Potato harvesting machines or processing machines for separating potatoesor similar crop from a mixture with clods, rocks, and similar solid bodies areprovided with a separating device. By means of the conveying device whichsupplies the substantially compact mixture, the mixture moved into the area ofat least one drop stage is separated. For this purpose, at least one retainingelement oriented opposite to the falling separated goods and interacting withthe at least one air stream is used in such a way that crop and the solidbodies can be conveyed farther separately in substantially oppositelyextending conveying direction, respectively. An optimal utilization of thedevice for varying harvesting conditions is achieved according to theinventionin that the at least one supplied conveyed stream can be diverted at leastpartially in the area upstream of the retaining element.
