A potato digger, often part of a potato harvester, works by lifting the potatoes and the surrounding earth from the ground using specialized components and then moving them onto a conveyor system for further processing.
Based on the operation of a potato harvester described in the reference:
Key Components and Their Roles
Modern potato harvesters, performing the digging function, utilize specific parts to efficiently extract potatoes from rows.
- Diablo Rollers: These rollers are positioned to travel directly over the row of potatoes. They help guide the machine and prepare the soil surface.
- Shares: These are digging blades or points that work underneath the soil. The reference states there are three shares for each row of potatoes.
- Intake Web: This is a conveyor belt system, typically made of rods or links, designed to receive the material lifted from the ground.
The Digging Process Explained
Here is a breakdown of how the digging mechanism, as part of a potato harvester, operates:
- Row Coverage: The potato harvester is aligned to cover one or more rows simultaneously. According to the reference, a harvester can cover 2 or 4 rows of potatoes at once.
- Ground Preparation: The diablo rollers cover the row of potatoes, likely compacting or preparing the soil surface just ahead of the digging action.
- Lifting the Crop: The three shares for each row dig into the earth underneath the potatoes and the earth. This action lifts them onto the intake web.
- Initial Separation: The intake web begins to move the lifted material. Its open structure allows loose soil to fall through, starting the separation process between potatoes and earth.
Essentially, the shares act as the "digger," scooping under the potato ridge, while the diablo rollers help manage the top of the row, and the intake web receives the mixture for the next stages of separation and cleaning.
