Fruit harvester including pivotable fruit deflector and associated methods

A fruit harvester comprising:

• a vehicle;
• a telescoping boom having a proximal end carried by said vehicle and having a distal end;
• a shaker head connected to the distal end of said boom for vibrating a tree to shake fruit therefrom;
• a fruit deflector comprising upper and lower portions connected together and cooperatively defining a fruit collecting surface for catching fruit shaken from the tree;
• a fruit deflector mounting bracket pivotally connecting said fruit deflector to said boom so as to be pivotable between operating and retracted positions, said fruit deflector when in the operating position having said lower portion adjacent said shaker head, said fruit deflector when in the retracted position having said lower portion being pivoted upward and away from said shaker head to facilitate access thereto;
• and
• a locking mechanism cooperating with said fruit deflector mounting bracket and said boom for locking said fruit deflector in at least one of the operating and retracted positions.