Development of a Potato Harvester for Tractors

트랙터용(用) 감자수확기(收穫機)의 개발(開發)

The purpose of this study was to develope a potato combine which can be attached to and controlled by three-point hitch of tractors. A vibrating mechanism was designed and constructed to dig potatoes, and to evaluate the effects of vibration on the potato harvesting performance of the test machine, potato separation from soil, harvesting loss, and damage to the potatoes. Three types of potato pick-up mechanisms were constructed and tested. Digging performance and material flow on the blade were improved as the vibrating amplitude and frequency increased and as the travel speed decreased. The sum of unrecovered and damaged potatoes was up to 7.8%. Three pick-up devices were not found to be useful by failing to elevate about 30% of dug potatoes to a given height.