Development studies on the leaf-picking-machine of cylinder type for the mulberry (1)

• Published in: The Journal of Sericultural Science of Japan Vol. 41; no. 6; pp. 452 - 460
• Main Authors: TAWARA, Toraji, AI, Fusakazu, SUDO, Makoto, WATANABE, Kengo, ITO, Kyoichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Japanese Society of Sericultural Science 1972
• ISSN: 0037-2455; 1884-796X
• DOI: 10.11416/kontyushigen1930.41.452

In dealing with sericulture mechanization, the picking of mulberry leaves from their sticks is an important problem. The design of a leaf-picking-machine of cylinder-type and its effectiveness are presented in this paper. 1. There are several methods of leaf-harvest for different rearing methods of the silkworm without usage of any leaf-picking machine in Japan. Therefore, we have done the trial manufacture of a leaf-picking machine for the purpose of development of the machine. 2. This machine is composed of three parts; threshing drum and feeder-roller, motors and transmission, and frame. 3. Following results were obtained in the efficiency tests of this machine. (i) As the rotation speed of the drum increased, the unpicked-leaf ratio or the damaged-leaf ratio respectively decreased or increased. (ii) Compared with the V-shaped and plate-shaped teeth in picking-ability, the former was inferior to the latter. Whereas, the damaged-leaf ratio was rather high in the case of the plate-spaped tooth. Under high rotation speed, the unpicked-leaf ratio or the damaged-leaf ratio was about 10% or 50% respectively in the V-shaped tooth as well as the plate-shaped one. (iii) Careful observation by high-speed-camera illustrated that the leaves are picked from their sticks only by shocking-cutting and that vibration has no effect. 4. Some events which intensive investigation are necessary in future are as follows: (i) arrangement, shape, and quality of the teeth, (ii) drum-diameter, space between two drums, and their rotation velocities, (iii) stick-feeding mechanism and its velocity, and (iv) load-characteristics.