A root crop washer has a rotatable washing drum which is partially immersed in a water trough, and a stone separator mounted before an inlet of the drum. A loading hopper is provided for delivering a root crop to the stone separator. An elevator is mounted at an outlet of the washing drum for discharge of cleaned produce from an outlet of the washing drum. Rotating paddles within the stone separator impart a swirling motion about a vertical axis to water in the stone separator. The root crop is supported by the water and moved around an inner sidewall of the stone separator between an inlet and an outlet of the stone separator. At the same time unwanted heavier material such as stones and clay falls downwardly through the stone separator for discharge through a waste outlet at a bottom of the stone separator.

A root crop washer has a rotatable washing drum which is partially immersed in a water trough, and a stone separator mounted before an inlet of the drum. A loading hopper is provided for delivering a root crop to the stone separator. An elevator is mounted at an outlet of the washing drum for discharge of cleaned produce from an outlet of the washing drum. Rotating paddles within the stone separator impart a swirling motion about a vertical axis to water in the stone separator. The root crop is supported by the water and moved around an inner sidewall of the stone separator between an inlet and an outlet of the stone separator. At the same time unwanted heavier material such as stones and clay falls downwardly through the stone separator for discharge through a waste outlet at a bottom of the stone separator.

A method is provided for controlling the operation of a machine for harvesting root crop and/or for separating root crop from the rest of the harvested material comprising extraneous materials. At least one optical image-capturing unit captures at least one test image of at least one part of the harvested material which is moved along relative to a machine frame by means of at least one conveyor element. An evaluation device generates, on the basis of a test data set which is generated using the test image or formed thereby, a separating device setting signal for setting at least one operating parameter of a separating device of the machine.

A method is provided for controlling the operation of a machine for harvesting root crop and/or for separating root crop from the rest of the harvested material comprising extraneous materials. At least one optical image-capturing unit captures at least one test image of at least one part of the harvested material which is moved along relative to a machine frame by means of at least one conveyor element. An evaluation device generates, on the basis of a test data set which is generated using the test image or formed thereby, a separating device setting signal for setting at least one operating parameter of a separating device of the machine.

A method is provided for operating a machine for harvesting root crops and/or for separating root crops from further additionally conveyed material that includes at least soil in the form of loose earth and/or soil aggregates, and also, if applicable, leaves and/or stones. By means of at least one electromagnetic, in particular optical, or acoustic image capturing unit, at least one inspection image is captured of at least one portion of the material, moved relative to a machine frame of the machine by at least one transport element, in particular a screen belt. On the basis of at least one inspection data set generated using the inspection image and/or formed by this image, an evaluation device generates an adjustment signal for adjusting at least one operating parameter of the transport element and/or a further transport element of the machine. At least one feature for describing the ability to be screened of the additionally conveyed soil is determined by the evaluation device and is used for adjusting the operating parameter. The invention also relates to a machine for harvesting root crops and a computer program product.

A method is provided for operating a machine for harvesting root crops and/or for separating root crops from further additionally conveyed material that includes at least soil in the form of loose earth and/or soil aggregates, and also, if applicable, leaves and/or stones. By means of at least one electromagnetic, in particular optical, or acoustic image capturing unit, at least one inspection image is captured of at least one portion of the material, moved relative to a machine frame of the machine by at least one transport element, in particular a screen belt. On the basis of at least one inspection data set generated using the inspection image and/or formed by this image, an evaluation device generates an adjustment signal for adjusting at least one operating parameter of the transport element and/or a further transport element of the machine. At least one feature for describing the ability to be screened of the additionally conveyed soil is determined by the evaluation device and is used for adjusting the operating parameter. The invention also relates to a machine for harvesting root crops and a computer program product.

A root crop harvester is provided, including a feed conveyor device for conveying conveyable material consisting of harvested crop and additional materials in a feed conveying direction. The root crop harvester also includes a separating device having at least one separating element for separating the additional materials from the harvested crop. The separating device has a conveyable material sensor, which is coupled to a first EDP evaluation unit and, during operation, is directed toward the conveyable material, and which is intended for recording conveyable material data. The conveyable material sensor may be directed toward the feed conveyor device during operation. In addition, the conveyable material sensor may be an optical conveyable material sensor.

A root crop harvester is provided, including a feed conveyor device for conveying conveyable material consisting of harvested crop and additional materials in a feed conveying direction. The root crop harvester also includes a separating device having at least one separating element for separating the additional materials from the harvested crop. The separating device has a conveyable material sensor, which is coupled to a first EDP evaluation unit and, during operation, is directed toward the conveyable material, and which is intended for recording conveyable material data. The conveyable material sensor may be directed toward the feed conveyor device during operation. In addition, the conveyable material sensor may be an optical conveyable material sensor.

Apparatus for cleaning narrow root crops including a roller device with two rotatable rollers forming a separating crop inlet, a separating track, a coarse material outlet, a fine material outlet, and a roller gap, and a conveyor downstream of the roller device. The separating track is formed by the top of the rollers and the fine material outlet is located below the roller gap. The coarse material outlet is at the end of the separating track opposite the separating material inlet. The roller gap is large enough to allow the narrow root crops to pass through to the fine crop outlet and small enough to retain coarse material that has a minimum dimension greater than the maximum root diameter, and transport it to the coarse material outlet. The conveyor is below the roller gap at the fine material outlet and receives all narrow root crops passing through the roller gap.

Apparatus for cleaning narrow root crops including a roller device with two rotatable rollers forming a separating crop inlet, a separating track, a coarse material outlet, a fine material outlet, and a roller gap, and a conveyor downstream of the roller device. The separating track is formed by the top of the rollers and the fine material outlet is located below the roller gap. The coarse material outlet is at the end of the separating track opposite the separating material inlet. The roller gap is large enough to allow the narrow root crops to pass through to the fine crop outlet and small enough to retain coarse material that has a minimum dimension greater than the maximum root diameter, and transport it to the coarse material outlet. The conveyor is below the roller gap at the fine material outlet and receives all narrow root crops passing through the roller gap.