An impact mill (10) has an inlet (12) for material to enter the mill, an impact mechanism (16, 50) arranged to rotate about a rotation axis and being operable to pulverise the material after entering through the inlet, and an outlet (154) for discharge of pulverised material. Blockage sensors (Bj), vibration sensors V, torque sensors Tn, temperature sensors and proximity sensors may be selectively incorporated into the mill.

A device for protecting crop plants (P) and/or sown seeds (S) against unwanted plants is provided to avoid the use of chemical weed control agents or herbicides. The device includes a ribbon or lace-shaped structure on which a plurality of annular elements are arranged at a distance from one another, in which the structure is designed to be applied to a cultivated surface (F) such that each element encloses the location (O) of a crop plant (P) or sown seed (S), and wherein each element includes a detectable means for marking the location concerned (O1, O2, . . . On) for detection by a machine for controlling mechanical weed control mechanisms. The device is thus an auxiliary or marking means which can be easily applied on the cultivated surface along the row of plants or seeds and allows reliable detection by machine of the locations of plants or seeds, zones to be protected.

A device for protecting crop plants (P) and/or sown seeds (S) against unwanted plants is provided to avoid the use of chemical weed control agents or herbicides. The device includes a ribbon or lace-shaped structure on which a plurality of annular elements are arranged at a distance from one another, in which the structure is designed to be applied to a cultivated surface (F) such that each element encloses the location (O) of a crop plant (P) or sown seed (S), and wherein each element includes a detectable means for marking the location concerned (O1, O2, . . . On) for detection by a machine for controlling mechanical weed control mechanisms. The device is thus an auxiliary or marking means which can be easily applied on the cultivated surface along the row of plants or seeds and allows reliable detection by machine of the locations of plants or seeds, zones to be protected.

An autonomous garden weeding robot includes a chassis, a motorized cutting subsystem, and a drive subsystem for maneuvering the chassis. A weed sensor subsystem is located on the chassis at a first elevation from the ground and a crop/obstacle sensor subsystem is located on the chassis at a second, higher elevation from the ground. The drive subsystem is controlled to maneuver the chassis about a garden. Upon detection of a weed, the motorized cutting subsystem is energized to cut the weed. The motorized cutting subsystem is de-energized after the chassis has moved a predetermined distance and/or after a predetermined period of time. Upon detection of a crop or obstacle, the drive subsystem is controlled to maneuver the chassis away from the obstacle.

An autonomous garden weeding robot includes a chassis, a motorized cutting subsystem, and a drive subsystem for maneuvering the chassis. A weed sensor subsystem is located on the chassis at a first elevation from the ground and a crop/obstacle sensor subsystem is located on the chassis at a second, higher elevation from the ground. The drive subsystem is controlled to maneuver the chassis about a garden. Upon detection of a weed, the motorized cutting subsystem is energized to cut the weed. The motorized cutting subsystem is de-energized after the chassis has moved a predetermined distance and/or after a predetermined period of time. Upon detection of a crop or obstacle, the drive subsystem is controlled to maneuver the chassis away from the obstacle.

An end effector for a weeding robot is provided, comprising an end effector frame arranged to be connected to a robot arm, a plurality of rotation members, each rotation member being rotatably connected to the end effector frame, and each rotation member being arranged to be rotated around an individual rotation axis, wherein the rotation axes are disposed on a circle, and wherein each rotation member comprises a radially extending finger, of which distal ends extend to a centre of the circle on which the rotation axes are disposed when the end effector is in a closed state.

An end effector for a weeding robot is provided, comprising an end effector frame arranged to be connected to a robot arm, a plurality of rotation members, each rotation member being rotatably connected to the end effector frame, and each rotation member being arranged to be rotated around an individual rotation axis, wherein the rotation axes are disposed on a circle, and wherein each rotation member comprises a radially extending finger, of which distal ends extend to a centre of the circle on which the rotation axes are disposed when the end effector is in a closed state.

A crop management apparatus for selectively severing plant items from a plurality of plants. The apparatus comprises: a sensor unit for sensing aspects of the plurality of plants and generating data indicative thereof; a control unit for processing the data to determine a location of a target plant item suitable for severing; a cutter unit comprising at least one selectively deployable cutter for severing the target plant item from its respective plant; and a prime mover for moving the sensor unit and the at least one selectively deployable cutter across the plurality of plants. The control unit outputs a control signal to deploy the at least one selectively deployable cutter at least in part based on the determined location of the target plant item. When the at least one selectively deployable cutter is in a deployed state, severance of the target plant item occurs at least in part based on movement of the prime mover.

Weed seeds are destroyed in the chaff from a combine harvester by repeated high speed impacts caused by a rotor mounted in one of a pair of side by side housings which accelerate the discarded seeds in a direction centrifugally away from the rotor onto a stator including angularly adjustable stator surfaces around the axis. Thus the discarded seeds rebound back and forth between the rotor and the stator to provide a plurality of impacts. The destructor is mounted on a suitable drive shaft within the straw path and the chaff and weed seed material is carried from the rear end of the sieve to the destructor on the straw chopper by one or more fans driving the material through a transfer duct.

An apparatus for controlling weeds, which includes a tine formation adapted to remove or disrupt targeted weeds, and a tine support assembly adapted to support the tine for movement about a first control axis in a generally vertical direction between an engaged position wherein the tine formation in use contacts a ground surface for removal or disruption of targeted weeds and a disengaged position wherein the tine formation is substantially retracted from the ground surface. The tine support assembly is further adapted to support the tine for movement about a second control axis in a generally horizontal direction. The tine support assembly further includes a first actuation mechanism adapted to effect movement of the tine about the first control axis, and a second actuation mechanism adapted to effect movement of the tine about the second control axis. The apparatus also includes a sensing system for sensing aspects of an environment and generating data indicative thereof, and a classification system for identifying target weeds within the environment on the basis of the data from the sensing system. A control system is adapted to activate the first and second actuation mechanisms of the tine support assembly in accordance with a predetermined control logic thereby sequentially to position the tine for disruptive contact with the targeted weeds.