Elevatable two-part scaffold for picking fruit
OwnerAbel S. Labourreinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An elevatable scaffold is disclosed which may be lifted into a position entirely encircling a tree to be picked. The scaffold includes a path completely encircling the tree so that the pickers may pick fruit all the way about the tree. The scaffold also includes a centrally located hopper for collecting the fruit and the floor of the hopper may be inclined so that the fruit is delivered to a central location where a gate may be released to release the fruit. One side of the path may be raised with respect to the other so that the fruit can be picked at differing vertically spaced locations.
Claims13
A scaffold for picking fruit from a tree comprising:
- a support base;
- a pair of movable generally semi-circular hopper assemblies mounted on said base;
- hopper assembly moving means associated with said base for moving both of said hopper assemblies thorugh a generally horizontal plane from a first open position whereby said assemblies may be brought into a position encircling a tree to a second closed position completely encircling said tree;
- fruit receiving means associated with each of said hopper assemblies for receiving fruit picked from said tree consisting of a continuous bin disposed along the inner side surfaces of said assemblies and extending substantially 360.degree. around said tree when said assemblies are in said closed position;
- walk means associated with each of said hopper assemblies adjacent said fruit receiving means for permitting a picker to walk substantially 360.degree. around said tree and pick fruit therefrom;
- and means for independently elevating each of said hopper assemblies along a vertical hopper assembly support member pivotally attached to said base.
In a scaffold for picking fruit from a tree comprising:
- a base;
- a pair of rotatable turntables mounted on said base;
- stop means on said base operatively engaging said turntables for limiting rotation thereof;
- a pair of spaced guide bars vertically extending from each of said turntables, each of said guide bars being noncircular in cross-section;
- a pair of sleeves mounted for movement in a vertical direction on each of said guide bars, said sleeves having throughbores receiving each of said guide bars therethrough with said throughbores being similarly configured as the cross-section of said guide bars;
- a pair of generally semi-circular hopper assemblies fixedly secured to each of said sleeves and extending radially therefrom in generally a horizontal plane;
- and
- each of said hopper assemblies including a generally semi-circular walkway thereabout and a generally semi-circular fruit receiving hopper contiguous to an inner side surface of said walkway and extending substantially 360.degree. around said tree when said assemblies are rotated to a closed position surrounding the tree;
- means for independently elevating each of said hopper assemblies along said guide bars;
- and means operatively connected to each of said rotatable turntables for rotating said turntables.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.