The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 08, 1987
Filed:
Jun. 17, 1985
Schwitters, Wayne J, Clara City, MN (US);
WIC, Inc., Shelly, MN (US);
Abstract
A defoliator for detopping sugar beets and the like includes at least one laterally extending rotor on which a plurality of flails are mounted. The flails are of polyurethane and have a hub at one end provided with a bore so that they can be pivotally attached to a rod supported on the rotor. Each group of flails includes tapered flails at the ends of the group and rectangularly configured flails therebetween with still an additional tapered flail between the two non-tapered flails. Each flail has a rigid cutting member at the free end thereof, each cutting member being channel-shaped so as to provide parallel flanges projecting in one direction with respect to an integral web having a hole therein so that the member can be bolted to the free end of the flail with which it is to be associated. Each cutting member has an additional flange extending in an opposite direction from the parallel flanges, the additional flange residing in a proximal relation with one side of the flail. The rigid cutting members, as the flails are rotated, scrape along the unlifted beets so as to effectively cut and remove the leaves therefrom. The polyurethane flails, being flexible, are free to be deflected as their rigid cutting members are dragged across the surfaces of the beets.