Chestnut picking system, a conveyor assembly for separating chestnuts and method of harvesting

A conveyor assembly for picking nuts, suitable for chestnuts, the conveyor assembly comprising:

• a frame having a first conveyor side and a second conveyor side, the conveyor sides defining a feed end and a discharge end;
• a plurality of bed rollers, each bed roller having a first end and a second end, thereby defining an outer surface therebetween, the bed rollers positioned between the first conveyor side and the second conveyor side and rotatably coupled to the frame, the plurality of bed rollers being spaced apart from each other at a bed roller spacing, wherein at least one of the plurality of bed rollers includes a plurality of spaced apart fingers extending outwardly from the outer surface thereof, the spaced apart fingers terminating in a tip and having a length that is greater than the bed roller spacing;
• and
• a conveyor drive structurally configured to rotate the bed rollers at a desired speed.

A method of harvesting nuts, suitable for chestnuts, the method comprising:

• providing a conveyor assembly, the conveyor assembly having a plurality of bed rollers extending between a first end a second end, each of the bed rollers including a plurality of fingers extending outwardly therefrom, and along the bed roller between the first and second end, the conveyor assembly defining a feed end and a discharge end;
• actuating the bed rollers to rotate, wherein a spacing between bed rollers is less than a length at least some of the plurality of fingers;
• dispensing nuts and burrs, some of which include nuts onto the feed end, with the bed rollers impacting the same with the bed rollers;
• impacting burrs with the fingers with sufficient speed to force burrs free of chestnuts to the discharge end;
• and
• allowing chestnuts to fall between adjacent bed rollers.