Swivelling cab position lets operator see harvester intake
Swivelling cab position lets operator see harvester intake
FOR those who actually like to see machinery working, the Grimme display of a self-propelled bunker potato harvester, three-row bed former and three-row destoner should have been of interest.
The event saw the first public outing for the companys two-row SF170-60 self-propelled harvester – a three-wheel machine which manages to perform some interesting contortions when changing from transport to work position. The front wheel assembly, which also carries the cab, is moved hydraulically to an offset position to reveal the intake of the machine. At the same time, the bunker end folds out and the operator swivels his cab to provide a clear view of the intake.
Working at a reasonable speed in dry conditions, workrate was put at 1.5 acres/hr.
Grimmes new three-row bed former – seen at the event being pulled by a Challenger – is equipped with rollers at the ends of each of its mouldboards which help to firm the sides of the beds. The addition of flat metal pans also create a level top to the beds, a situation claimed to improve the performance of destoners.
And, as a final working contribution to this years event, Grimme demonstrated a prototype destoner. Pulled by a narrow tracked Challenger which only just had sufficient ground clearance to clear the beds, stones were delivered to the two central channels between the three rows.
These were also the rows in which the machines hydraulically driven main support wheels ran – helping to press the stones into the ground, well out of the way of future planting operations.