Sugarcane harvesting methods and apparatus

Abstract

A stalk harvester comprises a mobile frame on which is mounted a deflector for engaging and bending upper portions of standing stalks forwardly. A cutter cuts the bent stalks at their base. A pair of generally rotary stalk feeding members are disposed behind the deflector and are mounted for rotation about generally upright axes. These rotary feeding members form a generally upright nip therebetween for gripping the lower stalk ends and feeding the stalks rearwardly. A drive mechanism rotates the feeding members to feed the lower stalk ends rearwardly while upper ends thereof are acted upon by the deflector to cause the stalks to travel upwardly within the nip as the stalks travel rearwardly, thereby causing the stalks to approach a horizontal orientation. A plurality of additional pairs of stalk feeding rotary members are inclined relative to vertical by progressively increasing amounts toward the rear so as to accelerate the reorientation of the stalks toward a horizontal inclination. Some of those stalk feeding members comprise rotary flails which strip foliage from the stalk. A conveyor advances the defoliated stalks and includes a floor formed by rotary screws which pull residual foliage from the stalks. The ground support for the stalk harvester comprises endless tracks having curved-crossed members to provide lateral stability.