Sugarcane harvester with internal storage reservoir for billets
A sugarcane harvester includes an intake and cutting assembly for cutting the sugarcane stalks from the sugarcane plants as the sugarcane harvester moves through the sugarcane plants, a chopping section for receiving the sugarcane stalks from the intake and cutting assembly and chopping the sugarcane stalks into billets, a reservoir for holding a quantity of the billets, the reservoir having a volume of at least one cubic meter, and a discharge assembly for moving the billets from the reservoir and discharging them from the sugarcane harvester.
1 . A sugarcane harvester for harvesting sugarcane stalks from sugarcane plants, the sugarcane harvester comprising:
an intake and cutting assembly for cutting the sugarcane stalks from the sugarcane plants as the sugarcane harvester moves through the sugarcane plants;
a chopping section for receiving the sugarcane stalks from the intake and cutting assembly and chopping the sugarcane stalks into billets;
a reservoir for holding a quantity of the billets, the reservoir having a volume of at least one cubic meter and being positioned immediately behind and at least partially below the chopping section such that billets exiting the chopping section fall directly into the reservoir; and
a discharge assembly for moving the billets from the reservoir and discharging them from the sugarcane harvester.
2 . The sugarcane harvester as set forth in claim 1 , the reservoir having a volume of at least two cubic meters.
3 . The sugarcane harvester as set forth in claim 1 , the reservoir being positioned between the chopping section and the discharge assembly such that billets from the chopping section fall into and accumulate in the reservoir until they are removed from the reservoir by the discharge assembly.
4 . The sugarcane harvester as set forth in claim 1 , the reservoir including a reservoir conveyor located at a bottom of the reservoir for moving the billets toward the discharge assembly.
5 . The sugarcane harvester as set forth in claim 1 , the discharge assembly comprising:
an elevator for elevating the billets substantially vertically out of the reservoir; and
a discharge conveyor for receiving the billets from the elevator, moving the billets substantially horizontally, and discharging the billets to a wagon or other storage vehicle or mechanism.
6 . The sugarcane harvester as set forth in claim 5 , the discharge assembly further comprising height adjustment mechanism for vertically raising or lowering a height of the discharge conveyor.
7 . The sugarcane harvester as set forth in claim 5 , the discharge assembly further comprising lateral adjustment mechanism for laterally adjusting positions of the discharge conveyor relative to the elevator.
8 . The sugarcane harvester as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the discharge conveyor moves the billets in a direction substantially perpendicular to the elevator and a longitudinal axis of the sugarcane harvester.
9 . The sugarcane harvester as set forth in claim 5 , further comprising—
an extractor assembly including a source of pressurized air that directs pressurized air at the billets as the billets are transferred from the elevator onto the conveyor to remove waste material from the billets and direct the debris away from the sugarcane harvester.
10 . The sugarcane harvester as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a movable chassis on which the intake and chopping section, the chopping section, the elevator, the discharge conveyor, and the extractor assembly are mounted.