US 4,286,426 A · Vibratory fruit harvester

Abstract

A harvesting apparatus for plants grown in rows, such as grapes, includes a vehicle having a support frame of an inverted U-shape and a shaker frame that also has an inverted U-shape and that is pivotally mounted to the vehicle support frame about a single axis that is parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle. Striker bars are rigidly attached in spaced, opposing and parallel relation at the lower end of the shaker frame and at a height above ground level to engage the trunk of the plants. A non-positive oscillatory drive mechanism is attached to the upper end of the shaker frame to rock the frame about the single pivot axis to cause the striker bars to alternately impact opposite sides of the trunks. The drive mechanism consists of two eccentric weights rotatably mounted to the shaker frame above and equidistantly spaced from the pivot axis so that the center of gravity of the shaker frame, weights and other elements attached to the shaker frame is approximately coincidental with the pivot axis. The shaker frame includes frame sections adapted to scissor about the pivot axis so that the distance between the striker bars is greater than the diameters of the trunks to permit continuous harvesting, and a grape collection and conveyance system is also provided on the vehicle below the shaker frame.

Claims23

Dependent claims

In a harvesting apparatus that includes a vehicle movable to a position adjacent the plant to be harvested, said vehicle including a support frame, a shaker assembly mounted to said vehicle support frame for shaking the trunk of a plant to dislodge crops therefrom comprising:

a shaker frame, means connected to said support frame for mounting said shaker frame for pivoting about a single axis that is overhead the plant to be shaken, said shaker frame including first and second frame sections that extend downwardly of said axis of rotation in substantially fixed relation to each other and that terminate in outer ends, striker members connected to said outer ends in opposing relation, and drive means separate and distinct from said striker members and being connected thereto only through said shaker frame for oscillating said shaker frame as a single unit about said axis to cause said striker members to alternately impact the opposite sides of the trunk of said plant, said drive means being connected to said shaker frame at a height situated generally above said plant.

An apparatus for harvesting row crops such as grape vines including a vehicle, said vehicle including a support frame that is elevated above the plants to be harvested so that the harvester vehicle may be driven over the row of plants to be harvested, and a shaker frame pivotally suspended from said vehicle frame for vibrating the trunks of the plants, means for pivotally mounting said shaker frame to said vehicle support frame for pivoting about a single axis that extends in the direction of movement of the vehicle, said shaker frame including opposing elongate arm poritions that extend downwardly of said axis, each arm portion terminating in an end that is distal from said axis, a pair of elongate striker members that are transversely spaced and that are respectively connected to said distal ends of said arm portions, oscillatory drive means mounted on said shaker frame and isolated from said vehicle support frame for causing said shaker frame to rock laterally from side to side to cause said striker members to alternately impact the trunks of the plants, said oscillatory drive means being separate and distinct from said striker members and being connected to said striker members only through said shaker frame arm portions, said shaker frame and drive means having a center of gravity that is relatively close to said axis of rotation.

An apparatus for harvesting crops from plants comprising:

a vehicle, said vehicle including a support frame that is elevated above a plant to be harvested, a generally rigid shaker frame, means for pivotally attaching said shaker frame to said vehicle frame to enable the shaker frame to pivot back and forth about a single axis that extends longitudinally of the vehicle above the plant to be harvested, striker members attached at the lowermost end of said shaker frame in a transversely spaced relation and at a height adapted to engage opposite sides of the plant, said shaker frame having a configuration between said striker members and said axis of rotation to permit the plant to pass therethrough as the vehicle is driven over said plant, and oscillatory drive means mounted on said shaker frame and substantially isolated from said support frame for rocking the shaker frame about said axis to cause the striker members to alternately impact the plant to thereby shake said plant and dislodge crops from said plant, said oscillatory drive means being separate and distinct from said striker members and being connected to said striker members only through said shaker frame.

In a vibratory plant harvester that includes a harvester vehicle having a support frame, a shaker assembly attached to said support frame for shaking the trunk of a plant comprising:

a shaker frame, means for mounting said shaker frame to said support frame for rotation about a single axis, said shaker frame including two frame sections that extend outwardly from said axis to a position on either side of the trunk of the plant to be shaken, striker members attached to said frame sections in opposed relation for alternately striking the sides of the trunk, oscillatory drive means isolated from said support frame for pivoting said shaker frame back and forth about said axis to cause said striker members to alternately strike said trunk, said oscillatory drive means being separate and distinct from said striker members and being connected thereto only through said frame sections, said oscillatory drive means including at least two eccentric weight means rotatably mounted to said frame for rotation about axes that are equidistant from and parallel to said axis of rotation of the shaker frame, means positively connected to said eccentric weight means for driving both of said weight means at the same speed and at a predetermined phase relation to each other to cause said shaker frame to alternately rock back and forth dependent on the rotative positions of said eccentric weight means, said two eccentric weight means being mounted to said shaker frame on the opposite sides of said axis of rotation from said striker members such that the center of gravity of said shaker frame and the elements of said drive means directly attached thereto is relatively close to said axis of rotation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vibratory fruit harvester

Life of this patent

Vibratory fruit harvester

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23