Charles B Suggs, Age 65Dunn, NC

3948553, Apr 6, 1976

Dec 4, 1974

5/529490

Charles W. Suggs - Raleigh NC

ACHS - Raleigh NC

A24B 110

294 55

The present invention relates to a method of harvesting tobacco and system for bulk handling whole leaf flue cured tobacco between field harvesting and curing and drying operations. In the method of harvesting tobacco, tobacco leaves are defoliated from tobacco stalks and conveyed therefrom to an area of discharge where the leaves are discharged and directed in random alignment into an open top bulk tobacco support unit such that the randomly aligned leaves are generally uniformly distributed within a bulk support unit and the tobacco leaves are generally disposed in horizontal planes with the individual leaves being disposed in overlying relationship. After the bulk support unit has been filled to a predetermined level, a plurality of elongated members are inserted through the bulk support unit in directions generally perpendicularly to the planes of the tobacco leaves. Thereafter, the filled bulk support unit is rotated approximately 90. degree. such that the planes of the leaves within the bulk support unit are rotated from generally horizontal positions to generally vertical positions and wherein said bulk support unit includes a continuous volume of leaves with the depth of the volume being greater than the length of the respective leaves comprising the volume.

4047365, Sep 13, 1977

Aug 25, 1975

5/607218

Charles W. Suggs - Raleigh NC

A01D 4516

56 275

The present invention relates to a tobacco harvester having an automatic leaf spreader associated therewith for uniformly spreading defoliated tobacco leaves into an opened top leaf receiving structure such as a trailer, container, or box-type rack such that the leaf receiving structure is generally uniformly filled throughout from bottom to top by the spreader during the harvesting operation.

4107902, Aug 22, 1978

Nov 4, 1976

5/738834

Charles W. Suggs - Raleigh NC

A01D 4516

56 275

A tobacco harvester having an aggressive defoliating assembly along with a forward projecting leaf divider assembly that effectively divides a lower group of leaves from remaining leaves of each stalk entering the defoliating assembly during the tobacco harvesting operation. This division enables the defoliator assembly to more effectively and efficiently defoliate the lower group of separated leaves from each stalk passing through the defoliator assembly. When utilized in the form of a tractor mounted harvester, the tobacco harvester of the present invention includes a unique split or half lateral conveyor assembly that enables the harvester to be closely mounted adjacent one side of a conventional farm tractor despite the presence of the tractor's front wheel which with certain sized tractors prevent the utilization of conventional conveyor design without necessitating extra wide width tractor passing rows in the tobacco field.