Fruit and nut harvester
OwnerRichard E. Diggsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and method are disclosed for efficient harvesting of fruits or nuts from trees. Picking tines extend radially from a vertically disposed drive shaft and move horizontally through the foliage of a fruit or nut bearing tree by rotation of the shaft. During rotation, the drive shaft is also reciprocated vertically for upward and downward movement of the tines in the foliage while they also move horizontally therein. Also, the rotational velocity of the shafts is varied rhythmically so that horizontal travel of the tines on upward movement becomes zero or else is much slower than during downward movement. By upward and downward movement of the tines, while also varying their horizontal travel rhythmically, the harvesting rate can be increased and the damage to tree foliage can be reduced.
Claims14
Harvesting apparatus for removing fruits, nuts, or the like from a tree or bush, comprising, in combination:
- a. tine means including a vertically disposed rotary drive shaft having a plurality of horizontal picking tines secured to and extending radially outward therefrom,
- b. vehicle means for transporting the tine means horizontally,
- c. reciprocating means for reciprocating the drive shaft upwards and downwards,
- d. drive means for rotating the drive shaft,
- e. velocity-varying means for varying the rotational velocity of the drive shaft rythmically during operation of the harvester;
- and wherein said drive shaft includes a pair of rotary drive shafts colinearly arranged on a vertical axis, each of said shafts having said tines secured thereto, each of said drive shafts being rotatable on said axis and being independently movable back and forth thereon, and wherein said reciprocating means is adapted for opposite upward and downward reciprocatory movement of the two drive shafts on said axis, and said velocity-varying means is adapted for varying the rotation of both shafts rythmically as they move up and down in opposite directions;
- f. said drive shafts having inner and outer ends and said reciprocating means comprising connecting means attached to the outer end of each shaft for urging the shafts to reciprocate by exerting force in opposite directions on the outer ends thereof;
- and
- g. the outer ends of each of said drive shafts extending through a bushing therefor which is stabilized against upward or downward movement in relation to the drive shaft, said bushing having a helical keyway in the inner wall thereof and the outer end of the drive shaft having a helical spline thereon which fits into the keyway.
In a process for harvesting fruits, nuts or the like from trees by passage of horizontal tines through the foliage of a tree, said tines extending radially from a vertically disposed drive shaft and being passed horizontally through said foliage by rotating said shaft, and wherein the drive shaft is reciprocated vertically for upward and downward movement of said tines within said foliage while the tines also travel horizontally therein, the improvement for increasing the rate of harvesting while reducing damage to the tree foliage which comprises continuously varying rhythmically the rate at which said tines travel horizontally, and wherein said rate at which the tines travel horizontally is slowed when the tines move upward.
Harvesting apparatus for removing fruits, nuts, or the like from a tree or bush, comprising in combination:
- a. tine means including a vertically disposed rotary drive shaft having a plurality of horizontally disposed picking tines secured thereto and extending radially outwardly therefrom;
- b. vehicle means for transporting said tine means;
- c. reciprocating means for effecting upwardly and downwardly directed movement of said drive shaft;
- d. drive means for rotating said drive shaft;
- and
- e. automatic velocity varying means automatically rhythmically varying the speed of rotation of said drive shaft in conjunction with said reciprocating means causing said tines to have greater horizontal movement as said drive shaft is reciprocated downwardly and less horizontal movement as said drive shaft is directed upwardly, including said drive shaft having upper and lower ends with said reciprocating means attached thereto and further including helical splines extending through a bushing stabilized against upwardly and downwardly directed movement thereof, said bushing having a coordinating helical keyway therein, said drive means rotating said bushing for driving said drive shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.