FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[See section 10, Rule 13]
SUGARCANE BUD CHIPPER DEVICE;
WE,
DR. VENKAT MANOHARRAO MAYANDE, AN INDIAN NATIONAL WHOSE ADDRESS IS B-504, MONT VERT, BIARRITZ-2, BANER-PASHAN LINK ROAD, PASHAN, PUNE-411021 M. S. INDIA;
MR. SACHIN CHHAGANRAO KAWADE, AN INDIAN NATIONAL WHOSE ADDRESS IS C/O KVK, P 160, ADDITIONAL MIDC, HARANGUL (B), POST; GANGAPUR, DIST: LATUR - 413531 M. S. INDIA; AND
MR. SAMPAT GANPAT KADAM AN INDIAN NATIONAL WHOSE ADDRESS IS SECTOR 18, PLOT NO. 92, JIJAMATA PARK, KRISHNANAGAR, BEHIND MUMBAI SELECTION, CHIKHALI ROAD, PCNTDA, CHINCHWAD, PUNE - 411019 M. S. INDIA,
THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMED

SUGARCANE BUD CHIPPER DEVICE
Field of the invention
The invention relates to a bud chipper device for sugarcanes, and more particularly to a pedal operated bud chipping device that chips buds from sugarcane plant stems without reducing the cane value.
Background of the invention
Sugarcane is an important cash crop with cane juice being processed to make sugar and ethanol. It is vegetatively propagated for commercial cultivation. Different kinds of planting materials viz., cane sets and bud chips are used for raising sugarcane crop. Stem cuttings or sections of the stalks are called "sets" or seed pieces. Each set contains one or more buds. Fresh, genetically pure, pest and disease free sets are generally used as seed material, which when planted in soil get sprouted and generate new plants.
Sugarcane plant is divided into nodes on which buds are located. Little portion of stem with one bud is known as bud chip. Bud chips are used to raise seedlings in nursery. Conventional methods include planting canes generally along with 2-3 nodes with buds which are cut into 15-18" long pieces and planted into the soil manually in furrows which are irrigated either before or after planting.

The conventional methods consume about 3 tons of cane per acre which is valuable produce. It is, however, the fact that only buds are required to generate new cane plants and not the cane pieces. Bud chips are found to produce good crop when transplanted in main field. The principal advantage of bud chips is substantial saving of seed material and seed requirement is substantially reduced. If only buds are used for planting, it would save about 3 tons of valuable cane per acre. The bud chips are less bulky, easily transportable and more economical seed material. The bud chip technology holds great promise in rapid multiplication of new cane varieties.
The prior art includes a Japanese Patent Number JP2007210046 which describes the sugarcane cutter which cuts two eye bud set. This machine gives outcome similar to conventional practice presently used in India which cuts the cane along with buds which is used for planting but results in loss of cane.
Further, Indian Patent Application Number 3456/MUM/2011 discloses a pedal operated sugarcane bud chipping machine, where the chipping blade is operated with the help of the leg operated pedal which is activated through a series of linkage mechanism. This spring loaded linkage mechanism is a complex mechanism. Further, the pedal operation in the above mentioned pedal operated machine is for providing power to the linkage mechanism for cutting operation by semicircular cutting blade which causes fatigue in operation and causes drudgery in operation since the use of human foot while giving rotary power for cutting operation has limitation resulting in reduced efficiency and diminishing capacity. Whereas in present invention the pedal is not for generating power for cutting operation but only for engaging its novel components by pressing pedal, thereby reducing fatigue.

Furthermore, Indian patent application number 3523/MUM/2011 discloses a cutting and chipping assembly which comprises of plurality of blades with a set cutting blade and a bud cutting blade adapted to be operable in an operative vertical motion and plurality of pulleys coupled by means of a V-belt in order to vary angular displacement rate (rpm). However, this invention with plurality of blades and pulleys is a complex structure and the working of identified application is with multiple blades used for chipping of crops and not specifically for sugarcane bud chipping.
Another Indian Patent application Number 2637/MUM/2008 discloses an invention that cuts the buds from standing crop manually which engages both hands of operator and also drudgery to operator. Such operation is very hectic for operator for continuous use. It is observed that practically such a device is not very useful because the farmer prefer to chip buds from sugarcane plant stems that are already cut from the farm.
Yet another Indian Patent Application Number 1501/MUM/2008 discloses a device for removing bud from crops. This device is a floor based version which requires continuous sitting of the operator on floor for cutting of bud, which may not be comfortable for longer period of time and may bring about discomfort to the operator. Also the operator needs to place cane on the platform keeping the buds in the opposite side of the studs. Here, the activation lever is operated by the hand such that the bud chips out from the cane, and by other hand the operator feeds the cane ahead. This method engages both the hands of the operator as well as the chances of hand injuries are increased.

Presently efforts are being made on use of various cane bud chipping machines to chip the cane buds. However, these chipping machines result in chipping of bud along with cane and results in loss of cane material. Further, prior art states manual chipping of bud either by knife or cutter which engages hands of the operator, increases drudgery to the operator and also increases the chances of injury to hands. The conventional manual cutting practise also increases the risk of contamination of the bud. Further, the prior art bud chipping machines require pressing of the lever to chip the bud, which ultimately requires a lot of physical strength and results in causing fatigue to the operator. From the above prior art, it is understood that the inventions in the prior art generally cause drudgery and operational fatigue to the operators. It is also observed that although some of the prior art devices give higher outputs; however, in the course of chipping a lot of useful sugarcane material is lost. It is also observed that the lost sugarcane material carries substantial value.
There is a need for a suitable, cost effective and simple sugarcane bud chipper device that chips the buds from cane without reducing the cane value and that overcomes the drawbacks of the above mentioned prior art.
Summary
A sugarcane bud chipper device for selectively chipping fine buds from sugarcane plant stems includes a clutch assembly, a pedal assembly, a chipper assembly and at least two positions of a foot rest. The clutch assembly is defined by a clutch positioned on a shaft, an arcuate spring, and at least two keys positioned in predefined slots. A first key selectively defines engagement and disengagement of the

clutch. The pedal assembly includes the foot rest, a bar and a plurality of guides. The bar being reciprocatively movable through the guides to selectively engage and disengage a second end of the bar with the first key. The chipper assembly has a connector and a chipper. The connector moves in a translatory motion facilitated via a guide to define a cutting depth of the chipper. In a first position, the clutch is disengaged from the chipper assembly, and in a second pressed position the clutch is engaged with the chipper assembly performing chipping operation to remove a bud from a sugarcane plant stem.
The sugarcane bud has a second key that defines a connection of the shaft and the clutch. The first position of the foot rest disengages the clutch so as to restrain the first key by the second end of the bar of the pedal assembly. The second position of the foot rest engages the clutch so as to free or release the restrained first key from the second end of the bar. The pedal assembly engages the clutch to the second pulley and the shaft transmits the motion of the second pulley to the shaft.
The shaft transmits the motion to the chipper assembly for chipping the bud from sugarcane plant stem node positioned in a vice. The predefined position of the vice facilitates the arcuate chipper to chip buds from the sugarcane plant stem without losing the sugarcane value. In the sugarcanes deice of the present invention a first pulley is engaged with a second pulley by a belt for transmitting power from the first pulley to the second pulley. The first pulley is a drive pulley and the second pulley is a driven pulley. The first pulley is activated by a motor. The present invention allows chipping of sugarcane buds from the stem without losing the sugar cane value.

Brief description of the drawings
FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of a sugarcane bud chipper device in accordance
with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 1B is a front perspective view of a sugarcane bud chipper device positioned on a
frame in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the clutch assembly of the sugarcane bud chipper device
of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3A is a front perspective view of a pedal assembly of the sugarcane bud chipper
device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3B is a exploded view of the pedal assembly of the sugarcane bud chipper device
of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a front perspective of a chipper assembly of the sugarcane bud chipper device
of FIG. 1;and
FIGS. 5A and 5B is a front perspective view of the pedal assembly showing a first
position and a second position of a pedal assembly.
Detailed description of the drawings:
Although specific terms are used in the following description for sake of clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to particular structure of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a bud chipper device 100 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described, The bud chipper device 100 includes a frame 102, a first pulley 104, a second pulley 106, a clutch assembly 108, a pedal assembly 112, and a chipper assembly 114. The first pulley 104 and the second pulley 106 are engaged by a belt 116. The first pulley 104 is a drive pulley and the second pulley 106 is a driven pulley. The first drive pulley 104 is preferably activated by a motor. It is to be noted that the driven pulley is also driven by a concentric pulley (Not shown) which is engaged with a motor shaft preferably by a belt.
The clutch assembly 108 selectively transmits power from the second pulley 106 to the chipper assembly 114 that chips buds of sugarcane plant stems with a chipper 118. A sugarcane plant stem 124 is positionable on a vice 122. The engagement and disengagement of the clutch 108 is preferably coordinated by the pedal assembly 112. A pedal 120 has two positions. In a first position of the pedal 120, the clutch assembly 108 is disengaged and in a second position the clutch assembly 108 is engaged. In the engaged position of the clutch 108, a user chips buds from the sugarcane plant stems 124 by positioning the plant stem 124 at a predefined position below the chipper 118.
Now referring to FIG. 2, an exploded view of the clutch assembly 108 is described. The clutch assembly 108 includes a clutch 200, a first key 202, a second key 204, an arcuate spring 206, a washer 208, a shaft 210, a bearing 212, a cam 214, a third key 216, a link 218, and a bolt 220. The clutch 200 receives the first key 202 and the second key 204 in respective first slot 222 and second slot 224. The first key 202 is positionable in the first slot 222 in at least two positions in which the clutch is engageable and disengagable with the second pulley 106.

A first end of the shaft 210 is received in the hole 226 of the clutch 200. A second end of the shaft 210 is coupled with the cam 214. The clutch 200 receives the shaft 210 along axis-X. The shaft 210 is securely locked in the hole 226 defined in the clutch 200 by the second key 204 that is positionable in the second slot 224. The second end of the shaft 210 is coupled with the cam 214 preferably with the third key 216.The shaft 210 is preferably rotatable in a bearing 212 in accordance with the present invention. A link 218 is hinged with the cam 214 by the bolt 220. The link 218 is preferably hingedly positioned on the outermost periphery of the cam 214. The circular spring 206 is positionable on the clutch 200 such that one end of the spring 206 is coupled with the first key 202 and other end of the spring 206 is coupled with the body of the clutch at a predefined point.
As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the pedal assembly 112 includes a foot rest 300, a bar 302, a first guide 304, a second guide 305, a spring 306, a spring lock 308, and a third guide 310. A first end 312 of the pedal bar includes the foot rest 300 and the second end 314 is movable through the third guide 310. The bar 302 reciprocatively movable through the guides 304, 305, and 310 relative to the ground in a direction indicated by arrow 'A1\ The bar 302 is movable through the first guide 304 and second guide 305 and the third guide 310 in accordance with the movement of the foot rest 300.
The foot rest 300 has two positions. In the first position, the foot rest 300 is in a plane that is approximately parallel to the ground. In the second position, the foot rest 300 is located at a predefined angle with the ground. The foot rest 300 is movable from the first position to the second position preferably by pushing with a human foot. \n the first position the first key 202 (FIG. 2) is restrained by the second end 314 of the bar

302. In the second position, the foot rest 300 is pressed such that the bar 302 translates in a downward direction thereby freeing the first key that engages the clutch 200 with the second pulley 106.
Referring to FIG. 4, the chipper assembly 114 includes the link 218, a connector 400, a fourth guide 402, and a chipper 118. The link 218 is connected with the connector 400 preferably by a hinged joint 401. The connector 400 is received through the fourth guide 402 such that the connector 400 moves upwards and downwards through the guide 402. The rotating motion of the cam 214 is transmitted to the chipper 118 through the link 218, and the connector 400. A depth of the cut of the chipper 118 is preferably defined by the translator motion of the connector 400.
Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, two positions of the bar 302 are shown in accordance with the present invention. In the first position of the pedal assembly 112, the second end 314 of the bar 302 is positioned to restrain the rotational motion of the first key 202 thereby disengaging the clutch assembly 108. In the second position of the pedal assembly 112, the second end 314 of the bar 302 is translated downwards relative to the ground such that the first key 202 is not restrained. In the second position of the pedal assembly, the clutch assembly 108 is engaged to transfer the motion to the chipper assembly 114.
In operation, referring to FIGS. 1A-5B, the motor is started that activates the first pulley 104 and the second pulley 106. The user positions a sugarcane plant stem 124 on the vice 122 below the chipper 118. As soon as the foot rest 300 is pressed by the user the clutch 200 engages the second pulley and the bar to transmit motion of the

second pulley to the chipper 118. The motion of the bar 302 is converted into translator motion of the chipper 118 by the cam 214 and the link 218 arrangement. The rotary motion of the cam 214 is converted into the reciprocatory motion of the chipper 118 through the link 218 and the connector 400.
In the first position of the pedal assembly 112, wherein the second end 314 restrains the first key 202, the clutch 200 disengages the second pulley 106 and the shaft 210. In this position, the chipper assembly 114 is not functional. In the second position of the pedal assembly 112, wherein the first key 202 is disengaged from the bar 302, the clutch 200 engages the second pulley and the shaft 210 such that the motion of the second puiley is transmitted to the shaft 210 that is further transmitted to the chipper assembly 114. When the foot rest 300 is pressed to the second position, the second end 314 is pulled down and the first key 202 is pulled to the second position that engages the second pulley 106 and the bar 210 through the clutch 200.
When the foot is removed from the foot rest 300, the spring 206 brings the first key 202 to the first position and similarly the spring 306 brings the foot rest 300 to the first position. Accordingly whenever the foot rest 300 is pressed to the second position, the chipper 118 reciprocates from a predefined point to the block at a predefined speed. In the forward stroke of the chipper 118, the bud is chipped from the sugarcane plant stem. The buds are preferably collected in a container that is preferably positioned below the vice 122. In operation, the user positions the plant stem 124 on a predefined channel on the vice 122. By pressing the pedal rest 300 the bud from the plant stem 124is chipped. Now the user removes the foot from the pedal 300. In a next step, the user advances the sugarcane such that a next plant stem is positioned below the

chipper 118 on the vice 122. It is to be noted that the vice 122 is advantageously positioned below the chipper assembly 114 such that during the chipping operation very fine buds are chipped from the sugarcane plant stems 124 without affecting the value of the sugarcane.
The user again, presses the pedal 300 to chip a bud from the respective plant stem, and after chipping advances the sugarcane. This process is continued till all the buds from the sugarcane are chipped. The sugarcane bud chipper device 100 of the present invention precisely chips sugarcane buds of required size without reducing cane value with highest comfort to operator by engaging a specially designed clutch using a pedal that is connected to cam wheel. The function of bud chipping through semicircular chipper 118 is advantageously precise and accurate. The present invention enables chipped cut buds use for planting in nursery beds which are later transferred to field saving water by minimizing field life of sugarcane plant by about 45 days growth at initial nursery stage, saving cost of planting operation, reducing labor requirement, recovering cane after removal of bud by retaining its economic value. The invention facilitates the new practice of sugarcane planting through nursery which has advantages of saving cost, labour, water, operational comfort and higher cane yield due to uniform growth. It will be appreciated that the sugarcane bud chipper device 100 of the present invention has only three subassemblies such as the pedal assembly 112, the clutch assembly 108, and the chipper assembly 114 that results in a minimum number of components of the device 100. The minimum number of assembly and parts as compared to the prior art devices substantially reduces an initial cost and any other maintenance cost of the device 100. It will be further appreciated that the device 100 of

the present invention is suitable for chipping buds from the sugarcane plant stems that are already cut down from the farm. The safety of the operator is advantageously addressed because the hand of the operator is never in the close proximity with the chipper tool. The operation is also very comfortable for the operator because the chipping function is automatically performed by the motorized chipper assembly 114. The operator has to facilitate feeding of the sugarcane plant stem and pressing the foot rest 300 that makes the operation easy and comfortable as compared to the chipper devices in the prior art. In case of the Indian environment where farmers have small as well as larger pieces of lands with sugar cane crops, the sugarcane chipper device 100 is suitable because of the cost, size and space required to install the device. The present invention eliminates the drawbacks of the methods and devices disclosed in the prior art and provide an highly efficient and simple bud chopping tool with enhanced ease and comfort in operation, thereby reducing drudgery and provides improved efficiency of sugarcane planting operation.
The embodiments of the invention shown and discussed herein are merely illustrative of modes of application of the present invention. Reference to details in this discussion is not intended to limit the scope of the claims to these details, or to the figures used to illustrate the invention.

Claims:
We claim:
1. A sugarcane bud chipper device for selectively chipping fine buds from sugarcane plant stems comprising:
a clutch assembly, the clutch assembly defined by a clutch positioning on a shaft, an arcuate spring, and at least two keys positioned in predefined slots, a first key selectively defining engagement and disengagement of the clutch;
a pedal assembly, the pedal assembly including a foot rest, a bar and a plurality of guides; the bar being reciprocatively movable through the guides to selectively engage and disengage a second end of the bar with the first key;
a chipper assembly, the chipper assembly having a connector and a chipper, the connector moving in a translatory motion facilitated via a guide to define a cutting depth of the chipper; and
at least two positions of the foot rest, a first position disengaging the clutch from the chipper assembly, and a second pressed position engaging the clutch with the chipper assembly performing chipping operation to remove a bud from a sugarcane plant stem.
2. The sugarcane bud chipper device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a second key defines a connection of the shaft and the clutch.

3. The sugarcane bud chipper device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first position of the foot rest disengaging the clutch thereby restraining the first key by the second end of the bar of the pedal assembly.
4. The sugarcane bud chipper device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second position of the foot rest engaging the clutch thereby freeing the restrained first key from the second end of the bar.
5. The sugarcane bud chipper device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pedal assembly engaging the clutch to the second pulley and the shaft transmitting the motion of the second pulley to the shaft,
6. The sugarcane bud chipper device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the shaft transmitting the motion to the chipper assembly for chipping the bud from sugarcane plant stem node positioned in a vice.
7. The sugarcane bud chipper device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the predefined position of the vice facilitates the arcuate chipper to chip buds from the sugarcane plant stem without losing the sugarcane value.
8. The sugarcane bud chipper device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first pulley is engaged with the second pulley by a belt for transmitting power from the first pulley to the second pulley.
9. The sugarcane bud chipper device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first pulley is a drive pulley and the second pulley is a driven pulley.
10. The sugarcane bud chipper device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first pulley is activated by a motor.