74 is supported by and aG~u~ed by a pair of hydraulic lift cylinders 76,
although not particularly shown, each lift cylinder being disposed on a
respective side of the tractor and anchored about a pivot point 78. The
rod end of each of the lift cylinders 76 is pivotly connected to an inter-
mediate point on the lift boom structure.
Pivotly secured to the ~orward remote end of the li~t boom structure
is a L-shaped cradle indicated generally by the numeral 80, the L-shaped cradle
being adapted to surround and engage a portion of the bulk handling or supporting
unit 44, Forming a part o~ the L-shaped cradle 80 is a base leg 82 and a back
leg 84. Pivotly mounted to the remote end of -the back leg 84 is a g~lerally
hooked shaped retainer méans 86 that is adapted to enccmpass and engage a hook
receiver means 88 associated with each bulk handling or support unit 44
Extending generally upwardly from the lift boom structure 74 is a
brace 9~ that has anchored to the upper end thereo~ a hydraulic cylinder 90,
~he rod end of the cylinder being connected to a tab 94 fixed to the back leg
84 of the L-shaped cradle ao~
In rotating and transporting the bulk handling or s~pport unit 44,
the tractor is positioned such that the Lwshaped cradle 80 engages the bulk
handling unit 44 while such is on a traiier or other support structure, as
illustrated in full lines in Fig. 7. It is seen that the base leg 8~ includes
a lip that generally cups around a slight portion of the bottom of the bulk
handling unit ~4, while the hook shaped retainer means 86 engages and couples
with the hook receiver means 88 extending outwardly from the bulk unit 44.
~ext~ the lifting c~lin~ers 76 are actuated such that the rods (or pistons) as~
socia~ed therewith extend outwardly, causing the lift boom structure 74 to
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~ 2~
rota~e counterclockwise, as viewecl Ln Fig. 8, and to lift the bulk handling
or support unit 44 from the trailer or other type of support. As the bulk
handling unit 44 is raised above the support~ the rotating cylinder 90 is
actuated so as to retract the pis~on (or rod) therein, and to generally
rotate the entire L-shaped cradle 80 and the held bulk support unit ~4
coun~erclockwise ~o a vertical position~ Ater achieving the vertical
position~ the entire bulk handling unit 44 can be lowered to a desired level
without changing the vertical orientation and the entire bulk handling or
support unit 44 can be transported to or into the barn structure 56 just as
in the case of the fork lift 50 previously described (Fig, 9),
It should be pointed out that in the case of this modified front end
loader 72, that the structure may preferably be symmetrical on each side of the
tractor, and accordingly there would be two laterally spaced lift booms 74, two
laterally spaced hydraulic lifts cylinders 76, etc. Also, it would be appreciated
that the disclosure of the L~shaped cradle structure 80 is only one particular
front end loader designed that would be suitable in this case, There are obvlously
other designs that would vary in the details from that sho~n herein but would
still embody the same basic inventive principles and concepts of handling the
bulk handling unit 44~
THE BULR HANDLING UNIT AND IMPROVED BULK
TOBACCO CURING AND DRYIN~ SYSTEM
With reference to the drawings, particularly Figs. 10 and 11, the bulk
handling unit 44 is shown therein in greater detail. In Fig. 10~ the bulk handling
unit 44 is shown therein in the general horiæontal or leaf receiving position.
Viewing ~he bulk handling unit ~4 in greater detail, it is seen that the same
includes a base portion that is generally constructed of a cubical frame and
includes a top rec~angular open leaf recaiving area 100 (of substantial ~ross
sectional area~defined about the top portion thereof. Disposed along each
longitudinal side of the base portion of the bulk handling unit 44 is a pair of
imperforated sides 102 and 10~.
i~ p~Or~t~
Defined between the i~eY~o¢~re~ sides 102 and 104 is a partially open
bottom 106 that generally corresponds in cross sectional area to the leaf
receiving area 100. Extending transversely across the partially open bottom
106 in parallel spaced apart relationship is a series of tine support members 108
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~ ~ry3 ~ ~
that may be constructed of any suitable material including angle iron. The
remaining two sides of the base portion of the bulk handling unit 44 are at
least partially open and are referred to as lateral sides 110 and 112. As
viewed in Fig. 10, the front lateral side 110 includes a plurality of transversely
extending retainer or ~eenf~Fc~ng bars 114. Also, along the border of the front
lateral side 110 is a plurality of border strips 116. The signi~icance of the
border strips 116 will become more apparent from the discussion to follow
relating to the orientation of the various sides of ~he bulk handling unit
after the same has been rotated 90 degrees and properly placed within the barn
structure 56. It should be noted that side 112, which is opposite side 110,
is shown as being completeiy open. To confine the leaves being received by
the bulk handling unit 447 the lateral open side 112 could include a series
of retainer bars such as those incorporated into the front lateral side 110.
In the present case, however, the bulk handling unit 44 is placed on the trailer
36 such that the complete open side 112 is disposed adjacent a front transversely
extending side of the trailer, this side functioning to generally confine the
leaves within the bulk handling unit 44 and prohibiting the leaves from falling
out of the open side 112 thereof.
Turning now to a discussion of the separable tine assembly 46, it is
seen that the same basically comprises a rectangular bar frame construction,
including four bar membersl46B, 46C, 46D and 46E~ Extending transversely be-
tween members 46C and 46E are a plurality of tine support members 46F~ 46G
and 46Ho The tines or elongated members 46A are affixed to each of these
members ~46F, 46G and 46H) 90 as to be supported thereby in cantilever fashion
from said tine assembly 46.
To guide the tine assembly 46 into proper engagement with the base
portion of the~bulk handling unit 44, the tine assembly 46 is provided with a
series of corner guide arms 120. To receive the cosner guide arms 120, ~he base
por~ion is provided with guide arm receiving means 118 in the form of open sleeves
spaced at the corners. Consequently, to align and properly press the tine
assembly 46 downwardly through the bulk volume of tobacco leaves held within
the base portion of the bulk handling unit 44, the guide arms 120 are aligned
with the sleeves 118 and are inserted therein such that when the tine assembly
is pressed downwardly, the guide arms 120 move downwardly into the sleeves 118.
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.
1 0~ 2~ ~
After the tine assembly 46 has been pressed down to where the frame
structure thereof engages the top portion of ~he base portion of the bulk handling
unit 44, the tine assembly is coupled to the base portion of the bulk handling
unit by a latching mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 122 Viewing
the latching mechanism 122 in more detail, it is seen that the same comprises a
spring loaded latch 124 pivotably mounted to the tine assembly 46 and having a
simple leaf-like spring 128 that hiases the latch 124 outwardly to where it
normally engages a locking tab 126 extending inwardly from the base portion
frame structure of the bulk handling unit 44 Preferably such a latching
mechanism 122, as just described, would be properly positioned on at least
two opposite sides ~-:the total bulk handling unit 44.
Once the bulk handling unit has been rotated approximately 90 degrees
and properly positioned within the b~lk barn structure 56 by any of the methods
suggested by this disclosure, it is stated for purposes of reference that the bulk
handling unit assumes a vertical position where the planesof the leaves are
generally vertically oriented. After rotation, it is seen that the portion of
the bulk handling unit 44 which was formerly the top tine assembly now becomes
a front lateral side. The former front lateral side 110 now becomes the bottom
pe~O~
~- while the former open lateral side 112 becomes the topD The ~mFerf~**ed sides
102 and 104 remain the longitudinal sides although they have been rotated 90
degrèes~ I
: In the rotated or:vertical position just referred to above, the tines
46A extend generally longitudinally with respect to the barn structure 56
and the remote ends thereof generally deflect due to the load of the bulk
tobacco within the bulk ha~dling unit 44 to such a degree that the remote ends
: are supported by the transverse tines support members 108. It is thusly seen
that when rotated in the vertical~position within the barn structure the tine
support:members 108 are spaced just below the level of corresponding tine
support members 46F, 46G and 46~ of the tine assembly 46. This assures
that when pressed into the bulk tobacco prior to rotation; that the tines or
elongated members~46A do not engage and interfere the back tine support members
1080 Also, upon rotation, it ls seen that the load carried by the tines or
elongated members 46A cause the same to deflect downwardly to where the remote
ends are supported by the back tine support members 108.
- ( 19
;:
~ ~ 9
With furtller reference to Figs. 10 and 11 and the bulk handlin~ unit
44 after rotation, it is seen that the tine support members 46F, ~6G and 46H
all include an outwardl~y projecting side or flange 46I that projects outwardly
from the tine assembly 460 The outwardly projecting side or flange 46I is
preferably beveled inwardly from the opposite outer sides (as illustrated in
Figs. 14 and 15) such that when a preceding bulk handling unit is placed
adjacent thereto, as viewed in Fig. 13, the projecting sides or ~langes 46I
extend into the back side 112 of the preceding unit. Therefore, it is seen
that the flanges 461 generally overlie respective back tine support members 108
and cooperate therewith to generally form an air seal at the interface of any
two adjacent units, which tends to prohibit air from moving upwardly between
respective adjacent bulk handling units 44. Fig. 12 illustrates the tobacco
blousing effect that is present as any two units come together, and Fig. 13
further illustrates the effect realized when two units are placed in front-to-
back relationship and in close pro~imity to each other.
As pointed out above, the former front lateral side 110 becomes th~
bottom of the bulk handling unit 44 after rotation. The presence of the border
strips 116 tends to vary the quantity of air flow through the unit with respect
to the cross sectional area thereof. More particularly, the presence of the
border strips 116 assures that a greater quantity of air is directed towards the
central or greater density area of the unit than to the outer less dense areas
This tends to prohibit the outer less dense areas from curing and drying prior
to the central more dense areas of the unit, in which case the resistance to air j,
flow is greatly decreased around these outer sides and the air is prone to by-pass
the more densely packed central area of the unit r~sulting in the tobacco in this
area not being completely cured and dried
Figs. 18 and 19 show an alternate embodiment for hhe bulk support unit
of the presen~ inven~ion, ~he al~ernate embodiment being indicated generally
by the numeral 150. ~he bulk support unit 150 is basically and fundamentally
similar to the bulk support unit 44 shown in Figs. 10 and 11 and may be utilized
in the method of harvesting in the same manner illustrated in ~igs~ 1~9. Both
the bulk support unit 44 and the alternate embodiment 150 in the rotated position,
as illustrated in Figs. 11 and 19, respectively, are designed to support a continuous
volume of bulk material in which the vertical depth thereof is greater than the
length of the respective leaves comprising the volume.
~2~)
~O~J;~
Turning to the alternate bulk supporl: unit 150, it is seen that the
same is of a general box frame type construction and includes a pair of
~' I ~ p Q ~ ~ ~7r at e-
~impa~or~ sides 152 and 15~. (Sides 152 and 15~ may be provided with stub
axle shafts such as illustrated in Figs. 3-5 for the purpose of rotation,)
Ex~ending between respective ends of the sides 152 and 154 is a pair of per~
forated sides 156 and 158 constructed of expanded metal or the like. Enclosing
i ~ p~O~
the back of the alternate bulk support unit 150 is a bottom ~4~ed back
160 that extends in a plane generally perpendicular to the plane of the sides
152, 154, 156 and 158.
The alternate bulk support unit 150 is designed to function in the
same manner and in the same way as the bulk support unit 44 illustrated in
Figs. 10 and 11, and only differs therefrom in details of construction. In
this regard, the alternate embodiment 150 is shown in Fig. 18 and is oriented
therein in the filling position. To confine the leaves within the bulk support
unit 150 in order that the unit may be rotated approximately 90 degrees to the
position illustrated in Figo 19~ a plurality of tine frames indicated generally
by numeral 162 is providedO Each tine frame includes a transverse bar 16~ and
a pair o~ guide arms 162 fixed to the respective ends thereof and extending
therefrom, the guide arms being adapted to be received by guide arm receiving
i~nperfv~f ate
20 channels 168 formed in each ~e3?~er t~l side 152 and 154. Fixed to the transvsrse
bar 164 between the guide arms 166 is; a plurality o tines 170 that are generall~T
co-planar with the plane of the guide arms 166. To confine the leaves within
the bulk support unit 150~ the tine frames 162 are pressed do~dnwardly through
the bulk volume of tobacco contained within the support unit 150 with tha tines
170 extending in directions generally perpendlcularly to the planes of the leaves
comprising the volume. Once pressed to a position where the tines 170 extend
through the volume of tobacco, the tine frames 16Z may be held to the bulk
support ~mit 150 by a latching mechanism similar to that illustrated in Figs. 14
and 15 or other suitable retaining meansO
After tha tines 170 have been inserted through the bulk volume of tobacco,
it then follows that the bulk support ,unit 150 can be rotated appro2~imately 90
degrees from the filling position cf Fig. 18 ~o the upright vertical position
;~bp~or~t e~
shown in F1g. 19~, ~s seen in Fig~, 19, after rotation,, the i~e~:~ sides
152 and 154 still remain as vertical sides of the al~ernate embodiment 150,
while the perforated sides 156 and 158 are now disposed such that they assume
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top and bottom horizontal positions. Therefore, in the rotated position, air
can readily move up through the bulk volume oE tobacco within the support unit
150 since the leaves are generally disposed in vertical planes and since the
top and bottom of the support unit 150 is perfora~edO
The real essence of the present invention is perhaps best illustrated
,h
in Figo 11 ~eeh shows the front portion of a bulk handling unit 44 after rotation
As can be seen therein, bulk handling unit 44 includes a continuous volume of
bulk tobacco therein in which the vertical depth VD is greater than the respective
length of the leaves comprising the volume~ ~xpressed in another way, the bulk
handling unit is designed and adapted to accommodate a continuous vertical
volume of tobacco leaf material in which the tobacco leaves are completely
vertically integrated and are not disposed in spaced apart single tiers as
with conventional bulk tobacco racksO ~lereEore, the present invention presents
a bulk handling unit that is adapted to receive tobacco leaves such that their
spacings and alignmant may be random while the plane of the individual leaves
remain oriented in general parallel alignment. It will be understood, however,
by those skilled in the art that in the loose leaf handling of tobacco9 especially
with automatic harvesters, it is quite possible for leaves to occasionally be
folded or creased to where the plane of the entire leaf does not lie parallel
to adjacent leavesO
The terms "upper", ''lower", "forward", "rearward", etc., have been used
herein merely for the convenience of the foregoing specification and in the
appended Claims to describe the method of harvesting tobacco and apparatus for
bulk handling the harvested tobacco and its-parts as oriented in the drawingsO
It is to be understood, however, that these terms are in no way limiting to the
invention since the method of harvesting tobacco and apparatus for bulk handling
` the harvested tobacco may obviously be disposed in many different positions when
in actual use~
The present invention~ of course, may be carried out in other specific
ways than those herein set forth withou-t departing from the spirit and essential
characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be
considered in all respects as illustrative and no-t restrictive9 and all changes
coming within the meaning and equivalency range are intended to be embraced herein.
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