TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates generally to farm equipment for harvesting peanuts and more particularly to a combination digger-shaker-inverter for harvesting crops such as peanuts.

BACKGROUND

Peanuts have a very small time window and intricate method for harvesting. The window for harvesting, for example, is typically four days, on average. Moreover, peanuts grow underground attached to roots of an above-ground vine. Therefore, to harvest peanuts, the plant is dug from the ground, shaken to remove as much dirt as possible, and inverted for drying in the sun (where the drying decreases the amount of force require to separate the peanut from the roots and vine).

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts:

In a first embodiment, a row unit for a digger-shaker-inverter assembly for harvesting rooted plants is provided. The row unit includes a first belt driving assembly and a second belt driving assembly. The first belt driving assembly includes a first carrying belt that grips a first side of a vine and a fixed bracket that supports the first carrying belt. The second belt drive assembly include a second carrying belt that grips a second side of the vine, and an adjustable bracket that supports the second carrying belt and adjust to control a distance between the first carrying belt and the second carrying belt.

In another embodiment, a digger-shaker-inverter (DSI) apparatus for harvesting crops vines or stalks is provided The digger-shaker-inverter includes a frame and a row unit. The row unit includes a first belt driving assembly and a second belt driving assembly. The first belt driving assembly includes a first carrying belt that grips a first side of a vine and a fixed bracket that supports the first carrying belt. The second belt drive assembly include a second carrying belt that grips a second side of the vine, and an adjustable bracket that supports the second carrying belt and adjust to control a distance between the first carrying belt and the second carrying belt.

In yet another embodiment, a method provides for operating a digger-shaker-inverter (DSI) apparatus. The method includes adjusting an adjustable bracket of a second belt drive assembly to control a distance between a first carrying belt of a first belt drive assembly and a second carrying belt of the second belt drive assembly; gripping a vine on a first side using the first carrying belt support by a fixed bracket on the first belt drive assembly; and gipping the vine on a second side using the second carrying belt supported by the adjustable bracket.

