Last month J van der Sluis BV and Agrivor BV have delivered a new lettuce harvesting caterpillar and three Mulder-sail carts to Messrs Ursem-Zuurbier in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands. This lettuce harvester is a copy of a number of already existing machines in the environment of Warmenhuizen, which already have proven their service capabilities for a number of years. A caterpillar tracks form the basis on which the machine has been built, the Yanmar engine and some heavy hydraulic pumps take care of the complete drive of the machine with all supply and discharge belts.
The caterpillar lifts the sail cart with empty packaging from the ground on to its 'back'. From the sail cart the empty boxes or trays are put on a transport belt, which takes them down. Once there the empty boxes are divided to the left and the right by means of two transport belts. The eight persons harvesting the lettuce can take an empty box from the belt and put it in front of them, so that they can put the harvested product in it. Once the tray or box is full, this is put back on the lower transport belt. This belt takes the full box back upwards on to the cart.
In the cart the full boxes are put back on the pallets till the cart is full. The full cart is let down hydraulically and a new cart with empty packagings is put on. The speed of harvesting lettuce can be adjusted by means of timers, which make the machine go forward slowly all the time. This movement can be adjusted for speed and time. Therefore everybody can adjust this according to his own desire. Directing the machine over the field is completely automatic by means of a feeler, which follows the lettuce beds. This harvester built by Agrivor has been supplied with a CE-certificate and with that satisfies all safety requirements from the insurance company.
25% more capacity per person
The machine has now been in use for about a month and it has been proven in practice that there is about 25% more capacity per person. Put in another way:
about 25% is saved on cost of employees with this machine. Also this machine creates an atmosphere of quiet in the country. Less movements of people and tractors are required. No boxes or crates need to be collected later. Also it is much easier to plan and to look ahead. It is easy know when the cart will be full and also the delivery and removal of the cart is easier to plan and also to establish when the harvest will be fininshed, because of the fixed rhythm of harvesting. In short a lot more quiet and rhythm and nevertheless 25% more capacity. An enormous improvement.
Weather dependency and damage to the field
The new lettuce harvesting machine is not so weather dependent. The carton boxes are protected against rain and do not become soggy. There is no problem with wind on the cart and in the field blowing of boxes away. When the machine has its back to the wind, harvesting can be perfectly done with strong wind and rain.
The land is not damaged in wet weather. The lettuce is often irrigated during cultivation, if then during harvesting rain falls the fields to be harvested can be very wet. In the past severe damage was done to the fields, resulting in a negative influence on the next harvest. With this new lettuce harvesting caterpillar that is a thing of the past tense.
Quick and easy to move to the next field
It is important that it is quick and simple to move the machine to the next field. The harvesting belts left and right are folded up and fastened and rain and wind protectors above those belts are transported in the sail cart. The transporters, two heavy and wide wheels on one axle are hydraulically pressed to the ground and the pulling shaft is extended. The machine satisfies all size and lighting requirements of the road traffic act.
New cauliflower harvesting caterpillar in production
Immediately after supplying this lettuce harvesting machine Agrivor BV have started work on the next harvesting machine, one for cauliflower. Some have been built in the past. One from last autumn is successfully working in Spain, where sometimes circumstances are very wet as well. They hope to supply this new cauliflower harvesting caterpillar with two carts to Gebr.Laan in Andijk at the end of September this year.
For more information:
Agrivor BV
Tel: 0031 228 566600
For more information:
Agrivor BV
Tel: 0031 228 566600