Width adjustable harvesting apparatus and machine

A self-propelled, width-adjustable, seated harvesting machine for use in picking ground-growing produce from at least one row of ground-growing produce, the harvesting machine comprising:

• a width-adjustable frame having a first frame half, and a second frame half mounted for horizontal movement relative to said first frame half to provide an adjustable frame width;
• a first seat mounted to said first frame half and a second seat mounted to said second frame half, said first seat and said second seat being separated by an adjustable seat distance;
• a propulsion system for propelling the harvesting machine on the ground, the propulsion system being affixed to said frame and including a plurality of wheels;
• and
• a steering mechanism connected to said frame and operably connected to said propulsion system and said plurality of wheels, for turning the frame relative to the ground, wherein the first frame half is horizontally movable relative to the second frame half, to adjust the adjustable frame width from a first frame width to a second frame width, and to adjust the adjustable seat distance from a first seat distance to a second seat distance;
• wherein:
• the first frame half comprises a left frame half;
• the second frame half comprises a right frame half;
• the plurality of wheels is constructed and arranged to move the harvesting machine down the at least one row of ground-growing produce;
• the plurality of wheels comprises a left-side drive wheel, a right-side drive wheel, a left-side guide wheel, and a right-side guide wheel;
• and
• the propulsion system further comprises:
• a left rotatable pulley connected to the left-side drive wheel by a left drive belt;
• a left rotatable drive shaft rotatably mounted on the left frame half, the left rotatable drive shaft being operably connected to the left rotatable pulley, the left rotatable drive shaft being configured to rotate the left rotatable pulley, and cause the left drive belt and the left-side drive wheel to rotate in response to rotation of the left rotatable pulley;
• a right rotatable pulley connected to the right-side drive wheel by a right drive belt;
• and
• a right rotatable drive shaft rotatably mounted on the right frame half, the right rotatable drive shaft being operably connected to the right rotatable pulley, the right rotatable drive shaft being configured to rotate the right rotatable pulley, and cause the right drive belt and the right-side drive wheel to rotate in response to the rotation of the right rotatable pulley:
• wherein the left rotatable drive shaft is rotatably mounted on a lower left longitudinal member of the left frame half, by a left mounting bracket;
• and
• wherein the right rotatable drive shaft is rotatably mounted on a lower right longitudinal member of the right frame half, by a right mounting bracket;
• wherein the left-side drive wheel is height-adjustable in the left-side mounting bracket, and the right-side drive wheel is height-adjustable in the right-side mounting bracket, to provide an adjustable height of the harvesting machine relative to the ground, and to provide an adjustable height of the left-side seat and the right-side seat relative to the ground, thereby permitting the harvesting machine to be positioned at a comfortable height for the pickers relative to the ground-growing fruit to be picked and harvested.