The object cited initially is furthermore achieved by a separating apparatus comprising an apparatus as described above or below, an apparatus frame and at least two deflecting elements arranged rotatably on the apparatus frame. In particular, the separating apparatus comprises a drive; preferably, one of the deflecting elements is configured as a drive element for transmission of a torque. The deflecting elements are designed to guide the apparatus such that at least one conveying portion of the apparatus at least partially has an upward slope. Thus the apparatus runs at least partially upward in the conveying portion. Alternatively, the conveying portion at least partially has a downward slope, whereby the apparatus runs at least partially downward in the conveying portion. In particular, the deflecting elements are deflecting rollers which are rotatably mounted on the apparatus frame. The upward or downward slope facilitates the desired arrangement of as few root vegetables per receiving region as possible, since root vegetables present in a second layer in a receiving region slide or roll under force of gravity into an adjacent, in particular following receiving region. As an alternative to the above-described design of the conveying portion, for special application cases of the separating apparatus, at least one conveying compartment of the apparatus has an at least substantially horizontal course.

Preferably, a first conveying portion of the apparatus has a steeper upward or downward slope than a second conveying portion which is adjacent thereto in the circulation direction. In particular, in operation, the apparatus passes over a deflecting element between the two conveying portions. The second conveying portion runs in particular at least substantially horizontally. As the advantage of a rising course of the apparatus has been explained, the advantage of a subsequent less steep or horizontal course is that, there, a relative movement of root vegetables present in the receiving regions towards the apparatus is reduced. The less the root vegetables move about on the apparatus, the easier they are to monitor. The conveying portion or portions thus do not circulate with the apparatus, but are stationary relative to the apparatus frame, inside these portions, the apparatus performs a corresponding function e.g. to settle the movement of the root vegetables.

Preferably, the separating apparatus has at least one slide element which does not circulate in operation and is arranged below at least a part of the conveying portion or one of the conveying portions. The slide element is in particular arranged below the second conveying portion. Preferably, the slide element is a slide rail, over which the apparatus slides in operation, in particular between two deflecting elements, and which thus prevent the apparatus from sagging. Preferably, the separating apparatus has a plurality of slide elements spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction. The at least one slide element prevents or at least reduces the introduction of pulses to the root crops, which could trigger a movement thereof.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the separating apparatus has at least one impact element which is movable, in particular rotating, during operation. The impact element is configured to generate impacts on at least part of the conveying portion or one of the conveying portions. In particular, the impact element is arranged below the first conveying portion which rises during operation. During operation, the impact element applies force pulses to the apparatus, which are preferably not directed in the circulation direction. Thus the apparatus, in particular in the first conveying portion, is shaken, creating an even distribution of the root crops over the receiving regions. In detail, the impact element is preferably formed as an element rotating in operation and with an eccentric outer contour. Alternatively, and in particular in the case of a profiled underside of the apparatus or endless conveyor running over the impact element, the impact element is configured as an element which rotates in operation and is at least substantially rotationally symmetrical, i.e. preferably as a roller. During operation, the function of the at least one impact element is in particular automated. Preferably, during operation, at least one operating parameter of the impact element, in particular its rotation speed or radius, depends on a setting from a user and/or data, which are preferably originally provided by at least one optical sensor on the apparatus or recorded on one of the machines described below, concerning the conveyed product, in particular a proportion of foreign bodies in the conveyed product or root crops.

In particular, at least one scraper element is arranged above the conveying portion or one of the conveying portions, in particular the first conveying portion, and is spaced by maximum 20 cm, preferably maximum 15 cm away from the interior space surface, and the peripheral surface of which, in operation and in side view, in particular adjoins the forming elements. Particularly preferably, the scraper element is mounted rotatably about a rotational axis oriented in particular parallel to the transverse direction. Preferably, the scraper element is an elastically deformable roller, in particular made of foam material. Alternatively, the scraper element is formed as a retaining rubber or brush. The scraper element serves to hold back root vegetables lying on the carrier element in a second layer, or rolling back in or against the circulation direction, and to reposition these in following free receiving regions.

The object is furthermore achieved by a mobile root crop harvesting machine with a separating apparatus as described above. The object is also achieved by a mobile or stationary transport or cleaning machine with a separating apparatus as described above. In particular, a feeder device is arranged above the first conveying portion for delivering root crops onto the apparatus. Also, the separating apparatus, with a conveying device following the apparatus in the product flow direction, preferably forms a drop step on which preferably a separating unit is arranged. The separating unit in particular comprises a plurality of deflecting elements arranged offset in the transverse direction, which correspond in number at least to the number of receiving regions arranged next to each other in the transverse direction. The deflecting elements are movable from a deflection position, in which they deflect a root vegetable output by an assigned receiving region such that it does not reach the following conveying device, into a starting position in which they are arranged outside the product stream, and vice versa. In particular, the deflecting elements are actuated depending on the information from at least one sensor, in particular a camera, arranged above the (second) conveying portion, which optically detects the root crops or foreign bodies to be deflected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the views.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a portion of the first embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of a portion of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective, detail illustration of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4a shows a carrier element of the first embodiment, viewed in the circulation direction.