Harvester picking head

A method for harvesting fruit from a fruit bearing plant with a harvester, the method comprising:

• moving the harvester along a path so as to position a substantially rigid shaker rail of the harvester in a proximity of the fruit bearing plant, wherein the path of the harvester is a straight path;
• imparting a reciprocating motion to a first and second vertical shaft of the harvester causing the shaker rail to move in an arcuate path located in a two-dimensional plane, a first dimension of the two-dimensional plane being parallel to the path of the harvester and a second dimension of the two-dimensional plane being perpendicular to the path of the harvester;
• imparting, by the shaker rail, a force on a trunk of the fruit bearing plant so as to dislodge fruit from the fruit bearing plant;
• and
• collecting, by a fruit collecting mechanism, at least some of the fruit that has been dislodged from the fruit bearing plant.

A harvester, comprising:

• a first, second, third and fourth vertical shaft configured to reciprocate about a first, second, third and fourth vertical axis, respectively;
• a substantially rigid first shaker rail having at least one substantially linear portion adapted to impart a force on a trunk, the shaker rail mechanically coupled to the first and second vertical shafts, such that reciprocation of the first and second vertical shafts about their respective vertical axes cause the first shaker rail to move from a first position to a second position and from the second position back to the first position, wherein the first shaker rail moves in a first arcuate path located in a two-dimensional plane, a first dimension of the two-dimensional plane being parallel to a path of the harvester and a second dimension of the two-dimensional plane being perpendicular to the path of the harvester;
• and
• a substantially rigid second shaker rail having at least one substantially linear portion adapted to impart a force on the trunk, the second shaker rail mechanically coupled to the third and fourth vertical shafts, such that reciprocation of the third and fourth vertical shafts about their respective vertical axes cause the second shaker rail to move from a third position to a fourth position and from the fourth position back to the third position, wherein the second shaker rail moves in a second arcuate path located in the two-dimensional plane,
• wherein the harvester is configured such that first and second shaker rails move in opposite directions along the first dimension parallel to the path of the harvester.