• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.337-354
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• 2001

This study was conducted in order to develop a Chinese cabbage harvester attachable to tractors. For designing Chinese cabbage harvester in which laboratory and field tests were conducted with to determine feasible values design factors. To adopt the various sizer of C-cabbages, U-type soft rubber band was attached to the chain conveyor with an angle. Required torque of the conveyor axle was about 206-210kgf$.$cm. And the required peripheral speed of the disk cutter was 6.54m/s or more to have a clean session in root cutting. Three different harvest method were tested. The best harvesting method with minimum pulling force and damage was disk cutting flying just above the soil surface were the cut chinese cabbages are transferring to the holding conveyor attached soft rubber lug in prompt. Theoretical speed ratio of the tractor travel and feed of a chain conveyor was 1:1.2 with the attaching angle of 30 degree and 1:1.1 with the angle of 20 degree. Actual field experiment showed the speed ratio of 1:1.5 was the best because of the slip effect.