List of agricultural tools or implements used for harvesting: 1. Sickle 2. Mower 3. Reaper 4. Combine Harvester 5. Paddy Thresher 6. Grain Winnower 7. Jute Riboner 8. Shaff Cutter 9. Sugarcane Crusher 10. Maize Sheller 11. Maize Huller 12. Peanut Sheller 13. Cotton Seed Delinking Machine 14. Sunflower Sheller 15. Sorghum Pearlier.
Agricultural Tool # 1. Sickle:
The sickle is common implement used for harvesting of crops such as Paddy (Oryza sativa L), Wheat (Triticum sp), Maize (Zea mays), Jute (Corchorus sp) etc., and cutting other vegetables such as Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var.capitata). Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botytis), Bottlegourd (Lagenaria siceraria), Ridgegourd (Luffa acutangula), Snakegourd (Trichosanthesd anguina L) in our country. The grain may be lost due to shattering, lodging, damage by rats, birds and insect pests etc., when the Paddy (Orysa sativa L) is not harvested in time.
It is simple harvesting tool. It is essentially consisted of a blade and a wooden handle. Blade is the main metallic part of the sickle which may be plane or serrated. The blade is made curved shape. The inner side of the curved blade is made sharp for efficient working in the field which is called the cutting edge. The serrated sickle is generally used for cutting Paddy (Oryza sativa L), Wheat (Tricum sp), Mustard (Brassica sp) etc. Timely harvesting ensures optimum grain quality and higher market.
Agricultural Tool # 2. Mower:
The mower is a machine mainly used for cutting grasses and forage crops.
A mower consists of the following parts:
(i) Frame – The frame provides space for gear, clutch and bearings. A lever that is used for lifting the cutting bar is attached to the frame. It is provided with two wheels connected by a bar with a big gear.
(ii) Power transmission Unit – In bullock drawn mower, the power transmission unit consists of axle, gear, crank wheel, crank shaft and pitman. The transmission shaft (i.e. a long axis that connects the bevel gear) transmit the power to the crank wheel from bevel gear. The power is transmitted through gear box. As the crank wheel revolves, it gives reciprocating motion to the pitman, which operates the knife in the cutter bar.
(iii) Cutter bar – The cutter bar made of high-grade steel is used for cutting grasses and forage crops. The cutting mechanism consists of cutter bar, shoes, guards, ledger plate, wearing plate knife, grass board etc.
(iv) Pitman – Pitman is connecting rod between the crank wheel and the knife. Power is transmitted through pitman.
Agricultural Tool # 3. Reaper:
Reaper is improved implement for cutting of crops in the field. Reaper is generally an animal drawn implement and it is pulled by a pair of bullock.
Reaper consists of the following parts:
(i) Frame
(ii) Cutter bar knife
(iii) Wheels
(iv) Bearings and other attachment.
Agricultural Tool # 4. Combine Harvester:
Combine harvester is machine that is a used for harvesting grain crops. The combine harvester was invested in United States by Hiram Moore in 1834.The names derived from its combining action of harvesting, reaping, threshing and winnowing into a single process.
The combine harvester is used for harvesting some crops as follows:
(i) Paddy (Oryza sativa L)
(ii) Wheat (Triticum sp)
(iii) Barley (Hordeum vulgare)
(iv) Maize (Zea mays L)
(v) Soyabean (Glycine max)
(vi) Flax or Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L)
Agricultural Tool # 5. Paddy Thresher:
Paddy thresher is an improved implement that is used for threshing Paddy (Oryza sativa L), Wheat (Triticum sp) and also Mustard (Brassica sp). Paddy thresher is gaining popularity in an area where high yielding varieties of Paddy (Oryza sativa L) is being cultivated extensively.
The pedal operated Paddy thresher consists of the following parts:
(i) Threshing Drum:
The main part of the machine is a wooden drum with peg teeth all around its circumference. Threshing drum is a hollow drum having cylindrical shape. The diameter of the drum used in common thresher is about 45 cm and its width may vary from 40-76 cm.
(ii) Body Frame:
The body frame consists of the base, the side frame, front grain shield and rear grain shield. They may be made of mild steel angle section except front grain shield which is made of wooden plank of about 12 mm thick and is fitted suitably to the side frame. The base may be made of wood also.
(iii) Cylinder:
The cylinder is made of mild steel and series of slats supported on two sides. The cylinder may be 450 mm in length when the thresher is operated by one man. The threshing drum is suitably reinforced at its center for proper rigidity.
(iv) Threshing Teeth or Spike:
The threshing teeth are fixed to the wooden battens of the threshing drum. Drum has been mounted on the drum shaft by cotter pin. The thresher is small operated by one or two men with the help of pedal.
(v) Driving Mechanism:
The thresher is operated by one or two men with the help of pedal. Driving mechanism consists of a crank, one end of which is connected to a spur gear and the end is connected suitably to pedal from fulcrum which is welded to the pedal frame. Operation of the thresher is just like sewing machine i.e. by operating the pedal, the drum will revolve. Drum can move four times with one stroke of the pedal.
The threshing is done by holding the paddy sheaves with both hands a little away from spreading it as much as possible against the teeth of the revolving drum. The ears are slowly pressed on the cylinder and the bundles are twisted side way once. This finish up the bundle without lifting it up.
The stack of bundles should be kept on the left of the operator to enable him to work quickly. The empty bundle of straw should be thrown away from thresher. The normal operating speed is 300-400 pm. The capacity of single man operated thresher is about 2.0-2.4 quintals per day.
Agricultural Tool # 6. Grain Winnower:
Grain winnower or grain cleaner is a machine suitable for cleaning of all cereal grains, pulse crops and seeds of different crops including Paddy (Oryza sativa L), Wheat (Triticum sp), Maize (zea mays), Mustard (Brassica sp), Soyabean (Glycine max), Gram (Cicer arietinum), and Peanut (Arachis hypogea L). Prominently, it is being used in Indian market for the cleaning of Paddy (Oryza sativa L). This machine uses the principle of screening and airflow to remove the unwanted material from the grain.
Agricultural Tool # 7. Jute Riboner:
A development in ribbon retting technology in Jute growing trade of the country.
The technology of NIRJAFT is as follows:
Jute should be harvested at 100-110 DAS. The over mature stalks pose problem of ribboning and are difficult for complete retting resulting poor yield and inferior quality of the fiber. The harvested plants should preferably be ribboned quickly (loss of moisture pose problem during ribboning) with the ribboning machine.
The harvested ribbons are then bundled and kept ready for retting inside the tank. The tank preparation involves checking PH of water (from natural bodies and not from top) which should near neutral.
The ideal tank dimension should be 10′ x 4.5′ (304.4 cm x 137.1 cm) or 5′ x 2.5′ (152.4 cm x 76.2 cm) i.e. the length of tank should be in accordance with the length of the stalk. A tank of this dimension is sufficient to accommodate the harvest from one bigha land. Suitable numbers of retting tank could be constructed depending on the scale of cultivation. The chemical (a non-microbial gum dissolving research product of NIRJAFT) is first dissolved well with little water. The amount to be used is 7.0 gm. per liter of water.
A pack of 1.7 kg is priced Rs.60.0 and is easily available from them. The dissolved chemical is then applied to the water inside the tank and mix well. The ribbons are then placed firmly in the tank avoiding twisting and turning i.e. straight placement. The ribbons inside chemical treated water in the tank are then manually (by feet) pressed for 4-5 minutes till the water becomes little slimy. The tank is then covered with polythene sheet from all sides. Fibers are extracted at the end of 7-10 days with washing.
Normally 100 kilogram plants yield 40.0 kg of ribbons (60.0 kg of stalks is reduced at field level itself requiring less energy for carriage). Traditionally 20.0 liters of water is required for retting of one kilogram of ribbon. However under new technology, water requirement is at the rate of one liter per plant or 2.5 liter for every kilogram of ribbons. Moreover, the ribbons could be well retted within 7-10 days of time compared to the traditional process requiring 3 weeks.
The quality and quantity of the fibers are much superior under new technology as compared to traditional method. The jute produced under traditional method is normally TD5/TD6. However the same under new technology could easily be of TD3 grade if done properly. Thus the probability of fetching a better price on account of quality is much higher than the traditional method.
The quantitative improvement is however is marginal at 1.0-1.5%. Apart from economy of water, it yields better stalks (apart from its use as fuel, it is used as thatching materials and boroj of betel vine, in making particle boards etc.) and is environment friendly.
The advantages of ribbon retting over traditional method process are as follows:
(i) Water requirement – Reduced from 20 litres per kilogram of plant to 1.01 liter per kilogram of plant.
(ii) Retting period – Reduced from 16-20 days to 7 days.
(iii) Yield advantage – The yield advantage is by 1 %.
(iv) Quality – From TD 5/TD6 to TD3/TD4.
(v) Scope for TDF (Jute Diversified Product) – Better quality stalks as by product.
(vi) Process – Environmentally friendly.
The process of retting can be divided into two distinct phases as follows:
(a) Physical Phase – The physical phage begins when the harvested plants are put in water. The tissues absorb water and swell, releasing soluble components in water.
(b) Bio-Chemical Phase – The releaser substances (i.e. Carbohydrates, nitrogenous compounds and salts of different kinds) facilitate growth and multiplication of microbes in the retting water prior to their entry in the reeds. The organisms develop and multiply by utilizing free sugar, pectin, hemicelluloses, and protein of the plants as nutrients.
Agricultural Tool # 8. Chaff Cutter:
The implement that is used for chopping the straw and fodder is called ‘chaff cutter’. The fodder and straw that are chopped properly are easily accepted by cattle and becomes more palatable.
The chaff cutter machine may be of different types depending on the power used for operating the implement as follows:
i. Hand chaff cutter
ii. Animal operated chaff cutter.
iii. Power operated chaff cutter.
(1) Apron – Apron is a tin plate and attached to the frame to serve as the support of the straws of fodder, which stay here before chopping.
(2) Fly wheel – The fly wheel is a big iron wheel in which two blades (i.e. sharpened knife) are fitted oppositely. The fly wheel is also provided with handle.
(3) Worm – The worm is an iron spindle provided with particular grove. It transmits the power in right angles.
(4) Worm wheel – There are two worm wheels or spur gears which are fitted to the frame.
(5) Fed roller – There are two grooved rollers, one is upper and other is lower. They are connected with worm wheel.
The chaff cutter machine must be properly installed on firm foundation in a shed or otherwise protected place from rain. Before the machine is put into operation, its gears and bearings should be lubricated and the knives should be sharpen, as it becomes too blunt and the clearance between the knives and the share plate effective cutting of fodder and straw. The nuts, bolts and screw should be tightened just before the using this implement to avoid accident.
The straws or fodders are fed first in between two rollers having the support of apron and then the fly wheel is rotated. As result, the worm is rotated and so the worm wheel. The power is therefore transmitted to the roller via worm or worm wheel or spur gear from the flywheel. The fed roller utilizes the power to move the straws or fodders meant for chopping forward uniformly. The knives rotate due to rotation of the fly wheel and cut the straw or fodder uniformly which are collected below.
Agricultural Tool # 9. Sugarcane Crusher:
Sugarcane crusher is a machine used for extraction of juice from the mature stems of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L). This machine is operated by bullock or power.
(i) Roller – There are three rollers in this machine which are fitted to the frame. The third and second roller are of about 10 inches (25cm) diameter, grooved perpendicularly and connected with each other. The first roller is of 8 inches (20cm) diameter and grooved horizontally and connected with the Second roll.
(ii) Trash turner – The trash turner is a steel plate and placed in between the second and third roller. It diverse the sugarcane stem toward the first and second roller.
(iii) Bed plate – The bed plate is a tin plate on which the three rollers are placed. It is made cone shaped at the front side from which the extracted juice comes out and collected in the container.
(iv) Spur gear – There are three gears placed on each of the three rollers and they are called spur gear.
(v) Crank – Crank, part of the frame, receives the power from the transmission shaft.
(vi) Transmission shaft – The transmission shaft is a wooden part of the frame and serves as medium through which power is transmitted finally from spur gear to the roller.
Agricultural Tool # 10. Maize Sheller:
Maize Sheller is an instrument used to shell the maize (Zea mays L) cobs and clean the separated kernel. Maize Sheller machine consist of a bevel gear fixed adjacent to shelling disc. The shelling disc pulls the cobs inside while a spring loaded tongue which is provided above the bevel gear-holds the cobs tightly against the shelling disc.
Shelling is accomplished by beating and shearing action of the cast iron projection present in the rotating shelling disc. The empty cob is thrown out by the force of rotation of shelling disc. The shelled kernel with dust is passed through an air stream produced by blows which separates the kernel. The clean kernels are collected at the bottom. Dried cobs should be used in this machine.
Overall dimension – 680 x 390 x 1100 mm.
Capacity – 50 kg cobs per hour.
Power required – 1 H.P. electric motor.
The efficiency of maize Sheller – 95%
Agricultural Tool # 11. Maize Huller:
Maize huller polishes the maize by removing the bran (Outer layer) through as it passes through friction as it passes through the chamber between emery roller and standard size sieve.
Item Code – MH300
Product – Marina Maize huller without prime mover.
H.P required – 8-10.
R.P.M – 700
Output capacity – 800-100 kg. per hour.
Agricultural Tool # 12. Peanut Sheller:
Peanut sheller was invented by Jock Brandis to shell the peanut. It is hand operated machine and is capable of shelling 50 kilogram of raw sundried nuts per hour. In addition, this machine is actually capable of shelling a variety of nut including neem, jatropa etc. The machine uses two sets of fiberglass mold, some common metal parts, some cement and some cement and sand.
Agricultural Tool # 13. Cotton Seed Delinking Machine:
The cotton seed delinking machine is used to delink the fuzzy cotton seed for seed purposes.
The machine consists of a stainless steel container, agitator, and slurry outlet, delink seed out let and power drive .Five kilogram of cotton seed are fed into stainless steel drum. The agitator is rotated. 50 litres of commercial Sulphuric acid is poured slowly into the container having the cotton seeds through its periphery.
Due to churning action, the cotton fuzz is uniformly subjected to the acid reaction. At the end of 90 seconds, the acid treated seeds and slurry are washed with water. The process of washing with water is repeated 3-4 times. Then the seeds are collected and dried.
Agricultural Tool # 14. Sunflower Sheller:
The sunflower Sheller machine is used to shell the Sunflower seed and to separate the husk.
Specification:
Overall dimension – 1640 x 680 x 2830 mm.
Power required – 3 H.P. Electric motor.
Capacity – 125 kg per hour.
The Sunflower Sheller machine consists of high speed rotor with six curved vanes with two flutes in each, a stator of a tapered wooden surface lined with a thick hard rubber blower and a sieve assembly. The disc of flower is poured into the hopper graded by sieve assembly and fed into rotor through the elevator.
The rotor throws the seeds on the stator at high velocity and the seeds gathered by impact force. The shelled materials are subjected to an air blast in a Chula and husk is separated. The shelled kernels are separated in the sieve assembly.
Agricultural Tool # 15. Sorghum Pearlier:
The Sorghum pearlier machine is used to remove the hull/seed coat from Sorghum (Sorghum vulgare) and other millets like little millets and finger millet.
The Sorghum pearlier machine consists of a cylindrical abrasion rotor made up of a set of abrasion stone disc mounted on horizontal shaft without any gap between them. The rotor so formed is mounted in a metal case with a clearance of 1.5 cm. at the sides and around the bottom of the roller.
The screws of pitch length 1.5 cm each are provided at an outlet end to suck and remove husk. Grains are fed at one end of pearling unit at a uniform rate and collected at other end. The level of grain inside the unit is adjusted during operation for efficient operation. The cycle of operation has to be repeated depending upon the extent of hull/seed coat to be removed.
Overall dimension – 740 x 330 x 1140 mm.
Capacity – 25 kg. per hour.
Power required – 1 H.P. electric motor.