JP7841564B2 - Root vegetable harvesting machine - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a root vegetable harvesting machine that collects crops from a field and stores them in a container such as a bucket or flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC).

Conventionally, there are root vegetable harvesting machines that use a pulling and conveying device to pull root vegetables from the field and then store them in flexible container bags (FIBCs) at the end of a sorting and conveying device. (See, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-044966

The present invention aims to provide a root vegetable harvesting machine in which a worker in the auxiliary work section operates the storage components, such as flexible container bags, that are lowered into the field.

The invention described in claim 1 is,
In a root vegetable harvesting machine equipped with a running section (A) for moving the machine, a control section (B), a harvesting section (C) for harvesting root vegetables from the field, and a storage section (E) for storing the harvested root vegetables, the storage section (E) is provided with a mounting platform (25) on which a storage member (22) for storing root vegetables transported from the harvesting section (C) is placed, and a crane (26) is provided to lift the storage member (22) and lower it into the field on the left and right sides of the machine.
This root vegetable harvesting machine is characterized by having a harvesting section (C) on one side of the machine body, storage sections (E) on the other side of the machine body, a sorting and conveying device (21) for a sorting and conveying section (D) provided in the left-right direction from the harvesting section (C) to the storage section (E), an auxiliary work section provided behind the machine body of the sorting and conveying device (21) with an auxiliary work seat where an auxiliary worker sits to sort unwanted root vegetables from the root vegetables conveyed by the sorting and conveying device (21), a mounting platform (25) for the storage section (E) provided at the left and right ends of the machine body , a crane support frame (27) provided near the auxiliary work section and behind the mounting platform (25), a vertical frame (28) for a crane (26) fixed to the upper surface of the crane support frame (27) and erected upward, a guard body (33) provided on the outer circumference of the vertical frame (28), and an operation panel (34) for operating the crane (26) provided near the guard body (33).

The invention of claim 2 is a root vegetable harvesting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, by operating the operating device on the operation panel (34), the storage member (22) placed on the mounting base (25) is lifted from the mounting base (25) by the crane (26), moved to the outside of the machine body of the mounting base (25), and installed on the ground.

This invention allows workers in the auxiliary work area to operate the crane.

This is a plan view of a carrot harvesting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a perspective view of a carrot harvesting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a plan view of a carrot harvesting machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. This is a perspective view of a carrot harvesting machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

A carrot harvester, a type of root vegetable harvester shown as one embodiment of the present invention, will be described below. In the following, the forward and backward directions of the machine will be referred to as front, back, left, and right.

<Overall Structure>
The carrot harvesting machine consists of a driving section A that moves the machine, a control section B where the operator sits, a harvesting section C that pulls carrots out of the field on one side of the machine and transports them to the upper rear of the machine, a stem and leaf cutting section that takes over the carrots from the harvesting section C and transports them to the rear of the machine while cutting the stems and leaves, a residual leaf processing section that receives the carrots that fall from the stem and leaf cutting section and processes the remaining stems and leaves on the carrots in the residual leaf processing section, a sorting and transporting section D that takes over the carrots from the residual leaf processing section and transports the carrots from one side of the machine to the other side, and an auxiliary worker sorts the carrots while they are being transported, and a storage section E that holds the storage members for the carrots discharged from the sorting and transporting section D.

<Running section A>
Below the machine frame 1, left and right drive sprockets 2, 2 on the front side of the machine and left and right driven wheels 3, 3 on the rear side of the machine are arranged, and left and right belts 5, 5 are wrapped around a plurality of idler wheels 4 mounted between the left and right drive sprockets 2, 2 and the left and right driven wheels 3, 3 to form the left and right crawlers 6L, 6R. The left and right drive sprockets 2, 2 of the left and right crawlers 6L, 6R are attached to left and right drive shafts that extend from the transmission case, through which engine power is transmitted, and the left and right crawlers 6L, 6R are attached to the machine frame 1 with a certain distance between them.

<Control Unit B>
A control panel frame 7 is attached to the upper right side of the aircraft frame 1, and a cockpit seat 8 is attached to the control panel frame 7. A control panel 9 is also attached to the front of the aircraft. A gear shift lever 10 for switching between forward and reverse movement and travel speed is attached to the control panel 9, as well as a lifting lever 11 for controlling left and right turning of the aircraft and the working height of the harvesting unit C.

Furthermore, the control unit B is constructed by detachably attaching a radiator cover 12 to the other side of the control unit frame 7 (right side of the aircraft) to protect the radiator (not shown) that cools the engine and to take in cooling air.

With the above configuration, by providing control components that allow multiple operations to be performed with a single lever, such as the gear shift lever 10 and the lifting/lowering lever 11, the machine's operation becomes easier, thereby reducing the operator's workload.

<Harvesting Department C>
Left and right driven pulleys 14a, 14a are rotatably mounted on the front side of the left and right pulling frames 13, 13, and left and right drive pulleys 14b, 14b are mounted on the rear side of the frame. Left and right clamping conveying belts 15, 15 that pull out carrots and transport them to the rear of the frame are wrapped around the left and right driven pulleys 14a, 14a and the left and right drive pulleys 14b, 14b, and tension is applied to the left and right clamping conveying belts 15, 15 by multiple tension rollers 16, causing the inner sides of the left and right clamping conveying belts 15, 15 to press against each other to form a carrot pulling and transporting path R. A rotating frame that can rotate vertically with the left and right horizontal axes as pivot points is attached above the frame 1, and a transmission case that transmits driving force to the left and right drive pulleys 14b, 14b is attached to the rear end of the rotating frame so as to rotate vertically around the pivot point. Furthermore, the machine frame 1 and the rotating frame are connected by a lifting cylinder, and the lifting cylinder is mounted so as to be operable from the control unit B, thereby constituting the extraction and transport device 17.

Furthermore, the system includes a vertical lifting device 18 that raises the stems and leaves of the carrots in front of the pulling and conveying device 17, a horizontal lifting device 19 that scoops up the stems and leaves raised by the vertical lifting device 18, a weed divider 20 provided at the front of the horizontal lifting device 19, a rotatable gauge wheel to prevent the pulling and conveying device 17 from descending too far, and a left-right vibrating soiler that vibrates back and forth using the driving force of the engine to loosen the soil on either side of the carrots in the soil.

Then, a tail-cutting device for cutting the root hairs of carrots being transported by the carrot-pulling device 17 is attached below the aforementioned pulling and transport path R, which serves as the pulling and transport passage, thereby forming the harvesting section C.

With the above configuration, by providing a horizontal lifting device 19 equipped with a weed-dividing rod 20 on the front of the machine body and a vertical lifting device 18, harvesting can be performed while lifting the stems and leaves of carrots that have fallen over in the field. This improves the visibility of the carrots to be harvested, making it easier to align the pulling position, reducing the number of crops left behind, and thus improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, since it prevents damage to carrots from contact with the left-right vibrating soiler, the market value of the carrots is improved.

Furthermore, by connecting the main frame 1 and a rotating frame that can rotate vertically using the left and right lateral axes as pivot points with a lifting cylinder, and by extending and retracting the lifting cylinder by operating the lifting operation lever 11 on the control unit B, the vertical height of the entire harvesting unit C can be adjusted by operating the lifting operation lever 11. This allows for vertical adjustment of the starting position of the harvesting unit C's pulling and transport mechanism, and also allows for adjustment of the starting position of the pulling and transport mechanism to match the appropriate pulling height of the carrots growing in the field, preventing any carrots from being left behind and thus improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, raising the harvesting unit C during turning reduces the likelihood of the lower end of the harvesting unit C contacting the field, resulting in smoother turning and improved work efficiency.

<Sorting and Conveying Section D>
The sorting and conveying device 21 for sorting operations in the sorting and conveying section D is positioned in the left-right direction of the machine body from the rear and below the pull-out conveying device 17 of the harvesting section C toward the storage section E, which contains the flexible container bags 22 that are storage members for the harvested crops. It consists of a chain conveyor with slats at regular intervals that rotates using the driving force from the engine. When carrots are transported with their stems and leaves held by the pull-out conveying device 17, the lower end of the stems and leaves (slightly above the top of the carrot) is cut off at the stem and leaf cutting section, causing the carrot to fall downwards. The falling carrot is then received by the remaining leaf processing section, which processes the remaining stems and leaves and transports it to the sorting and conveying section D. The sorting and conveying device 21 in the sorting and conveying section D then transports the carrot from its left end to its right (to the storage section E).

Furthermore, an auxiliary work seat 23 is provided on the rear side of the sorting and conveying device 21. A worker seated in this auxiliary work seat 23 removes unsuitable carrots (small or irregularly shaped carrots) from the carrots being transported by the sorting and conveying device 21, ensuring that only carrots with appropriate commercial value are sent to the storage unit E.

<Storage Unit E>
The storage section E is located to the right of the sorting and conveying device 21 and consists of a suspension hanger 24 provided at the right end of the sorting and conveying device 21, a mounting platform 25 on which the flexible container bags 22 suspended from the suspension hanger 24 are placed, and a crane 26 for lifting the flexible container bags 22 placed on the mounting platform 25 and lowering them into the field.

The sorting and conveying device 21 is positioned diagonally upward from its left base to its right upper end. That is, it rotates using the engine's driving force to convey carrots diagonally upward, releasing them downward from the upper end. The base of the sorting and conveying device 21 is rotatably mounted on a pivot shaft, and the piston tip of a vertically operating hydraulic cylinder, whose base is pivotally supported on the machine frame 1, is connected to the middle section. Specifically, when an operator seated in the auxiliary work seat 23 presses the upward switch, the vertically operating hydraulic cylinder extends and rotates around the pivot shaft to raise the sorting and conveying device 21. When the operator presses the downward switch, the vertically operating hydraulic cylinder retracts and rotates around the pivot shaft to lower the device.

The suspension hanger 24 is located at the right end of the sorting and conveying device 21. Above the mounting table 25, the four hooks 24a of the suspension hanger 24 are hooked onto the locking holes on the upper edge of the flexible container bag 22, thereby suspending and supporting the flexible container bag 22. At this time, the sorting and conveying device 21 is raised to a position where the bottom of the suspended flexible container bag 22 is supported by the mounting table 25.

The mounting platform 25 is equipped with a pivot shaft located at the right end of the aircraft frame 1, allowing it to be freely switched between a state of use where it extends horizontally to the right and a state where it is folded and stored inside the aircraft.

The crane 26 consists of a crane support frame 27 fixed to the rear end of the machine frame 1 and positioned facing rearward, a vertical frame 28 made of cylindrical pipe material fixed to the upper surface of the crane support frame 27 and erected upward, a rotating support column 29 inserted into the vertical frame 28 and rotatable, a horizontal frame 30 fixed to the upper end of the rotating support column 29 and extending laterally, an electric motor 31 that rotates the rotating support column 29, a winch 32 provided near the base of the horizontal frame 30, a guard body 33 fitted around the outer circumference of the vertical frame 28 and rotating around the vertical frame 28, and an operation panel 34 provided near the base of the guard body 33.

The winch 32 is a typical winch that uses a built-in electric motor to wind in and unwind the wire 35, with a hook 36 at the end of the wire 35. The built-in electric motor is activated by an up/down switch 37 on the control panel 34, winding in or unwinding the wire 35 and raising or lowering the hook 36. In other words, by attaching the suspension string 22a of the flexible container bag 22 to the hook 36, the flexible container bag 22 can be raised or lowered.

The electric motor 31 is operated by a swivel switch 38 located on the control panel 34, which rotates the rotating support column 29, causing the horizontal frame 30 to swivel and allowing the flexible container bag 22, suspended by the hook 36 of the winch 32, to be swung to any desired position.

The guard body 33 consists of a rotating cylinder 33a made of cylindrical pipe material fitted onto the outer circumference of the vertical frame 28, upper and lower horizontal guard members 33b made of cylindrical pipe material with their bases fixed to the rotating cylinder 33a and extending laterally, and a U-shaped guard member 33c inserted from the tip of the upper and lower horizontal guard members 33b and fixed so as to be able to move back and forth in the direction of arrows A-B.

Furthermore, a fixing pin 33d is provided on the rotating cylinder 33a fitted around the outer circumference of the vertical frame 28, fixing the rotational position of the rotating cylinder 33a around the vertical frame 28. That is, as shown in Figure 1, when a worker detaches the flexible container bag 22 from the hook 36 and lowers it into the field, the guard body 33 is fixed in a position to protect the worker from being hit even if the flexible container bag 22 falls towards them.

Furthermore, it is safer to install a position detection potentiometer on the rotating cylinder 33a of the guard body 33 so that the winch 32 does not operate even if the up/down switch 37 on the control panel 34 is operated, unless the guard body 33 is positioned to protect the worker from being hit even if the flexible container bag 22 falls towards the worker (position shown in Figure 1).

Furthermore, by retracting the U-shaped guard material 33c in the direction of arrow L relative to the upper and lower lateral guard materials 33b, rotating the guard body 33 to the left and right so that it is parallel to the rear end of the machine, and fixing it with the fixing pin 33d, and by rotating the lateral frame 30 of the crane 26 to the rear position of the machine, the width of the machine is narrowed. This makes it safer and easier to operate when driving on roads or loading and unloading the machine onto trucks, and allows the machine to be stored in a narrow space when storing it in a barn or similar building.

Furthermore, since the vertical frame 28 (rotation center) of the crane 26 is positioned at the rear of the right end of the machine frame 1, near the rear of the auxiliary work seat 23, the crane 26 does not interfere with the sorting work performed by the worker seated in the auxiliary work seat 23, resulting in improved work efficiency.

Furthermore, when the crane 26 is not in use during harvesting, positioning the lateral frame 30 towards the rear of the machine prevents it from interfering with the sorting work of the worker seated in the auxiliary work seat 23, and also avoids obstruction when the worker sits in or leaves the auxiliary work seat 23. Moreover, when using the crane 26, it can quickly rotate to a position above the flexible container bags 22, resulting in improved work efficiency.

<Carrot harvesting work>
The mounting platform 25 is moved from its stored state, folded inward within the aircraft, to a usable state, extending horizontally to the right (as shown in Figure 1).

Then, the locking holes on the upper edge of the flexible container bag 22 are hooked onto each hook 24a of the suspension hanger 24 at the right end of the sorting and conveying device 21, and the flexible container bag 22 is suspended. The sorting and conveying device 21 is then raised to a position where the bottom of the suspended flexible container bag 22 is supported by the mounting table 25.

Then, position the guard body 33 to protect the worker from being hit even if the flexible container bag 22 falls towards the worker (position shown in Figure 1), and secure it with the fixing pin 33d. The lateral frame 30 of the crane 26 should be positioned facing the rear of the machine.

Then, the carrot harvester is advanced, and after aligning the front end of the extraction and conveying path R of the extraction and conveying device 17 of the harvesting unit C with the carrot rows in the field, the lifting and lowering operation lever 11 is operated to lower the harvesting unit C, the digging clutch is engaged, and each part is driven to move forward. Then, the weed divider 20, the vertical lifting device 18, and the horizontal lifting device 19 lift the carrot stems and leaves, and the carrot stems and leaves are held in the extraction and conveying path R of the extraction and conveying device 17. The left and right vibrating soil loosens the soil on the sides and below the carrots, and the carrots are held and pulled out by the extraction and conveying device 17 and conveyed upward and rearward.

Then, the carrots, whose stems and leaves are held and transported by the extraction and transport device 17, are cut at the lower end of the stem and leaves (slightly above the top of the carrot) by the stem and leaf cutting section, causing the carrots to fall downwards. The falling carrots are then received by the remaining leaf processing section, where the remaining stems and leaves are processed and transported to the sorting and transport section D. The carrots are then transported from their left end to their right (to the storage section E) by the sorting and transport device 21 in the sorting and transport section D.

Then, an operator seated in the auxiliary work seat 23 at the rear of the sorting and conveying device 21 removes unsuitable carrots (small or irregularly shaped carrots) from the carrots being transported by the sorting and conveying device 21, and only carrots of commercial value are sent to the storage section E.

The carrots sent to the right end by the sorting and conveying device 21 fall into the flexible container bags 22 suspended from each hook 24a of the hanging hanger 24 at the right end of the sorting and conveying device 21 and are stored inside.

Then, when the flexible container bag 22 is full of carrots, the machine stops moving and all its components stop. The operator seated in the auxiliary work seat 23 leaves their seat and stands behind the guard body 33. They operate the swivel switch 38 on the control panel 34 to swivel the lateral frame 30 from its position facing the rear of the machine so that the winch 32's hook 36 is positioned above the center of the flexible container bag 22.

Then, the up/down switch 37 on the control panel 34 is operated to the down position to lower the hook 36 to the central upper surface of the flexible container bag 22.

Then, proceed from the rear of the guard body 33 to the mounting platform 25, stand on the mounting platform 25, and hook the hook 36 onto the suspension string 22a of the flexible container bag 22.

Then, returning to the rear of the guard body 33, the up/down switch 37 on the control panel 34 is operated to the up position to lift the flexible container bag 22 from the mounting platform 25. The swivel switch 38 on the control panel 34 is operated to swivel the flexible container bag 22 to the rear position (the position indicated by the dashed line in Figure 1) on the right outer side of the mounting platform 25. The up/down switch 37 is then operated to the down position to lower the flexible container bag 22 into the field. Finally, the hook 36 is detached from the suspension string 22a of the flexible container bag 22, the up/down switch 37 is operated to the up position to raise the hook 36, and the swivel switch 38 is operated to return the lateral frame 30 to its position facing the rear of the machine.

Then, the worker hooks the locking holes on the upper edge of the empty flexible container bag 22 onto each hook 24a of the suspension hanger 24 at the right end of the sorting and conveying device 21, suspending the flexible container bag 22 so that the bottom of the flexible container bag 22 is supported on the mounting platform 25. After that, the worker sits down in the auxiliary work seat 23. Then, they drive the various parts to move the machine forward and resume the harvesting operation.

In short, the flexible container bags 22 placed on the mounting platform 25 are lifted by the crane 26 and lowered into the field at a position to the right rear of the mounting platform 25. Therefore, even if the flexible container bags 22 tilt or the machine moves slightly, contact with the machine can be avoided, allowing for efficient and proper harvesting.

<Other Aspects>
Figures 3 and 4 show a second embodiment, in which the configuration of the sorting and conveying section D and the storage section E differs from that of the first embodiment.

Specifically, the sorting and conveying device 21 of the sorting and conveying unit D is configured to move freely in the left-right direction of the machine body by operating a slide switch located near the auxiliary work seat 23, using a sliding electric cylinder 39. The position of the sorting and conveying device 21 is detected by a position detection sensor 40, and it stops at the left and right ends of the machine body.

When the sorting and conveying device 21 is positioned at the left end of the machine, the carrots harvested in the harvesting section C are transported by the sorting and conveying section D to the storage section E and stored in the flexible container bags 22. When the sorting and conveying device 21 is positioned at the right end of the machine, the flexible container bags 22 are lowered into the field as described later.

The storage section E is located behind the right end of the sorting and conveying device 21 and consists of a rotating base that rotates around a vertical rotation axis provided at the right end of the sorting and conveying device 21, a movable conveyor 41 whose base is pivotally supported on the rotating base and whose upper end moves up and down by an electric cylinder, and which has rails at regular intervals that rotate using the driving force from an engine to convey carrots guided and conveyed from the right end of the sorting and conveying device 21 diagonally upward, a suspension hanger 24 provided at the upper end of the movable conveyor 41, and a mounting platform 25 located at the lower rear of the right end of the sorting and conveying device 21 on which flexible container bags 22 can be placed.

The rotation axis of the rotating base is located at the right end of the sorting and conveying device 21, so it moves left and right in conjunction with the left and right movement of the sorting and conveying device 21. When the sorting and conveying device 21 is at its right end, the rotation axis of the rotating base is positioned to the right of the machine's centerline relative to the left and right centerline of the traveling section A. Therefore, by rotating the rotating base to tilt the movable conveyor 41 45 degrees to the right rear, the position where the flexible container bags 22, full of carrots, are removed from the hanging hanger 24 and lowered into the field is further away from the machine's body, to the right outer side. This ensures that the lowered flexible container bags 22 do not interfere with harvesting, resulting in improved work efficiency.

Furthermore, the base of the support frame 42, which supports the auxiliary work seat 23 where the auxiliary worker sits, is fixed to the rotating base, and the auxiliary work seat 23 and the movable conveyor 41 rotate together in the same direction. Therefore, the auxiliary worker sitting in the auxiliary work seat 23 can perform both the task of suspending the flexible container bags 22 from the suspension hanger 24 with the movable conveyor 41 facing straight back, and the task of detaching the flexible container bags 22 from the suspension hanger 24 with the movable conveyor 41 tilted 45 degrees to the right rear, all while remaining in the seat, resulting in improved work efficiency. The auxiliary worker seated in the auxiliary work seat 23 performs the sorting task of removing substandard carrots from the carrots transported to the right end of the sorting and conveying device 21. The worker stands in the field, holds the auxiliary work seat 23, and rotates the rotating base via the support frame 42.

The movable conveyor 41 is positioned below the right end of the sorting and conveying device 21, with its lower section facing diagonally upward. Specifically, the movable conveyor 41 rotates using power from the engine, receiving carrots that are being conveyed to the right at the right end of the sorting and conveying device 21. These carrots are guided by a guide plate positioned at a 45-degree angle to the conveying direction, changing their direction towards the rear. The conveyor 41 then conveys the carrots diagonally upward, releasing them downward from its upper end.

Furthermore, the base of the movable conveyor 41 is pivotally supported on a rotating base, and the piston tip of an electric cylinder, whose base is also pivotally supported on the rotating base, is connected to the middle section. That is, the upper end of the movable conveyor 41 moves up and down by extending and retracting the electric cylinder through the operation of a lifting lever 43 located on the side of the auxiliary work seat 23. The support frame 42 that supports the auxiliary work seat 23 is equipped with outriggers 44, and when the lifting lever 43 is operated, the outriggers 44 move downward to support the support frame 42, i.e., the sorting and conveying device 21.

Furthermore, by enabling the sliding electric cylinder 39 to be activated by operating a slide switch located near the auxiliary work seat 23 only when the parking brake is engaged using the parking lever 45 on the control unit B, the sorting and conveying device 21 of the sorting and conveying unit D can be moved to the right of the machine, allowing the rotating base to be rotated outwards to the right, and enabling the operation of lowering the flexible container bags 22 into the field using the lifting lever 43, the operation of lowering the flexible container bags 22 into the field can be performed only when the machine is stopped, thus ensuring safety.

Furthermore, when the sliding electric cylinder 39 is operated by a slide switch located near the auxiliary work seat 23 to move the sorting and conveying device 21 of the sorting and conveying unit D to the right of the machine, when the rotating base is rotated outward to the right, and when the flexible container bags 22 are being lowered into the field using the lifting lever 43, the work status is displayed on the monitor of the control panel 9 of the control unit B. If an alarm sound or an alarm voice (in various languages) indicating the work status is emitted, the operator seated in the cockpit 8 of the control unit B can recognize that the auxiliary worker is lowering the flexible container bags 22 into the field, thus avoiding unforeseen situations such as inadvertently moving the machine forward, ensuring safety.

Furthermore, when the sorting and conveying device 21 is not located at the left end of the aircraft, safety is ensured by preventing the aircraft from taking off even if the pilot seated in the cockpit 8 of the control unit B attempts to move the aircraft, and by issuing an alarm.

The suspension hanger 24 supports the flexible container bag 22 by hooking its hook 29a into the locking hole on the upper edge of the flexible container bag 22, while the movable conveyor 41 is facing straight backward. At this time, the bottom of the flexible container bag 22 is supported by the mounting base 25.

22. Storage component (flexible container bag)
23 Auxiliary work seat 25 Mounting platform 26 Crane 30 Side frame 33 Guard body A Driving section B Control section C Harvesting section D Sorting and conveying section E Storage section

Claims (2)

In a root vegetable harvesting machine equipped with a running section (A) for moving the machine, a control section (B), a harvesting section (C) for harvesting root vegetables from the field, and a storage section (E) for storing the harvested root vegetables, the storage section (E) is provided with a mounting platform (25) on which a storage member (22) for storing root vegetables transported from the harvesting section (C) is placed, and a crane (26) is provided to lift the storage member (22) and lower it into the field on the left and right sides of the machine.
A root vegetable harvesting machine characterized by having a harvesting section (C) on one side of the machine body, storage sections (E) on the other side of the machine body, a sorting and conveying device (21) of a sorting and conveying section (D) provided in the left-right direction from the harvesting section (C) to the storage section (E), an auxiliary work section provided behind the machine body of the sorting and conveying device (21) with an auxiliary work seat where an auxiliary worker sits to sort unwanted root vegetables from the root vegetables conveyed by the sorting and conveying device (21), a mounting platform (25) for the storage section (E) provided at the left and right ends of the machine body, a crane support frame (27) provided near the auxiliary work section and behind the mounting platform (25), a vertical frame (28) of a crane (26) fixed to the upper surface of the crane support frame (27) and erected upward, a guard body (33) provided on the outer circumference of the vertical frame (28), and an operation panel (34) for operating the crane (26) provided near the guard body (33). The root vegetable harvesting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, by operating the control device on the control panel (34), the storage member (22) placed on the mounting platform (25) is lifted from the mounting platform (25) by the crane (26), moved to the outside of the machine body of the mounting platform (25), and installed on the ground.