Crop Cart Cleaning and Unloading System

Abstract

A crop cart cleaning and unloading system for cleaning debris such as dirt and rocks from a crop as the crop is being transferred between a hopper of a crop cart and a transport vehicle. The crop cart cleaning and unloading system generally includes a hopper for receiving a crop such as potatoes. The hopper transfers the crop onto a cleaning bed on which the crop is cleaned of debris, with the debris falling underneath the cleaning bed. The crop is conveyed across the cleaning bed as it is cleaned, with the cleaned crop being transferred from the cleaning bed onto an unloading conveyor. The unloading conveyor then transfers the cleaned crop to another location to be discharged, such as directly into a transport vehicle for further transport and processing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A crop cart cleaning and unloading system, comprising:
 a support frame having a front end and a rear end;   a hopper connected to the support frame, wherein the hopper includes an unloading end adapted for unloading a crop within the hopper, a lower floor, a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly from the lower floor, and an upper opening defined by an upper end of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the unloading end of the hopper is comprised of a front end or a rear end of the hopper;   a cleaning bed connected to the support frame in a position between the hopper and the unloading conveyor, wherein the cleaning bed is positioned near the unloading end of the hopper to receive the crop from the hopper, wherein the cleaning bed is adapted to clean debris from the crop such that the debris falls underneath the cleaning bed; and   an unloading conveyor connected to the cleaning bed for conveying the crop after the debris has been cleaned from the crop by the cleaning bed;   wherein the hopper, the cleaning bed, and the unloading conveyor are connected in series.   
     
     
         2 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning bed comprises a plurality of rollers. 
     
     
         3 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 2 , comprising one or more motors for rotating the plurality of rollers. 
     
     
         4 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of rollers are comprised of spiral rollers. 
     
     
         5 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of rollers are comprised of clod rollers. 
     
     
         6 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning bed is adapted to convey the crop in a first direction and the unloading conveyor is adapted to convey the crop in a second direction. 
     
     
         7 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 6 , wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. 
     
     
         8 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 1 , wherein the hopper is pivotally connected to the support frame near the front end or the rear end of the support frame. 
     
     
         9 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning bed is positioned underneath the unloading end of the hopper. 
     
     
         10 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning bed is positioned over the unloading conveyor. 
     
     
         11 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning bed is angled downwardly from the hopper to the unloading conveyor. 
     
     
         12 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning bed is connected to the hopper. 
     
     
         13 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 1 , wherein the hopper comprises a floor conveyor. 
     
     
         14 . A crop cart cleaning and unloading system, comprising:
 a support frame having a front end and a rear end;   a hopper connected to the support frame, wherein the hopper includes an unloading end adapted for unloading a crop within the hopper, a lower floor, a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly from the lower floor, and an upper opening defined by an upper end of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the unloading end of the hopper is comprised of a front end or a rear end of the hopper;   a cleaning bed connected to the support frame in a position between the hopper and the unloading conveyor, wherein the cleaning bed is positioned near the unloading end of the hopper to receive the crop from the hopper, wherein the cleaning bed is adapted to clean debris from the crop such that the debris falls underneath the cleaning bed;   wherein the cleaning bed comprises a plurality of rollers over which the crop passes such that the debris from the crop falls between the plurality of rollers and underneath the cleaning bed; and   an unloading conveyor connected to the cleaning bed for conveying the crop after the debris has been cleaned from the crop by the cleaning bed, wherein a first end of the cleaning bed is connected underneath the unloading end of the hopper and a second end of the cleaning bed is connected over the unloading conveyor;   wherein the hopper, the cleaning bed, and the unloading conveyor are connected in series.   
     
     
         15 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of rollers is comprised of spiral rollers. 
     
     
         16 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 14 , wherein the hopper comprises a floor conveyor. 
     
     
         17 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 16 , wherein the cleaning bed and the floor conveyor are each adapted to convey the crop in a first direction, wherein the unloading conveyor is adapted to convey the crop in a second direction. 
     
     
         18 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 17 , wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. 
     
     
         19 . The crop cart cleaning and unloading system of  claim 14 , comprising one or more motors for rotating the plurality of rollers. 
     
     
         20 . A crop cart cleaning and unloading system, comprising:
 a support frame including a first track or a first wheel on a first side of the support frame and a second track or a second wheel on a second side of the support frame for movably supporting the support frame upon a ground surface;   a hopper connected to the support frame, wherein the hopper includes an unloading end adapted for unloading a crop within the hopper, a lower floor, a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly from the lower floor, and an upper opening defined by an upper end of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the unloading end of the hopper is comprised of a front end or a rear end of the hopper;   a cleaning bed connected to the support frame in a position between the hopper and the unloading conveyor, wherein the cleaning bed is positioned near the unloading end of the hopper to receive the crop from the hopper, wherein the cleaning bed is adapted to clean debris from the crop such that the debris falls underneath the cleaning bed;   wherein the cleaning bed comprises a plurality of rollers over which the crop passes such that the debris from the crop falls between the plurality of rollers and underneath the cleaning bed, wherein the plurality of rollers are comprised of spiral rollers and clod rollers; and   an unloading conveyor connected to the cleaning bed for conveying the crop after the debris has been cleaned from the crop by the cleaning bed, wherein a first end of the cleaning bed is connected underneath the unloading end of the hopper and a second end of the cleaning bed is connected over the unloading conveyor;   wherein the hopper, the cleaning bed, and the unloading conveyor are connected in series.