US 12,265,072 B2
Devices for crumbling root crops and determining the composition thereof
Duane Bernhardson, Bloomington, MN (US); Elke Hilscher, Einbeck (DE); and Frank Friedhoff, Einbeck (DE)
Assigned to KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA, Einbeck (DE)
Filed by KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA, Einbeck (DE)
Filed on Dec. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/079,070.
Application 18/079,070 is a continuation in part of application No. PCT/IB2022/000356, filed on Jun. 27, 2022.
Application 18/079,070 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/689,535, filed on Mar. 8, 2022, granted, now 11,549,928.
Application PCT/IB2022/000356 is a continuation of application No. 17/104,174, filed on Nov. 25, 2020, granted, now 11,307,188, issued on Apr. 19, 2022.
Application 17/104,174 is a continuation of application No. 15/288,384, filed on Oct. 7, 2016, granted, now 10,877,014, issued on Dec. 29, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/215,090, filed on Jun. 25, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0115652 A1, Apr. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 33/02 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 33/025 (2013.01) 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for crumbling root crops into a stream of substantially equal sized pieces, comprising:
a main frame having an inlet side and an outlet side;
a hopper proximate to the inlet side for collecting root crops;
a leveling rake proximate to the outlet side for leveling a stream of root crop pieces;
at least one crumbling shaft rotatably supported in the main frame, the crumbling shaft comprising a plurality of curved hooks;
a non-rotating cutting rake comprising a plurality of recesses forming a counter blade for the curved hooks; and
a cleaning rake opposite the cutting rake, the cleaning rake comprising a sloped upper comb and a plurality of recesses for stripping off root crop pieces from the hooks; the hooks arranged for interlaced movement with said recesses of the cutting rake and said recesses of the cleaning rake.